Kosher Food

Recently I’ve been extra curious about Jewish traditions. I’ve learned something that I would love to share through my blog for all the food lovers and followers. Kosher is the food that meets the Jewish dietary laws. It comes from the Hebrew word for “fit” or “proper” (kashrut). The word “kosher” is not only used for food, however. Kosher basically means food that follows all the Jewish legal guidelines- The laws are rather extensive but I’ll try to make it short fun and easy to read, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

With all the teachings of the Torah (Judaism's founding of legal and ethical religious texts)the signs of a Kosher animal can be understood on many different levels. The ten kosher animals listed in the Torah all have both split hooves and chew their cud. What all these animals have in common is that they all graze for food and are not predators. Deer, sheep and goats for example, are all kosher, while pig and rabbit for example are NOT.

Although the Torah permits man to eat animals, a Jew is commanded to do so only under very strict limits, such as eating only certain animals that undergo the prescribed slaughtering (killing) and have all the blood removed. In addition, the only animals permitted are those who don’t kill other animals. “We are what we eat” right? and the Torah does not want jews to take into their beings the very essence of the animal, especially if its very nature is connected to killing.

The two signs of kosher animals are also understood in a more symbolic manner. Since man contain both an animal soul as well as a Divine soul, the signs of a kosher animal relates to these two energies within each and every person.

Split hooves represent the idea of choice and free will. Animals do not possess free will, whereas man does. A split hoof symbolizes to the Jews the constant choices before them, the proverbial crossroads which split before them again and again during life. Chewing the cud represents not acting quickly when making choices especially from powerful animal urges. Rather, they are taught to think things over deliberately and even after doing so to bring up the ideas once again in order to “chew them over” again.

Free choice and analytical thought is what they believe separates them from the animal kingdom. Therefore, if they are to eat meat it should be in a way that strengthens their good qualities and strengthens the Divine within them.

*Only certain birds are considered kosher in the United States. This includes chicken, duck, goose, and turkey.

*What I understood about pig is that its certainly NOT kosher because back in the day, many people died from eating pigs that weren't well cooked. When raw pig is ingested, the parasites that live in the pig can cause fatalities in humans. In order to prevent this from happening, the Jews decided to make pigs un-kosher.

*Lobster lovers might be disappointed to find that for seafood or fish to be kosher, it must have fins and easily removable scales. Shellfish generally, and lobsters, shrimp, and clams, specifically are not kosher. Fish, on the other hand, such as tuna and herring, are kosher, but only if they are prepared by a kosher fish monger with kosher cutting implements and machines.

*Processed food must be prepared in the presence of a rabbi.

*Poultry and meat must be slaughtered under strict guidelines called "shechita." This means the animals are slaughtered without pain. Only those who are trained and qualified are allowed to slaughter kosher animals. Once the animal is no longer alive, another team of experts will examine the animal to be sure the animal is without illness, abnormalities or anything else that can be considered unsanitary. The lungs in particular must be pure. In addition, all blood, nerves, and most fat must be removed.

*Kosher kitchens must maintain separate sets of utensils, pots, pans, dishes, and anything else that comes in contact with food. In addition, dishes and utensils in a kosher kitchen can't be washed together. If a kitchen has two sinks, it is an ideal setup for a kosher family. If not, separate wash buckets are often used. Dishes and utensils must be dried using separate racks or dishtowels as well.

There are many many many other rules to be followed for anything to be considered kosher food. To make identification easier on the consumer, kosher food is often identified as such by its kashrut certification on the food's package. Kashrut certification is generally indicated by an identifiable symbol that includes the letter K which means the food is neither dairy nor meat, but rather neutral.

Here’s a kosher recipe I would love to try but Ive been really busy, it looks great though, if anyone dares to try it, please comment on it!

http://www.chefkosher.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=318:chicken-in-bbq-sauce&catid=41:poultry&Itemid=65

Best-ever Salad Dressings

A knockout dressing, even a simple one converts plain greens into a memorable side dish. Here are two yummi yummi dressings you'll use over and over again!!

BUTTERMILK HERB RANCH

In a medium bowl, whisk 1/2 cup each Mayonnaise and buttermilk and 1 tblsp each chopped fresh chives, dill, and oregano leaves together with 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. garlic powder. Chill at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop. Stir dressing well before serving.

GINGER VINAIGRETTE

Cant get any easier. Chop one piece of ginger (take the skin off first please! haha) when you have chopped till your hand hurts, place it in a pan with 2 tblsp olive oil over low heat, add salt and pepper and remove from heat, place everything in a cup, add about 1 cup olive oil and let it cool completely. Stir dressing well before serving.

Chicken and Guacamole tostadas

Smoked paprika gives the chicken rich, grill-like-flavor with no cooking. Look for tostadas (flat corn tortillas) near the flour and corn tortillas in the mexican food section of your grocery store. Serve with lime wedges.

