Archive for Fine Fare
May 28, 2008 at 9:11 am · Filed under Fine Fare
Originally, all foods were “organic” - grown and prepared without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, irradiation to prevent spoilage, and microwave cooking.
Our food these days, whether of vegetable or animal origin, is not only deficient in
nutrients but also full of pollutants and farm chemicals. The modern denaturing of
foods through massive refining and chemical treatment deeply affects their
EnergyRich qualities, making them devoid of the exact boost that we should be
getting from our food.
Here is a great recipe for the summer using some yummy, organic Swiss Chard:
Organic Swiss Chard
1 or 2 bunches Organic Swiss chard
1/8 teaspoon Brittany sea salt
2 teaspoon Organic virgin olive oil
4 lemon wedges
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1. This recipe works for many different cooking greens like: collard greens, turnip or
beet tops, mustard greens, spinach, tat-soi, and rapini (broccoli rabe)
2. Wash chard well to remove all sand and remove all tough stems.
3. In a large saucepan, bring to a boil about 1/2 inch of water and drop in the Swiss
chard leaves.
4. Return to a boil, cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes until leaves are tender.
5. Add salt and remove from heat.
6. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of cooking liquid.
7. Add oil to the reserved liquid and pour desired amount over the chard before
serving.
8. Serve each portion with a lemon wedge and sesame seeds.
9. Enjoy!
To your health and success, Heather
Heather Dominick is a Nutrition and Energy Consultant accredited by the
American Association of Drugless Practitioners and creator of The Energy Rich
Lifestyle Program. In addition to her nutrition services, she is a motivating and
dynamic speaker.
Want to use this article on your website or your own ezine? You absolutely can! But
here’s what you MUST include: Heather Dominick, Certified Holistic Nutrition
Counselor, is founder of the EnergyRich Lifestyle Program, the proven step-by-
step program to help you achieve your best health and fullest life. Sign up for her
freebie EnergyRICH Tips and receive a Free Report: Crucial Tips For Grocery
Shopping at http://www.individual-health.net
May 22, 2008 at 1:23 pm · Filed under Fine Fare
Burgundy red wines are produced in an area of France stretching from Dijon south to Beaujolais. The northern section of Burgundy is called the Cote d’Or (hills of gold) and generally, the farther north the Burgundy vineyard, the richer flavored the wine. Here the Pinot Noir grape produces deliciously seductive wines combining grace and power with supple velvet textures and complex flavors. Many of the finest Burgundy vineyards are located halfway up the hillsides, midway between overly fertile valley soils and the too steep and rocky upper slopes.
The southernmost red Burgundy region is Beaujolais, where the grapes used are Gamay rather than Pinot Noir and the wines are made to emphasize fruit and charm. Generally, these Burgundy wines are fashioned to be enjoyed in their youth, slightly chilled to bring out their berry-like character. Beaujolais should be fruity but dry, with an underlying acidity that helps complement an amazing array of foods.
The vineyards of Burgundy are ranked. The very best vineyard sites are labeled “Grand Cru.” Other vineyard sites of exceptional (but not Grand Cru) quality are labeled “Premier Cru.” A Burgundy wine label will always list the most specific geographic location that the grapes originate from, and typically nothing else.
Wine Ratings - Wine ratings, wine and winery related information for the enjoyment of fine wines.
May 18, 2008 at 7:00 pm · Filed under Fine Fare
Low-Carb Ketchup
Note: One Tablesp of most ketchups have 4.0 grams of carb. Some dietary ketchups have 2.0 grams per Tablesp, but they’re made with aspartame (No longer recommended. Studies have shown aspartame to be harmful to the brain). This ketchup recipe is great and has only 0.7 gram of carb per Tablesp.
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
SERVING SIZE,1 Tablesp. CARBS PER SERVING,: 0.7 gram of carb. NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 33.
