A sandwich can be one of the finest, healthiest meals and the beauty of the sandwich meal is that it is quick and easy to prepare. Although a sandwich meal is very often a solitary affair, it can be a real treat as you can put in it whatever you like. And it can also be very low in calories. The beauty of a homemade sandwich is that it is not stuffed full of mayonnaise. Shopkeepers seem to believe that mayonnaise should be paired with everything including eggs, and cheese. Some sandwiches have more mayonnaise than filling, and even ready-made low fat sandwiches contain low fat mayonnaise. In homemade sandwiches you don’t have to rely on mayonnaise for taste and it is insecurity that leads people to compensate by adding it simply out of habit.
A good homemade sandwich has a balance of dryness and moisture. Butter is added partly for taste, but also to insulate the bread from the juices of fruit, such as tomatoes, to prevent it from going soggy. So if you have, for example, a cheese, salad and herbs sandwich, and you are going to eat it within the next few hours, then there is no need to add butter or mayonnaise. Some people pass on the butter and use margarine, but here’s the truth. Margarine is completely man-made and has no nutritional benefits. Butter is natural, contains vitamin E, and has anti-cancer properties. Margarine contains no cholesterol, whilst butter contains 12 grams per tablespoon, so it must be used very sparingly.
Getting Active:
Home Exercise Equipment
At this time of year when it is still hot outside, it is very tempting to purchase a new and exciting exercise machine that you have seen advertised. But before you spend the money, be sure that you will actually use it. Most of the machines help you perform exercises that you could do without a machine. However, many people find that the machine motivates them to exercise. So, think about it before buying. If you have other exercise equipment collecting dust, then the chances are that this one will too. One way to break out of that fix is to put your machine in front of the television — that way you can watch a favourite programme or DVD at the same time!
Recipe of the Week
Pepper Baked Hamour
Serves 6
Ingredients
680g Hamour fillets
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric
3/4 tsp. cumin powder
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. oil
2 1/4 tsp. (12 g) fresh lemon juice
Method
Place fish fillets in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, turmeric, cumin, black pepper, and garlic, tossing to coat well. Cover and marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature or longer in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 200°C. Coat the bottom of baking dish with the oil. Place the fish in a single layer and pour the marinade over it. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes. The fish should be firm to the touch. Fish is done when it easily flakes with a fork. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Ask Alva
There is no doubt that I am overweight, but could the reason be that I have a slow metabolism? Mohammed
You will often have read about BMI (Body Mass Index) which is the measurement of body fat, but have you heard about BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). It is the speed at which your body uses energy from food and drink for basic functions (such as breathing) and it accounts for up to 70 percent of our energy needs. Overweight people actually have a high BMR because they have a greater muscle mass in order to support the extra fat mass and they therefore have a greater capacity to burn energy than thinner individuals. However, there is evidence to show that variations in BMR are caused by genetics and that means that it can vary by up to 10 per cent in individuals of the same age and weight having the same BMI. Our BMR decreases with age, but you can increase its effectiveness by ensuring that your body is made up of less fatty tissue and more muscle mass.