Why is it that sugar, and sweet(er) foods in general tend to have more calories than other foods………..?

….and why don’t spices have any calories? At least, the labels say they have no calories.

This is something I’ve been wondering about for some time now. I’ve noticed that foods that are sweet tend to have more calories than foods that are salty, spicy, savory, or even bitter.

For example, the smallish-medium apples in our refrigerator have about 80 calories each. The bell peppers we have (red, yellow, orange) that are around the same size have about 20-30 calories. A stick of string cheese has about 80 calories, but chocolate of the same amount can easily creep up to 200 calories (depending on the candy).

I even see this with spices and seasonings. A spoonful (kitchen spoons, not measuring spoons or big giant spoons) of sugar has about 15-50 calories (depending on the size of the spoon), but that same spoon filled with salt or parsley might have at the most 10 calories.

Even with fruits. Why does a cucumber have less calories than a tomato, which has less calories than an orange?

If I filled a soup bowl, or any medium sized bowl, with chopped veggies, it would have less calories than if the same bowls were filled with chopped fruit.

Calories are units/measurements of energy (or so I’ve read), but savory foods, or foods without much sugar, are just as energizing as sweet things.

So why do the sweet(er) foods have more calories?

first time making chocolate truffles…..help!!?

Ok so I decided to go fancy and make chocolate truffles, I followed the recipe to the T and let them set at room temp like the recipe said and the chocolate is still liquid almost chocolate Ganache like, would putting it in the refrigerator help firm up the chocolate for finishing the truffles or am I pretty much screwed. Or is there something I could add to the mix to help firm it up some more. These are for a christmas party 12/22/07 so its kinda important I get some help. Thanks so much in advance.

Oh I used Ina Garten’s recipe from the food network if you where wondering.
3 lbs milk chocolate chocolate chopped fine" ghiradelli"
3 c heavy cream
3 tablespns prepared instant espresso
3 tablesp good vanilla extract

thats what I did, thanks again Happy Holidayz

Picnic on the beach, what should I take?

Mr. b!sh and I are going for an evening picnic on Friday at the beach around 7pm.

We want to watch the sunset after having some food, which is more like our dinner on the beach, that a picnic. Ha ha.

So my question is, what kinds of foods, and what important things do I need not to forget.

This is the list I have so far.

FOOD
Rice noodles cooked in soya sauce with garlic.
Lightly fried chicken breasts with a gluten free flour coating, cubed.
Lightly fried chopped peppers, potatoes, green beans and mushrooms.

FRUIT:
Strawberries, cantaloupe melon, apple, blueberries and oranges, in a fuit salad, so they are chopped.

SWEETS
Chocolate moose.

DRINKS
Homemade lemonade.
Blueberry juice.

EQUIPMENT:
2 picnic bowls.
2 sets of picnic cutlery.
1 food server.
2 picnic cups.
Picnic mat.
Towel.
Camera.
Extra jackets incase it’s cold.

I’m trying to make this rememerable.
Any one got any ideas on what I’ve forgotton, or ideas of how to make it rememberable and romantic?
We’re Islamic. We don’t drink.
Yes napkins! Thank you.

I will be wearing a skirt, so we can walk on the shore too. It’s too cold for a swim! :P

FREEZER BURN????????????????

does food taste bad if it has freezer burn on it? is it ok to eat some pork chops that have freezer burn?

What's better – a food processor, a chopper, or a blender?

I’m doing a wedding registry, and I’m not sure what would be better for me – a food processor, a chopper, or a blender? i thought a food processor since it can do what a blender can do except a blender does liquids. If there’s one that can do everything then that’ll be better…costs less and less appliances.
if i do a food processor – do i need a 7 cup or a 12 cup?
if i do a blender – how many speeds do i need?
my mom used a chopper – wonderful little thing, but we also had a blender

if a blender does the same thing as a food processor then why not a chopper & blender? i could do all 3, but i already have a kitchenaid mixer on the registry haha

How long should I bake this kind of pork?

Thin, boneless, center loin chops. I have eight of them. I’m trying to eat less fried foods.