Month: February 2023

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Recipe: Transform good old reliable bananas into an elegant dessert with caramel sauce and rum

Recipe: Transform good old reliable bananas into an elegant dessert with caramel sauce and rum

Serves 4

Good old bananas are not only reliably available, and ripen a day or two after you bring them home, but they can also be transformed easily into an elegant dessert. Cook them briefly in a caramel-y brown sugar and rum sauce in a recipe similar to the classic 1950s New Orleans specialty Bananas Foster, which is typically flambeed tableside. Lighting the alcohol is mostly for show as very little of it burns off. Use bananas that are a tad underripe so they’re not too sweet and don’t turn to mush in the caramel sauce. Serve the bananas and sauce with ice cream and sprinkle with peanuts for a nice, crunchy-salty contrast, or use toasted pecans or walnuts as a garnish. For a breakfast treat, add the bananas to Greek yogurt or French toast.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons dark rum
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 small bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 pint vanilla ice cream
⅔ cup salted cocktail peanuts or toasted pecans, walnuts, or almonds, coarsely chopped

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Whisk to blend them and dissolve the sugar. Simmer, whisking, for about 1 minute, or until the mixture thickens slightly.

2. Add the rum and vanilla — watch for spattering — and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds more.

3. Add the bananas and simmer, gently turning the bananas with a rubber spatula, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are coated with sauce. Take care that the halves do not break.

4. Spoon some of the caramel sauce into 4 shallow bowls. Add a scoop of ice cream to each. Spoon bananas and sauce on the side. Sprinkle with nuts.

Lisa Zwirn

Serves 4

Good old bananas are not only reliably available, and ripen a day or two after you bring them home, but they can also be transformed easily into an elegant dessert. Cook them briefly in a caramel-y brown sugar and rum sauce in a recipe similar to the classic 1950s New Orleans specialty Bananas Foster, which is typically flambeed tableside. Lighting the alcohol is mostly for show as very little of it burns off. Use bananas that are a tad underripe so they’re not too sweet and don’t turn to mush in the caramel sauce. Serve the bananas and sauce with ice cream and sprinkle with peanuts for a nice, crunchy-salty contrast, or use toasted pecans or walnuts as a garnish. For a breakfast treat, add the bananas to Greek yogurt or French toast.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons dark rum
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 small bananas, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 pint vanilla ice cream
⅔ cup salted cocktail peanuts or toasted pecans, walnuts, or almonds, coarsely chopped

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Whisk to blend them and dissolve the sugar. Simmer, whisking, for about 1 minute, or until the mixture thickens slightly.

2. Add the rum and vanilla — watch for spattering — and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds more.

3. Add the bananas and simmer, gently turning the bananas with a rubber spatula, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are coated with sauce. Take care that the halves do not break.

4. Spoon some of the caramel sauce into 4 shallow bowls. Add a scoop of ice cream to each. Spoon bananas and sauce on the side. Sprinkle with nuts.Lisa Zwirn

Lisa Zwirn can be reached at lzwirn9093@gmail.com.

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The BEST Meatless Monday Recipes

The BEST Meatless Monday Recipes

If you need some interesting new dinner ideas for Meatless Monday, you’ve come to the right place!

This great collection of easy Meatless Monday Recipes has plenty of great meals the whole family will enjoy.

Here you’ll find a huge assortment of dishes like pasta, soup, flatbread, curry, stir fry, and so much more. The variety if fantastic!

Cook your way through all 45 of these amazing Meatless Monday Recipes. There are nearly enough to last the whole year!

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Pasta alla Norma is a light and flavorful Sicilian pasta dish. It has plenty of veggie power from tomatoes and eggplants.

This is one of our favorite Meatless Monday recipes!

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These spicy garlic noodles are perfect for lazy days, as they happen in under 15 minutes, and can be customizable in so many ways.

When you crave Asian flavors, give them a try!

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Quick, easy and tasty. That’s how I would sum up this vegetarian black bean chili. Start to finish in 30 minutes.

Whip it up on a weeknight and make a big batch, you’ll want leftovers tomorrow!

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What is Gigi Hadid Pasta? Simple… Pasta made by Gigi Hadid, which broke the internet when it went viral on instagram and tiktok.

If you look closely, it’s the same delicious creamy and cheesy pasta alla vodka, with a slight makeover – it gets pleasantly spiked with heat from red chili flakes.

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What is Grilled Cheese Tomato Soup? A combination of two of your favorite comfort foods that go so well together: grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup!

This one is sure to please all ages.

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This Cannellini Beans recipe is the best ever! Creamy, buttery beans are enhanced with plenty of fresh herbs, garlic, parmesan, cherry tomatoes, and a good dousing of good ol’ EVOO.

Paired with rice, pasta or bread, they’re one of our go to Meatless Monday dinners.

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Pesto Pasta is a light and fresh Italian dish, that’s almost too easy.

Get your hands on the biggest bunch of some fresh basil. Whip up a quick Pesto Sauce and swirl it with the pasta of your choice. That’s it.

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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is the light and tasty dish you need in the summer. A simple mix of quinoa, a few veggies, some Mediterranean staples, and a zesty lemon dressing is all it takes.

