Sue's Healthy Lifestyle » Salt And Pepper http://sueshealthylifestyle.com Tips on natural weight loss Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:18:44 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Tips For Eating Healthyhttp://sueshealthylifestyle.com/tips-for-eating-healthy/ http://sueshealthylifestyle.com/tips-for-eating-healthy/#comments Sat, 21 May 2011 08:32:06 +0000 Sue http://sueshealthylifestyle.com/3041/tips-for-eating-healthy Top 5 tips for eating ...

Easiest Way to Trim Asparagus Before Cooking and Tips for Eating Healthy are Universal

Author: Amarjit Singh

Preparation is the key when you’re going to cook asparagus. There are several methods of cooking boiling, grilling, steaming, or roasting. The microwave is also a good option when cooking asparagus. Cut the asparagus into sections and you can use it in stir fries you can also blanch the asparagus and use it in vegetable dips. Of course, there’s nothing like steamed asparagus with butter, salt, and pepper.

When buying asparagus make sure that it is fresh, the asparagus will taste much better and can be kept for two to three days when properly stored. For more help visit to: www.bread-machine-cookbook.com. Once you get the asparagus home and ready to prepare, you’ll need to trim it. The easiest way to trim asparagus before cooking is to simply do it by hand by bending the stock until it breaks. If it will not break but only bends, it is probably old and will not be as fresh as you would like it. Some cooks prefer to peel the bottom of the stocks this is not really necessary but sometimes helps when the stocks are a little woody. Contrary to popular belief the thicker asparagus is actually more flavorful than the pencil thin variety that most people want to buy.

An easy way to peel asparagus if you decide to go that route is to lay a stalk on the counter or a cutting board and use a vegetable peeler. Start at the top of the asparagus peel all the way to the end for the help www.delicious-sandwich-recipes.com. The main reason anybody would peel asparagus, as I mentioned above, would be to make the asparagus tendered.
Tips for eating healthy are universal.
They are not constricting or unbearable. In fact, you may never notice the changes you make. The great thing about these simple changes is that your body will notice and reward you accordingly.
1.    Replace some butter with some olive oil, for a better balance of healthy fats. Try a 50/50 mix for starters. Olive oil is unquestionably the healthier alternative to butter.
2.    Replace heavy carbs such as potatoes and stuffing with herbs that can flavor up a turkey or vegetables.
3.    Go organic to avoid hormones, pesticides, and antibiotic residues in meat or produce.
4.    Replace mayonnaise with with low-fat yogurt for tasty dressings without the extra fat and artificial stuff.
5.    Trim all visible fat from meats. Stick with lean cuts and white meat.
6.    Consider more nutrient-dense foods for desserts such as sweet potatoes, pecans, and pumpkins. 
7.    Check ingredients on any cans that you use. Avoid the bad sugars and look for fresher ingredients.
8.    When choosing honey, try to find raw, unfiltered, cold-pressed organic honey. 
9.    Don’t overdue the number of meal courses. Stick with a few basics for a satisfying meal that doesn’t overstuff our guests.
10.    Consider serving a salad as the last course (or dessert).
Food should be fun and can be very satisfying. These tips are just ways to  stay on the healthy path in life. I enclose this recipe as a bonus. I hope you enjoy. You can also visit my website to obtain further wonderful recipes, cooking tips, and general food creation information.
Roasted Rutabaga Chips
Yields 4 Servings
1 pound Rutabaga2 teaspoons Almond oil
Cayenne pepper
salt
1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Peel the Rutabaga and slice it into thin rounds. Cut each round into quarters.
3. In a large bowl, toss the Rutabaga with the oil and cayenne pepper and salt, to taste.
4. Place the Rutabaga in a single layer on a large baking sheet.  Bake, turning occasionally until the Rutabaga is caramelized and soft, being careful not to burn, for 25 to 30 minutes.