1 ripe peeled avocado

1 cup of finely chopped tomato

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice divided

1/2 tablespoons teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons fresh onion minced

1 small garlic clove

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeno pepper

2 cups shredded skinless boneless chicken breast

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

8 tostada shells

1. mix avocado with tomato, onion and jalapeno, place on top of tostada

2. grill the chicken with paprika tomato garlic and onion, pour juice of lemon

serve hot and garnish with sliced lettuce and sour cream!

Quality Family time- Its all in the balance!

Create a Family night. the solution is simple and can create memories to last a lifetime. Relax and talk with each other! I find cooking obviously very entertaining for everyone (and lots lots of wine haha)!! plus, I just learned how to make my mothers "secret" pasta sauce haha but we all learned a little bit more about each other! so.. take the time and enjoy.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Winter is around the corner .. its cold in the morning, hot in the afternoon and freezing at night so unless you are superman, you are going to get sick! Here's nature's BEST cold and flu delicious remedy!!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium carrots chopped

1 bay leaf

2 quarts chicken stock

8 ounces noodles or thin pasta and cut it into small pieces

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 potato chopped

1 small zucchini chopped

tomato powder (knorr, consomate)

Step by step

Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, potato, bay leaf and zucchini. cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes or until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through: season with salt and pepper and Consomate (tomato powder). Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving if desired!

Wake-up Call

Although Not to be recommended, a cocktail can be just the way to start the day, particularily during the weekend when you've a lazy day ahead of you. Fruity, fizzy, creamy, or caffeine-based, any of the recipes featured here will make a perfect accompaniment to that late breakfast or leisurely brunch.

Banana Daiquiri

serves 1

Ingredients

2 measures white rum

1/2 measure triple sec

1/2 measure light cream

1 teaspoon sugar syrup

1/4 banana, peeled and sliced

wedge of lime

*Place everything into a blender mix and serve in a cold lowball glass.

strawberry colada

4-6 ice cubes, crushed

3 measures rum

4 measures pineapple juice

1 measure coconut cream

6 strawberries, hulled

pineapple wedge

extra strawberries

*Place in blender everything, mix pour into a chill highball glass.

Espresso Galliano

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 measures Galliano

freshly made strong black coffee

sugar to taste

lemon or orange juice

sugar

twist of orange peel

*Pour the Galliano into a warm heatproof glass. Add the coffee, a teaspoon or two of sugar and a splash of lemon or orange juice to taste and stir, serve with a twist of orange peel.

Life Is Uncertain. Eat Dessert First.

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not! Here´s a delicious recipe for a cajeta bread.. Just baked it today and It cant get any fasterlicious than this!

Ingredients

Butter 175 g
Sugar 3/4 cup
Eggs 4
Flour 2 cups
Baking powder 1 teaspoon
salt 1/2 teaspoon
Cajeta 1 cup

Step by Step

1. preheat oven to 200 Celsius, lightly grease your bread pan.
2. mix the butter with sugar until creamy
3. add the eggs ONE BY ONE and mix slowly each until well incorporated about 5 min.
4. sift the flour with baking powder and salt and add to the previous mix
5. add the cajeta and mix well
6. place the mixture in the pan and place in oven for 55 minutes or until you stick a toothpick and it comes out clean!
8. Serve hot with vanilla icecream and more cajeta on top!

Simple sorbet

No Ice cream maker? No problem. this sorbet uses a food processor to turn frozen fruit into a delicious frozen dessert. Store-bought frozen fruit makes this a snap all year round. If its summer just wash and freeze whatever you bring home from the market (peel the fruit first) and a couple of hours later YOU ARE READY TO GO!

Ingredients

1 pound frozen strawberries or other fruit
1/2 cup yogurt or silken tofu
1/4 cup sugar more or less
water as needed

Put all the ingredients except water into a food processor and process until pureed and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If the fruit does not break down completely, gradually add some water through the feed tube a tablespoon or two at a time, being careful not to overprocess the sorbet into liquid. serve immediately or freeze!

Some Ideas: For chocolate cherry sorbet, skip the sugar, add 4 ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate, and use 12 ounces of frozen cherries. As long as you keep the total volume of solid ingredients to about a pound, the combinations are endless!! Enjoy.

Super-Simple Mixed Rice, a Zillion Ways!!

Call it Risotto, pilaf, Japanese rice, or soupy rice; the technique remains the same. You can build a dish with rice as a base, adding ingredients from there! As you stir and cook, the rice releases starch and becomes CREAMY; Brown rice adds a pleasant NUTTINESS and chew.

Where to Begin

1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup short-grain brown rice
1 onion, chopped as small as you can manage (please keep all of your fingers!)
salt and pepper
a 12 ounce can chopped tomatoes, with their liquid
2 cups cooked cannellini beans or (use canned...like I do..hehe!)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves plus more for garnish
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (again..optional but do it!)