It’s so good!

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Do you like Italian food? Do you like comfort food? This Eggplant Parmesan is the perfect combination of both!

No one is going to miss the meat with this great dish!

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Fasolada is the ultimate Greek bean soup. This white bean soup is notable for a very generous drizzling of olive oil. Yum!

This is one of our favorite Meatless Monday recipes!

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This Mediterranean Pasta is your new weeknight best friend. It’s super quick, like 20 minutes quick, and has great flavors the whole family will love.

We bet you’ll be coming back to this one!

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Check out our collection of favorite Pasta Recipes!

Palak Paneer, aka Saag Paneer. One of the most famous Vegetarian North Indian curries all over the world.

Learn how to make restaurant style spinach and cottage cheese curry right in your kitchen. It’s so much easier than you would think. 

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This mushroom stroganoff is a great meatless twist on the original dish. It’s creamy and delicious and makes great comfort food.

With just a handful of basic ingredients, you can have this meatless dinner on the table in under half an hour. Great weeknight dinner option!

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Give your regular lentils an exotic makeover with this delectable soup. The warm and flavorful combination of Moroccan spices will forever change your idea of a bowl of lentils.

All you need to do is invite a few spices into your life.

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Mediterranean flavors always shine any time of the year, especially on pizzas and flatbreads.

This Mediterranean flatbread mixes things up and uses kalamata olives, artichokes, and more! YUMMM.

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This is a creamy cashew based curry with a medley of veggies that would pair perfectly with rice or your favorite naan bread.

Try one of the most popular comfort foods out of India, and you will be amazed with all the subtle flavors.

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Give regular couscous a colorful makeover by adding a bunch of veggies and earthy spices.

Brimming with flavors and textures, you will absolutely love this Moroccan Couscous, which can be made in under 20 minutes.

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Let me present you Balela deliciousness!! So colorful, so easy, so refreshing… This hearty colorful salad comes from many Middle Eastern countries and is bursting with flavors and textures.

Chickpeas, black beans, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, parsley, mint… what’s not to like!!

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This Sicilian Pasta is a 20 minute meal bursting with flavor from olives, capers, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes and great flavor enhancers.

It’s a light meal, perfect for meatless nights, and comes together super fast.

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This Fettuccine Alfredo is the BEST, hands down! It’s pure creamy Italian bliss that you won’t be able to get enough of.

Forget the jarred stuff, this homemade alfredo is super quick and easy to make with basic ingredients. And it tastes even better than any restaurant.

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Shakshuka is a delicious Middle Eastern recipe featuring eggs simmered in an amazingly flavorful tomato sauce.

Pair it up with some crusty bread and you have one great Meatless Monday idea.

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Get ready to whip up one of the most popular vegetable entrées from your favorite Indian restaurant!!

This Cauliflower Peas Masala, or Gobi Matar, is a classic example of homestyle Indian vegetables. Simple, tasty and healthy.

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This Rainbow Pasta Salad is quick, easy, and very colorful. It’s a great make-ahead dish for your Meatless Mondays.

Make a big batch, it’s great as leftovers!

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Egg Bhurji is the Indian style of scrambled eggs. The eggs cook in a savory masala with subtle hints of Indian spices.

Believe me when I say, you will be scrambling your eggs this way often.

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This gorgeous Israeli Couscous Salad is light and fresh, yet at the same time oh so satisfying.

Pearled couscous are tossed with tons of veggies, feta cheese, Kalamata olives and a refreshing dressing. YUM!

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This mild Indian sauté, aloo palak, is a great vegetarian or vegan dinner option. It whips up in about half an hour.

If you love curries, give this quick dinner a try!

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Paneer Jalfrezi is a quick and easy stir fry featuring cottage cheese, veggies like bell peppers, and great Indian spices.

It’s a simple meatless dinner for busy weeknights.

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Creamy, cheesy goodness with plenty of veggie power from spinach and peppers. That’s our Green Rice Casserole.

Try this super duper easy dish, you are going to love these vintage American flavors.

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Dal, a staple in every Indian household. It’s a simple yellow lentil curry, but is eaten almost daily in many Indian households.

Along with some basmati rice, it’s one of our favorite Meatless Monday recipes.

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Pesto eggs have been taking the internet by storm, so we decided to give them a try. Why not? We love pesto and we love eggs!

This is a simple, but incredibly tasty, breakfast that whips up in no time, if you already have some pesto handy.

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Whether or not you’re a fan of TikTok, this recipe became popular on the app for a reason.

This savory ramen is made up of brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, and an egg that gets cooked into the noodles to help bake in that tasty flavor.

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Your meatless night never looked so fancy and tasty! These Caprese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are what my dream looks like when I steer away from protein some days.

These big ol’ mushrooms are tender, fleshy goodness stuffed to the brim with everyone’s classic favorite… Caprese!!

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Ribollita is one of the classic Italian soups. This stew-y thick, rich Italian soup includes white beans, some seasonal fall and winter vegetables, and is layered with slices of day old bread.

It’s all finished with copious amount of extra virgin olive oil. Big time YUM!

