Living It With Lisa

Consumer Reports states, ”The chemical Bisphenol A, which has been used for years in clear plastic bottles and food-can liners, has been restricted in Canada and some U.S. states and municipalities because of potential health effects. The Food and Drug Administration will soon decide what it considers a safe level of exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA), which some studies have linked to reproductive abnormalities and a heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.”

The more I read about BPA the more I purposely stay away from it.  I never did use a lot of canned items so it wasn’t hard to do or so I thought.  BPA is a huge health issue.  BPA can cause harm in the still developing bodies of the very young, which was a huge concern since three of our grandchildren and their mom came to live with us last year.  The one canned vegetable that I use consistently is tomatoes and they are the biggest offenders because the tomato acid leeches BPA from the cans.

I have already thrown away plastic storage and replaced with BPA free plastic and glass storage containers.  I even save my glass containers that I get food in for storage if they have wide mouth lids.  Why?  Glass storage containers are expensive.  Some are $5 each!  I now have 3 different sizes (small medium and large).

Back to food.  My first thought was I need to find everything in glass.  Then I thought, I should plant a garden and grow what I normally use and can it myself.  Both are great ideas in theory.

Not many manufacturers use glass.  Ok.  More difficult than I thought.  Garden.  Where do I put said garden on a shady lot? And if I can determine that, just where am I going to store all the bounty?  Well I can figure the storage part out.  But the garden plot?  Ovay!

So until I figure out where my garden plot goes , I decided to Google it and find out which manufacturers acutally bottle without BPA and start there.  Here is what I found:

http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/7-companies-you-can-trust-to-use-bpa-free-cans.html

I am thrilled to find 7 companies that chose health over cost.  Even more thrilled that a Trader Joes is now nearby to give me one more shopping choice.  It’s a pain to get there as it is clear across town.  But I look at my long term health and those that I cook for and making the trip is MY health insurance premium.  I already go to 3 different grocery stores for food choices, so one more really won’t make a short term difference.  Long term absolutely.

The  link above,  along with others, will go in my iPhone under my Grocery Notes so that I can refer to it every time I am shopping thus helping me make better food safety choices for me and my family.

I also ran across this blog post from Misterbelly.com with a great list of offenders and some great alternatives: 

http://misterbelly.com/2012/01/29/bpa-and-bpa-free-canned-foods

And here is a primal viewpoint as well:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/are-your-canned-foods-safe-to-eat-a-bpa-free-buying-guide/#axzz1uxuqWQQ4

Another link with a list of cans with and without BPA … Are you willing to pay 2.2 cents more per can to get the BPA out of your canned food?

http://inspirationgreen.com/bpa-lined-cans.html

Hopefully this will give you a lot of insight.  If you have other sources or info be sure to comment and share what you know. It’s great to know that we do have choices.

Now where am I going to put that garden plot?

I have always been a proponant of stainless steel cookware thanks to my mother.  We just didn’t cook with aluminum cookware.  As we learned more about non-stick we didn’t use that either.  What you cook IN as well as the quality of the food you are cooking is all very important.   I just read this article this morning from The George Mataljan Foundation and wanted to share it with you.

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What are Your Thoughts on Ceramic, Glass-Ceramic, and Enameled Porcelain Cookware?

A recent trend in cookware has involved increased popularity of pots and pans that are sometimes called “ceramic,” sometimes called “glass-ceramic,” and sometimes called “enameled porcelain.” These terms don’t always mean the same thing! We would like to tell you more about these terms and about the nature and safety of this cookware.

Ceramic Cookware

For many years, “ceramic” simply meant “made of clay.” Ceramic cookware was cookware made from various types of clay, various types of soil featuring special mixtures of minerals and elements.

Unglazed clay pots are often still made in this way (from the clay alone). They can make great cookware, provided that the clay is high quality (not contaminated, for example, with unwanted elements like arsenic).

It is also important that unglazed clay pots are fired properly during their manufacturing. One of the important reasons for this is that clays typically contain both aluminum and silicon, elements that are capable of causing health problems when free to migrate from a clay pot into food. But when clay pots are fired properly, a very inert, durable material is formed (through a process called vitrification) and the aluminum and silicon get bonded together into the pot’s structure. They are then no longer free to pass into food.