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]]> http://sueshealthylifestyle.com/tips-for-eating-healthy/feed/ 9 Baked Stuffed Tomatoeshttp://sueshealthylifestyle.com/baked-stuffed-tomatoes/ http://sueshealthylifestyle.com/baked-stuffed-tomatoes/#comments Fri, 11 Feb 2011 23:46:57 +0000 Sue http://sueshealthylifestyle.com/3508/baked-stuffed-tomatoes Chow Times » Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

Ways to Use Up Those Garden Tomatoes: Tomato Bouillon, Baked Stuffed Tomatoes, & Green Tomato Relish

Author: Grandma Linda

Now that the gardens and farmer’s markets have an abundance of tomatoes, it is time to take advantage of this wonderful vegetable.  Here are three recipes you might want to try.  Tomato Bouillon, Baked Stuffed Tomatoes, and Green Tomato Relish are three very different ways to use tomatoes.  The bouillon recipe uses tomato juice.  You can easily make your own juice by putting ripe tomatoes in a heavy pot on the stove over low heat and cooking them down.  Add a small amount of water if necessary.  Strain the juice to remove seeds and peels.

TOMATO BOUILLON

1 3/4 cups water

1 1/2 cups tomato juice

2 tsp beef-flavored bouillon granules

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/8 tsp hot sauce

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan, stirring until bouillon granules are dissolved.  Cover saucepan and bring soup to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.  Serve hot.

STUFFED BAKED TOMATOES

4 medium to large firm tomatoes

1/4 lb lean ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp chopped chopped green bell pepper

1 1/2 tsp butter

1/8 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp garlic salt

dash of fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

Thoroughly was the tomatoes and cut the tops off.  Scoop out and reserve the pulp.  Drain the pulp in a strainer.  Meanwhile brown the ground beef and drain.  Melt butter in a small skillet and saute onion and bell pepper until tender.  Add basil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and pepper to the vegetables.  Also add the drained tomato pulp and the bread crumbs.  Mix all together well.  Stuff the mixture into the tomatoes.  Place in a shallow baking dish or pan and add hot water to a 1/4-inch level.  Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

GREEN TOMATO RELISH

1 peck (8-qts) green tomatoes
6 green bell peppers
6 red bell peppers
7 large carrots, chopped (cooked separately)
10 onions
3 stalks celery
2 tbsp mixed pickling spice, tied in a cloth bag
5 cups vinegar
5 cups sugar

Cut or grind coarsely all vegetables, except the carrots, and put in salt water brine overnight. (To make the brine use 1/4 cup salt to 1 quart water.) The next day, drain or squeeze out the brine, add carrots which have been chopped or coarsely grind while raw and then cooked. Cook vinegar, sugar and spices together; bring to a boil. Add the vegetables and cook 10 minutes. Put into clean hot canning jars and seal while hot.

Enjoy!

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/recipes-articles/ways-to-use-up-those-garden-tomatoes-tomato-bouillon-baked-stuffed-tomatoes-green-tomato-relish-1035165.html

About the Author

Grandma Linda is a collector of vintage recipes. She enjoys sharing these old-time recipes on her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. QUESTION:
    Do I have to bake stuffed tomatoes.?

    • ANSWER:
      No, as long as your stuffing doesn’t require any cooking or, if it does, that it’s cooked before you actually stuff it into the tomatoes.

  2. QUESTION:
    How do I make yemista – or specifically stuffed tomatoes without them collapsing??
    I have made yemista (stuffed vegetables) a few times and the peppers and the zuccinis and the eggplants always turn out great. Because they are all a sturdier vegetable. But my tomatoes always collapse! I know some tricks like cutting off the bottom of the tomato because the stalk side is stronger, and rubbing sugar in the inside. I have tried baking and putting them in a pot to steam. But the tomatoes always collapse and the other vegetables always work out good. Should I put the tomatoes in for less time? Should I use less ripe tomatoes? Less water in the pan?? HELP!