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An easy vegetarian tacos recipe filled with easy roasted cauliflower, roasted sweet potatoes, black beans and topped with a vegan chipotle lime cashew crema.

These roasted sweet potato + cauliflower tacos are totally weeknight-friendly, made in 40 minutes or less, making this the perfect vegetarian taco recipe for meatless nights.

Get the Recipe @ playswellwithbutter

This mushroom pot pie is sure to impress and become a household staple. If you want a pot pie for dinner on Meatless Monday, here is your answer.

It’s also a great company meal.

Get the Recipe @ lindseyeatsla

Another stuffed treat! If you don’t like sweet potatoes, try these Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers.

They are stuffed with beans, rice, veggies, and cheese and the recipe yields 8. They’re one of our favorite meatless Mexican recipes.

Get the Recipe @ cookieandkate

If you need a flavorful recipe for the family, look no further. These Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas are just what you need.

They take about 30 minutes to make and serve 6 people. And they’re so scrumptious you’ll be begging for more!

Get the Recipe @ acouplecooks

If you’ve never used zucchini in a chowder before, you’re missing out! It uses corn that’s light and fresh, as well as, of course, zucchini!

The two vegetables pair very well together.

Get the Recipe @ closetcooking

Check out our collection of favorite Zucchini Recipes!

If you’re vegetarian, or if you just want something lighter, we’ve got you covered!

This ultimate veggie pizza is bursting with flavor, and it has cherry tomatoes, artichokes, bell peppers, olives, red onions, and baby spinach.

Get the Recipe @ cookieandkate

This Creamy Mushroom Gnocchi is the perfect recipes for when you want something saucy and comforting.

It’s a great meatless dinner idea that you’re sure to come back to.

Get the Recipe @ spendwithpennies

Searching for a scrumptious vegan main dish? Try this Shredded Mushroom Carnitas recipe.

It’s a perfect filling for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or whatever your heart desires! Yum.

Get the Recipe @ thecuriouschickpea

Mushroom Ravioli and Spinach is a super easy recipe the whole family will love.

Tender ravioli are tossed with sautéed spinach, mushrooms and sundried tomatoes for a hearty and fulfilling meatless night option.

Get the Recipe @ juliasalbum

Check out our collection of favorite Spinach Recipes!

Here’s a great Italian recipe for meatless nights. Minestrone is a hearty Italian vegetable soup made with tomatoey broth and pasta or rice along with any veggies and beans you can lay your hands on.

This is one of our favorite vegetarian Italian recipes.

Get the Recipe @ loveandlemons

Looking for an Asian stir fry on meatless nights? This vegetable stir fry is just for you!

This recipe uses mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, baby corn, red and yellow peppers, but you can practically throw in any veggies on hand. It’s just so versatile!

Get the Recipe @ natashaskitchen

Do you want to put good use to your vegetables? Then make this flavorful and aromatic Vegetable Biryani, and make everyone happy.

This recipe is all about veggies, exotic spices, cashews, and fresh herbs, which makes the best restaurant-worthy dish at home. So what are you waiting for?

Get the Recipe @ cookwithmanali

So many great Meatless Monday recipes, nearly enough for a whole year! Which one will you cook first?

Pin or bookmark this collection of great dishes so you always know where to find it. And be sure to subscribe to GypsyPlate, we’re always cooking up new recipes!

Check out these other great recipe collections!
Mexican Vegetarian Recipes
Italian Vegetarian Recipes
Indian Vegetarian Recipes
Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipes
Vegetarian Pasta Recipes
Vegetarian Appetizers
Vegetarian Side Dishes
Vegetarian Pasta Recipes
Vegetarian Soup Recipes

Ingredients

  • 8oz pasta
  • 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp red chili flakes
  • 10oz cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 3/4 cup kalamata olives, halved
  • 8oz marinated quartered artichoke hearts
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Feta cheese, crumbled, for garnish
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

    1. In a large pot, boil pasta according to directions on package. Drain.
    2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
    3. Add garlic and red chili flakes. Stir and cook for one to two minutes.
    4. Add cherry tomatoes and cook one to two minutes.
    5. Stir in pasta, oregano, parsley, olives and artichoke hearts.
    6. Garnish with feta cheese and serve.

Notes

  1. Let me know which recipes you try, I love hearing from you!

Did you make this recipe?

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Benefits of Coffee-and-Banana Smoothie Vs. Coffee

Benefits of Coffee-and-Banana Smoothie Vs. Coffee
I’ve always loved the idea of starting my day with a smoothie, and sometimes, I even wake up with a craving for a cool, creamy drink. But in my hierarchy of morning beverages, coffee nevertheless reigns supreme. While you might be thinking, But you could just have both, I’ve rarely found it in me to brew coffee and whip up a smoothie before work, particularly when I’m tight on time (read: always). Given that I require caffeine to function, I’ve typically just opted for the coffee over the smoothie. That is, until I had the idea—inspired by a delicious cold-brew coffee-and-banana smoothie at a local juice shop—to (wait for it) combine the two. 

