Red Pepper Flakes Are a Secret Ingredient

Lidia Bastianich is an award-winning TV chef.  Her specialty is Italian food.  She says that the “secret ingredient” in Italian recipes is RED PEPPER FLAKES.  I did not know that.  I have tried to cook Italian food and never thought to add red pepper flakes.  Although I do sprinkle it on my pizza. 

I don't usually have red pepper flakes in my spice cabinet.  If you don't happen to have any, here are 6 alternatives or substitutes.

1. Ground cayenne pepper

2. Ground habañero pepper

3. Paprika 

4. Chile de Arbol powder

5. Hot sauce (Tabasco OR Sirachi)

6. Chili powder

REF:  Substitute For Red Pepper Flakes: 6 Fantastic Alternatives

Fortunately, I usually have Paprika OR Chili powder on hand.  

What about you?

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6 Spices For Indian Cuisine

5 Exotic Spices From Around the World (Guest Post)

A Memorable Party Favor

 In the USA, we have a practice at parties. We give what's called party favors to the guests.

* A party favor is a small gift given to the guests at the occasion. The host (person throwing the party) gives it to the guests as a token or a souvenir to take home with them, a gesture of thanks for their attendance, and a keepsake or memory of the event.

If you have this custom, what kind of party favors have you given away OR what particular party favor do you remember receiving?

I can't remember as it's been a while since I've been to a party; for myself or to take one of my kids. But I do know that I've never been to a party where one of the party favors was a fortune cookie.

If I can make a recommendation.

The next time you throw a social gathering, consider giving out fortune cookies. Homemade, ready-made or custom made. 

Most people like to read their fortune. Even if they don't believe it, it's amusing and fun. If by coincidence the fortune comes true, they will always remember where they got the cookie!! 

Image credit:  Amazon.com

Are you planning a party?

Chinese Fortune Cookies as American as Apple Pie

How to Make the Best Fortune Cookies

  

Inexpensive Meals: Lentils are Hearty, Healthy and a Small Bag Can Feed a Crowd

LEBANESE RECIPE: Mujaddara

I did not start eating lentils until I got married back in the 70s. It was never served in my mom's house. I learned how to cook them because my husband liked them. I usually seasoned them with smoked turkey and added diced carrots, onions, and celery. Learned that lentils are a common dish in the Middle East. They are legumes and they come in different colors: black, brown, red, and yellow. They can not be eaten RAW. Also, you don't have to soak them before cooking.

Mujaddara is a dish of cooked lentils together with groats, generally rice, and garnished with sautéed onions.

• Here is a recipe: Mujadara (Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions) -Cookie and Kate  

“Mujadara is served across the Middle East in various forms and goes by differing names, depending on where you are. It has many spelling variations: mujadarra, mujadarah, majadra, mejadra, moujadara, mudardara, and megadarra.”

• More Info: What Are Lentils and How Do You Cook Them? | Cooking Light ~ 

The good thing about lentils is that they are very inexpensive and one small bag (16 oz.) can make a big pot to feed a lot of people.

Original source

Recipe Sharing: Chili Cornbread Salad (Guest Post)

In Texas, chili is a big deal! In the South (Southern states of the USA) folks love cornbread. I am from the South and currently live in Texas and I found a recipe that is a winner! I have no doubt that this dish will show up a church fellowships and other happy gatherings.

Chili Cornbread Salad ~ Recipe found here.

INGREDIENTS:
1 package (8-1/2 ounces) cornbread/muffin mix
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch rubbed sage
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (15-1/4 ounces each) whole kernel corn, drained
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
10 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

METHOD:
Prepare cornbread batter according to package directions. Stir in chilies, cumin, oregano and sage. Spread in a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and dressing mix; set aside. Crumble half of the cornbread into a 13x9-in. dish. Layer with half of the beans, mayonnaise mixture, corn, tomatoes, green pepper, onions, bacon and cheese. Repeat layers (dish will be very full). Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

How Bread Dipping Oil Can Save Your Next Impromptu Gathering (Guest Post)

No one would argue with you if you claimed to have never thought about bread dipping oil outside of certain Italian restaurants. Then again, why would you? We’ve come to know this little tasty treat as something to help tide us over while we wait for our main course, and in some cases, the dipping oil was much more satisfying. The thing is that bread dipping oil is starting to make a name for itself in home entertainment as a way of jazzing up the snack game. No longer are big bowls of chips and dip acceptable as snacks for guests (actually, who are we kidding — they are). Even if you have surprise guests, the expectation of having a nice snack on-hand is enough to start making bread dipping oil very chic nowadays.

