Food Blurb: Much Ado About Mushrooms

If you have been following this foodie blog then you know that my love affair with mushrooms began the same time that I started dating my late husband, I shared those details in this blog post:

• Mushroom: Real Food of Fantasy and Fairy Tale.  

This short post (or food blurb) is just an add-on to tell you more things I have discovered about this wonderful fungi!  Did you know that there is such a thing as a Mushroom of Immortality?

“Reishi/lingzhi has been referenced as far back as 100 B.C. as a supplement used to improve human health.” It is called a Mushroom of Immortality and you can grow it on your own. They're quite tasty. Just don't believe for one minute that they will make you live forever.  

😊  Read more: What Is The 'Mushroom Of Immortality'? 

Here is a wonderful veggie soup will get you through the winter months. Totally comfort food!  It includes a variety of mushrooms:  cremini, shiitake, and reishi. 

Reishi Mushroom Veggie Soup | CBC Life  

Also, if you love Asian noodles, you'll love this Reishi Mushroom Ramen Bowl.

Food Blurb: Substitute Turkey for Pork?

Have you ever tried JENNIE-O® turkey products?

Lots of people love to eat ham or bacon. But these are usually pork meats and there are lots of people with special dietary requirements who can not eat pork!  This is a huge diet change for people like me. I really missed the taste of ham or bacon until I discovered turkey ham and turkey bacon.  If you have enjoyed eating ham or bacon but you can no longer indulge, try JENNIE-O® turkey products. The taste is very similar to pork only it really is made from turkey, a healthier poultry choice.

I have been this using pork substitute for over 10 years.

But you don't have to have a special diet. Taste these products and you will love them! Visit the official website and find lots nd lots of recipes.

I like to cut up the turkey ham in chunks and put the ingredient in my bean soups. Use the turkey bacon for the traditional BLT sandwich (BLT=bacon, lettuce, and tomato).

If you can not find in your local grocery store, it is sold on Amazon.

***

Original source

Food Blurb: For Newbie Cooks Who Want to Cook Chinese Food

Once upon a time when I was a newbie cook, I wanted so badly to cook Chinese food.  But no matter what I did my food just did not have that authentic Chinese flavor.  This was before TV cooking shows had become so pervasive. 

Hormel Foods Corporation is an American food business that has been around since 1891. Me personally? I have been enjoying Hormel food products for over 50 years; mainly, its canned chili. I stumbled upon a product at my local grocery store and it changed everything!

• House of Tsang^® sauces are stir-fry sauces for Asian cooking created by chef David Tsang.  It's a Hormel Foods brand.

There are 4 distinct flavors:

1. Classic Sauce
2. Szechuan Spicy
3. Bangkok Peanut Sauce
4. General Tsao

They are all delicious! But my favorite is the Classic Sauce. If these products are not on the shelf of your local grocery store, you might be able to find them at an Asian market in your area. If not they are sold via Amazon and are reasonably priced.

There are plenty more House of Tsang^® products.  These are the ones I'm familiar with.  I promise you! Use any of these sauces in your recipes and it will taste just like you went out to eat at an Asian restaurant.  

House of Tsang Sauce 11.5 Oz Variety 4-Pack : #Grocery & #Gourmet #Food
~ https://t.co/dlGswDQzhT
My favorite is the Classic Sauce but they are all delicious! #cooking #Asianfood #stirfry #sauces #kitchen #dining @EverydaySpices @goshoppingbees pic.twitter.com/QjtHPastEn

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) ~ #Freelancer (@cmoneyspinner) May 26, 2023

♦ ♦ ♦

(Food blurb? - a short post, not saying much, but saying enough!)

Check out some of the other food blurbs:

Za-atar Spice Blend on Flatbread

The Key Ingredient in Nigerian Food

What is  Angelica keiskei?

WARNING: Delicacies Can Be Dangerous!

