January 2012

Homemade Apple Crumble

I love eating apple crumble, but I hate biting into a big chunk of an apple. Since I make my own apple crumble at home in a unique way, I decided to share the recipe with you.

You will need the following items to make your apple crumble:
  • 5 Granny Smith apples
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ cup softened butter
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ½ cup salted pecans

Easy Homemade Waffles

Waffles are a great way to begin the day. The best waffles are the homemade ones. They are quite simple to make, and all you need are a few common ingredients and of course a waffle iron. The toppings can be simple like maple syrup to fancy such as fruit and nuts.

 

A simple homemade waffle recipe

Two eggs separated, first beat the egg whites stiff and set them aside

Turn on your waffle iron so it is getting warm.

In a mixing bowl, pour the following ingredients

2 cups Flour

1 tablespoon Baking Powder

½-teaspoon salt

Mix your dry ingredients well.

Add in the egg yolks

2 cups milk

1/3 cup oil

Once batter is mixed, fold in the egg whites gently.

Learning to Love The Slow Cooker

Using a slow cooker couldn't be easier. Just add all the ingredients, then let it sit and quietly do its thing, usually for at least 6-8 hours or even

 

I'm trying to move away from the cheaper and overly-processed meats that tend to creep into my diet. It's so much cheaper to buy some Buddig packets or a pound of ground mystery beef on sale, versus a whole cut of real meat. But I don't always have the time or wherewithal to do "real cooking." Thus: the slow cooker. 
 
The slow cooker (a.k.a. Crockpot, although that's a specific brand name) lets you easily prepare larger cuts of meat. Larger cuts of meat are frequently cheaper than the smaller portions, not just because you're buying in bulk, but because this is how you get some of the less desirable cuts. But the slow cooker can really make magic with this kind of meat, and it's so easy and delicious and so much better for you than a pile of ground beef! 

McDonald's Will Stop Using "Pink Slime"

Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution" probably played a big part in the decision - but McDonald's won't admit it
Jamie Oliver's short American television series "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" continues to have wide-ranging effects for the better on the American food supply. Although McDonald's denies that Oliver's show had any influence on their decision, they have recently decided to stop using ground beef treated with ammonium hydroxide - what Oliver aptly named "pink slime" on his show.
 
Oliver has also referred to this ammonia/beef concoction as "dog food." Virtually all of the ammonia-treated beef comes from a single massive source: Beef Products, Inc, which happens to be McDonalds' largest supplier. Beef Products, Inc claims that ammonium hydroxide is a naturally-occurring antibacterial chemical which is found normally in meat. They simply, you know… amp it up a little.

Tea and Memories

"The tea ritual of childhood, to the extent there was one, was very different from the one I observe now."

What Proust's madeleine did for him, hot tea does for me.  Every cup transports me back to childhood.  In those days I only wanted to drink tea when I was home sick from school.  With a nurse for a mother, those sick-at-home days did not come often.  The tea was steaming hot and fragrant with oranges and spices I could not identify.  Back then I liked my tea super-sweet.  After a hot cup or two, I always felt better--not well enough to go to school--but warm and satisfied.

Raw Vegan Chocolate

As a practicing vegan/vegetarian, I subscribe to this email alert called Vegan Cuts, to subscribe click here. This is similar to the Groupon coupons promotion, but features weekly vegan deals.

Recently, while checking my email, one of these deals popped up in my inbox. Vegan cuts had sent me a coupon for a case of discounted raw vegan chocolate. That is, chocolate that has been uncooked and therefore left in its highest enzymatic rich state.

This raw vegan chocolate bargain included 12 bars for less than 30 bucks. This may seem a bit pricey, but when consider that all bars are organic, vegan ingredients (which are sometimes hard to source from given lack of supply in demand). Organic food is a niche market. Therefore prices are more expensive than conventionally produced food.

Doritos: Throwback "Taco" Flavor

The Doritos of my youth
When Doritos were created, there was only one flavor. Doritos flavor. Which is to say, Taco Flavor. It wasn't until 1972 that Doritos released a second flavor, Nacho Cheese, which became their most popular product. Doritos released new flavors about once a decade, until the sudden explosion of Doritos flavors in the 1990s and beyond.
 
But back in the day, life was simple, and there was only one Doritos flavor. And it was good.
 
I had forgotten this until I tried a bag of the new throwback style Doritos. The bag features the original look from the 1960s and 1970s. I never would have thought I would feel nostalgic about tortilla chips. But when I opened the bag and tried a chip, my first thought was, "THIS IS WHAT DORITOS TASTE LIKE."

Pretty In Pink

Tackling a fat free diet, or even fat free meals…is not an easy feat. We scour websites, cookbooks, etc. looking for recipes to sub into our diet…something delicious and healthy. However, what I have realized along the way, is that I can find numerous healthy food options…some fat free, some low in calories or sodium. Yet, when I was in college, I vividly recall the dreaded premonition – “the freshman fifteen”. I realized that the impact of the freshman fifteen came from the alcohol – reality is, we didn’t eat extremely healthy then, but our financial budget was low and therefore, we didn’t eat too much that couldn’t be microwaved. The challenge was the alcohol – being able to drink, yet not gaining pounds upon pounds from wasted alcohol calories.