    • ANSWER:
      For tomatoes, avoid ripe ones. After you stuff them with the rice mixture, put them in the baking pan /pot VERY close to each other so that they stand and make sure the pan is not larger than the space you need; it should be crowded!Don’t use less water because the rice has to be cooked. However, too much rice could be the reason they tear. If this is your case, try some less rice!

  3. QUESTION:
    Need help in the kitchen?
    I decided to whip up some food for my mother and grandmother for this Mother’s day. I decided on a more Italian influence and gathered three recipes (one for baked chicken, one for stuffed tomatoes, and one for simple mushrooms) aside from the desert. I’m pretty skilled in the way of baking, but when it comes to cooking, I’m a novice.
    What I want to know is if I can get any tips for when I go into the kitchen on this day to prepare the recipes below. Any suggested flavors, additions, techniques, etc. are greatly wanted and appreciated! Thank you :)

    Baked Chicken
    4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
    1/2 cup parm. cheese
    2 tbls oregeno
    1 tsp parsley
    1 tsp pepper
    3 tbls olive oil

    Preheat 425 d. In a shallow pie plate, combine first five ingrediants. Brush olive oil onto chicken and then coat in seasoning. Place in greased baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Cook for 15-20 mins.

    Baked Stuffed Tomatoes
    3 tomatoes
    1/3 c fresh basil
    1 clove garlic
    1/2 cup parm. cheese
    1 c bread crumbs
    salt and pepper
    2 tbsp olive oil

    Preheat 350 d. Wash, dry, and cut tomatoes before removing the inside and drain on a paper towel. Combine 1/3 c olive oil, basil, garlic, cheese, bread, salt, and pepper. Salt the inside of the tomatoes and brush olive oil on the outside. Place tomato halves in baking pan before stuffing. Bake 25-30 min or until stuffing is crisp or golden.

    Mushrooms
    3 cups mushrooms
    2 tbls butter
    1/2 tsp salt

    Over medium heat, melt butter. Add in the mushrooms and sprinkle on salt. Cook until mushrooms are darker.

    As for the desert, I have that down. Probably going to just do individual white chocolate, raspberry, and fudge pies.

    Please assist in any way you can! I have until Sunday before I need to purchase the ingredients. Thank you :)
    Garlic is in the chicken recipe, and I might add a bit to the tomatoes.

    I didn’t want to do stuffed mushrooms (although I considered it) because I thought it would all be too heavy since I have the stuffed tomatoes (which the whole idea stemed from).

    Thanks though:)

    • ANSWER:
      for the chicken, instead of brushing it with olive oil, it might be easier to put that in a shallow bowl and dip the chicken in it.

      yes, garlic would taste good in all these recipies, and also help tie the flavors together a little more.

      you could also make some garlic bread to go with it. just soften some butter and add some garlic. cut a loaf of warm french bread in half lengthwise and spread with the garlic butter. put it under the broiler until golden brown on the top. this will happen really fast, so keep an eye on it.

      good luck!

  4. QUESTION:
    How much food for 100 people?
    I am planning a wedding for 100 guests.

    1. Appetizers
    - Cheese, Fruit, Nut Display
    - Vegetable, Dip, Spread Display
    - Bread, Cracker Display
    - Shrimp Cocktail
    - Sushi
    - Pancetta Wrapped Scallops
    - Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
    - Chicken, Tomato Crostini
    - Cheddar Broccoli Quiche
    - Tomato, Potato Knish
    2. Soup
    - Pumpkin Soup
    - Lobster Bisque
    3. Salad
    - Tomato Mozarella Tossed Salad
    - Parmesan Caesar Salad
    4. Intermezzo
    - Lemon Ice
    5. Entree
    - Creamed Onions over Fire Grilled Filet Mignon with Herb Garlic Mashed Potatoes
    - Oven Broiled Lobster Tail with Newberg Sauce and Lemon Cream Risotto
    - Crab Cake Stuffing over Baked Salmon with Sugar Sweet Carrots
    - Crispy Eggplant Parmesan with Angel Hair Pasta and Roasted Squash
    - Encrusted Chicken with Cheese Macaroni and Sugar Sweet Tomatoes
    6. Hot Beverages
    7. Dessert
    - Mini Pies
    - Mini Cheesecakes
    - Mini Cakes
    - 5-Tier Wedding Cake

