Pecans are tasty.Their rich buttery flavor makes them the perfect add in for both savory and sweet recipes.Use them in everything from snacks to hors d' oeuvres , from stuffings to pies. They are versatile - the perfect ingredient for upcoming holidays.
Pecans have been around since pre-Columbian days, the name coming from the Algonquin language. The indigenous Americans foraged them and the nuts were an excellent source of energy. They could sustain tribes five times more than wild fowl and there was no preparation.The Spanish were the first Europeans to try them and brought the nuts and seeds back to Europe.In America, Georgia and Texas have the best , with the two states being rivals in producing the best tasting ones. Pecans are an excellent source of both manganese and folic acid as well as magnesium and phosphorous. Be careful though with them, Ten pieces are around one hundred calories and are very high in fat.Pecans can last two to four weeks in a pantry and nine months in the fridge. They're excellent for freezing , lasting up to two years in the freezer. Should you get the shelled or unshelled ones? That's up to you. Of course just shelled ones taste better but there's some work in cracking open the shells and then discarding them. If you opt for this kind, just be careful. The last thing you need is friends and family cracking a tooth or cutting their gums on an errant shell fragment . The nuts should be carefully sifted through before using them in any recipe.
Pecans are a great way to open any holiday dinner or party. Salted ones are super easy to make.It's tossing the nuts with melted butter and sea salt and then baking them on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes in a 325 F. oven. Add cayenne for color and heat or even turmeric for savory spiciness. Chopped pecans can be added to cream cheese for a nutty spread on crackers or slices of toasted baguette.Combine roasted ones with blue cheese to create a topping that will go well with grapes.Pecans are a buttery and crunchy addition to traditional stuffing recipes. Try them and cranberries in filling for a savory and sweet mix or with apples for a crunchy textured one.They're also great rounding out side dishes. Pair them with roasted beets for a sweet textured salad, perfect not just with turkey but also ith roast beef and chicken. Butternut squash benefits from them and onions, in a yummy saute.Of course, the best way to have pecans for dessert is in a tasty ooey gooey pie. Nothing beats a slice of pecan pie with a big puff of whipped cream. They can also star in cookies too. A holiday treat is a butter pecan cookie or a chocolate chip one studded with pecan bits. Pecan bars are another holiday sweet along with pecan clusters. This last is super easy to make. Just melt chocolate in the microwave, then mix in pecan bits and chill on a greased cookie sheet.
Pecans are the most versatile holiday ingredient. Try them to open a party or to finish a meal. Try them in savory or sweet recipes. They are a treat both in taste and use.
Showing posts with label folic acid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label folic acid. Show all posts
Monday, November 21, 2016
Saturday, March 10, 2012
The Amazing Lentil Bean
Lentils have always gotten a bad rap. They're not as cool as garbanzo or mainstream as kidney and pinto.Yet they're one of the healthiest and surprisingly tastiest beans out there. They're also as versatile as their bean cousins and can be made into several different dishes. Try them anyway and be hooked.
Lentils have been around for millenia , feeding only the poor in times when they couldn't afford meat. In fact for most of history , the rich have scoffed at these nutritional wonders.Its' name come from the Latin word lens culinaris esculenta and our modern word lens comes from it because of the lentil''s convex shape. The bean was found both in archaeological sites dating back 8000 years and pharaohs tombs from 6000BCE. Lentils also figured in Bible stories as well.\, especially the one where Jacob feeds Esau a a meal of bread and lentils. Lentils are from the pulse family and originated mostly like in India and Pakistan where it's still referred to as daal or dal (which is also the name for a spicy lentil soup).It comes in in red, green and yellow and there are two lentil peas to every pod.Lentils are high in proteins, folic acid and Vitamin B along with fiber and two essential amino acids,methionine and cysteine.
There are many recipes for lentils, the most common being lentil soup. This is a an easy to make bean soup that's chock full of good veggies and herbs. It's a good homey dish for a Saturday night supper.If you want to make something more exotic, then try South Indian sambar which is a tasty and spicy curry.It not only has lentils but also pumpkin and chicken for added flavor along with curries and dried chilis. Another lentil dish from the Subcontinent is Indian spiced rice that incorporates basmati rice, the legumes and a dash of cinnamon.Lentils can also be made into a hummus too.If your family has qualms there are some good lentil meat loaf recipes out there that can be subbed in for the more exotic fare.
Lentils are a great legume .Not only do they taste yummy but they have a lot of good stuff going for them. Have them in a spicy traditional dish or create your own to enjoy their rich nutty flavor.
Lentils have been around for millenia , feeding only the poor in times when they couldn't afford meat. In fact for most of history , the rich have scoffed at these nutritional wonders.Its' name come from the Latin word lens culinaris esculenta and our modern word lens comes from it because of the lentil''s convex shape. The bean was found both in archaeological sites dating back 8000 years and pharaohs tombs from 6000BCE. Lentils also figured in Bible stories as well.\, especially the one where Jacob feeds Esau a a meal of bread and lentils. Lentils are from the pulse family and originated mostly like in India and Pakistan where it's still referred to as daal or dal (which is also the name for a spicy lentil soup).It comes in in red, green and yellow and there are two lentil peas to every pod.Lentils are high in proteins, folic acid and Vitamin B along with fiber and two essential amino acids,methionine and cysteine.
