Weekend Food Shopping + My Cauliflower Salad

This is what I typically get when I go on my bi weekly produce shopping spree. Plum tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, cucumbers, kiwi etc. This winter has been a pretty good winter as far as food and my diet has been concerned. I don’t really stress too much about what I eat or my weight. If I like it and want it, I eat it. But I do pay attention and limit the amount of processed/junk food I consume, always trying to maintain a healthy balance. What I really have been focusing on these past couple of years is perfecting my cooking skills to help better my health as well as keep an open mind when it comes to trying new things.

 

One of these new things I have incorporated into my diet is cauliflower. I’ve had cauliflower before but recently it has become my main staple as far as salads have been concerned. Last year I was loving my watercress and avocado salads (very nutritious and healthy by the way) but this time around cauliflower has been stealing the show.

Cauliflower is related to not only broccoli but also, kale and cabbage all belonging to the cruciferous family. Cauliflower is not green like broccoli because cauliflower’s leaves blocks the sun, preventing the growing cauliflower from producing Chlorophyll or it’s green color rather.

I’m not a big fan of broccoli anyway because the taste tends to be a little too “green” not because of the color, just the earthy taste to it I guess. Cauliflower on the other hand tends to have a much more lighter and not too overpowering taste which complements most of my dishes.

Not only is cauliflower delicious but contains a variety of health benefits as well:

Strengthens the immune system

Contains Vitamin C

Antioxidant

Prevents strokes and heart attacks

Helps immune system fight infections, viruses,colds

Contains fiber helping prevent constipation

Detoxifies Blood

Fights and prevents many types of cancers

My cauliflower dipping Concoction

I love the taste of cauliflower so I can eat it with no dressing at all, but while over at  WHAT’S COOKIN one of my favorite food blogs, I was inspired by this amazing red vinaigrette recipe which makes for a tasty and delicious dressing.

I simply chopped up some onions and tomatoes and added my dressing and simply used it as a salad/ dipping sauce for my cauliflower.

You can also add avocados, cucumbers or whatever you desire really. The best way to have cauliflower is to lightly saute them or steam them. If you choose to boil them make sure to not leave them in for more than 3 minutes otherwise they will get full of water and end up all mushy.

Cauliflower is a great dish to have year round. I find I will enjoy cauliflower well into the summer considering it has such a light, pleasing taste.

I also picked up a bag of lentils to make this week. A lovely reader requested I do a tutorial so I will be working on that, stay tuned!

Read Full Post »

Black Bean Rice and Haddock (Moro de Habichuelas Negras y Pescado)

In this post I will feature my favorite beans, blacks beans. I grew up loving this rice known as Moro de habichuelas negras. It’s one of my main go to rice when I want to pair it with a main dish, especially fish. The only difference in this recipe from growing up and now is that these beans are canned (gasp!). My mom hates everything canned so typically she would get raw beans, and soak them over night so they would get soft, and yes she did this everyday except Sundays for my entire childhood.

But I usually don’t have the time or enthusiasm after work to soak beans although I should because the taste definitely does not compare when you do it from scratch. However, thanks to Goya this takes me no more than 30 minutes to prepare. I swear if my mom would find out I did not use raw beans and soaked them over night she would be very hostile. But a woman’s got to eat and a can surely can do it for now. (Next food post I will show you how to soak and use them.)

This rice is also done with the same concepts as the last rice I did. Since I usually eye ball my ingredients, here are some exact measurements (and added ingredients) taken from Dominicancooking.com

4 people would make 6 cups of water and 4 cups of rice

The most basic Ingredients I use:

1 can of beans (your choice)

Adobo (or any all purpose seasoning of choice)

Vinegar

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Achiote aka Bixa (to give hint of flavor and color)

Onions

Garlic

peppers

Olives (optional)

Cilantro (optional)

 In this post  I will accompany this rice with fish and a salad.

First you want to oil your pot with Olive oil

While your oil is heating up, chop up the onions, garlic and green peppers….

Add it to your hot pot

While your onions etc are sauteing you want to then add your beans of choice….

At this point you want to add your adobo, vinegar, olives,

Mix everything together….

Now add water and add your achiote and cilantro (if you choose) to lightly flavor and also color the rice. Once your water starts boiling ….

You want to add your rice….

 and stir every couple of minutes…..

 let it boil until the rice is almost dry and put a lid on it. Depending on your stove the rice will be done between 30-45 minutes.

The other day I noticed that my local walmart got rid of their seafood counter and replaced it instead with two huge coolers displaying fish in bags. While browsing I was curious since the price was $3.50 for this pack of 4 haddock pieces. 

