Gorgeous Fish in a Plate

I'm speechlessly amazed!






Source: http://melbournegastronome.wordpress.com/2007/12/

Slow Cooker Meals

Everyone knows about "fast food" and there are several publications and a few politicians stating that they have been and are ruining our diets and our health. But what do you know about "slow food"? I have recently been introduced to this concept by a doctor friend of mine. He indicated that this is a growing trend nowadays.

Everything from appetizers to main courses can be cooked and served in slow cookers. If you have started using your own slow cooker or “crock pot” on a constant basis to prove its worth, you most probably are thinking of ways to modify your family's favorite meals into crock pot recipes. Here are some tips to adapt your usual recipes into healthier slow cooking recipes.

Slow cookers come in many styles, shapes and sizes. Knowing the size of pot for your cooking needs allows you the ability to make the right amount of food for the family meals. Round crockery cookers are fine for soups and stews. Oval shaped pots are known better for roasts, hams and whole chickens.

The following is a general cooking guide when considering time between traditional and crock pot cooking:

15- 30 minutes traditional - 1.5 to 2 hours High / 4.6 hours Low in a crock pot

35- 45 minutes traditional - 3-4 hours High / 6-10 hours Low in a crock pot

50 minutes-3 hours traditional - 4-6 hours High / 8-18 hours Low in crock pot

Delicious and Wholesome Indian Foods

It’s the weekend and you’re craving for something healthier but with a little flavor, perhaps a dab of some spiciness. Maybe you’ll grab an Indian takeout or whip up a taco salad to spice up a night with a fragrant curry, simmering dal, colorful tandoori, spicy korma... uh-oh the aromatic, delicious foods of India!

Why do we love spicy foods so much? Looking beyond taste, however, how does Indian food rate in healthiness? The Indian diet is rich in beans, vegetables, whole grains and spices. Studies show that people avoid vegetables when they don't taste good. But because Indian foods are full of flavor, it's a delicious way to eat them.

If you serve Indian food, the traditional way your best bet on the basis of this tasting on the wines would be an Alsace Pinot Gris, or a fruity rosé like Pink Elephant (good for converting beer-drinking friends to the virtues of drinking wine with spicy food), champagne or, for a less indulgent occasion, Cava. In fact given the success of both rosé and sparkling wine a sparkling rosé might well be the answer we’re all looking for.


I think no matter what drink to choose with a delicious Indian food, the secret to make a great meal is to enjoy what you eat and drink.

Most Cultured Vegetable Cooking

We are so lucky with the abundance of vegetables everywhere, until now.

Since I was small, I saw that the most favorite, most bought, most cooked and most eaten vegetables are green leaves, tomatoes and beans. I used to jump at the back of the truck with my brothers so we can go with Dad to buy baskets and baskets of vegetables, particularly, shallots and tomatoes.

Then I would see my Dad cooked some of the vegetables in syrup and put them in bottles. I realized that was preserving vegetables so we don't run out out veggies during the winters. Today, I have seen how modernization has upstaged the old ways of preserving vegetables, fruits, the making of jellies and jams, and delicious fruit preserves.

I thought these plant-made vegetable preserves are the best, but I was wrong. The old-fashioned canning and preservation has still been considered the most preferred and most cultured process of cooking and preserving vegetables.

Eating crunchy and delicious vegetables has never been easier with my own garden which I call my greenhouse! ...and not just that, I also have enjoyed preserving veggies and fruits. I think this is my biggest share of green!

Preparing Your Meat

These coming holidays, there sure would be baskets and baskets of meat in your kitchen. How you prepare your meat is very important, and since meat is food, it conveys health.

When it comes to meat preparation, most people trust the folks with great notoriety in preparing meat. We have known this from the beginning, and when it comes to big events, we always call for these meat “specialists” for cooking a variety of dishes.

To make sure you handle your meat with care, here are simple tips to follow:

Always prepare your meat with care by washing your hands properly with a good soap and preferrably hot water. Make sure to wash all utensils, containers, chopping boards before and after preparing any type of meat, especially pork. Thaw meats first in the refrigerator or microwave before starting to cook. After defrosting, immediately cook the meat. In marinating meat, discard leftover marinades and never reuse them. Use a separate surface in cutting vegetables. Do not use the same chopping board you use in cutting your meat.

Beef, pork, poultry and fish meats have something important in common, they are rich in protein. Although the amount and quality of the protein in these foods vary, it's the animal foods that contain the high quality protein necessary for the human body.

Read more on:

The Most Basic Ways of Preparing Meat / http://www.experiencefestival.com/meat_-_ways_of_preparing_meat.

The Importance of Cooking Meat Thoroughly/ http://www.bukisa.com/articles/354552_the-importance-of-cooking-meat-thoroughly

The Wonders of Big Fish Meals

I'm sure you know tuna.

If beans make good substitute for meat, tuna is a well-known substitute to other seafood and steaks. In any method tuna is cooked, it always yield a wonderful fish meal.

Grill it, steam it, broil it, fry it, and even smoke it. Take your leftover grilled tuna for fresh tuna salad with pineapple bits, they are not just delicious but remarkably relishing, you can't ask for more! Canned tuna in edible oils, brine, and spring water is probably the world's most favorite pick for a fish salad, fish-filled sandwiches and as quick fish meals, and take note, they are very healthy. Canned tuna is rich in protein, low in fat and calories and is an excellent source of the essential omega-3 fatty acids which help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

In a similar way, salmon is accepted among the most delicious fish as noted by our experienced fishermen friends. Regarded as king of the waters, salmon is great from poached, grilled, broiled, steamed, fried, to oven-baked. They are considered very rich source of the essential Omega-3 fatty, acids, amino acids and high quality proteins and vitamins our body needs for optimum health. Recent studies confirmed the consideration of salmon as part of a diet can help prevent a heart disease.

Beans as Substitute

I actually did not expect that my running out of dollars led me to the wonders of beans and legumes as great substitute to meat. Realizing this brought me back to memories of how Mom used beans as a substitute for meat in some of our meals.

More than just a meat substitute, beans are nature's rich food sent for healthy eating. Unlike meat, they are high in protein, low in fat and are completely cholesterol-free. Being the best source of folate, potassium, and iron, beans are relatively exceptional in its high levels of free radical scavenging antioxidants. It's high fiber content means that beans are digested slowly, keeping you satisfied longer. On the average, a half cup of beans contains a more or less 6 grams of fiber. That’s about a quarter of the recommended daily intake. Plus, beans are low in sugar, so just the perfect food for people in sugar diet.

I believe beans have made their way into different cuisines around the world, from zesty dips and sauces to delicious dinner salads. So do your body good by enjoying the richness of high-fiber beans as substitute to some of your meats.