There are many recipes for lentils, the most common being lentil soup. This is a an easy to make bean soup that's chock full of good veggies and herbs. It's a good homey dish for a Saturday night supper.If you want to make something more exotic, then try South Indian sambar which is a tasty and spicy curry.It not only has lentils but also pumpkin and chicken for added flavor along with curries and dried chilis. Another lentil dish from the Subcontinent is Indian spiced rice that incorporates basmati rice, the legumes and a dash of cinnamon.Lentils can also be made into a hummus too.If your family has qualms there are some good lentil meat loaf recipes out there that can be subbed in for the more exotic fare.
Lentils are a great legume .Not only do they taste yummy but they have a lot of good stuff going for them. Have them in a spicy traditional dish or create your own to enjoy their rich nutty flavor.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Exotic Goodness - The Banana
Nothing beats a banana as a wholesome snack. This tasty is not only good for you its' just downright delicious. It's the best ingredient in any dessert dish,rating number one both in flavor and nutrition.
Bananas originated in Malaysia and then traveled to India. it was on the subcontinent that Alexander had his first taste of the fruit in 327 BCE. Bananas were even mentioned in the writings of the Pali Buddhists six centuries before the birth of Christ. This ancient fruit then was transplanted to the island of Madagascar where it then was introduced to the African continent. It was the Arabs who did mass trading in bananas and gave them their name banan meaning "finger " in Arabic. A> from they moved to the Iberian Peninsula and also the Canary Islands. Portuguese missionaries later brought them to the Caribbean where they soon grew in abundance. American had to wait until 1876 to get their first taste of the fruit. They were sold, foil wrapped at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The banana doesn;t come froma tree but from a large herb of the Musacae family.
Nowadays everyone has bananas as part of their diet. The fruit is rich in potassium with a large one having 150 mg of it. They also are loaded with Vitamin A , thiamine and folic acid. One banana is only 150 calories.Remember to buy yellow ones and store on your table or kitchen counter. DON'T store them in the fridge . They won;t ripen there and you'll wind up with a mess.You can use the leftover peels as mulch for your garden.
As for recipes my favorite is the ice cream less banana split. (which was created during the 1920s!) It's just a sliced up banana, covered in chocolate syrup and topped with Cool Whip. This a great , relatively low calorie snack when you're craving the other but can't have it. Banana bread is another favorite because it combines the fruit with sugar and vanilla (it's a no brainer that my favorite all natural lotion by Pure & Basic is their banana and wild vanilla scent. It smells just like freshly baked banana bread!!!!)You can also chunk up bananas and grill them for a minute or two and then serve with vanilla ice cream and brown sugar.
Bananas are a great and nutritious treat. Their sweet, mellow flavor is just the thing for anyone craving a sweet snack. Their nutritional value is just right for adults and kids .
Bananas originated in Malaysia and then traveled to India. it was on the subcontinent that Alexander had his first taste of the fruit in 327 BCE. Bananas were even mentioned in the writings of the Pali Buddhists six centuries before the birth of Christ. This ancient fruit then was transplanted to the island of Madagascar where it then was introduced to the African continent. It was the Arabs who did mass trading in bananas and gave them their name banan meaning "finger " in Arabic. A> from they moved to the Iberian Peninsula and also the Canary Islands. Portuguese missionaries later brought them to the Caribbean where they soon grew in abundance. American had to wait until 1876 to get their first taste of the fruit. They were sold, foil wrapped at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The banana doesn;t come froma tree but from a large herb of the Musacae family.
Nowadays everyone has bananas as part of their diet. The fruit is rich in potassium with a large one having 150 mg of it. They also are loaded with Vitamin A , thiamine and folic acid. One banana is only 150 calories.Remember to buy yellow ones and store on your table or kitchen counter. DON'T store them in the fridge . They won;t ripen there and you'll wind up with a mess.You can use the leftover peels as mulch for your garden.
As for recipes my favorite is the ice cream less banana split. (which was created during the 1920s!) It's just a sliced up banana, covered in chocolate syrup and topped with Cool Whip. This a great , relatively low calorie snack when you're craving the other but can't have it. Banana bread is another favorite because it combines the fruit with sugar and vanilla (it's a no brainer that my favorite all natural lotion by Pure & Basic is their banana and wild vanilla scent. It smells just like freshly baked banana bread!!!!)You can also chunk up bananas and grill them for a minute or two and then serve with vanilla ice cream and brown sugar.
Bananas are a great and nutritious treat. Their sweet, mellow flavor is just the thing for anyone craving a sweet snack. Their nutritional value is just right for adults and kids .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