Sure, preparing a coffee-and-banana smoothie would still require me to make coffee in advance. But, streamlining the two drinks into one meant I could satisfy both my need for caffeine and my craving for a smoothie at once. I also just love a blended coffee drink (shout-out to my old pal, the Frappuccino), and the prospect of a coffee smoothie offered me the chance to round out my already-rushed breakfast with a few more nutritious ingredients in no extra time.

Streamlining the two drinks into one meant I could satisfy both my need for caffeine and my craving for a smoothie at once.

To see how the transition from coffee to coffee smoothie might benefit me—not just from a taste and satisfaction standpoint but also from a nutritional one—I decided to give it a try for a month using ingredients that I enjoy on their own and that pack nutritional value. After all, if I was going to overhaul my morning routine (and clean my trusty Magic Bullet every single day), I wanted this experiment to pay off in more ways than one.

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The nutritional benefits of swapping a cup of coffee for a coffee-and-banana smoothie

The coffee smoothie that inspired my experiment included a few things that I don’t typically have at home, like frozen coconut milk and cacao nibs—which led me to explore different coffee-smoothie recipes online and experiment with my own version instead.

Ultimately, I decided to swap my usual hot coffee with a dash of French vanilla creamer for a smoothie containing about a cup of cold-brew coffee and a frozen banana, along with some variation of vanilla yogurt or unsweetened vanilla almond milk, rolled oats, chocolate protein powder, and peanut butter to fill the remaining space in my Magic Bullet.

Admittedly, this smoothie experiment was not an exact science. I did shift around the ingredients of my coffee-and-banana smoothie and the quantities of each based on what I had available and what I was feeling that day. (As you can probably guess, I’m that person in the kitchen who prefers to just throw things into a pan, pot, or in this case, blender, and see what happens.)

But what remained constant in every rendition was the coffee, a banana, and some additional source of bulky protein and/or fiber to thicken things up—a combination that registered dietitian Lauren Manaker, RDN, says “allows for a lot more satiety than coffee alone.” In other words, I was bound to feel more satisfied after pairing my typical breakfast (scrambled eggs or yogurt with granola) with my new coffee smoothie than I would pairing it with my usual cup of coffee.

All that additional protein I was getting from the protein powder, peanut butter, milk, and/or yogurt would also help inch me closer to the dietitian-recommended 25 to 40 grams of protein for breakfast (more than two eggs alone can provide, ICYWW). And by ramping up my protein intake in the morning, I’d set myself up for a slower, steadier release of energy until lunchtime, says Manaker.

“With this smoothie, you’re already starting your day with fruit, and most people don’t meet the recommended daily servings of fruit and vegetables.” —Lauren Manaker, RDN, registered dietitian

The other benefits of my coffee-and-banana smoothie over my typical cup of Joe come from the banana, says Manaker. “With this smoothie, you’re already starting your day with fruit, and most people don’t meet the recommended daily servings of fruit and vegetables,” she says. (That would be *gulp* five, in case you were wondering.) Not to mention, the banana acts as a natural sweetener, Manaker says, making the end result more palatable without the added sugar included in my usual addition of vanilla creamer, which doesn’t offer any nutritional benefit.

The experiment: Switching from a cup of hot coffee to a coffee-and-banana smoothie every morning for a month

Week 1

I’m typically a big breakfast person—I love breakfast foods—and I didn’t cut down on my usual food choices this week while swapping in my coffee smoothie. As a result, I wound up feeling even more satisfied after my morning meal than usual. My energy levels were higher, too; I found myself not reaching for my typical mid-morning snack and having lunch later in the day than I typically would, around 2 or 3 p.m.

I also occasionally get an upset stomach if I drink my coffee too quickly on an empty stomach, and by sipping it in smoothie form while I made the rest of my breakfast, I felt totally fine on the stomach front.

Week 2

As a regular coffee drinker, I know a thing or two about coffee’s effects on…number two. But wow, my daily B.M.s operated like clockwork this week, about a half hour after I finished my smoothie each day.

Part of that may certainly be attributed to the added regularity of my new routine; by this week, I was on a set schedule of having my coffee smoothie every morning at 9 a.m., and as a result, the result of my morning routine, including my wakeup time, was also more consistent than usual.

But, Manaker says the drink itself could also be credited for my newfound regularity. “The oats and the banana add a good amount of soluble fiber, which is another nutrient that a lot of us are missing and that plays an important role in our overall gut health,” she says, referencing its power to move things through your digestive system. “When you drink coffee with other foods, and especially foods that support the gut, like bananas and oats, it can definitely lead to an easier time in the digestion department.”

Week 3

The regular poops and sustained energy through the morning continued into the third week of my experiment. According to Manaker, the various ingredients I had now worked into my everyday diet are basically a recipe for more energy.

“You’re fueling your body with so many different energy-supporting foods at once,” Manaker says, referring to the benefits of my coffee-and-banana smoothie. “So, instead of just drinking coffee, which gives you the caffeine boost, you’re getting that boost plus the slow-digesting oats, plus the potassium-rich banana, plus the protein from the yogurt or plant-based milk and the protein powder or peanut butter, which, again, offers sustained satiety.”