Sharing a Soup Recipe That Soup Lovers Will Love

Five (5) healthy and holistic ways to get more energy

Food Blurb: Herbs and Spices: Za-atar Spice Blend on Flatbread

I just recently discovered Za'atar. My friends from the Middle East say it's very common in their cuisine.

Image credit

Here is a fun fact for foodies.

It is said that evidence of flatbreads has been found at ancient sites in Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, and the Indus civilization. Also there are historical records that indicate Persian soldiers baked a flatbread on their shields and covered it cheese and dates.

Baked it on their shields? Now that's genius survival skills!

• This food blurb was inspired by a wonderful article published by food blogger, Rana Madanat titled Best Za’atar Manakeesh.

“This manakish with za’atar is a soft, fluffy flatbread topped with a blend of traditional Middle Eastern spices called Za’atar. Za’atar on manakish is a classic combination. The aromatic spices are slightly subdued and perfectly…” — Rana Madanat https://t.co/30LYI0YgID pic.twitter.com/0yfzNyDjrb

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) ~ #Freelancer (@cmoneyspinner) September 30, 2022

Za'atar (Zatar/Zaatar/Zahtar) Seasoning Blend/Recipe

Buy Za'atar on Amazon

RELATED LINKS:

If You Liked This, You Might Also Like Other EES Food Blurbs:

Cabbages (Without Kings)

African Food: What is African Salad?

More about Mushrooms

Indian Food for Diabetics

Zucchini Flowers

Japanese Fun Food

Who Invented Chicken Nuggets?

Strawberry Chocolate Cake

Sharing a Soup Recipe That Soup Lovers Will Love

Name the Sexy Spices

Traditional Meal on the Sabbath

The Key Ingredient in Nigerian Food

6 Spices For Indian Cuisine

5 Exotic Spices

100 Healthiest Foods ~ Is Your Favorite Food on the List?

WARNING: Delicacies Can Be Dangerous!

Top 10 List of Superfoods

What Should Kids Drink?

Gourmet Sleuth is an Excellent Cooking Resource

Medical Advice About Super foods

Exotic Fruit: CUCAMELON

Food Blurb: The Key Ingredient in Nigerian Food

I love watching cooking shows on television. There is this one show where the host goes all over America and shines a spotlight on the various ethnic cuisines. I once lived in Houston, Texas and I wish I had know this but I did not. As most people do, whenever they move to a new place, they bring their customs and traditions with them. They especially bring their food. Because there nothing better than the taste of home when you are now living in a foreign land. It turns out that many Nigerians relocated from their country and there is a thriving community in Houston, Texas. There are some popular restaurants in Houston that serve Nigerian cuisine.

A key ingredient in many Nigerian #recipes are peppers. Here is link to an article that explains "The different types of peppers in Nigeria | Pulse Nigeria". 

• World Cuisine: Four (4) Nigerian Dishes You Must Try (Guest Post)

Taste Of Nigeria was featured on "No Passport Required" 

Food Blurb: Herbs and Spices: Angelica keiskei

I love watching Korean drama and love to learn about the teas they drink. In one K-drama there was a lady who worked at the Commoners' Clinic and she offered a man a tea called Angelica keiskei. Did you know:

~ Angelica keiskei, commonly known under the Japanese name of ashitaba (アシタバ or 明日葉), literally "tomorrow's leaf", is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family. It is native to Japan ...” (Per Wikipedia); AND

~ Some strawberry growers have shifted to growing ashitaba (or Angelica keiskei) because they say it's a better money-maker and easier to cultivate.

Various healthcare websites offer information about this plant's medicinal value. Of course, this is yet another one of those plants that holds the "key to extended youth".

ASHITABA: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews  

It's edible and here is a video on ways to eat it. 

