Stew: Not Just another Hearty Soup

When it comes to warming up, not only our bodies but our kitchens, stews are at the top of the list. Just the smell of a simmering stew spells comfort and warmth. Soups can also give us this warm feeling, but be not confused - soups and stews are very different. Both are generally cooked on top of the stove or in a crock pot and both can contain meat and vegetables, but their liquid bases are different in many ways.

What is Stew?

The definition of a stew is solid food cooked in resilient gravy. Solid ingredients include meats, carrots, potatoes, celery and other types of vegetables. These meats and vegetables are chopped coarsely and added to a liquid. The liquid is thickened by flour or arrowroot after the stew simmers for a period of time.

Stews are simmered over low heat. The simmering time may be 3 hours to 8 hours depending on the type of stew. This simmering process allows the flavors of the stew ingredients to intermingle with each other. Often times extra spices are not necessary to give the stew its distinct comforting flavor and smell.

Where Did Stews Originate?

It is said that stews have long been a favorite in France. The French are known for making flavorful stews that are economical. When stew first originated it was considered a food for peasants. Stews were easily made with just a few ingredients and can be a dish that is served for more than just one sitting.

It didn’t take long for stews to become a dish of distinction. Today the French pride themselves on their vibrant and hearty stews. Yet France is not alone on their love for this type of dish. Polish too have their own form of stew known as “bigos” and the Germans consider goulash their favorite type of stew. The Americans are also true lovers of a good stew.

The Difference Between Stews & Soups

Even though both soups and stews warm the body, there are significant differences between the two.

Soups are often water based. Milk, or even fruit juices, can also be used to make a soup base. Soups can be served warm or cold and are usually served in a bowl due to the thin liquid soups are cooked in. Soups cook quickly compared to stews, which means the addition of more spices and seasonings are often times necessary to give a soup its distinct flavor.

Stews are much thicker and their liquids are often referred to as gravy. Stews are usually served as a main course. Soups can be both a main course or served as a starter for a meal. A good stew is always served hot and can be placed on a plate rather than in a bowl due to its thicker consistency. Stews are also much richer than soups and hold well when frozen and reheated.

Soups and stews can warm you up on a cold winter day and give a little comfort to fight off the winter blues. The differences between the may be quite distinctive, but the end result is still a warm comfort and great taste. Try simmering a hearty stew to see the difference for you.

Low Fat High Protein Foods – How To Get Your Lean Protein

by Mike Roussell PhD(c)

All the foods that you eat greatly impact your ability to lose weight. Protein, carbohydrates, and fats each have important roles and specific qualities that make them essential to a fat loss diet. What is interesting this is that the USDA, National Cholesterol Education Program, American Heart Association, and many scientists have previously essentially written off the benefit of protein above the body’s minimal requirement. “15% of calories or 0.8g/kg is all you need” We’ve heard that before.

However, there has been a surge of research and buzz around the importance of increased protein intake for not just weight loss but cardiovascular disease reduction, blood sugar control, and lowering blood pressure.

If you are looking to maximize fat loss then you are going to need to make sure that you get more than ‘adequate’ protein levels. When you increase your protein intake and decrease your carbohydrate intake, from a biochemical perspective you are removing an insulin stimulating nutrient (carbohydrates) and replacing it with a nutrient that has a much lesser effect on insulin (protein). Protein also causes your body to release another hormone called glucogon which counteracts insulin. Control insulin and you control the rate in which you burn fat.

Here are some great tips for choosing and maximizing lean protein consumption for fat loss (surprisingly from the US Government).

Start with a lean choice:
*The leanest beef cuts include round steaks and roasts (round eye, top round, bottom round, round tip), top loin, top sirloin, and chuck shoulder and arm roasts.
*The leanest pork choices include pork loin, tenderloin, center loin, and ham.
*Choose extra lean ground beef. The label should say at least “90% lean”. You may be able to find ground beef that is 93% or 95% lean.
*Buy skinless chicken parts, or take off the skin before cooking.
*Boneless skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets are the leanest poultry choices.
*Choose lean turkey, roast beef, ham, or low-fat luncheon meats for sandwiches instead of luncheon meats with more fat, such as regular bologna or salami.

Keep it lean:
*Trim away all of the visible fat from meats and poultry before cooking.
*Broil, grill, roast, poach, or boil meat, poultry, or fish instead of frying.
*Drain off any fat that appears during cooking.
*Skip or limit the breading on meat, poultry, or fish. Breading adds fat and calories. It will also cause the food to soak up more fat during frying.
*Prepare dry beans and peas without added fats.
*Choose and prepare foods without high fat sauces or gravies.

Use these tips to add high quality, low fat, high protein foods to your diet. The quality of your diet will improve, your weight loss will increase, and you’ll be an all around healthier person.

About the Author/More Info:

Warp Speed Fat Loss is a complete 28 day diet and training system crafted to help you lose 10,15, or 20lbs of body fat in just 28 day. To start losing weight fast visit WarpSpeedFatLoss.com. Mike Roussell is a nutrition doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania. Mike's writings can be found in magazines such as Men's Health, Men's Fitness, and Testosterone Nation. Mike specializes in fat loss nutrition and diets for busy men and women who need to lose weight fast without it interfering with their lives. Warp Speed Fat Loss (WarpSpeedFatLoss.com) is a complete Done-for-You A-Z Fat Loss Blueprint that gives you exactly everything you need to eat to lose weight in record time.