Step by step

1. Soak the porcini in hot water to cover. Put the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until its shiny and a little translucent, just a minute or so. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until softened about a minute. Add enough water to cover by about half an inch.

2. Bring to a boil, lover the heat to a bubble, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice starts to become tender, about 10 minutes. By now the porcini should be soft; chop them roughly and pour their water into the rice, being careful to leave some water behind to trap the sediment. Add the tomatoes and mushrooms to the rice and continue to cook and stir occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, about another 10 minutes; add more water if needed to keep the mixture a little soupy.

3. When the rice is tender but retains some bite on the inside, add the beans. continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is no longer soupy but not yet dry. Stir in the basil, and the cheese; taste and adjust seasoning and serve, garnished with a little more fresh herb.

SOME EASY VARIATIONS FOR MIXED RICE:

Rice and Peas: Omit the mushrooms (or not). If you do omit them, add another cup of water in step 2. Likewise with the tomatoes: keep them or not. Instead of adding the beans in step 3, add 2 cups of peas (frozen are fine).

Chile Mixed Rice: Toss a seeded chipotle or pasilla chile into the rice mixture with the onion, along with a clove or two of chopped garlic. Use black beans instead of cannellini and cilantro instead of the basil. Omit the cheese and stir in a cup or so of cooked chicken or pork if you like!

Japanese Mixed Rice: Substitute dried shiitakes (Texas organic mushroom) for the porcini. Instead of olive oil use peanut or sesame oil. Omit the tomatoes and beans and add other vegetables (your choice!) add a few shrimp at the same time and cubes of tofu if you like it. Keep the mixture moist with water and at the very end add a big splash of soy sauce instead of cheese garnish with chives instead of basil.

Cooome on... its not that hard now, is it? If you wait to do everything until you are sure its right, you'll probably never do much of anything, start today! Enjoy your kitchen, be creative and share some rice with your man bitches!

Creamy carrot soup

This soup is as good cold as it is hot, and its creaminess comes from vegetables, not dairy items, though you can certainly enrich this soup by stirring in a part of butter or a splash of cream or coconut milk after pureeing.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion chopped

About 1 and a half pounds of carrots, roughly chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 cups vegetable stock or water

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves for garnish

step by step

1. Put the oil in a large, deep saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the vegetables. sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occassionally, for about 15 minutes, until the carrots soften a bit. Add the stock and cook until the vegetables are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Use a blender to puree the soup in the pan. Or cool the mixture slightly (hot soup is dangerous!) and put into a blender. Puree until smooth, working in batches if necessary. (You can make the soup ahead to this point. Cover, refrigerate for up to 2 days, and reheat before proceeding.)

3. If you are serving the soup hot, gently reheat it, stirring frequently. If you are serving it cold, refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours. Either way, taste and adjust seasoning and garnish just before serving.

Enjoy!

Nutty Oatmeal cookies

Nuts, chopped dried apples or other fruit, coconut or a combination help oats produce a great cookie. Choose the first options throughout this recipe ingredient list, and you've got a surprisingly good vegan cookie! (psst...This recipe can handle an extra 1/4 cup of bits of semisweet or dark chocolate)

To make the spice flavors more powerful, bump up the amount of cinnamon to a teaspoon and add 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger and 1/4 spoon of each ground allspice and nutmeg. Make these cookies bite size because you know people will have more than 5 in one seat and its just more fun.

1/2cup peanut oil lor vegetable oil or 1 stick unsalted butter, softened.

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup applesauce or 2 eggs

1 and 1/2 cups all porpuse flour

2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup chopped dried apples or another fruit

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

1.Heat the oven to 375F. Use an electric mixer to cream the oil or butter and the sugars together; add the applesauce or eggs and beat until well blended.

2. combine tthe flour, oats, fruit, nuts, cinnamon, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Alternating with the milk, add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture by hand, a little at a time, stirring to blend. Stir the vanilla.

3. Put teaspoon-size mounds of dough about 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. bake until light browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes on the sheets, then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a rack to finish cooling. Store in a tightly covered container at room temperature!! yum yum, Enjoy!

Not your usual Ratatouille

Have you ever had a movie induce a specific food craving? I cant sleep when this happens!! So here's a recipe from a movie I've watched over and over again! You know how much I love zucchini (obviously, its appears all over this blog!) but cauliflower makes a much more interesting contribution to ratatouille, because its crunchy chew complements the creaminess of the eggplant beautifully. If you prefer, replace the cauliflower with 2 or 3 small zucchinis or 1 large summer squash. To add more substance here, stir in some white beans, cut pasta, roasted potatoes, or bits of chicken or feta cheese as the cooking nears its end.

