Sunday, July 31, 2011

Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast w/ Chili Beans and Boiled Sliced New Potatoes

Dinner Tonight: Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast w/ Chili Beans and Boiled Sliced New Potatoes

A little one day break in the weather so I fired the grill up, still hot but less humid today. I purchased three beautiful Chicken Breasts earlier this morning and I knew I had to get the grill going! While at Kroger I got a bottle of JB's Fat Boy Sticky Stuff Poultry BBQ Sauce. You have to try JB'S Fat Boy BBQ Sauces and Rub these are just too good!
Anyway I lightly Salt and Peppered the breasts and started grilling them. I turned them 3 times and basted them each time I flipped them over. You can't beat the taste of any meat when you grill it. Grill marks and a little bit of a char, can't beat it! With the Chicken I had sides of some Kicked Up Chili Beans and Boiled Sliced New Potatoes. For the Beans I used Joan of Arc Spicy Chili Beans and added Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce, Crumbled Turkey Bacon Bits, and a few dashes of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. The Potatoes were leftover from yesterday so I just warmed them up and they were ready. For dessert/snack later tonight I'm going to have Chips in Rice Chips with some Kroger Brand Organic Black Bean and Corn Salsa.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Baked Haddock Fillets w/ Asparagus and Boiled Sliced New Potatoes

Dinner Tonight: Baked Haddock Fillets w/ Fresh Asparagus and Boiled Sliced New Potatoes



I baked the Haddock fillets and seasoned them with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt, McCormick Grinder, Black Peppercorn, a touch of Lemon, and sprinkled the top of the fillets with Italian Style Bread Crumbs. Baked at 400 degrees for 13 minutes. As sides had Boiled Sliced New Potatoes along with fresh Asparagus. I seasoned the Potatoes with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt, McCormick Grinder Black Peppercorn, and Parsley then boiled until tender. The Asparagus was sliced into three pieces and seasoned with Garlic Salt and Grinder Black Peppercorn. Fried in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter along with sliced Almonds. For a dessert/snack later tonight a bag of 100 Calorie Jolly Time Popcorn.

Indian Curry Fish

I was looking for a Tilapia recipe for next week and came across this which should jazz my Tilapia up! From the www.diabeticlivingonline.com web site.

With simple switches of ingredients, fish goes on a culinary tour of the world. Take your pick of an East Indian curry, a New Orleans po' boy, or an Asian-inspired noodle bowl.
SERVINGS: 4 servings (1 fillet, 1/2 c. vegetables, 1/3 c. lentils per serving)
CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 22

4     5-ounce fresh or frozen skinless tilapia fillets, about 1/2 inch thick
1/4     teaspoon salt
1/4     teaspoon ground black pepper
1     tablespoon olive oil
2     cups fresh pea pods
2     cups halved cherry tomatoes
1     tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro
1     teaspoon curry powder
1/2     teaspoon garam masala
1-1/3     cups hot cooked lentils
     Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a shallow baking pan; set aside. Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper.

2. Place fish in a single layer in prepared baking pan. Tuck under any thin edges. Bake, uncovered, for 4 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pea pods and tomatoes; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir for 2 to 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

4. To serve, stir half of the snipped cilantro, half of the curry powder, and half of the garam masala into the vegetable mixture. Stir the remaining snipped cilantro, the remaining curry powder, and the remaining garam masala into the cooked lentils. Divide lentil mixture and vegetable mixture among four dinner plates; top with fish. If desired, sprinkle with cilantro leaves. Makes 4 servings (1 fish fillet, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables and 1/3 cup cooked lentils per serving)

Po' Boy Variation: Prepare as above, except substitute 1 cup sliced onion and 3 cups fresh baby spinach leaves for the pea pods and tomatoes; cook onion about 10 minutes, adding spinach for the last 2 minutes of cooking. Substitute 1-1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning for the cilantro, curry powder, and garam masala. Substitute 4 whole grain hot dog buns, split and toasted, for the lentils. Serve the fish on the rolls topped with the onion mixture. Omit cilantro leaves. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.
PER SERVING: 322 cal., 8 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 71 mg chol., 624 mg sodium, 28 g carb., 3 g fiber, 34 g protein.
Daily Values: 58 percent vitamin A, 25 percent vitamin C, 6 percent calcium, 13 percent iron.
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1.5 starch, 4 lean meat.
Carb Choices: 2.

Noodle Bowl Variation: Prepare as above, except substitute 4 cups broccoli florets and 1 carrot, thinly bias sliced, for the pea pods and tomatoes; cook broccoli and carrot for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Substitute 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper for the cilantro, curry powder, and garam masala. Substitute 1-1/3 cups hot cooked soba noodles for the lentils. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds. Omit cilantro leaves.
PER SERVING: 294 cal., 9 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 71 mg chol., 298 mg sodium, 22 g carb., 3 g fiber, 35 g protein.
Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1.5 starch, 4 lean meat, .5 fat.
Carb choices: 1.5

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/seafood/indian-curry-fish/

10 Spices That Heal: Cancer, Diabetes, and More

Ran across this web site last week, www.care2.com ,and just wanted to pass it along. Also a very good and informative article on Healthy Spices. Check the site out some time.

10 Spices That Heal: Cancer, Diabetes, and More

By Vicky Uhland, Natural Solutions

There’s good reason to season: Doctors and dietitians agree that your spice rack can be just as essential as your medicine cabinet when it comes to preventing and treating disease. Research consistently shows that many spices and herbs have medicinal qualities and can help prevent everything from cancer to the common cold. We asked two experts–Glen Aukerman, MD, medical director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Ohio State University Medical Center, and Ruth Knill, PhD, LAc, a Chinese herbalist–about the spices and herbs that best improve overall health. Here are their picks, plus easy ways to work them into your diet.

Cumin: Prevents Cancer
HOW IT WORKS: It’s no surprise to many spice researchers that cancer rates are lower in India, where cumin is a diet staple. Studies show that the curcumin in this spice inhibits the enzymes that help cancer cells invade healthy tissue and also keeps tumors from developing the new blood vessels that help them grow. TRY TO GET: 6 teaspoons of seeds or 1/2 teaspoon of powder a day. USE IT: Toss a bowl of root veggies, such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, cauliflower, and turnips, with olive oil and 1 teaspoon cumin powder. Bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender, and add salt, pepper, and chopped cilantro to taste before serving.

Ginger: Calms Nausea
HOW IT WORKS: Chinese medical texts dating back to the fourth century BC tout ginger’s antinausea properties, and modern clinical studies offer scientific proof that it works–a substance in ginger shuts down a nerve receptor in the body that triggers the vomiting reflex. TRY TO GET: Juice from 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger or 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger four times a day. USE IT: Add 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger and a few drops of toasted sesame oil to your usual tuna salad recipe for an Asian-style flavor.

Basil: Combats Colds
HOW IT WORKS: Basil is rich in antioxidants, which help boost immunity. It’s also an antimicrobial, which fights the germs that can cause colds. TRY TO GET: 1 to 2 tablespoons a day. USE IT: Toss 1 tablespoon chopped basil into a shrimp stir-fry during the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking. Or slice strawberries, toss with honey, and set aside for 15 minutes until juicy. Then top with a few tablespoons of finely chopped basil.

Cinnamon: Fights Diabetes
HOW IT WORKS: People with type-2 diabetes have difficulty processing insulin, the hormone that tells cells to remove excess sugar from the bloodstream. But studies show that cinnamon contains a substance that can help cells respond to insulin. The result? A reduction of blood sugar levels by an average of 18 percent to 29 percent, according to a recent Pakistani study. TRY TO GET: 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon (or one stick) a day. USE IT: Mix 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into 2 tablespoons peanut butter, and spread over apple slices.

Rosemary: Improves Memory
HOW IT WORKS: “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance,” Ophelia said to Hamlet more than 400 years ago. Today, a variety of studies back up Ophelia’s claim. The ursolic acid in rosemary inhibits the breakdown of a neurotransmitter essential for memory. TRY TO GET: 1 to 2 teaspoons a day. USE IT: Make a rosemary-infused simple syrup by mixing 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 sprigs rosemary. Bring to a boil so sugar dissolves, and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Drizzle over a fall fruit salad of chopped apples, pears, and red grapes. Use 1 cup syrup to 4 cups fruit.

