USHA'S KITCHEN

Friday, November 4, 2011

Roasted Almonds .....

Roasting is a good cooking method for large, tender cuts of beef, pork or lamb. It’s also a great way to cook poultry and fish.
You can roast vegetables, too, especially if

you roast them alongside the meat. The best vegetables for roasting are starchy root vegetables. One can roast firm fruits, like apples, pears and tomatoes, too. Sometimes when roasting fruits, people call it baking instead of roasting..
Roasting vegetables completely transforms them, giving them a unique, delicious flavor

that one does not get from any other cooking method..
In an Oven one can also toast any kind of nut

in a hot oven.
Preheat an oven to 350-425 . Place your nuts

on a baking sheet and bake for a few minutes, watch them carefully . Oven toasted nuts
are a bit slower than stove top toasted nuts, but will be more uniformly browned without needing the use of oil.
The roasted vegetables could be so easy to make, it would need to cut up the vegetable into chunks. Then, you need oil and season them. One needs to pick the right baking dish, and place them.
Oil and Seasoning is added as Oil helps the vegetables brown evenly. A little bit of salt and pepper always taste good. Even add seasonings like. Thyme, rosemary, orange zest, cayenne pepper, cumin, fennel seeds it would only enhance the flavor.
Try setting the oven to 400F [ 200 degree centigrade] this will give you the perfect temperature for delicious roasted vegetables.
Roasted vegetables really are wonderful. It's a completely different taste than boiling, steaming or sautéing.
In the same manner salted and the freshly roasted almonds are very popular. Roasted almonds make a great snack or appetizer. Make them in simple steps.
Wash the almonds and drain them, spread on a kitchen napkin.
Preheat the oven to 200 degree centigrade. In a bowl mix the almonds, sprinkle some oil and salt. Spread on a baking tray and put in the oven for 10 minutes. Make the sweet almonds by roasting in an oven. Remove and sprinkle with sugar to coat them. Allow to cool completely before storing in a jar also can add salt if one wants to. One can roast almonds with spices. Such as ground cumin, coriander, black pepper, cinnamon, chilly powder and salt before roasting.
Or also toss them in a blend of honey, sugar, salt, water and olive oil.
TIP FOR ROASTING THE ALMONDS..
1 One of the most popular uses of the almond

is to roast and salt them.
2 Almonds have their natural oil and so do not need to be coated or mixed with any type of oil before roasting.
3 Substitute roasted almonds for peanuts.
Almonds are among the healthiest nuts. Almonds are a nutritional superpower having magnesium, calcium, fiber, vitamin B, phosphorous and protein.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

catch these tips...

TIP: Fresh Coriander leaves should be washed thoroughly in the water.

TIPS 4 THE DAY
Try to avoid eating in front of the TV or computer which often leads to mindless overeating.
Chew your food slowly.

TIP 4 THE DAY... Buy Strawberries | Choose berries that are firm, plump, free of mold, and which have a shiny, deep red color and attached green caps.
A HEALTHY TIP . . . Cut a strawberry into half and rub it on your teeth and gums. This removes tartar and strengthens and heals the gums.

Strawberries are fragile, perishable, and a delicate fruit....

