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You don't have to cook asparagus if you want to get it ready for eating. Learn about a fresh asparagus recipe with help from the author of a bestselling cook book in this free video clip.
A limp salad is an unappealing and unappetizing lunch. Keep your salad ingredients fresh until lunch by separating each component until you are ready to eat it. Eating a salad increases your intake of vegetables, and a diet high in fruits and vegetables lowers the risk of heart disease, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. The Harvard-based study showed that those who ate the most fruits and vegetables, over eight servings at day, were 30 percent less likely to have heart disease, when compared to those who ate the least, or less than one and a half servings…
Whether you simply enjoy a daily salad, you're trying to eat healthier or you're dieting, keeping lettuce leaves fresh and wilt-free for more than a few days can be a challenge. When it comes to lettuce leaves, whether they're iceberg, romaine or other types of salad greens, moisture can be the biggest enemy when you're trying to keep them fresh. Making sure your salad greens are washed and then dried is essential. If stored correctly, your salad greens may remain fresh for one to two weeks if kept in the refrigerator.
Zucchini is a prolific producer. If you have a garden including zucchini you may find it hard to consume all the zucchini that you pick. Additionally, if you do not keep up with harvesting them when they are small, they become large in a hurry. When they become large, they become tougher and develop lots of seeds, making them less appetizing. In the interest of not wasting your zucchini, there are some methods of using larger zucchini in a yummy way.
During the 16th century, pineapples were so rare and expensive in the early American Colonies that social status was greatly elevated by merely displaying one at a dinner party. By the 18th century, pineapples were cultivated in Hawaii, the only U.S. state where they are still grown. Although pineapples pack a powerful nutritional punch, being an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese and thiamine, you may be at a loss for a creative way to serve them fresh. Use an easy summer recipe again and again.
Grapefruit is packed with vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene and it does not require any preparation -- other than peeling or slicing in half -- so you can enjoy it anytime you like. If you find grapefruit to be too sour to eat by itself, then add it to salads or zest the rind into your favorite dishes. A grapefruit half topped with some sugar or artificial sweetener also makes a nutritious and tasty addition to a healthy breakfast.
It can be annoying to pull salad greens from the refrigerator and realize they have discolored. It can also be disheartening when a completed salad starts to turn brown and wilt before you have a chance to sit down and eat it. Salads and lettuce can brown and wilt for a variety of reasons. Whether you are using romaine, iceberg, mesclun or any number of salad green types, they can all fall prey to discoloration. Luckily, there are several things you can do to keep your salads green.
Creamy avocados complement salads, garnish foods and, of course, are the main ingredient in guacamole. A ripe avocado is firm but yields to gentle pressure. Haas avocados have a thick, dark-green bumpy skin which darkens as it ripens. Fuerte has a light green smooth skin. While they can be used with cooked ingredients, avocado corn relish is an example, avocados are best used fresh. Cooking them destroys their flavor and texture. Select the seasoning for the avocados based on the dish you're preparing.
Mozzarella is a versatile cheese that adapts well to both sweet and savory dishes. Although it is most commonly used as a pizza topping and an ingredient in Italian dishes, you can easily add sugar and flavorings to mozzarella to create delicious desserts and snacks. Many dessert recipes that use mozzarella require the cheese to be crumbled into curds and mixed with the sugar. Because mozzarella is a bland cheese, the cheese and sugar should macerate for 30 minutes or so before mixing with the other ingredients to let the cheese absorb the maximum amount of sweetness from the sugar.
Champagne vinegar is a mild, acidic acid used to flavor salads and vegetables. It's made by pouring champagne or sparkling wine into a container, covering the container with plastic wrap and poking holes in the plastic so oxygen can enter. Approximately four to six weeks later it is ready to be used in a variety of recipes. One of the most common ways to use champagne vinegar is in a vinaigrette.
Although it sounds like an underwater vegetable, the sea cucumber is a marine animal related to the starfish, though it looks more like a large caterpillar -- or a cucumber. Sea cucumbers have a mild flavor similar to clam and are primarily used in Asian cooking. It is most often purchased in a cleaned, dehydrated state that requires a lengthy soak before use in a recipe. You can purchase dried sea cucumber at Asian markets and some fish markets.
Cucumbers add a refreshing taste and crunch to salads and sandwiches. Mix cucumbers with tomatoes, feta cheese and Kalamata olives for a traditional Greek salad, or preserve them with vinegar and salt as pickles. Use only fresh, high-quality cucumbers to achieve the best results.The main indicator of a cucumber's freshness is its texture. Cucumbers should be firm and crisp, with a mild, clean taste. Cucumbers are mostly water and as they age they become mushy and bland.
Baked avocados can be prepared year round and presented as an appetizer or main course for a light lunch or dinner. Lending themselves to a variety of different fillings, stuffed avocados let you flex your creative cooking muscles, pairing your stuffing ingredients perfectly to the other dishes that you are serving. For a filling meal, serve baked avocados with a loaf of fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a glass of white wine or lager-style beer.
A lemon bow-tie pasta salad is a light, citrusy dish perfect for cooling you down in the heat of the summer. You can serve the salad on its own as a light lunch, or as a side dish to a fish or chicken main course. Allow yourself approximately two to three hours of preparation and chill time before you plan to serve the salad. A basic lemon bow-tie pasta salad recipe yields four to six servings.
