Monday, May 28, 2007

WHAT'S COOKIN' - WARM CHICKEN SALAD WITH ORANGE SESAME DRESSING

(NC)-Serves 4

6 cups mixed salad greens

1/2 red pepper; cut into strips

1/2 small red onion, sliced

1/2 lb Maple Lodge Farms Premium Rotisserie Seasoned

Chicken Breast cut into strips

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup bean sprouts

Dressing

juice of 1 orange

1/2 tsp grated orange rind

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp dijon mustard

freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Combine dressing ingredients; set aside.
  2. Divide greens among 4 individual serving plates.
  3. Top with red pepper and onion slices.
  4. In a skillet, stir fry premium rotisserie seasoned chicken breast in olive oil until lightly browned.
  5. Whisk dressing and add to pan; heat for 30 seconds.
  6. Pour equally over salad plates and top with bean sprouts. Serve immediately.
by: News Canada

MAKING THE FOOD-MOOD CONNECTION

(NC)-Food is more that just fuel for our bodies. What we eat - and when - has a major influence on the hormones that control our moods and emotional well-being, according to Sam Graci, nutritional researcher and author of the new book - The Food Connection: The Right Food at the Right Time.

For many people, eating-on-the-go and opting for convenience foods - instead of healthy foods - is a way of life in today's fast-paced, stress-filled society. Poor eating habits not only cause poor concentration, depression and fatigue, but they are making Canadians "hormonally" unhealthy. Foods that are high in cholesterol and fat are wreaking havoc on the hormones that control moods.

Serotonin is the hormone that regulates the body's appetite, obsessive behaviors and cravings - and it also controls our moods. Getting just the right amount of this hormone will help keep the body emotionally fit - and prevent us from packing on unwanted pounds. However, too much serotonin can cause nausea and diarrhea, and too little can leave us feeling anxious, restless, depressed, impulsive and aggressive.

Balance your moods - and cravings - by eating protein at the right time of day and with the right amount of carbohydrates. It's important to reduce protein during the day and increase the amount of complex carbohydrates such as ripe fruits and raw vegetables that we eat. Try a nutritional supplement such as greens+™ - just one serving is the equivalent of six organic salads.

Each meal or snack has a major hormonal affect on our current mood, energy, mental clarity and emotional stability. Our last snack before bed will determine how well we'll sleep during the night, and that sleep will have a direct impact on our appetite, motivation, energy, decisiveness and overall moods the following day. The next time you're tempted to reach for a candy bar or bag of potato chips, think about the consequences it will have on your hormones - and your overall health.

by: News Canada

A COCKTAIL IS NOT A COCKTAIL WITHOUT LIME

(NC)-Citrus is the fruit of good health and well-being - and indeed, for many of us there is nothing more rejuvenating than the taste and aroma of freshly squeezed lime. It makes for great cocktails too.

Vodka cocktails are very popular at any time of the year and the makers of Finlandia, who have been producing vodka for more than 400 years, tell us that the next time you plan to mix your Limosa - or your Lime Mary, your Limedriver, Limetini, or Key Lime Smoothie, and others - they now have the perfect shortcut to the right taste every time.

New on the shelves this year is Finlandia Vodka Lime. You will recognize it by the familiar red dot on the ice-crafted bottle, except this new brand of icy-white vodka features a touch of lime, on both the outside, and inside the bottle. Mix it with soda, tonic, cranberry, grapefruit juice, or use it in any number of vodka cocktails. The lime flavour required is already evenly blended into a vodka that is hailed for its premium quality, promising quick, less fuss, bartender-style results.

It would appear that making a premium vodka is far from easy work however.

"The goal when distilling vodka is to produce a totally pure spirit, one without the slightest trace of anything else," says Corey Ball, group brand manager for Finlandia. "Ours follows a set of rigorous steps, of which the most important include: using the purest, glacial spring water; using six row barley, the most expensive distillers grain; using home-grown yeast to ensure freshness and consistency; and applying a continuous, uninterrupted distillation process.

"And when you go looking for our newest family member, Finlandia Vodka Lime," says Ball, "not only will you have little trouble recognizing the bottle, but as it stands right now, it is the only vodka on the shelves to offer this popular blend of lime. It is the only one, we say, to give you a taste of the arctic but with a hint of the tropics too."

by: News Canada

CHICKEN SCOOP: WHY IS CHICKEN A DIETER'S BEST FRIEND?

Let's Ask the Experts

(NC)-Did you know a skinless chicken breast contains less than 1.5 grams of fat per 100 gram serving? Offering expert advice just in time for bathing suit season, Bryan Hughes, New Product Development Manager at Maple Lodge Farms raves over the nutritious merits of chicken.

"One of the leanest meats on grocery store shelves, chicken is an excellent source of protein that offers an energizing boost without the fat," says Hughes. "And by removing the skin from a chicken breast, you can reduce its fat content by an additional 80 per cent!"

