The first step to low fat cooking with meat is the selection of meat that is to be used for the recipe. Choosing a low fat meat option for example creating hamburgers out of sirloin instead of ground chuck is the first step in low fat cooking.

If possible choose meat that is lower in fat than red meats. This means fish, chicken and turkey. Goose is not considered a low fat meat since this poultry tends to have a significantly higher level of fat content than most meats.

As far as fish goes, look for fish with lower fat content as there are some fish that have high fat content. Check with the seafood counter or online for specific information as to how much fat is in each type of fish. It is a good idea to stay away from fish sticks or breaded fish products; these tend to be higher in fact then if you were to purchase fish yourself and bread it at home.

Chicken should have very little fat on it, and chicken breast is usually better than thighs, legs or drumsticks. If possible cut all additional fat off the chicken prior to cooking. This will lower the fat content of the meat. The same goes with turkey.

Choose ground beef that is at least an 80/20 mix if possible this means it is about 80% fat free. It is hard to get past this and have ground beef that does not end up like shoe leather when you cook it. You can go higher but it is best to use that type of meet in things like spaghetti sauce and other types of mixed dishes rather than as hamburgers. Steak should be lean with only a small amount of fat on the edges, marbling should be consistent and the veins small. Choose leaner cuts like sirloin to cut the fat back even more.

Tenderize meat thoroughly these separates the grains and not only helps to soften lean cuts of meat which do not have the fat content to make them tender but also helps to remove a little more unneeded fat from the meat. When cooking meat do not add fat by using vegetable oil or butter. Choose a non fat cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil. Use just enough to prevent the meat from sticking. Bake rather than fry, even pan frying can add extra unnecessary fat.

If at all possible, grill meat as this allows fat to drip away from the meat providing a leaner product. Plus, it tastes delicious. These are just some ideas for choosing and cooking meat that is healthy, low fat and will not have you compromising on one of the most important aspects, taste.

Here’s a flavorful recipe that’s both yummy and low fat.

The Ingredients:

• 1 pound red beans, dry
• 8 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 4 bay leaves
• 3 Tablespoons chopped garlic
• 3 Tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons crushed, dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• Cooked rice

The Process:

Rinse and sort beans before mixing them in a five quart capacity pot with the bay leaves, celery, onion and water, bringing everything to boil before reducing the heat, covering the pot and then cooking for around 90 minutes until the beans are tender.

Once they are tender, you can stir and mash them in the pan before adding the remaining ingredients and then uncovering the pot.

Cook everything in this manner until the mixture is creamy, before removing the leaves from the mixture and then serving everything over rice.

We wait all year for summer. Great weather, lots of sunshine, shorts, tank tops, bathing suits, and for those brave souls out there, bikinis. No matter which summer attire suits your fancy, you definitely want to look your best. Here’s how to put it all together and be bikini ready this summer.

You will no doubt want to shop for some new beach wear. Your choice of a new bathing suit is no longer limited to the basic one-piece or bikini. There is a huge variety of new styles, one of which will be perfect for you. If you’re trying to hide a flabby stomach, check out the tankini. If the tops of your legs are not your best feature, go for a mini swim skirt to go with your bikini. If you need some extra lift in the bust area, try a suit with a built-in support top.

Once you’ve found the perfect suit, you’ll also want to look for some accessories to accentuate it. There are many different types of swimwear cover-ups. A cover-up is a good way to protect your skin from over-exposure to the sun. Just about anything goes when it comes to cover-ups. From an over-sized t-shirt to a beach robe, you’re sure to find one that fits your taste and goes well with your suit. One very popular type of cover up, for those just wanting to cover the bottom half of the body, is a sarong.

Hats are a pretty yet practical accessory. Wearing a hat helps protect your face, neck and shoulders from the damaging rays of the sun. It’s a bonus if your hat just happens to perfectly co-ordinate with your suit and cover-up. Even though your hat will shade your eyes, sunglasses are another necessity. The darker the better and be sure they have a good level of UV blocking for maximum eye protection.