~ Ways To Eat Ashitaba ~ youtu.be/Sig5Nm8NHMk

"... a plant called ashitaba is important in supporting a person’s health & well-being. ... researchers are suggesting that a compound in this plant boosts cellular health and may prolong youth." This Japanese plant could hold the key to extended youth ~ https://t.co/TZ0qOrDsSk

— Rx4Wellness2018 (@Rx4Wellness2018) September 9, 2022

Ashitaba is a large herb that grows primarily in the central region of Japan. Its root, leaf, and stem are used to make medicine.

ASHITABA: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews ~ https://t.co/32FKQZNJ0n

— Rx4Wellness2018 (@Rx4Wellness2018) September 9, 2022

Food Blurb: Herbs and Spices: 5 Exotic Spices

Asafetida, dried avocado leaves, epazote, grains of paradise, and juniper berries are 5 wonderful cooking ingredients. Which country should we thank for introducing these 5 exotic spices to the global community of food lovers?

• "Asafoetida was familiar in the early Mediterranean, having come by land across Iran." (Source)

• Dried avocado leaves are a secret Mexican ingredient.  (Source)

• "The epazote herb is commonly used in the cuisines and traditional medicines of central and southern Mexico and Guatemala." (Source)

• "Grains of paradise are native to Africa's West coast, namely the countries Ghana, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Togo and Nigeria." (Source)

• "The juniper is an evergreen tree native to Europe, Asia, and the northern parts of North America and it is especially abundant in central Texas and Eastern Oregon." It has an interesting history and folklore. (Source)

5 Exotic Spices: asafetida, dried avocado leaves, epazote, grains of paradise, and juniper berries. Do you know the country which introduced these marvelous cooking ingredients to the world? ~ https://t.co/Z4MjtPzEhF pic.twitter.com/H1O2Kgyh9O

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) January 26, 2019

Source: Virily.com

Food Blurb: Sharing a Soup Recipe That Soup Lovers Will Love

The classical music composer Ludwig van Beethoven once said “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”

Do you believe that soup is good food?  I do!  I also believe it's a food of love for families and having a pure heart when you make it for those you love, no doubt adds substantially to the flavor.

In a previous post I shared information about miso, which is a key ingredient in Japanese cuisine.  You can it ready-made off the grocery store shelf or make your own.

Some say the reason the Japanese live so long is because miso is an integral part of their diet. Maybe. Maybe not. I also read that soup should be an important of one's daily diet. They say you should eat a bowl of soup every day. I'm OK with that dietary advice. Even though January is National Soup Month, I could eat soup every month of the year, whether the weather is hot or cold. And I don't mean cold soups, because I'm not really a fan of cold soup. But if I was given only one hot bowl of soup every day to survive off, I could totally do that and be content. 

For me, the best part of any soup is … THE BROTH! 

You could have all kinds of ingredients in a soup … meat or no meat. But if the broth is tasteless, the soup is useless. The broth is all about comfort. Don't you think so? 

That's why I know this recipe which I am sharing is awesome! The ingredients for the broth are: “garlic, ginger, scallions, toasted sesame oil, miso and fermented chile paste”. 

How could you not love this soup? LOL. 

Spicy Summer Miso Soup | 101 Cookbooks

Food Blurb: Traditional Meal on the Sabbath

I am always interested in learning about world cuisine.  I especially like Jewish food or Israeli cuisine.  In a social community where I am an active member, people love to share food-related posts.  One of the members, Vasya007, shared a post about cholent or hamin (see below).  I was inspired to look up some recipes and additional information..  

