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3 Great Burrito Recipe Ideas

iveggies — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 08:40:44 +0000

To some degree or other we all get in a rut. With our lives, our daily
routines and of course

our eating habits. Increasingly those habits involve eating out and avoiding the
kitchen all

together. What’s worse, as we add more and more to our daily agendas we
inevitably add more and

more fast food as we run from task to task.

So here’s a proposal, make time for the family dinner again. Yes, at home, at
the dinner table.

Even if it’s just a couple of times a week. Make sure everybody is going to be
there and on

time. Turn the TV off, turn the computer off, the cell phones, the twitter and
the text

messages and have a real family conversation again as you enjoy some real food
again. O.K.

enough preaching, now let’s figure out what to serve that wonderful family of
yours.

Even if you do regularly cook family meals at home you may also feel in a rut.
So how’s about

some new ideas?

Here’s three tasty yet healthy burrito recipes to consider.

1. Black Bean and Carrot Burritos

Ingredients:

* 4 med carrots

* 1 clove garlic

* 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

* 1 14 oz can black beans

* 1 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes and green chilis

* 1/2 cup vegan red wine

* 1 teaspoon cumin

* 1 teaspoon savory

Directions:

Sauté carrots and garlic in olive oil. and vegan wine then rotel tomatoes (juice
and all).

Simmer for 5 minutes. Add beans (juice and all) and spices, simmer until thick.
Use as filler

in tacos, burritos, or anything you want.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 15

Nutrition Information: calories 303, fat 4.6, sat 0.7, monounsat 2.6, polyunsat
0.8 carb 51.1g,

fiber 10g, protien 13.8g

2. Vegetable Fajitas

Ingredients:

* rice

* tortillas

* 1 medium onion

* 1 small bell pepper (green, red or yellow)

* 2 carrots, peeled and julienned

* 1 cup cauliflower

* 1 cup broccoli

* 1 small zucchini

* 1-2 tablespoon sesame oil

* 1 teaspoon parsley

* 1 teaspoon oregano

* 1/2 teaspoon cumin

* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

* salsa

Directions:

Serves: 2-6.

Preparation time: 20-45 minutes, depending on what type of rice you use..

Cook 1 cup of rice according to package directions.

In a wok, heat sesame oil. (You can substitute vegetable oil.) Cook onions and
peppers until

start getting soft. Add carrots and cauliflower. Sprinkle spices over top of
vegetables. Stir

with spatula. After one minute, add broccoli and zucchini and 2 Tbs. water.
Cover wok so

broccoli and zucchini will steam for 3 minutes. Remove lid and stir in order to
get spices

evenly distributed. Cover for another minute or so.

Put serving spoonful of rice and of vegetables into tortilla. Add salsa to
taste.

Makes 6 big fajitas. (Serves 2 hungry, hungry people or 6 light eaters.)

3. Easy Tofu-Veggie Burritos

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

* 1 pkg. 6 whole wheat tortillas (burrito size)

* 3/4 cup uncooked organic brown rice

* 1 15 oz. can organic non-fat refried black beans

* 1/2 lb. organic firm tofu

* 1 small zucchini

* 1 small carrot

* 4-5 small white mushrooms

Directions:

Quick Guacamole (optional)

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

* 1 small avocado

* 1/4 cup prepared salsa

Directions:

Cook rice according to package directions. Heat black beans over low heat.

Cut tofu into 1/2″ cubes. Chop zucchini, carrot, and mushrooms into bite size
pieces. Blanch

carrot in a bowl of water in microwave for 1-2 minutes to soften.

In a non-stick saucepan, sauté tofu until browned. Set aside. In same saucepan,
add zucchini,

blanched carrot, and mushrooms. Sauté until water has cooked off. Remove from
heat and add tofu

back in.

Quick Guacamole: Remove avocado from skin and mash. Add prepared salsa.

To assemble: Soften tortilla by placing between two sheets of paper towel in
microwave for 10-

20 seconds. Add scoop of black beans, rice, and tofu-veggie sauté. Add
guacamole, sliced

olives, salsa if desired.

Alternatives: Substitute any of your favorite vegetables for the ones listed
here. (These ones

work well because they have a high water content and can be cooked without oil.)

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 40 min.