Week 4

By this point, admittedly, I found the coffee-smoothie ritual was getting a little tough to maintain; on a couple days of the week, I forgot to make my cold brew the night before and had to use hot coffee with ice in my smoothie, which watered things down a bit. But once I had my smoothie in hand each day, I found myself grateful to have made it all the same (as was my digestive system).

This week was a busier workweek, which had me glued to my computer screen all morning each day, practically from the moment I flipped open my laptop. As a result, I wound up sipping my smoothie more slowly each morning, which seemed to make the energetic effects of the coffee last even longer (even though I wasn’t drinking any more of it than usual).

Though I occasionally have a second cup of coffee, I also noticed this week that I hadn’t reached for one throughout the experiment. And my poops had remained as regular as can be.

Though I occasionally have a second cup of coffee, I also noticed this week that I hadn’t reached for one throughout the experiment. And my poops had remained as regular as can be.

The only thing stopping me from keeping up this experiment indefinitely is the logistics of preparing cold brew in advance and whipping up a smoothie every morning—and the fact that, on some cold days, nothing hits quite like a piping-hot cup of Joe. But whenever I find myself craving both coffee and a smoothie and looking for a nutritious way to get both, I’ll be smoothie-fying my coffee from here on out.

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Top 10 kitchen appliances to hone + elevate your cookings skills to MasterChef level

Top 10 kitchen appliances to hone + elevate your cookings skills to MasterChef level

If you’re a passionate lover of cooking, or you’ve recently kickstarted your cooking journey, and want to accelerate it even further in 2023, then you’ve reached the right place. Having an efficient and streamlined cooking process is the key to preparing dishes that simply taste excellent! And the number one aid you need in having an effortless process is an arsenal of great kitchen appliances.  With the right kitchen tools and appliances, cooking can be an increasingly fun and simplified process. The right products can reduce your prep time in half, make the little cooking tasks much easier, and help you with tedious and complicated techniques. From a tiny circular grater that turns cooking into a meditative activity to a compact induction cooker that fits every conceivable cooking method in its modular stackable design – these innovative and exceptional appliances are all you need in your kitchen.

1. The Slide Toaster

The toasting process begins in the Slide toaster with an LED ring indicating the toasting level and completion. The slide-up tray has a translucent design element to it so that you can keep an eye on the toast turning perfectly brown to your delight Level of the toast crispness can be set with an adjustment dial like all other toasters we’ve seen countless times. This is ably aided by audio indications to keep the user well-informed.

Why is it noteworthy?

Harry Rigler wants to reinvent the trusted image of the toaster with a detour to the soft form design of this household kitchen appliance. That too keeps in mind the requirements of modern users, and the present as well as future design progression of kitchen interiors. Rather than being a pop-up toaster like most out there, this is the Slide toaster which rolls the toasting grill to the side like a rollable smartphone. The tray slides out – you put in the bread and slide it back in.

What we like

  • Audio indications to update the user on their toast
  • Unique slide-up tray

What we dislike

  • The radically changed design may not be easily accepted in households

2. Small Living Kitchens

Falper has dipped its toes into kitchen design with the Small Living Kitchens concept. With the Small Living Kitchens, Falper wanted to transform the experience of kitchens in small homes. It includes islands that are designed to make tiny kitchens feel spacious and luxurious. It brings the sophisticated layouts of larger kitchens to small homes in a more compact and streamlined form.

Why is it noteworthy?

Falper worked alongside designer Andrea Federici to create the Small Living Kitchens. The units can be placed into compact spaces starting from 2.5 square meters. It has been equipped with three elements – islands, storage units, and tall units. These elements can be configured in multiple different ways, according to your need and requirement.

What we like

  • Comes in three models
  • Designed to merge harmoniously with all kinds of homes and apartments

What we dislike

  • The aesthetics of the kitchen are a bit simple

3. The Cookmate

Designed for this new, ‘smaller than life’ home, the Cookmate is an all-in-one kitchen appliance that goes from prep to cooking to serving, in one device. Its modular design has stackable pieces that turn the cooktop into a pan, crock pot, and even a steamer. The induction coil on the inside works on electricity, saving the need to place a gas cylinder under the hob.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Cookmate looks at the cooking process as something that goes from idea to ingredient to table. Rather than focusing on just the cooking, this induction cooktop (although it seems highly reductive to call it just that) considers every aspect of the cooking process. This isn’t just clever, holistic design thinking, it also helps the Cookmate be more universally applicable so you save effort, energy, and space with other utensils.

What we like

  • Features an integrated weighing scale
  • Can be split into 6 parts

What we dislike

  • As we can either use one at a time or them all together, the cooking time has to be finely balanced for each layer.

4. LoopKitchen

How about transforming our kitchens into sustainable spaces as well? Seems like Danish startup Stykka comes from the same school of thought since they designed their innovative ‘LoopKitchen’.

Why is it noteworthy?

Crafted from birch plywood, LoopKitchen is a minimal and contemporary kitchen designed with recyclable parts, in an attempt to increase its lifespan. Although LoopKitchen is built primarily from birch plywood, the kitchen fronts can be finished in birch as well, or a Forbo linoleum which is available in 20 colors.