Garlic: Reduces Cholesterol
HOW IT WORKS: Although researchers disagree about how effective garlic really is at lowering cholesterol, a review of several studies conducted by the Linus Pauling Institute found that people who took garlic for three months had a 6 percent to 11 percent reduction in total cholesterol. Because garlic is an antioxidant, it may prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the arteries. TRY TO GET: 3 to 5 crushed cloves a day. USE IT: Roast up to 5 garlic cloves, and add to homemade hummus before pureeing.

Nutmeg: Lowers Blood Pressure
HOW IT WORKS: “Warming spices” like nutmeg can bring blood from the center of the body to the skin. This helps disperse the blood more evenly throughout the body, reducing overall pressure. TRY TO GET: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon a day. USE IT: Steam 1 head of broccoli and one potato until soft, and then puree with 1/4 cup butter and 4 to 5 gratings of fresh nutmeg or 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.

Cloves: Helps Arthritis Pain
HOW IT WORKS: According to Chinese medicine, cloves have hot and moving properties that relieve arthritis pain caused by cold and stagnation. Cloves contain a phytochemical that interrupts the pathways of a protein complex in the body that’s been linked to inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. TRY TO GET: 1/2 teaspoon a day. USE IT: Saute 1 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped), 1 clove garlic (crushed), 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon cloves in 1 tablespoon olive oil. After 3 minutes, add 4 cups shredded rhubarb chard, and fry until soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Serve hot with chicken or fish.

Turmeric: Curbs Inflammation
HOW IT WORKS: An ancient spice that gives curry its deep golden-orange color, turmeric reduces the inflammation in the body that causes pain. Curcumin, a component in turmeric, inhibits cell enzymes that contribute to inflammation. TRY TO GET: 1/2 to 1 teaspoon a day. USE IT: Add a dash to organic canned soups, such as tomato, lentil, or black bean varieties.

Thyme: Eases a Cough
HOW IT WORKS: Thyme is an antispasmodic, which helps with bouts of nonstop coughing. Thyme’s antiseptic properties also make it very effective against inflammation of the throat, which can cause coughing. TRY TO GET: 2 to 3 teaspoons a day. USE IT: For a simple vinaigrette, whisk together 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh thyme leaves with 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Recipe ideas from Dana Jacobi, author of The Essential Best Foods Cookbook (Rodale, 2008).

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-spices-that-heal-cancer-diabetes-and-more.html#ixzz1TbJGZGdx

Friday, July 29, 2011

Spaghetti w/ Meatballs

Today’s Menu: Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs w/ Bella Vita Low Carb Pasta Sauce


I had Spaghetti tonight and used Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Spaghetti. For the Meatballs I used Honeysuckle White Turkey Meatballs with Bella Vita Low Carb Pasta Sauce (Meat Flavored). I love this Sauce it’s got great flavor and a choice of two different types: Meat Flavored and Roasted Garlic. Along with the great taste it’s only 70 Calories and a mere 6 Carbs! That’s huge when most Pasta Sauces are double the calories and carbs. I also had a slice of Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread and some Shredded Parm to top off the Spaghetti. For dessert later tonight a bowl of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Del Monte Sugarless Sliced Peaches.

The Submarine Sandwich

I had a 6" Turkey Sub on Whole Wheat for lunch today at a local Subway. It got me wondering about how the Sub originated. Here's what I found.

A submarine sandwich, also known as a sub among other names, is a sandwich that consists of a long roll of Italian or French bread, split lengthwise either into two pieces or opened in a "V" on one side, and filled with various meats, cheeses, vegetables, seasonings, and sauces. The sandwich has no standardized name, and many U.S. regions have their own names for it; one study found 13 different names for the sandwich in the United States. The usage of the several terms varies regionally but not in any pattern, as they have been used variously by the people and enterprises who make and sell them. The terms submarine and sub are widespread and not assignable to any certain region, though many of the localized terms are clustered in the northeast United States, where the most Italian Americans live.

The sandwich originated in several different Italian American communities in the Northeastern United States from the late 19th to mid 20th centuries. The popularity of this Italian-American cuisine has grown from its origins in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts to spread to most parts of the United States, and with the advent of chain restaurants, is now available in many parts of the world. In Europe it would simply be known as a baguette, or a ciabatta, named after the type of bread being used. Both types of bread are traditional breads in use in France and Italy for centuries.

The use of the term submarine or sub is widespread. One theory is that it originated in a restaurant in Scollay Square in Boston, Massachusetts at the beginning of World War I. The sandwich was created to entice the large numbers of navy servicemen stationed at the Charlestown Navy Yard. The bread was a smaller specially baked baguette intended to resemble the hull of the submarines it was named after.

Many say that the name originates from Groton, Connecticut, where there is the largest United States Submarine factory. The sandwiches were commonly eaten by workers in the naval yard. Another theory suggests the submarine was brought to the US by Dominic Conti (1874–1954), an Italian immigrant who came to New York in the early 1900s. In 1910 he started Dominic Conti's Grocery Store on Mill Street in Paterson, New Jersey and named the sandwich after seeing the recovered 1901 submarine called "Fenian Ram" in the local Paterson Museum in 1918. His granddaughter has stated the following: "My grandfather came to this country circa 1895 from Montella, Italy. Around 1910, he started his grocery store, called Dominic Conti's Grocery Store, on Mill Street in Paterson, New Jersey where he was selling the traditional Italian sandwiches. His sandwiches were made from a recipe he brought with him from Italy which consisted of a long crust roll, filled with cold cuts, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, onions, oil, vinegar, Italian herbs and spices, salt, and pepper. The sandwich started with a layer of cheese and ended with a layer of cheese (this was so the bread wouldn’t get soggy)."

The term hoagie originated in the Philadelphia area. Domenic Vitiello, professor of Urban Studies at the University of Pennsylvania asserts that Italians working at the World War I era shipyard in Philadelphia, known as Hog Island where emergency shipping was produced for the war effort, introduced the sandwich, by putting various meats, cheeses, and lettuce between two slices of bread. This became known as the "Hog Island" sandwich; hence, the "hoagie".

The Philadelphia Almanac and Citizen's Manual offers a different explanation, that the sandwich was created by early twentieth century street vendors called "hokey-pokey men", who sold antipasto salad, along with meats and cookies. When Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta H.M.S. Pinafore opened in Philadelphia in 1879, bakeries produced a long loaf called the pinafore. Entrepreneurial "hokey-pokey men" sliced the loaf in half, stuffed it with antipasto salad, and sold the world's first "hoagie".

Another explanation is that the word "hoagie" arose in the late 19th-early 20th century, among the Italian community in South Philadelphia, when "on the hoke" was a slang used to describe a destitute person. Deli owners would give away scraps of cheeses and meats in an Italian bread-roll known as a "hokie", but the Italian immigrants pronounced it "hoagie".

Other less likely explanations involve "Hogan" (a nickname for Irish workers at the Hog Island shipyard), a reference to the pork or "hog" meat used in hoagies, "honky sandwich" (using a racial slur for white people seen eating them) or "hooky sandwich" (derived from "hookie" for truant kids seen eating them). Shortly after World War II, there were numerous varieties of the term in use throughout Philadelphia. By the 1940s, the spellings "hoagie" and, to a lesser extent, "hoagy" had come to dominate lesser user variations like "hoogie" and "hoggie". By 1955, restaurants throughout the area were using the term "hoagie", with many selling hoagies and subs or hoagies and pizza. Listings in Pittsburgh show hoagies arriving in 1961 and becoming widespread in that city by 1966.[12]

Former Philadelphia mayor (and later Pennsylvania governor) Ed Rendell declared the hoagie the "Official Sandwich of Philadelphia". However, there are claims that the hoagie was actually a product of nearby Chester, Pennsylvania. DiCostanza's in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania claims that the mother of DiConstanza's owner originated the hoagie in 1925 in Chester. DiCostanza relates the story that a customer came into the family deli and through the series of the customers' requests and the deli's offerings, the hoagie was created.

A local Philadelphia variation on the hoagie is the zep made in Norristown, Pennsylvania. It is a variation on the traditional hoagie, with no lettuce and only one meat. It is made on a round roll, with provolone cheese covering meat, chunks of raw onion, and slabs of tomato. It is dressed with oregano, salt, pepper, olive oil, and hot pepper relish.

