Archive for the ‘Articles’ Category
Plan Portions and lose pounds, Naturally
February 08 2013
What you eat is just as important as your exercise plan. With MealEasy, you can slim down naturally with a stress-free plan.
MealEasy blends the art of cooking with the science of nutrition to ensure each meal has maximum nutritional value to meet your specific health needs and weight goals.
Personal preference settings allow you to set your calorie ranges, eliminate certain food groups and ingredients from your diet.
Don’t want some milk products, but you do like certain cheese types or yogurt? No problem! MealEasy gives you the freedom to choose what you want and leave out what you don’t want in your diet.
You’ll be surprised by how easy it is to eat natural, fresh foods and enjoy life again. There’s no need to stress over counting calories, MealEasy does that for you!
Prepare to eat smart. Stick to your personalized MealEasy meal plan and slim down naturally.
3 Easy Steps to Good Health
February 01 2013
It’s easier than you think!
Follow these three easy steps using MealEasy’s meal planner to help you get on the path to health and keep you there!
Step 1: Plan Easily schedule your meals with MealEasy. Meals are automatically suggested based on your personal preferences. Suggested meals are complete meals; we do the work for you and pair the main-course with the right side-dishes. There’s no need to spend extra time searching. If you’re looking for something specific, use the enhanced search tool.
Step 2: Shop Manage your groceries online. Automatically generate and print a categorized grocery list at the click of a button. We do the math – ingredients are automatically added up with only what you need. Edit your grocery list and add whatever else it is you need to pick up while you’re at the store.
Step 3: Prepare Making MealEasy meals in the comfort of your home is easy. We provide simple step-by-step instructions to guide you from chopping and dicing to broiling and blending. Every meal is quick and easy to prepare so you can enjoy your time at home.
Give MealEasy a try and see how a little planning can lead to a worry free lifestyle. No more, “What’s For Supper?” agony.
All new subscriptions carry a 10-day Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with MealEasy, cancel your subscription within 10 days to receive a full refund.
Save Money by freezing homemade meals
January 24 2013
Prepare to Eat Smart – Freeze your culinary delights
Making meals ahead of time and then freezing them to either take for lunch or to eat for dinner at a later date makes a lot of sense and saves a lot of cents.
Many of MealEasy’s fast and delicious meals are easily frozen and can then be thawed and reheated for a supper quick weekday super. And because the MealEasy Meal Planner allows you to change the portion size of most of the meals, you can plan on cooking extra to save for future meals. Each recipe states whether or not it is freezable, so you don’t have to guess.
The key to successfully freezing meals is to tightly wrap any foods and try to remove as much air as possible; air is the enemy when it comes to freezing foods. Always remember to allow your foods to cool to room temperature before freezing, and it’s best to freeze them in a single layer so that they freeze more quickly; you can stack them when foods are completely frozen.
If you plan on doing a lot of freezing, investing in a vacuum food sealer might be worthwhile. Food sealers are wonderful for freezing uncooked meats and vegetables. If you don’t have a food sealer and are freezing meats, it’s important to double wrap them in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer bag to be able to keep them for a longer period of time. Foods frozen in its supermarket wrapping or butcher shop’s brown paper will not last as long in the freezer.
New Year, New You
January 17 2013
The New Year brings a promise of renewal and change
No matter what your resolution is, it will only lead to real change if you fully commit to it with a plan.
A goal without a plan is only a wish
If you accept the MealEasy 3-month Challenge, you will see a difference. Not only in the way you feel, but in your relationship with food. Over the last few decades, we have become disconnected with our food, and seem to have lost the enjoyment of preparing meals in our home. The rush of daily life and the complications of meeting the needs of others, tend to push us toward quicker meal solutions such as fast food and drive-thrus. Try MealEasy meal planning for 3 months and see what a difference it makes in your life.
Enjoy our 10-day Trial on Us
All new subscriptions carry a 10-day Satisfaction Guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with MealEasy, cancel your subscription within 10 days to receive a full refund. Many have tried to lose weight or get back to a balanced and healthy meal plan, but without the incentives that MealEasy offers, it’s difficult to stay on track.
Let MealEasy be your Personal Nutrition Assistant
We’ll help you stick to your Plan. Just follow our 3-easy steps of Plan, Shop and Prepare, and you will be on your way to a New You!
