Sugar Ft Stomp Food

Archive for November, 2009

It’s on everyone’s minds, the obesity problem that society faces. With a problem that reaches everyone, it’s almost relieving to know that there are numerous options out there for those of us who are overweight. But even with so many options, how do you tell which one works and which ones are dangerous to your health? Well, for starters, you don’t need a food company to provide you with healthy food to eat!

Fat-free and low-fat foods are probably some of the worst foods for you. Sure, the companies’ marketing departments make them sound like the perfect no-hassle meals but really, these foods are not actually fat-free or all that low in fat. Shocking, I know but it’s true. What’s even more shocking, these fat-free and low-fat foods usually, and almost always, contain chemicals, preservatives and higher amounts of sugar than those very same originally full fat foods. But let me break down each of these useless foods:

Fat-Free Foods:

The first thing you must realize is that nothing is fat free. The term fat free is a marketing scheme created by the food industry. How so? Think about this: in America, the FDA allows products to be labeled a certain way depending on ratios. For example, if a company wanted to sell something labeled as fat-free, all they need to do is increase the amount of non-fat ingredients so it makes it seem like there is nearly no fat at all. That may sound great, which is their goal, but keep in mind that fat is fat, regardless of ratio. It just will definitely not help you lose weight!

Low-Fat Foods:

This is almost as bad as fat free foods. It doesn’t matter if the label says 2% fat or 98% fat free or whatever. Again, with the ratio of ingredients in a product, a company can claim many things. For example, with cookies, if the ratio was roughly equal between fat and, say, sugar, the company can drastically increase the sugar so that there is something like 4 or 5 times more sugar than fat. And guess what! They can, and do, call it low fat! It’s not low fat! And, with that much sugar, that’s not a good thing either.

Calorie-Free Foods:

There is a little loophole in the FDA rules that allows companies to label something as calorie free if the serving size has 5 calories or less. That might make sense but keep in mind that the companies are the ones that define the serving size. You will find, if you pay attention, that rarely any product is a single serving. Rarely, if ever. Usually, they will have at least 2 or more servings in the package, jello cups included!

Sugar-Free Foods:

This one ties in with the calorie free one because a similar loophole allows companies to label things as sugar free, when they’re not. A product can have anywhere from 0.5 grams of sugar or less in the serving and the company can call it sugar free, but clearly it has plenty of sugar in it. And if you think sugar is not as bad as calories or fat, you are totally wrong! Sugar is just as big of a culprit in America’s battle with obesity! Just look at the connection between diabetes and obesity!

Just be careful and cautious when looking at anything labeled “free” or “low” because there is no such thing as that! It’s best to avoid these foods all together if you really want to lose weight. The most healthy foods you can eat are those you prepare yourself. The methods of preparation are important – avoid fried, battered or anything like that. Pick foods that are fresh, preferably organic and you should be in good shape! With healthy foods made by you, your path to weight loss will be easier and a lot less frustrating!

Imagine yourself relaxing into your favorite chair, at your favorite table by the window, holding your warm cappuccino. You savor the aroma and admire the frothy, foamy peak your barista brought to life. It’s nice and peaceful. No noisy chatter. Just quiet.

And here’s the best part: your car keys are sitting on your dresser, and you’re still in your pajamas. And that talented barista who has mastered the art of foam? That’s you! You’ve created your own quaint little cafe right here at home, with your very own coffee espresso machine.

Think this is impossible? Think again! There are many different types of espresso machines on the market that are made especially for home use, ranging from very basic and affordable, right up to the same machines used by professional baristas.

However, before you rush into investing in a coffee espresso machine, take some time to do your homework and consider your needs and preferences. How often do you plan to make espresso drinks at home? Do you also drink a lot of brewed coffee? (Some machines have dual brewing capabilities.) How important is the milk frothing capability to you? If you have preferences in any areas such as these, this will help you narrow down the possibilities.

Also consider any preferences you may have about how your espresso drinks are made. For instance, my favorite part of an espresso shot is the crema – that’s the caramel-colored, creamy foam that forms on a perfectly pulled shot. When you pour shots from a shot glass into the mug, most of the crema gets left behind, so I prefer a coffee espresso machine that is tall enough to fit the whole mug, so I can enjoy the entire shot in my drink.