Ingredients
1 medium or 2 small eggplants (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I always keep minced garlic in a jar with olive oil)
1 red pepper chopped
2 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped (boil to take skin off and seeds)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (optional)
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves, for garnish
freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional but do it!)

Step by step
1. Cut the eggplant into large cubes (sprinkle them with salt and place them in a colander for 30 min. I dont know WHY but it increases the flavor but if you dont have the time dont do it) Then rinse, drain and pat dry.
2. out 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and when hot, add eggplant, sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir occasionally until soft and golden, about 10 min. remove and drain on paper towel.
3. put in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the pan and ass the cauliflower. Cook, stirring ocassionally, until it loses its crunch about 4 min. Add onion, garlic, and red pepper and cook and stir for another minute or two, until they are soft. add the tomato and thyme and cook for another minute, until the tomato just starts to release its juice. Return the eggplant to the pan, along with basil leaves. Give a good stir, taste and adjust seasoning (this is a good time to improve your chef skills and shake the pan throwing veggies up in the air and catching them!) finally, the lemon juice.

The ratatouille will keep for a couple of days, covered and refrigerated! May your dreams be filled with delicious meals and wines (not rats in your kitchen!) .

-Recipe from Food Matters

Food and Feelings

If we have learned to associate food with love and nurturing- As children, we may have been rewarded with food for good behavior. We may have received a special treat to make us feel better when we were hurt. As adults, most of us (..Including me!!) have continued the practice of rewarding ourselves, lifting our spirits, or searching for love through the same means. . food. YES..Food is friendship. Food is love. Food is soothing. Food is attention. Take a moment and think about your eating patterns. I believe food should ONLY be used to nourish the soul and the body. Let's keep candy as a happy TREAT (I said treat!! so..please throw away the ones you have hidden in your office or in your drawers haha).

I call candy a HAPPY treat because endorphins are released when we eat tasty, sweet or creamy foods. Believe it or not, candy and sweets which are simple carbohydrates have the greatest impact in the increase of serotonin levels but the effect will only last one to two hours. Here's a healthier way to improve our eating habits and still get all of those positive feelings!

Do you know when your lowest energy time is? If not, pay attention. Most of us have a time of day that we are more tired than usual. Mine is around 2pm. Be sure and have a carbohydrate rich snack ready for this time. Watch for the sugars and starches, though. A piece of fruit or fruit and yogurt or whole grain crackers will work!

Love your caffeine? Me too (just the smell of coffee makes me feel warm and calm). The sad truth is that you need to avoid it with meals. Why, you ask? Because coffee and tea have something called tannins and these reduce the iron that gets absorbed into your body (this is not a good thing) so for every can or cup you drink, drink that much water to make up for it. Caffeinated drinks act as diuretics.

Hope you have a fabulous week!

PA’ ELLA!

(4 to 6 servings/ 45 min) ..time Flyes in the kitchen so do it!
Paella often looks like a big deal, but in its soul its just rice with good stuff in it, isn’t it!? that stuff can be anything, so lets make a healthier paella!! (The common restaurant paella is just an interpretation.) This version relies on good tomatoes, but you can use eggplant, root vegetables or winter squash, or improvise in other ways: Substitute a few scallops or mussels for the sausage and shrimp; toss slices of eggplant, zuccini, mushroom caps, or carrots in some olive oil; and set them on top of the rice to roast. To use White rice here, reduce oven time by about half.
3 ½ cups any stock or water plus more if needed, pinch saffron threads (optional but do it..!) 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into thick Hedges, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion chopped, 1 tblspoon tomato paste, 2 teaspoons Spanish pimenton(paprika), 3 ounces chorizo cut into ¼ inch pieces. , 2 cups short grain brown rice, 6 large peeled shrimp; or 2 boneless chicken tights, cut into ½ inch chuncks, 1 cup fresh or frozen peas, copped fresh parsley leaves for garnish.
1. Heat the oven to 450F. Warm the stock, and the saffron if you’re using it, in a small sucepan. Put tomatoes in a medium bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle them with one tablespoon of olive oil. Toss to coat.
2. Put the remaining oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens 3 to 5 min. Stir in tomato paste, paprika, and chorizo if you are using it and cook it for a miute more.
3. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until its shiny, another minute or two. Carefully add the warm stock and stir until just combined, then stir in the shrimp and peas.
4. Put the tomato wedges on top of the rice and drizzle with the juices that accumulated in the bottom of the bowl. Put the pan in the oven and bake, undisturbed, for 30 minutes. Check and see if the rice is nearly dry and just tender. If not, return the pan the oven for 5 min and check again, and repeat if necessary. If the rice looks too dry at a point, but still isn’t quite done, ass a small amount of stock or water. When the rice is ready, turn off the oven and let it sit for at least 5 and up to 15 min.
5. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with parsley. If you lik, put the pan over high heat for a few minutes to develop a bit of a bottom crust before serving.