Not all fats are created equal
January 09 2013
A few easy ways to cut the fat from our diets
Not all fats are created equal. There are some fats that are good for you such as the monounsaturated fats found in avocados and the Omega-3 fats found in salmon and other cold water fish. The key to a healthy diet is reducing and eliminating the fats that are not so good for you. Trans fats should be avoided altogether and you should try to limit saturated fats as much as possible.
There are many ways to reduce the amount of saturated fats in your diet. One of the easiest is to choose lean cuts of meat and to trim all visible fat from your steak before cooking it; also, remove any skin from chicken and cook with less butter and cream whenever possible.
Using olive oil instead of butter will help reduce your overall fat intake and olive oil has been shown to help reduce cholesterol and high blood pressure! Try cooking with a non stick pan, this allows you to use less fat than you would with a conventional pan. Although non-stick pans have received a bad rap due to their non-stick coating compounds, there are new products available which are safe and not too expensive.
When shopping for ingredients try to find low fat or non fat versions of sour cream and yogurt. As well, keep away from ready-made snacks such potato chips and buttered popcorn. Make your own popcorn and lightly salt or season it with a mixture of spices instead of smothering it with butter.
Another great way to reduce your fat intake is to choose fruit for dessert instead of calorie rich desserts and treats. Not only will fruit increase your all important fiber intake, many fruits can help fight disease such as diabetes and certain cancers.
Here’s to a healthier, happier and leaner you in 2013!
Healthy Snacks for Kids
January 02 2013
The key to healthy eating for children is learning good eating habits early in life. Most young children graze and snack throughout the day. But is what they are eating good for them? Are they learning healthy habits?
Limit empty calories
Children will ask for food that is marketed directly towards them, such as fast food, candy and foods with empty calories. But by limiting the junk food that gives them empty calories and contributes to restlessness and sugar-rushes, you can help them learn good habits.
Children learn at a young age how food makes them feel. Comfort food such as homemade soup, homeade breads and healthy snacks will give children the association of goodness with good food. After all, junk food is loaded of fat, calories, sugar and salt and do not contribute to a child’s overall nutrition. Rather, they fill their tummies full of nothing, help them choose goodness over junk.
Give Unhealthy Snacks the Boot
Stocking up on sugary drinks and unhealthy lunch box snacks because they are on sale does not bring savings. In fact, if children are raised with unhealthy eating habits, they will continue throughout their life struggling with health issues. Giving your children healthy eating habits at an early age is a precious gift.
Here are a few healthy snack ideas to add to your child’s lunch box:
• Whole grain toast with low-fat cheese spread
• Veggie mixture of sweet corn, snow peas, peas, carrots, cucumber
• Yogurt, preferably natural without added sugar
• Cut up mixed fruit
• Homemade whole grain biscuits – add finely grated apple, cheese, carrots before baking.
• Raw vegetables such as carrots, or baby carrots.
• Dried fruit such as raisins, prunes, apricots, banana
• Seeds and nuts (please follow nut policies in schools and daycare)
• Eggs, scrambled, boiled, mashed
• Salads with healthy salad dressings
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Whole fruit such as a pear, apple, plum, grapes, orange
Chef Paul’s Best of … Food Books
December 20 2012
As the end of the year approaches, we are inundated with anyone and everyone’s “Best of” lists. From movies, to TV shows, to books and twitter feeds, it’s endless. Well, here’s my “Best of Food” books which I’ve read this year, and I hope you take the time to find out more about them, or better yet, read them!
When it comes to nonfiction, I tend to stick to food related books such as cook books or food and farming books. One of the books I quite enjoyed this past year was Joel Salatin’s Folks, This Ain’t Normal which focuses on the sustainability of our food system. It’s very much along the same lines as Michael Pollen’s must read “Omnivore’s Dilemma” but more farm focused.
As for cook books, this year’s stand out titles for me were “Bouchon Bakery” which is every bit as beautiful a book as “Bouchon” and “The French Laundry”, two previous cookbooks by Thomas Keller. Though a bit advanced for most home cooks, the book is worth it for the photos alone.
Two other cookbooks I quite enjoyed were “Preservation Kitchen” by Paul Virant and Kate Leahy as well as “Foraged Flavor” by Tama Matsuoka Wong, Eddy Leroux and Daniel Boulud.