Ingredients:
cup cubed eggplant
14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
3 Tablesps tomato pasted
cup red wine vinegar
2 Teasps vinegar
2 Teasps olive oil
Teasp dried, minced onion
3 packets Splenda sugar substitute
salt to taste (approx. Teasp or more)
Steam or simmer eggplant in small amount of water until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool. Put eggplant and all other ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning. You can add small amounts of vinegar if you like a sharper taste. Store in fridge. This ketchup will keep for a week or so. You can also freeze it.
Ketchup
Ingredients:
3 cups canned tomatoes (pureed in blender)
2 teaspn onion powder
1/2 teaspn EA: cloves, allspice, cinnamon
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 pkgs Equal
Combine all ingredients except sweetener in saucepan and simmer slowly, 1 1/2 hours, stirring often. Take off heat and stir in sweetener. Cool and pour in jar. Keeps 4 months in refrigerator.
Total: 45 carb (36 NET carbs)
Makes 48 T @ .75 carbs ea.
We loved this, especially combined with mayo for Russian dressing. The flavor was a little unusual, not like regular ketchup.
Mia LaCron is the founder of low-carb-diet-blog.info - http://www.low-carb-diet-blog.info - devoted to helping individuals eat a low carb diet.
May 15, 2008 at 6:23 pm · Filed under Fine Fare
When traditional just will not suffice, contemporary wine racks are the style you need. With today’s housing becoming more modern, bold statements can add zest to a room. Whether you are looking for a wine rack to hold a couple scrumptious bottles of wine or something to hold a more substantial collection, there are always models that will appeal to you.
When selecting contemporary wine racks, it is important to decide if you have the space for freestanding wine racks or if smaller, table top wine racks are best. Freestanding wine racks can take up valuable floor space, but table top wine racks can add bulk to small tables. Hanging wine racks can save space, but they do take up wall or ceiling space. Another important aspect is if you prefer the look of metal, glass, leather, plastic, or wood. Wine racks are available in many woods and metals, so it is best to have an idea of what suits your tastes and needs.
Freestanding contemporary wine racks offer a number of unique attributes. Freestanding racks often blend the functionality of a buffet table with storage for your wine drinking needs. This wine rack can solve all of your tricky storage issues in one shot. Freestanding racks typically contain storage for both wine bottles and wine glasses. In many models, the top opens up revealing hidden storage for wine openers, trivets, and other wine accessories. Contemporary wine racks balance a more modern look with storage space.
Table top racks come in all shapes and styles. Choosing eye-catching table top wine racks adds flair to any kitchen or dining room. Wine racks of this style are intended to form the centerpiece of your dining room table. Push aside your plain salt and pepper shakers and replace them with a stunning wine rack. The majority of these racks hold between three and twelve bottles of wine. When you have a large group of wine drinking friends dining at your house, this type of rack makes it easy to remain at the table while serving another bottle of wine. You do not need to worry about missing conversations while you run to the kitchen to retrieve a new bottle of wine.
Studies show that drinking a glass of red wine daily can be beneficial to your health. Keep a few bottles of wine stored in contemporary wine racks, and enjoy partaking in a glass of a tasty red at dinnertime.
View the best contemporary wine racks and table top wine racks we’ve found at: http://www.wine-racks-selection-guide.com
May 3, 2008 at 2:20 am · Filed under Fine Fare
Longevity interests a lot of people who aren’t ready to give up their lives, just yet, and who look to healthy alternatives to culturally defined eating patterns and “health care.”
The benefits of drinking wine have been touted for a while and are thought, by some, to be the reason why the French can get away with eating a high fat diet while enjoying a low rate of coronary disease.
A few years ago, a study by French research team also found that men who regularly drank at least two glasses of wine daily were 50 percent less likely than non-drinkers to suffer a second heart attack.