What we like

  • Designed with recyclable parts
  • Each physical manifestation of LoopKitchen has a digital twin

What we dislike

  • Not well suited for small compact kitchens
  • Space-consuming design

5. The Electrolux Adapted

The Electrolux Adapted is the kitchen essential of the future – compact, sleek, and ideal for tiny homes, this masterful concept is for the ‘singletons’ who want to make the most of a small kitchen. If you want to use the countertop for some real cooking, and don’t feel like cramping it with a gazillion appliances, then Adapted is the product for you!

Why is it noteworthy?

Electrolux Adapted is a premium hub that utilizes the vertical space in a kitchen to organize and hold all the important appliances you need on a daily basis. The system is made up of standardized modules that are mounted effortlessly on a backplate, completely eliminating the need for tools usually required for installation. The backplate supplies all the modules with water and electricity, in an attempt to support highly customizable arrangments.

What we like

  • Can either be mounted on a wall or placed as a free-standing product with an add-on furniture frame
  • All the modules are connected via an Electrolux app, allowing them to be used simultaneously or in sync, and enabling users to create their own personal routines

What we dislike

6. Byrne’s AI-generated Appliances

Catalan Architect Antoni Gaudi has been one of the most popular and decorated names when it comes to modernist works. What if he also designed much more mundane but still useful things? That is the idea behind this series of designs of regular household appliances based on Gaudi aesthetics using artificial intelligence image generator software.

Why is it noteworthy?

The different appliance designs have various flowing shapes and textured surfaces that bring to mind natural things like trees, caves, and other organic formations. But they have splashes of various colors to add to the opposite of minimalist aesthetics. The designs are combinations of various art styles like neo-gothic, art nouveau, and modernist, creating some interesting looking appliances like a toaster, a mixer, a vacuum cleaner, a microwave, a coffee machine, a kettle, an iron, a hair dryer, etc.

What we like

  • Make interesting conversation pieces
  • The designs are a twist on the otherwise typical and traditional kitchen appliances

What we dislike

  • They’re AI-generated, and not actual products yet

7. Mill

Mill is a trash can that not only keeps your leftovers from becoming too spoiled and stinky and turns them into actual chicken feed. And you don’t have to even leave your house for all of this to happen. The concept for this circular food waste device is from a former Apple engineer and the co-founder of Google Nest, Matt Rogers.

Why is it noteworthy?

This way the fish, produce, eggs, rinds, seeds, bones, and other food waste that you throw away can become food for chickens. Even things like napkins, filters, and paper towels can get in on the fun.

What we like

  • It also shrinks the waste so you won’t have an overflowing trash can
  • There’s also a coconut-based charcoal odor filter that will prevent your kitchen from stinking up

What we dislike

  • It is a bit expensive
  • Only available on a subscription basis

8. The Irogami Grater

They say that every little thing matters, and that’s especially true for garnishes and grated ingredients. Quite appropriately, this grater is also little, small enough to securely fit in the palm of your hand, almost like a toy. And just like a toy, it is designed to add a bit of fun to your kitchen and dining life while you add a bit of cheese or lemon zest to your dish.

Why is it noteworthy?

The irogami grater is simple in all aspects that you wonder why home kitchen graters aren’t made this way, too. Instead of multiple pieces of metal bent and curved at different places, the grater is a single sheet of aluminum alloy that curls backward in one corner. The design makes it look almost like a sheet of paper, particularly a colorful sticky note or memo pad, that speaks to both its playful and serious demeanor.

What we like

  • Compared to those cumbersome graters that you have to hold tight at their handles, this form gives you a firmer grip
  • Using this playful grater is like a game itself. Simply move the piece of cheese or stick of cinnamon from left to right and watch the tiny pieces fall down on your food

What we dislike

  • The grater doesn’t apply to all objects being grated

9. The 4T7 Smart Chopping Board

The 4T7 Smart Chopping Board is meant to help simplify every stage of meal prep and go beyond it as well. Made up of different parts, all the components of the chopping board come together to create a rather innovative, united, and creative product.

Why is it noteworthy?

The 4T7 breaks meal prep into its different components, adding good design and tech wherever necessary. The board comes with 4 distinct parts, a main bamboo chopping board, a secondary silver-ion anti-bacterial board for veggies to prevent cross-contamination, a third heat-conducting defrosting tray that helps rapidly thaw frozen foods, and lastly, the 4T7’s base, which has its own built-in weighing scale. The only part of the 4T7 experience to exist outside the actual board is its smartphone app, which counts calories as you weigh your ingredients. Once your prep work is done, the digital display on the 4T7 can also function as a kitchen timer, while the board itself becomes a magnetic knife holder.

What we like

  • All of 4T7’s components are designed to be wonderfully functional as independent items
  • The board works equally well for fruits/veggies as well as for meats

What we dislike

  • It precisely counts calories for you, which isn’t always the best route to healthy eating, since many users can get unhealthily hooked on counting calories

10. The Maruzara

Shaped like a small round plate instead of the typical rectangular sheet of metal, this grater is meant to sit on the table rather than be held up in the air like almost all other graters. Its small design makes it perfect to be placed right on the table, and the unique pattern of the blades gives it a distinctive look even when it’s just sitting unused.

