HEALTHY INFO . . . DO U KNOW...

HEALTHY INFO . . . DO U KNOW...
Asparagus is a good source of vitamins A, C and E, B-complex vitamins, potassium and zinc.
An avocado has more than twice as much potassium as a banana.
For a delicious, creamy salad dressing, mix together avocado and fresh carrot juice.
Broccoli contains twice the vitamin C of an orange.
Sulfur compounds in onions help to detoxify the body.
Parsley aids digestion.
Sweet Potato contains calcium, are high in vitamins A and C.
Zucchini also contains potassium and calcium.
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2011/01/10-fascinating-food-facts/

OH WOW!! SO MUCH INFORMATION . .

OH WOW!!
The Baked Alaska dessert was actually invented in New York City, most likely in 1868.
Also the French dip sandwich was invented at Phillipe’s in Los Angeles, in 1918. 
Maraschino cherries may have an Italian-sounding name, but they actually come from Croatia.
“Sauerkraut” means “sour cabbage” in German, so you’d think it was a German invention. 
It came about around 2,000 years ago and was enjoyed by laborers building the Great Wall of China.
did u know ...
Beluga Caviar is the most expensive food item in the world, costing up to $5,000 per kilogram. Caviar is fish roe (eggs).
Second to caviar, foie gras is one of the finest western foods available. It is the liver of ducks (foie gras de canard) or geese (fois gras d’Oie). It is produced by a method called gravage
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, reaching prices beyond $2,000 per pound (depending on season).
Saffron is the three stigmas and style of the crocus flower.
Kopi Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world, selling for between $120 and $600 USD per pound.

Sodium is an important mineral

Sodium is an important mineral and electrolyte necessary for many functions in the body. Sodium is only needed in small quantities, and the kidneys are responsible for excreting extra sodium from the body. 
A small amount of sodium is naturally present in most foods, but most dietary sodium is found in processed foods in the form of salt.
Salt is added to most canned foods, some frozen vegetables, fast foods, smoked and cured meats, and pickled foods. It is used in most cheeses, sauces, soups, salad dressings and many breakfast cereals. It is also found in many other ingredients used in food processing. Many commercially prepared condiments and seasonings are also high in sodium.
Most varieties of soy sauce are salty, earthy, brownish liquids intended to season food while cooking or at the table.
Soy sauce contains very high amounts of salt.
Even most cheeses are packed with sodium.
Also peanuts sold as snacks come packed with salt, and not to forget the processed snack foods, Pickled foods.
The food industry is working to decrease sodium content in these food items.
So a quick Fact is...
A diet high in sodium may be one factor in the development of high blood pressure. Most Americans consume too much sodium.
"A diet low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, a disease associated with many factors."
WHAT TO DO?
Use more fresh fruit, vegetables and meat compared to the processed foods.
For cooking use canola oil or olive oil, which contain less sodium.
Check food labels for the words salt or sodium. Salt often is used as a preservative or flavoring agent.
Do not use the salt shaker on the table.
Learn to season foods with herbs and spices rather than salt.
Always taste food to check how salted it is.

Flowering tea or blooming tea

Flowering tea or blooming tea consist each of a bundle of dried tea leaves wrapped around one or more dried flowers. These are made by binding tea leaves and flowers together into a bulb and are then set to dry. When steeped, the bundle expands and unfurls in a process that emulates a blooming flower, while the flowers inside emerge as the centerpiece. Typically they are sourced from the Yunnan province of China. Flowers commonly used in flowering teas include globe amaranth, chrysanthemum, jasmine, lily, hibiscus, and osmanthus.
It remains uncertain whether flowering tea was a modern creation or was a much older invention of China.
Flowering tea is generally served in containers made of glass, or other transparent material, so that the flowering effect can be seen. The bundles can usually be reused two or three times without the tea becoming bitter.
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2006/02/inside_every_te.html
http://bloomingtea.gostorego.com/
http://www.teavana.com/the-teas/blooming-teas

Thecha is ..

Thecha is vegetarian Maharashtrian food preparation. It is prepared crushing together green or red chilies, salt and garlic, oil/ghee and cloves may be added. It is served with dishes like pithla bhakri or is eaten with bhakri.
CATCH THIS RECIPE..
http://foodwithapinchoflove.wordpress.com/lasuni-thecha/
http://cookingspace.blogspot.in/2009/12/zhanzhanit-kolhapuri-thecha.html

A taco is a . .

A taco is a “tortilla with something wrapped inside” . . .
A taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling. A taco can be made with a variety of fillings, including beef, pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables and cheese, allowing for great versatility and variety. A taco is generally eaten without utensils and is often accompanied by garnishes such as salsa, avocado or guacamole, cilantro, tomatoes, minced meat, onions and lettuce.
Beginning from the early part of the twentieth century, various styles of tacos have become popular in the United States and Canada.
The Hard-shell tacos are the style that has become most common is the hard-shell, U-shaped ones.
Traditionally, soft-shelled tacos referred to corn tortillas that were cooked to a softer state than a hard taco that is usually by grilled or steamed.
But the soft tacos are tacos made with wheat flour tortillas and filled with the same ingredients as a hard taco.
The origins of the taco are really unknown. One theory suggests that the word ‘taco’ has its origins in the dynamite (paper covered gunpowder) used in Mexican silver mines.
Tacos are a relatively modern invention that can be traced back to the 1700's.
Tacos were first mentioned in the United States in 1905, at a time when Mexicans began to migrate to the United States.

HAVE U EVER HEARD OF THIS? PIC FOR REFERENCE ONLY.. Breadfruit

HAVE U EVER HEARD OF THIS? PIC FOR REFERENCE ONLY..
Breadfruit also called Ulu (Artocarpus altilis) is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry family. Breadfruit, an equatorial lowland species.
It is growing throughout Southeast Asia and most Pacific Ocean islands.
Breadfruit trees grow to a height of 85 feet (26 m). The large and thick leaves are deeply cut into pinnate lobes. All parts of the tree yield latex, a milky juice, which is useful for boat caulking.
Breadfruit is a staple food in many tropical regions. There are many ways to cook breadfruit.
There are two varieties of breadfruit, one is the seeded variety known as the breadnut, and the other one is the seedless one.
Breadfruit can be eaten once cooked, or can be further processed into a variety of other foods. A common product is a mixture of cooked or fermented breadfruit mash mixed with coconut milk and baked in banana leaves. Whole fruits can be cooked in an open fire, then cored and filled with other foods, such as coconut milk, sugar and butter, cooked meats, or other fruits. The filled fruit can be further cooked so the flavor of the filling permeates the flesh of the breadfruit.