Strawberries are not only good to eat, they are also "good for us." Strawberry is one of the most delicious and nutritious fruit. Strawberry is a wonder fruit. We all know strawberries are delicious, but they are also nutritious, and ideally should be a part of everyone's daily diet. Just by adding fresh strawberries to your diet, whether they are in salads, smoothies, milkshakes or on their own, is a great way to get the servings of fruit you need for a healthy immune system.
More power to the berries is that are real yummy and thankfully another plus is that strawberries, blackberries and raspberries contain a common and powerful cancer fighter called Ellagic acid. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries especially contain an abundance of antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of a number of cancers.
When only fruits were considered in regard to the antioxidant capacity, strawberries came out 4th among all fruits (behind blackberries, cranberries, and raspberries).
The sweetness, juiciness and deep red color of strawberries can brighten up both the taste and aesthetics of any meal. Not only do they taste great they are among the fruits and vegetables ranked highest in health promoting antioxidants also.
Few health benefits that can be listed are cardiovascular support and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, improved regulation of blood sugar, with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, and prevention of certain cancer types including breast cancer.
Ten of the Top Cancer Fighting Foods are Tomatoes, Blueberries, Red Cabbage, Red Beets, Spinach, Garlic, Whole Wheat, Oranges, Strawberries and Beans.
Strawberries are an excellent source of antioxidant promoting vitamin C and manganese.
These berries have tempting looks and great taste, have secured their place in the list of favorites for all ages.
Strawberries are virtually fat free, therefore they are ideal and perfect food for your diet.
They are extensively used in food stuffs ice-creams, jams, jellies, squashes, syrups, confectionery, bakeries, chocolates and even medicines for their extraordinarily rich flavor, taste and color.
It is probably one of the most mouth-watering dessert of strawberries mixed with fresh cream ?

TIP 4 THE DAY... Buy Strawberries | Choose berries that are firm, plump, free of mold, and which have a shiny, deep red color and attached green caps.
A HEALTHY TIP . . . Cut a strawberry into half and rub it on your teeth and gums. This removes tartar and strengthens and heals the gums.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Do find yourself tempted by foods that are ' deep-fried ' ...

Do you wish to lessen the fried food in an effort to reduce
your fat and cholesterol.
So do plan to eat something healthier that will be more satisfying but won't overindulge yourself.
Try baking instead of frying, oven fried, if done right,
will taste pretty good.
French fries can contain a large amount of fat from frying.
This way one can easily replace the deep fried as a reasonable substitute. Start choosing fresh, tasty, healthy alternatives to fried choices you have always made.
Oven frying has countless health benefits for people with heart disease and for those carrying around a few extra pounds. Oven frying is also less likely to cause or any other medical condition in which greasy, high fat foods can cause big problems.
Use the following tips to create tasty, lower-fat, oven-fried foods: Use a small amount of oil to coat the surface of the food, then brown in the oven instead of deep frying. Add moisture to meat by marinating it in buttermilk, then oven-fry. Give fried yeast breads like donuts time to rise on their own. Coat the outside with canola cooking spray and brown in the oven. Batters offer a bit of a challenge, but you can do two things: First, sometimes you can thicken the batter with a starch ingredient so it stands up better to oven-frying to a thinner batter that is deep-fried in hot oil to cook quickly. Second, you can change from a wet batter to a drier crumb coating (crumb coatings generally oven fry very well.) Make a crispy crust by adding crispy ingredients to the outside of the food, then oven fry, instead of deep frying in hot oil. Broil foods to quickly add color and a crispy texture.
Do you want to resist the craving for French fries every now and then, but wish to stay health.
Then you will have to find a healthy, well-balanced way or even doing it in 'Moderation' becomes the key.
Few Healthy options that one could try are choose a salad with fresh veggies.
Dishes that are deep fried, pan fried, basted, batter dipped, breaded, creamy, crispy,
Alfredo, Au gratin or in cream sauce are usually high in calories or could be unhealthy fats or sodium.
Even the Soda is a huge source of hidden calories. How about adding a little lemon to your water or ordering unsweetened iced tea.
If you do choose buffet dining, opt for fresh fruits, salads, as this is going to lead to overeating to get your money's worth.
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart” and it’s not just what you eat, but how you eat. Your food choices can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as defend against depression.
TIPS 4 THE DAY
Try to avoid eating in front of the TV or computer which often leads to mindless overeating.
Chew your food slowly.

what is a Menu ...

In a restaurant, a menu is a presentation of food and beverage offerings. A menu may be a la carte.
which guests use to choose from a list of options.
A list of dishes available in a restaurant. A printed list of dishes offered in a restaurant.
The food available or to be served in a restaurant or at a meal.
a list of dishes available at a restaurant; "the menu was in French".
The first restaurant menus arose roughly one millennium ago, during the Song Dynasty in China.
But the word "menu," like much of the terminology of cuisine,
is French in origin.