Published on: 18 October 2017
Last Updated on: 20 July 2024
Some say that meal replacements like ViSalus protein shakes can do more damage than benefit to a user because of a rather disputable content. Indeed, all your endeavors to shed overweight can be crossed by unacceptably big sugar content. If you are unaware, sugar is the major enemy in any weight management campaign. Regardless of your goals, sugar is the first ingredient to be excluded out of the diet. Nevertheless, a complete abandonment of this element may lead to the loss of flavor of a supplement. Those who do not practice DIY sports drinks will be frustrated to lose an opportunity to enjoy the delicious flavor of the product. At the same time, it does not mean that a decent supplement depends on sugar and tastes disgusting if it lacks. The following selection refutes the above-mentioned assumption and proves that a sugar-free product can be rather effective.
100% All Natural Whey
This supplement produced by MRM is free of sugar. Moreover, you won’t find any unnatural component inside the package. Its name completely corresponds to its content. The purpose of the shake is to serve as an auxiliary source of protein for female and male users regardless of age. Even growing children can opt for the merchandise without any risk to damage the health. The volume of the core ingredient is more than enough. Each serving supplies 18g of a powerful formula consisting of whey concentrate and isolate.
Despite the absolute absence of sugar, users are not deprived of gustatory delight. The shake is available in two flavor options – French Vanilla and Dutch Chocolate. On this account, users obtain a combination of effectiveness and great taste. The supplement can be used either before or after your muscular activity. However, pre-workout consumption is recommended to achieve the highest performance.
Isopure
Unlike the previous solution, this protein shake by Nature’s Best is absolutely unflavored. No hints of vanilla or chocolate are provided. Nevertheless, such naked protein source has own benefit. First of all, the powder is rarely used as a regular drink. Even if you mix it with the milk, the result will be frustrating. The taste is horrible. However, any combination of the product with other flavored beverages and victuals or its use as a component in DIY drinks elicit the huge potential of the supplement.
Such words as sugar, carbohydrates, lactose, and fat are unknown to this merchandise. On this account, the list of components is rather short. As for the core nutrient, users can enjoy of 26g of whey protein isolate in each scoop.
Shake by NOW
The final item in our top 3 is a kind of golden mean between the two mentioned products. It is not as natural as Isopure but free of gluten and numerous allergens like an egg, wheat, shellfish, etc. At the same time, the shake is available in three flavors, as well as in the tasteless form. Similar to previous brands, you won’t find sugar here. As for the efficiency, the shake can give a head start to its competitors since a high concentration of BCAA’s is the ace of trumps of this merchandise. The source of the core component is also decent because it is the whey protein isolate in the volume of 25g per serving. In short, this is a good solution for your weight management tasks.
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If there is something that I have learned in life, it is about gardening. Well, almost everything if not all. And if there is one thing that took me some time to master, it was knowing how to harvest potatoes at home!
Potatoes are one of the most versatile and popular vegetables in the world. They can be cooked in many different ways, such as boiled, baked, fried, mashed, or roasted. Moreover, they are also rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants.
But how do you grow and harvest your own potatoes at home? You see, potatoes are not like cilantro or other plants. These are tubers.
In this article, I will show you everything you need to know about how to harvest potatoes, from planting to storage.
So, if that is something that you are interested in knowing, then I have you covered! Keep on reading this blog till the end to learn more...
How to Plant Potato Seeds or Tubers?
The first step in how to harvest potatoes is to plant them. You can start with either potato seeds or tubers. Potato seeds are small, round, and black, and they are usually sold in packets.
Potato tubers are the actual potatoes that you eat, and they have eyes or buds that can sprout new plants.
You can buy certified seed potatoes from a nursery or garden center, or use organic potatoes from the grocery store.
Here are some if the steps that you must take to plant them:
Planting Potato Seeds
To plant potato seeds, you need to sow them indoors in pots or trays filled with moist potting soil.
Place them in a sunny spot and keep the soil moist but not soggy.
The seeds will germinate in about two weeks and produce small green shoots.
When the shoots are about 3 inches tall, you can transplant them outdoors in your garden or in containers.
Planting Potato Tubers
To plant potato tubers, you need to cut them into pieces, each with at least one eye.
You can do this a few days before planting to let the cut surfaces heal and prevent rotting. Alternatively, you can plant whole small potatoes with several eyes.