Read more for some more goodness

The prices, depending on the fish, varied up to 8 bucks for salmon I think. But they had tilapia, flounder and a whole bunch of other fishes. However I chose haddock since it has been a while I had some and wanted to see how well these bagged fishes taste.

Since I like to keep it simple after work, I just grabbed what I had and chopped away.

 You can use so many types of marinades and rubs, however I chose to lightly sprinkle my fish with kosher salt, some garlic and onions and  lightly saute the fish with olive oil until it’s well done.

While the fish is almost done, the rice and salad is in route…..

And there you have your rice perfectly done not an overbearing taste at all which is what I like. For my salad, I did my usual watercress with cucumbers and red onions.

This picture came out a bit blurry but well worth the shot since everything came out pretty good.

And last but not least the CON CON I loveee how this soaks up all the flavors of the rice, this if most definitely my favorite part of the entire meal! 

 I’m exploring different organic natural seasoning alternatives and also different types of beans which makes for a great time and exploration. This can be a very hearty and fulfilling meal for not only yourself but entire family as well and usually for me, all in under 1 hour.

Read Full Post »

Radish and Cucumber Salad

I’ve been enjoying salads a lot this summer and it’s been a great way for me to enjoy a completely raw meal at least once everyday. Even though I tend to be a creature of habit, I like to switch things up a bit every now and then. One of my favorite things to have with an authentic Mexican taco is Radish (Rabano in Spanish). When you are biting into that spicy, tasty taco you usually have your radish standing by to neutralize the situation.

 I had to switch things up a bit because I have been on an avocado salad rampage since spring, usually adding watercress, red onions but always an avocado within reach. This week however, I decided to highlight cucumbers and radishes and give them creamy avocados I love so much a break. I got this bunch of radishes at my local supermarket for $1.39 which was moderately priced for an organic product (I tend to see lot of outrageously priced organic veggies). I also picked up a cucumber, 75 cents each.

Radish is a very healthy vegetable root with a lot of vitamins and minerals. Here are some benefits to radishes:

by: Organic facts

Jaundice: Radish is very good for the liver and the stomach and it is a very good detoxifier too, that is, it purifies blood.

Kidney Disorders: Being diuretic, cleanser and disinfectant, it helps cure many kidney disorders. Its diuretic properties help wash away the toxins accumulated in the kidneys.

Weight Loss: Radishes are very filling, i.e. fills your stomach and satisfies your hunger easily without giving you many calories, as they are low in digestible carbohydrates, high in roughage and contain a lot of water. It is a very good dietary option for those determined to lose weight.

Radishes are a very refreshing source of antioxidants essential for the scoping out of free radicals which causes the onset of internal and external aging and like it’s family members (broccoli, cabbage) radish can be  a great vegetable against cancer causing toxins.

Essential for maintaining healthy skin and overall health, radishes are great choices for Vitamins A and C. It helps lower cholesterol, treats cancer sufferers, improves the immune system, eczema, constipation, gall stones and bladder issues. Radishes are also known for treating thyroid  problems mostly for it’s healthy sodium content.

Cucumbers are also very refeshing and helps the skin tremendously thanks to it’s high water content. Like radishes, cucumbers are high in vitamin A, C again essential for a healthy immune system and clear skin. Cucumbers are also high in fiber making it an ideal remedy against constipation as well.

This is truly an ideal cooling salad, feels very fresh and is very simple to make. I just drizzled some Extra Virgin Olive oil and a pinch of Kosher salt and half a red onion. I chopped the cucumbers into half circles and thinly sliced the radish. Radishes have a rather earthy, peppery taste ideal for any sandwich. I like salads very much because I can usually pair it with any meal I like. Eating healthy while not depriving myself.

Sources:

Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine: By Harish Johari

Improve Your Health With Carrot Radish & Ginger By Rajiv Sharma

The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods By Michael T. Murray, Joseph PIZZORNO, Lara Pizzorno

Read Full Post »

Grapefruit

About two weeks ago I decided to indulge in a rather bitter sweet moment with this beautiful grapefruit. It has been such a long time since I’ve had a grapefruit that I was delighted to smell and see how vibrant and beautiful the coral color inside was. Yes I know it can be very bitter but this grapefruit actually had a sweet underlying taste that left me with memories of fresh diluted grape juice and marmalade my grandmother used to make when I was a kid.

But of course I was in a bitter moment on my way to work and decided to indulge in this grapefruit. My neighbor actually gave it to me. That family always over shops and with the legion of kids they have no wonder, but for some reason every now and then when they come back from food shopping I happen to be around. Of course they always offer me something, but before I can decline I always end up with something in my hands Kool aid pack, apples, onions, just something. This time it was a grapefruit and I kind of was not that excited as opposed to Oreos or Polly o cheese sticks but I gracefully smiled and took it.