Why is it noteworthy?

That blade arrangement isn’t just for show, though. Unlike a regular grater with rows of blades, you make circular movements to grate ingredients. Rather than falling through holes, the grated pieces accumulate at the sides in full, fluffy lumps. The repetitive action, rather than being tiring and burdensome, becomes almost a mindful practice that puts you in the moment.

What we like

  • Comes with a silicon rubber base that stops it from slipping on the table while you make your circling motions

What we dislike

  • It’s designed primarily for wasabi and daikon radish, making it a bit limited
  • Some people may prefer the form and structure of a traditional grater
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Big food companies slam government proposal for regulating “healthy” food labeling

Big food companies slam government proposal for regulating “healthy” food labeling

As the federal federal government moves to change procedures for what food items can sport “healthier” labels, companies are pushing again.

Some of the most significant makers of cereals, frozen and packaged food items have submitted dozens of statements to the Food items and Drug Administration objecting to new policies that would exclude food stuff with large amounts of additional sugar and salt from being labeled as “healthful” on packaging. Some manufacturers have even referred to as the restrictions unconstitutional, saying they violate companies’ Very first Modification legal rights. 

The Fda last tumble moved to update its necessities close to what meals can use the phrase “healthy” on packaging — the to start with improve since the rule was applied in the 1990s. The proposed adjustments would depart out large-sugar, lower-fats items that at this time are authorized to use the healthful label now, these types of as fruit-flavored reduced-extra fat yogurts and Raisin Bran cereal.

Which is unfair, quite a few foods providers gripe, complaining that the additional rigorous nutritional criteria would wrongly malign a selection of well known meals. The rule “mechanically disqualifies full types of nutrient dense meals,” Kellogg’s wrote in a February 16 remark on the agency’s proposal. 

Standard Mills goes even further, arguing that the FDA’s “extremely restrictive” rule violates companies’ legal rights to totally free speech.

“[T]he Proposed Rule precludes quite a few objectively healthier goods, such as all those promoted by the Dietary Suggestions, from partaking in truthful, nonmisleading industrial expression — and these overly restrictive boundaries for ‘healthy’ violate the 1st Modification,” the packaged-foods giant writes. 

Normal Mills has a slew of very well-regarded models, such as Annie’s, Betty Crocker, Cascadian Farm, Pillsbury and Yoplait, as nicely as cereals Chex, Cheerios, Choco Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Raisin Nut Bran and Wheaties.

The window for submitting general public reviews on the proposed regulations shut before this month. The Fda will now evaluation the suggestions, although the timing of a remaining rule is uncertain.


Food and drug administration proposes new principles for plant-dependent milks

04:16

The Customer Manufacturers Affiliation, whose users consist of Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Hain Celestial and the Campbell Soup Organization, took a related tack, producing that “consumers have a 1st Modification appropriate to get truthful info about products and solutions and brands have a 1st Amendment suitable to give it to them.” The group estimated that 95{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} of foods presently on the sector would not qualify for a “balanced” label under the government’s new demands. 

Type, the granola bar company, took challenge with the FDA’s proposed boundaries on added sugars in food items, indicating they “established a barrier for fruit, vegetable, and protein food stuff innovation” and would lead to a lot more firms employing artificial sweeteners in their items to mimic the flavor of sugar-sweetened food stuff.

“Criteria for use of ‘healthy’ must not be so restrictive that they allow only a really confined selection of foods to qualify, mainly because this could lead shoppers to conclude that other nutrient dense foodstuff possibilities are ‘unhealthy,'” the enterprise extra.

No label, no customers?

Conagra Makes, creator of the “Healthy Preference” manufacturer of frozen meals, made available a blunt evaluation: If it reinvents “Nutritious Preference” to comply with the new policies, people won’t invest in it, the enterprise explained. 

“Conagra can’t keep on to invest in ‘healthy’ innovation if we are not ready to meet the required style, taking in tendencies and affordability our buyers be expecting. If the foods does not taste superior, folks will not get it,” Conagra stated. 


Fda has not reviewed some foodstuff additives in decades

02:33

A lot of “Healthful Option” objects have been criticized for their higher total of sugar or salt. For occasion, the “Healthful Selection Sweet and Bitter Hen” food consists of 21 grams of added sugar — 42{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} of the present advisable every day benefit — although providing just 390 energy. 

“Conference people today where by they are”

The American Frozen Food Institute claimed that constraints on sodium would outcome in “wholesome frozen things currently being excluded due to a little total of sauce that helps make the item substantially more probably to be consumed.” 

“Shoppers by now know that full fruits and vegetables are healthy and may possibly not be consuming these types of products and solutions for a range of factors,” the Institute said, introducing that the Fda should really be “assembly people the place they are.”

The Shopper Model Association echoed this comment, crafting: “Quite a few individuals are constrained from preparing meals and snacks from ‘plain’ ingredients because of to minimal time, affordability, quick access to shops that offer these elements, kitchen resources, and cooking expertise. And most shoppers do not commonly try to eat food items in a plain, unflavored variety.”

