Gourmet Home and Family

This one of my favorite low-calorie, low-fat and fast go to meals. My family all love it and I get requests for it and the recipe often. I hope you enjoy. Try adding in your own favorite variety of vegetables to keep your stir-fries fresh and new. Be sure to check out my tips on how to peel and devein shrimp, below the recipe.

Garlic Shrimp & Asparagus Stir-Fry

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and devein
1 med. onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 stalks celery, cut into ½ inch pieces
12 spears asparagus, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 c. broccoli, chopped into small pieces
2 c. cauliflower, chopped into small pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ c. soy sauce
2 pkts. Splenda or other sugar substitute
1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

Lightly mist a large skillet with olive oil pan spray and preheat over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower. Cook and stir until vegetables are almost tender. Add shrimp, soy sauce, crushed red pepper, and Splenda. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until shrimp are pink and opaque.

Makes 2 servings
Calories: 250 per serving Fat: 1 gram

Peeling Shrimp

Using your thumb, loosen the shell, starting from the underside of the shrimp. If the shrimp are curled, this will be along the inside of the crescent-shaped shrimp. The shell should peel away with little resistance. Leaving the tail on or off, is really a matter of preference. If you do want it peeled off, hold the end of the shrimp firmly, between the thumb and fore-finger, at the base of the tail and give a little pull.

Deveining Shrimp

Use a small knife and cut a slit, about a 1/4-inch deep, along the back of the shrimp. A small, dark line will be revealed–this is the intestinal track and can contain sand and grit.
Devein the shrimp under cool running water, using your thumb or a small knife to remove the track. Your shrimp are now ready to be cooked.

Drop me a few comments and come back soon.

Stir-frying is quick and easy, can be full of lean protein, low in fat and offer a healthy serving of your daily recommend of vegetables. Any meat can be used but must be fresh so as not to become tough during the quick cooking. Aim for a variety of vegetables to keep your stir-frying interesting. Be sure to use the freshest ingredients and follow these tips for good success.

Choosing The Best Pan

• A wok or a large skillet can be used for stir-frying. A wok is preferred because it has a large cooking surface that allows for quick and hot cooking. The wok also has deep sloping sides that hold food in the pan as you stir.

• What ever pan you choose, make sure that it is big enough to hold the amount of food you will be cooking. For example, if you are cooking for four, you will need a 14-inch wok or a 12-inch skillet.
• If using a wok, be sure it is appropriate for your stovetop. You must use a flat bottom wok for electric stovetop. If you have gas burners you can use a flat bottom wok or a round bottom wok with a holding ring.

Preparation Is Key

Stir-frying is best when done as a fast process without interruption. Being prepared is one of the top tips for cooking with this method.

• Measure and prepare all ingredients before getting started. Beef and pork should be sliced across the grain, with a sharp carving knife, as thinly as you can slice. Chicken or turkey should be sliced along the grain, to prevent crumbling during cooking.

• Cut your items into uniform sizes, the vegetables should be thin and not too big so they will cook evenly and at the same rate. Slices, quarter-slices and sticks work well
• Place all ingredients next to the stove, arranged in the order that they will be used.

Keep it Hot, Keep it Moving

Stir-fry should be cooked “hot & fast”. You want to keep the temperature high enough that the food will indeed be stir-fried and not steamed. High heat will also retain the crunchy texture of the vegetables.
Keep the food moving, that’s why it’s called stir-fry. Allowing the ingredients to sit to long will cause them to become overcooked and mushy.

• Place wok or skillet on the largest burner of your stovetop.

• Heat your pan over high heat until hot, add oil, swirl around and heat until hot but not smoking.
• The meat should typically be cooked first to avoid overcooking, and then removed from the pan before adding the vegetables and sauces. Cooking and browning on all sides seals in the flavor of the meat. Return the meat to the pan at the end of cooking.
• Vegetables should be added in the right order: from toughest to softest. This ensures that they have the right texture at the end of cooking. Cook vegetables until crisp-tender.
• Add your ingredients in the order given in the recipe. Stir-fry over high to medium-high heat to cook the food quickly.
• Using a large, flat wooden spatula or long-handled spoon, stir and toss the food as it cooks. The food should be tossed while it’s cooking to brown and cook on all sides quickly.
• Serve your stir-fry immediately as the food continues to cook when taken off the heat and can quickly become overcooked.

I will be adding the recipe to one of my low fat, low calorie stir-fries using shrimp and asparagus. And I promise, the Hot and Sour soup recipe is coming. I had to order one of my key ingredients online so I am waiting for it’s arrival. The wait will be worth it, so come back soon.