To prepare the soil, you need to loosen it and add some organic matter, such as compost or manure.
You also need to make sure the soil is well-drained and slightly acidic, with a pH of 5.0 to 6.0.
You can use a soil test kit to check the pH level and adjust it with lime or sulfur if needed.
Planting Potato Pieces
To plant the potato pieces, you need to dig a trench about 4 inches deep and 12 inches wide.
Place the pieces about 12 inches apart, with the eyes facing up.
Cover them with 3 inches of soil and water well.
As the plants grow, you need to hill up the soil around them to cover the lower stems and prevent the tubers from being exposed to sunlight, which can turn them green and bitter.
You can also mulch the soil with straw, leaves, or grass clippings to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
How to Care for Your Potato Plants?
The second step in how to harvest potatoes is to care for your potato plants. You need to water them regularly, especially during dry spells, to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. You also need to fertilize them every two weeks with a balanced organic fertilizer, such as fish emulsion or seaweed extract. Also, you can add some wood ash or bone meal to provide extra potassium and phosphorus, which are essential for tuber formation.
You also need to protect your potato plants from pests and diseases, which can reduce your yield and quality. Some of the common potato pests are:
Colorado potato beetles, which are yellow and black striped insects that feed on the leaves and can defoliate the plants. You can handpick them and drop them in a bucket of soapy water, or use an organic insecticide, such as neem oil or pyrethrin.
Potato leafhoppers, which are small, green, winged insects that suck the sap from the leaves and cause them to curl and yellow. You can spray them with a strong jet of water, or use an organic insecticide, such as garlic or hot pepper spray.
Wireworms, which are thin, brown, worm-like larvae that bore into the tubers and cause holes and tunnels. You can trap them with pieces of carrot or potato buried in the soil, or use beneficial nematodes, which are microscopic worms that parasitize and kill the wireworms.
Common Potato Diseases
One of the most common reasons why a potato cannot grow or survive is the diseases. If you were wondering what some of these can be and how to deal with them, I have you covered!
Some of the common potato diseases are:
Late Blight: It is a fungal disease that causes brown spots on the leaves and stems, and black or brown lesions on the tubers. It can spread rapidly and destroy the entire crop. You can prevent it by planting resistant varieties, avoiding overhead watering, and removing any infected plants and tubers. You can also use a fungicide, such as copper or sulfur, as a preventive measure.
Scab: This is a bacterial disease that causes rough, corky patches on the tubers. It does not affect the taste or edibility of the potatoes, but it reduces their appearance and storage quality. You can prevent it by planting resistant varieties, maintaining a slightly acidic soil pH, and avoiding excessive nitrogen fertilization.
Potato Virus Y: Lastly, this is a viral disease that causes mosaic patterns, mottling, or yellowing on the leaves, and misshapen or knobby tubers. It can reduce the yield and quality of the potatoes, and it can be transmitted by aphids or infected seed potatoes. You can prevent it by planting certified virus-free seed potatoes, controlling aphids, and removing any infected plants and tubers.
How to Determine When Your Potatoes Are Ready to Harvest?
The third step in how to harvest potatoes is to determine when they are ready to harvest. This depends on the type and variety of potatoes you planted, and the size and maturity you want.
There are two main types of potatoes: early and late.
Early potatoes are ready to harvest in about 10 to 12 weeks (about 3 months) after planting, and they produce small to medium-sized tubers that are tender and thin-skinned. They are best for boiling, steaming, or roasting.
Late potatoes are ready to harvest in about 15 to 20 weeks (about 4 and a half months) after planting, and they produce large, starchy tubers that are firm and thick-skinned. They are best for baking, mashing, or frying.
Early Harvesting
To harvest early potatoes, you can start digging them up when the plants begin to flower, or when the lower leaves start to yellow.
You can use a garden fork or a spade to gently lift the plants and tubers from the soil, or you can use your hands to feel for the tubers under the soil.
You can harvest as many or as few potatoes as you need, and leave the rest in the ground until you are ready to use them.
You can also harvest some of the young, tender leaves and stems, which are edible and nutritious.
Late Harvesting
To harvest late potatoes, you need to wait until the plants have died back completely, or until the first frost.
This allows the tubers to develop a thicker skin, which helps them store better.