    I need to know how much of each item I will need to serve 100 people. How much appetizers, soup, etc. Please help!
    I merely wanted to convey to people what, specifically, I am serving. That way, I can get the most detailed responses possible. I need to know how much food to prepare, and I feel that it is very important that responders take into consideration what I am serving. It’s very easy to give me a formula for the amount of appetizers; however, when I’m serving a cheese platter as part of my appetizers, I need to know how many ounces per person, etc. Forgive me for attempting to be detailed in an attempt to obtain a proper response.
    I’ll take that as a compliment. No, I’m not a culinary student. I’m in medical school. Peruse my recent answers; you will find that most of them are related to weddings.

    The entrees are dishes from our relationship. On our first date, my fiance had filet mignon, and I had salmon. When he proposed, we both had lobster tails. The chicken and the eggplant are family dishes that his grandmother and I swapped!

    I’m sorry if you feel that some of my other choices are plebian, but, as far as I’m concerned, cheese and veggies are decent standards! Suggestions otherwise would be greatly appreciated.

    100 guests is still a small amount. I know each of those guests very well, and I know, for a fact, that there are only two vegetarians and two diabetics. No one is allergic to anything.

    Lastly, I am serving additional desserts, because I, personally, hate cake, and I know others who do too. I’m serving cheesecake because I love it, and I’m serving pies because I make amazing pie.
    This is about questions and answers, not berating people. I asked a question, and I would like an answer- just like many other people on here would like answers. That’s what this site is about. If you can’t answer the question, then don’t write anything. Especially, don’t write anything rude.
    Berating and rude:

    You didn’t answer my question, yet you posted anyway.
    You proceeded to tell me I’m a fraud by suggesting I’m a culinary student.
    You then gave me a “bad grade” on an imaginary culinary project.
    You bashed MY menu for MY wedding day.
    You won’t leave the question alone to be answered by people who are serious.
    You continue to believe that I care about your opinion, when all I wanted was an exact answer to an exact question.
    You won’t stop posting.

    I don’t want your “very well educated and very experienced culinary font of knowledge,” as it is apparently not educated and not experienced enough to give me a proper response. In addition it comes with a high price- your uppity attitude!

    • ANSWER:
      I must admit, I had to print everything out before being able to answer the question!!! LOL! Okay, to my answer …

      Appetizers:
      These numbers are solely going to depend on how long your cocktail hour is going to be … if you’re like most brides, then 1.5 hours is the maximum time your guests should be mingling before the reception starts. Since you’re going to be serving a full, slightly heavy, dinner I would definitely suggest doing a max of 6 pieces per person. When I say piece, I really mean ounce. Each piece should be no bigger than 1 ounce each. No need to make anything bigger than a bite, because then it just becomes a hassle.

      Crab Stuffed Mushrooms and the Tomato and Chicken Crostini will be relatively easy to do … I would recommend 150 pieces each.

      Shrimp Cocktail will also be another easy option … go for a larger shrimp cocktail … it is always a crowd pleaser and with the proper display can be a real WOW factor (think individual shrimp in small plastic shot glasses set on stacked ice sculptures)!!! Think about doing 200 of these little guys.

      Sushi, although a FABULOUS idea, should be left to the professionals!! My mother is Japanese and I can tell you (from many years of watching her in the kitchen) that sushi is not something that should be tackled by just anyone. Hire a sushi chef and make a complete station out of this!! It is always good to keep your guests involved so they don’t get bored. You may be taking pictures and having a great time, but talking to Aunt Gertrude can be interesting for only so long.