Even though cast iron pans have been around for centuries, they are still the preferred pan of many cooks. I would like to share with you some tips and methods for caring for cast iron. I hope these help keep your cast iron pans in tip-top shape and ready for many years of use.

Pros:
They are pretty low-cost. You can find a 12 inch skillet for around $25.
They are very durable and if taken care of, can last for decades.
They can be used both on the stove top and in the oven.

Cons:
Cast iron is not recommended for cooking acid-based ingredients, such as tomatoes.
You need to maintain their finish by seasoning them. But a well-seasoned pan will have a smooth, black finish, that makes it practically non-stick.
Pans need to be seasoned when new, and occasionally over time.

Seasoning Is Easy
Pans must be seasoned when new, unless it’s been done by the manufacturer. Wash the pan with a stiff brush, soap and water. Dry completely by air or with paper towels. Use one of these two methods to season.

#1 Heat pan over high heat until it begins to smoke. Turn off the heat and add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Using tongs and fresh paper towels, spread the oil all around the pan, including the outside of the pan. Use new paper towels to remove any excess oil, and let the pan cool. Repeat once or twice until the finish is smooth.

#2 Heat oven to 350 F.
Wipe entire surface, inside and out, with a thin layer of oil. Place the cast iron pan upside down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place in oven and heat for 1 hour. Turn off oven; let pan cool completely in the oven.

To Maintain Finish
Do not wash your cast iron pan with soap. Rinse under hot water, scrubbing with a nylon brush or pad. To dry, heat over low heat until all moisture has evaporated. Remove from heat and add a few drops of oil. Wipe the interior with a paper towel until lightly covered. Use a clean paper towel to wipe out any excess.

Deep Cleaning
If the surface becomes rusty or gummy, you need to clean it before re-seasoning.

Coat the inside of your cast iron pan with oil. Heat over med-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle salt over the inside bottom of pan. Use a paper towel to scrub the inside of the pan. The warm oil will loosen rust and the salt will act as an abrasive. Rinse in hot water, dry on the stove top and repeat if necessary.

Re-season your pan using one of the above methods.

And there you have it, cast iron is strong, durable, non-stick and can be used on stove top, in the oven or over open flame. If well taken care of, cast iron can last for generations. My mother has a large family size cast iron skillet that has been around for a good 30+ years and is well coveted on every home visit, by every sister. I don’t want to even try to cook in one that is not well seasoned, so I have not broke down and purchased my own yet. I know, I am slacking. How will my future generations have the benefit of a well seasoned and aged cast iron if I don’t start one? I think the time has come. Come back soon for some good home “cast iron” cooking in the near future.

One of the secrets to good-tasting Asian food at home, is to know about the key sauces and oils Asian home cooks use. In this post I would like to share with you some of these ingredients and a little on how to use them. All are readily available, inexpensive and most can be kept and stored indefinitely. So stock up and get ready to put them to good use in your Asian fare.

Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin sauce is one of the most common of all the prepared Asian sauces. It is made from a blending of chiles, vinegar, garlic, sugar and spices. Hoisin is a thick sauce that adds a sweet, light spice to anything from meat, poultry, fish, stir-fries and is even used as a condiment. Keep Hoisin sauce in the refrigerator indefinitely.

Fish Sauce

In Southeast Asia, fish sauce is as widely used as soy sauce. Fish sauce is made from salted and fermented fish. It can range in color from dark brown to light amber. It enhances the flavor of foods the same way salt and lemon juice do. Use fish sauce in place of soy sauce in sauces, stir-fries and marinades. The pungent aroma and taste will mellow when combined and cooked with food. Store it indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Asian Chili Sauce

Asian chili sauce, unlike American chili sauce has no tomatoes. It’s made from ground chilies, vinegar, garlic, salt and sugar. The tiniest amount will add a fiery heat to your cooking. Used widely as a condiment and in marinades, stir-fries, sauces and soups. Use Asian chili sauce wherever spiciness is desired. It also will store in the refrigerator indefinitely.

Soy Sauce

Considered one of the most important ingredients in Asian cooking. Soy sauce is made from soybeans, barley or wheat, salt and is an all-purpose seasoning. Providing one of the most basic flavor components of Asian foods, soy sauce is also used as a condiment, in sauces, stir-fries, marinades and many other dishes. Can be stored indefinitely at room temperature.