The New York term hero is first attested in 1937. The name is sometimes credited to the New York Herald Tribune food writer Clementine Paddleford in the 1930s, but there is no good evidence for this. It is also sometimes claimed that it is related to the gyro, but this is unlikely: heroes are invariably associated with Italians, not Greeks, and gyro was unknown in the United States until the 1960s.

"Hero" (Heros as the plural so not to be confused with the word "Heroes") remains the prevailing New York City term for most sandwiches on an oblong roll with a generally Italian flavor, in addition to the original described above. Pizzeria menus often include eggplant parmigiana, chicken parmigiana, and meatball heroes, each served with tomato sauce. Pepper and egg heroes and potato and egg heroes are also popular.

All varieties of this sandwich use an oblong bread roll as opposed to sliced bread. The traditional sandwich usually includes a variety of Italian luncheon meats such as dry Genoa salami, mortadella, thin sliced pepperoni, capocollo or prosciutto, and provolone cheese served with lettuce, tomato and onions seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano and olive oil. American bologna is sometimes used in place of mortadella and ham is often substituted for capicola, with prosciutto frequently omitted.

Many locations that provide catering services also offer very large 3-foot and 6-foot "Giant" sandwiches. Crusty Italian breads are preferred for the hearty sandwiches.

Regional variations:

Grinder
    * Grinders are sometimes made with toasted focaccia bread and melted mozzarella cheese.
    * Both hot and cold sandwiches have been called "grinders", though the term usually refers to a baked or toasted sandwich with sauce, such as a meatball grinder, eggplant grinder, chicken parmagiana grinder.

Hero
    * Tomatoes were not a historical ingredient of the hero, but are often included in today's heroes. Baltimore has usually preferred the term Hero, to nearby Philadelphia's Hoagy and Washington DC's Gryo. Italian communities existed in these cities.

Hoagie
    * Philadelphia-style hoagies should have bread that is crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.
    * Quite often, much of the roll's inside will be removed to allow for the ingredients to fit.
    * Hoagies often have more than one deli meat (never fish or chicken).
    * Mustard and vinegar were not traditionally used in hoagies. Mayonnaise is used more commonly in many sandwich shops around the area. The traditional dressing was olive oil. Other oils, possibly seasoned, or Italian dressing are sometimes used today.
    * Sweet peppers are the default, though can be replaced with hot peppers

Zep
    * A standard zep contains only cooked salami and provolone as the meat and cheese, and includes no lettuce.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

It's Cincinnati Style Chili Cheese Coneys Night!

Dinner Tonight: Cincinnati Style Cheese Coneys

It’s Cheese Coneys for dinner tonight! If your from or lived in the Cincinnati area you know how good these Dogs are!  I used Ball Park White Smoked Turkey Franks, 1 Can of Skyline Chili, French’s Mustard, Kraft 2% Shredded Sharp Cheese, and Healthy Life Hot Dog Buns. Put it all together and you have the Cincinnati Style Chili Cheese Coney. I’m not a huge fan of Onions but a lot of people will add chopped Onions to their Coneys along with Hot Sauce. For a dessert/snack later tonight it will be a Aunt Millie’s Whole Grain Bagel topped with Laughing Cow Light garlic and Herb Cheese.

National Dish of the Week: Lebanon

 Labneh and Hummus, served with pita bread
Lebanese cuisine includes an abundance of starches, fruits, vegetables, fresh fish and seafood; animal fats are consumed sparingly. Poultry is eaten more often than red meat, and when red meat is eaten it is usually lamb on the coast and goat meat in the mountain regions. It also includes copious amounts of garlic and olive oil, often seasoned by lemon juice; olive oil, herbs, garlic and lemon are typical flavors found in the Lebanese diet.

Most often foods are either grilled, baked or sautéed in olive oil; butter or cream is rarely used other than in a few desserts. Vegetables are often eaten raw or pickled as well as cooked. Herbs and spices are used and the freshness of ingredients is important. Like most Mediterranean countries, much of what the Lebanese eat is dictated by the seasons.

In Lebanon, very rarely are drinks served without being accompanied by food. Similar to the tapas of Spain and antipasto of Italy, mezze is an array of small dishes placed before the guests creating an array of colors, flavors, textures and aromas. This style of serving food is less a part of family life than it is of entertaining and cafes. Mezze may be as simple as pickled vegetables or raw vegetables, hummus, baba ghanouj and bread, or it may become an entire meal consisting of grilled marinated seafood, skewered meats, a variety of cooked and raw salads and an arrangement of desserts.

Although simple fresh fruits are often served towards the end of a Lebanese meal, there is also dessert, such as Baklava, and coffee. Although Baklava is the most internationally known dessert, Lebanese sweets have got a lot more to offer.

A typical Mezze will consist of an elaborate variety of thirty hot and cold dishes and may include:

    * salads such as the Tabouleh and Fattoush, together with dip such as Hummus, Baba ghanoush or Moutabal, Kebbeh * some patties such as the Sambusacs
    * stuffed grape leaves

Family cuisine offers also a range of dishes, such as stews or Yakhnehs, which can be cooked in many forms depending on the ingredients used and are usually served with meat and rice vermicelli.

The Lebanese flat bread is a staple to every Lebanese meal and can be used to replace the usage of the fork.

Arak, an anise-flavored liqueur, is the Lebanese national alcoholic drink and is usually served with the traditional convivial Lebanese meals. Another drink is Lebanese wine.

Lebanese sweets include:

    * pastries such as Baklawa
    * the Lebanese ice cream with its oriental flavors
    * the Lebanese roasted nuts variety and mixes

Some dishes are also specifically prepared on special occasions: the Meghli dessert, for instance is served to celebrate a newborn baby in the family.

Kibbeh - Lebanon

Fried Kibbeh with Mint
Kibbeh or kibbe (also kubbeh) is an Arab dish made of bulgur or rice and chopped meat. The best-known variety is a torpedo-shaped fried croquette stuffed with minced beef or lamb. Other types of kibbeh may be shaped into balls or patties, and baked or cooked in broth.

Kibbeh is a popular dish in Levantine cuisine. It is widespread in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt (where it is called koubeiba), Israel, the Palestinian Territories, the Arabian Peninsula, and several Latin American nations which received part of the Syrian and Lebanese diaspora during the early 20th century, such as Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Haiti, Honduras or Mexico.

Kibbeh is probably best known as a 7-to-15-cm oblong bulgur shell, stuffed with a filling of spiced, minced lamb and fried until brown. British soldiers in the Middle East during the Second World War used to call these kibbeh "Syrian torpedoes".

In Levantine cuisine, a variety of dishes made with bulgur and minced lamb are called kibbeh. The northern Syrian city of Aleppo (Halab) is famous for having more than 17 different types. These include kibbeh prepared with sumac, yogurt, quince, lemon juice, pomegranate sauce, cherry sauce, and other varieties, such as the "disk kibbeh, the plate kibbeh and the raw kibbeh (the latter has become somewhat notorious because of its perceived implication in toxoplasmosis transmission.

Kubbat Halab is an Iraqi version of kibbeh made with a rice crust and named after Aleppo. Kubbat Mosul, also Iraqi, is flat and round like a disc. Kubbat Shorba is an Iraqi-Kurdish version made as a stew, usually with tomato sauce and spices. Steak tartare is popular in Lebanon. It is often accompanied by arak and various salads. Kibbeh is sometimes served with a sesame seed tahina dip.

Fried, torpedo-shaped kibbehs have become popular in Haiti, Dominican Republic[9] and South America - where they are known as quipe or quibbe - after they were introduced by Lebanese and Palestinian immigrants.
Kubbeh matfuniya

Kibbeh nayyeh (also kibbee, kubba, kebbeh, kebbi)  is frequently served as part of a meze in Lebanon, garnished with mint leaves and olive oil, and served raw with green peppers, scallions and pita.

Kibbeh can also be a mixture of chopped meat (lamb or beef), burghul, onion, mint and spices pressed into a flat baking pan. Then it is scored with a knife into diamond shapes about one or two inches in length, topped with pine nuts or almond slivers and butter, then baked in the oven until done.

