Food & Recipes

Roasted Sweet Potato Pie or Flan

I like this as much without a crust as with one. It’s not a flan in the traditional sense, with a caramel component. It’s an irresistibly creamy one. If you use 2 eggs instead of 3 (see variation) the texture will be smoother but it won’t slice as neatly.

2 large sweet potatoes or enough for 1 1/2 cups puréed roasted sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup mild honey, such as clover

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons drained yogurt or crème fraiche

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 gluten-free dessert pastry (or other crust of your choice), fully baked and cooled (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Pierce the sweet potatoes in several places with the tip of a paring knife. Place on the baking sheet and bake 40 to 50 minutes, until soft and oozing. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, peel and place in a food processor fitted with the steel blade (you can also blend the mixture with a hand blender). Turn the oven down to 350 degrees. If not using a crust, butter a round 9-inch baking dish.

2. Measure out 1 1/2 cups of sweet potato purée (store any extra purée in the refrigerator and enjoy with a meal). Place the purée in the food processor, or in a bowl if using a hand blender, add the remaining ingredients (except the crust) and blend until smooth and creamy. Scrape into the baking dish or the crust. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Yield: 1 pie or flan, serving 8 to 12

Advance preparation: These tastes even better the day after it’s made. The roasted sweet potatoes will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. When you blend them, include any of the syrup that has oozed out.

Variation: Use 2 eggs for a creamier flan.

Nutritional information per serving (8 servings): 345 calories; 18 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 140 milligrams cholesterol; 40 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 304 milligrams sodium; 8 grams protein

Nutritional information per serving (12 servings): 230 calories; 12 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 93 milligrams cholesterol; 27 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 202 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein

Source: New York Times

 

Top five winter foods for beautiful skin!

Salome Phelamei

Once again the cold winter season has arrived and the chilly dry wind can play havoc on your skin, lips, cheeks and other parts of the body. To avoid the harsh skin conditions caused by the cold winter winds, you need to prepare yourself not just changing your outward skincare regimens but also eating the right foods for your inner beauty.

After all, a healthy diet plays a vital role in sustaining an angelic complexion. Hence, what you consume can provide a powerful protection from dryness, UV damage as well as reducing the wrinkle lines lavishing you with a smooth silky skin. Here are five of the best foods which are believed to keep your skin healthy and beautiful during winter:

Carrots: Carrots have carotenoids beta carotene and lycopene – both of which may guard your skin against UV damage. Eating carrots can help prevent skin dryness and removes pigmentation as well as blemishes from the skin due to presence of vitamin A. Carrots have many health benefits apart from acting as a skin care food.

Grapefruit: Eating grapefruit can keep your skin healthy and reverse the signs of ageing. Grapefruit extract has been used in anti-ageing potions for hundreds of years. Grapefruits are the best sources of anti-oxidants that has ever been found, which is keys to healthy, younger looking and supple skin.

All citrus fruits like oranges and tangerines contain high amount of anti-oxidants but grapefruit has the highest quantity of it.

Omega-3-rich fish: Try having omega-3-rich fish like tune twice a week. This may help you keep your skin looking younger and may even prevent cancer. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), one of the omega-3 fats in fatty fish, has been shown to conserve collagen, a fibrous protein that keeps skin firm. They are not just good for your skin but beneficial for your heart as well.

Spinach: Spinach is considered a winter super-food. Packed with full nutrients, it has a special role in skin care. The vitamins and minerals content in spinach can give you a radiant youthful look and help you avoid having dry and irritated skin. Eat spinach regularly for a healthy skin.

Broccoli: Research has shown that eating more vitamin C-rich foods like broccoli may help ward off wrinkles and age-related dryness. Broccoli, which is filled with skin-boosting ingredients like vitamins A, C, and natural estrogens, is a perfect winter food as it achieves the objective by soothing the skin by addressing the free radicals as well as building the collagen levels in the body.

 

Source: Zee news

6 new gluten-free foods that actually tastes good

Blue Diamond Artisan Sesame Seed Nut Thins

Top these nutty brown rice and almond crackers—spiked with crunchy sesame seeds—with your favorite hummus or flavored cream cheese.