Everyone loves paella! serve it with sangria! (recipe coming soon..!)

Scam Alert!

Marketing gone BAD- Promoting consumption of products in company’s obvious ways like advertisements and branding, and in much more devious, subtle ways, like paying supermarkets for shelf space have gone wild. In the food world, as elsewhere, advertisements, licensing arrangements and promotional campaigns are universal. They are successful too- A 10 year deal between McDonalds and Disney was worth about $1billion; a similar alliance between Pepsi and the Star Wars movies was estimated to be worth about $2billion. The web has made promotion easier than ever, they are offering infomercials in the form of recipes which are becoming scarier, look a www.kraftfoods.com so-called “healthy” updates often questionable like yoghurt promoted on www.activia.us.com, with its two week challenge to improve “intestinal transit”. This is the greatest marketing assault in history according to Mark Brittman. No one of course is forced to look at this junk. But it affects not only children who often become true believers but adults as well. Almost all foods grown in the united states are promoted through nonprofit marketing organizations. The idea is that all producers contribute to a fund, usually called checkoff. Basically, advertisements are used to increase consumption of the food in question in the United states and abroad. You have seen this everywhere and probably not realizing how bad it had gone like “Got Milk?” ¨Pork-The other white meat¨ ¨Beef: Its what´s for dinner¨ are the best known examples and among the most successful marketing campaigns in history. Food advertisements use every means at their disposal to convince us of the “health” of their products and their benefits of consuming more of them. A quick look at www.gotmilk.com (PLEASE CHECK IT OUT!! ) demonstrates this. Want to “rebuild muscle” or “increase stamina”? You don’t need soy protein or Gatorade (or, god forbid, WATER!); Milk or chocolate milk is what you should reach for. Want an excuse for drinking more coffee or eating more cookies (specifically in one recent campaign Oreo’s)? add milk. They show that their food is good and good for you even when it isn’t. But more on the so-called healthy ingredients later.

..If it's too good to be true, It probably is you idiot! Read the nutrition facts before you buy any product and stay healthy!!

One Hot Quickie!

I went to a friends house last night and got sooo turned on by the smell coming from the kitchen, no one had to tell me where the kitchen was, the smell was so amusing I literally ran to get there haha..it smelled like peppers, onions, garlic, serranos, wine..MmMm...!! There was something about this kitchen that made me want to stay there forever, it’s the type of kitchen that invites you in, it has an island where you can gather around with friends and watch what’s going on in the pan at the same time(an actual torture for me) but that’s exactly what we did. My friend said he was doing fine and although I was truly dying to grab that pan and get into my cooking mood I poured myself a glass of wine instead and sat down with friends to chat. (jazz music on the background) MY PERFECT SCENARIO! Ok so about the food.. Its surprising how simple it is to make a delicious meal with ingredients we all have at home IN MINUTES- spaghetti, canned tuna, colorful peppers, serranos, onion, tomatoes, garlic, lemon and olive oil. He already had the pasta ready so the next step was to chop everything into small pieces, sauté it for a few minutes (this is when you can see eyes rolling and hear angry stomachs haha) Mix this with the canned tuna, add some lemon, a little olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Finally, place some pasta in a plate, top this with the tuna mix and enjoy it with some crackers!!! I had dinner twice last night, how could I refuse, it was soo gooood! Enjoy.

It's time to UNDRESS!

Every day, one out of four americans eat a Fast food meal. If you are eating out, a Fast food restaurant seems like the cheapest, faster option but unfortunitely, its not the healthiest one. One Fast food meal contains almost enough calories, sodium and fats for the entire day. Here’s how you can make healthier choices and still enjoy the “Fast and cheap” meals.

“Undress” your food- when ordering a salad be aware of the calories in the dressings or sour cream, do you really need that much? Order it separately and just pour what’s necessary. Or when ordering a chicken sandwich, you can ask for the mayonnaise separately..by doing this you can control how may calories ad fats you are eating!

Make careful menu selections- To make this try not to look at the pictures and read the menu and the ingredients. Avoid Deep-fried, au gratin, crispy and those kinds of words (the yummi ones).

Drink water with your meal- soda is a huge source of hidden calories. Try adding lemon wedges to your glass of water or order unsweetened iced tea because this will make them both waay tastier!

Take your time- avoid eating on the run because when you take your time, you can stop eating right before you are full.

Keep it healthy bitch!

Popcorn-Healthy or junk food?