Kubbeh matfuniya and kubbeh hamusta are staples of Iraqi-Jewish cooking in Israel.Kubbeh soup, served in many oriental grill restaurants in Israel, is described as a rich broth with meat-stuffed dumplings and vegetables.

Kibbeh can also be eaten raw; raw kibbeh nayyeh is mostly made of lamb meat

Ingredients

    * 1/2 cup bulgur
    * 1/2 lb lamb
    * 1 cup finely chopped red onion
    * 1/2 tsp ground allspice (pimento)
    * 1/2 tsp ground oregano
    * 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
    * salt for taste
    * 1 tbsp olive oil
    * vegetable oil for shallow frying
    * Filling
          o 1 tbsp olive oil
          o 1/2 cup ground lamb
          o 1/4 cup chopped onions
          o 1/2 tbsp pine nuts
          o 1/2 tbsp silvered almonds
          o 1/4 tsp allspice
          o 1/4 tsp oregano
          o 1/2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
          o 1/2 tbsp pepper
          o salt for taste

Method

Place bulgur in a bowl and pour cold water to cover. Keep for about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, and squeeze well to remove the moisture.

Make the Filling: – Heat oil in a small frying pan, add the onions and cook till soft, add the pine nuts and almonds and cook till they start to brown. Add the spice powders, salt and ground lamb and cook till the meat is cooked through. Remove from the stove and stir in the mint leaves and keep aside.

Add the bulgur, ground lamb, chopped onions, olive oil and the spices to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Add a little water if necessary.

Shape the mixture into equal sized balls, this will make about 8 balls. Insert your thumb to make a hollow space in the ball, place the filling in the hollow and flatten out the balls and shape into ovals so that the filling is completely covered.

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan and shallow fry the Kibbeh balls till all the sides are browned and the meat is cooked through.

Recipe adapted from Australian Women’s Weekly Lebanese Cooking.
http://blog.sigsiv.com/2007/03/fried-kibbeh-balls-lebanese-cuisine.html

The National Center for Home Food Preservation

A really great site with great details and information on all types of Home Food Preservation. How to details on ways to Can, Freeze Dry, Smoke Ferment and a lot more!
If you are a home canner, this is the time of year to plan ahead and prepare. Get your equipment and supplies out and inspect them so you are ready when the crops are.

How Canning Preserves Foods

The high percentage of water in most fresh foods makes them very perishable. They spoil or lose their quality for several reasons:

    * growth of undesirable microorganisms-bacteria, molds, and yeasts,
    * activity of food enzymes,
    * reactions with oxygen,
    * moisture loss.

Microorganisms live and multiply quickly on the surfaces of fresh food and on the inside of bruised, insect-damaged, and diseased food. Oxygen and enzymes are present throughout fresh food tissues.

Proper canning practices include:

    * carefully selecting and washing fresh food,
    * peeling some fresh foods,
    * hot packing many foods,
    * adding acids (lemon juice or vinegar) to some foods,
    * using acceptable jars and self-sealing lids,
    * processing jars in a boiling-water or pressure canner for the correct period of time.

Collectively, these practices remove oxygen; destroy enzymes; prevent the growth of undesirable bacteria, yeasts, and molds; and help form a high vacuum in jars. Good vacuums form tight seals which keep liquid in and air and microorganisms out.

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Smoked Turkey, Prosciutto, Smoked Goda on a Whole Grain Bagel Sandwich

Dinner Tonight: Smoked Turkey, Prosciutto, and Hardwood Smoked Gouda Cheese Whole Grain Bagel Sandwich


It doesn't get much better in a sandwich than this! I used an Aunt Millie's Whole Grain Bagel along with Oscar Mayer Smoked Turkey Breast and Fiorucci Prosciutto. Topped with a Smoked Gouda slice of Cheese, Baby Arugala, Kraft Reduced Fat Mayo w/ Olive Oil and French's Spicy Brown Mustard. Lot of stuff going on here but not a calories or carbs which makes it even better! For dessert later I baked an Upside Down Pineapple Cake for Mom and Dad. I'll have a half a serving of that, a full serving is 250 calories, along with a scoop of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream. 

It's all about the Heat!



Good and informative article on Peppers from http://www.sheknows.com


Types of Hot Peppers

Do you want to add a little kick to your meal? Hot peppers are terrific way to spice up any dish. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors but many people don't know how hot each type of pepper is. You don't want to add peppers when cooking unless you know their hotness level or you could end up with an inedible meal. Here's a guide to the different types of popular peppers.

Types of peppers

Invented by Wilbur Scoville, the Scoville Heat Index ranks peppers in order from mildest to hottest. It starts with zero being the mildest and goes over 1,000,000 to indicate the hottest peppers. Though there are dozens of different kinds of peppers, here's information on some of the more widely used types.


Bell pepper

Bell Peppers, which can be red, yellow, green or orange, aren't hot peppers. They are very common sweet peppers. Since this type of pepper has no heat, its Scoville Heat Index is zero. You can cook bell peppers in a variety of different ways, however don’t expect this type of pepper to add spice to your food.




Cherry pepper

Also known as pimento peppers, cherry peppers are heart-shaped and are about four inches long and three inches wide. These peppers are actually very mild, scoring about a 500 on the Scoville Heat Index. Cherry peppers are perhaps best known to be the red filling that can typically be found inside of olives.


Anaheim pepper

Another mild type of pepper is the Anaheim pepper. This pepper is usually maroon in color and has a long, skinny body. While the Anaheim pepper usually has a Scoville Heat Index around 1,000, some varieties can have a rating as high as 5,000. Relative to the rest of this list, this pepper is not very hot.


Jalapeño pepper

The jalapeño is one of the most common types of peppers in the United States. Many people like this type of pepper because of its spicy yet not overwhelming taste. Jalapeño are usually either red or green and are about two to three inches long. Their Scoville Heat Index is typically around 5,000, however jalapeños can range anywhere from 2,000 to 8,000. These peppers, when used sparingly, add just the right amount of spicy flavor to most Mexican dishes. Many people also deep fry jalapeño which are stuffed with cheese for a tasty yet spicy appetizer.



Serrano pepper

The Serrano pepper is similar to the jalapeño in its look, but this pepper is much hotter. On the Scoville Heat Index, the Serrano Pepper can be between 10,000 and 25,000. This pepper is usually small (around two inches) and green in color. As a general rule of thumb, the smaller the Serrano pepper, the hotter it will taste.


Cayenne pepper

The Cayenne pepper is another hot pepper (between 25,000 and 50,000 on the Scoville Heat Index) that is popular with those looking to add heat to food. Red in color, the Cayenne pepper is generally dried and used in powder form. Additionally, this pepper has been used in natural medicines for hundreds of years due to reported healing attributes.


Tabasco pepper

As you may have guessed, the Tabasco pepper is used to make Tabasco sauce. If you’ve ever tasted how hot Tabasco sauce is, you won’t be surprised to learn that the Tabasco pepper has a Scoville Heat Index of between 30,000 and 60,000. The actual pepper is less than two inches long and can be green, red, yellow or orange in color.


Thai pepper

Grown in Thailand and neighboring countries, the Thai pepper is a type of pepper that can be classified as “very hot”. With a Scoville Heat Index of between 50,000 and 100,000, these peppers are sure to leave your taste buds wanting relief. The Thai pepper is one of the smallest peppers, measuring in at less than an inch. It's used in many spicy Thai dishes at restaurants in the US.

 
Rocoto pepper

While Rocoto peppers look somewhat like bell peppers, it can be dangerous to get the two mixed up. While bell peppers aren’t hot at all, the Rocoto pepper is extremely hot. Between 100,000 and 250,000 on the Scoville Heat Index, this pepper is about the size of a bell pepper but is rounder and is typically only red or green. Some people use this pepper to make very spicy sauces.


Habanero chili pepper

Of hot peppers that are commonly used, the Habanero chili is recognized as the hottest. This pepper, which can be any color from green to yellow to pink, is usually only around three centimeters in length. However, do not let the small size fool you – the Habanero chili can pack a punch! The Scoville Heat Index for the Habanero chili can range from 150,000 to 350,000.