You can use a garden fork or a spade to dig up the entire row of plants and tubers, or you can use a potato digger, which is a special tool that lifts and separates the tubers from the soil.
You need to be careful not to damage or bruise the tubers, as this can cause rotting or spoilage.
How to Dig Up, Cure, and Store Your Potatoes?
The final step in how to harvest potatoes is to dig up, cure, and store your potatoes. This is important to preserve the quality and shelf life of your potatoes, and to prevent them from sprouting, rotting, or shrinking. Here are the steps to follow:
Digging Up
After digging up your potatoes, you need to brush off any excess soil and remove any damaged, diseased, or green tubers.
Do not wash your potatoes, as this can remove the protective skin and invite bacteria and fungi. You can wash them just before cooking or eating them.
Curing
You need to cure your potatoes for about two weeks in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated place, such as a basement, garage, or shed.
This allows the skin to harden and heal any minor cuts or bruises and enhances the flavor and texture of the potatoes.
The ideal temperature for curing is between 50°F and 60°F, and the ideal humidity is between 80% and 90%.
You can spread your potatoes in a single layer on a newspaper, cardboard, or wooden crate, and avoid exposing them to light, which can turn them green and bitter.
Storing
You need to store your potatoes in a cool, dark, and dry place, such as a cellar, pantry, or closet. The ideal temperature for storage is between 40°F and 50°F, and the ideal humidity is between 65% and 70%.
You can store your potatoes in paper bags, cardboard boxes, mesh bags, or wooden crates, and check them regularly for any signs of sprouting, rotting, or shriveling.
You can also store your potatoes in a root cellar, which is an underground or partially underground structure that maintains a constant temperature and humidity.
Additionally, you can also store your potatoes in a clamp, which is a mound of straw, hay, or leaves covered with soil, that insulates and protects the potatoes from frost and rodents.
Wrapping It Up!
If you want to know about how to harvest potatoes, I hope that this blog has been of help to you. However, if there are any other queries related to the same, please feel free to let me know.
All that you need to do is scroll down till you reach the bottom of the page. Then leave your comments and suggestions in the box below. And I will be there to answer them all for you!
Read Also:
How to Harvest Lettuce: A Step-by-Step Guide for Fresh and Crispy Salads
Everything You Need To Know About Harvesting Basil!
Are you that lucky cocktail party host this weekend among your friends? If you are, then you must be wondering what exception you can make this time that people will love.
We know that you can manage the ‘cocktail’ part. So, we have gathered seven delicious & exotic snacks for your next cocktail party that will win the hearts of your guests and makes you the star host of the month!
However, these snack ideas are so overwhelmingly good that people may request you to make them again and again. Here, you will find quick and easy dishes to prepare, although you may need to visit the supermarket to get the ingredients.
Without further ado, let’s get started with the recipes so that you can pick which snacks you want to prepare and make the list of ingredients.
1. Salmon Tartines for Fish Lovers
Recipes with Salmon and avocado are always a delicacy; when you prepare it with wasabi, it will deliver a heavenly feel with your fast bite. And guess what, you need only 15 minutes to make it.
Ingredients:
To prepare this dish, you have to gather the following ingredients:
Puff pastry,
Sashimi-quality salmon,
Mirin,
One avocado,
Low-sodium soy sauce
Ginger,
Lime juice,
Caster sugar,
Rice vinegar, and
Wasabi paste.
Cooking Method:
To prepare the recipe, follow the steps below:
Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius and cut the pastry according to your preferred shape; place them on a lined tray over the baking paper and bake for 10-12 minutes till golden in color and allow them to cool down. Your tartine base is ready.
While baking, process the avocado with wasabi. To do that, take a small pan and dissolve sugar in water over low heat. When it cools down, take an avocado, wasabi, lime, and sugar in a blender, add salt or any other seasoning if you want, and set aside.
Prepare a dressing by mixing mirin, vinegar, soy sauce, and ginger in a small pot.
After you have prepared everything, take a pastry base and place avocado, salmon, and cress. Serve with a drizzle of dressing.
2. Elk Jerky Cheeseboard for Slow Eaters
How about serving an Elk Jerky cheeseboard at your cocktail party? This cheeseboard is a great addition to the food you can serve because it not only has a posh vibe but also serves a unique version of your regular charcuterie board due to the gamey elk.