      Scallops are a fickle thing to deal with … overcook them and you’ll be chewing on rubber … under cook them and your guests will have the tummy-ache of the century!!! The best thing to do is shy away things that can cause trouble (there is no need pulling your hair out on your big day!!!). Although, if you do decide to go with this dish anyways, I recommend using bacon in place of panchetta. The only reason I say this is because bacon has a little more fat than panchetta … it will be able to keep the scallops moist while cooking. That way if something else does come up and you overcook just a little, they will still be slightly more moist than had you used panchetta. I would suggest doing a display of 50-75 of these (just to cut back on the headache they might cause you).

      Quiche is going to be another finicky item. Although very easy to make, they are very difficult to keep warm and un-soggy. No one likes a soggy quiche!! You might want to think about making these for the day after brunch … that way they are still on the menu somehow, just not for the wedding.

      I’ve never done a Knish, so I’m not sure how it will react to being prepared ahead of time. It does sound like it might be better served as a brunch type food instead of at the reception though. Keep things as easy as possible for yourself.

      Soup:
      Soup is generally a bad idea if you decide to prepare everything yourself. I would definitely rethink this course. I’m not saying it can’t be done … but I wouldn’t tackle it if I were you. Keep things simple. If you still want to do the soup … think about doing it plated. You’re going to have to hire staff either way, so why not make it a huge production??? Have a pre-plated bowl at each setting. Put something like a dollop of herb mousse in each bowl. When your guests are seated, the server will then ladle a serving of warm pumpkin soup into the bowl … it will be a feast for the eyes as well as the palate!!! Just remember, you eat with your eyes first …

      Salad:
      It sounds like you’re going for something simple in this category … a caesar salad and a caprese salad are very easy to make and can be played with to look very interesting. Instead of giving guests an options, plate both on the same plate and they can choose to eat both or just one.

      Intermezzo:
      Lemon Ice is very easy to make … again a good choice. However, for 100 people it is almost impossible to have enough room to store it all. Not to mention the time it will take to hollow out enough lemon halves to serve it in … use glass to make it easier. An ounce or 2 per serving is more than enough.

      Entree:
      Although they all sound absolutely wonderful (honestly, they really do) five choices are just too many for any wedding or any function at all. The most you should do is pair 2 together. Most people choose to do a seafood and beef, but you’re going to have a lot of seafood apps, so stick with the filet and the chicken, or eggplant. What you could do is offer the eggplant to the vegetarians that you know of … if there aren’t any, you might want to think about taking that one off the menu. I would not recommend the risotto, unless you’ve got your grandmother’s recipe that you’ve tried over 500 times. Risotto is a dish that can easily be ruined if it isn’t done properly (just a tid bit that I recently learned … risotto should be at such a consistency that, if placed in the center of a large soup bowl, it should take 25 seconds to evenly distribute over the entire bowl surface. If your risotto is standing still, chances are it wasn’t done properly.) … the mashed potatoes are always a hit so I would say those are a go. Easy to keep warm and most tasty with truffle oil :) Sweet carrots would be a good side also … asparagus is also a good choice for a veggie which goes well with just about anything. If you’re going to have a buffet set up, then you’ll need about 8-10 ounces per serving total and 1 serving per person. Should you decide to pre-plate your meal then go for 6-8 total ounces per serving (again 1 serving per person).

      Dessert:
      Be very careful with this one … it sounds like you’re going to be overdoing it (a lot) with the amount of sweets. Instead of doing the 5-tier wedding cake, go for the minis. Cut a cheesecake or a pie instead since you said yourself you weren’t a fan of cake. Not to mention a 5-tier wedding cake is far too large for only 100 people … a full sheet would be plenty to feed that many, especially with all of the little extras. Again, go for only a few ounces a per serving and only 1 or 2 servings per person.

      I am aware that this answer might not be exactly what you’re looking for … I know that you specifically asked for weights and exact amounts, but it is really a precise science. There is no real way to calculate how much everything will cost and how much of everything you’ll need. Some things are going to be less expensive depending on the season. You’re just going to have to trust your tastes and go from there.