But cooks often make the mistake of adding fat when preparing chicken, he adds. Oils, sauces and dressings account for 65 per cent of our daily fat intake and can quickly transform low-fat chicken into a high-fat meal. It's important to use each in moderation.

"Lighter fare is key to sensible summer eating," says Hughes. "Premium Oven Roasted and Seasoned Chicken Breasts from Maple Lodge Farms are two ideal options available at your neighbourhood Sobey's, IGA and Knechtel's food markets."

by: News Canada

6 DELICIOUS COFFEE RECIPES

Do you love coffee? Most of us do. In this article we will provide you with 6 recipes to enjoy your coffee a different way. We hope you enjoy it.

Irish Coffee

  • 1 teapsoon of sugar
  • 1 jigger of Bushmills Irish Whiskey
  • 2/3 cup of coffee or flavored Irish Creme coffee
  • 1/4 cup of heavy cream, lightly whipped

Prehead the glass with hot water. Dump the water out and add the hot coffee with the teaspoon of suger and stir. Add the jigger of whiskey, and top with the whipping cream. Dark coffee's are best for this recipe.

Spiced Orange Coffee

  • 1 teaspoon fresh, grated orange peel
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 5 whole cloves
  • Regular amount of your usual coffee or try Swiss Chocolate Orange flavored coffee

Add the above ingredients together and brew as normal. Place a slice of orange at the bottom or your cup. Pour in coffee and add suger and cream to taste. Top with whipping cream and sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon if so desired.

Mint Cocoa Coffee

  • 1 ounce of chocolate mint liquear
  • Dash of shaved chocolate
  • Whipping cream (optional)
  • Regular coffee or try Dutch Chocolate Decaf flavored coffee

Brew your regular coffee, add the 1 ounce of liquear into your cup. Add some whipping cream if desired and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

Coffee Milkshakes

  • 1 pint of coffee ice cream
  • 2 teaspoons finely ground coffee
  • 1/2 cup light rum (optional)
  • 4 to 6 scoops vanilla ice cream
  • Instant coffee powder

Spoon coffee ice cream into blender. Add rum and finely ground coffee. Blend on high until creamy smooth. Pour into tall glasses, adding a scoop of the vanilla ice cream to each glass. Sprinkle lightly with instant coffee powder.

Frosty Mochas

  • 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee
  • 1 pint of vanilla ice cream, softenend
  • 6 tablespoons of chocolate syrup
  • 1 cup prepared cold coffee

Blend hot coffee and chocolate syrup in blender. Blend until smooth. Cool the mixture to room temperature. Pour the mixture into a medium bowl. Add the softened ice cream and cold coffee. With a rotary beater, beat until smooth. Spoon into tall glasses and serve immediately.

Nogged Coffee

  • 1 cup of coffee or try Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee
  • 1 egg yoke
  • 1/2 cup of cream
  • Dash of nutmeg

Beat the suger and egg yoke together. Place cream in a saucepan and heat over low setting, do not burn. Wisk the egg mixture into the warmed cream, heat until hot. Add coffee to mugs and top with the cream mixture. Garnish the coffee with nutmeg.

by: Merrie Schonbach

TASTY RICE PUDDING

Tasty Rice Pudding

1 cup - uncooked rice
1 teaspoon - vanilla
a pinch of salt ( if desire)
3 sticks - cinnamon
1/3 cup - sugar
2 1/2 cups water
12 0z. - evaporated milk

Bring water to boil for at least 7 minutes with cinnamon sticks, stir in rice. When rice tenders completely stir in evaporated milk, sugar, salt and vanilla.

Cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes. It makes up to 4 servings. It can be serve hot or cold.

by: Kenia Morales

Sunday, May 13, 2007

LETTUCE OF SAUCE CORN MUSTARD

Water to boil
200 g the chest chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
250 g young putren corn, cleaned, the piece section 1 cm, boiled through to ripe
150 g lettuce bokor, torn
100 g red corn shelled, boiled a moment in water boiling
100 g corn multi-colour, boiled for a moment in water boiling
1/2 (150 g) red paprika, cutting dice 1 1/2 cm
Sauce: 2 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoon flour wheat
350 ml chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paste mustard
1 tablespoon orange juice lemon
1 chicken egg yolk
Boil the chest of the chicken together salt and pepper through to ripe.
It was adopted, the piece of dice 1 1/2 cm. Eliminated.
Sauce: heated butter, added wheat, stirred level.
Pour broth little by little, stirred until being mix level.

Add salt, pepper, sugar, mustard, and the lemons orange juice, stirred level.

Put the egg yolk, stirred fast. Adopted.

The presentation: arranged the chicken cutting, putren corn, red corn,
corn multi-colour, and paprika in the plate serve. Pour sauce.
Served immediately.
Sauce mustard that was fresh sour could provoke appetite ate. Delicious also was presented with the chip of the potato