The importance of shielding yourself from the sun makes sunscreen one of your most important accessories. Apply liberally and thoroughly and re-apply periodically throughout the day.

Many beach lovers like to get a head start on their tanning by visiting a tanning studio before heading to the beach. A better idea might be to use one of the self-tanning products that are available. Having a base tan helps avoid sunburn and because you already look tanned, you will probably be more willing to use a more protective sunscreen and avoid getting too much sun.

Before you hit the beach, you’ll want to give your feet a little extra attention too. After all, they’ve been hidden away and maybe even neglected for months. If you spring for a pedicure your feet will be very grateful and look great too. At the minimum, massage some cooling foot lotion into your heels and cuticles. This will go a long way toward making your feet ready for that new shade of nail polish.

So what are you waiting for? Grab your towel and beach bag, put on those sandals and that pretty cover-up over your bikini and head out to the beach looking fabulous this year.

What’s a cassoulet, you might ask? It’s a bean casserole, typically made with beans and vegetables. Here’s a yummy one with boneless pork.

The Ingredients:

• Non-stick, low-fat cooking spray
• 6 oz. lean, boneless pork, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 large onion cut into wedges
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup, reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 15 oz. can Great Northern or Navy beans, drained
• 6 oz. fully cooked, low-fat smoked turkey sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley

The Process:

Coat a saucepan with the cooking spray before placing it on the stove and setting the burner to medium-high.

Once that has been accomplished, you can add the pork and cook until light brown before adding the thyme, broth, garlic and carrots and then cooking everything until boiling begins.

Once boiling, simmer for around eight minutes before adding beans, wine and tomatoes, mashing the beans somewhat and then adding the sausage into the mix.

Once boiling has commenced again, you can simmer for a couple of minutes.

You can then sprinkle slightly with parsley if desired before serving.

The benefits of debt consolidation vary, depending on why you require it. The most common use is for credit card debt that is getting out of hand, which seems to be a growing problem in today’s society. Credit is so easy to get and credit companies keep offering more and more. It’s a vicious cycle.

You can seek out opportunities to consolidate all debts onto one card with a lower interest rate, or to negotiate with a lending institution for a loan to pay them off, that has a better interest rate than what is on the cards. Just investigate all the fine print to ensure that you are saving money over the long term and that the low interest rate is not simply temporary.

In both cases, your new monthly payment total will likely be lower than the amount of all the others when added together. But if at all possible, you shouldn’t put that money elsewhere. Take the difference in payments, and put it back into paying off the principal.

Then you save in two ways: Lower interest rates, and less interest paid per year, because the principal is going down faster.

Need More Help with the Budget?

If you need additional help with a family budget plan, grab your step-by-step guide here.

Every year people spend hundreds of dollars to have vibrant, healthy-looking hair. Is it really necessary to break the bank in order to have lovely locks? Having healthy hair doesn’t have to be a difficult thing to achieve either. You just need to know what to do. Here are some healthy hair tips to help make your life easier without costing a fortune at the hairdresser.

The jury is still out on how often to wash your hair, but it’s generally agreed that unless your hair is extremely oily, a daily washing is not necessary. In fact, washing your hair too frequently can be damaging. If you skip a day or two between shampoos, you allow your hair’s natural oils to penetrate individual strands of hair.

Before washing your hair, be sure it is free of tangles. Use a natural bristled hair brush and gently brush through starting from the scalp and working all the way to the ends. This helps to distribute the natural oils to the ends of your hair, preventing split ends.

When you shampoo your hair, choose a quality shampoo with a neutral ph balance. Work the shampoo into the scalp, massaging with your fingertips rather than your nails. Using your fingernails can cause damage to your scalp leading to things like dandruff and dry scalp. Massaging your scalp will increase blood flow, resulting in healthier hair and re-growth.

Let the suds flow through your hair. Rinse thoroughly to get rid of all traces of shampoo. Then apply a quality conditioner. This is one thing not to skimp on. A good conditioner will not only prevent tangles, which lead to split ends and damaged hair, it will also protect and nourish your hair. Use cool water to rinse off the conditioner for less breakage and shinier, more manageable tresses.

