Louisiana Hot Sauce

When it comes to hot sauces, Louisiana isn’t lacking for variety. A tour of the condiment aisle in even the humblest grocery store reveals a range that vastly outstrips the selection of, say, ketchup brands. Or mayonnaise. Calandro’s Government Street location had not just a shelf, but an entire end cap display stocked with a galaxy of hot sauce offerings, with names ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. Apparently, even in our highly corporatized food culture, the hot sauce segment remains something of a wild frontier-one in which the hearts and long-suffering taste buds of pepper-sauce aficionados are still up for grabs. Why? Is it because hot sauce occupies a unique culinary niche-one that can be considered souvenir, pantry decoration, and manly rite-of-passage, as well as sustenance? Is it because the hot sauce department is the one section of the supermarket in which teenaged boys feel at home? How else to explain a food segment that can attract customers with names like Ring of Fire or Bayou Butt Burner? Try marketing salad dressing or guacamole on those terms. Nope; hot sauce is unique, so this month I set out on a highly subjective quest to decide whether one sauce could be considered superior to another; or whether, if you’ll pardon the expression, the whole thing is a lot of hot air. And here, I offer up my discoveries. Continue reading “Louisiana Hot Sauce”

Vegan Protein

The first place to get protein as a vegan is from certain fruits & vegetables, I’ll bet you didn’t realize spinach and cauliflower are a complete protein. There are many ways that you can eat these two vegetables. I don’t like to cook my spinach too much but I typically cook cauliflower to the point that it’s soft either by steaming or sauteing it. Cauliflower is an excellent replacement for rice in my opinion and healthier than your traditional white rice. I often times mix it with curry or beans as if it were rice or quinoa. I make my salads using spinach instead of plain watery lettuce. Spinach has a high nutritional value which makes it the perfect replacement so I like to mix it with avocado, oil and chick peas to make it creamier and more chewy. Some fruits are believed to be complete in protein such as Goji Berries because it contains 18 amino acids. I usually buy dry Goji berries by the pound at my local organic super market and eat it with my other dry nuts and seeds. These fruits and vegetables are one of the many options nature gives you for protein.

Nuts and seeds are a perfect snack food to give you what you need as far as Amino acids. Walnuts, chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, cashews, chia seeds, hemp seeds have all the amino acids needed to consider them a complete protein. There are many ways to incorporate these foods into your diet such as baking granola bars and adding nuts and seed to them or blending these nuts and seeds into a paste and mixing it with fruit preserves on some bread to make a tasty sandwich. Another cool thing I like to do is get the hemp in powder form and mix it in almond milk with a health natural sweetener and psyllium husk for fiber. You can also get a lot of these nuts and seeds in powder form and mix them in you guacamole which is what I do. You can also mix the powder into your pancake or muffin batter etc. Though I usually eat most of these protein sources as is throughout the day if I want to stay away from cooking, but you don’t have to do that it’s totally up to you. Continue reading “Vegan Protein”

Vegan Lunch Recipes – Ideas and Recipes For A Delicious Vegan Lunch!

It is important to ensure variety in your vegan diet to make certain that you are getting all of the right nutrients, to stay motivated, and of course, to enjoy your food. Many people on the vegan diet get stuck in a rut when it comes to preparing their lunches. What they may not realize is that there are many super easy and healthy vegan lunch ideas and recipes awaiting them, if they simply are willing to put in a little bit of effort in preparing them!

Listed below are 5 vegan food ideas and recipes for your lunch.

Veggie burger/lentil burger

Assembling a veggie or lentil burger is a healthy, easy and super delicious vegan lunch idea. Find a brand of vegan patties that you like, and cook the patties in a frying pan or in the oven according to packet directions. In the meantime, slice open your bread roll and add either pesto, hummus or guacamole to the base. Add your cooked patty to the bread roll, and top with some sliced tomato, grated beetroot and carrot and sliced pineapple. And voila, it’s completed! Continue reading “Vegan Lunch Recipes – Ideas and Recipes For A Delicious Vegan Lunch!”

A Classic Big Green Egg Burger Recipe

The Big Green Egg is the most versatile grill I have ever owned. It can sear steaks at temperatures up to 700F, or it can slowly smoke a 10lb brisket for 17 hours at 225F. It acts as a grill, an oven, and a smoker all in one! Another great feature of the Big Green Egg is that it is very fuel efficient. The grill easily maintains the desired temperature for several hours, or even overnight, using relatively little charcoal when compared to a normal grill. The best part about the Big Green Egg is that it is easy to make delicious food!