We all know that beer has a bit of a kick. We know that adding soda to hard liquor has some kick. Reality is, drinking in excess has some kick. I am personally a beer fan…yet can only do so much Michelob Ultra. So, I often strive to find something new, exciting and delicious to tap into on a random night on the town…or a random night at home.

Valentine’s Day Pancakes


Valentine’s Day is not just for romance. You can celebrate it with the entire family. What better way to start off the morning than with some homemade Valentine’s Day pancakes. You can surprise your kids, or have them help you in the kitchen.

You will need the following items to make your Valentine’s Day pancakes:
  • Heart-shaped cookie cutter
  • Medium-sized bowl
  • 2 cups flour
  • 3 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ cups milk
  • 3 Tbsp. melted butter
  • 15 drops red food coloring
  • Whipped cream
  • 10 sliced strawberries

How Much Blame Does Paula Deen Deserve?

She learned she had Type 2 diabetes several years ago, but didn't admit it until now - and she's marketing insulin
The media and blog world wolf packs are practically baying for blood over Paula Deen's sheepish recent announcement that she has Type 2 diabetes. But how much of this vitriol does she really deserve?
 
A lot of the poop being flung is basically just a half step from your all-purpose "fat shaming." Paula Deen is fat, and eats unhealthy foods, and therefore OF COURSE she has Type 2 diabetes. Why, she practically deserves it, with the way she eats, amirite folks? 

Banana Muffins - The Healthy Version

Many of us have sought out those “fat free” recipes. Sadly, our searches are often frivolous and the options we happen to locate, lack flavor, creativity or aren’t fat free at all. Often times, as an alternative we opt for the low fat recipes…as the portion of fat they may have, isn’t going to impact your waistline or that scale like the Doritos or cheesecake, we may prefer to sub in.

I for one, am always seeking new recipes or options for a low fat (fat free) or low calorie meal or snack. This has not always been the easiest feat, but recently in my search, I came across a recipe that conquered all of the things I had been seeking: flavor and health: banana muffins.

Mountain Dew: The Mouse-Melter

Refreshingly corrosive!

 

Pepsi Co recently defended itself against accusations that a guy found a mouse in his Mountain Dew. Their argument: no, you didn't, because Mountain Dew will turn a mouse body into goo. Therefore, you cannot have found a mouse in your can.
 
When your lawyer decides that the right thing to do is admit that your soda melts dead mice, you know you're really in a bind.
 
According to Pepsi's documents, if the man had really found a mouse in his can, it would have long since been dissolved into "a jelly-like substance." The can had been bottled fifteen months earlier - long enough, experts agree, for all the citric acid in Mountain Dew to have wreaked havoc. 

It's Still Pretty Cold, so why not Pretend it's Summer?

Check out this Recipe for Coconut Waffles with Mango and Vanilla Mascarpone

 

The cold weather might be dragging you down a little. If you’re missing summer, check out this recipe that’s sure to bring it back during breakfast.

For the waffles:

10oz/270g flour

2 tbsp sugar

4oz/100g desiccated coconut

7floz/200ml tepid water

7floz/200ml tepid beer

5floz/150g whipped cream

4oz/100g butter, melted

4 eggs separated

Easy Zucchini Soup Recipe


My daughter and I were trying to think up a healthy recipe with the vegetables we had on hand. That is how we came up with this zucchini soup recipe. It was so delicious that I had to write down what we did so that I could do it again another day. I figured if I published the recipe here, I could come back and view it anytime I got the urge to make it again.

You will need the following ingredients to make this zucchini soup:

Healthy Comfort Food

 

I don’t know about you, but this is the time of year when I crave comfort foods. Images of creamy mashed potatoes, hot, yet filling soups and the tastiest staple: good old Macaroni and Cheese.

I love coming home after a long day and curling up with a good book and a hot bowl of fork twirling, cheesy noodles. I love topping this dish with breadcrumbs to give it body.

Does Pepper Deserve Its Position?

Slate argues that pepper is overrated - and I have to agree

 

Dear pepper, what have you done for me LATELY? That's pretty much the idea behind this thought-provoking article at Slate. We take the combination of salt and pepper for granted. It's so ingrained in our minds and our culture that you would never say "pepper and salt." It's always, every single time, regardless of context, forever, "salt and pepper."
 
But should it be? 

Tea Egg

A Staple Street Snack

Tea egg. Not tea and a hard-boiled egg. Just tea egg. Some people might find this weird. Like my friend, whom I'll call Cathy for this post.

“Have you ever had a tea egg?” I asked her. I could only chuckle at her reply.