Ghost pepper

Also known as Naga Jolokia, this pepper is literally the hottest pepper in the world. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized the Ghost pepper in 2006 after reports surfaced that this pepper has a Scoville Heat Index of over 1,000,000. If you get your hand on a Ghost pepper, be sure to be extremely careful because one seed from this pepper will have your mouth burning for up to thirty minutes.

http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/805359/types-of-hot-peppers

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Bison Sirloin Steak and Sauteed Mushrooms w/ Baked Potato and...

Dinner Tonight: Bison Sirloin Steak and Sauteed Mushrooms w/ Baked Potato and Whole Grain Bread


Had my favorite kind of steak for dinner, Bison Sirloin Steak! I seasoned it with McCormick Grinder Steakhouse Seasoning. I then pan fried it in Extra Virgin Olive Oil about 4 minutes per side. Topped the steak with Sauteed Mushrooms that I had seasoned with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt, Black Peppercorn, Parsley, Smoked Cumin, and Ground Thyme and then Sauteed in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. As sides had a Baked Potato and Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread.

Bison Cooking Tips


There is no such thing as tough Bison Meat, only improperly instructed cooks. Although buffalo meat is similar to beef, it needs to be prepared and cooked slightly differently. you will find that you can interchange Bison meat with your favorite beef recipes if you follow a few basic instructions. The key to cooking Bison properly is LOW & SLOW! You may cook to the same doneness as you prefer beef, though we recommend rare to medium. Overcooked bison will bring the same results as any other meat, that is overcooked! Choose any of your favorite recipes and substitute the meat with Bison. You will be serving a meat high in protein and iron, yet low in fat, cholesterol and calories.

A nutritional chart comparing bison meat to other common meats.
Meat     Fat Grams     Calories     Cholesterol
Bison     2.42     143     82
Chicken     7.41     190     89
Beef     9.3     211     86
Pork     10.5     215     92



Tips on Cooking Bison
Thickness     Rare     Medium
1 inch     6-8 minutes     8-10 minutes
1 1/2 inch     8-10 minutes     10-12 minutes
2 inch     10-12 minutes     14-18 minutes

Don't put Bison meat in the Flame! Grill steaks 4-6 inches above medium hot coals (325 degrees). Well done bison steaks are not recommended. Due to the leanness of the meat, bison has a tendency to become dry when overcooked. If grilling a piece of meat that needs a long time to cook, keep the temperature low and use a recipe that includes a marinade, barbeque sauce, or other basting liquid and baste frequently.

http://www.okbison.com/cook_bison.htm

Roasts
The best oven temperature is at 275 F. Preheat your oven. To insure the most desirable results, use a meat thermometer. In general, you can plan on the roast taking the same amount of time or less than beef would at higher tempreture. Bison, with no fat, cooks more quickly, so check on it. Bison cuts suitable for roasts are rib steaks and roasts, tenderloin, and sirloin roasts.

Crock Pot Cooking
Very slow, moist heat works especially well with the less tender cuts of meat such as the chuck. The best way is to use a crock pot or a slow cooker. Let it cook all day. With the moist, slow cook method, you don't have to worry about over cooking. You can cook it until it falls apart. Use the low setting on your crock pot. The foreshank, brisket, and stew meat are also well suited to this cooking method.

Pan Fry, Pan Broil, or Braise
First, turn the heat down! You can use a standard beef recipe but watch the temperature. If you use high heat with bison, use it only for a very, very short time such as searing, then watch the cooking time. Bison cooks much faster than beef.

Broiling
Move your broiler rack farther away from the heat than you would for beef, about two to five inches. Broil as you would beef but shorten the cooking time. Turn the steaks a few minutes sooner. Rib steaks, tenderloin, and T-bone steaks are scrumptious this way.

Grilling
If you have a grill that tells temperature, keep it down! Or let the coals die down some. Don't put lean bison meat in the flame. If you are using a piece of meat that needs a long time to cook, keep the temperature low and use a recipe that includes a marinade, barbecue sauce, or other basting liquid. Lean meat is dry to begin with. You need to baste frequently.

Stir Fry
Stir fry is an excellent method for cooking bison. Cut the meat into small strips or cubes. Be sure to use just a drop of olive oil or a polyunsaturated oil just to coat the pan. Remember, bison cooks quickly, so be sure to have your stir fry vegetables ready to toss in the wok. Heat the oil only enough to sear the meat, tossing it quickly around, then add your other ingredients. Proceed as the recipe follows, but keep the heat down. The short cooking times makes stir fry an even more excellent meal option.

For More Recipes Visit
http://www.justgamerecipes.com/index.html

Bison Recipes

I was surfing around the net looking for some Bison recipes and came across these plus many more on http://www.gunpowderbison.com/bison-sirloin-steak.html
 There are more and more sites and places that carry Bison. Enjoy!


Recipe: Bison Meat Stir Fry

Ingredients:
# 1 cup milk
# 2 tablespoons cornstarch
# 1/2 cup think teriyaki sauce
# 1 teaspoon brown sugar
# 1 teaspoon sesame oil
# 1 teaspoon olive oil
# 1 lb. sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
# 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
# 2 cloves garlic, minced
# 1/4 teaspoon salt
# 4 cups chopped leafy greens (bok choy, Swiss chard and or spinach)
# 2 cups Oriental-style vegetables, thawed if frozen
# 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Directions:

In a bowl, whisk a little of the milk into the cornstarch to make a smooth paste. Whisk in remaining milk, teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil, set aside. In a wok or non-stick skillet, heat oil over high heat; stir-fry bison, sesame seeds, garlic, and salt until bison is browned. Whisk milk mixture and pour into wok. Cook, stirring often for about 3 minutes until thickened. Stir in greens and vegetables; cook, stirring just until greens are wilted and veggies are hot, about 1-2 minutes. Garnish with additional sesame seeds and serve over rice.


Recipe: Herb Rubbed Bison Sirloin Roast

    * 1 tbsp. paprika
    * 2 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt, or 1 tsp. salt
    * 1 tsp. garlic powder
    * 1/2 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
    * 1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
    * 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
    * 1/2 tsp. onion powder
    * 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
    * 2 tbsp. olive oil
    * 1 3- to 3-1/2 pound boneless bison sirloin tip roast
    * Roasted vegetables (optional)

Directions: In a small bowl combine paprika, salt, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Stir in oil until well combined. Set aside. Trim fat from roast. Spread oil mixture over surface of meat. Place meat on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert an oven-going meat thermometer into center of meat. Roast in a 375 degrees F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F. Roast 60 to 65 minutes more or until meat thermometer registers 140 F. Cover roast tightly with foil and let stand in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. The temperature of the meat after standing should be 145 degrees F (medium rare). Thinly slice meat across the grain to serve. Serve with roasted vegetables, if desired. makes 8 servings.

http://www.gunpowderbison.com/bison-sirloin-steak.html

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

Another interesting article from  http://www.diabeticlivingonline.comhttp://www.diabeticlivingonline.com This one on everyone's favorite Snacks! I'll be showing one of the top rated ones each day.So if your going to snack make it one of these. Hope you find it interesting.

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

by Marsha McCulloch, R.D., L.D., and Laura Marzen, R.D., L.D.
Stomach grumbling or blood glucose a bit low? Reach for one of our top 25 consumer-tasted and dietitian-approved snacks. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks, and a panel of taste-testers (including people with diabetes) ranked the treats. From chips and dip to cookies and popcorn, see which snacks were awarded the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

How These Snacks Made the List

Selecting smart between-meal munchies is simple if you're satisfied with a basic banana or apple. But sometimes our taste buds scream for something a little more fun and flavorful.

How we chose the best snacks:
1. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks in 25 different categories.
2. In a rigorous taste test, an average of 50 people, including people with diabetes, sampled each snack (with the brand concealed), picking the best among three choices in each category.
3. Based on their ratings, we've awarded the top 25 snacks the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

Read on to see all the winners and honorable mentions. At the end, get a FREE two-page guide featuring the winners that you can print at home!

Best Tortilla Chips

Winner: Plocky's Original Three Grain Tortilla Chips (plockys.com)

Why it won: These crisp and hearty tortilla chips are perfect alone, paired with your favorite salsa, or dipped in guacamole. Plus, they're made of 84 percent whole grains from non-genetically-modified corn, wheat, and brown rice.

Taste-tester's quote: "This chip has a hint of sweetness that makes it unique."