It's amazing how much popcorn has invaded our lifestyle. Whats not to love about popcorn, right!? Its easy to make, its hot, it smells wonderful, its playful (I'm pretty much an expert on throwing them high and catching them with my mouth). New studies have shown that popcorn is high in antioxidants (polyphenols) which is a group of natural plant chemicals that have a variety of health benefits, its in the same group of compounds that give red wine, tea, olive oil and chocolate their beneficial properties-against cell damage, anti-cancer and keeping a healthy heart. Popcorn is also a whole grain in the same league as oatmeal, barley, brown rice and millet-grains that are also known for their health benefits-all of this grains retain the bran and germ of the plant which is the source of most of the vitamins and minerals. BUT you cant just go to the movies and order popcorn with extra butter and expect it to be healthy haha In order to get this benefits you have to prepare it right, the way its prepared makes all the difference. If popped in oil and doused in butter, they will be so high in fat content that it will completely override many of its good aspects. the best way to prepare it is to air pop them and go very light on the butter. Resist the temptation to shake on too much salt. Try sprinkling a little garlic, salt-free chili powder, or low fat parmesan cheese sprinkles. Its a simple matter of modifying your lifestyle-At the supermarket buy the healthiest ones (take the time and look in the back of the box), when going to the movies get the SMALL popcorn combo even if the large bucket is only 50 cents more. Ordering a medium popcorn and soda combo from a major national movie theater chain is the equivalent of eating three Mcondlads Quarter pounders with 12 pats of butter, according to a new study by the Center for Science in the public Interest. Keep enjoying popcorn, just make it a healthy snack-not something to bitch about at the gym!!

Ta-Dah!

No one wants to turn on the oven during summer time, its too fuckn’ hot to stick your face into a 175 degrees oven! No- Cook meals begin with smart supermarket choices-canned tuna, Fresh lettuce, prosciutto, peaches, mozzarella, tomato, chicken, pasta, peppers,arugula-fresh produce! Develop your inner chef creativity and start making your own delicacies at home! Sweet, salty, sour or bitter its your choice from entrees to desserts! Here's a knockout salad-arugula with peaches wrapped in prosciutto, spread some goat cheese, olive oil, salt pepper and done! It does not take much to create a fabulous dish in minutes! Have fun with ingredients this weekend!

cocktails and spirits!

Yes, Its that time of the year when your car seat burns your ass or when a 3 minute ride in a subway feels like 20 minutes underwater!! We could stay inside with air conditioner and pay a high electric bill but what fun is there in that? Lets beat this summer heat and enjoy whats left of the summer! What better way to cool off the than sharing some cocktails with friends! Here are some tips to spend a fun summer and saving some money!

One of my favorite cocktails are margaritas- get your blender out to the pool party or when using the grill and pour in 4 cups of ice, half a cup of white tequila, a hint of triple sec(cointreau), the juice of 4 or 5 lemons, a hint of salt, some midori (for flavor and color) and sugar syrup as desired, blend well and before serving, sprinkle the ring of the glass with salt (kosher).. yum! If having brunch outside order mimosas or invite your friends over and make them yourself! (to keep mimosas cold and not lose the flavor have ready some icecubes made of sparkling white wine or champagne in your freezer!) If you have a basement, use it during the hottest hours of the day when the sun is the highest because its usually 10-15 degrees cooler than the rest of the house.

Finally when you are about to have a meltdown crisis, sit back, close your eyes and picture snow. Research has shown that the body reacts to these daydreams, reducing its overall temperature (I just made this up haha but how cool if it were true!) I hope you enjoy whats left of the summer! cheers!

A handful of your heart's desire.

Want a snack that loves you back? Reach for heart-smart, nutrient-rich almonds. Just a handful a day can nourish your heart by helping you maintain healthy cholesterol levels!!

*Turns out,a handful of almonds a day (about 23 almonds) really can keep the doctor away. Imagine that!

Patient-"We need to schedule a surgery"

Nurse-(looking over the patients chart) "surgery? for what, ma'am?"

Patient-"The doctor said I had high cholesterol. And I want him to go in and cut it out, take it all"

Nurse-"I cant just go and remove the cholesterol. There are ways you can lower your cholesterol." Patient-"Don't lie to me. There's cholesterol free food. I've seen it. Someone has to go into the food and take it out, now don't they? You just dont want me to use my free health care. You probably voted for McCain!" Nurse- Let me call the doctor." I overheard my friends talking about their cholesterol levels in the middle of a party and my immediate reaction was to (not walk) but RUN for a drink 'cause we are not getting any younger haha JK. Be smart, keep it healthy-cook light!

An entertaining delicious healthy mediterranean pizza recipe!

When ordering pizza.. Eliminate verbs from your speech haha but if you are too hungry and cant wait 30 minutes for your pizza delivery, here's an entertaining delicious healthy mediterranean pizza recipe!

Ingredients (for 4 people)

flour 130g, potatoes 500g,tomatoes without skin 500g, mozzarella 100g, Goat cheese 50g, oregano as much as you like, extra virgin olive oil and salt.