Even with this industry’s grousing, numerous nutrition specialists have come out in favor of the FDA’s revised tips. Demands for the “balanced” label haven’t improved in the 28 decades since it was initial produced, even as the general public being familiar with of what’s wholesome has progressed. 

“We want to use guidelines that advocate for a much healthier diet regime than we at the moment have, and which is why we consider the healthy claims must be authorized only for food items that are certainly wholesome,” explained Eva Greenthal, senior policy scientist at the Middle for Science in the Community Interest. The CSPI primarily supports the new policies but says they allow for way too a great deal refined grain and processed fruit.

Powerful marketing 

Under the FDA’s proposed rules, meals significant in sugar, sodium or refined grains will not be banned fairly, meals makers would not be allowed to label these types of items as “healthier,” which can be a powerful promoting claim.

“There are now some items labeled ‘healthy’ that comprise insane quantities of sugars,” Greenthal claimed. 

That’s a remnant of the reduced-excess fat trend of the early nineties, when processed-food stuff brands developed a slew of supposedly small-unwanted fat treats that contained substantial amounts of sugar and salt to compensate for the reduction of taste. Due to the fact then, exploration has overturned the perception that all fats is negative for overall health even though demonstrating the dangerous consequences of large sugar usage. 

Greenthal sees the revised Food and drug administration pointers as typically good, although she doubts it will have significantly effect on Americans’ feeding on practices.

“What we truly need to have are necessary labels that pressure corporations to disclose information they otherwise conceal,” she claimed. “Organizations are quite swift to notify us if a products is large in fiber or vitamin C, but not when a product is significant in saturated unwanted fat, sodium, or sugar. These are the goods that are linked to coronary heart condition, large blood stress and diabetic issues.”

The CSPI a short while ago petitioned the Food and drug administration to demand food makers to prominently label these elements on the entrance of a food bundle.

“The Fda just needs to consider its mission, to defend community wellness, and use that as its guiding star as it faces market stress to prioritize marketplace passions about public wellness,” Greenthal stated.

Posted on

Delicious, easy-to-make, healthy comfort food recipes by Amal Tamara

Delicious, easy-to-make, healthy comfort food recipes by Amal Tamara

Delicious, easy-to-make, healthy comfort food recipes by Amal Tamara

27/02/2023

Delicious, easy-to-make, healthy comfort food recipes by Amal Tamara

“Comfort food is the foundation of memories. When things are bad, a good meal shared with loved ones may provide a lifetime of peace and warmth.”

The appeal of comfort food stems from its potential to transport us to happier and more familiar times. It conjures up images of home-cooked meals, family get-togethers, and holiday traditions. Especially during tough or stressful times, comfort food has a way of helping us feel good and delivering a sense of warmth and stability. The scents and textures of comfort food are extremely delicious, giving one a feeling of indulgence and pleasure.

Indulge in the warm and familiar flavors that will bring you back to your happiest memories with these recipes by Amal Tamara.

Pumpkin Ada

Ingredients
● Semolina – ½ cup
● Pumpkin – 200grm
● Salt – to taste
● Cardamom powder -1/2 teaspoon
● Jaggery syrup – 1 cup
● Grated coconut – 200 gm
● Cumin powder -1 pinch
● Ghee – 2 tablespoons

Direction
● Peel and grate pumpkin and keep aside
● Pour ghee in to a hot pan and add the grated pumpkin, sauté well
● Then add grated coconut, cardamom, and cumin powder
● Add jaggery syrup and mix well
● Add dry roasted semolina and make it to a smooth dough
● Place small piece of dough in the center of the banana leaf, flatten it using
hand
● Fold the leaf into half, tuck the ends of the leaf

● Grill the ada on a pan and serve hot

Banana flower cutlet

Ingredients
• Chopped Banana flower – 1 cup
• Colocasia – 100 gm
• Rock Salt – to taste
• Green chili, curry leaf, coriander leaf, ginger, garlic – ½ Teaspoons each
• Turmeric powder – 1 or 2 pinch
• Chili powder – 1 pinch
• Cumin powder -1 pinch
• Coriander powder- 1 pinch
• Fennel powder – ½ tsp
• Coconut oil – 3 table spoons
• Brown rice puttu podi- To dip
• Shallots – 50 gm

Direction

• Finely chop banana flower and keep in turmeric water
• Boil the Colocasia, mash it and keep aside
• Into a hot pan add coconut oil, ginger, garlic, curry leaf, shallots and sauté for a
while
• Add all the powdered masalas and sauté well
• Once masalas are cooked, add the chopped banana flower after squeezing all the
water out and cook well
• Once it cooks add well mashed colocasia and chopped coriander leaves
• Switch off the flame and make the mixture into cutlet patties and coat the pattie
with brown rice powder and grill it on a tawa and serve hot

Spinach Clear Soup

Ingredients

● Spinach -200gm
● Chopped carrot & Zucchini- 25gm
● Vegetable stock-
● Salt-to taste
● Crushed pepper- one pinch
● Cumin powder – one pinch

Direction
● Finely chop the spinach and vegetables
● In a pan add the finely chopped spinach and vegetables and boil in vegetable stock
● Add salt, pepper, cumin powder and cook well
● Serve hot

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