Please note that not all clay pots (also sometimes referred to as earthenware pots or terra cotta pots) are intended for stovetop cooking owing to temperature sensitivity. Additionally, they will typically crack if they undergo dramatic changes in temperature (for example, being taken from the refrigerator directly into a pre-heated oven).

You will also find many clay pots that have been glazed. Glazes usually consist of glass-like substances that are safe for food contact.

Yet, care does need to be taken when choosing glazed clay pots as there are some materials you will want to avoid. These include the heavy metals lead and cadmium that are sometimes ingredients in glazes. In addition, you will want to avoid certain types of potentially toxic color pigments that are used to color the glaze. Sometimes you will be able to tell that a color pigment is potentially toxic from the name of the pigment itself (like cadmium red or cadmium orange) but most of the time you won’t be able to do so. For this reason, we recommend purchase of glazed clay pots from a reputable source that specifically states the absence of potentially toxic, synthetic pigments (as well as heavy metals) in the glazing of the pot.

Glass-Ceramic Cookware

Today, most cookware that is called “ceramic” no longer consists of clay. The making of ceramic cookware more often begins with the making of glass. There are many different kinds of glass, but most involve a combination of naturally occurring earth materials (including sand, gypsum, soda ash, limestone, and dolomite). Many different minerals are present in this mixture, including calcium, magnesium, sulfur, sodium, carbon, and silicon. Like the aluminum and silicon found in clay, the silicon found in glass might create a health risk for use of glass in cookware were it not for the high-heat manufacturing process that vitrifies the glass. At high heats—for example, 3,000°F (1,649°C)—a stable structure is formed that leaves the silicon bound to other elements and makes the glass safe for food contact.

In the manufacture of ceramic cookware, a second step must take place after this initial creation of glass. Once the glass is formed and cooled, it gets reheated to initiate a process called partial crystallization. This partial crystallization process is what transforms the glass into a ceramic. Chromium, zinc, and titanium are examples of elements that might be added to the reheated glass in order to help control this partial crystallization process. But these elements get solidly bound into the structure of the ceramic and are stable in the material rather than left free to migrate into food. The partial crystallization of ceramic cookware typically makes it far less porous than clay cookware, and also higher in strength. One of the best-known glass-ceramic lines of cookware products in the U.S. is Corning Ware (TM).

Enameled Porcelain Cookware

Porcelain is another type of ceramic material that’s closely related to both clay and glass ceramic. In fact, porcelain often contains kaolinite clay and may also contain glass or glass components, as well as other materials like feldspar or alabaster. Porcelain is fired at high temperatures like clay and glass ceramics, and like those materials, it may be glazed or unglazed.

Porcelain enamel cookware is made by taking porcelain and melting it onto another metal like cast iron, aluminum, or stainless steel. The process used to fuse the two materials together turns the porcelain into an integral component of the cookware rather than merely a “coating.” Porcelain enamel covered aluminum and stainless steel cookware is not as heavy as porcelain enamel covered cast iron, but some people may prefer the “hefty” feel of a porcelain-enameled cast iron. All types of porcelain-enameled cookware can provide safe food contact surfaces provided that the porcelain enamel is not chipped or cracked. (If the porcelain enamel surface is chipped or cracked, whatever material lies below the porcelain coating—for example, aluminum or cast iron—may be able to migrate into the food in small amounts.) For environmental reasons, some people prefer not to make use of aluminum cookware in any way, even though porcelain-covered aluminum prevents direct contact between the aluminum and the food from a health standpoint. Due to environmental issues involved with the commercial mining of iron ore, some people also prefer not to make use of cast iron cookware, whether covered with porcelain enamel or not.

Along with stainless steel, glass, Pyrex (TM), and cast iron, we like this ceramic family of cookware products for use in a healthy WHFoods kitchen. By contrast, we do not recommend use of any synthetic non-stick surfaces – including Teflon (TM)—that include PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) in their composition; any aluminum pots and pans (including anodized aluminum); and any cooking plastics (for example, microwavable plastic containers).