The fact is we are also a very social species that hates to disappoint. If you have family or friends come by your place without prior notice, it can be a little unnerving, but you still want to be a good host. Then again, maybe it’s more than just someone dropping by. Maybe you’re out with the gang and someone calls your place for the after-party. Everyone is stoked, and even though you’re “high-fiving” everyone, deep down, you’re terrified because you may not have enough Vienna sausages for a group.

So, how big a deal is bread dipping oil? Here are a few ways it can really save the day:

Simplicity to the Core — Good extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. That’s it. Have some nice bread available, and you’ve got all you need.

Keep Ingredients in the Pantry — Seasonings like salt and pepper are always a part of any kitchen, and along with these staples, you may already cook with olive oil. With such a perfect combination ready to go, it makes you wonder why you have some much other stuff in your pantry.

Save Money — There’s no need to order food or pilfer your fridge and freezer for snacks. And chances are that once you buy the ingredients you’d need for your dip, you probably won’t have to buy them again for a bit.

Can Set the Scene — Impromptu gatherings can sometimes come at the worst time because you’re just not up for it. Still, these are also the type of get-togethers that really turn into some happening parties. Your dip can play to each possibility.

Though the biggest selling point about bread dipping oil is its simplicity, you can really amp up the flavor in very unique ways. You can get a little crazy with the type of salt and pepper you use. Probably the biggest flavor bomb you can drop on your guests is using locally-sourced quality olive oil for the dip. Find the right bottle, and you can literally forget adding a single thing to the oil.

Texas Hill Country Olive Company in Dripping Springs, Texas has bread dipping oil that will make your next get-together the stuff of legends.

* * Article Writer: ALFRED MEARS

Image credit: Tuscan Herbs,Garlic, Basil, Truffle Flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 8.5-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 4) by Grand'aroma

Desserts: "Yolka" with Mango and Passion Fruit Confiture (Guest Post)

Exotic fruits like mango and passion fruit can turn a dessert in a gourmet delight.  You are going to love this recipe.

  "Yolka" with mango and passionfruit confiture

Ingredients: ⠀

⠀ 📌Merengue:
Egg white 150 g
Granulated sugar 300 g
Lemon juice 1 tsp
⠀
⠀ 📌Cream mascarpone:
Mascarpone 150 g
Cream 33% fat 100 g
Powdered sugar 1 tbsp (optional)
Vanilla extract 1 tsp

⠀⠀ 📌Filling:
Mango jam - passion fruit 150 g
⠀
Preparation:

STEP 1. Meringue:
Heat the protein with sugar in a water bath, stirring constantly, until the sugar crystals dissolve. Remove the protein mass from heat, beat with a mixer until stable peaks. At the end of whipping, add lemon juice. On pastry parchment, draw 3 circles of the desired diameter, turn over and place on a baking sheet. Spread the protein mass with a silicone spatula (or spoon) within the circles drawn, making a small indentation in the center of the circle. Place the baking sheet in an oven preheated to 150 ° C and immediately reduce the temperature to 100 ° C. Bake for ~ 1.5 hours. The exact baking time and temperature range depend on the power of your oven. The meringue should not brown, but should have a hard crust. Cool the finished meringue cakes. ⠀

STEP 2. Cream mascarpone:
Using a mixer, beat the chilled cream with mascarpone and vanilla extract until stable peaks (add powdered sugar if desired). ⠀

STEP 3. Assembly:
Put the cream on the meringue cake, then add a layer of confiture. Repeat with the following cakes. Place the finished cake in the refrigerator for ~ 1 hour.

❗️ Notes: To prevent the pastry parchment from slipping on the baking sheet, grease the edges with whipped protein mass and glue it to the nasty. Bon Appetit!

