Let's learn about the human body and how food affects it.

You are what you eat, we've all heard it but who takes it seriously? Foods are actually made up of complex chemicals that affect your body type, personality, and emotions. Needless to say, eating healthy is the best way to go. I understand that there are already two health blogs and you're likely assuming right now that this is going to be the same stuff. Actually, I don't think so. Upon reading the two health blogs I have to admit that they're not bad necessarily, just lacking in information. If you're going to write about something, do it right, dammit. ;]

Today, I am starting with foods that will boost your memory. My mother believes that she needs to take me to a professional because, to her, I appear to have a serious memory problem, in actuality, it could be a lack of these foods: blueberries, apples, spinach, red onions, broccoli, red beets, purple, red and black grapes, cherries, eggplant, and rosemary. Most of these foods have been known to play a role in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative brain disorder's. Onions have been a staple in Indian food for years and has been considered a folk remedy to boost memory for centuries. Red onions are the best but yellow and white onions contain a good level of quercetin as well. Quercetin is one of those chemicals I mentioned earlier; it's the one that's good for your brain.

Need a boost of energy? Try oatmeal, which is also very good for diabetes along with cinnamon. Lentils, bananas, and chocolate are also good for some energy. For a delicious treat, try chocolate dipped bananas? You can even take it a step further and try some crushed, roasted almonds on top because that's a great energy boosting foods too.

Finally we have our happy foods. Foods that prevent and reduce depression and stress. As a teenager, I know other teenagers (you might too!), and there are a lot of tragic sob stories out there. These foods will get that annoying energy leech off of your back. Vitamin C. Vitamin C is not only great for a healthy immune system but reduces stress. Nuts, any nuts (get your mind out of the gutter, you lecher!), are a great mood-booster. Then we have the not always so fun leafy greens, but hey, they work. Salmon, mackerel, and sardines are fantastic for lowering your risk for depression and (check it out!) memory loss. Dried cherries will also bring a little sunshine into your life while boosting your mood, energy and memory.

Food is so wonderful. It's delicious, it's gross, it's slimy, it's crunchy, there are so many words to describe food! You just have to remember that when you eat too much bad food that is not good for you, it affects you. Your body and your mind. You are what you eat and if your body isn't happy, you won't be happy. You're a team, act like it!

Cheesy turtle bacon burgers :3

Like turtles? Like cheese? How about bacon? Try this on for size then. These little cuties seem to be on a lot of forum websites but I have failed to find a history. Ohwell, what you really need to know is, "what is a bacon turtle cheeseburger?" I'll tell you. :]
Our hard shelled friends start as a lone batch of hamburger meat that's just waiting to be molded. You take some kosher hot dogs(not that it matters, I would use the one's with cheese in the middle)and you cut them in half and mold the hamburger meat around them so that they're sticking out where arms and legs belong. Then cut a little piece off and give your turtle a head and a long skinny piece for a tail. Next, cover your meaty fetus in cheese. I would not recommend shredded cheese. And now you're ready to make your "bacon weave" around the cheese. Cut your uncooked bacon into squares and place them in a vertical-horizontal-vertical pattern on the burger, effectively covering all the cheese. Poke toothpicks through your burger to hold it together with your turtles arms and legs and bake. Enjoy~
Just to further specify, this is a burger wrapped in cheese that's wrapped in bacon with hot dogs sticking out of it. Right now you're probably foaming out of the mouth. Either from need or disgust. If you are indifferent to this meaty work of are then you have no soul, obviously. If you've already seen this then congrats, you've seen it, you should still be affected. Every time I read about this I feel thick, like my blood is hardening but I want it so badly. SO badly. Although, this is not nearly as bad as the feeling I get when I think about the deep-fried coke. Not nearly as bad at all. It's the cinnamon sugar that really does it, it's just too much for my mind to handle.