As for other cooking related reads from this past year, I highly recommend “Cooking with Foods that Fight Cancer” which I referred to quite a bit during the development our new “Anti-Oxidant Plus” Meal Plan that we will be releasing in the New Year. The book focuses on foods that help prevent and fight off cancer and cancerous cells.
Those are the best of food related books that I read this past year. Bon appétit and happy reading.
If you would like to create Your Own Personalized Recipe eBook, visit www.mealeasy.com/erecipes and get yours today!
Get Organized!
December 03 2012
Do you experience anxiety at 2pm, 3pm or 4pm trying to remember what you have in the cupboards and on the shelves of your fridge?
If so, here’s some advice from Chef Paul:
Get organized and have fun in your kitchen!
• Take stock of your pots and pans. Get rid of those you don’t use, stack them in a deep drawer, or hang them from the ceiling.
• Clean out your fridge and store similar items in baskets, drawers and containers that keep items organized.
• Store pantry items in see-through containers that allow quick access with a glance.
• Clean out that junk drawer and vow to stop stuffing it full of “junk”!
Getting organized will save you time in the kitchen and give you more time to do the things you love.
Happy Thanksgiving – Let’s Talk Turkey
November 22 2012
For many cooks, turkey dinner can be fraught with peril and the added pressure of family expectations.
Whether you’re a seasoned Thanksgiving chef, or a newbie in the kitchen, these tips can help eliminate the stress associated with prepping your meal’s centerpiece.
Get it Right
Allot 1 to 1.5 lbs of turkey per person. Make sure your turkey is big enough for leftovers! There’s nothing more satisfying than a turkey sandwich for lunch the next day.
Ready your bird for the oven by following the National Turkey Federation guideline on thawing: for every 4 1/2 pounds of frozen turkey, thaw for 24-hours in the refrigerator.
Prepare Ahead
Get busy and brine your bird! Brining adds so much flavor and texture to the meat. Prepare as much as you can ahead of time. Some side dishes can be made a couple of days ahead and reheated for dinner. Don’t be afraid to ask a guest to bring a dish to your dinner, it will save you time and make your guest feel great for bringing a family favorite. Remember, there’s only so much space in an oven, so schedule cooking accordingly to ensure everything is ready at mealtime.
Work Smart
Keep a clean work area and make sure your knives are sharp. There are two chef’s adages that come to mind: “you are more likely to cut yourself with a dull knife than a sharp knife”; and, “If your work area is a mess, you’ll create a mess”.
You don’t need to be Julia Child to master the art of turkey. By maintaining your kitchen tools and preparing ahead, you can make Turkey Day successful and stress-free.
Vegetarian Meals You Can Trust
November 19 2012
Finding new vegetarian meal ideas that provide nutritional value and great taste is easy with MealEasy.
MealEasy provides affordable healthy vegetarian meal plans and ensures you have the best vegetarian food complete with all the necessary nutrients and protein. You don’t have to eat meat in order to consume adequate levels of protein; however, careful attention must be paid to ensure you consume the proper amounts of alternate protein sources. MealEasy takes the guess work out of protein amounts.
Understanding meal planning
So, what exactly is a meal plan?
A meal plan is a prepared schedule of your meals for a few days in advance, or even weeks in advance. One of the best ways to make sure that you eat healthy meals throughout the week is to have a plan in place. That way, you can purchase all the necessary ingredients ahead of time, and avoid purchasing unneeded groceries that end up going to waste. In addition, putting meal plans together in advance makes it easier to make certain that you’re eating well-balanced meals with optimum nutrition, rather than trying to figure it out on the fly. Finally, a meal plan can help you spend your time more wisely, since you will be able to get through the grocery store more quickly and won’t have to spend time each evening trying to figure out what to make for dinner.
Make every day a banquet
With MealEasy, it is simple to create a balanced meal plan that is healthy, delicious, and will please all of the people in your family. Select from a wide range of meals available to create personalized vegetarian meal plans. MealEasy will automatically generate shopping lists so you can be sure to be well stocked with all of the ingredients required to prepare your meals.
MealEasy features delicious recipes that span many cuisines; including Japanese, American, Italian, and more. Having access to such variety in creating your meal plans will keep your family from falling into the rut of preparing the same tired recipes again and again.
Visit www.mealeasy.com to learn more about their healthy meal plans. Take advantage of the option to sign up for a 3-month membership to explore the full range of recipes and meal plans available, as well as experience how simple MealEasy can make meal planning.