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The Ratio of Dry and Fresh Herbs (Guest Post)

Herbs are expensive to buy, but because they take so little space, they are also really easy to grow your own. If you purchase fresh herbs from the grocery store, you can extend the life of any fresh cut herb by wrapping the stems in a damp paper towel and place the entire bunch inside a bag for refrigeration. To deal with the excess before it goes bad, you can chop, add a little oil and freeze 1 tsp. or 1 tbsp. blobs on a sheet, and then bag for use later.

You can also dry herbs. Wash and remove leaves from the stem, simply place on a paper towel over a cooling rack, or use a dehydrator tray. Place where the air is warm and there is less light (sunlight will reduce the essential oils). Once dry, store in repurposed clean jars in a dark cupboard. If you are drying large amounts, keep the bulk of it in whole leaf form and only lightly grind the amount meant for storage in the kitchen cupboard.

Dry herbs? Fresh herbs? The answer is: either. The ratio of replacing dry herbs with fresh herbs goes like this:

• 1 tsp. dry herb = 1 Tbsp. fresh herb

However - IF the dry herbs are older than 2 years, increase the ratio to:

• 2 tsp. dry herb = 1 Tbsp. fresh herb

Some herbs such as bay leaf, parsley and cilantro, become quite mild after dehydrating, so cooks often double the amount:

• 1 leaf = 2 leaves
• 1 tsp. = 2 tsp.

If herbs have accidentally been ground into a powder, this fine flour is now more concentrated and this is the ratio:

• 1 tsp. fine ground dry herb = 1 Tbsp. dry herb

Hope you find these cooking tips useful!

AUTHORS:  Lillian and her husband Dave are the team behind Brummet Media Group, high-fiving cheerfully as they pass each other on the way from checking off one item or other from their long to-do list. Their business includes Dave's music studio and percussion accessory products and graphic design work, as well as popular blogs and numerous award-winning non-fiction books. 

- From One Small Garden, with over 300 delicious, nutritious recipes! 

Visit the Brummets @: http://www.BrummetMedia.ca

Original Source

Seafood: Which is More Nutritional? Salmon or Trout?

Seafood is included in the diets of people all around the world because of its nutritional value.  Everyone will probably agree that trout and salmon are both highly valued food. Either that or the fishmonger at the local grocery store is charging a fortune for cheap goods. Just kidding. Love my local grocery store. There’s always lots of fresh quality foods and the free samples offered at the Cooking Connection and at other stations in the store are delish! Though we may agree that the price we pay is reasonable, we may not agree on the real value of this seafood. 

Do we know how these type of fish contribute to the human diet, nutrition and well being?

Seafood is not my specialty so bear in mind that the information below is not being supplied by an expert. It’s just tidbits gleaned from a little bit of research. OK. Here we go!

Trout versus Salmon. A few quick facts.

May the best fish win!

Quick Nutrition Facts About Trout

“Trout is one of the healthiest fish you can include in your diet, says Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. Farmed trout, especially farmed rainbow trout, is a better choice than wild lake trout since farmed trout are raised in freshwater ponds and raceways that are protected from environmental contaminants.” (Source Number 11)

Per professor Paul Addis, University of Minnesota Department of Food Science and Nutrition, lake trouts are known to be the most beneficial sources of omega-3 fatty acids and niacin. A 98 gram serving of trout provides 40% of our daily protein requirement and the RDA or Recommended Dietary Allowance for humans is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (assuming the person is not overweight). Regards fat content: The average lake trout has 6 grams of total fat: 1.4 grams of saturated fat, and 60 milligrams of cholesterol in each 3-ounce serving.

Quick Nutrition Facts About Salmon

“The term “salmon” refers to a variety of species that are all “anadromous” fish, which means they are born in freshwater rivers and streams, migrate to the ocean to mature and spend much of their adult life, and then return to the streams and rivers in which they were born to spawn (reproduce) and then die. Six types of salmon are consumed in the United States including Atlantic, Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, and Sockeye Salmon. Of these, five species (Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, and Sockeye) are harvested from wild fisheries in the Pacific Ocean and one type, Atlantic salmon, is primarily farmed raised.” (Source ~ Archived content.)