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Here is the page link:  http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=335

What do you use to cook with?

What to do with lemon peels? Don’t toss them; put them to work.

Lemon juice is about 5 to 6 percent citric acid and has a pH level of between 2 and 3. This low pH acidity makes lemon juice a great ally in breaking down rust and mineral stains, but gentle enough to not dull finishes. There is generally sufficient juice left in used lemon halves to tackle small tasks, and it all comes with its own applicator (the rind itself).

Plus, the oil in the peel is perfect for clever culinary applications, and not bad in the beauty department either. Here’s what you can do:

AROUND THE HOUSE

1. Clean greasy messes
Greasy pans? Splattered stove tops? Messy counters? If your kitchen has been the victim of some sloppy sauteing, try using lemon halves before bringing out possibly toxic chemical cleaners. Sprinkle some salt (for abrasion) on a juiced lemon half and rub on the greasy areas, wipe up with a towel. (Be careful using lemon on marble counter tops, or any other surface which may be sensitive to acid).

2. Clean your tea kettle or coffee pot
For mineral deposit build up in your tea kettle, fill the kettle with water, add a handful of thin slices of lemon peel and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let sit for an hour, drain, and rinse well. For coffee pots, add ice, salt and lemon rinds to the empty pot; swish and swirl for a minute or two, dump, and rinse. Hello, sparkly.

3. Clean your microwave
All it takes is one exploding bowl of food to render the interior of your microwave officially gunked, sometimes gunked with cement-like properties. Rather than using strong chemical cleaners, try this: Add lemon rinds to a microwave-safe bowl filled halfway with water. Cook on high for 5 minutes, allowing the water to boil and the steam to condense on the walls and tops of the oven. Carefully remove the hot bowl and wipe away the mess with a towel.

4. Deodorize the garbage disposal
Use lemon peels to deodorize the garbage disposal (and make your kitchen smell awesome at the same time). It is a great way to finally dispose of spent lemon peels after you have used them for any of these applications.

5. Polish chrome
Mineral deposits on chrome faucets and other tarnished chrome make haste in the presence of lemon–rub with a squeezed lemon half, rinse, and lightly buff with a soft cloth.

6. Polish copper
A halved lemon dipped in salt or baking powder can also be used to brighten copper cookware, as well as brass, chrome, or stainless steel. Dip a juiced lemon half in salt (you also use baking soda or cream of tartar for the salt) and rub on the affected area. Let it stay on for 5 minutes. Then rinse in warm water and polish dry.

7. Clean a stainless steel sink
Use the same method described to polish chrome, applied to any stainless sink.

8. Keep insects out
Many pests abhor the acid in lemon. You can chop of the peels and place them along thresholds, windowsills, and near any cracks or holes where ants or pests may be entering. For other ways to combat pests naturally, see 7 Steps to Chemical-Free Pest Control.

9. Make a scented humidifier
If your home suffers from dry heat in the winter, you can put lemon peels in a pot of water and simmer on the lowest stove-top setting to humidify and scent the air.

10. Refresh cutting boards
Because of lemon’s low pH, it has antibacterial properties that make is a good choice for refreshing cutting boards. After proper disinfecting (see: How to Clean Your Cutting Board) give the surface a rub with a halved lemon, let sit for a few minutes, and rinse.

TO EAT

11. Keep brown sugar soft
If your brown sugar most often turns into brick sugar, try adding some lemon peel (with traces of pulp and pith removed) to help keep it moist and easy to use. (For all recipes using lemon peel, try to use organic lemons–and scrub the peel well to remove any residues and wax.)

12. Make zest
Zest is the best! Zest is simply grated peel, and is the epitome of lemon essence–it can be used fresh, dried, or frozen. If you don’t have an official zester, you can use the smallest size of a box grater. (If you know you will be using lemons for zest, it is easier to grate the zest from the lemon before juicing them.) To dry zest, spread it on a towel and leave out until dried, then store in a jar. To freeze, use a freezer-safe container. Use zest in salads, marinades, baked goods, grain dishes, etc.

