Speculoos-Brown Sugar Bars

This delectable treat is crunchy outside and gooey inside, a perfect dessert that you and your kids would love. Follow the recipe below.

Photo/recipe by Mississippi Kitchen

Ingredients:

Crust:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling:

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1/2 cup Speculoos spread

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

 Powdered sugar for sprinkling tops

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine crust ingredients on low to medium speed just until mixture is evenly mixed and moist.  (It will start clumping together.) Dump into an 8 x 8 inch baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Press mixture onto bottom of pan in an even layer. (Use wet fingers if mixture sticks to skin.)  Prick 6-8 times with a fork, then bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown around edges.

Meanwhile, beat the ingredients for the filling on medium speed until smooth.  When crust is done, pour mixture evenly over crust and bake for 30 minutes or until middle is just set. Cool completely on wire rack before cutting into bars.  Sprinkle each bar with powdered sugar, if desired.

*For a firmer bar, decrease light brown sugar in filling to 1 cup, then bake for 40 minutes.

Finish product!

Tips On How To Raise Food Smart Kids

Are you having a hard time feeding your kids especially if you’re serving veggies? More often kids are super picky on what they eat, so it is absolute that you add a variety in your food without sacrificing its quality. Creating a nutritious meal is very important for your child’s development as food is important for rapid growth and development.

As a parent you should set an example for your kids to become food smart. Here are some helpful tips on how to get your children eat healthy food.

Do not restrict food

Restricting food can impose negative effect on your child, like developing a psychological problem later in life such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating, etc.

Keep healthy food in reach

Instead of Junk food in the table why not stock fruits and placed it in a bowl on top of table or fridge, remember that children can easily access the food and eat them. Putting the fruits inside the fridge makes them lazy to get it.

Don’t label food as good or bad

Your goal as a parent is to introduce different varieties of food and tell them what nutritional benefits they can gain. Ex: carrots, carrots is needed to improve eyesight and is a good anti oxidant.

Praise healthy choices

A good old smile or praise for every healthy choice that your kids make will be inculcated on their brains.

Be careful to use food as a reward

Instead of rewarding your children with food, make some alternative by playing in the park. Food as a reward can impose weight problems later in life

Eating with the family

Study shows that children who eat dinner with their family have better nutrition and are less likely to get in trouble as a teen.

Give your child some control over food

By asking what veggies or fruits he/she wants to eat, that way your child’s decision making is also exercised.

Consult with your Pediatrician

Before entering any diet/weight gain program for your child be sure to ask your pediatrician. They still know what is best and which is suitable for your kids. 

Reference: http://www.medicinenet.com/ways_to_raise_food-smart_kids_pictures_slideshow/article.htm

Tips On How To Maintained Or Lose Some Weight Without Dieting

A lot of us are diet conscious, often too picky on what we eat. Are you wondering why you tend to gain weight even though you’re cutting down on carbohydrates? Well blame it on our body’s metabolism. As we grow old our body’s capability to metabolize food slows down added by sedentary lifestyle, end product excess fat!  Usually found on tummy and thigh. Worry no more! Here are some tips on how to maintained or lose some weight without dieting.

Sleeping More Can Shed Weight

 

A study conducted by a researcher from Michigan reported that a person can drop 14 pounds in a year. “His scenario shows that when sleep replaces idle activities – and the usual mindless snacking – you can effortlessly cut calories by 6%. Results would vary for each person, but sleep may help in another way, too. There's evidence that getting too little sleep revs up your appetite, making you uncommonly hungry.”

Eat More Veggies and Fruits

 

Eating more fruits and vegetables is a great way to shed your unwanted weight. Fruits and veggies are rich in fiber and water thus making you full with an intake of few calories.

Go Gaga On Soups

 

Soups are usually served beginning of a meal. It curbs your appetite and slows your eating. Why not try low sodium soups for a start. Beware of cream base one as it tends to be fatty and high in calories.

Whole Grain Craze

 

Oats, whole wheat, barley, and brown rice are examples of whole grain, like with vegetables it also help you fill full without consuming more calories plus it also improve in flushing out unwanted cholesterol in our blood.

Cut Back On Sugar

 

“Replace one sugary drink like regular soda with water or a zero-calorie seltzer and you'll avoid about 10 teaspoons of sugar”

Limit Alcohol

Alcohol is high in calories. Alcohol contains 7g/cal compared to carbohydrates 4g/cal and protein 4g/cal.

Tip: When an occasion includes alcohol, follow the first drink with a nonalcoholic, low-calorie beverage like sparkling water instead of moving directly to another cocktail, beer, or glass of wine.

Go for Green Tea

 

Green tea has pythochemicals called cathecins w/c help the body to possibly increase the calorie-burning capabilities of our body making it a great weight loss strategy.

Eat Home Cooked Meals

 

Meals cooked at home are fresher; unlike with fast food meal it tends to have high sodium content. Sodium binds with water, making you look and feel bloated.

Shrink Your Plate

 

 “Chose a 10-inch lunch plate instead of a 12-inch dinner plate to automatically eat less. Cornell's Brian Wansink, PhD, found in test after test that people serve more and eat more food with larger dishes. Shrink your plate or bowl to cut out 100-200 calories a day – and 10-20 pounds in a year. In Wansink's tests, no one felt hungry or even noticed when tricks of the eye shaved 200 calories off their daily intake.”

Red Over White

 

When choosing a pasta sauce, it’s better to pick red (marinara) over white (alfredo). Tomato based sauce tend to have fewer calories and fat over cream based sauce.

Celebrate

 

 

Once in a while, pleasure yourself without feeling guilty and what’s the best way to celebrate? Munch on Speculoos spread! It has no Cholesterol and is freshly made from finest ingredients just for you.

Reference:

http://www.medicinenet.com/lose_weight_without_dieting_pictures_slideshow/article.htm

Lemon Ice cream with Speculoos Filling

Your icecream craving will be satisfied by this magnificent recipe. Indulge!

 

Photo/Recipe by Porier

Ingridients

2 lemons (preferably unsprayed)
75g sugar
175g milk
200g cream
pinch of salt
2 large egg yolks

·         Speculoos spread for filling 1 jar

Proceure:

·         zest the lemons into a pot.add sugar, milk salt and half the cream.

·         heat until warm, cover and let stand for one hour.

·         reheat the mixture bringing it to a boil.

·         warm the egg yolks a bit in different bowl.

·         when boiling, sieve the mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly.

·         discard the left over lemon zest.

·         add the rest of the cream.

·         chill the mixture.freeze in your ice cream maker according to your manufacturer's instructions.
when the ice cream is done, mix the speculoos spread before transferring to final container.