Similar to lake trout, salmon from a lake (or river) is also a tremendous source of omega-3 fatty acids. However, salmon provides more total fat and less cholesterol in a 3-ounce serving. A 100 gram serving of consists of 231 calories, 25 grams of protein, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, and 3.2 grams of saturated fat. A 3-ounce serving consists of 10.5 grams of total fat and 54 milligrams of cholesterol. 

Conclusion of the Comparison 

Trout is more nutritional than salmon, in terms of total fat content and saturated fat content. But salmon consists of vitamin D which is the very vitamin trout lacks. Eat trout for your B vitamins and salmon for your D vitamin. In other words, neither one is better than the other. Me personally? I like the taste of trout better than salmon. But if you invited me to your place for lunch or dinner and served salmon, it would be gladly received with thanksgiving. As long as my seat isn’t next to the bear. 

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Additional Sources:

1. Trout Nutrition Facts | A 2 Z of Health, Beauty and Fitness
2. How much protein do you need every day? | Harvard Health Publications
3. The health benefits of… salmon | BBC Good Food
4. Is Trout Good for You? | Healthy Eating | SF Gate

Original source

The Mystery of the Perfect Condiments for Veggie Burgers

For several years we've been adjusting, changing, modifying our diet. "We" meaning my significant other and me. Had you asked me 40 years ago about “veggie burgers”, I probably would have tried to pretend not to hear the question or act like you're weren't talking to me. 

However, beginning in 2015, this is my reality check.

Veggie burgers are a real part of our nutrition plan.

Learned something about myself. Veggie burgers taste pretty good to me! Not all of them. But there is one particular brand that is inexpensive and tasty: Morningstar Farms® Garden Veggie Patties™. They have a variety of flavors: Asian, Spicy Black Bean, Mushroom, Grillers, etc. You eat them just like a regular hamburger.

(This is not affiliate advertisement.  I just like the brand.)

Made an amazing discovery. It sort of makes me feel silly because of its obviousness.

The Garden Veggie Pattie is the one that tastes the best in my opinion.  You don't have to dress it up with condiments. You don't even need to put it on a bun.

But the other ones – the mushroom, the Asian-style, the spicy bean, the chik'n or turkey grillers, etc. - are not so flavorful.  So I avoid them.

One of my daughters fixed a spicy bean burger for lunch but didn't finish the sandwich. She asked me if I wanted her leftovers; otherwise, she'd have to throw it away.

Waste food?!! Not in my house!!

So I ate what was left of her sandwich and … and … It tasted great!

Do you know why?

She put mustard and ketchup on her burger.

Duh! (O.o) That's what was missing from those veggie burgers??

The two most common under-appreciated condiments that are in homes and restaurants gave the veggie burger what it was missing. Flavor!

Why didn't I think of that??!  :)

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Marshman, Victoria. "The History of Mustard." The Nibble. Lifestyle Direct, Inc., July 2009. Web. 15 Apr 2017. © Copyright 2005-2017

Wiggins, Jasmine. "How Was Ketchup Invented?" National Geographic: About The Plate. National Geographic Society., 21 Apr. 2014. Web. 05 May 2015.

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Content also appears at Persona Paper.

***
Do You Have a Favorite Condiment for Your Food? ~ Whenever I ask this question I get a wide range of responses that went way beyond mustard and ketchup. People started throwing out: salsa, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, different kinds of mustards, chutney, mint sauce, red currant jelly, pickles and paprika, garlic and chives, Chimichurri, fish sauce and shrimp paste, Thai chili, black vinegar and peri-peri.  Talk about food diversity!

Add These Truffle Recipes to Your Holiday Treats

The last 4 months of the year, September through December, are my favorite months of the year because of the weather, because of the holidays, and because it's the only time I allow myself to indulge in sweet treats. When I hear the word “truffle”, I think chocolate. I don't think about the truffle that is some sort of fungi, called Tuber. Even though that type of truffle is highly prized as food and is used in French cooking and numerous national haute cuisines and is very expensive.

Nope! Instead I think of the chocolate truffle which is “a type of chocolate confectionery, traditionally made with a chocolate ganache centre coated in chocolate, cocoa powder, coconut, or chopped and toasted nuts (typically hazel nuts or almonds), usually in a spherical, conical, or curved shape.” (Description per Wikipedia.)