13. Make Vegan Lemon Biscotti
Once you’ve made some zest, make these Vegan Lemon Biscotti cookies. De-li-cious!

INGREDIENTS
6 ounces silken tofu
1 cup organic sugar (or try Sucanat)
1/3 cup extra light olive oil
Zest of 2 lemons
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour (you can replace half with whole wheat flour if you like)
1 cup semolina flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.

- In a food processor or blender, combine tofu, sugar, oil, zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, almonds, and salt.
- Stir tofu mixture into flour mixture.
- On an oiled cookie sheet, form dough into two 12-inch long logs.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool on counter for 15 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300 F.
- Slice logs into 1/2-inch slices and lay slices flat on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake for 40 minutes, turning cookies once after 20 minutes. Additional cooking time may be added for an even crunchier cookie.

14. Make twists
Strips of peel, aka twists, are good in cocktails, sparkling water, and tap water. Use a vegetable peeler to make long strips, or use a knife and cut the peel into long strips, cutting away the white pith which is bitter. These can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container or bag.

15. Make lemon extract powder
Make zest or twists (above) making sure to remove any of the white (bitter) pith–and dry the strips skin-side down on a plate until they’re dried, about 3 or 4 days. Put in a blender (or spice grinder) and pulverize into a powder. Use the powdered peel in place of extract or zest in recipes.

16. Make Lemon Sugar
You can make lemon extract powder (see above) and add it to sugar, or you can use fresh twists, put them in a jar with sugar and let the peel’s oil infuse the sugar.

17. Make Lemon Pepper
Mix lemon extract powder (see above) with freshly cracked pepper.

18. Make Candied Lemon Peel
Orange or grapefruit peel can be candied too. Yum. Candied peels are pretty easy to make, and can be eaten plain, or dipped in melted chocolate, used in cake, cookie, candy, or bread recipes. These recipes for candied citrus and ginger use Sucanat, the most wholesome sugar you can buy.

Candied or Crystallized Citrus Fruit and Ginger
By Annie B. Bond

These beautiful and flavorful confections make very festive homemade gifts. Those who like a low-fat diet tend to be particularly delighted with these fat-free taste sensations.

CANDIED GINGER
Mellow yet poignant, candied ginger is a holiday treat that is also renowned for soothing an upset stomach.

Ingredients
1/3 pound fresh ginger root
enough water to cover
1 cup Sucanat (the most whole, organic sugar)

Peel the ginger using a vegetable peeler, or scrape off the skin with a knife. Slice the ginger into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Julienne the slices if desired, or leave coin-shaped. Place the ginger in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the ginger is tender. Drain and cool.

Combine the ginger and sugar in a saucepan, with four tablespoons of water. Bring the mixture slowly to a full boil, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 10 minutes (the ginger should become transparent, and the syrup almost boiled away), stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat, and using a slotted spoon, remove the ginger, toss it in a bowl with Sucanat to lightly coat, and place on a drying rack.

CANDIED CITRUS
The tangy flavor of candied grapefruit peel is particularly unusual and good. A little bit of this candy goes a long way.

Ingredients
2 cups organic grapefruit, orange, lime or lemon peel
1/2 cup Sucanat (the most whole, organic sugar)
water

Combine the citrus peel and 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture slowly to a full boil, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Repeat three to four times using fresh water each time. Remove the pan from the heat, and using a slotted spoon, remove the peels. Meanwhile, for each cup of peel make a syrup of 1/4 cup of water to 1/2 cup of sugar. Add peel and boil until all the syrup is absorbed and teh peel is transparent. Toss them in a bowl with Sucanat to lightly coat, and place on a drying rack.

FOR BEAUTY

19. Lighten age spots
Many folk remedies suggest using lemon peel to help lighten age spots–apply a small piece to the affected area and leave on for an hour. You can also try one of these 5 natural ways to lighten age spots.

20. Soften dry elbows
Use a half lemon sprinkled with baking soda on elbows, just place your elbow in the lemon and twist the lemon (like you are juicing it) for several minutes. Rinse and dry.

21. Use on your skin
Lemon peels can be very lightly rubbed on your face for a nice skin tonic, then rinse. (And be careful around your eyes.)