Step by step (do the prep before you get hungry)

Wash the potatoes and put them right into boiling water, cut the mozzarella in thin slices, when the potatoes are soft (when you pinch them with a fork and they slip) take their skin off and make them a pure. Add the flour to the potatoes pure and a hint of salt and mix well. Then, take a pan that can go into the oven cover in oil and cover that with the potato dough. Mare your sauce good (put the tomatoes with garlic, a little oregano, onion and salt in the blender and then in a pan with a little oil in it and bring it to a boil until its well seasoned. Place your sauce on top of the dough and add both types of cheese on top!place into the pre heated oven at 200C for 20 min. and done!!

I went on a diet, swore off drinking and heavy eating, and in fourteen days I lost two weeks!

I HATE the narcissistic skinny bitch in spinning class screaming at me for 45 minutes 3 times a week and I dont see me getting any skinnier! I refuse to do unhealthy extreme diets or stop eating because Im always hungry or have cravings ALL THE TIME. Mediterranean cuisine is the healthiest-rich in flavor, light and delicious! Ill be making great healthy recipes for things we cant live without-Snacks,Pizza, meat,fish,pasta,salads and desserts! Follow me, I should be fitting into those jeans hiding in the back of my closet which I refuse to throw out because I believe someday they'll fit again!

Day ONE

salad-sliced carros and artichokes with dressing (1tblsp mustard,1tsp extra virgin olive oil 1tblsp mayo,juice of one lemon, salt and pepper)
Main dish- salmon carpaccio with arugula and parmesan cheese (3 black olives, two creminis thinly sliced, capers, olive oil, juice of one lime,salt, pepper)
Dessert-3 figs(cut them in half) with 4 caramelized nutz (put them inside half a fig) Place them together in the oven 180C for 15 min and before eating, add a drop (ONE DROP!) of honey on top of each fig.
snack-one or two oranges with chili powder (take your time to peel it while watching tv)
dinner- portobello mushroom sandwich: 1 teaspoon olive oil,1/3 clove garlic finely chopped,1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh basil,salt,pepper,1 portobello mushroom.
Prep- Preheat grill, mix olive oil,garlic,salt,pepper and 1/2 basil together. Remove stem from the mushroon and brush both sides of the caps with the olive mixture. Grill mushroom until soft in center (3 to 4 min. e/side) slice into strips.
Dressing: Mix 2 tablespoons cream cheese& 2 tablespoons goat cheese(salt+pepper) and spread over half of 1 piece of focaccia or other quality bread, sliced in half, lengthwise, add 1/4 cup arugula leaves, washed and dried, 1 slice of tomato and the prepared mushroom.
Psstt..Psstt!- Save a bite of the sandwich in case you wake up hungry at 3am hehe..

Bon appetit!

A.D.D: Attention defi....Oh look, a cupcake!

Ugly girls think they're hot, hot girls think they're ugly, fat girls think they're skinny, & skinny girls think they're fat. In my attempt to make every crazy bitch out there happy, here's a DELICIOUS cupcake recipe low on fat and high on flavor!

Servings: 12

Ingredients
1 cup light milk
2 black tea bags
2 chai tea bags
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper baking cups. Heat the milk in a saucepan until almost boiling. Remove from the heat and add the black tea and chai tea bags. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Wring out the tea bags into the milk and discard bags. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tea-milk, yogurt, sugar, oil and vanilla. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and pepper. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter. Frost with desired frosting

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These are meant for the culinary challenged. Even you can make these meals…. Dumb Ass!

Sushi is much easier to make than you might imagine- some basic techniques, including making the vinegar sushi rice, require little practice, but once you have mastered these, you will be ready to impress with your skills! The only "must" is a sushi rolling mat, which is inexpensive and often available in grocery stores. Get creative with ingredients, after all.. authenticity is part of the fun!

For the rice:
vinegar Mix- Heat up 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and half cup sugar in a sauce pan on the stove over medium heat until sugar and salt are dissolved. Do NOT boil.
The Rice- rinse the rice in cold water.
Cooking the sushi Rice-Steam the rinsed rice in an equal amount of water (i.e.: 2 cups of rice and 2 cups of water) follow directions but usually you have to cook it over very low heat until the water is evaporated and you are left with lovely sticky rice or save time and use a rice cooker.

*As always when cooking rice on the stovetop, use very low heat after the initial boil and keep the lid on at all times. The trapped steam is what enables the rice to cook.

Food is the Way to a Man, or a Woman’s… uh… Well I’m Not Talking About Their Heart.