Here are the basic types of coffee espresso machines on the market:

What is the Pump Coffee Espresso Machine?

This is the best but most expensive type of machine to buy. The pump coffee espresso machine is called this because they use a pump to keep the water pressure at the appropriate level, which produces the best and most consistent shot of espresso. These machines are primarily made for commercial use, and are usually very large, heavy, and noisy, but can be used at home.

About the Piston Coffee Espresso Machine

This type of machine uses a piston or lever system to manually maintain the optimum pressure required for a great shot of espresso. This type of coffee espresso machine requires little maintenance, and is much quieter than the pump machines. However, the lever may require a good deal of arm strength to keep the pressure at the right level, and it may take some practice to get the timing down. But if you’re willing to experiment and work out the process, you’ll be rewarded by a great shot, and a sense of accomplishment.

About the Steam Coffee Espresso Machine

This type of coffee espresso machine is typically smaller, easily accessible and relatively affordable, using heat to produce steam instead of a pump or piston to create the pressure. While the lower prices are definitely an advantage for steam machines, if you’re very particular about the quality of your espresso shots, you may find that the steam does not always produced the optimum pressure for the best tasting coffee. Also, maintaining enough steam to both pull shots and steam milk at the same time is sometimes difficult.

About Moka Pots

This type of machine costs the least of all the options, and requires only your stovetop. The moka pot is a two-part pot which uses boiling water and the steam to create pressure, which pushes the boiling water up through the espresso grounds rather than gravity simply pulling heated what down. The coffee tastes great, but since you cannot froth milk with a moka pot, it’s not for you if you really like your lattes and cappuccinos. But if you like a good espresso or a shot in the dark (brewed coffee with a shot of espresso added) and have a limited budget, give the moka pot a try.

Don’t be put off by the high prices on a coffee espresso machine. Take a few moments to consider what that daily latte is costing you. A latte can cost you as much as $4. If you’re like me, you average about five a week. That’s $975 a year! Over the course of time you may find that dropping the money once up front is worth the investment – especially when you consider the convenience of enjoying your favorite espresso beverage at home.

So take a little time to consider each of these options and how they fit with your preferences and needs. Whichever coffee espresso machine you choose to create your own cafe at home, you’ll be making your own espresso drinks for you and your friends and family – with or without the frothy foam peaks – in no time.

Microsoft Dynamics GP allows you to automate many typical and classical businesses, restaurants are typical GP deployment example. In this small article we will review typical scenarios and technical questions. As we often see that restaurant owners are not technical people or programmers – we will try not to use ERP and software academic language and be right to the point:

1. Your server and network structure. It is typical when restaurants are in several places across the city and you control and operate your business from central office or even the basement of your house. You should place your Great Plains server to your headquarters. If you have only few restaurants, consider purchasing Microsoft Small Business Server, as it will allow you to install and configure your Windows domain and create your users without or with minimal IT consultants help. Also on your Small Business Server, please setup virtual private network (vpn) – this will be the gateway to upload transactions from your stores to central ERP: Great Plains

2. Great Plains – which modules do I need? You will need Great Plains Business Ready, allowing you to deploy typical modules: GL, AR, AP, SOP, POP, Inventory control and others. If you are purchasing GP right now, March 2008, then you should check with your GP VAR

3. Integration with Point Of Sale (POS) systems. If you are purchasing existing businesses, then in most of the cases you are getting mix of various POS and Retail Management Systems: Aloha, Microsoft POS, Microsoft RMS, etc. In this situation you would rather prefer something which will resolve your POS system dependence. We recommend you Aspect – it basically works as Store Operation Management Software for Restaurant businesses. Aspect will import your POS transactions or even more – it will allow you to run the restaurant facility on Aspect without POS. Aspect has very robust features to export transaction to GP via Great Plains Integration Manager

4. Barcoding. We believe that if you are small or even midsize dining network, barcode scanners are not really required. If you have warehouse management operations, the you have to give us a call on barcode solutions