22. Make a sugar scrub
Mix 1/2 a cup of sugar with finely chopped lemon peel and enough olive oil to make a paste. Wet your body in the shower, turn off the water and massage sugar mix all over your skin, rinse, be soft! You can also try any of these 5 simple homemade sugar scrubs as well.

Author & Source: Melissa Breyer, care2.com
Shared by: Nutrition Solution Lifestyle -excellent info found there, check them out.

Whats YOUR favorite way to use lemon peel?

Ever since I melted some margarine to put on my garlic toast and I looked in the pan and it truly looked like plastic, I never bought it again.  I didn’t care what my food budget was I always bought butter.  And that was in 1979!  A decision I have never regretted.  Heather Huyghue agrees and posted this on Facebook.  And here is why ….

Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back.

It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow colouring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavourings….

DO YOU KNOW.. The difference between margarine and butter?

Read on to the end…gets very interesting!

Both have the same amount of calories.

BUTTER is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams; compared to 5 grams for margarine.

Eating MARGARINE can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.

Eating BUTTER increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.

BUTTER has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few and only because they are added!

BUTTER tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavours of other foods.

BUTTER  has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

And now, for MARGARINE…

• Very High in Trans fatty acids.
• Triples risk of coronary heart disease …
• Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol)
• Increases the risk of cancers up to five times..
• Lowers quality of breast milk
• Decreases immune response.
• Decreases insulin response.
• Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC… and shares 27 ingredients with PAINT.

These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).

Open a tub of margarine and leave it open in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will notice a couple of things:

• No flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)
• It does not rot or smell differently because it has no value; nothing will grow on it. Even those teeny weeny micro-organisms will not a find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

Chinese Proverb:
When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.

Pass the BUTTER PLEASE!

How do your organic eggs rate?  I was surprised to find Egglands Best, Central Market Brand, Traders Joes and 365 Brand by Whole Foods no better than Great Value at WalMart!  They all scored 1 egg out of a possible 5!

The Cornucopia Institute’s has provide an organic egg scorecard  that rates companies that market name-brand and private-label organic “shell” eggs based on 22 criteria that are and should be important to us … the consumer since we are paying more for what should be a better organic egg.

The Cornucopia Institutes scorecard “shows ethical family farms, and their brands, and exposes factory farm producers and brands in grocery store coolers that threaten to take over organic livestock agriculture.

Some of the factory farm operators literally raise millions of birds (both conventional and organic) with as many as 85,000 “organic” hens in single buildings.

With this Web-based rating tool, you can see which brands of eggs found in your region are produced using the best organic farming practices and ethics. Based on more than a year’s research into the organic egg business, the scorecard rates almost 70 different name-brand eggs and additional private-label products.

Both the report and scorecard highlight the good news in the organic egg industry by showcasing the true heroes, including national and local producers that are supplying ethically-produced organic eggs and are worthy of consumer support.”

Click here to view the scorecard.  In Whole Foods defense they have three brands offered in their stores.  Worlds Best Eggs and Vital Farms which both scored 5 eggs and their 365 Organics Brand which only rated 1 egg.  So shop with knowledge.

What are your thoughts on this scorecard?

Don’t feel guilty … you can have chocolate everyday!  That doesn’t mean a candy bar everyday.  It’s all about moderation.  One ounce will do it.  Studies show that dark chocolate has several health benefits and it now considered a superfood.

A significant reason is because dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids.   Flavonoids are commonly known for their antioxidant activity.  Dark Chocolate is not processed as much and contains at least 65% cacao.    I personally love 80% or more!

There are several delicious reasons to eat dark chocolate and here are my top three:

Dark chocolate fights free radicals and free radicals are responsible for aging and some diseases like cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.  I totally forgot to add Dark Chocolate to my new book  “101 Best Ways to Feel Younger and Live Longer”.  What was I thinking!

Some studies are showing that dark chocolate may help prevent cancer.  Why?  Because antioxidant rich foods contain cancer fighting properties.  I say great…. Instead of “an apple a day … “ we can say “an ounce a day keeps the doctor away!”