Camping Cook Ware Comes With Choices

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:47:08 +0000

To prepare campsite meals and feed yourself or family during your camping trip, at least some camping cook ware will be needed. Camping cook ware that is small in size and portable will make your camp cooking and packing for your trip less complicated. Backpackers who are camping will especially appreciate compact, portable camping cook ware. Camping cook ware can range from a simple single pot to a number of skillets and pots in different sizes that nest into each other for easy storage and transportation.
A main choice you will have when shopping for camping cook ware is the type of cook ware material. Aluminum, cast iron, titanium, and stainless steel are all available and each has their own merits. Aluminum, titanium and stainless steel cook ware sets will be lighter and easier to tote around. Aluminum camping cook ware sets may come in non-stick varieties, which will be slightly more expensive. Metal cook ware sets will all be prone to rusting, so be careful that your cooking pans are dry before you store them. Cast iron cook ware sets are especially durable, and can last you a lifetime with proper care. Because they are so sturdy, cast iron cook ware sets will be much heavier and harder to transport than cook ware sets made out of other materials.
Besides pots and pans, utensils and cutlery are other essential pieces of camping cook ware. Depending on what type of campfire foods you want to prepare, you may be able to get away with just a simple knife and spoon, or you may need a more elaborate utensil set including a spatula, measuring cups, tongs and forks. Folding utensil sets are available that allow for easy storage. If you are worried about storage space, a simple and cost effective solution is to purchase an all-purpose wooden spoon and saw off most of its handle, being careful of splinters from the sawed off end. Also, look for plastic cutlery sets including forks, spoons, and knives, for another cost saving way to find camping cook ware.
To minimize the need for lots of camping cook ware, there are a few camp cooking strategies you can follow. For example, much cooking preparation can be done ahead of time in your own kitchen. Vegetables can be chopped up and sauces can be prepared and stored in small containers or plastic bags. This allows you to leave behind the knives, cutting boards, stirring spoons, and other equipment that will take up room and need to be cleaned. Also, sticking to simple camp cooking recipes will allow you to reduce the number of camping cook ware pieces needed for your meal preparation. Aluminum foil cooking is a simple and easy method that creates hot, delicious dishes and the only cook ware needed is a roll of foil.

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The Secret to Cooking Duck

admin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 06:40:45 +0000

After a long absence from the American food scene, duck is making a comeback. And why not? Well-prepared duck is tasty and healthy. Both domestic and wild duck are an excellent source of iron and protein. Too, fresh duck is found in many supermarkets and specialty food stores from late spring until early winter (the U.S. government grades ducks from A to C–A being the best), and who doesn’t like to try something other than chicken or beef now and then?

How to buy the bird

When buying duck, be sure to choose a bird with a plump, broad breast and elastic skin. If you buy frozen duck, check that the packaging has no holes that could compromise the quality of the poultry.

The problem with duck

Duck isn’t difficult to prepare—once you know how to do it. The trouble is, very few people (even some chefs in expensive restaurants) know how to cook it properly. Duck is dark, fatty meat. You must cook off as much of the fat as possible to end up with a bird that doesn’t have a tough, chewy skin. (Duck skin should be crispy!)

There are a number of ways people have dealt with this over the years, but let’s focus on the French way.

Cooking duck breast the French way

The first vital step is to prepare the duck for cooking by slicing through the skin and fat. With a sharp knife, press down into the duck’s skin, being careful not to cut through the meat of the bird. The fat is easy to cut, so as soon as you feel some resistance, you’re at the meat. Make a cut about every inch over the surface of the bird; for a more attractive look, use a cross-hatch pattern.

These cuts allow the duck’s fat to drain, which greatly improves the taste and texture of the bird.

Next, you must cook the duck slowly:

Place some oil in a heavy pan and fully preheat on low heat. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Season the duck with pepper and a small amount of salt. (Other seasonings could include cumin, rosemary, fennel, or five spice powder.)

Place the duck, skin side down, in the pan. There shouldn’t be a sizzle. (If there is, remove the duck promptly and allow your pan to cool. Then try reheating the pan on lower heat.)

To prevent the duck from frying in its own fat, drain the fat as needed throughout the cooking process.

In about 15 to 20 minutes, most of the duck fat will be gone. At that time, turn the duck and cook for about 5 to 10 seconds.

Place the duck on an oven rack with a foil-covered cookie sheet beneath it (to catch drips). Roast for 5 to 10 minutes or until a thermometer stuck in the breast reads 160 degrees F.

Allow the duck to rest a few minutes before serving.

Now that you understand how to cook duck well, experiment! Impress your family and friends with a gourmet duck cooking recipe, or try barbecuing or grilling duck breasts, remembering to cut through the skin and fat first, then cook slowly.

Kristina Seleshanko is a former research librarian for “Gourmet” magazine and the author of 16 books.