For me as a lover of food visual is number one then comes smell. If it looks and smells good my mouth is watering. I did not salivate for this grapefruit however but it sure did smell good. Dare I say even sweet. So like an orange I sunk my teeth in with enthusiasm and was delightfully surprised. It was kind of sour but at the end I could taste how sweet it actually tastes.

The Grapefruit as many common fruits we consume, is a hybrid between the sweet Orange and Pomelo.

(Citrus sinensis) Sweet Orange

Pomelo

So you put the sweet orange and pomelo together and you get a bitter sweet Orange red grapefruit. The pomelo is very well known and used in Asian cuisine for its bitter sweet taste. Although the grapefruit has a bad reputation for it’s taste it’s really not that bad and the health benefits you can get from a grapefruit are very beneficial. Grapefruits are great with an array of antioxidants scoping out useless cells as well as high in vitamin c, calcium, B Complexes and Vitamin K. It also helps fight cancer, lower cholesterol thanks to its high content of Naringin. Grapefruit also makes some medications useless so make sure grapefruit juice does not affect any medications you may be on.

Other than that, grapefruits are very beneficial for those seeking to boost their immune system as well as cholesterol and high blood pressure issues. I just cut up my grapefruit like an orange which is kind of boring but let me tell you over at my favorite food blog, my dear friend from Platanos Mangoes and Me dedicated a very beautiful salad to me with none other a grapefruit. That was funny because I was in the process of doing this post and coincidentlly Norma made a grapefruit salad, so that was funny.

Check out the picture and visit her blog below for the very tasty recipe.

Platanos Mangoes and Me

How beautiful is that? This splendid salad even has it’s own sauce.This is very visually appealing so now my love for grapefruits will be with me forever. Very nice and refreshing dish to make I’m sure. So go ahead and indulge in a grapefruit and make it look pretty like Norma did with berries and divine pomegranates and I’m sure your taste buds will thank you.

Read Full Post »

Watercress and Avocado Salad

Recently I published a post showing you an avocado salad I made inspired by a lovely blog I frequent. The day I bought the ingredients for my salad I bought 3 avocados, one for the first salad, one for my deep conditioning treatment and the third made it just in time for this tasty watercress salad I made. I’m not a leaf person but when it comes to leafy greens, watercress is one of the few I like. I always as a child, would see my grandmother and mother just dig in to “berro” which to me at the time seemed so weird because I hated the stems. But little did I know how nutritious and potent this leafy green is.

As you may know Avocado is very nutritious, rich in Vitamin A, E, K and minerals such as copper, iron and many more nutrients. Watercress however is considered a super food and is actually the oldest leaf vegetable consumed by humans. Watercress tastes very light to me and besides the stem you won’t even feel it in your mouth. I paid about 3.89 for this watercress bag and was happy to see it since during the winter you seldom see them. You can add basically anything when making a watercress salad such as, almonds, onions, olive truly the possibilities are endless. This bag usually lasts me 4 days or so. Not only is watercress limited to salads, it also tastes great on any sandwich being a great substitute for lettuce. Usually I like to add watercress to my Boar’s Head salsalito turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich. Once again with this salad I dressed it with fresh squeezed lime juice, kosher salt, and Extra Virgin olive Oil and my favorite, red onions. You know my measuring skills consists of a swirl of this and a dash of that.

Loaded with vital vitamins and minerals this light leafy green can provide you with all the nutrients you need in one sitting. Watercress is known for a lot of health benefits especially for detoxifying the blood, cancer and many more just check out the link below and and take a peek at the reasons why watercress is considered a super food.

• Anti-anemic effect: Watercress is particularly helpful in treating different types of anemia due to its high content in iron. Iron is essential for the synthesis of hemoglobin, and folic acid, which plays a key role in the maturation of red cells in the bone marrow. The right amount of vitamin C in watercress also makes better absorption of iron.
• Anti-inflammatory properties: Watercress is rich in vitamin C, which has an anti-inflammatory action and can help prevent or relieve the symptoms of cold, flu and other types of inflammation.
• Anti-oxidant and anti-cancer effects: Just as many other herbs, watercress is rich in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidant substances help prevent or fight the damage caused by free radicals to body tissues, thereby contributing to prevent premature aging, as well as lower the risk of developing cancer and many other chronic or degenerative diseases.
• Aphrodisiac effect: Several historical sources show that watercress has been used for its aphrodisiac effect since the age of the ancient Romans and Persians. This could be due to its high zinc and iron content.
• Blood glucose: Although not definitely proven, it seems that watercress can help control blood sugar levels and prevent or treat high blood glucose. It is probable that the hypoglycemic effect of watercress is in part due to its high content in soluble fiber, that helps reduce the absorption of carbohydrates from the intestine. This effect is particularly helpful for individuals with diabetes.
• Bone health: The right proportion of calcium, magnesium, manganese, vitamins A, C and K in watercress helps promote and maintain healthy and strong bones.