The name for this confectionery or delightful sweet treat is actually derived from the fungi for the simple reason that the confectionery and the edible fungi LOOK very similar. Even though the really expensive truffle that is used in French cooking is considered gourmet cuisine, … eh! I'd rather eat the chocolate truffle.

Did You Know? There are different types of chocolate truffles: French, Spanish, Swiss, typical European truffle, American, Belgian, and Californian. There is even a pot truffle (the recipe includes cannabis). The recipe varies slightly for each type, but they are all made with chocolate (or cocoa powder).

So happy to share this link published via the Tasty Newsletter, which is a BuzzFeed publication.

5 Delicious Truffles to Lift Your Mood

1. Custard Cream Truffles

2. White Chocolate Chip Truffle

3. Salted S'mores Truffles

4. Magic Fizzy Truffles

5. Cookies ‘n’ Cream Truffle

(P.S. If you were hoping these truffles would lift your mood because they contained cannabis … sorry! But I guess you could add it to the recipe when nobody's looking. As long as it's legal. LOL. 😊 Me personally, I get a buzz out of chocolate. 😊)

Add these truffles to your holiday treats.  Go ahead and indulge in this guilty pleasure.  You could also make them as food gifts.  

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Original source

Four Uncommon Cooking Ingredients Explained (Guest Post)

Below is a short explanation of  four (4) uncommon cooking ingredients and how to use them in cooking. 

1.  Clear Jel is a refined cornstarch that reacts better for freezing and canning recipes in particular; cornstarch tends to go cloudy in these situations. Clear Jel is used in the same proportion of cornstarch (1:1) in baking recipes. Like traditional cornstarch and the health store alternatives - arrowroot and potato powder, etc. - this product needs to be combined with the sugar (or flour) called for in the recipe prior to adding to any other ingredients in order to reduce clumps from forming.

2.  Sea salt is healthier than regular table salt; the fact that it requires less processing means it also has a smaller ecological impact. It is a natural source of iodine, which, along with other nutrients, is essential for a healthy sex life. A local herbal consultant once told us that sea salt can also be used in place of Epsom salts in your bathwater.

3.  Tamari is considered to be less salty than soy sauce and is often stocked in health food stores. You can find low-salt versions of both tamari and soy sauce. Tamari sauce, however, has enzymes that aid digestion and promote healthy intestinal bacteria.

4.  Orange Zest, citrus zest or citrus powder are all terms referring to a similar product - to simplify we personally call it 'citrus zest'. It is used to bring out other flavors and to condition flour. Chop lemon, orange or lime peel and allow to dry (or use a dehydrator) - turn this into a powder using a blender or grinder, and store in the cupboard as you would any spice or herb. 1 Tbsp of fresh zest is equal to 1 tsp. of dried; while 1 Tbsp of fresh zest is equal to 6 Tbsp. juice. As such, this one ingredient in the cupboard offers more ways of reducing grocery costs.  Making your own citrus zest at home is a fantastic way to move toward a more frugal kitchen, while reusing "waste" (the peels). 

Now that you know more about these ingredients, hopefully it will give you the confidence to use them in your kitchen.

AUTHORS:  Lillian and her husband Dave are the team behind Brummet Media Group, high-fiving cheerfully as they pass each other on the way from checking off one item or other from their long to-do list. Their business includes Dave's music studio and percussion accessory products and graphic design work, as well as popular blogs and numerous award-winning non-fiction books. 

- From One Small Garden, with over 300 delicious, nutritious recipes! 

Visit the Brummets @: http://www.BrummetMedia.ca

Original Source

World Cuisine : The India-Africa Cooking Connection

For me, a hearty stew has always been the ultimate family-style comfort food. Prepare a big pot, fill the bowls for family, friends, and honored guests, break bread, and chow down!! (Keep reading and you'll get the "bread" and "chow" references.)  Such a meal can unite family and friends, make strangers feel welcome, and dare I say ... connect countries?  Hey!  Nothing wrong with wishful thinking and dreams of world peace.