Dark Sesame Oil

Dark sesame oil has a strong nutty flavor, is rich brown in color and made from toasted ground sesame seeds. Used mainly as a finishing touch to give sauces, marinades, and stir-fries a toasted flavor. Sesame oil is not generally used as a cooking oil and should be used sparingly because of it’s intense flavor. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 year. The cold will cause it to become cloudy and thick but it will thin when left at room temperature.

One of my favorite Asian dishes is Hot & Sour soup which uses several of these key sauces so I keep them all on hand. There is nothing like a hot bowl of homemade Hot & Sour soup. Come back soon for my easy recipe and while your here, let me know what some of your favorite Asian dishes are and if you would like to see recipes for any of them.

With the new year comes new promises, new changes and also cold days. I would like to share with you an HCG, low carb, low calorie and low fat, soul warming comfort soup. This soup will help you keep your promise of a new change and hopefully a new you. This recipe is very filling and full of good for you veggies and lean meat. It is a throw together and forget meal that will please any palate.

Italian Veal or Beef Soup

1 lb. veal or lean beef cubes, cut for stew
6 c. beef broth
8 c. cabbage, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, cut into ½ inch pieces
4 green onions, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
½ t. crushed rosemary
1 t. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Cooking time 6-8 hours – crock pot
Can also be prepared on stove top

Spray a 11″ skillet with olive oil pan spray and heat on med-high heat.
Brown veal or beef cubes, stirring until browned on all sides.
Place all ingredients into a 4 quart or larger crock pot or slow cooker. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours until meat is very tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Makes 4 servings of 2 ½ cups each
Calories: 242   Fat: 6.5g    Carb: 15g     per serving

Give this hearty soup a try and see how good food can help beat those cold weather comfort cravings. We all need the comfort of a wholesome home cooked meal in these bleak winter days, why not make it a healthy diet forming one? Can’t wait to here from you, come back soon.

In this article, I am sharing with you a list of fat-fighting foods. These foods are readily available and most you probably already have in your cupboards or refrigerator. Take a look and see if there are any that strike your fancy.

Greek Yogurt:
Protein is what makes greek yogurt a weight loss tool. It has twice as much protein as other yogurt. Protein takes longer to leave the stomach so you stay satisfied longer. Also, the body burns more calories digesting protein than when digesting carbohydrates.
Choose non-fat, low-fat, and low sugar types to help fight fat.

Vinegar:
Dressing your salad with oil and vinegar is another fat-fighting tip. Some studies are showing that vinegar may help break down body fat.
Vinegar is full of flavor, which helps to satisfy and has zero calories.

Cinnamon:
Studies show that cinnamon may help stabilize blood sugar levels.This could help in fighting food cravings and is particularly useful for those with type 2 diabetes.
Stir some into whole grain hot cereal, tea, coffee, or yogurt to add sweetness without adding calories.

Quinoa:(pronounced Keen-Wah)
This whole grain has 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in every cup and it’s as easy to cook as rice. Quinoa is full of the nutrients iron, zinc, selenium,
and vitamin E.
Pare with a lean protein and steamed vegetables for a quick and easy dinner.

Hot Peppers

Chili peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which appears to curb appetite and speed up metabolism slightly. The hotter the pepper the more capsaicin.
Studies suggest that people tend to eat less when eating spicy food.

And there you have it, foods that are good and good for you. I already use most all of these jewels in my day to day cooking and have noticed a good decrease in HT’s blood sugar levels when he is getting a steady dose of cinnamon. Feel free to leave comments and come back soon.

With the new year comes a chance for change and a fresh start. Lets start with 3 tips for your diet success in 2011.

Have A Plan

Having a diet plan before you get started can improve your chances of success. Instead of crash dieting for a few days and then going back to your pre-diet eating habits, come up with a plan that’s sustainable. Look for a diet that fits into your life style and family routine. Try to choose a diet you know you can stick to for weeks or months.
Depending on you and your families dietary habits, you might do better on a low-carbohydrate or a low-fat diet. Simply choose a diet plan that features a reduction in calories with no specific food list. You can also use a website like sparkpeople.com to help keep track of your calories, weight loss and exercise.

Stock A Healthy Pantry and Have Delicious Recipes To Go With It

Get rid of foods that don’t fit your new eating plan. Replace unhealthy foods with nuts, fresh or dried fruits, whole-wheat crackers. Stock up on fresh and frozen vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal and quinoa. Having healthy food around will make it easier to stick to your plan.
Find delicious recipes in cookbooks or online that will help you enjoy the healthy foods you are choosing. Look for quick and easy to prepare foods that use fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs so that you don’t get stuck eating the same boring things over and over. Set out a night each week to try a new food or cuisine to help you learn new, exciting flavors and textures.

