If you drastically change how you eat, don’t think you can’t make it tasty. Healthy doesn’t mean boring. There are many ways to add flavour, from spices to low-fat or low-calorie alternatives, switching to healthier oils such as olive oil, adding more ingredients in dishes, pulling from vegetables more often and keeping things interesting to taste.

Fortunately, there are many ways to eat without compromising your diet plan and keeping your appetite at bay. Check out these ten healthy food ideas for weight loss.

Idea #1: Eat at home

Firstly, if you want to eat healthier and incur weight loss, great advice is to stop eating out. When we eat out, at restaurants and the like, few of us choose the healthiest or most low-calorie option on the menu. We want what we crave and will eat more than we need. By eating at home, you control what and how much you eat.

Idea #2: Portion control

An important part of healthy eating for weight loss is controlling portions. A portion shouldn’t exceed a plate’s worth of food for a single meal. Approximately half of that plate should be vegetables as well.

If you’re still hungry after a plate, wait about an hour to see if your appetite settles before getting more food. Set the timer even. This is a fine strategy to eat less.

Idea #3: Add a healthy twist to your food

Another healthy food idea for weight loss is to opt for a healthier twist on your favourites. For example, pizza you’d normally eat can be prepared at home with zucchini or cauliflower as the crust. That can save you a ton of calories and still allow you to eat pizza. Look for similar alternatives to your favourite dishes that blend in many of the same tastes.

Idea #4: Make homemade protein bars

Protein bars are costly, but you can make them at home. You can make many recipes, from peanut and oat bars to cherry pie bars, chocolate-cashew protein bars, etc. Protein is a major component of any weight loss plan as it feeds the appetite and is a building block for muscles.

Idea #5: Make spicy soups

Soups are a fun, filling way to play with tastes and get some very healthy meals. A simple noodle soup, something with rice, or a super easy basic soup recipe are great places to start. Customize according to the tastes you like.

You don’t necessarily need to eat things you don’t like. However, you can find many easy-to-make soup recipes that can lead to weight loss when eaten carefully according to portion size.

Idea #6: Pre-plan with meal delivery services

Pre-planning meals is the best way to keep calories down, eat healthily, and lose weight. Food preparation is everything, but not all of us have the time. Healthy meal delivery services are a solid alternative, easy to arrange and can be delivered to your front door. Select a meal delivery service with healthy, weight loss-friendly options.

Idea #7: Be careful eating carbs

Our bodies need carbs for energy, but too many will convert to weight. Be very careful eating carbs in things like pasta and rice. Although these are cheap, filling meals, too much of these will cut down on how much weight you lose. It’s also deceptive because overeating these foods is quite common due to how carb-dense the dishes are.

Idea #8: Eat plant-based foods

You don’t have to eat plant-based or go vegetarian to lose weight. Not at all. However, plant-based alternatives are often less in calories. Some more processed plant-based foods – i.e. Impossible Burger or Beyond Meat – can be calorie-dense and highly processed and don’t necessarily equate to a healthier choice.

Idea #9: Don’t skip breakfast

Breakfast is an important meal for weight loss. As important as any other. You’ve woken up after essentially fasting during sleep. You need to get food in your tummy.

People who skip breakfast are more likely to overeat later in the day. They end up starving themselves in the interim. Have a medium-to-large breakfast with some protein, some veggies, and a small number of carbs.

Idea #10: Pre-make salads and have leftovers ready

Pre-make healthy salads and keep them in the fridge for snacks. When cooking meals on the stove or in the oven, cook a little extra and set it aside for leftovers for the next day or next few days. When you have these things ready, you always have a meal ready and can plan your scheduled eating ahead of time and are less likely to eat unhealthily.

The post 10 Healthy Food Ideas for Weight Loss first appeared on Divine Magazine.

Here are ten of the most commonly found red wine ingredients:

1. Red grapes

To make red wine, red grapes must be used. White wine can be made from both red and white wine grapes. The colour in red wine comes from soaking the wine in the grape skins during the fermenting process. All grape juice is clear in colour, perhaps with a yellow or even slightly green tint. The colour comes exclusively from the skins.

2. Grape juice

Concentrated grape juice is the star of the show when it comes to wine. There are over 10,000 varietals of wine grapes, although only a fraction of those are actually used in commercial winemaking. The flavour of the wine can be affected depending on how ripe the grape was when it was picked, the properties of the soil the vines were grown in, the climate and season they were grown in, and many other factors.