Previous studies with yeast, a small species of worm, and fruit flies have shown that resveratrol — a polyphenol antioxidant found in grapes, especially red grapes, and particularly pinot noir grapes which are grown in northern latitudes and used in wines coming from New York, Washington, and Oregon — is a life-extending compound.
In a new study from Italy, resveratrol has been used to increase the life span of a short-lived breed of tropical fish by more than 50%. Not only did fish given resveratrol in their food live longer than the control group, they stayed livelier as they aged and displayed better memory in stimulus/response tests. And the neurons in their brains didn’t decay as quickly when they died and were dissected.
Resveratrol, an organic compound contained in the skins of grapes that protects them from disease, is extracted from grapes by the wine making process. The wine becomes a preservative for the resveratrol and prevents its oxidation.
That’s why drinking grape juice or eating raisins doesn’t have the same effect; the resveratrol has neither been extracted nor preserved. It’s also been shown that resveratrol in food supplements oxidizes upon exposure to air and loses its effectiveness.
Red wine may truly be a “wondrous drug!”
Other studies have shown that wine, especially red wine, can help prevent colds, increase the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, lower the risk of Alzheimer’s, reduce the size and number of fat cells in the body, reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and has anti-inflammatory properties to boot.
Drug companies are trying to copy Red wine may truly be a “wondrous drug!”, but might not be able to preserve it’s health-preserving benefits. Besides, resveratrol is freely available in red wine and not patentable as such.
Dr. Lawrence Stepanowicz is a Doctor of Naturopathy and writer on health topics. You can find more information on good health in practice at his website and blog, practicalhealth.net.
April 18, 2008 at 4:30 pm · Filed under Fine Fare
Christmas recipe makes: 24 pies
calories per serving: 105
preparation time: 30 minutes
cooking time: 25 minutes
suitable for freezing
Christmas recipe ingredients:
* butter, 125 g (4 oz)
* white flour, plain 225 g (8 oz)
* mincemeat, 225 g (8 oz)
* egg, lightly beaten 1
* caster sugar
* cream
Fruity Mincemeat:
* lemon, grated rind and juice from 1
* raisins/sultanas, 125 g (4 oz) of each
* currants & dried peaches (or apricots, pears),125 g (4 oz) of
each
* mixed spice, 1.25 ml (quarter tsp)
* sugar, light brown 100 g (3.5 oz)
* brandy, 100 ml (4 fl oz)
* eating apples, 200 g (7 oz)
* white grapes, seedless 125 g (4 oz)
Christmas recipe instructions:
1. Mincemeat: Combine the brandy, brown sugar, mixed spice,
dried fruit, and lemon rind with juice. Add cubed apple and
halved grapes. Mix and keep at about 5 degrees centigrade for a
minimum of a day.
2. Make a dough with water (60 ml, 4 tbsp), the butter and
flour. Knead until smooth and roll out a layer of thin pastry.
Cut out 48 round pieces of pastry using a cutter (5.5 cm, 2.25
inch).
3. Place some mincemeat in the middle of each and seal with
another round piece wetting the edges before closing. Pierce the
top for ventilation purposes.
4. Bake the mincepies until set but not browned at gas mark 6
(200 degrees centigrade, 400 F).
5. When ready, remove from the oven, brush with beaten egg white
and sprinkle withg caster sugar. Bake again for an additional 10
minutes or until well browned.
6. Serve warm with cream.
April 4, 2008 at 1:49 pm · Filed under Fine Fare
Nature yields, in full, her bounty and beauty all year long in
the deep valleys, fertile grasslands, tropical rain forests and
rolling plains shadowed by 3000 foot plus range of Andes peaks
that divide Colombia lengthwise into thirds. Hundreds of
varieties of flowers unfurl into bloom, perfuming the air even
in winter, although winter in this northwestern corner of the
South American continent is a subjective term. Hummingbirds and
multi-colored finches dot even the urban scenery in such numbers
that you’ll undoubtedly think, “Surely there’s a machine around
the corner manufacturing them.” The fauna is impressive, but the
quantities of tropical fruits are astounding.
