Awsome Food Pictures

April 21, 2008 in Food, Interesting, Photography, What's This?, Yummy

These are all made of Foods!

Something like Paella

February 11, 2008 in What's This?, Yummy

Are you familiar with Paella? Well… it is a typical Valencian rice dish from Spain, traditionally eaten on Sundays. The name paella is the word for “frying pan” in Valencian. It is usually garnished with vegetables and meat or seafood.

Click to view the recipe

So why I’m writing about this? Okay, this is what happen…last Saturday I cooked rice with chicken and seafoods flavor, I wanted to post it in my food blog but I don’t know what name should I call it, so I decided to call it as Rice ala Paella since when it was fully cooked I noticed that it tasted and looked like Paella. Hence, I posted it yesterday.

This morning, when I checked the stats of my food blog, I found that there were lots of visitors yesterday who translated my blog into Spanish until now while I’m writing this post. Now my concern is I’m quite anxious because I know that this is not the traditional Paella dish! lol 🙂

Easy Mozzarella Stick

January 20, 2008 in Recipes

I got a very simple yet yummy mozzarella stick recipe from an online friend few days ago, so I tried it yesterday and it was relly easy and quick to prepare. I served it as an appetizer for our Iftar yesterday. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:
Mozzarella cheese
All-purpose flour
Egg, beaten
Bread crumbs
Oil for deep frying

Directions:
1. Slice mozzarella cheese into 2 ½ inch length and 1×0.5 inch thick or as desired.
2. Dredge each mozzarella stick into the flour, then dip in egg, then coat with the breadcrumbs. If you want the coatings to be thicker, dip in egg again, then coat again with the bread crumbs.
3. Deep fry in hot oil until golden brown, turn to brown the other side. Drain in paper towels. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. That’s it.  It’s very easy…right?

Note: If you want it to be spicy, season the flour or bread crumbs with any spicy powders of your choice.

7 Foods Every Woman Must Eat

January 3, 2008 in Food, Health

While I was browsing for some recipes to cook this weekend, I stumbled on this very nice article about the foods that every woman must eat. Since I did not able to decide yet about my new year’s resolution, then I think EATING HEALTHY foods will be in the top of my list from now on. I think everybody aims to live healthy and long life, so the following list of foods will help us slash our risk of dying from the usual culprits, including heart disease and cancer.

1. BERRIES

Why: Ounce for ounce, berries have more protective plant antioxidants than almost any other food. These compounds not only lower your disease risks, they help prevent memory loss.

How Much: Aim for a cup of berries–any berries, fresh or frozen–at least three times a week (berry researchers say eat a cup daily). Since berries are high in fill-you-up fiber, they may also help curb weight gain.

How:

Toss them in salads
Snack on them one by one, like healthy potato chips
Add them to yogurt, cereal, and smoothies
Stir them into anything you bake

2. SALMON

Why: Sure salmon is a prime source of omega-3s, the healthy fats that fend off heart disease and maybe more, but are you aware that a mere 3 ounces of the fish serves up 170% of your daily vitamin B12 and more than 80% of your D

How Much: Aim for two servings a week (and if one’s tuna, that’s okay).

How:

Broil, bake or poach it with dill
Toss it into pasta dishes and salads
If you’re vegetarian or just not a fish-eater, get the key omega-3 fat called DHA in:

Silk Plus Omega-3 DHA Soymilk
Horizon Organic Milk Plus DHA
Oh Mama Nutrition Bars
Gold Circle Farm Eggs
Rachel’s Wickedly Delicious Yogurts

3. LEAFY GREENS

Why: It’s almost impossible to meet your nutritional needs without eating dark leafy greens, from spinach and romaine to collard greens and chard. They’re huge sources of fiber; vitamins C and K; folic acid (a B vitamin that guards the heart and memory and fights birth defects); lutein, a vision protector; and four essential minerals: calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium.

How Much: Two servings a day, and the darker, the better.

How:

Add arugula to your sandwich
Layer chard into lasagna
Fold spinach into omelets
Add any green to stir-fries, pasta dishes and soup

4. WHOLE GRAINS

Why: They have up to 96 percent more fiber, magnesium, zinc, chromium and vitamins E and B6 than refined grains. This nutritional powerhouse helps prevent the same health problems that refined grains help cause: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and even obesity.

How Much: Ideally, all of the six daily grain servings you need should be whole, unrefined grains, but aim for at least three.

How:

Start your day with oatmeal or whole-grain cold cereal
Use 100% whole-wheat bread for toast and sandwiches
Switch to whole-wheat couscous and pasta
Opt for brown rice (instant is fine), whole-grain pretzels, even whole-wheat tortillas

5. NUTS

Why: They’re excellent sources of protein, magnesium, B vitamins and E–trusty fighters in the war against heart disease and cancer. Yes, nuts are high in fat calories, but their fat is the heart-healthy kind. Replace junky snacks with them and you won’t gain an ounce.

How Much: Up to five small fistfuls a week (roughly 1/4 cup or about 15-20 almonds, cashews, walnuts or pecans).

How:

Sprinkle plain or toasted nuts on salads instead of croutons
Mix them into cooked cous cous and brown rice
Stir them into cereal and yogurt
Use them to garnish a stir-fry just before serving

6. GOLDEN VEGGIES

Why: Just one serving of fiber-filled, deep-yellow-orange vegetables supplies five times the beta carotene you need daily to lower your cancer risk, defend against colds and other infections, and protect your skin from sun damage. The potassium in these veggies also keeps your heartbeat in sync and your blood pressure down.

How Much: Aim for two half-cup servings a day, the equivalent of one sweet potato, 12 canned apricot halves or a cup of butternut squash or carrots.

How: Try this sweet potato quickie from Somer’s The Food & Mood Cookbook:

Cajun Sweet Potatoes
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut sweet potatoes into 1-inch thick slices and toss with olive oil, Cajun seasoning and freshly ground pepper.
3. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly brown and cooked through, but still slightly crunchy.

7. YOGURT

Why: Low- or no-fat plain yogurt is a terrific source of B vitamins, protein, calcium and –if it has active cultures–the healthy bacteria known as probiotics, which crowd out disease-causing germs.

How Much: Four or more cups a week, if this is your main dairy source.

How: Cut back on sugar and calories by choosing plain yogurt and adding fruit, especially berries, and some granola. Or be more inventive:

Mix a dash of vanilla and chopped mint into yogurt and dollop on fruit
Use yogurt instead of sour cream for dips, sauces and salad dressings
Top baked potatoes with yogurt and chives
Thicken sauces and make soups “creamy” with yogurt
The payback part? As one of the Harvard researchers would likely tell you, eating a diverse diet that is low in calories and high in nutrients can make your RealAge as much as 4 years younger.