We know it makes us feel good … right?   Joy DuBost, PhD, RD says “The theory is that chocolate stimulates the neural activity in the regions of the brain associated with pleasure and reward.”

My suggestion … find 1 ounce pieces of dark chocolate that you can nibble on to satisfy that need for chocolate.  The perfect healthy indulgent bite!

My husband and I just returned from Barcelona, Spain where we sampled our share of Tapas Restaurants. Tapas refer to a type of Spanish cuisine used more broadly to describe a style of dining known as small plates.  Anything can come on a small plate.  You can order several different tapas and share them.  Mini appetizers if you will.  It’s a great way to try a variety of flavorful dishes in creating your dining experience.

During my time in the world of Tapas, I learned a few great lessons that put a twist into my daily eating routine:

Twist #1:  Use small plates.  Use no larger than a 9-inch plate, like a salad plate.  Studies show that food psychology works.  So whether it is a dinner plate or a salad plate, your eyes tell you it is a plate full of food!

Twist #2:  Rate Your Plate.  Your proportions on ANY size plate should be 50% non-starchy vegetable, 25% starch or grain, and 25% protein. With mixed dishes like casseroles, soups and stews, think of the ingredients separately to see if the proportions are correct.  All you may need to do is add a fresh salad. Avoid seconds at any meal. Save what remains for another meal and you have maximized your time in the kitchen.

Twist #3: Get colorful! Your plate should be a rainbow of color. Use fresh herbs and spices to kick up the flavors. Remember we eat visually with our eyes first.  If your plate looks boring and all one color it will not be very appealing to the eyes or to the palate.

The result?  A beautiful plate with balanced portions of healthy, fresh, and tasty food, just waiting to dance on your taste buds!

So if it’s time to lose a few pounds or make healthier food choices, try a smaller plate this year and you’ll SEE the difference.

Remember: Small Plates = Smart Plates!

Memorial Day Guacamole

Ever since I used the information that I learned from Chef Rick Bayliss my Guacamole has had rave reviews from anyone who has tasted it.  Even from those who said they do not normally like it.  At first I thought sure they were just saying that  … but when they come back for seconds and request it when they visit I knew it was true.

It happened again yesterday and as I was talking to Manae she said mine was better than hers and what do I put in it.  As we compared notes it really wasn’t much different.  Then the light bulb when on.  I shared with her what I thought was ‘my secret’.  How I buy the avocados.  Bingo!  She waits until they are soft to the touch, so they are mushy when opened and used.  Then she over mixes hers so it is almost smooth.

So here are my tips for you to make the perfect fresh tasting Guacamole every time:

Chef Rick Bayliss and me

Start with a ripe avocado … not an over ripe one!  This is truely THE single most important thing you can do.  Chef Bayliss says “When the bulbous end of the avocado yields to firm pressure, the avocado is ready to use. Make sure that the “button” or brown stem piece is still in the avocados that you buy. It acts as a seal so that air can’t get into the avocado.”   It works.  I promise.  You will think it is not quite ripe enough, but it is perfect.  No brown mushy spots.  Just mashable and fresh.  I bought 8 avocados this way to make the guacamole in the picture above, no need to buy extras “just in case” because every single one was perfect!

Don’t over mix. Go chunky!  It is satisfying and it doesn’t resemble the puree from a frozen pouch.   I do one quick mash leaving it VERY chunky and then add the ingredients that I want to use.  Then I give it a quick stir and taste.  Adjust if needed and quick stir again. Chunky and done!

Yummy Guacamole!

What to add? The basics are avocado, salt, garlic and a little lime.  After that it is anything you want.  I add green onion and cilantro. Then garnish and eat!   You can add a little salsa, tomato, green chilies, sundried tomatoes … the possibilities are endless.

So go grab some avocados and enjoy the freshest best tasting guacamole ever!

I discovered Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) this past year in my quest for finding foods that diabetics could enjoy in their diet.  More than that I wanted powerful superfoods to be part of that mix … AND that would taste good.

Quinoa is actually a seed about the same size as sesame seed.   It has a slightly nutty taste, with a chewy texture.  You can get Red Quinoa as well and it makes an awesome substitute for rice or couscous.