Tropical Fruits Galore Markets abound with ripe, fresh tropical
fruits in myriads of colors and flavors like the
grapefruit-sized Borojo which is said to have aphrodisiac
properties in its chocolate brown, thick, creamy pulp. Most
often it’s blended with milk for a creamy, flavorful drink.
Chontaduro, the plum sized bright red and yellow fruit of a palm
tree, is sold on street corners everywhere in Cali, Colombia’s
third largest city, as a high-calorie snack eaten with salt or
covered with honey. Okay, so it’s high in cholesterol, but who
thinks about that as they’re wolfing them down? The Carambolo,
also called star fruit for its five pointed shape, has a
haunting, light, bittersweet flavor you’ll find refreshing due
to its ultra-high water content.
Why not try a two-and-a-half foot long Guama? Reminiscent of a
giant string bean, with a cottony, sweet pulp and thumb-sized,
shiny black seeds. There’s the Zapote with its burnt orange
colored pulp that permanently stains all it touches, Granadilla,
and Maracuya, which you might know as Passion Fruit. The Curuba
is another that should make your must-try list along with the
pink-fleshed Guayaba with pinhead-sized seeds so hard that even
a hammer won’t break them open. The bright orange and green
Lulo, with its tart greenish pulp, makes a juice not unlike
strong lemonade - but better. Don’t worry; you’ll add plenty of
sugar - unless you want the hair taken off your chest - from the
inside. All these and more are available to pack your pantry
along with a bevy of over-sized vegetables. Haven’t sampled
these yet? Let me tell you, they’re ALL delicious! Just you wait
and see.
The year-long growing season allows papayas to attain nearly the
size of watermelons, carrots as big around as your wrist,
mangoes weighing more than a pound each and coconuts containing
up to three glasses of “water.” Orange juice bursting with
flavor is always fresh-squeezed here as practically all other
fruit and vegetable juices are. “Are you SURE you didn’t add
sugar to this?” I asked after a long pull on an orange juice.
“Nope. Don’t have to.” My friend replied. “Why - don’t you think
it’s more than sweet enough?” I sure do.
Colombian Coffee Let’s not forget the tantalizing aroma of
Colombia’s mild black coffee that will wake anyone from their
deepest slumber with a smile. Coffee likes to be grown in the
cool air of mountainous slopes. Because it also prefers the
shade, it’s usually planted in the shade of banana trees. The
steepness of the slopes, and being interspersed with tall, large
banana trees makes harvesting difficult, so it must be done by
hand - berry by berry. Now, there are two beans in each coffee
berry. A coffee tree may produce around two thousand ripe coffee
beans each year. Since it takes about two thousand beans to make
one pound, a coffee tree yields only a pound of coffee per year.
By many, it’s considered to be the richest coffee in the world.
Called “tinto”, it’s served freshly-brewed to every house guest
or office visitor as a common courtesy.
Other Foods Not only are the fruits and vegetables different,
but other foods as well. They eat ants here. Yeah, you read
right - ants. But not the ones you slap away from your picnic
vittles, these are specially-raised “Hormigas Culonas” which
have an enlarged abdomen. They’re cleaned, then roasted or fried
and served with a wedge of cheese or a small container of honey.
Only the crunchy abdomen is dipped in honey then bitten off and
eaten. They’re sort of like partially popped kernels of popcorn.
(Hey, don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it.) To be honest, I
had the “willies” my first time too. Now I’m an “old hand” who
buys’em by the bag when they’re on sale in the spring.
This represents but a sparse handful of the thousands of
varieties of fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, stems, roots,
tubers and other unique edibles to found in the cornucopia of
tropical delights that is called Colombia. It would take a
lifetime to sample and savor all the offerings available here.
So when you visit, keep an open mind and try to be content with
tasting perhaps just a few dozen or so.