Burgers are one of my favorite things to cook on the Big Green Egg… Simple, fast, and of course delicious. There are a million different recipes for burgers, but they follow the same formula; bun, sauce, ground beef, cheese, seasonings, and bacon (all good burgers have bacon). My favorite burger recipe follows the same formula; jalapeno bun (from a local bakery!), seasoned ground beef, roasted corn guacamole, pepper jack cheese, and……Texas thick cut bacon. I call it, “Eric’s Famous.” With this recipe you can grill delicious hamburgers for your family and friends and take credit as a “grill master!”

Continue reading “A Classic Big Green Egg Burger Recipe”

How to Clean Avocado Stains

A football match on TV, guacamole and tortilla chips, hubby and his greedy friends: a combination that can lead to accidents. The main problem with an avocado stain in that if it is left it will oxidize and eventually turn a nasty grey black colour. Once this has happened, the stain is almost impossible to remove. Remember, for a good chance of removal, you must act quickly.

General directions:

Gently scrape the solids off with a blunt knife, taking care not to spread the stain. Follow the directions below for specific fabrics.

Carpet:

Apply bissel OxyKIC or white wizard to the stain. Working from the outside inwards, gently soak up the stain with a white paper towel or a clean, white, lint free cloth. Don’t drench the stain – it’s better to make repeated small applications than to completely flood the area. Continue until the stain has completely disappeared. Rinse thoroughly with cold water and blot up as much water as possible with more paper towels. Leave to dry. If any traces remain, a complete carpet shampoo may do the trick. Continue reading “How to Clean Avocado Stains”

Vegan Nachos and Home-Made Savoury Crackers

This much healthier version of a traditional Mexican dish is really authentic in taste. Make it for a light lunch or triple the recipe and serve it at a party. Home-made nachos are very quick and easy to make. They are accompanied by soy yoghurt (soured with lemon juice), home-made guacamole dip, a lentil and bean tomato mix scattered with grated fried tofu. Enjoy!

Ingredients

home-made Nachos savoury crackers* (see recipe below)

1 cup cooked Puy / brown lentils

1 cup cooked red kidney beans

4 tomatoes, chopped

4 tbsp tomato paste, thinned with 4 tbsp water

1 – 2 tsp chopped fresh red chilli (to taste)

2 tsp peanut oil

¾ cup grated firm tofu

4 ml turmeric

3 ml paprika

2 tsp fine savoury yeast flakes

avocado guacamole dip (home-made)

½ cup soy yoghurt / silken tofu mixed with 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

Place the lentils, kidney beans, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste mix and chilli in a saucepan and heat gently.
Heat the peanut oil in a small pan and fry the tofu on fairly high heat to remove most of the moisture.
Add the turmeric, paprika and savoury yeast to the tofu and stir for a minute. Remove from the heat.
To assemble the nachos dish: spoon the lentil-tomato mixture into the middle of a large serving platter. Push the savoury crackers into the mixture from the sides. Scatter the fried tofu on top.
Serve the avocado (guacamole) dip and soured soy yoghurt or silken tofu on the side, so everyone can help themselves.

Serves 4.

* Nachos savoury crackers

These crackers taste wonderfully authentic, yet are baked in the oven rather than fried. You can add all sorts of interesting herbs to the dough if you wish. Cooked couscous adds an interesting texture, although you can substitute cooked quinoa to make gluten-free crackers. Nut butters effectively bind all the ingredients together to make crispy, black pepper studded nachos.

Ingredients

4 tbsp dry couscous / quinoa for gluten-free

1 cup yellow corn meal

½ tsp herbal salt

2 tbsp cashew nut butter / smooth peanut butter

2 tsp cracked black pepper

½ cup brewed lukewarm camomile tea / lukewarm water

2 tsp savoury yeast powder

olive oil cooking spray

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Place a baking (pizza) stone or heavy duty baking tray in the oven to heat up at the same time.
Pour boiling water over the couscous and leave for 5 minutes (or cook the quinoa). Drain and fluff with a fork. Make the camomile tea.
Place the corn meal and salt in a mixing bowl and combine. Rub in the nut butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir the black pepper and cooked couscous or quinoa into the flour mixture.
Pour the tea (or water) over the flour mixture and stir until combined. Add the savoury yeast and stir to mix in.
Dust a sheet of non-stick baking parchment with corn meal. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for half a minute. It will be a stiff dough.
Roll the dough into a thick pipe, then transfer it to the parchment. Roll the dough with a rolling pin into a thin rectangular shape, flour the dough well so as not to stick. Take a knife and deeply score the dough into squares, then into triangles. Spray them with olive oil.
Working quickly, remove the baking stone or tray from the oven and slide the parchment onto it together with the scored dough. Bake on the middle shelf for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven’s temperature to 190°C (370°). Turn the crackers over and bake for a further 3 minutes. Make sure the crackers are dry and crispy.
Remove from the oven, break the crackers free from each other and cool thoroughly on wire racks. When the nachos are cold, store them in an airtight container (for up to a week).