Unlike rice, what I found with Quinoa was that you could make a big batch, take part of it for the meal you were cooking, flavor it a myriad of ways and store the rest in the refrigerator.  To my delight, it tasted great for several days after that, flavored a different way for each meal.  Quinoa maintains its taste and consistancy.

Quinoa can be a hot cereal like oatmeal.  My fav is flavored with cinnamon.  Then add agave nectar or stevia with almond milk, sliced almonds and dried cranberries or goji berries.

Quinoa can also be added to a salad or flavored lots of ways as a side dish.  When I made the Red Snapper Baked in Salt, I added a green onion and cilantro right before I served it.  The heat (off the stove) help release those fabulous flavors to the Quinoa.  Be creative.  Use it.  Why?

The Food and Agriculture Organization has identified quinoa as the only vegetable source that is a complete protein, meaning it has all the essential amino acids necessary for human health and development.  It resembles the sort of proteins found in animal sources and has the same nutritional profile as milk.  So it is perfect for a diabetic, a vegetarian or someone with lactose or gluten intolerance.

Here is an article that will give you even more information and history on Quinoa.  Add this amazing grain to your diet today.  You will not be disappointed.

Click here: http://tinyurl.com/4mn7xbd

Leave a comment below and share how YOU have used quinoa in your meals.

Sea Bass in Rome

Sound crazy doesn’t it?  But oh is it good.  On our first trip to Rome at our first meal in the city that night,  the manager suggested fresh fish baked in salt.  We couldn’t even imagine why it wouldn’t be very salty.  It is not!  It was so delicious and moist.  What was even more amazing before they prepared the fish they presented it to us on a platter.

Needless to say I came home and started researching recipes and have made it several times now.  The latest being when Des, Aleta, Robin and Gordon came over for dinner this week.

This time I made it with Red Snapper.  I bought two that were about 2.5 pounds each.  Had the fishmonger GGS them.  AH HA … that is what I learned when I picked them up … after I said a myriad of words obviously being a newbie to fish cleaning lingo.  That means Gut Gils Scales.  You end up with a fish that is ready to cook.  Yes, it still has the head on.  In the picture … one fish is already stuffed with fresh lemon and thyme, covered with Kosher Salt and ready to pop in the oven.

Since I was having a very simple fish I decided that my menu would reflect that.  I wanted the appetizer to be a little heavier and the salad to be unexpected and the sides to be simple yet flavorful.  It was great that  all the elements were easy and that was a good thing because we didn’t get back from taking Des and Aleta on a boat tour of Lake Santa Fe until 5:15pm and Robin and Gordon were arriving at 6pm and I hadn’t prepped anything!

Our Menu included Mussels Diablo for an appetizer (in a spicy cream sauce).  Entree’ was of course the Red Snapper baked in Salt accompanied by Zucchini with Cilantro Mint Gremolata and Red Quinoa.  The Salad Course was Shaved Fennel with Granny Smith Apples.  To complete our meal we had Affogato for dessert.

It was a wonderful meal if I say so myself.  I tried two new recipes on this menu and they were keepers.  The zucchini dish and the salad are new to my collection, were delicious and will be served again.

What was very interesting Robin and Gordon had never had mussels before and loved them.  They also had never experienced Quinoa.  Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a super food and the mother of all grains.  (More about Quinoa in another post).  It is my new favorite side dish, cereal or salad!  Also, Gordon didn’t really like zucchini but LOVED it with the gremolata. See there is always a way to serve a vegetable and like it!

My ‘m.o.’ … if a guest has an allergy … pay attention.  Otherwise present a creative menu and let them discover a tasty way to enjoy what they thought was not to their liking.  Because as you know, it may only be the way it was cooked.  Many times being mushy and tasteless.  Fresh, with high flavor is an amazing way to tantalize the tastebuds.

Willing And Able

A special thank you to my helpers who gave themselves names … WILLING aka Robin and ABLE aka Aleta who set the table and kept the dishes in the dishwasher and out of sight!  FYI my new name is AND!  What fun!