To buy: $3 for one 4.25-ounce box, at supermarkets.

Ginny bakes Chocolate Chip Love Go-Pack

Buttery and sweet, these cookies are a celiac’s dream milk-dunking treat.

To buy: $2.30 for one pack of 2 cookies, at Whole Foods Markets and natural food stores.

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Muesli

Muesli is the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approach to breakfast. A serving is packed with chewy gluten-free oats, flaky coconut, tart dried fruit, and crunchy pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Try a bowl with almond or oat milk.

To buy: $6 for a 16-ounce bag, at supermarkets.

Van’s Honey Nut Crunch

Gluten-free can mean cardboard-like cereals, but not here. These puffy squares are rich in fiber with a touch of sweetness from the honey.

Crunchmaster Sea Salt Multi-Grain Crisps

These salty whole-grain crisps are made with a mixture of gluten-free flours (including brown rice, oat, and millet) and crunchy flax seeds for addictive snacking.

To buy: $2.60 for one 3.54-ounce box, at supermarkets.

Cup4Cup Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix

This should be the go-to dough mix for any wheat-free pizza lovers. The ultra-pillowy, tender crusts will fool even discerning palates.

To buy: $15 for one 18-ounce bag,

Source: Fox news

8 famous foods discovered by mistake

Some of the greatest discoveries are made by accident and it’s no exception when it comes to food. From a frozen treat to flaked wheat, here are eight famous foods that are the result of pure serendipity.

1Popsicles

As a childhood staple, it’s fitting that this sweet treat came to be after a discovery by a child. In 1905, 11-year-old Frank Epperson left a stirring stick, placed in a cup of powdered soda and water, on his porch overnight. When Epperson happened upon the frozen mixture the next day, he decided to call it an “Epsicle.” Eventually, his kids would refer to the frozen pop as Pop’s ‘sicle, causing Epperson to change the name. In 1923, Epperson sold the rights to Popsicle® and today, the company sells 2 billion ice pops annually, with cherry being the most popular flavor amongst its consumers.

Raisins

It’s believed that humans first discovered raisins when they stumbled upon a crop of dried grapes. The time period during which this occurred is still

debated, but the first accidental commercial raisin crop is said to have materialized in California in 1873. Two years later, vineyardist William Thompson introduced his thin-skinned, sweet tasting “Thompson Seedless” grapes, which today, are the basis for most raisins.

Ice Cream Cones

Some would argue that ice cream without an ice cream cone is nothing short of incomplete, so it’s impressive that this edible ice cream dish rose to fame after an impromptu act. The ice cream cone gained popularity in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair when Syrian concessionaire, Ernest Hamwi, decided to roll up some of his crisp, waffle-like pastries (also known as zalabia) to help out a neighboring ice cream vendor who ran out of dishes.

Aspartame

File this one under ‘the time when accidently ingesting a chemical led not only to a positive outcome, but a revolutionary one.’ In 1965, scientist Dr. James Schlatter was working on an anti-ulcer drug when he went to lick his finger to pick up a piece of paper. His finger tasted sweet, so he traced back his steps and realized that the sweet-tasting substance was aspartame. Today, this popular low-calorie sweetener (which is about 200 times sweeter than sucrose) can be found in many popular foods.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Talk about an accident that turned out oh-so-right. In the 1930’s, while preparing a batch of butter drop cookies for her guests at the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts, Ruth Wakefield decided to stick pieces of a NESTLÉ® chocolate bar into the cookie dough, expecting it to dissolve once baked. Instead, the chocolate maintained its shape. NESTLÉ® quickly caught wind of the discovery and placed Wakefield’s recipe on their chocolate bar wrappers, where it still remains today. In 1997, to honor the popular recipe’s origin, Massachusetts designated the chocolate chip cookie as its official state cookie. If you ever need some validation that failure can lead to success, take at look back at the beginnings of corn flakes. In 1898, W.K. Kellogg (who later became the founder of Kellogg’s) and his brother, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, accidently produced a batch of flaked wheat berry after attempting to make granola. The Kellogg brothers then decided to experiment by flaking corn and the rest is history.