3. Skin, seeds, and other grape bits

Any other part of the grape besides the juice may be used in the winemaking process. These parts will add flavour and texture to the wine. They are particularly known for adding tannins, the component in wine that makes your mouth feel dry when you drink it.

4. More tannins

Some winemakers might add extra tannin powder into their wine. This is not exclusively to get that bitter dry texture, but it can also help to prevent negative effects to the wine. For example, it can help to prevent oxidization. Oxidization is a chemical reaction that occurs when the wine is exposed to air, and it can ruin it.

5. Sulfites

Sulfites are a naturally occurring component in wine, but they may also be added during the winemaking process. Sulfites help to increase the shelf life of a wine, and are used as a stabilizer to help keep the flavour consistent over time.

6. Water

Water is used in the winemaking process to create balance in a wine. This is especially important when the alcohol levels are too high, and the flavours are too pronounced. It is a neutral ingredient that is used to make sure the red wine tastes exactly as it is supposed to be.

7. Yeast

Another key ingredient to winemaking is yeast. The yeast helps to convert the sugars from the grape juice into alcohol. Without the yeast to do its job, wine would just be grape juice.

8.  Oak

Many wines are “oaked” meaning they were aged or fermented in an oak barrel. Because it is difficult to get consistent distribution of the oak flavour just from the oak barrel, some winemakers will use oak chips instead, which are soaked in the wine while it ferments.

9. Calcium carbonate

This is an additive that helps to balance out the acidity of a wine. If added too late in the process, it can affect the aroma of the wine – which every wine buff knows you do not want to mess with. As such, it is added before the fermentation process for maximum benefit.

10. Macerating enzymes

Sometimes, macerating enzymes are added before the fermentation process to help bring out the fruity flavours from the grape, and to help release the colour from the skins. It helps make wines with a more intense colour, and can help bring out higher tannins in the wine.

The post 10 Commonly Found Red Wine Ingredients first appeared on Divine Magazine.

Lunch doesn’t have to be boring either. We’ve all had mediocre sandwiches or last night’s leftovers at one point or another. There’s no need for lunch to stay this way. Treat yourself to a gourmet dish at a fine dining restaurant establishment and give this meal the attention that it deserves.

Here are eight of the best gourmet lunch ideas to get you started:

1. Warm ravioli salad

Pasta may sound simple, but it can be easily elevated into the best gourmet lunch ideas. It comes in so many shapes and sizes, it can be topped or even stuffed with such a wide variety of sauces and vegetables and meats. It doesn’t make for a very light lunch though. That is, unless you make it into a salad (and I am most definitely not talking about the pasta salad that you see pre-packaged in the grocery store).

This salad starts with warm ravioli. The raviolis are combined with lots of fresh arugula and some sweet cherry tomatoes. This salad is then topped with crumbled feta or goat cheese as well as pecorino romano. Not to mention the spices and herbs – oregano, pepper flakes, garlic – that are mixed in and add a punch of flavour to this dish. The result is a warm salad full of rich flavours bursting through in every bite.

2. Persian herb and leek frittata

Frittatas, an Italian baked egg dish, are a stylish brunch item. Why not try a Persian spin on the dish? And why not extend those delicious brunch foods into lunch time? This Persian frittata features large amounts of herbs. Usually leek, cilantro, dill and parsley. These are mixed in with eggs and baked just as an Italian frittata would be. The result is an incredibly fragrant dish.

3. Quinoa, fennel and pomegranate salad

This salad is filled with colourful super-ingredients and guaranteed to make the person sitting next to you at lunch jealous. It is essentially what its name tells you: a mixture of cooked quinoa, chopped fennel and pomegranate seed.

Quinoa is an ancient grain originating from the Andes and pomegranate seeds are full of antioxidants. Not only is this salad incredibly healthy, but this simple combination of ingredients also packs in the flavour. Quinoa makes a great base for the combination the fennel’s anise flavour and the sharp flavour of the pomegranate. This salad is beautiful, healthy and delicious.