Plan To Deal With Roadblocks

You can give yourself a day off your diet every week or every two weeks. If you’re tempted to eat something off plan, tell yourself to wait until your day off. Make a list of food options you can eat and carry non-perishable snacks in your purse or store in your desk to help stay on plan. Also make a list of things you can do when cravings or emotional-eating strike. Have a tall glass of water and see if the craving subsides. Often times thirst is mistaken for hunger.
If you still have the urge to eat the wrong foods, you could go for a walk, call a friend, get a manicure, or take a soothing hot bath.

Being thorough in your planning can help to make sure you are in the best position and taking the right steps to achieve your diet success. Come back soon and as always, comments are welcome.

Every year about this time I get a visitor. One that is never invited, hangs around for weeks and just makes me miserable(no it’s not my mother-in-law).
It’s a yucky, painful cough. A keep you up at night, gut ripping cough. While I have been popping cough drops and using every over the counter remedy for weeks, I FINALLY remembered what has always been able to kick out my unwanted guest…ginger. So as I sit sipping my first cup of this healing and soothing, ginger honey lemon tea, I am going to leave you with a few facts about this natural cough drop and also some ways to prepare it as a cough medicine.

Healing Properties

Consumption of ginger encourages the gall bladder to release bile, which stimulates digestion. This increases the assimilation of nutrients from the food consumed. Besides helping digestion, ginger is also used to give symptomatic relief from stomach cramps, diarrhea, and bloating due to gas.

Ginger gives relief from the nausea associated with morning sickness during pregnancy. It can also be used to treat nausea caused by chemotherapy or motion sickness.

Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to relieve pain in the joints due to rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. To relieve arthritic pain, ginger is used externally, either in a bath or as a compress.

Ginger can lower cholesterol levels, which decreases high blood pressure and the risk of a stroke. It also has blood thinning properties, which reduce the chances of heart disease.

Consumption of ginger makes the body feel warm and promotes perspiration. This property is especially useful when a person is suffering from a fever, since perspiration causes a fever to break faster. Consuming ginger is also beneficial if you have a cough, cold or a sore throat. The best way to consume ginger is in the form of a ginger tea.

Honey Ginger Lemon Tea

1. Boil two cups of water with two tablespoons of grated fresh ginger for around ten minutes.
2. Strain the mixture into your cup.
   
3. Add a teaspoon of honey and some lemon for taste.
4. Drink a cup up to three times a day.

Honey Ginger Cough Syrup

1. Pour 4c. water into a pan and bring it to a boil.
2. Add 1/2c. fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced. Continue boiling until the brew is reduced by half (1 pint).
3. Stir in 3/4c. of honey and the juice from 2 lemons.
4. Pour the concoction into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
5. Take a teaspoon of your herbal syrup three times a day.

While I am already starting to feel the soothing and warming benefit of this wonder root, I’ll ask you. What are you going to give your family for their coughs, colds, and sore throats this year? Is it not so wonderful to know, we have natural and healthy ways to heal or bodies? All we need to do now is keep our minds open and figure out how to put such bounty to good use. Come back soon.

According to Wikipedia, slow food is described as such; Slow Food is an international movement founded by Carlo Petrini in 1986. It strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and promotes farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem.

The thing that shocks me the most about this slow food movement, is that it is exactly how I strive to feed my family and until today, I had never heard the term “slow food”. So maybe I am just behind the times(I don’t know) but if there are others of you that have also never heard the term…this post is for you.

Slow food is all about educating and supporting small, local, healthy food production for the health benefits of the human race. I have a dear friend and ezine writer who is also interested in this slow food movement so I will touch on her article, which describes a locally owned farm in my area and the meaning of what true slow food cheese is. Also I would like to list some ways you can put slow foods into action. Tips that could benefit your home and community.

Slow food cheese refers to products that are produced by the process of making cheese the old fashioned way. Many times this is referred to as “artisan” or “farmstead” cheese. Artisan and farmstead, however, have slightly different meanings. An artisan is someone who is skilled in an applied art; a crafts person. The Artisan Cheese Maker generally produces in small quantities specialty, gourmet cheeses, many flavors of which he invents himself.

Farmstead refers to the process of production where the artisan cheese maker is directly involved in every step of cheese production. He monitors the feed of the animals, the milking process, and producing the cheese and even the aging and ripening process to develop unique flavors and textures for each type of cheese he makes. Farmstead means the cheese is produced on the same farm where the cows live, are fed, milked, and cared for. Farmstead is usually the most “slow” type of cheese available.