Indians love curry; in fact that's where it originated. Africans like peanuts; it was a food used to feed the slaves because it was an excellent source of protein. These tidbits of info gleaned from researching world cuisine, global flavors, and food history.  When the Indians and the Africans combined their food loves ... the "mix" was WOW!  Let the links shared below explain the impact.  They lead to recipes that introduce your palette to the blending of the cultures of  India and Africa in every delicious mouthful.  Not just dishes that use curry and peanuts but meals with other flavorful cultural ingredients.  It's family food, it's comfort food, it's "all kinds of deliciousness" food!! ☺

Let's Go to South Africa for Some Indian Food

Experience the flavors of Indian food in South Africa.

Indian cuisine South Africa style blends Indian and African foods

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African cuisine reflects the amalgamation of hundreds of different cultures and groups that inhabit the continent. The local culinary traditions are a fusion and it can be seen in the choice of ingredients, method of preparation and cooking techniques.

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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$.

Veggie Spotlight: Scallions

Do you see the image below? What do you call these veggies? Scallions? Green onions? Spring onions?

I am confused because some say scallions are not the same as spring onions. Yet the chefs on TV call them green onions or spring onions ... they call them everything but scallions. Have you noticed that?

The first time I tried them was in a salad. A friend took me to a salad bar at a restaurant. I couldn't believe how those little green and white bits and pieces completely changed the flavor of the salad! Then I went to a Chinese restaurant and ordered the won ton soup with my meal. They had a bowl of chopped scallion on the table, with a bowl of crispy fried noodles and some other garnishes. I didn't know what to do, so I just took a spoonful of the scallions and the crispy noodles and sprinkled it in the soup. It was fantastic! First food experiences can be so wonderful!

But back to the questions.

Scallions? Green onions? Spring onions?

Of course, I decided to ask the experts.
Here is one answer.

Difference Between Scallions and Green & Spring Onions | Kitchn

• "Green onions and scallions are actually the same thing!"

• "Spring onions, on the other hand, look similar to scallions, but you’ll notice that they have small onion bulbs at the base."

Well whatever they are called, I love them! They add a wonderful layer of flavor to a green salad. I also love them chopped and sprinkled on top of a soup made with a clear broth, like won ton soup.

They are super easy to grow. I only mention this because they may not be cheap where you live. At our local grocery store we can get a bunch for about 35 cents. However, a friend in Europe says they are not cheap. But it's OK because they're easy to grow.

• Scallions: Plant Care & Growing Guide

I don't really know many recipes that list them as an ingredient during the cooking. Most of the time, people sprinkle them on the dish after the cooking is done. I'm still learning how to use the scallion as it was not a common cooking ingredient in my mom's dishes.

Anybody else love this flavorful member of the onion family?

Original source

Diet and Nutrition: Yet Another Article About Weight Loss

No doubt you have read these or heard them before, but you know what psychologist say about reinforcement. “... reinforcement is a consequence applied that will strengthen an organism's future behavior whenever that behavior is preceded by a specific antecedent stimulus.” (Source)

Here is Some Reinforced Advice to Lose Weight:


Number 1: Weight Loss and Fitness Tips

GQ INDIA published these easy tips, diet hacks and workout routines in the Live Well Section of their online publication tiir. These should help you get started. Intermittent fasting, walking, yoga, and sleeping better are recommended. You should avoid binge-eating but you can swap it with something called “cheat meals”. (Really?)

Easy Weight Loss Tips, Diet Hacks, and Workout Routines

 

Number 2: Mediterranean Diet? Why not?

Researchers confirm that the main health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet is that it protects against heart diseases. Applying my logic, I say that since everybody has a heart, the Mediterranean Diet must be good for everybody!

Proven Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet

Number 3: Counting Calories, Etc. OK!

Yes dieting requires discipline and you have to be diligent in watching what you eat. You might have to count calories. Yeah! It's not like we didn't know that already! But we have to be told because psychologists say humans respond well to clear direction and positive reinforcement in order to push through anything that takes effort. Dieting definitely takes effort! Do you know how to count calories?

Calorie Counting Dos and Donts

 

Number 4: We All Know SOUP is Good Food!