The refreshing and crisp cucumber is among the healthiest vegetables you can eat. Although comprised primarily of water, cucumbers have Vitamins A and C, and folic acid. Cucumbers also contain no fat, have very little carbohydrates and are an excellent source of silica, which is a mineral that helps to strengthen connective tissue. This is the reason why cucumbers are effective for relieving facial skin problems such as eye puffiness and sunburn. When bringing home cucumbers from the store, they must be refrigerated to stay fresh, where they will last for roughly one week.
Gelatinous and clam-like in flavor, the soft-bodied elongated echinoderm known as the sea cucumber is prized as a delicacy in Chinese and other Asian cuisines. It may appear in soups, be braised, fried or used medicinally as a treatment for arthritis, fatigue, impotence and inflammatory diseases. Sea cucumber is sold dried or fresh; its bland flavor picks up the flavors of other ingredients and its distinctive texture and nutritive properties make it a sought-after food for feasts and celebrations.
Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and pasta are the three primary, authentic Italian ingredients used to prepare a satisfying tomato pasta salad. The simple salad is perfect as an accompaniment to a meal or even as a light dinner in itself when paired alongside warm garlic bread. With minimal prep work and ingredients, this fresh and healthy tomato pasta salad can be on the table in just a little longer than it takes to boil a pot of pasta.
A fruity pasta salad is a tasty choice for a light lunch or a perfect, refreshing accompaniment to a main meal. Pasta and fresh fruit are cheap, healthy and easy to prepare. You can prepare larger quantities of fruity pasta salad in advance and store it safely in a refrigerator for up to five days in an airtight container. Follow a recipe for crunchy apple, walnut and pasta salad with lemon vinaigrette for a tried and tested family favorite.
When summer arrives, people get together to enjoy barbecues, potlucks and picnics. Pasta salads are common side dishes to large gatherings because they are served best chilled. Many different recipes exist but chicken and basil pasta salad has become a common dish. The combination of basil, chicken, tomatoes and other fresh ingredients create a zesty pasta salad that can also become a quick dinner.
Citrus-based salads make great summertime lunches or winter appetizers. This tasty recipe combines grapefruit, which is both low in calories and high in fiber, with avocado, a fruit known for its heart-healthy folates and vitamin E. This recipe is relatively simple, healthy and quick to prepare.
The distinctive taste of fennel bulbs makes them an ideal accompaniment for fish if braised or sautéed lightly, in salads, stir fries and soups and stews. It is thought that fennel can help to alleviate bloating and other digestive problems. Fresh fennel is available between fall and early spring.
Oil and vinegar dressings are a delicious accent to any salad. Having a champagne vinegar allows a light flavor to arise. Champagne vinegar is light in body and tastes, as the name suggests, like champagne. Enjoying a refreshing dressing to liven up a salad is great, knowing the health benefits makes it better.
Fresh, ripe oranges will be juicy, sweet and intensely flavorful. Overripe oranges may lose much of their sweetness or develop an overly sweet, distinctly overripe flavor. They will also be drier than fresh oranges, as much of the moisture will have dissipated. Because of this dramatic difference, it is important to select oranges that are fresh off the tree rather than ones that have been sitting on supermarket shelves for days or weeks. With a little practice, you will be able to confidently select fresh, ripe oranges.
Arugula salad with fresh figs and prosciutto is an incredibly easy-to-prepare salad that makes a wonderful first course for a large Italian meal, particularly when served before rich chicken or fish dishes. Combining the earthy taste of arugula with the sweet, rich taste of figs and the salty, fatty flavor of prosciutto, arugula salad with fresh figs and prosciutto is a complex, satisfying salad. This salad also travels quite well, making it ideal for picnics or hikes. Serve with a glass of chilled, dry white wine that will not compete with the sweetness of the figs.
The use of fresh and dried fennel dates back to ancient times and became a part of Greek mythological traditions. It is an important part of the food culture in European nations such as Italy and France. Its many health qualities have helped to make it very popular around the world. Its unique taste and versatility has been responsible for its tremendous growth in popularity. The United States, India, France, and Russia are the leading cultivators of this highly nutritious versatile vegetable. Fresh fennel is highly sought after for its incomparable array of nutrients and because of its role in…
Beet salad with fresh avocado, oranges and orange-champagne vinegar is a simple, easy to prepare salad that can be made in less than an hour, making it ideal for quick weekday lunches or dinner parties where time is of the essence. Serve this complex, rich salad with a loaf of hot freshly baked bread with rosemary butter and a glass of chilled, dry white wine or Pilsner style beer. This salad also makes a great side dish for Moroccan chicken dishes or baked salmon.
If you've eaten all the fresh young zucchini you desire for the year and are now left with those giant zucchini that no one wants to touch, its time to get creative. What you do with it depends primarily on whether or not you are determined to eat it. Yes, overgrown zucchini is still edible and can be used to make delicious breads, cakes and muffins, but it does take a bit of time to prepare.
Everyone knows a good salad is based on the texture and freshness of its ingredients. Therefore, keeping a salad fresh is of overall importance when intending to eat it at a later date. You'll have to deliberately set out to preserve a salad's freshness with these steps, but it's worth it when you eat it.
There is no better way to entertain family and friends economically than asking them to a brunch. By combining the inexpensive elements of breakfast with the elegance of being invited to a brunch, your party will stand out as a special event to your guests.Certainly, you could run up the cost by choosing expensive dishes like tenderloin of beef, lobster newburg or shrimp scampi; but if you are on a tight budget, there are less costly ways to make the event special. Here are some tips that will make your next brunch a smashing success.