Nutrition facts per 1 ounce (about 7-10 chips):

    * 129 cal.
    * 24 g carb.
    * 4 g total fat (0 g sat. fat)
    * 2 g pro.
    * 90 mg sodium
    * 2 g fiber

Honorable mention:

    * Tostitos Natural Yellow Corn Chips
    * Garden of Eatin' Blue Chips

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/food-to-eat/nutrition/top-diabetic-snacks/?page=1

Monday, July 25, 2011

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

Another interesting article from  http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com This one on everyone's favorite Snacks! I'll be showing one of the top rated ones each day.So if your going to snack make it one of these. Hope you find it interesting.

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

by Marsha McCulloch, R.D., L.D., and Laura Marzen, R.D., L.D.
Stomach grumbling or blood glucose a bit low? Reach for one of our top 25 consumer-tasted and dietitian-approved snacks. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks, and a panel of taste-testers (including people with diabetes) ranked the treats. From chips and dip to cookies and popcorn, see which snacks were awarded the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

How These Snacks Made the List

Selecting smart between-meal munchies is simple if you're satisfied with a basic banana or apple. But sometimes our taste buds scream for something a little more fun and flavorful.

How we chose the best snacks:
1. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks in 25 different categories.
2. In a rigorous taste test, an average of 50 people, including people with diabetes, sampled each snack (with the brand concealed), picking the best among three choices in each category.
3. Based on their ratings, we've awarded the top 25 snacks the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

Read on to see all the winners and honorable mentions. At the end, get a FREE two-page guide featuring the winners that you can print at home!

Best Single-Serving Cheese

Winner: Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Light (laughingcow.com)

Why it won: These rich and creamy cheese rounds taste anything but light and are perfect on-the-go protein snacks that can be paired with fruit or crackers. Plus, one round provides 20 percent of your daily calcium needs.

Taste-tester's quote: "This melted in my mouth and has a great flavor."

Nutrition facts per 1 round:

    * 50 cal.
    * 0 g carb.
    * 3 g total fat (1.5 g sat. fat)
    * 6 g pro.
    * 160 mg sodium
    * 0 g fiber

Honorable mention:

    * Sargento String Cheese, Light
    * Kraft Snackables Twists, 2% Milk

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/food-to-eat/nutrition/top-diabetic-snacks/?page=1

Fruit of the Week - Papaya

The papaya (from Carib via Spanish), papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae. It is native to the tropics of the Americas, and was first cultivated in Mexico several centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classic cultures.

The papaya is a large tree-like plant, with a single stem growing from 5 to 10 meters (16 to 33 ft) tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred where leaves and fruit were borne. The leaves are large, 50–70 centimetres (20–28 in) diameter, deeply palmately lobed with 7 lobes. The tree is usually unbranched, unless lopped. The flowers are similar in shape to the flowers of the Plumeria, but are much smaller and wax-like. They appear on the axils of the leaves, maturing into the large 15–45 centimetres (5.9–18 in) long, 10–30 centimetres (3.9–12 in) diameter fruit. The fruit is ripe when it feels soft (like a ripe avocado or a bit softer) and its skin has attained an amber to orange hue. Carica papaya was the first fruit tree to have its genome deciphered.

Originally from southern Mexico (particularly Chiapas and Veracruz), Central America, and northern South America, the papaya is now cultivated in most tropical countries. In cultivation, it grows rapidly, fruiting within 3 years. It is, however, highly frost sensitive, limiting papaya production to tropical lands.

In the 1990s, the papaya ringspot virus threatened to wipe out Hawaii’s papaya industry completely. Cultivars that had been genetically modified to be resistant to the virus (including 'SunUp' and 'Rainbow'), were then introduced there. There is still no conventional or organic method of controlling the ringspot virus. In 2004, it was found that papayas throughout Hawaii had experienced hybridization with the genetically modified varieties and that many seed stocks were contaminated. By 2010, 80% of Hawaiian papaya plants were genetically modified.

Two kinds of papayas are commonly grown. One has sweet, red (or orangish) flesh, and the other has yellow flesh; in Australia these are called "red papaya" and "yellow papaw", respectively. Either kind, picked green, is called a "green papaya."

The large-fruited, red-fleshed 'Maradol', 'Sunrise', and 'Caribbean Red' papayas often sold in U.S. markets are commonly grown in Mexico and Belize.

'SunUp' and 'Rainbow', grown in Hawaii, are genetically modified to be resistant to the papaya ringspot virus.

The ripe fruit of the papaya is usually eaten raw, without skin or seeds. The unripe green fruit can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads, and stews. Green papaya is used in south east Asian cooking, both raw and cooked. Papayas have a relatively high amount of pectin, which can be used to make jellies.

The black seeds of the papaya are edible and have a sharp, spicy taste. They are sometimes ground and used as a substitute for black pepper.

In some parts of Asia, the young leaves of papaya are steamed and eaten like spinach. In some parts of the world, papaya leaves are made into tea as a preventative for malaria, althoupapagh there is no scientific evidence for the effectiveness of this treatment.

Grilled Chicken Breasts With Fruit Salsa ( Papaya)

Grilled Chicken Breasts With Fruit Salsa

Ingredients

      Fruit Salsa:
    * 2 cans (8 oz each) crushed pineapple, packed in juice, drained
    * 1 mango, peeled and cubed
    * 1/2 papaya, peeled and cubed
    * 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
    * 1 Tbsp finely minced cilantro
    * 1 Tbsp minced red pepper

      Grilled Chicken:
    * 2 whole chicken breasts, boned, skinned, halved (10 oz meat each)
    * 2 tsp olive oil

      Garnish:
    * Kiwi slices

Directions

   1. In a medium bowl, combine salsa ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
   2. Preheat an oven broiler or outdoor grill. Brush the chicken breasts with the olive oil. Grill or broil the chicken about 7 minutes per side or until no pink remains.
   3. To serve: Place fruit salsa on a plate using a few spoonfuls per person. Top with a cooked chicken breast. Garnish with kiwi slice.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
Calories:    305
Protein:    32 g
Sodium:     79 mg
Cholesterol:    85 mg
Fat:     6 g
Carbohydrates:     30 g
Exchanges:     4 Very Lean Meat; 2 Fruit; 1 Fat

http://www.diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/537.shtml

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Turkey Burger w/ Sauteed Mushrooms and Harwood Smoked Gouda Cheese

Dinner Tonight: Turkey Burger w/ Sauteed Mushrooms and Hardwood Smoked Gouda Cheese

Light but filling dinner tonight. I had a Jennie - O Turkey Burger that I topped with Sauteed Mushrooms and a slice of Hardwood Smoked Gouda Cheese. Gouda is bit higher in calories than my 2% Cheese I normally have but it's worth it from time to time. Gouda is a great Cheese for any type of burger or sandwich. Rich and creamy and melts just right on the burgers. I had the burger on a Healthy Life Whole Grain Bun. I had a side of Pringle's Multi-Grain Chips. For dessert later a bowl of Blue Bunny reduced Fat Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

Another interesting article from  http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com This one on everyone's favorite Snacks! I'll be showing one of the top rated ones each day.So if your going to snack make it one of these. Hope you find it interesting.

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

by Marsha McCulloch, R.D., L.D., and Laura Marzen, R.D., L.D.
Stomach grumbling or blood glucose a bit low? Reach for one of our top 25 consumer-tasted and dietitian-approved snacks. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks, and a panel of taste-testers (including people with diabetes) ranked the treats. From chips and dip to cookies and popcorn, see which snacks were awarded the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

How These Snacks Made the List

Selecting smart between-meal munchies is simple if you're satisfied with a basic banana or apple. But sometimes our taste buds scream for something a little more fun and flavorful.

How we chose the best snacks:
1. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks in 25 different categories.
2. In a rigorous taste test, an average of 50 people, including people with diabetes, sampled each snack (with the brand concealed), picking the best among three choices in each category.
3. Based on their ratings, we've awarded the top 25 snacks the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

Read on to see all the winners and honorable mentions. At the end, get a FREE two-page guide featuring the winners that you can print at home!

Best Savory Dip

Winner: Garden Fresh Gourmet Mild Guacamole (gardenfreshsalsa.com)

Why it won: This creamy, flavorful guacamole is made with six simple ingredients, including avocadoes rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Plus, a serving provides 10 percent of your daily fiber needs.