4. Roasted mushroom and herb salad

This salad is wonderfully savory and earthy. The base is made using a mixture of roasted mushrooms and arugula. It is then flavoured with fresh basil, dill and parsley and some Dijon mustard. As with most gourmet lunch ideas, it is simple, but the judicious combinations of quality ingredients make the dish nothing short of elegant.

5. Chorizo and roasted red pepper sandwich

Sandwiches are a lunch staple. They also aren’t usually a gourmet meal. This can easily be changed, if you use the right ingredients. First, take some quality bread from the local bakery: maybe a multigrain loaf or a Khorasan flour loaf. Then, top your slices with quality ingredients: chorizo and roasted red peppers make a great combination.

Spanish chorizo is one of the best gourmet lunch ideas for those who love flavourful and spicy foods. The roasted red peppers are sweet and complement the spice in the meat. The Spanish-inspired ingredients will have you dreaming of your next vacation while you savour every bite.

6. Artichoke Galette with Herbs

Artichokes and puff pastry – yum! This dish is a wonderful galette topped not only with artichokes but also sundried tomato, garlic, leeks, parsley, thyme and olive oil. Just think of a fine buttery and flakey pastry topped with succulent artichokes. As if that wasn’t enough, the herbs and sundried tomatoes really bring out and enhance the flavours.

7. Lasagna

Lasagna is a staple, something that might once have been yesterday’s leftovers. Forget about that, this dish can be made into something far more special. Try a celery root and mushroom lasagne. This is a lasagna that is baked in a rich white sauce and topped with mozzarella and fresh basil leaves.

8. Avocado toast

It’s oh so simple, but also oh so delicious, and even healthy. Gourmet meals do not always need to be complicated. In fact, it’s often more about choosing the finest ingredients. Avocado toast has become a brunch staple, so why not make it a lunch one as well?

A slice of freshly baked bread, topped with some smashed avocado is delicious. It can be made even better by adding the correct garnished. Some lime juice and spices like pepper and chili will add a little punch and a touch of zest to the dish. Then, to turn this staple into a true gourmet masterpiece, add some fresh arugula, a few cherry tomatoes, an egg and a few sprigs of fresh basil.

The post 8 Gourmet Lunch Ideas That Taste Simply Divine first appeared on Divine Magazine.

The following are nine of the best cheese and wine party ideas:

1. A diverse cheese platter

When choosing your cheeses, try to choose some that are unique from what people are used to. It will get people to try new things, and it can be a great conversation topic or ice breaker for guests who have never met.

2. Give them some carbs

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As popular as the keto diet is nowadays, cheese goes so well with a good cracker or some fresh baguette. Choose a couple of options that will pair well with the cheeses you have chosen, and if you’re picking up a couple of different kinds, try to choose ones that aren’t too similar, so there is a little bit of variety.

3. Little snacks

Little finger snacks like nuts, pickles, and olives look nice on the table, and they go well with wine and cheese. Adding in a bowl of some of these things will add a nice touch.

4. Meat

You may also want to add some cured meats like salami or sliced sausage to the mix. Meat can be a little more expensive though, so if you’re on a budget you may want to opt out, but it will add a lovely combination to your spread.

5. Make it look nice

Presentation is an important part of serving food. Arranging the cheese and crackers nicely, and adding some garnishes like fruit, nuts, and herbs will take your platters from looking nice to looking superb.

6. Play some tunes

Although food is a huge part of the wine and cheese, the atmosphere is also important. Choose a neutral-sounding playlist to play quietly in the background while people chat. It will add to the ambiance, and can help people to relax.

7. Label

You may want to label your meats and cheeses so people know what they are eating. This can be done really easily by lining the platter with parchment paper and writing on it with permanent marker. It’s a cute and easy way to make sure people know what’s available to eat.

8. Make it a pot luck

Pot luck parties are growing in popularity because it takes a lot of the stress off of the host, allowing them to spend more time partying and enjoying the company of their friends than worrying about food and preparation. Ask each person to bring one thing – as the host, you can designate and organize who brings what so you don’t end up with too much of something.

9. Spread the food out

If possible, try to spread platters of food out around the room. This will avoid the entire crowd trying to clump into one spot, and it will help people to mingle as they will be moving around to the different areas to try the different items that are available. Just make sure you don’t split up things that would be eaten together.