My take on the cookie(:

Today I made cookies and no, not the potato chip ones, although I will! These cookies are chocolate chip with both milk and white chocolate and some dried cranberrys. These cookies are also gluten-free. Throughout the time I've been on the gluten-free diet, I've learned that not very many people even know what gluten is and out of ignorance, which isn't necissarily their fault, they try to convice me that I shouldn't be dieting because I'm too thin. Today, my friends, I am going to educate you, if you don't already know. Gluten is a mixture of proteins. It is found in wheat grains and gives dough it's elastic texture. In a nut shell, it is in all wheat products, and just about everything else you'll find in your grocery store. I have Celiac disease which is just a harsh way of saying that I have a permanent intolerance to gluten. Instead of eating regular cake I have to eat gluten-free cake and gluten-free cookies. This can be a serious problem to me most times because as hard as a lot of companies try, their gluten-free products are disgusting. Fortunately we have kind, talented bakers who can make delicious gluten-free products over in the Betty Crocker Kitchen.
Today I tested out Mrs. Crocker's cookie mix and let me tell you, it was heaven. I have not had a more real tasting cookie in months. Betty most definitely beats Bob's Red Mill mixes by twenty. I don't know twenty of what exactly, just twenty.

These were my first gluten-free cookies by Bob's Red Mill. Because gluten gives dough it's elasticity, the dough tends to come out crumbly and dry. Forming these cookies was like building a sandcastle, which is really bad on my terms.

This is what Betty's cookies looked like before they were cooked, like regular cookies. Already I was excitd. XD When they were finished baking they were a little grainy but that's a given because of the lack of gluten, it happens. For the most part the cookies met my standards. The milk chocolate chips were the perfect combination with the cranberry and white chocolate because they balanced out the taste and kept the cookies interesting. The worst thing a chef can make is someting that will bore the consumer.

I give these cookies a five star rating. I think every cookie-holic should try these.
At the end of the semester, I think I'm going to have a poll where I'll make something and brng it in for the class to try. It won't be bacon ice cream because I unfortunatly don't have an ice cream maker but there are other interesting things I can make. What do you think, would you guys be up for it?

What's that flavor!? (Ice cream edition)

Maple bacon ice cream. When I first decided to write this blog I was going to do a background on it and explain what it is but that would be SOOO boring. So I'm going to arm you with the knowledge to be able to make it yourself. First thing is first *consuming any raw or uncooked meat is dangerous and can be toxic. It is strongly advised that you cook your bacon thoroughly.
Now that that's out of the way, you can start by cooking your bacon, 1/4 of a pound. (The recipe I'm going to give you will make about a pint, probably a little more, by the way.) The bacon should be cooked crispy because soft bacon just screams, "I'm going to be smushy and slippery in your ice cream!" After you prepare your bacon you can set it aside on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat. While preparing your bacon, if you can multitask, you can put 1/2 cup of maple syrup in a pot and reduce(boil it down) to about 3/4 of the 1/2 cup. Please do not do this unless you can keep track of it. If you blame me when your pot catches on fire I will show your parents my warning personally. After your maple syrup is reduced you're going to whip it in a bowl with 4 egg yolks, and 3/8 of a cup of sugar (it's half of 3/4 a cup of sugar if you eye it in the measuring cup). The mixture should be light in color when you finish. Now take the pot you cooked the bacon in and wipe in out and pour in 2 1/4 cups heavy cream and 3/4 cup of whole milk. You're going to heat it until it's hot but don't let it boil. If you don't watch this it will boil over and you could burn yourself. Or you could just make a really big mess. Just never walk away from boiling milk or cream, okay? Add 1/2 a cup of your milk and cream mixture to the egg mixture and mix them. When that's done you're going to mix what you just stirred into the hot milk and cream. Get out a strainer because you're going to be straining this mix into a bowl that's placed over another bowl that's filled with ice. This is to make sure that your ice cream does not over cook. When your almost ice cream is cold, stick it in an ice cream maker and let the machine do its work. Finally when your ice cream is done and made, you stir in the bacon and let it freeze overnight. Today's blog was a little different but hey, we've all gotta try new things. Enjoy!~