Elk goes well with many reds including Cabernet Sauvignon, which can complement this strong-flavored jerky with its earthy notes. You can also pair it with lighter-style cocktails made from scotch, gin, or tequila, as they go well with these types of dried meat.
You can add a variety of cheese to such a board, including emmental, brie, gouda, and blue cheese.
3. Carrot Muffin for Sweet Tooths
If you want to prepare a carrot muffin for your cocktail party ahead of time and you love baking, then this dish is a must for you to try.
Ingredients:
This dish is easy to prepare and only needs eight ingredients.
They are:
Yogurt (Greek style),
Ready mixture for making carrot cake,
Carrots,
Pecans,
Eggs,
Aperol,
Pure cane sugar, and
Vegetable oil.
Cooking Method:
To prepare the recipe, follow the steps below:
First, you will make a labneh. Take a bowl and set a fine sieve over it. Put the yogurt inside, wrap it with the sieve, and hang it over the bowl in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat the oven to make muffins at 170 degrees Celsius.
Grate the carrot coarsely and mix it with the cake baking mix. You can add pecans to the mix.
Take the muffin glasses, and bake them for at least 35 minutes. To make sure they are evenly baked, insert a skewer in the center, and if it comes out clean, your muffins are ready.
If you want to soak the muffins with Aperol syrup, place water, sugar, and Aperol on a small pan and keep stirring until the sugar is dissolved over medium heat.
Place the muffins in a line and pour syrup over them. Let the muffins soak in the syrup for 5 minutes.
Add the icing mix with labneh to make frost, and use your creative ideas to décor the muffins.
4. Four Crispy Buffalo Wings for Savory Hunters
Nothing can beat the taste of chicken wings. And the crowd will devour it within a minute if you can make it extra crispy outside and juicy inside. Here’s the recipe:
Ingredients:
To make Buffalo wings, you’ll need the following:
Chicken wings (defrost if frozen),
Baking powder,
Salt,
Butter,
Franks hot sauce,
Sugar.
Cooking Method:
To prepare the recipe, follow the steps below:
Tap the wings with tissue paper to absorb the extra water after washing. Toss the wings with baking powder and salt; it will absorb the extra moisture from the chicken's skin, making it crispier.
We are not using hot oil in this recipe as we are going to bake the wings. The science behind baking the wings and making them crispy is to start baking using low temp at first and increasing the temp after a few minutes. Set the tray on the lower shelf of the oven at 250F/120C.
Low temperature will melt the fat first, and high temperature will make the skin super crispy when you place the wings on a higher oven shelf at 425F/220C.
5. Sausage Rolls for Meat lovers
You know that your friends love meat. But you don’t want to worry about arranging a bbq in the backyard. So, prepare these bite-size sausage rolls to calm the meat cravings of your guests.
Ingredients:
To make sausage rolls, you’ll need:
Pork,
Onion & Garlic,
Breadcrumbs,
Puff Pastry,
Bacon,
Fennel Seeds,
Salt & Pepper.
Cooking Methods:
Follow the easy-peasy steps below to cook off sausage rolls:
Take a pan and cook bacon, onion, garlic, and celery,
Mix with the pork,
Place the puff pastry, put the mix on it, roll it over, and cut it into small portions.
Place them on a baking tray and brush with egg.
Bake them for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.
This snack serves its best when you are keeping the option of exciting games at your party. Whether it’s a two-player board game or a multiplayer one, people can have more fun when they have something delicious to eat.
6. Coconut Shrimp for Peaky Eaters
Every party has those guests who will not eat anything that’s too oily or too sweet. To tackle those peaky eaters, you can cook coconut shrimp, which will go well with whiskey cocktails.
If you are not hiring any bartenders and decided to become one for the day, check out these whiskey cocktail recipes for home bartenders!
Ingredients:
You will need the following items for this quick bite.
Jumbo Shrimp,
Flour,
Shredded coconut,
Beaten egg,
Pepper,
Pranko breadcrumbs,
Garlic powder,
Oil and salt to taste.
Cooking Method:
Follow the steps below to have the best shrimp dish of your life.
Wash the shrimp and season them in a bowl with pepper and salt,
Take two flat dishes. Mix flour and garlic powder in one of them; in the other, mix coconut and breadcrumbs.