Last but not least, a tip that will cater to your sanity, as the host. Your wine and cheese party does not have to be everything to everyone. Don’t feel like you have to go overboard on food and drinks for everybody – sometimes less really is more. Be reasonable in what people are going to actually eat. Take it easy, relax, and enjoy!

The post 9 of the Best Cheese and Wine Party Ideas first appeared on Divine Magazine.

1. Immersion

Also called “bubble emission,” immersion testing is just what it sounds like. Packages are placed beneath the surface of some kind of liquid to see if any bubbles form along microtears in the material or gaps in the seal. The liquid in question is usually water, but specialized solutions also are also used to make bubbles more noticeable.

2. Pressure Chambers

This method comes in many forms including vacuum and altitude chambers. The basic idea is that the package is placed in an airtight chamber where the atmospheric pressure is altered in some way. Specialized leak detection equipment closely monitors the packaging to see if any air travels in or out of the sealed interior. Often, trace amounts of harmless gasses like helium and hydrogen are pumped into the chamber to aid in leak detection. For further information, Flexpak inc has online resources available on their website.

3. Dry Chambers

Similar to pressure chambers, dry chambers are airtight rooms that are kept free of moisture and foreign substances so that any leaks will be easier to spot. A sample package is brought into the room and placed on some kind of absorbent material. After a certain amount of time, the material is checked to determine if something that was inside the package has made its way out.

4. Machine Vision Systems

Leak detection equipment that uses some form of this system is quite common. However, sometimes machine vision is solely responsible for seal integrity inspection. Though this method is not the most reliable, machine vision is much more advanced than it was even a few years ago. High tech cameras can see infrared and ultraviolet light as well as zoom in incredibly close.

5. Ultrasonic Emission

If a bottle of soda is opened, it emits a hissing sound. Much smaller breakages also emit sounds; it just takes an extra sensitive ear to hear them. Ultrasonic leak detection equipment is programmed to listen for specific frequencies of noise at incredibly soft volumes to determine if a package is leaking. This method is by far the least common, but it is ideal for some types of packaging that contain gases under high pressures.

The best leak detection systems combine some or all of these methods to keep food fresh and safe to eat. Whatever the method, manufacturers rely on this technology to make sure customers can enjoy food without worrying about the freshness of unopened products.

The post 5 Ways to Check Food Packaging for Leaks first appeared on Divine Magazine.

1. Altitude Simulation Method

This type of leak detection equipment is ideal for food products that are transported by air. It ensures the quality of the food products when they travel through high altitudes. This helps manufacturers cut down the costs of the food products when stored on shelves and placed in the hands of customers.

This method cannot be conducted when the food products are up in the air. Manufacturers must use a vacuum chamber to make sure that the product is able to travel through the air. If there’s something wrong with the product, then the manufacturer will decide not to transport the product to prevent a food recall from happening.

2. Bubble Emission Tests

This type of leak detection equipment is used on food products that contain air in it like sealed products. This testing method involves placing the packaged item in the water. If the product bubbles, that means it tested positive for leak detection. Manufacturers then know not to release these products to the market.

This helps the manufacturer save money on food recalls and defective food products. This ensures that their food products are safe enough to release to the market. This ensures that the manufacturer will release nothing but high-quality food products. Bubble emission tests can also be used to determine if there are any rips or tears in the sealing.

3. Gas Leak Detection

Gas leak detection is used to look for any holes in packaged food. It’s become one of the most useful leak detection equipment methods when it comes to food packaging. This method is also useful for commercial and industrial leaks. Some of the gases that can be detected include carbon monoxide, helium, and hydrogen.

It helps manufacturers determine if their packaged food contains any gas leaks. If the food packaging contains any leaks then they will conduct several tests until they have the right food packaging. These gas leaks can sometimes leak into the food and contaminate the product. Sometimes it can take manufacturers several tries to get the packaging right.

4. The Dry Chamber Method

This method is necessary for manufacturers when they want to test beverages and other liquid items. It helps them determine if there are any leaks in the packaging. The manufacturer will place the item into a chamber and then seal it into the vacuum. This equipment looks for any traces of liquid, which means the test is positive for leaks.

Manufacturers must consistently test their food products to make sure it meets their standards. With continued testing, they can save money and maintain their reputation. Any leaks detected during the tests can help them correct the condition of their products.

The post 4 Types of Leak Detection Equipment Used For Food Packaging first appeared on Divine Magazine.