Taste-tester's quote: "Great flavor. Tastes freshly made."

Nutrition facts per 2 tablespoons:

    * 45 cal.
    * 3 g carb.
    * 4 g total fat (1 g sat. fat)
    * <1 g pro.
    * 105 mg sodium
    * 2 g fiber

Honorable mention:

    * Wild Garden Hummus Dip, Sweet 2 Pepper
    * Tribe Organic Hummus, Sweet Roasted Red Peppers Flavor

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/food-to-eat/nutrition/top-diabetic-snacks/?page=1

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Veal and Brown Mushroom Gravy w/ Mashed Potatoes and...

Dinner Tonight: Veal and Brown Mushroom Gravy w/ Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Asparagus


I'm going to have start having this Veal more often, it's fantastic! I've been buying the Private Selection Cubed Veal Steak from Kroger. It's the most tender and delicious Veal I've ever come across. I seasoned it with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn and then lightly coated it with Italian Style Bread Crumbs. I pan fried the Cube Steak in Extra Virgin Olive Oil about 3 minutes per side and it came out perfect!

To top the Veal I made some Mushroom Brown Gravy. Thanks to the inspiration from another blogger, Please Pass The Tofu who always has a very good blog that's full of ideas and recipes! For the Gravy I used Pioneer Brown Gravy. I sliced some Portabella Mushrooms and lightly sauteed them in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and seasoned them with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn. After making the Gravy I added the sauteed Mushrooms and mixed well. I used the Gravy to top the Veal and also my side of Mashed Potatoes. Homemade Mashed Potatoes are great but Bob Evans Mashed Potatoes are just as good and whole lot easier! Microwave them for 3 minutes remove them from the microwave give them a good stir and microwave them again for another 3 minutes and you have your Mashed Potatoes. As my other side I had fresh Asparagus that I cut into 3 pieces and seasoned with Garlic Salt and Black Pepper and then lightly fried in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. No clue on a dessert tonight.

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

Another interesting article from  http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com This one on everyone's favorite Snacks! I'll be showing one of the top rated ones each day.So if your going to snack make it one of these. Hope you find it interesting.

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

by Marsha McCulloch, R.D., L.D., and Laura Marzen, R.D., L.D.
Stomach grumbling or blood glucose a bit low? Reach for one of our top 25 consumer-tasted and dietitian-approved snacks. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks, and a panel of taste-testers (including people with diabetes) ranked the treats. From chips and dip to cookies and popcorn, see which snacks were awarded the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

How These Snacks Made the List

Selecting smart between-meal munchies is simple if you're satisfied with a basic banana or apple. But sometimes our taste buds scream for something a little more fun and flavorful.

How we chose the best snacks:
1. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks in 25 different categories.
2. In a rigorous taste test, an average of 50 people, including people with diabetes, sampled each snack (with the brand concealed), picking the best among three choices in each category.
3. Based on their ratings, we've awarded the top 25 snacks the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

Read on to see all the winners and honorable mentions. At the end, get a FREE two-page guide featuring the winners that you can print at home!

Best Pudding Snack Pack

Winner: Jell-O Sugar-Free Pudding Snacks, Chocolate Vanilla Swirl (jello.com)

Why it won: Can't decide between chocolate and vanilla? These creamy, refrigerated pudding snacks will satisfy both cravings with just 60 calories. Plus, each serving provides 10 percent of your daily calcium needs.

Taste-tester's quote: "I love the wonderful flavor and texture."

Nutrition facts per 3.75-ounce carton:

    * 60 cal.
    * 12 g carb.
    * 1.5 g total fat (1 g sat. fat)
    * 2 g pro.
    * 180 mg sodium
    * <1 g fiber

Honorable mention:

    * Hunt's Sugar-Free Chocolate Pudding
    * Jell-O Sugar-Free Cinnamon Roll Pudding

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/food-to-eat/nutrition/top-diabetic-snacks/?page=1

National Dish of the Week - Korea

Jokbal, a type of pig's feet Anju
Korean cuisine originated from ancient prehistoric traditions in the Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria, evolving through a complex interaction of environmental, political, and cultural trends.

Korean cuisine is largely based on rice, noodles, tofu (in Korean, dubu), vegetables, and meats. Traditional Korean meals are noted for the number of side dishes (banchan) that accompany steam-cooked short-grain rice. Kimchi is usually served at every meal. Commonly used ingredients include sesame oil, doenjang (fermented bean paste), soy sauce, salt, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and gochujang (fermented red chili paste).

Ingredients and dishes vary by province. Many regional dishes have become national, and dishes that were once regional have proliferated in different variations across the country. The Korean royal court cuisine once brought all of the unique regional specialties together for the royal family. Meals are regulated by Korean cultural etiquette.

Korean foods can be largely categorized into groups of "main staple foods", "subsidiary dishes" and "dessert". The main dishes are made from grains such as bap (a bowl of rice), juk (porridge), and guksu (noodles).

Many Korean banchan rely on fermentation for flavor and preservation, resulting in a tangy, salty, and spicy taste. Certain regions are especially associated with some dishes (for example, the city of Jeonju with bibimbap) either as a place of origin or for a famous regional variety. Restaurants will often use these famous names on their signs or menus (i.e. "Suwon galbi").

Soups are a common part of any Korean meal. Unlike other cultures, in Korean culture, soup is served as part of the main course rather than at the beginning or the end of the meal, as an accompaniment to rice along with other banchan. Soups known as guk are often made with meats, shellfish and vegetables. Soups can be made into more formal soups known as tang, often served as the main dish of the meal. Jjigae are a thicker, heavier seasoned soups or stews.

Kimchi refers to often fermented vegetable dishes usually made with napa cabbage, Korean radish, or sometimes cucumber, commonly fermented in a brine of ginger, garlic, scallions, and chili pepper. There are endless varieties with regional variations, and it is served as a side dish or cooked into soups and rice dishes. Koreans traditionally make enough kimchi to last for the entire winter season, as fermented foods can keep for several years. These were stored in traditional Korean mud pots known as Jangdokdae although with the advent of refrigerators, special Kimchi freezers and commercially produced kimchi, this practice has become less common. Kimchi is packed with vitamin A, thiamine B1, riboflavin B2, calcium, and iron. Its main benefit though is found in the bacteria lactobacilli, this is found in yogurt and fermented foods. This bacteria helps with digestion. South Koreans eat on average of 40 pounds of Kimchi each year.

Noodles or noodle dishes in Korean cuisine are collectively referred to as guksu in native Korean or myeon in hanja. While noodles were eaten in Korea from ancient times, productions of wheat was less than other crops, so noodles did not become a daily food until 1945. Buckwheat (memil guksu) and wheat noodles (milguksu) were specialty foods for birthdays, weddings or auspicious occasions because the long and continued shape were thought to be associated with the bliss for longevity and long-lasting marriage.

In Korean traditional noodle dishes are onmyeon or guksu jangguk (noodles with a hot clear broth), naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), bibim guksu (cold noodle dish mixed with vegetables), kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), kongguksu (noodles with a cold soybean broth) and others. In royal court, baekmyeon (literally "white noodles") consisting of buckwheat noodles and pheasant broth, was regarded as the top quality noodle dish. Naengmyeon with a cold soup mixed with dongchimi (watery radish kimchi) and beef brisket broth was eaten in court during summer.

Korean regional cuisines (Korean: hyangto eumsik, literally "native local foods") are characterized by local specialties and distinctive styles within Korean cuisine. The divisions reflected historical boundaries of the provinces where these food and culinary traditions were preserved until modern times.

Although Korea has been divided into two nation-states since 1948 (North Korea and South Korea), it was once divided into eight provinces (paldo) according to the administrative districts of the Joseon Dynasty. The northern region consisted of Hamgyeong province, Pyeongan province and Hwanghae province. The central region comprised Gyeonggi province, Chungcheong province, and Gangwon province. Gyeongsang province and Jeolla province made up the southern region.

Until the late 19th century, transportation networks were not well developed, and each provincial region preserved its own characteristic tastes and cooking methods. Geographic differences are also reflected by the local specialty foodstuffs depending on the climate and types of agriculture, as well as the natural foods available. With the modern development of transportation and the introduction of foreign foods, Korean regional cuisines have tended to overlap and integrate. However, many unique traditional dishes in Korean regional cuisine have been handed down through the generations.