Corn Flakes

If you ever need some validation that failure can lead to success, take at look back at the beginnings of corn flakes. In 1898, W.K. Kellogg (who later became the founder of Kellogg’s) and his brother, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, accidently produced a batch of flaked wheat berry after attempting to make granola. The Kellogg brothers then decided to experiment by flaking corn and the rest is history.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Talk about an accident that turned out oh-so-right. In the 1930’s, while preparing a batch of butter drop cookies for her guests at the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts, Ruth Wakefield decided to stick pieces of a NESTLÉ® chocolate bar into the cookie dough, expecting it to dissolve once baked. Instead, the chocolate maintained its shape. NESTLÉ quickly caught wind of the discovery and placed Wakefield’s recipe on their chocolate bar wrappers, where it still remains today. In 1997, to honor the popular recipe’s origin, Massachusetts designated the chocolate chip cookie as its official state cookie. If you ever need some validation that failure can lead to success, take at look back at the beginnings of corn flakes. In 1898, W.K. Kellogg (who later became the founder of Kellogg’s) and his brother, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, accidently produced a batch of flaked wheat berry after attempting to make granola. The Kellogg brothers then decided to experiment by flaking corn and the rest is history.

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

The next time you slather this deliciously sweet, tangy sauce on your meal, know that without the mistake of two chemists, that meal might not be as tasty. In the early 1800’s, a man by the name of Lord Sandys appointed chemists John Lea and William Perrins to the task of recreating a recipe he had tasted in Bengal. Lea and Perrins attempted the sauce, but did not like the result, so they left the sauce in jars in a cellar. Two years later, the two stumbled across the sauce, decided to taste it and found something amazing: it actually tasted good. Today, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is aged in a wooden cask for 18 months and is a popular dressing on meats and salads.

Yogurt

It’s believed that yogurt developed at a time when milk-producing animals became domesticated, possibly around 5,000 B.C. To transport the animal milk, the milk was often placed in sacks made from the stomachs of animals. It’s believed that the bacteria as well as the acidity from the lining of the stomachs prompted the milk to coagulate, forming the beginnings of yogurt.

Source: Fox news

 

Baby Carrots with Dill, Butter, and Lemon

Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes.

 Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)

 Nutritional Information

 Calories per serving:   82

Fat per serving:           3g

Saturated fat per serving:       1g

Monounsaturated fat per serving:      1g

Polyunsaturated fat per serving:        0.0g

Protein per serving:     2g

Carbohydrates per serving:     13g

Fiber per serving:        3g

Cholesterol per serving:          6mg

Iron per serving:          1mg

Sodium per serving:    341mg

Calcium per serving:   57mgIngredients

 Ingredients

  1. 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  2. 2 pounds baby carrots, peeled and tops trimmed to 1 inch
  3. 1 tablespoon butter
  4. 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
  5. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  6. 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
  7. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  8. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  9. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Place broth in a large pot. Arrange carrots in a metal steamer insert or bamboo steamer; place in pot. Cover; bring broth to a boil. Steam carrots for 10 minutes or just until crisp-tender. Transfer carrots to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients; toss well. Serve immediately.

Source: Health

Cornmeal Coconut Biscotti

When I use grainy flour like cornmeal I always include some fat in the biscotti, and this time I went with coconut oil, which contributes great flavor and a sweet perfume. Use fine or medium-grind cornmeal and make sure to use fine coconut flakes. I used organic sugar (not brown) for these; the sugar is off-white rather than white, and coarser than regular granulated sugar.

  • 125 grams (approximately 1 cup) whole wheat flour
  • 30 grams (approximately 1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 125 grams (approximately 3/4 cup) fine or medium-ground cornmeal
  • 90 grams (approximately 1 cup) unsweetened fine coconut flakes.
  • 5 grams (approximately 1 teaspoon) baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 55 grams (2 ounces) coconut oil
  • 125 grams (2/3 cup tightly packed) organic sugar
  • 165 grams (3 large) eggs
  • 5 grams (approximately 1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Whisk together the flours, cornmeal, coconut flakes, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a whisk or electric beater, beat together the coconut oil and sugar at medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat together for another minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater. Turn off the mixer and add the flour mixture. Mix in at low speed until combined. The batter will be moist and sticky.