Makes enough for 4 people.

Source by Laurinda Erasmus

The Best Way to Remove a Guacamole Stain From Carpet

Having parties can be a lot of fun, at least until someone spills something all over your carpet. If one of your favorite party snacks is guacamole, like mine, you may know about those bright green stains on your carpet that start to turn brown over time. Here is the best way to remove a guacamole stain from carpet, so you can enjoy your party again.

Deal with the stain as quickly as possible. You may not want to get down on your hands and knees during the party and start scrubbing away, but at the very least make sure to scrape up as much of the guacamole as possible from the carpet. While scraping it be careful not to spread the stain further. If you can’t deal with it right away, at the very least keep the stain moist by placing a damp paper towel over the area, to help ensure the stain does not set while you continue on with the party.

Use a dishwashing liquid cleaning solution to blot at the guacamole stain. When you are ready to tackle the stain, like right after the party guests leave, mix a solution of 2 cups cool water and one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid. Using this stain removal solution blot at the carpet stain with a clean white cloth, until the stain is removed. Continue reading “The Best Way to Remove a Guacamole Stain From Carpet”

Renovating The Wedding Cake House in Melrose MA

Sometimes two forces meet and the outcome is pure perfection. This property, which garnered a lot of attention in its state of disrepair in 2001, met the current owners and the result has birthed an architectural experience and one of the finest restorations Metro Boston has ever known. Its late 19th-century elegance was completely renewed but more importantly, the current owners created ideal, high-end kitchen and baths for living in the 21st century while being mindful of the architectural history.

This home carries a mystique and amazing attraction to those who discover it. Named for the dripping details of the columns, porches, balustrade and moldings that decorate the exterior like frosting, the “Wedding Cake House” has a sister in Kennebunk, Maine, which is considered one of the most photographed homes in the country, but the locals know that our Wedding Cake House is, well, more sensuous, though perhaps less renowned.

To say that the exterior curb appeal is exquisite feels like an understatement, but it is important to note that the owners stress that this is a very livable house. Truly no expense has been spared in the complete restoration of this Neoclassical Revival. We should note that there is over 5000 sq/ft of living space – 4 floors, 14 rooms, 5-6 bedrooms, 7 Fireplaces, 3-car garage, 4 full and 1 half bath on a nearly ¾ acre lot. It goes without saying that all of the systems and updates have been done, but the devil is in the details, from re-brassing all of the original hardware and fixtures to the careful restoration of both murals and the exquisite woodwork. Continue reading “Renovating The Wedding Cake House in Melrose MA”

Utensils to Make Cake Baking Easy

Baking a cake requires minimal effort, even for the amateur baker, when utilizing the right tools. Cake baking pans are the first instrument needed to create the masterpiece. Whether a regular pan, shaped traditionally in the rectangular or circular, or a novelty cake pan that structures the cake into another form, it’s going to require other kitchen gadgets to complete the steps of baking.

First, you will need to gather the necessary ingredients. This can be as simple as a box of cake mix bought from the grocery store, which requires the additional ingredients: some vegetable oil, some eggs, and a bit of water. Quite often, people that are skilled at cake baking mix cake batter from the scratch ingredients, but this is the uncomplicated method to get the job done.

Next, you’re going to need the mixing utensils. The mixing bowls to blend the ingredients in, two would be sufficient, will be used for the cake batter and the icing. You’re also going to need a mixer to blend the batter, a wire whisk for aeration of the cake, a spoon and a spatula for combining the ingredients, scraping the bowl, and scraping the cake out of the pan after it comes out of the oven. Measuring cups and spoons are considered necessary for accuracy of quantity of the ingredients. You don’t want to guess the amount of the ingredients of a cake unless you are skilled at baking cakes. Too much or too little of an ingredient can make the cake flat or even undercooked inside. Each kitchen utensil provides its own service to the cake, but is essential to making a delicious cake easily. Continue reading “Utensils to Make Cake Baking Easy”

Decorate Your Cake With a Beautiful Design

The final touch to your cake which grabs principal attention is definitely a cake topper. A good cake maker will usually be a master designer too so he can make the cake topping himself. There are various ways of creating it like using marzipan, gum paste and of course the traditional way of piping and smoothing butter cream.

The toppers are the main attraction on a wedding cake, usually made up of the couple’s initials to form a monogram. A heart or any small design can also be incorporated in between. Silver letter in various fonts look elegant and reflect style. Silver can cost you a bit; aluminum on the other hand will be easier on the pocket.

Use of engraved letters in cut glass makes stunning cake decorations. A birthday cake can sport the initials of the birthday boy or girl so also an anniversary cake can hold the couple’s initials or the number of the anniversary can be opted for. Continue reading “Decorate Your Cake With a Beautiful Design”