In South Korea, food may be purchased from street carts during the day, where customers may eat standing beside the cart or have their food wrapped up to take home. At night, many streets are filled with small tents that sell inexpensive foods, drinks, and alcoholic beverages. Seasonal foods include hotteok, and bungeoppang, which are enjoyed in autumn and winter. Gimbap is also a very popular street food.

Kimchi - Korea

Kimchi
Kimchi

Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. Kimchi may also refer to unfermented vegetable dishes. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber.It is the most common banchan, or side dish, in Korean cuisine. Kimchi is also a main ingredient for many popular Korean dishes such as kimchi stew, kimchi soup, and kimchi fried rice.

Ingredients

1 fresh Chinese cabbage, dark green outer leaves removed
1 1/2 cup cooking salt
1L water
1 heaped tbsp glutinous rice starch (sticky rice powder, not regular rice powder)
1 cup Korean chilli powder – aka gochugaru (not flakes, look for it at your local Korean grocery store)
1/2 cup fish sauce
2 tbsp white sugar
6 spring onions, washed and sliced on an angle into slices about 1-2″ long
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 knob of ginger, grated
1/4 nashi pear, cored and peeled
1/4 brown onion, peeled
200g white/chinese radish (long and white as opposed to small, round and pink-tinged)

1. Cut the cabbage in halves or quarters, and cut into the stem to remove most of it.

2. Combine 1L water with 1/2 cup of cooking salt into a large bowl, then plunge one half or quarter of cabbage into the water at a time. Carefully seperate the leaves layer by layer and make sure that you get the salted water right to the base of the leaves.

3. Drain water from the cabbage segments, then sprinkle a light layer of cooking salt over each layer of leaves, making sure to get more towards the thick, white base of the leaf rather than the thinner, green end. This is usually done by coating the lower half of your fingers in salt and using a flicking motion. Don’t feel that you have to use the ENTIRE 1 cup of salt here – just as much as is needed to give the leaves a light sprinkling – its hard to judge how much salt you will need/use as it depends on how big and how ‘ripe’ your cabbage is.

4. Place the cabbage segments into a bowl and leave covered for 5-6 hours, or till cabbage is floppy enough so that the leaves can be bent over, but still make a crisp ‘snapping’ noise when snapped.

5. After leaving for 5-6 hours, rinse the lettuce twice in clean water, then squeeze as much water out of the lettuce as humanly possible (yes, squishing the cabbage is perfectly alright), and leave on a strainer for another 15-30 mins to drain the last of the water out.

6. The ‘sauce’ can be made whilst you’re waiting for the cabbage to wilt (in step 4). Combine 1 heaped tbsp of glutinous rice powder with 1/2 cup water in a pot, stir vigorously over a low heat till the mixture has turned white, has a very thick consistancy and bubbles whilst being stirred.

7. Let the rice powder glue cool down, and while it’s cooling, blend together the garlic, ginger, nashi pear, onion and Chinese radish into a pulpy liquid. Once the rice powder glue is completely cool, stir in the chilli powder, sugar and fish sauce, then pear mix and spring onion and combine well.

8. Lay out the cabbage and coat the front and back of every leaf with this rice chilli paste, making sure that they’re well coated and you haven’t missed any bits.

9. Once all the cabbage has been coated, press down into an airtight container and store in a cool, dark place for 3 days to aid the fermentation process. Taste it after 3 days, and if the lettuce tastes slightly tangy, soft but with some crunch and spicy, then place in your fridge. This can be stored in your fridge for up to 3 months (if it lasts that long!)

Friday, July 22, 2011

Copper River Salmon Fillet w/ Tortellini and...


Dinner Tonight: Copper River Salmon Fillet w/ Three Cheese Tortellini and Boiled Sliced Carrots.


Broke out another of the Copper River Salmon Fillets I have frozen. I seasoned it with McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn then put a light coat of Italian Style Bread Crumbs. Lightly fried in Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I fried the skin side about 1 1/2 longer to get the skin crispy. It was a delicious and large fillet with enough left over for tomorrow's lunch. As sides I had Barilla Three Cheese Tortellini that I seasoned with the Sea Salt and Pepper. I only had a 1/2 serving of the Tortellini it's a little high in calories and carbs. I also had sides of boiled sliced Carrots. For dessert/ snack later tonight I'm going to have some Peanut Butter, Jiff Reduced, and Crackers (Townhouse Reduced) with a cold glass of 2% White Milk. As far as our weather still hot, humid, and miserable!
 

MyPlate the New Guide

The Food Guide Pyramid was the model for healthy eating in the United States. Maybe you had to memorize its rainbow stripes in school.

But the USDA, the agency in charge of nutrition, has switched to a new symbol: a colorful plate —called MyPlate — with some of the same messages:

    * Eat a variety of foods.
    * Eat less of some foods and more of others.

The pyramid had six vertical stripes to represent the five food groups plus oils. The plate features four sections (vegetables, fruits, grains, and protein) plus a side order of dairy in blue.

The big message is that fruits and vegetables take up half the plate, with the vegetable portion being a little bigger than the fruit section.

And just like the pyramid where stripes were different widths, the plate has been divided so that the grain section is bigger than the protein section. Why? Because nutrition experts recommend you eat more vegetables than fruit and more grains than protein foods.

Your food and physical activity choices each day affect your health — how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future.

These tips and ideas are a starting point. You will find a wealth of suggestions here that can help you get started toward a healthy diet. Choose a change that you can make today, and move toward a healthier you.

Tips to help you:

      •     Make at least half your grains whole grains
      •     Vary your veggies
      •     Focus on fruit
      •     Get your calcium rich foods
      •     Go lean with protein
      •     Find your balance between food and physical activity
      •     Keep food safe to eat   

Balancing Calories
      ●     Enjoy your food, but eat less.
      ●     Avoid oversized portions.

      Foods to Increase
      ●     Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
      ●     Make at least half your grains whole grains.
      ●     Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

      Foods to Reduce
      ●     Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
      ●     Drink water instead of sugary drinks. 

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/index.html       

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

Another interesting article from  http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com This one on everyone's favorite Snacks! I'll be showing one of the top rated ones each day.So if your going to snack make it one of these. Hope you find it interesting.

Top 25 Diabetic Snacks

by Marsha McCulloch, R.D., L.D., and Laura Marzen, R.D., L.D.
Stomach grumbling or blood glucose a bit low? Reach for one of our top 25 consumer-tasted and dietitian-approved snacks. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks, and a panel of taste-testers (including people with diabetes) ranked the treats. From chips and dip to cookies and popcorn, see which snacks were awarded the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

How These Snacks Made the List

Selecting smart between-meal munchies is simple if you're satisfied with a basic banana or apple. But sometimes our taste buds scream for something a little more fun and flavorful.

How we chose the best snacks:
1. Diabetic Living's dietitians scoured the supermarkets to find the most nutritious packaged snacks in 25 different categories.
2. In a rigorous taste test, an average of 50 people, including people with diabetes, sampled each snack (with the brand concealed), picking the best among three choices in each category.
3. Based on their ratings, we've awarded the top 25 snacks the Diabetic Living What to Eat Seal of Approval.

Read on to see all the winners and honorable mentions. At the end, get a FREE two-page guide featuring the winners that you can print at home!



Best Savory Nuts

Winner: Planters Harvest California Almonds (planters.com)

Why it won: Go the extra mile with the staying power you'll get from a handful of these flavorful nutrition powerhouses roasted in sea salt (without added oil). Plus, you'll get 35 percent of your daily vitamin E and 12 percent of your daily fiber needs with just one serving.

Taste-tester's quote: "Awesome!"

Nutrition facts per 1 ounce (about 25 nuts):

    * 160 cal.
    * 6 g carb.
    * 14 g total fat (1 g sat. fat)
    * 6 g pro.
    * 95 mg sodium
    * 3 g fiber

Honorable mention:

    * Good Sense Soynuts, Bar-B-Q Flavored
    * Good Sense Soynuts, Hot 'N Spicy

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/food-to-eat/nutrition/top-diabetic-snacks/?page=1