Slow Food Action

1. Plant your own herbs or veggies, no matter how small the plot or pot.

2. Buy from farmers markets and sit down at a table with the family to eat a home-cooked meal, this is Slow Food in action.

3. Cook using fresh, local and seasonal ingredients and honor cultural culinary traditions.

4. Take the time to make a sandwich with bread brought from an artisan baker, or bake your own whole or sprouted wheat, without anonymous ingredients.

5. Slow Food is a primary avenue to discovering what is most authentic about cultures everywhere.

6. When traveling, seek out and taste, at least some of the cuisines of the city or country you’re visiting.

7. Purchase from Community Supported Agriculture sources. More people are getting seasonal produce delivered in boxes, fresh from the farm. Check out what your community offers.

8. Eating foods that delight the senses is Slow Food in action. You don’t eat fresh, local and seasonal just because it’s the thing to do, and healthier. You eat this way because things taste better.

9. The City Chickens trend is Slow Food in action. These days, gathering your own eggs in the morning, no matter where you live, is the scoop. Google “raising chickens in the city” to see what’s clucking in a city near you.

And that is a run down of ways and ideas on how you can apply the Slow Food Movement into your family and cooking. I hope you have learned a little some thing new and I have sparked your mind and thoughts on ways you can get a taste of slow. How do you and your family support the local artisans and farmers? Leave me your comments and come back soon.

I have always been a tea drinker. I love to have a aromatic pot of it steeping all through the winter months and a cool crisp jar of it iced in the hot summer. It is a great way to stay hydrated when you are tired of just plain water. I have long known some of the health benefits of green tea, which is why I drink it. There may be some who are not so aware. I would like to share with you some of the more known and also some new ones, that I have learned.

The benefits of green tea and its effects were discovered 4,000 years ago and since then has been considered a wonder drink!

Green tea is particularly rich in health-promoting flavonoids (which account for 30% of the dry weight of a leaf), including catechins and their derivatives. The most abundant catechin in green tea is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which is thought to play a vital role in the green tea’s anticancer and antioxidant effects.
Catechins are considered the most effective of all antioxidants and the amounts as well as the effects are far higher compared to black tea. This is because green tea has less processing compared to other teas. Catechins should be considered right alongside of the better-known antioxidants like vitamins E and C as potent free radical scavengers and health-supportive for this reason.
Most of the research showing the health benefits of green tea is based on the amount of green tea typically consumed in Asian countries-about 3 cups per day (which would provide 240-320 mg of polyphenols). Just one cup of green tea supplies 20-35 mg of EGCG, which has the highest antioxidant activity of all the green tea catechins.
Statistics have shown that Asians have a lower risk of acquiring diseases because of their healthy lifestyle.

Green tea also acts as an antiviral agent. This tea contains a mineral called fluoride that prevents cavities as well as strengthens tooth enamel. Did you know that drinking one cup of this tea everyday can help reduce plaque formation and bacterial infections in your mouth? This is because the tea acts as anti-inflammatory agent. Therefore, it maintains a healthy, active metabolism and circulatory system on your body.

Just the antioxidant levels of green tea give us another great reason to drink several cups a day. Green tea’s antioxidant levels are one hundred times more effective than vitamin C and twenty-five times better than vitamin E in protecting our immune systems.

Green tea drinkers appear to have lower risk for a wide range of diseases, from simple bacterial or viral infections to chronic degenerative conditions. Health benefits of green tea are the following:

Protects against Cancer

Helps Prevent the Development of Atherosclerosis

Prevents Cardiovascular Disease

Reduces Risk of Breast Cancer

Provides Bone Benefits Similar to Calcium or Exercise

Lower the levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, and prevent hypertension

Promotes Fat Loss

Improves Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetes

Protects against Kidney Disease

Protects the Liver from Alcohol and Other Harmful Chemicals

Keeps Elders Mentally Sharp

Protects against Cognitive Decline, Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease

Thins the Blood and Helps Prevent Blood Clots

Minimizes Damage to the Brain after a Stroke

Increases Exercise Endurance

As you can see there is no talking down this tea. There are so many ways it can help the over all health of every family member. So I highly recommend you add this to your daily family life, if you don’t drink it already. No one will be hurt by it and all will be helped by it. How do you help to keep your family hydrated and what good benefits are they reaping from the things they drink? Drop me a comment and come back soon.