3. using a spatula or a bowl scraper, scrape out half the batter onto the baking sheet. Moisten your hands so the dough won’t stick, and form a log, about 10 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide. Repeat with the other half of the batter. The logs can be on the same baking sheet but make sure there is at least 2 inches of space between them.

4. Place in the oven and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until lightly browned, beginning to crack on the top, and dry. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 20 minutes (or longer). Place on a cutting board and cut 1/2 inch slices straight across the logs.

5. Place the cookies on baking sheets and return, one sheet at a time, to the middle rack of the oven. Bake 15 minutes and flip the biscotti over. Bake another 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and allow cooling.

Yield: 3 dozen biscotti

Advance preparation: You can bake the logs a day ahead and slice and double bake the cookies the next day. Biscotti keep for a couple of weeks in a tin or a jar.

Nutritional information per cookie (3 dozen): 76 calories; 4 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 16 milligrams cholesterol; 10 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 22 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein

Source: The New York Times

 

Foods gout sufferers should avoid

Gout is a form of arthritis and it affects more people than you think. In fact, one in 200 Americans suffers from the severe joint pain associated with the condition.

We received this email from a viewer:

Dear Dr. Manny,
I’ve heard that eating cherries can help people who suffer from gout, but what foods should we be avoiding?
Thanks,
Tim

Gout can cause sudden attacks of pain in the joints of the feet, ankles, knees and even the hands, but it’s most commonly felt at the base of the big toe. And it’s true, cherries can help reduce inflammation in the body, so they may help when it comes to managing gout flares.

A buildup of uric acid in the joints causes gout and flares can last for days or even months. Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines, which are substances that are found naturally in the body, and in certain foods. As a result, the foods you eat can play a key role in managing your pain.

Try to avoid or limit your intake of certain foods that are high in purines including:

  • Fish and other seafood
  • Whole grains
  • Sugars and high-fructose corn syrup
  • Beer
  • Certain vegetables like asparagus, spinach, lentils, cauliflower and peas
  • Red meat and poultry

However, some foods help protect against gout, including low-fat dairy, complex carbohydrates, coffee and citrus fruits.

Source: Fox News

Mediterranean diet linked to longer lifespan

Britons who are looking for healthy diet plans following the festive period may want to look to the Mediterranean, after research found that the traditional diet promotes longevity.

 The much-celebrated dietary regime focuses on vegetables and fish, with fewer animal-based products such as meat and milk.

Scientists at Sweden’s Sahlgrenska Academy analysed data on thousands of 70-year-olds, some of whom followed a Mediterranean diet while others ate a regular diet with a greater emphasis on meat products.

They found that people who ate a Mediterranean diet were 20 per cent more likely to live longer than those who did not.

Researcher Gianluca Tognon revealed: “This means in practice that older people who eat a Mediterranean diet live an estimated 2.3 years longer than those who don’t.”

He concluded that a Mediterranean diet “is linked to better health, not only for the elderly but also for youngsters”.

People who are interested in following a traditional Mediterranean diet in the new year should increase their intake of fruit and vegetables, avoid processed foods and eat plenty of healthy fats from fish, nuts and olive oil.

Source: http://bit.ly/1aoDh20

Gluten-free foods that make you gain weight

If you think you’re doing yourself a favor by eating gluten-free foods — even though you don’t have to — you’re not alone. Sixty-five percent of people who eat GF foods say they think they’re healthier, and 27 percent think it’ll help them lose weight, finds a new survey. But here’s the thing: GF foods aren’t automatically better for you — and plenty of them can make you gain lbs. Just check out these fattening GF products — and the much better alternatives (assuming you don’t actually have celiac disease — the substitutes aren’t gluten-free).