My first year at university, I loved to hang out with my friends and eat pizza. Lots and lots of pizza! Needless to say I packed on the pounds! I had to come up with a meal that nutritious and filling. Did you know that a bowl of soup can do the trick? Especially if it's a detox soup. Here are 4 Detox Soup Recipes that melt belly fat because they boost metabolism.

Four (4) Life-Changing Detox Soup Recipes

 

Number 5: Take It Off and Keep It Off! Here’s  How.

Many of us reach our weight loss goals only to gain back the weight. Why? Because we did not maintain the healthy eating and dieting habits we used to lose the weight. How do we take it off and keep it off? Simple. You should “focus on identifying which foods nourish your body and give you the proper fuel you need to live a great life”.

How to Eat Better and Master Your Nutrition 

Hope you found this content useful.

Original content source

My Favorite Fun Food: Pudding!

Hello!  Thank you so much for visiting my foodie blog.  Was it the word "pudding" that tempted you here?  LOL.  Food Ways is just one of the places on the web where I publish or have published content about my love for food.    

Virily.com is a social blogging community and I have published content there on a wide range of topics.  One of those topics is food!  One of my favorite post series is called "Irresistible Fun Food".  I shared about 20 posts in this series.  Sharing a link to my post about pudding.  Enjoy!

Pudding goes on my list for fun food, thanks to Jell-O’s creation of instant pudding.  In my circles, mention pudding and folks just want to know if they’re being offered banana pudding or chocolate pudding.  No surprise that if you search for pudding recipes on Twitter, the first few recipes that pop up are banana and chocolate.

After that, there is rice pudding or bread pudding.  The recipes for these are not instant.  I will admit that I was never a fan of old-fashioned rice pudding but the way the Indians make it gave me second thoughts.  I do like the old-fashioned bread pudding because my mom used to bake it with old bread and raisins.  It was very filling.

These are the common puddings (or rather the puddings that I know about). When it comes to pudding there are some cooks or chefs who use ingredients that never crossed my mind like persimmon or tiramisu.

♦  Click through to continue reading and view additional content:

Irresistible Fun Food: Pudding

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

Foodie Friday : Name Your Favorite Instant Noodle

The world will always love, honor, and remember Momofuku Ando (1910 - 2007). He's the man who invented the Ramen instant noodle.

Fascinating food history:

Instant noodles were first marketed in 1958.

Cup of noodles didn't come along until 1971.

My not so fascinating life history facts:

♦ I was born in 1955. Can't remember when I started eating the instant noodles, but it must have been after the year 2000 and it must have been because one of my daughters who love all things Asian was eating them. I know I didn't eat them during my childhood, during my years at the University of Miami (the 70s), during the first 25 years of my marriage (2001 is when my last child was born). I did the grocery shopping most of the time and my husband shopped every now and then. So it had to be one of my kids that introduced this food into our home. Can't recall. Just know that instant noodles got added to our grocery list one day and we've been eating them ever since.

Said all that to say this.

♦ When it comes to the selection of Ramen noodles at the local grocery stores, there isn't really a vast range of products to choose from. Pretty much it's the popular name brand of the instant ones in the cup or the ones in the little package. That particular food is so cheap you don't need to buy the “generic brand” to save money. That was the inventor's purposeful good intention. He wanted a food that was super cheap that could feed the masses. (Gleaned that food fact from a documentary I watched on TV, several years back.)

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Who would have thought that someone could publish a blog with nothing but reviews of Ramen noodles?

The blog is called … what else? The Ramen Rater.

* * *

When I first saw it, I thought:

Oh come on!! How many packaged instant noodles can there possibly be for you to rate them?

Uuuhhh … try 2000+.

Seriously. His Tumblr blogs posts go back to 2012 but the guy's reviews go back to date back to 2002!! TheRamenRater.com

(Maybe that was also the year I started eating them. (O.o) (???))

NOTE:  This content was updated and published at Read.Cash.

* * Additional Fun Links:

What are some of your favorite ways of serving Ramen style noodles?

Momofuku Ando : From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

♦ ♦ ♦
Fun Foodie Links:
The Evolution of Tea
29 Asian Noodle Recipes You'll Want to Slurp Up Immediately

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