Next, gently towel-dry your hair to squeeze out the excess water. Avoid rubbing briskly with the towel. Wet hair is easily damaged, so use your towel carefully. Then, use a wide tooth comb and slowly comb your hair. If you find a tangle, work it out with your fingers. Trying to comb through a tangle while your hair is wet will only result in damage.

Although allowing hair to dry naturally is best, most of us just do not have the time to do this. Using the lowest heat setting on your hair dryer is the next best thing. As you blow dry your hair, keep the dryer moving to avoid burning your hair and scalp. When using curling irons, or other hot styling tools, apply a silicone-based cream to your hair to shield it from the intensive heat before styling.

Use hair spray, gel and other products sparingly. Build-up leaves a residue which makes hair appear dull and unhealthy-looking. The harsh chemicals used when dying or applying a perm can put added stress on your hair, so don’t overdo either.

The bottom line is that abuse can lead to problem hair or even hair loss. Treat your hair with tender loving care and it will reward you with a vibrant, luxuriant look for many years to come.

You may be looking at ways to cut back the fat in your diet and total miss looking at your vegetables, after all vegetables are healthy, good for you and you are suppose to be eating them in a decent quantity every day. However, you may be adding a significant amount of fat to your diet with the vegetable dishes you are serving. There are a few ways that you can easily cook vegetables without creating any added fat to your diet.

The first thing is to avoid store bought side dishes with vegetables, the kind that come with sauce and are designed to provide elegant sounding or expensive sounding side dishes that are quick and easy to prepare. They are loaded in fat and while you are providing vegetables are killing the nutritional value. If you are going to choose frozen vegetables then consider choosing ones that are individually packaged or meal sized packages but that do not contain sauce. It does not take much to whip up a low fat alternative to most of the sauces that are added to these vegetables if necessary.

How many times have you or someone you know done this, when cooking corn or green beans or even peas on the stove they and things like bacon fat or butter while it’s cooking. Sure it adds great flavor but you are adding a huge amount of fat to the vegetables as well. Fat that is not necessary and you probably are not counting in your diet plans. If you are boiling vegetables simply avoid adding these things into it.

When ever possible steam vegetables this not only helps to retain the nutritional value but it also produces better tasting vegetable dishes that can usually be eaten with a minimal of additives. Cheese and cream sauces should be avoided unless necessary and if they are added should be made from low fat or no fat ingredients.

For salads, and this is one of the biggest places where fat is added to the diet, consider instead of creamy dressings, something that contains red wine like a vinaigrette or an olive oil and vinegar based dressing. They can take a bit of getting used too however they are usually lower in fat than cream based dressings. Look for low fat alternatives if the dressing you uses is an absolute necessity for your salad. They also make spray dressings which can help lower the amount of dressing and thereby the amount of fat that ends up added to your salad.

Baby wipes are the greatest invention for modern moms – right up there with the Walkman and Tab. (If you have never seen the movie Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, you wouldn’t get that.)

Seriously though, baby wipes are great for so many things. They’re convenient and many moms use them far longer than the baby period. I’ve even been known to use a baby wipe to clean the inside of my car.

Some baby wipes contain ingredients that you might want to avoid using on baby’s skin – like butyl alcohol, which is very drying, and chemicals like propylene glycol (a fancy word for antifreeze). You’ll also find baby wipes with PEG (polyethylene glycol). There are a couple of alternatives you might want to consider.

One is making your own homemade baby wipes. This is certainly a money saver. You can easily whip up a wipes solution using stuff you probably have around the nursery anyway – like castille soap and Burt’s Bees baby oil.

Another idea is to buy some of the biodegradable/compostable natural baby wipes, such as the ones made by Avalon Organics, Seventh Generation and other “green” companies. You can pick these up at Whole Foods and also online at places like Amazon.com. These use more gentle ingredients for cleansing like aloe vera juice, vitamin E and castille soap.