“Cholent or hamin is a traditional Jewish stew. It is usually simmered overnight for 12 hours or more, and eaten for lunch on Shabbat. Cholent was developed over the centuries to conform with Jewish laws that prohibit cooking on the Sabbath.”  (Wikipedia)

Image credit: Gilabrand - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

TRY THESE RECIPES:

What Is Cholent? Plus: A Tasty and Easy Cholent Recipe - Shabbat 

Authentic Hamin Recipe - Jamie Geller 

The Best Cholent Recipes From Around the Jewish World - Jewish World - Haaretz.com

Cholent: A Delicious History - aish.com Kosher Recipes, Family

Cholent: The Sabbath Stew | My Jewish Learning

Food Blurb: Exotic Fruit: CUCAMELON

A cucamelon is known by many names, such as, Mexican sour gherkin, Mexican miniature watermelon, Mexican sour cucumber, mouse melon, or pepquino.  The taste is described as a cucumber with a touch of sour lime mixed in. Most people use it in salads, pickled or used in salsa. They are usually eaten raw, but you can cook them lightly and add them to a stir-fry. They can be refridgerated (will last up to 1 month) and frozen (will last up to 3 months).

Image credit:  Amazon.com

Links below supply some additional information and a few recipes you may want to try.

• Cucamelons Are the Cutest Superfood You Can Grow Yourself | Better Homes & Gardens
• EverythingAbout Cucamelons | How to Grow In Your Garden
• CucamelonPickles | Love and Olive Oil  
• EasyCucamelon Pickle | South Indian Recipe - Cooking with Thas
• CucamelonSalad, lightly marinated and easy! - Feathers in the woods

Food Blurb: Strawberry Chocolate Cake

I watched this time travel Korean drama where an acupunturist from the past (Joseon, 400 years ago) traveled to the future and met a lady doctor, a heart specialist. They fell in love and in one of the scenes, they were at a restaurant in Seoul. She told him to try the strawberry chocolate cake. She said it was one of the most popular desserts.  I have never had a strawberry chocolate cake, so that comment sent me searching for a recipe. Found one very easily published at one of my favorite food blogs. This looks like a dessert that should be made for a holiday or a special occasion.

Strawberry Chocolate Cake Recipe | two peas and their pod

Have you ever had strawberry chocolate cake?

Was it a holiday or special occasion? 

Were you dining out or dining in?

RELATED POST: Korean Drama TV Series: Live Up toYour Name (2017)

While you're here, check out some of my other food blurbs:

Japanese Fun Food

Zucchini Flowers

Who Invented Chicken Nuggets?

What Should Kids Drink?

WARNING: Delicacies Can Be Dangerous!

Five (5) healthy and holistic ways to get more energy

Make Sure the Saffron You Buy is Worth It

SAFFRON has been called "The World's Most Legendary Spice" [1]. It's not just legendary, it's expensive.  There are stories and myths about this spice from the Mediterranean to Arabia to India to Italy to Spain. If this spice could talk it could probably tell you of its interesting travels around the world. It has been used to dye fabrics, as medicine, as fragrance, and in cooking.

• IMPORTANT TIP: As stated this spice is very expensive, so don't get cheated. “If the liquid colors immediately, you have a fake on your hands. Authentic saffron takes about 10 to 15 minutes of soaking before it changes the color of the water.” [2]

For your information, since it is so expensive, you might want to know if you can grow it in your own garden. The answer is YES!! [3] The only thing that the flowers are so beautiful, you might not want to harvest them into saffron strands. [4]

♦ REFERENCES:

[1] “The History of Saffron: Mythology, Legends in Italy and Abroad.” CROCUS D'ORO, 2018, http://www.crocusdoro.com/en/history-of-saffron/.

[2] “Interesting Facts about Saffron.” Just Fun Facts, 2018, https://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-saffron/.

[3] Rhoades, Heather. “Growing Saffron: How To Grow Saffron Crocus Bulbs.” Gardening Know How, 1 July 2021, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/saffron/growing-saffron-crocus.htm.

[4] Grant, Amy. “Harvesting Saffron Crocus - When And How To Harvest Saffron.” Gardening Know How, 10 Oct. 2020, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/saffron/saffron-harvesting-information.htm.