Not to sound sexist, but most men I know really enjoy sitting down to a nice, home cooked meal -I don't blame them! It probably goes way back to when their mothers or grandmothers cooked up something special just for them. I guess we are never getting one of those recipes in our hands (uughh..!) So here's one that says "you are special!"
Put the racks in a dish flesh-side up and make slashes into the flesh with a sharp knife to allow the flavours to penetrate. Mix together 2 tbsp olive oil, the mustard, garlic, rosemary and parsley. Season well and rub the mixture onto the flesh to coat the lamb evenly. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour or, ideally, all day. Heat the oven 180C. Put the lamb in a roasting tin and cook for 15-25 minutes depending on the size of the rack. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes before carving into cutlets and serving on warmed plates.

The easiest sexiest salad ever.

I love this salad. Apart from being a great combination, it always seems unbelievably effortless, which is the kind of recipe I like! The constant success of this is due to the common-sense marriage of prosciutto, goat cheese and sweet figs, which obviously need to be of a good quality. The best figs to use are Italian and the best time to buy them is June to August when they are in season. Impress our loved ones with this aphrodisiac salad; An open fig salad is traditionally thought of as sexual stimulant.

Place some fresh baby arugula on a plate and add some lemon vinaigrette and salt, then place the figs for a little bit in the oven and put them on top of the arugula, spread goat cheese around the plate and two slices of prosciutto (I like it dehydrated) then add a little bit of honey over the figs..Enjoy!

Mexican Menu

The full mexican comida can be a wonderful meal if you have all the time in the World and come to it very hungry, ideally about two-thirty on a Sunday afternoon; While you are sipping your tequila there would be some antojitos, and then some of the wonderful Mexican beer as the meal goes along. By about five o’clock you would have finished and be very ready to sink into a siesta.

La comida Mexicana (An example of a typical Mexican meal)

Antojitos (appetizers): guacamole, carnitas,sopes.

Sopa (soup): caldo tlalpleño or caldo de pollo

Sopa seca: Arroz a la Mexicana or arroz blanco con platano macho

Entrada: chiles rellenos, tortillas de calabacitas, pescado a la veracruzana.

Platillo fuerte (main course): Mole poblano de guajolote or pato en mole verde de pepita or carne asada a la tampiqueña

Frijoles (beans): de olla o refritos

Postre (dessert): chongos or flan or ate de guayaba con queso

Café (coffee): Café de olla-or you may need a calming té de manzanilla, a great divestive that calms the stomach.

*All recipes will be in my cooking book coming soon!

One old kitchen!

Never Have I eaten such glorious Mexican food as I have in my grandmother’s home, and with good reason. I know no one with her dedication to the pursuit of great Mexican cooking. (If her enthusiasm were not beautiful, it would border on mania.) She introduced me to and taught me to make what I consider one of the greatest drinks (is it a cocktail? I’ve never been able to decide) in the world, sangrita (not sangria). It is made with sour orange and the juice of pomegranates. Drunk, of course, with tequila. But beyond that…her food!! Is there anything to equal her pork in chili sauce, or squash in cream, or tamales fixed in any of a dozen fashions. No wonder her kitchen used to smell better than most kitchens! One of the intriguing things about her cooking was her talent at improvisation. “These tamales” she said “are Veracruzana style, with pork and chilies and wrapped in a softer masa. I didn’t find any herbs they use in Veracruz, so I used an avocado leaf. It tastes very much like it!”. I’ve tasted some good dishes around Latin America but nowhere have I seen such variety as in Mexico. This made me wonder more and more about the coincidences of history and topography that brought about such combination of cultures to produce such fascinating cuisines-for in Mexico it can hardly be called ONE cuisine. Far too many people know Mexican food as a “mixed plate”: a crisp taco filled with ground meat heavily flavored with an all-purpose chili powder-a few fried beans and something else that looks and tastes like all the rest. Where is the wonderful play of texture, color, and flavor that makes up an authenthic, well-cooked Mexican meal? It has been said that the Chinese cuisine is based upon four thousand recipes and the Mexican on two thousand delicious recipes full with life, energy and color like its country!

The best lessons are delivered in the Kitchen.

In food and in life, its never too late to start over. It has taken me a series of encounters with female cooks to reteach me the life lessons I had forgotten-and many I never would've learned in the first place. I felt overwhelmed by the world, and my solution was a constant quest to fit into it somehow...Then, I started cooking.
My first job was cooking in one of my favorite restaurants in town, during my first week in the job I was still struggling learning the recipes and getting service out on time haha I was a mess! One day Suki appeared out of nowhere and slipped a spoon full of warm roasted tomato soup in my mouth. the moment it took to pass the spoon from her pot to my mouth, we bonded. Two strangers became friends. We were woman who were willing to stop whatever we were doing and have something good to eat. "Giving someone a taste of something delicious at exactly the right moment is a fail-safe way to start a good relationship."-Kim S.
I have made it this far in life only because people took the time to teach me those kinds of lessons. And the best ones have been delivered in the kitchen!!