• Cough: The sulphur glycosides found in watercress have been shown to modify bronchial secretions and exert an expectorant effect, which can be used to treat many forms of chronic bronchitis.
• Digestive function: Watercress does improve digestive function, due to its high content in vitamin C and fiber, which stimulate salivary and gastric secretions and the motility of the intestinal tract respectively.
• DNA, preserve: In a laboratory test, it was found that daily consumption of watercress increase the ability of cells to resist DNA damages to lymphocytes (white blood cells)
• Eye health: The high content in phytonutrients lutein and zeaxanthin are potent anti-oxidants; together with vitamin A and zinc all in this herb help greatly improve eye health.
• Hair health: Watercress can be used topically to treat dandruff and prevent hair loss, due to its sulfur, iron, zinc and vitamin A content. The best results are obtained by rubbing the scalp and the hair with a watercress tincture.
• Hangover: A hangover happens when the liver gets overloaded with toxic alcohol. Watercress juice is so concentrated with so much cleansing goodness that it activates the detoxifying enzymes in the liver for detoxifying a hangover.
• Purifying effect: Watercress has been used for centuries for its purifying effects. It enhances the diuresis and helps give the colon a good “spring-cleaning”, thereby effectively removing toxins from the body.
• Skin health: When used topically, watercress juice can be helpful in relieving skin eczema, as well as other skin conditions. Its high content of vitamin A and C best obtained by juicing are also beneficial for healthy skin.
• Thyroid gland: The high iodine content in watercress can help prevent goitre, improve the function of the thyroid gland and relieve the symptoms of many forms of hypothyroidism.

Courtesy of : juicing-for-health.com

Watercress is also rich in history check out these interesting Historical and Health Facts concerning Watercress.

Read Full Post »

Hungry? Avocado Salad

Spring is here and what better way to celebrate than with a fresh hearty salad? My salad was inspired by a very fun and tasty blog I like to frequent.

Platanos, Mangoes and Me

Platanos, mangoes and me has beautiful pictures of food she makes herself. I was inspired by an avocado and tomato salad she featured recently. One thing that irritates me about some recipe books is that most don’t provide you with pictures. Everyone knows that hungry people like myself are very visual and truthfully the pictures on platanos, mangoes and me had me visualizing the salad in my head all week.

So I couldn’t resist and went to my local supermarket and picked up 3 plum tomatoes $.98, 3 Hass avocados (one for the salad, one for my hair, and one for the next salad) @1.00 each and the rest I had at home like the red onions, olive oil, vinegar, Kosher salt and cucumber. The post where I got inspired to do this salad did not have cucumbers but since I had a little piece left in the fridge I just added it to the salad.

This was accompanied by my favorite yet simple rice, a “Locrio de chuleta”, basically a mixed rice with pork chops. This was such a tasty and satisfying salad. I’m not much of a leaf person so this felt very hearty to me, the creamy avocado, crunchy cucumbers and juicy tomatoes… it was simply divine. Even the picture looks great the colors just call out to me.

The ingredients are rather simple just vinegar or fresh lemon juice, salt, and olive oil. I just put a capful of this and a swirl of that and I’m good to go. Trying to incorporate at least one fresh uncooked meal or dish a day can be simple. My taste buds are very picky but I’m trying to adjust them to fresh natural foods on a regular basis. Now that the weather is warmer this is a great light dish, but at the same time very satisfying so you are not left hungry either. Even with pizza this salad would have been great. Point is incorporating something very healthy with something you love. That way you can help your taste buds adjust without depriving yourself at the same time.

Avocados are very healthy with a variety of health benefits such as helping lower cholesterol, prostate, and heart issues. Avocados are rich in Vitamin E, K, A, B complexes as well as minerals such as copper, iron, zinc and many more. Tomatoes also contain zinc, copper, and like avocados, are high in potassium and also vitamins C, E, K amongst other beneficial vitamins that are vital for the immune system, nervous system, anemia and many other dis-eases. Red onions raw, are truly my favorite and are also very beneficial for your health and are known to aid against bacteria and respiratory problems.

This was very simple to make and just simply refreshing and enjoyable. Most of the time we consume over cooked, boxed, processed foods and forget how fresh a simple salad can taste. I’m surely heading back to that blog and see what other pictures end up lingering in my mind….

Read Full Post »