• Saffron Market Outlook | Industry Statistics 2021-2027 | Global Market Insights

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Foodie Friday: Dinner Idea: Chicken with Blackberry Salsa

In Texas people love their salsa.  They put it on everything!  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks!  But it's not the sweet salsa.  It's the spicy made with tomatoes and lime juice.  As I did more foodie research, I began to find that there are many variations for a salsa recipe.  For me, the spicy or the sweet recipe is fantastic!.  They make great condiments and really enhance the flavor of your meats.   If you like sweet and savory dishes you'll probably enjoy this recipe. 

Grilled Chicken With Blackberry Salsa Recipe
| Mix and Match Mama

Food Blurb: African Food: What is African Salad?

The fun about being in social communities is that people often like to share what they eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, appetizers.  Sometimes they call food by a certain name and you think you never heard of it.  Then you realize you do know that food but where you live it has a different name.  A friend said they were eating African Salad for lunch.  I like the photo so I immediately Googled to get the recipe.  It was super easy to find.

AfricanSalad (Nigerian Abacha) | How to Make Igbo Foods | All Nigerian Foods

“The fresh Abacha (African salad is a by-product of cassava). There are a lot of processes involved with obtaining the fresh abacha that is used in preparing the African salad ...”

AfricanSalad: Health Benefits of Abacha food (Abacha and Pregnancy) -Nigerian Health Blog

• Abacha has numerous #health benefits. It's not good for weight loss but it is good for pregnant women.

African Salad (Tapioca or Abacha) | NnendiFoods

• “A staple food now in many parts of Nigeria, tapioca is used as a thickening agent in various foods. Tapioca is one of the purest forms of starch food. The Igbos call Tapioca in their native language, 'Abacha'.”

Interested in more Igbo Foods?

Top 5 food in Igbo culture dishes

1. Nkwobi.
2. Igbo Bitter Leaf Soup. ...
3. Fufu and Uha Soup. ...
4. Jollof Rice with Chicken. Jollof Rice is one of the most popular nourishments not only for Igbo people but whole West Africa. ...
5. Yam served with Fish Pepper Soup. It can be called as Yam soup or Ji in the Igbo language. ...

Food Blurb: Zucchini Flowers

Zucchini Flowers are elegant and every part of the bloom are edible. There are male and female blossoms. You can eat them raw. But most people like to fry them. Be sure to gently wash the flowers under cold water and pat dry before using in a recipe. It's best to eat them fresh but they can be frozen and will keep for several months in the freezer. Below are some recipes from my favorite food blogs.

Traditional Italian Fried Squash Blossoms and Zucchini Blossoms Recipe | Christina Cucina

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms an Italian Classic | Chef Dennis 

6 Ways to Cook with Zucchini Blossoms | Food & Wine 

Looking for foodie friends? Have fun finding and sharing food-related content on Noise.Cash. It's a global social community. The PLUS is that you can make friends and earn Bitcoin Cash$.

My Foodie Luv: Do You Cook with Edible Flowers? https://t.co/3byWJzBAuT

— Everyday Exotic Spices Presents Food Ways (@EverydaySpices) September 15, 2021

Food Blurb: Japanese Fun Food

JAPANESE FOOD

Links to cooking videos that teach you how to make 2 kinds of Japanese pancakes; considered as snacks or dessert. 

Taiyaki is a warm fish-shaped cake with red bean filling.

* How to Make Taiyaki (Recipe) 鯛焼きの作り方（レシピ）

Dorayaki is made of honey pancake sandwich with sweet red bean filling.

* How To Make Dorayaki (Recipe) どら焼きの作り方 （レシピ）

(Images credit: justonecookbook.com ) 

6 Best Japanese Sauces You Need To KnowBy Heart
• Just One Cookbook

1. Homemade Ponzu Sauce

2. Teriyaki Sauce

3. All-Purpose Miso Sauce

4. Tonkatsu Sauce

5. Yakiniku Sauce

6. Unagi Sauce

Foodie Friday: Chicken Bites for Family Movie Night or Game Night

In the USA, especially during football season, people like to get together in homes and watch the game on TV. One of the best things about these gatherings is THE FOOD!! 

