Monthly Archives: June 2012

White Chocolate Brownies

Contrary to popular belief, these delectable white chocolate brownies are not so hard to prepare. If you've been craving it but too scared to give it a shot, well, you can now.

It's high time you whipped up these amazing treats, and celebrate your "expertise" with your loved one.  You can even prepare with your children or significant other. Quality time at its best! You never know, you might just start a family tradition!
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Part-time Rower, Part-time Chocolate Maker

Many of us have dreams. For some, those dreams include the Olympics.

Will Newell is a world class rower who trains much of his time at the Oklahoma City High Performance Center in the Devon Boathouse and Olympic Qualifier.  He pointed out that  many countries around the world provide their athletes with provisions that are much higher compared to United States athletes.  That means the U.S. athletes have to find a way to make a living.

The Oklahoma City Boathouse Foundation sponsors athletes and helps them find jobs and housing while training as Olympic athletes.  Newell and his fellow athlete Robin Prendes are currently members of a four lightweight crew.  They have earned their way to the 2012 Olympics and are currently working part-time for Devon Energy.
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Dark Chocolate for Reducing Cardiac Diseases

As a self-proclaimed and a self-confessed chocoholic, I have always been particularly keen about the things I come across on the Internet that talk about my favorite sweet treat. In recent years, there have been many stories about the health benefits that dark chocolates are able to provide.

Recent research brings up a certain metabolic syndrome, which is a combination of many risk factors that include an elevated blood pressure as well as high cholesterol and abdominal obesity.  This condition places a person in a position that can lead to diseases like coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and many different types of carcinoma or cancer. The participants in the study showed no symptoms of coronary heart disease, and were not takers of any medications that can lower blood pressure.
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Deep-Fried Candy Bars

We often crave  something sweet and something that will appeal to our very keen and varying tastes.  Today I am talking about something that may seem unfamiliar or uncommon to you, and it might be just the thing you are looking for.  I am talking about deep-fried candy bars.  Yes, you read right, deep fried candy bars!

The usual batter some chefs or home cooks use for frying dishes like fried chicken, fish, meat, or sausages can also be used for frying these sweet treats. The candy bars must be thoroughly chilled before they undergo the process of being battered. This is done to ensure that the chocolate doesn't melt into a hot, fatty, sticky mess.
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Bavarian Chocolate Pie

Getting tired of the same old chocolate cake that you serve at a dinner party? It’s about time you widened your horizons with regard to your delicacy range. This recipe you are about to learn will teach you how to whip up your own homemade Bavarian chocolate pie in a jiffy.

Just so you know, Bavarian cream is a cold dessert made out of egg custard that was stiffened with the use of gelatin. It is combined with whipped cream, and then set in a mold. It can also be used as a delectable filling for pastries, cakes, and more.

Fun fact, it has been said that Bavarian cream is traced back to a time in which French chefs were working for the Bavarian rulers and learned a similar recipe. When they got back to France, they continued making it, calling it Crème Bavaroise (Bavarian Cream).
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Mars Chocolate Meets Cocoa Supply Needs

One of the most prominent chocolate manufacturers around the world is Mars Chocolate. It has recently announced that it is keeping up with its 2009 pledge to purchase 100% of their cocoa from certified sustainable sources by 2020.

The company recently revealed that it successfully purchased 10 percent of its cocoa reserves as a certified sustainable source in 2011 (as certified by the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ) .

In 2012 it expects to  exceed their target of 20 percent, establishing themselves as the largest user of certified cocoa in the world. Solely based upon current purchasing trends and deals, the company has envisioned that they can purchase up to 90,000 tons of certified cocoa from sources all over the globe this year.
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Malie Kai Chocolates

Did you know that Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. where cacao can grow?

Cacao has been grown in very small amounts in Hawaii since the 1850s. Most of it was grown on the Big Island.

Malie Kai Milk ChocolateMalie Kai Chocolates is a small company producing chocolates grown on Oahu, specifically, the famous North Shore.
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Beneficial In Moderation

It's enough to make my head spin.  Yes, I'm talking about food research as it relates to health.  Here's a sample...

Coffee is widely known to make people's lives longer.  Certain studies have shown that more than normal levels of "good" cholesterol does not give people immunity from heart diseases.  Some liquors that contain alcohol, if taken in moderation, pack many benefits to our bodies, but alcohol is also an agent that causes brain shrinking.

The whole idea of food research can sometimes be misleading, even in recent years wherein medical research and innovations have helped Americans to live longer and healthier lives. This gives people who are health-conscious a little bit of a dilemma. For example, a recent study about coffee is contrary to the statement I made above.  The study showed that for people who smoke and drink more alcohol, consume red meat, and don't exert efforts in doing some exercise, coffee was not able to help them.
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