      I must admit that this is quite a risky menu … there is definitely something that can be said about your character in wanting to do all of this, for 100 people, while you’re attending medical school. The best advice I can give you is to hire a professional. I know that you might not want to hear that either, but it is always best to leave the big things to the pros. If you want to cater a small anniversary party, that is one thing … but a wedding reception for 100 is something COMPLETELY different. I wish you the best of luck, honestly. Feel free to email me again should you have any further questions or concerns.

  5. QUESTION:
    Recipe using a cast iron skillet, pizza dough, spinach, roma tomatoes, and ricotta cheese?
    Cut a recipe from a women’s magazine for a type of stuffed pizza last spring but can’t find it- help? It contains frozen spinach, roma tomatoes, and ricotta cheese and canned pizza dough placed in a cast iron skillet and baked. Anyone have it?

    • ANSWER:
      It sounds like a calzone!
      If you put all the ingredients in the pizza dough, and fold it in half, bake it in the cast iron skillet in the oven for about 8-10 minutes, you should have a delicious outcome!
      The beauty of these foods is that you don’t necessarily have to stick to a recipe!
      Just add a whole bunch of stuff you find tasty..

      Think tomatoes, mushrooms, oregano and feta cheese.. Fresh herbs, mozzarella, peppers and salami.. Prosciutto.. Blue cheeses…

      There are limitless possibilities to what you can do!


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]]> http://sueshealthylifestyle.com/baked-stuffed-tomatoes/feed/ 0 Great New Vegetarian Soups To Makehttp://sueshealthylifestyle.com/great-new-vegetarian-soups-to-make/ http://sueshealthylifestyle.com/great-new-vegetarian-soups-to-make/#comments Wed, 10 Nov 2010 23:19:44 +0000 HealthyGal Soup is the perfect way to increase your vitamin levels and ignite your immune system – particularly in the winter. And what could be more welcoming to eat as the weather starts to turn chilly, than a yummy helping of homemade vegetable soup. If you feel like trying something different, tasty and good for you, try one of these 5 wonderful soups today. More details of all of these dishes and others too are available at this homemade soup recipes webpage.

For many years, mass produced soups were so prevalent in the supermarkets, you could forget how fast and straight-forward it was to make your own. But happily lots more people are realising the wonders of homemade soup. So if you are planning on making some veggie soups, here are some of my favourites.

1. Roast Squash Soup.
A real winter warmer, this soup is mildly spiced and filled with flavour. Cut the squash into big pieces. There’s no need to peel. Place in a roasting pan with a little olive oil, ginger and chilli. Season with salt and pepper and cook in the oven for about half an hour or until the squash is good and soft. Transfer to a food processor and puree with some hot stock or water for a beautiful and delicious soup.

2. Chili Bean Soup
This dish is so fast and so great. It uses a clever trick that makes a big difference – a can of bought chilli beans! These are cooked up with onions, garlic, chilli and tomatoes and ended with sour cream. This makes such a delicious and easy soup, it’s even better with a dollop of guacamole on top.

3. Potato And Parmesan Soup
A yummy cheesy potato soup with parmesan. Shredded cheese is added into a creamy potato soup. This is quick to cook up, comforting and is a perfect winter meal. Creamy and tasty, this is one you must taste.

4. Hearty Lentil Soup
This recipe tastes wonderful and is perfect if you are trying to lose a few pounds. Chunky veggies and green lentils are cooked with tomatoes and plenty of herbs and garlic. This is a fantastically filing soup, packed with nutrients and low in calories and fat.

5. Carrot And Coriander Soup
Carrot and coriander soup is long time favourite. It’s flavoured with ground coriander as well as plenty of fresh coriander (cilantro) herb. Simple and healthy. The perfect soup and one that’s popular with even the fussiest of diners.

Looking for ideas for more tasty and healthy meals? Check out these fantastic vegetarian recipes.

Readers who are want to get information about the sphere of weight loss, make sure to check out the site which is quoted right in this paragraph.

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