These recipes would be perfect for Game Day (or Night)!

All of these recipes use chicken breasts but I prefer chicken thighs.

5 Fast and Easy Chicken Bite Recipes

1. Buffalo Chicken Bites
2. Creamy Parmesan Chicken Bites
3. Honey Dijon Chicken Bites
4. Indian-Spiced Chicken Bites
5. Taco Chicken Bites

P.S. It doesn't have to be football. Create your own tradition. Dedicate one night to connect with family and friends.

Here are the 7 reasons every family should start a game night right now

Food Blurb: Who Invented Chicken Nuggets?

FUN FOOD HISTORY ~ DID YOU KNOW:

~ Chicken nuggets were invented by Robert C. Baker, a poultry and food science professor at Cornell University.

~ Before Mr. Baker invented chicken nuggets, he invented a fun food called the chicken stick! Evidently, the guy liked experimenting to find creative ways to eat chicken. He is called the "George Washington Carver of Chicken."

~ In 1981, the McDonald's corporation, affectionately known as Mickey D, officially introduced Chicken McNuggets to their customers. McNuggets comprise about 10 percent of the restaurant’s sales.

~ Mr. Baker did not make a dime from the profits Mickey D earned from sales of Chicken McNuggets. I mean … Really?

Who Invented Chicken Nuggets? | Mental Floss

Food Blurb: Cabbages (Without Kings)

If you are familiar with the 1904 novel by O. Henry, then you know it's not about collecting cabbage recipes for kings. 😊  It's just that in my high school Literature class we studied short stories and O. Henry was one of the writers we learned about. It was the year I learned that I liked short stories much better than reading books. You got to the ending quicker! 😊  

OK.  Back on point.  This food blurb is about cabbage recipes. 

If your goal is to eat more green leafy vegetables and you like cabbage anyway, then you'll probably enjoy this recipe. It's made with ground beef, but I vary it and use ground chicken or turkey. Also, I omit the cheese topping. For me that's unnecessary extra calories. You could use a bread crumb topping as a substitute or no topping at all. You might be able to also vary this recipe using escarole, napa cabbage, collards or Swiss chard, instead of cabbage. You might try purple cabbage instead of green. Purple veggies are just as good as green!

Cabbage Roll Casserole Recipe | EatingWell

* * *

Eating Well is an excellent website. I subscribe to it. You find cooking tips and health tips. Here is a link to more cabbage recipes. If you're trying to lose weight, try the cabbage diet soup.

MORE Food Blurbs at Food Ways: 

• 100 Healthiest Foods ~ Is Your Favorite Food on the List?
• 3 Spices for a Long Life
• 5 Exotic Spices
• 6 Spices For Indian Cuisine
• Name the Sexy Spices
• Medical Advice About Super foods
• Top 10 List of Superfoods
• WARNING: Delicacies Can Be Dangerous!

Looking for foodie friends? Have fun finding and sharing food-related content on Noise.Cash. It's a global social community. The PLUS is that you can make friends and earn Bitcoin Cash$.

Food Blurb: Medical Advice About Super foods

For contrast and comparison, another listing of superfoods was published via Medical News Today and it shares insightful information about the health benefits and about taking supplements.

♦ ♦  Superfood Kitchen: Cooking with Nature's Most Amazing Foods (Julie Morris's Superfoods)  

What are #superfoods and why should you eat them? by Megan Ware RDN LD
(Last updated Mon 7 Jan 2019) ~ Excellent article published Medical News Today discusses #Healthbenefits AND #HealthTips for taking #supplements #HealthyEating #diet and #nutrition ~ https://t.co/xvMQFMajYt pic.twitter.com/HbVtJUg2Xc

— EverydayExoticSpices (@EverydaySpices) March 12, 2019

Source: Virily.com