Take one shrimp and dredge it in the flour mixture; after that, dip it in the beaten egg and dredge again in the coconut mix. Follow the steps for each shrimp.
Refrigerate for an hour (or overnight if you want to prepare the night before and serve hot the next day).
Deep fry in a pan full of oil till golden brown color and season with salt and pepper after the whole batch is done. Place them on a baking sheet with a cooling rack so that they can absorb the dripping oil.
Serve it with sauce or mango salsa.
7. Salsa for Lazy Hosts
When it comes to cocktail parties, you need easy, quick recipes that will take less time to prepare so that you don’t get stuck in the kitchen while others are enjoying the evening, and this salsa will take only two minutes.
Ingredients:
Here goes the items you need to get together:
Crushed tomato,
Coriander leaves,
Green chiles,
Garlic,
Lime,
Jalapeno,
Cumin, and
Sugar.
Serve with tacos, fajitas, burritos, nachos, or quesadillas. You can buy them at any store.
Cooking Method:
All you need to do is blend all the ingredients mentioned above. However, make sure to use good quality canned tomatoes, if not fresh ones. You need to blend for a few seconds and see the consistency. Keep blending if you like it smoother.
But don’t blend too much if you like it chunky.
Conclusion:
With this list of seven delicious & exotic snacks for your next cocktail party, you will be able to welcome your guests with warm hearts and warm food on the counter.
Even though cocktails are the main stars of your party, these bite-size, easy-to-prepare snacks will make your evening even better alongside the drinks. Prepare the snacks while ensuring the recipes have variety, such as spicy, sweet, savory, vegetarian, and non-veg options.
Read Also:
14 Whiskey Cocktail Recipes For Home Bartenders
Tips And Suggestions On How To Wear Cocktail Dresses
Why should you go to a pool party in Vegas?
Salmon fish, also known as salmoniform, is found in the Pacific and northern Atlantic oceans. These marine features are anadromous because they are born in fresh water; drift to the sea, and then gets back to fresh water for reproduction. Their appearance varies. Some have black spots on their bodies while others are silver-blue.
One of the finest salmon species in the field of nutrition is the wild Alaskan Salmon. It is an exceptional choice of seafood when you compare it to typical farmed fish. It has immense health benefits to the human being.
Five Alaskan salmon species kinds thrive in the water namely chum, sockeye, Chinook, coho, and pink.
You can identify the sockeye salmon with its dark red color on the body. Its tail does not have coloration, but its head becomes bright green in color. You can differentiate male sockeyes from females because they have a long Skype and pronounced shoulders. You can see them with a gum line and a white mouth.
You can distinguish Chum salmon by the calico bands that are green, yellow, or dark purple on each body side. They have a white gum line and a white mouth. The white tip on the chum’s anal, large pupil and forked tail distinguishes them from the others.
Read also: 5 Protein Enriched Food To Improve Mental Health
The coho salmon is also known as the silver salmon. The color that covers its body is dark reddish or maroon, and it includes the tail and head. They possess blackish or dark gray mouth with a whitish gum line.
The Chinook or king salmon possesses a black mouth with a black gum line. Black spots are covering the lobes of their back and tail.
The Pink salmon is the smallest among the other salmons. You can identify them by the large and ovular spots that are on their lobes, tail, and backs. They possess a white mouth and a black gum line.
People term the wild Alaskan salmon as the hallmark of nutrition. Putting it in your diet once or twice per week will increase your lifespan and reduce the risk of contracting a cardiovascular disease. It is rich in vitamins, proteins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. When you add it to your daily budget, it will help you fight depression, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis.
Read also: Top 7 Superfoods For Healthy Skin And Hair
Researchers associate omega-3 with a lower risk of contracting high blood pressure, cardiovascular ailments, arrhythmia, and high blood cholesterol. It also acts as a rich source of phosphorus, selenium, and magnesium. These minerals are good for the health of bones, cellular tissue health, and DNA.
A single serving of the Alaskan salmon will give you the highly recommended allowance of vitamins B12 and B6 that are essential for metabolizing proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. They are necessary for synthesizing the nervous system and hormones of the body.
Research shows that eating this fish frequently will increase your life expectancy by more than two years and reduce your risk exposure to heart diseases. The rate at which coronary diseases reduce with eating fish reduces by more than forty percent.
Read also: Meals That Matter: The Best Foods And The Ways They Make You Fit