Healthy Cooking For Special Diets

admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:12:25 +0000

Healthy cooking for special diets do not need to be a chore. The key is to remember important issues for each diet, and to creatively change your recipes to meet those needs.
Vegetarian cooking is not difficult. The goal here is to remember that varying degrees of exclusion of animal products from your preferred diet sometimes makes it difficult to lay hands on certain proteins. Most plants, legumes, and grains contain at least some amino acids that make the complete proteins found in animal products. Mixing and matching foods is a great way to be sure that vegetarians get all amino acids. Your job is made easier by the fact that most vegetarians are not vegans, which means that many include some variant of animal products into their diets.
These proteins are excellent supplements to a vegetarian dish of their favor. Textured vegetable protein (TVP), and soy proteins such as those found in tofu and Boca also make vegetarian cooking much easier. Most of these proteins do not have much flavor of their own, so they will blend in nicely with whatever dish you are cooking. When it comes to vegetables and grains, just remember the basics: the more colorful the vegetable, the more nutrients it has, and whole grains make better nutrition than their bleached counterparts. Legumes are excellent resources, but be sure to cook them well as legumes are often difficult to digest for most people.
Many of the same rules for vegetarian cooking also apply for diabetic cooking. Instead of animal products and protein, the issue here is sugar. When most people think of sugar, they think of candy and other sweets. However, there are other foods that contain those simple sugars that often overload the system of diabetics. So, the goal for preparing diabetic dishes is to avoid the temptation to use these sugars in excess. Try using whole grains instead of bleached ones such as white bread and pastas.
Feel free to serve dessert, but try using a sugar substitute and stick to whole grain flour. Sugar substitutes are a must for consideration when serving drinks such as sweet tea and soda. Fruit is a possibility, but do not expect your diabetic guest to eat a whole bowl full. Even so, keep some sugary snacks and juices on hand for blood sugar emergencies when blood sugar has dipped well below healthy levels.
Light cooking recipes presents the least hassle because most westerners are beginning to appreciate its benefits as a means of disease prevention. The trick to light cooking is simple. Stay away from heavy meats such as meat with a lot of fat on it or red meat. Try substituting meat with TVP or tofu when you can get away with it. Lightly fry foods in cooking spray rather than butter or oil, and use foods that will offer the best nutrition possible.
The goal of healthy cooking for special diets is to fill the belly with enriching foods that promote good health. Of equal importance is to find creative ways to meet dietary needs without much fuss.

For More Information On Healthy Cooking Go To:
Healthy Cooking Information

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The Ways Of Crock Pot Cooking

admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:12:14 +0000

When the weather outside warms up, the kitchen can be a terrible place to be. There are many things you can do however, when it comes to cooking a nice home made meal that doesn’t require traditional stove top or oven cooking. Learn to utilize some of the lesser heat producing equipment in your kitchen, such as the crock pot, in order to truly beat the summer heat and keep your cool while preparing a nice hot meal for friends and family. So, how does crock pot cooking really help beat the heat? Simply put, the crock pot in and of itself puts off far less heat when cooking than an oven or stove top. This is the first and possibly the best reason to utilize the crock pot in your summer meal planning. You should also consider the fact that by not heating the house by using your stove top or oven you are also preventing your air conditioning (or other cooling methods) from working overtime in order to compensate for the additional heat that other cooking methods introduce. This makes crock pot cooking a win-win situation as the costs involved in operating a crock pot are far less than the costs involved in operating a stove or oven in general. Whether electric or gas, your stove and oven are often serious energy hogs. Add to that the fact that you are not raising the temperature in your home by traditional means of cooking and you are using even less electricity. Unfortunately for most, the general consensus has been that crock pots were meant for comfort foods and hearty winter meals. The truth is that the crock pot should be one of your best loved and most often utilized cooking methods if you can manage it. When it comes to cooking with a crock pot, the options are almost limitless. Almost anything that can be baked can be made in the crock pot and many, many more wonderful and enticing meals and treats as well. Benefits of Crock Pot Cooking In addition to the cost benefits mentioned above when it comes to crock pot cooking there are many other benefits that are well worth mentioning. First of all, the bulk of the work involved in crock pot cooking takes place early in the day when you are refreshed rather than at the end of a hectic work or play day. This means that you are less likely to forget an ingredient or make other mistakes that often occur as we hurriedly prepare a dinner when we are exhausted from the activities of our day. Second, many great crock pot recipes include the vegetables that insure we are getting the nutrients we need. So often, when preparing a meal at the last minute, vegetables and other side dishes are left out in favor of expedience. Crock pot cooking in many instances is a meal in one dish. Another great reason to use a crock pot for your summertime cooking is the ease of clean up. Unlike pots and pans, most crock pot meals are made in one dish. This means that there will not be mountains of dishes to be either hand washed or loaded into the dishwasher (or if you are like me-both) afterwards. You can spend less time cleaning just as you spent less time slaving over a hot stove. Oh wait! Make that no time slaving over a hot stove. Once clean up is complete you can get back to enjoying the sun set, chasing the lightening bugs with your little ones, or waiting for the first star. While there will never be a one size fits all best cooking method, crock pot cooking comes very close. If you have a crock pot collecting dust somewhere in the back of your pantry it is time to get it out, dust if off, and dig up some great summertime crock pot cooking recipes.

Find tips about cooking fresh green beans and cooking steak at the Easy Home Cooking website.

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