Granola

Don’t Eat This: Bakery on Main Rainforest Banana Nut Granola (1/2 cup)
Calories: 375
Fat: 11 g (1 g saturated)
Sodium: 23 mg
Sugar: 9 g

This contains the same number of calories as more than 65 Cheez-It crackers — before you even add any milk or yogurt to it.

Eat This: Special K Low-Fat Touch of Honey Granola (1/2 cup)
Calories: 190
Fat: 3 g (0.5 g saturated)
Sodium: 115 mg
Sugar: 9 g

This option has nearly half the calories of the gluten-free granola — and less than a third of the fat!

Bread

Don’t Eat This: Aleia’s Gluten-Free Farmhouse White Bread (2 slices)
Calories: 240
Fat: 7 g (0 g saturated)
Sodium: 190 mg
Sugar: 6 g

You’d have to eat 60 Jelly Belly jelly beans to consume the same number of calories that are in these slices!

Eat This: Arnold Whole Grain White Sandwich Thin Rolls (1 roll)
Calories: 100
Fat: 1 g (0 g saturated)
Sodium: 170 mg
Sugar: 2 g

Slash the fat, calories, and sugar by switching to sandwich thins instead.

Pizza

Don’t Eat This: Uno Chicago Grill Gluten-Free Pepperoni Pizza (half a pizza)
Calories: 500
Fat: 21 g (8.5 g saturated)
Sodium: 1,040 mg
Sugar: 6 g

You’d have to eat more than 60 tortilla chips to take in that much sodium!

Eat This: Domino’s Crunchy Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza (2 small slices)
Calories: 240
Fat: 13 g (5.5 g saturated)
Sodium: 525 mg
Sugar: 2 g

While the fat is a little on the high side here, too, the Domino’s pizza is still the clear winner.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Don’t Eat This: Amy’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies (1 cookie)
Calories: 90
Fat: 6 g (2.5 g saturated)
Sodium: 25 mg
Sugar: 4 g

Eat two of these, and you’ll have consumed the same amount of fat as in a McDonald’s cheeseburger — and that’s assuming you can stop yourself at two cookies.

Eat This: WhoKnew Original Cookie (1 cookie)
Calories: 53
Fat: 2 g (1 g saturated)
Sodium: 18 mg
Sugar: 3 g

Talk about smart cookies: These pack 1 gram of fiber and 10 percent of your daily calcium requirement per cookie.

Source: Fox News

 

Nestle to change Kit Kat recipe

KIT Kats are to undergo a recipe change in a bid to make the York-produced bars healthier.

Nestlé has announced that it is reformulating the Kit Kat following a three-year research program at its innovation centre in York.

The new recipe will see 0.4g of saturated fat cut from each two-fingered milk chocolate bar, the equivalent of 3,800 tones of saturated fat being removed from the nation’s diet.

The reduction has been made by changing the recipe of the wafer filling.

York’s Nestlé Confectionery factory in Haxby Road will manufacture the new bars, which will be on sale from early next year.

The move by Nestlé comes as the firm signs up to the Department of Health’s new Responsibility Deal Pledge on saturated fats.

Ciaran Sullivan, managing director of Nestlé Confectionery, said: “This is the next step on the journey where we are improving the nutritional profile of our products.

“Kit Kat is our biggest confectionery brand and therefore the obvious choice to identify a sat-fat reduction.

“Improving the nutritional profile of Kit Kat does not come at the expense of quality and taste and consumers will continue to enjoy the same Kit Kat as they have for over 75 years.”

Bosses say the new Kit Kats are the latest in an “ongoing commitment” to improve the nutritional composition of its confectionery portfolio. As a result of this all Nestlé confectionery chocolate biscuit bars are low in salt and meet the Responsibility Deal 2012 salt targets.

Nestlé has also reduced the portion size of many of its products such as Kit Kat, Aero, Yorkie, Lion Bar, and Rolo and is working to expand its range of 99-calorie biscuit bars, which last year included the addition of Blue Riband Caramel, Aero Biscuit Peppermint and Aero Biscuit Orange.

More than a billion Kit Kat bars are made in the York factory per year, with the site producing up to six million every day.

Source: