Yes, make no mistake, this is a section dedicated to the travel mugs of coffee. I just felt that this little fellow has been for so long, should be given its due credit. This simple cup at worst can save you a few dollars, at best, might be able to save you a few hundred!
We all know that coffee, the most traded after oil is expensive. If you want to watch it, as an expense daily, it seems little. However, what is a way of life, a daily necessity, a couple of dollars by several days, weeks and years, it is possible to add up to probably a trip to "this part of the world", which you always wanted you went.
1. The cost of good coffee coffee house
There are so many coffee variety there, but let's say you always go for a cuppaccino which cost about $ 3 and you have 2 per day. Assuming you have the same pattern every day, you would be spending $ 3 X 2cups X 365 days = $ 2190 (approximately that amount for a tour?).
Of course, the couple of dollars refer to the gourmet coffee that you have purchased from Starbucks or similar. This makes it at home cost much less and, similarly, a coffeemaker in your office would amount to far fewer dollars spent, but it brings with it another financial effort, the first.
Do you see the trend of how the training of coffee mugs travel can save you a few dollars extra. Well, I do not want to jump the gun and not put you through it slowly.
Imagine making coffee at home is great, but if you want to enjoy the same standard in the office, other than cajoling your boss to get a unit, it would be to get one yourself.
2. The cost of good coffee to the coffee machine Office (self-purchase)
We continue to adhere to the assumption that you love your cappuccino, which you would not be getting any drip coffee maker or vacuum, it will be an espresso machine.
** Note: the cheapest around the cappuccino machine will be the Mr Coffee ECM 250 that can make a cappuccino and simple is less than 50 dollars.
To enjoy the same standard in the office, is another cost 50 dollars. This is not to mention that you would have to "treat" your colleagues who are too jealous of your cappuccion fragrant!
Beans you would probably cost at $ 0.20 per serving. You eat 2 cups but would probably have to "treat" anything from 5 to 10 cups. Suppose you "treat" 5 cups per day. The total cost of your coffee is: 7cups X $ 0.20 = $ 1.40, less than what you would pay at Starbucks, but not the best savings!
You spent a total of S $ 50 (initital investment) + 1.40 S X $ 365 = $ 561.00 just to enjoy your 2 cups of cappuccino.
3. The cost of good coffee cups of coffee travel.
By using a coffee machine for the office still costs about $ 561.00 per year. It is cheaper than the 2190, $ 00, but for us it is not good enough. Imagine where the $ 561.00 you can get? If you travel to Asia, this amount can bring you probably from Japan to stay another few days in Hong Kong! Now, let's see what savings, coffee mugs can obtain travel for us:
Everything stays the same, you are still drinking 2 cups of cappuccino daily. The difference is that you get yourself a Nissan or Frontgate travel coffee cup, which can keep the coffee hot for hours! The initial investment is about $ 20.00.
You do not have to share your coffee, your cup of coffee is personal travel, so people do come to you for "trafficking" and nobody likes sharing the same cup, which you save the "Trafficking ".
The total cost for the good coffee to coffee mugs travel would be $ 20.00 (buy a good cup thermal) + $ 0.20 (the cost of beans) X 2 X per day serve 365 days = $ 166.00 .
Between having coffee in the office and bring them to the house you save about $ 400.00 and you would be saved over $ 1500.00 just using coffee mugs travel, and not to buy coffee home.
So, what do you think? Simple things, but at a time when costs are increasing so rapidly, I think seriously that the economies of travel of cups of coffee to make a lot of work for people like us all!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Fairly Traded Coffee
Speciality coffee by its nature is fairly traded. Rather than being treated as a commodity on the futures market, it is traded on its quality, which in turn demands a premium price for the farmer. For example, in May 2006 ‘Hacienda la Esmeralda Geisha’ coffee, from Panama, set a record of USD50.25 per pound at online auction (This award winning coffee retails for over USD100 a pound). More over, it is not only third world countries which grow coffee, developed nations such as Australia and United States (Hawaii) also have established industries.
Many people imagine coffee to be grown in large plantations akin to vineyards, with row after row of coffee bushes. This may be the case for the beans that are sold to make your jar of instant coffee, but speciality coffee tends to be grown in smallholdings by the indigenous people of the land. In contrast to the mono-culture of plantations, these smallholdings are bio-diverse. The farmers cultivate the land with self-sufficiency in mind. They have to feed their family and their livestock as well as growing coffee and other produce they can sell.
This approach has great benefit for both the quality of the coffee and the sustainability of the land. The bio-diversity of the smallholding attracts natural predators to eat the pests, so chemicals are not needed. The nutrients of the soil are not drained as the different species of plants require and produce different nutrients. And so, although most farmers choose not to pay to be certified, their produce is organic and therefore better for us.
So you should feel good when you buy speciality coffee. Not only is it fairly traded, but it is grown in a sustainable and organic manner. You get great tasting coffee which is ethically sound.
Many people imagine coffee to be grown in large plantations akin to vineyards, with row after row of coffee bushes. This may be the case for the beans that are sold to make your jar of instant coffee, but speciality coffee tends to be grown in smallholdings by the indigenous people of the land. In contrast to the mono-culture of plantations, these smallholdings are bio-diverse. The farmers cultivate the land with self-sufficiency in mind. They have to feed their family and their livestock as well as growing coffee and other produce they can sell.
This approach has great benefit for both the quality of the coffee and the sustainability of the land. The bio-diversity of the smallholding attracts natural predators to eat the pests, so chemicals are not needed. The nutrients of the soil are not drained as the different species of plants require and produce different nutrients. And so, although most farmers choose not to pay to be certified, their produce is organic and therefore better for us.
So you should feel good when you buy speciality coffee. Not only is it fairly traded, but it is grown in a sustainable and organic manner. You get great tasting coffee which is ethically sound.
Sushi Recipe
Sushi is a delicious, healthy and easy to prepare food. Deciding on and finding your ingredients, preparing the beautiful presentation, and enjoying your creation are all part of the fun of sushi. Finding a great sushi recipe is the first step in putting together a wonderful meal.
Sushi, traditionally, refers to rice, but it has developed to include the whole concept of the finger food. It commonly is a fish or vegetable, served with vinegar rice. A sushi recipe can be presented in several ways. Some common ways are wrapped in seaweed, served in a bowl, in bite size pieces or in a cone type wrap. Wide ranges of vegetables, seafood, and shellfish are used throughout a sushi recipe.
There are some common ingredients that you should always have on hand to prepare a good sushi recipe. These include seaweed, called nori, rice, and sushi vinegar. These are the base ingredients you will need to start with for any sushi recipe. Several sauces such as soy sauce, and wasabi; a spicy paste like substance, are commonly served with sushi to enhance the flavor. Common vegetables in a sushi recipe include carrots, cucumber, peppers, and avocado. Common seafood used in sushi recipes are crab, salmon, octopus, and shrimp. This is by no means an exhaustive list of what you can use in your sushi recipe. The sky is the limit. Get creative as you like with your sushi recipe.
Where can you find a good sushi recipe? There are several great places where you can find a good sushi recipe. A great place to start is the Internet. By doing a quick search through a search engine for sushi recipe, you can find some great websites that will provide you with a great sushi recipe. Often, they will provide you with detailed pictures and instructions that can help when preparing your sushi recipe. Also, try bookstores for their cookbook selections or local sushi restaurants to see if they will share their sushi recipe.
There are several pieces of kitchen equipment that can help you in preparing a sushi recipe. One of the most important pieces of equipment is a sharp knife. A sharp knife is essential in cutting and preparing the ingredients for your sushi recipe. It will allow you to cut your fish into thin slices, slice vegetables into attractive shapes and designs, and do all of these with ease. Another very helpful piece of equipment is a bamboo mat, traditionally called sushimaki sudare or makisu. This mat is what you use when you roll your sushi such as in a California roll. It is possible to roll with your hands, but the rice can be very sticky, so the mat can help eliminate a little frustration while preparing your sushi recipe. Other equipment such as rice cookers and sushi presses can also help make the preparation quicker, but they are not essential for preparing a good sushi recipe.
A final touch in the presentation of your sushi recipe is the plates and dishes you serve them on and the utensils that you use to eat them. Patterned china dishes, saucers, and cups are a beautiful touch. You can also use matching dispensers for items such as soy sauce. Often, chopsticks are used when eating sushi. Chopsticks come in all styles from wooded to metal and can complement your presentation beautifully. You can also eat sushi with your fingers, so make sure to have some nice matching napkins with the dishes.
It is easy to find the ingredients you need to complete your sushi recipe. Sushi recipes generally use basic ingredients that can be found easily. Many of the ingredients, if not all, can be purchased at most local grocery stores. If your grocery store does not carry what you need, try asking them to bring it in. Many companies will bring in supplies that are requested by their customers. For more complicated recipes that require special ingredients, many Asian specialty stores carry the more obscure ingredients on a regular basis. These stores can provide hard to find sushi recipe ingredients, often directly from Asian suppliers. A final option for finding your sushi recipe ingredients is online. There are countless websites that you can use to order everything from your good ingredients to equipment to finishing touches such as utensils.
Sushi is a wonderful food style. It's fun to follow a sushi recipe and see your final result. Many people consider preparing a sushi recipe an art form. It can be an exciting addition to your family dinner or an impressive dinner party concept. With a great sushi recipe, you can make out standing delicacies. It can be a great bonding event; gather the family together and everyone can make their own sushi dish. Grab your sushi recipe, your ingredients, your equipment, and have some fun.
Sushi, traditionally, refers to rice, but it has developed to include the whole concept of the finger food. It commonly is a fish or vegetable, served with vinegar rice. A sushi recipe can be presented in several ways. Some common ways are wrapped in seaweed, served in a bowl, in bite size pieces or in a cone type wrap. Wide ranges of vegetables, seafood, and shellfish are used throughout a sushi recipe.
There are some common ingredients that you should always have on hand to prepare a good sushi recipe. These include seaweed, called nori, rice, and sushi vinegar. These are the base ingredients you will need to start with for any sushi recipe. Several sauces such as soy sauce, and wasabi; a spicy paste like substance, are commonly served with sushi to enhance the flavor. Common vegetables in a sushi recipe include carrots, cucumber, peppers, and avocado. Common seafood used in sushi recipes are crab, salmon, octopus, and shrimp. This is by no means an exhaustive list of what you can use in your sushi recipe. The sky is the limit. Get creative as you like with your sushi recipe.
Where can you find a good sushi recipe? There are several great places where you can find a good sushi recipe. A great place to start is the Internet. By doing a quick search through a search engine for sushi recipe, you can find some great websites that will provide you with a great sushi recipe. Often, they will provide you with detailed pictures and instructions that can help when preparing your sushi recipe. Also, try bookstores for their cookbook selections or local sushi restaurants to see if they will share their sushi recipe.
There are several pieces of kitchen equipment that can help you in preparing a sushi recipe. One of the most important pieces of equipment is a sharp knife. A sharp knife is essential in cutting and preparing the ingredients for your sushi recipe. It will allow you to cut your fish into thin slices, slice vegetables into attractive shapes and designs, and do all of these with ease. Another very helpful piece of equipment is a bamboo mat, traditionally called sushimaki sudare or makisu. This mat is what you use when you roll your sushi such as in a California roll. It is possible to roll with your hands, but the rice can be very sticky, so the mat can help eliminate a little frustration while preparing your sushi recipe. Other equipment such as rice cookers and sushi presses can also help make the preparation quicker, but they are not essential for preparing a good sushi recipe.
A final touch in the presentation of your sushi recipe is the plates and dishes you serve them on and the utensils that you use to eat them. Patterned china dishes, saucers, and cups are a beautiful touch. You can also use matching dispensers for items such as soy sauce. Often, chopsticks are used when eating sushi. Chopsticks come in all styles from wooded to metal and can complement your presentation beautifully. You can also eat sushi with your fingers, so make sure to have some nice matching napkins with the dishes.
It is easy to find the ingredients you need to complete your sushi recipe. Sushi recipes generally use basic ingredients that can be found easily. Many of the ingredients, if not all, can be purchased at most local grocery stores. If your grocery store does not carry what you need, try asking them to bring it in. Many companies will bring in supplies that are requested by their customers. For more complicated recipes that require special ingredients, many Asian specialty stores carry the more obscure ingredients on a regular basis. These stores can provide hard to find sushi recipe ingredients, often directly from Asian suppliers. A final option for finding your sushi recipe ingredients is online. There are countless websites that you can use to order everything from your good ingredients to equipment to finishing touches such as utensils.
Sushi is a wonderful food style. It's fun to follow a sushi recipe and see your final result. Many people consider preparing a sushi recipe an art form. It can be an exciting addition to your family dinner or an impressive dinner party concept. With a great sushi recipe, you can make out standing delicacies. It can be a great bonding event; gather the family together and everyone can make their own sushi dish. Grab your sushi recipe, your ingredients, your equipment, and have some fun.
Quality Baking Equipment In Aluminium
If you bake regularly, you know that having what you need to bake properly can help to ensure that your creation is exactly what you intended it to be. But what do you really need? Here, we'll talk about common baking equipment and its advantages and disadvantages so that you can be well informed when you go shopping for quality baking equipment, either online or in a store.
Aluminium bakeware is the most prevalent type of quality baking equipment on the market today. Aluminium allows for cooked products to bake correctly as aluminium conducts heat evenly and efficiently. Some baked products, though, may not end up as brown as you may like. Aluminium cookware is useful for all kinds of food, barring those with an elevated acid content like tomato-containing foods or any other citrus type foodstuff.
Another popular material for quality baking equipment (http://www.hollandhouseware.co.uk/articles/) is glass. Glass is a good conductor of heat but, unlike aluminium, it allows food to brown completely and can be used to prepare acidic foods. Do keep in mind that, since glass heats up fast, you will have to reduce some baking temperatures by about 25 degrees.
Silicone is a relatively new bakeware material to the market. It is flexible, versatile, usable in any temperature, and completely non-stick. Foods heat and brown evenly when cooked in silicone non stick bakeware (http://www.hollandhouseware.co.uk/articles/), and most beneficially, food stops cooking immediately when removed from the oven, unlike what happens with other types of bakeware. As an added boon, bakeware can be folded for storage.
A good material for baking accessories is tinned steel. Steel coated in tin does an efficient job of transferring heat, cooks food evenly, and yields good browning results. After a while of usage you may notice that your tin plat bakeware takes on a slightly darker shade, but this is purely cosmetic and doesn't affect functionality or quality in any way. Make sure to completely dry tinned steel materials after washing them to prevent rust from occurring.
Finally, you may also want to consider insulated bakeware. This unique type of bakeware is composed of two layers of metal. Inside the two layers is a thin layer of air. Because of the insulation the air provides, insulated bakeware allows even baking and good browning. Foods cooked in insulated bakeware resist burning.
Aluminium bakeware is the most prevalent type of quality baking equipment on the market today. Aluminium allows for cooked products to bake correctly as aluminium conducts heat evenly and efficiently. Some baked products, though, may not end up as brown as you may like. Aluminium cookware is useful for all kinds of food, barring those with an elevated acid content like tomato-containing foods or any other citrus type foodstuff.
Another popular material for quality baking equipment (http://www.hollandhouseware.co.uk/articles/) is glass. Glass is a good conductor of heat but, unlike aluminium, it allows food to brown completely and can be used to prepare acidic foods. Do keep in mind that, since glass heats up fast, you will have to reduce some baking temperatures by about 25 degrees.
Silicone is a relatively new bakeware material to the market. It is flexible, versatile, usable in any temperature, and completely non-stick. Foods heat and brown evenly when cooked in silicone non stick bakeware (http://www.hollandhouseware.co.uk/articles/), and most beneficially, food stops cooking immediately when removed from the oven, unlike what happens with other types of bakeware. As an added boon, bakeware can be folded for storage.
A good material for baking accessories is tinned steel. Steel coated in tin does an efficient job of transferring heat, cooks food evenly, and yields good browning results. After a while of usage you may notice that your tin plat bakeware takes on a slightly darker shade, but this is purely cosmetic and doesn't affect functionality or quality in any way. Make sure to completely dry tinned steel materials after washing them to prevent rust from occurring.
Finally, you may also want to consider insulated bakeware. This unique type of bakeware is composed of two layers of metal. Inside the two layers is a thin layer of air. Because of the insulation the air provides, insulated bakeware allows even baking and good browning. Foods cooked in insulated bakeware resist burning.
Easy Recipe Tips and Tricks
Let’s face it. You don’t always have five hours to prepare a gourmet meal. In fact, most of the time it’s hard to even find an hour to throw something together.
Here are some fast, easy tricks, tips and techniques to save you time and energy.
Buy a salad mix: Those pre-made mixtures have come a long way. They’re not just lettuce anymore. Dressing, toppings such as almond slivers and dried cranberries, and more make it look like you really spent some time. Open the bag and you have salad.
Prefreeze your Chicken Breasts: It’s always good to have some chicken in the freezer. They’ll thaw in minutes and you’ll have a nice meal ready for the family.
Frozen bread dough: There’s so much assortment these days. From crescent rolls to biscuits to the traditional dinner roll, they’re all available and you’re house will smell delicious while they’re baking. Who has time for yeast anyway?
Frozen fruits: Will save you money and time by allowing you to have strawberries in the middle of winter. Yum.
Shredded cheese: Most recipes call for cheese to be shredded anyway so why not buy it preshredded?
Canned stock and broth: Who really has 24-48 hours to make stock from scratch? Not worth it at all.
Shelf pasta: It’s a really quick simple meal when you’ve got nothing else to make. Also it lasts forever, so you don’t have to worry about it going bad.
Salad dressings: Paul Newman is doing us all a favor by having his face on so many different varieties of salad dressing, plus his version won’t spoil as fast and probably costs less.
Artichoke hearts: As much as I love a good fresh artichoke the work you have to do to get that little heart is sometimes not worth it.
Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes are awesome and lots of recipes call for them nowadays instead of the fresh kind. Plus you can buy them in so many sizes and types.
Here are some fast, easy tricks, tips and techniques to save you time and energy.
Buy a salad mix: Those pre-made mixtures have come a long way. They’re not just lettuce anymore. Dressing, toppings such as almond slivers and dried cranberries, and more make it look like you really spent some time. Open the bag and you have salad.
Prefreeze your Chicken Breasts: It’s always good to have some chicken in the freezer. They’ll thaw in minutes and you’ll have a nice meal ready for the family.
Frozen bread dough: There’s so much assortment these days. From crescent rolls to biscuits to the traditional dinner roll, they’re all available and you’re house will smell delicious while they’re baking. Who has time for yeast anyway?
Frozen fruits: Will save you money and time by allowing you to have strawberries in the middle of winter. Yum.
Shredded cheese: Most recipes call for cheese to be shredded anyway so why not buy it preshredded?
Canned stock and broth: Who really has 24-48 hours to make stock from scratch? Not worth it at all.
Shelf pasta: It’s a really quick simple meal when you’ve got nothing else to make. Also it lasts forever, so you don’t have to worry about it going bad.
Salad dressings: Paul Newman is doing us all a favor by having his face on so many different varieties of salad dressing, plus his version won’t spoil as fast and probably costs less.
Artichoke hearts: As much as I love a good fresh artichoke the work you have to do to get that little heart is sometimes not worth it.
Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes are awesome and lots of recipes call for them nowadays instead of the fresh kind. Plus you can buy them in so many sizes and types.
Putting Taste Into Health Bars
I met the managing director of Desire Tree International, Biddut K. Roy, and discovered the wonderful taste of their health bars (also known as nutrition or energy bars) under the trade name of "Wonderbar".
In my conversation with Mr. Roy, I asked how he became involved in manufacturing such a wonderful food product. Mr. Roy replied, "I grew up preparing and serving healthy food to others...it is traditional as well as a good deed so my inclination was there."
He further explained, "As for manufacturing food items, several years ago I took care of a business for friends and later I felt inclined to do something with my own team--with the scope to develop and grow a unique company.
I was disappointed that many "energy bars", "health bars" or "nutrition bars" in the market are too bland for the consumers to be inspired about. Even parents expressed that they cannot get their children to eat them. Knowing this, our team wanted to make natural, healthy, tasty and nutritious health bars."
Formulating the Wonderbar
I sampled several Wonderbars made by "Desire Tree International" and WOW!, the products are very tasty and satisfying. The combinations are excellent with fresh nuts and dried fruits carefully prepared and packaged. An excellent product!
Mr. Roy went on to tell me, "My new partners and I worked for weeks and months formulating the product with different combinations of ingredients. We use only the finest, highest quality ingredients that are natural, free of chemical additives, without GMO, free from allergy causing substances as well as no added sugar.
We looked at many sweeteners and decided that honey would be the best ingredient. It is energy giving, naturally healthy, plus the taste is great. We worked with food nutritionists and studied necessary food guideline information to work out the food value, prepare and print wrappers, boxes, and acquire machines for proper mixing. We rented a suitable premise, registered our company and took care of the many details required to open our licensed company, "Desire Tree International."
After extensive preparations were made, we were finally ready with a line- of products in eight flavors: cashew almond pineapple, almond apple cranberry, pistachio apple, hazel date almond protein, almond apple ginger, pumpkin seeds sesame raisin, and macadamia pineapple. You can visit our website and check out our tasty and pleasing product choices at: http://www.wonderenergybar.com."
Entering and establishing Wonderbar Nutrition bar in a crowded market:
Biddut was very down to earth in letting me know the struggles of trying to establish the product in today's market. He said, "I knew that trying to market our product was going to take a lot of work. We started telephone marketing to health stores and participated in some health products shows but we were not getting anywhere fast. People told us our product is very good--some say it was the best in the market, although we had limited budget to work with. It was an uphill battle and I realized having a product is not a formula for success. It is one thing to have a great product but to be able to enter the market and compete with established brand-name products is success.
We kept sending samples to major stores, distributors, chain stores and building our direct sales. Finally, COSTCO Wholesalers approved our product for in store roadshows. People sampled our products and started buying from day one. That gave us a big break."
Encouraging Feedbacks
Biddut showed me many favorable responses he has been receiving from happy and satisfied customers who have sampled the company's products.
"It's the absolute best food bar I've ever eaten. Keep up the good work!"
"I bought a box of your bars this past weekend at Costco. They're fabulous! I love how fresh they are. I have tried 3 flavors so far and like them all."
"As soon as I tried the first bar, I loved it. This is by far the best fruit and nut bar I have ever tasted. Thank you so much for such a great product!"
"I just tried your Pumpkin Sesame Raisin Bar today for the first time and Loved It!!! Congratulations on a Great Product!"
"These macadamia pineapple bars are AWESOME! I love the crunchy factor and also that I can truly taste the goodness!"
"Those Wonder Bars are the best bars in existence today. Can I sell them on my website?"
It is very satisfying
Biddut said, "It is very satisfying to know people have received valuable food and loved it. Since they are inspired, I am sure they will also tell others."
In my conversation with Mr. Roy, I asked how he became involved in manufacturing such a wonderful food product. Mr. Roy replied, "I grew up preparing and serving healthy food to others...it is traditional as well as a good deed so my inclination was there."
He further explained, "As for manufacturing food items, several years ago I took care of a business for friends and later I felt inclined to do something with my own team--with the scope to develop and grow a unique company.
I was disappointed that many "energy bars", "health bars" or "nutrition bars" in the market are too bland for the consumers to be inspired about. Even parents expressed that they cannot get their children to eat them. Knowing this, our team wanted to make natural, healthy, tasty and nutritious health bars."
Formulating the Wonderbar
I sampled several Wonderbars made by "Desire Tree International" and WOW!, the products are very tasty and satisfying. The combinations are excellent with fresh nuts and dried fruits carefully prepared and packaged. An excellent product!
Mr. Roy went on to tell me, "My new partners and I worked for weeks and months formulating the product with different combinations of ingredients. We use only the finest, highest quality ingredients that are natural, free of chemical additives, without GMO, free from allergy causing substances as well as no added sugar.
We looked at many sweeteners and decided that honey would be the best ingredient. It is energy giving, naturally healthy, plus the taste is great. We worked with food nutritionists and studied necessary food guideline information to work out the food value, prepare and print wrappers, boxes, and acquire machines for proper mixing. We rented a suitable premise, registered our company and took care of the many details required to open our licensed company, "Desire Tree International."
After extensive preparations were made, we were finally ready with a line- of products in eight flavors: cashew almond pineapple, almond apple cranberry, pistachio apple, hazel date almond protein, almond apple ginger, pumpkin seeds sesame raisin, and macadamia pineapple. You can visit our website and check out our tasty and pleasing product choices at: http://www.wonderenergybar.com."
Entering and establishing Wonderbar Nutrition bar in a crowded market:
Biddut was very down to earth in letting me know the struggles of trying to establish the product in today's market. He said, "I knew that trying to market our product was going to take a lot of work. We started telephone marketing to health stores and participated in some health products shows but we were not getting anywhere fast. People told us our product is very good--some say it was the best in the market, although we had limited budget to work with. It was an uphill battle and I realized having a product is not a formula for success. It is one thing to have a great product but to be able to enter the market and compete with established brand-name products is success.
We kept sending samples to major stores, distributors, chain stores and building our direct sales. Finally, COSTCO Wholesalers approved our product for in store roadshows. People sampled our products and started buying from day one. That gave us a big break."
Encouraging Feedbacks
Biddut showed me many favorable responses he has been receiving from happy and satisfied customers who have sampled the company's products.
"It's the absolute best food bar I've ever eaten. Keep up the good work!"
"I bought a box of your bars this past weekend at Costco. They're fabulous! I love how fresh they are. I have tried 3 flavors so far and like them all."
"As soon as I tried the first bar, I loved it. This is by far the best fruit and nut bar I have ever tasted. Thank you so much for such a great product!"
"I just tried your Pumpkin Sesame Raisin Bar today for the first time and Loved It!!! Congratulations on a Great Product!"
"These macadamia pineapple bars are AWESOME! I love the crunchy factor and also that I can truly taste the goodness!"
"Those Wonder Bars are the best bars in existence today. Can I sell them on my website?"
It is very satisfying
Biddut said, "It is very satisfying to know people have received valuable food and loved it. Since they are inspired, I am sure they will also tell others."
Thai Recipe by thairecipe-sushirecipe
The country of Thailand boasts some of the most beautiful physical features of any country on the planet. Those who travel to Thailand and experience Thailand's culture are in for an adventure of a lifetime and a cultural experience that they will not soon forget. Due to the millions of western tourists flocking to its shores every year, Thailand has been able to make an impact on our western culture. Many aspects of Thailand's culture are showing up in the USA and in Europe. Thai boxing and Martial are as well as artworks, crafts and food are some of the most popular parts of Thai culture and have managed to make their way across to gyms, galleries and kitchens of the west.
Among the many valuable cultural contributions Thailand has made around the world, one of the most important and widespread is Thai food and Thai recipes. Thai restaurants with their delicious Thai recipes are all the rage and you don't have to travel very far to experience the culinary extravaganza of Thailand. Thai cooking and Thai recipes are also growing in popularity. Many local colleges and night schools are offering more and more courses in Thai cooking teaching us how to prepare for ourselves some of the best Thai recipes. In this article, we will bring the Thai cooking to you with 2 very healthy and simple Thai recipes that are simple and easy to prepare. All you need are very basic ingredients and equipment to prepare these 2 Thai recipes.
Contrary to popular belief, not all Thai recipes are hot and spicy. Thai cooking and Thai recipes offer a wide range of dishes ranging from very mild to very hot. It all depends on what you own individual tastes are. This first Thai recipe is a very mild and simple noodle dish that is both tasty and healthy. Pad Thai noodles are a staple Thai Recipe. They are an excellent well balanced meal containing noodles, chicken, prawns and egg, all fried in a wok. For 2 servings you will need the following list of ingredients.
100g of wild rice noodles
100g of chicken breast, finely chopped
3 sliced shallots
2crushed garlic cloves
¼ teaspoon crushed dried challis
2 tablespoons of Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon of granulated sweetener
Juice of 1 lime
150g of bean sprouts, rinsed
60g of small prawns
1 beaten egg
2 spring onions chopped
2 inches of finely chopped cucumber
½ red chili sliced and de seeded
2 tablespoons of fresh coriander
15g of salted peanuts
To begin this Thai recipe, soak the rice noodles in boiling water for approximately 5 minutes unless otherwise indicated on the package. You need to stir, separately the strands and when finished drain and rinse in cold water.
Heat either your cooking spray or oil in your wok until it starts to smoke. Then add the chicken, shallots, garlic and crushed chilis. Fry and stir for 3 minutes.
The next part of this Thai recipe is to mix the fish sauce, sweetener and lime juice together and pour it into the pan. Soon after, add the bean sprouts and well drained noodles. Cook everything together for 1 minute and then add the prawns. Cook the prawns with everything else for a further 1 minute.
Next drizzle the egg over the noodles and leave it to set for about 1 minute. The garnish ingredients need then to be mixed. Once mixed, add half to the pan. Mix everything together one last time and then serve in warmed bowls. You may choose to top the remainder of dish with the remainder of the garnish.
This Thai recipe is both tasty and healthy. This Thai recipe serves 2 people with less than 450 calories per serving. This Thai recipe also allows for a vegetarian option. You can use Tofu in place of the chicken as well as substituting a light soy sauce for the Thai fish sauce.
The second Thai recipe that we will discuss is usually served in Thai restaurants as an appetizer. These are Thai fish cakes. This Thai recipe only takes about 20 minutes to make and have a mild 118 calories per serving. For the dipping sauce you will need the following:
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of granulated sweetener
1 ½ inches of diced cucumber
For the main Thai recipe, you will need:
Grated Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons of fresh coriander
1 red chili deseeded and finely diced
1 inch of ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped roughly
1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce
400g of skinless Haddock fillet and diced
1 egg white
60g of green beans, trimmed and sliced
Cooking oil
First mix the sweetener, soy sauce and cucumber with 1 tablespoon of lime juice and 1 tablespoon of coriander and half the diced chili. Mix the lime zest and juice in a food processor with the remaining coriander and chill, lemongrass and fish sauce.
Blend all of these together until finely chopped. Then add the fish and pulse together until well blended. Place the mixture in a bowl and stir in the egg white, corn flour and beans. Stir all of this tougher until finely combined.
Dampen your hands and shape into fishcakes. This Thai recipe should make about 12 fishcakes. Heat your frying pan and oil of your choice.
Cook the fishcakes in 2 separate batches for about 2 ½ minutes on each side. When finished serve with the cucumber dipping sauce from the first part of the Thai recipe.
This Thai recipe makes a delicious and healthy snack or meal. Thai recipes are all the rage in the art of cooking these days. Thai recipes are tasty, flavorful and healthy. Thai recipes are also easy to vary for lovers of other meats or for vegetarians. Try a Thai recipe today, you won't be sorry.
Among the many valuable cultural contributions Thailand has made around the world, one of the most important and widespread is Thai food and Thai recipes. Thai restaurants with their delicious Thai recipes are all the rage and you don't have to travel very far to experience the culinary extravaganza of Thailand. Thai cooking and Thai recipes are also growing in popularity. Many local colleges and night schools are offering more and more courses in Thai cooking teaching us how to prepare for ourselves some of the best Thai recipes. In this article, we will bring the Thai cooking to you with 2 very healthy and simple Thai recipes that are simple and easy to prepare. All you need are very basic ingredients and equipment to prepare these 2 Thai recipes.
Contrary to popular belief, not all Thai recipes are hot and spicy. Thai cooking and Thai recipes offer a wide range of dishes ranging from very mild to very hot. It all depends on what you own individual tastes are. This first Thai recipe is a very mild and simple noodle dish that is both tasty and healthy. Pad Thai noodles are a staple Thai Recipe. They are an excellent well balanced meal containing noodles, chicken, prawns and egg, all fried in a wok. For 2 servings you will need the following list of ingredients.
100g of wild rice noodles
100g of chicken breast, finely chopped
3 sliced shallots
2crushed garlic cloves
¼ teaspoon crushed dried challis
2 tablespoons of Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon of granulated sweetener
Juice of 1 lime
150g of bean sprouts, rinsed
60g of small prawns
1 beaten egg
2 spring onions chopped
2 inches of finely chopped cucumber
½ red chili sliced and de seeded
2 tablespoons of fresh coriander
15g of salted peanuts
To begin this Thai recipe, soak the rice noodles in boiling water for approximately 5 minutes unless otherwise indicated on the package. You need to stir, separately the strands and when finished drain and rinse in cold water.
Heat either your cooking spray or oil in your wok until it starts to smoke. Then add the chicken, shallots, garlic and crushed chilis. Fry and stir for 3 minutes.
The next part of this Thai recipe is to mix the fish sauce, sweetener and lime juice together and pour it into the pan. Soon after, add the bean sprouts and well drained noodles. Cook everything together for 1 minute and then add the prawns. Cook the prawns with everything else for a further 1 minute.
Next drizzle the egg over the noodles and leave it to set for about 1 minute. The garnish ingredients need then to be mixed. Once mixed, add half to the pan. Mix everything together one last time and then serve in warmed bowls. You may choose to top the remainder of dish with the remainder of the garnish.
This Thai recipe is both tasty and healthy. This Thai recipe serves 2 people with less than 450 calories per serving. This Thai recipe also allows for a vegetarian option. You can use Tofu in place of the chicken as well as substituting a light soy sauce for the Thai fish sauce.
The second Thai recipe that we will discuss is usually served in Thai restaurants as an appetizer. These are Thai fish cakes. This Thai recipe only takes about 20 minutes to make and have a mild 118 calories per serving. For the dipping sauce you will need the following:
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of granulated sweetener
1 ½ inches of diced cucumber
For the main Thai recipe, you will need:
Grated Zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons of fresh coriander
1 red chili deseeded and finely diced
1 inch of ginger root, peeled and sliced
1 stalk of lemongrass, chopped roughly
1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce
400g of skinless Haddock fillet and diced
1 egg white
60g of green beans, trimmed and sliced
Cooking oil
First mix the sweetener, soy sauce and cucumber with 1 tablespoon of lime juice and 1 tablespoon of coriander and half the diced chili. Mix the lime zest and juice in a food processor with the remaining coriander and chill, lemongrass and fish sauce.
Blend all of these together until finely chopped. Then add the fish and pulse together until well blended. Place the mixture in a bowl and stir in the egg white, corn flour and beans. Stir all of this tougher until finely combined.
Dampen your hands and shape into fishcakes. This Thai recipe should make about 12 fishcakes. Heat your frying pan and oil of your choice.
Cook the fishcakes in 2 separate batches for about 2 ½ minutes on each side. When finished serve with the cucumber dipping sauce from the first part of the Thai recipe.
This Thai recipe makes a delicious and healthy snack or meal. Thai recipes are all the rage in the art of cooking these days. Thai recipes are tasty, flavorful and healthy. Thai recipes are also easy to vary for lovers of other meats or for vegetarians. Try a Thai recipe today, you won't be sorry.
Experts Discuss the Safety & Benefits of Plant Biotechnology
REASON #1: Using GM crops, farmers can reduce pesticide spraying, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and increase yields.
Evidence continues to accumulate about how genetically modified food crops are helping to preserve the environment. "Here we have a very versatile technology, which has the power and the capacity to contribute to a more effective, a more benign, a more sustainable agriculture," says Dr. Clive James, an agricultural scientist and founder of the not-for-profit International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
For example, insect-resistant (Bt) crops offer an alternative to, and reduce the use of, agricultural pesticides such as insecticides and fungicides. Since Bt corn and cotton are able to produce their own protection against specifically targeted pests, farmers can reduce the amount of pesticides necessary to control them. Since 1996, farmers have reduced pesticide applications by 172,000 metric tons as a direct result of genetically modified food crops.
"What's been amazing to many of us is that we've seen advances that even were beyond our wildest expectations," says Dr. Roger Beachy regarding genetically engineered plants. Dr. Beachy is a researcher and founding president of the not-for-profit Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. "We all knew it was theoretically possible, but to actually do it and deploy it into the field. And then, at the end of four or five years, report that this has an advantage of increasing yields and reduce the use of agriculture chemicals by 50 million pounds a year. It's an astounding number."
This reduction in the use of pesticides has consequently reduced the fuel, water and packaging that are used to manufacture, distribute and apply pesticides. Typical savings include the elimination of diesel fuel that is used in manufacturing, shipping and storing insecticides; the conservation of water used by farmers when applying pesticides; the elimination of tractor and aviation fuel also used in applications; and a reduction in the waste generated from the disposal of packaging.
Herbicide-tolerant crops have enabled farmers to use more benign herbicides that rapidly dissipate in soil and water. In addition, herbicide-tolerant crops have spurred the adoption of no till farming — the reduction or elimination of plowing to remove weeds and disturb the soil for planting. The environmentally beneficial tillage practices conserve topsoil, preserving soil moisture and reducing runoff; reduce the release of greenhouse gas emissions; and create and improve habitats for birds and other wildlife.
Genetically modified food crops also assist in producing more food on the same amount of land, which reduces the need to clear additional land for cultivation. This results in less impact on prairies, wetlands, forests and other fragile ecosystems that might otherwise be converted for agricultural purposes.
"Production in Brazil has increased significantly without great increases in the area required for agriculture. There is great pressure at present concerning certain environments, such as the Brazilian mountainous regions and the wetlands, the Amazon region," says Dr. Francisco Aragão, senior researcher in Genetic Research and Biotechnology at Embrapa in Brazil. "One of the ways we help preserve these areas is by increasing productivity without having to increase the amount of land used for agriculture."
Scientists agree that habitat destruction is the biggest single threat to biodiversity. Producing increasing amounts of food without increasing arable land has a major impact on protecting wildlife habitats.
"Biodiversity is essential for all life on earth. And all kinds of agriculture — including organic farming — is a threat to biodiversity," says Dr. Klaus Ammann on the importance of biodiversity. Dr. Ammann is an honorary professor emeritus and former director of the Botanical Garden at the University of Bern in Switzerland. "There are many ways of doing better in agriculture, but one of the most efficient and best ways is biotechnology."
"I've studied this carefully, and the evidence is fairly clear on certain points," says The Honorable Lord Taverne on the safety of genetically modified foods. Lord Taverne is a member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom Parliament and founder of the charity Sense about Science. "It's reduced the use of pesticides. It produces greater productivity. And, if it reduces the amount of farmland you have to use, it can actually be very beneficial to biodiversity."
REASON #2: Increased yield and income from biotech crops improves the quality of life for farmers in developing countries.
Small- and large-scale family farms worldwide are benefiting from increased yields, reduced production costs, or both in some instances to create significantly improved net economic returns as a result of genetically modified food crops.
"If you look at the adoption of biotech crops since 1996, it's been on a significant upward curve in terms of the area planted. And the primary driver of that has been the economic benefits that farmers have derived from it — US$28 billion worth of extra farm income to the farmers who have used the technology," says Graham Brookes about the advantages of biotechnology in agriculture. Brookes is an agricultural economist and director of PG Economics in England. "Now that increase in farm income has been spread across all the countries that have used the technology, both in the developed world and in developing countries."
Of the 10.3 million farmers who planted biotech crops in 22 countries in 2006, 90 percent were small, resource-poor farmers from 11 developing countries including Argentina, Brazil, China, Columbia, Honduras, India, Mexico, Paraguay, Philippines, South Africa and Uruguay. In these areas, the increased income from biotech crops makes a contribution to the economics of family farms and the alleviation of poverty.
"Poverty today is a rural phenomenon. 80 percent of the poor people that we have on this planet today are farmers or people that work on farms," explains Dr. James. "So, therefore, if you can introduce biotech crops that will increase the income of these people, then you are making a direct contribution to the alleviation of poverty."
"If we give important technologies to grow more food in poor places — better seed varieties, better ways to manage soil nutrients, better ways to manage plant pathogens — it's going to create livelihoods. It's going to create income in the villages. It's going to convert what is now sub-subsistence agriculture into commercial farming. … helping the poorest of the poor to invest in a sustainable future for themselves," says Dr. Jeffrey Sachs about the pros of genetically modified foods in alleviating hunger in developing countries. Dr. Sachs is the director of the Earth Institute and of the United Nations Millennium Project.
As agricultural productivity increases in the developing world, it also drives economic growth and expands opportunities to trade, resulting in more and better jobs, better health care and better education. "We interviewed 10,000 farmers spread across India," says Dr. Laveesh Bhandari, economist and director of Indicus Analytics in India. "What our study shows is that the impact on overall development of the household and the community is quite phenomenal in Bt cotton-producing areas. Greater incomes, greater access to healthcare services, greater education, and on many different dimensions — we find that Bt cotton production makes the farmer, the household and the community better off."
Global population projections suggest that by 2020, there will be an additional 1.2 billion people on the planet, which is equivalent to the population of Africa and South America combined. "Looking ahead to the year 2050, we will have to produce the food and fiber for something approaching 10 billion people," says Dr. Norman Borlaug, the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient for his leadership role in the Green Revolution to increase food production. "Can we do it? I say yes. If we continue to develop technology — including more widespread application of biotechnology."
Evidence continues to accumulate about how genetically modified food crops are helping to preserve the environment. "Here we have a very versatile technology, which has the power and the capacity to contribute to a more effective, a more benign, a more sustainable agriculture," says Dr. Clive James, an agricultural scientist and founder of the not-for-profit International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA).
For example, insect-resistant (Bt) crops offer an alternative to, and reduce the use of, agricultural pesticides such as insecticides and fungicides. Since Bt corn and cotton are able to produce their own protection against specifically targeted pests, farmers can reduce the amount of pesticides necessary to control them. Since 1996, farmers have reduced pesticide applications by 172,000 metric tons as a direct result of genetically modified food crops.
"What's been amazing to many of us is that we've seen advances that even were beyond our wildest expectations," says Dr. Roger Beachy regarding genetically engineered plants. Dr. Beachy is a researcher and founding president of the not-for-profit Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. "We all knew it was theoretically possible, but to actually do it and deploy it into the field. And then, at the end of four or five years, report that this has an advantage of increasing yields and reduce the use of agriculture chemicals by 50 million pounds a year. It's an astounding number."
This reduction in the use of pesticides has consequently reduced the fuel, water and packaging that are used to manufacture, distribute and apply pesticides. Typical savings include the elimination of diesel fuel that is used in manufacturing, shipping and storing insecticides; the conservation of water used by farmers when applying pesticides; the elimination of tractor and aviation fuel also used in applications; and a reduction in the waste generated from the disposal of packaging.
Herbicide-tolerant crops have enabled farmers to use more benign herbicides that rapidly dissipate in soil and water. In addition, herbicide-tolerant crops have spurred the adoption of no till farming — the reduction or elimination of plowing to remove weeds and disturb the soil for planting. The environmentally beneficial tillage practices conserve topsoil, preserving soil moisture and reducing runoff; reduce the release of greenhouse gas emissions; and create and improve habitats for birds and other wildlife.
Genetically modified food crops also assist in producing more food on the same amount of land, which reduces the need to clear additional land for cultivation. This results in less impact on prairies, wetlands, forests and other fragile ecosystems that might otherwise be converted for agricultural purposes.
"Production in Brazil has increased significantly without great increases in the area required for agriculture. There is great pressure at present concerning certain environments, such as the Brazilian mountainous regions and the wetlands, the Amazon region," says Dr. Francisco Aragão, senior researcher in Genetic Research and Biotechnology at Embrapa in Brazil. "One of the ways we help preserve these areas is by increasing productivity without having to increase the amount of land used for agriculture."
Scientists agree that habitat destruction is the biggest single threat to biodiversity. Producing increasing amounts of food without increasing arable land has a major impact on protecting wildlife habitats.
"Biodiversity is essential for all life on earth. And all kinds of agriculture — including organic farming — is a threat to biodiversity," says Dr. Klaus Ammann on the importance of biodiversity. Dr. Ammann is an honorary professor emeritus and former director of the Botanical Garden at the University of Bern in Switzerland. "There are many ways of doing better in agriculture, but one of the most efficient and best ways is biotechnology."
"I've studied this carefully, and the evidence is fairly clear on certain points," says The Honorable Lord Taverne on the safety of genetically modified foods. Lord Taverne is a member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom Parliament and founder of the charity Sense about Science. "It's reduced the use of pesticides. It produces greater productivity. And, if it reduces the amount of farmland you have to use, it can actually be very beneficial to biodiversity."
REASON #2: Increased yield and income from biotech crops improves the quality of life for farmers in developing countries.
Small- and large-scale family farms worldwide are benefiting from increased yields, reduced production costs, or both in some instances to create significantly improved net economic returns as a result of genetically modified food crops.
"If you look at the adoption of biotech crops since 1996, it's been on a significant upward curve in terms of the area planted. And the primary driver of that has been the economic benefits that farmers have derived from it — US$28 billion worth of extra farm income to the farmers who have used the technology," says Graham Brookes about the advantages of biotechnology in agriculture. Brookes is an agricultural economist and director of PG Economics in England. "Now that increase in farm income has been spread across all the countries that have used the technology, both in the developed world and in developing countries."
Of the 10.3 million farmers who planted biotech crops in 22 countries in 2006, 90 percent were small, resource-poor farmers from 11 developing countries including Argentina, Brazil, China, Columbia, Honduras, India, Mexico, Paraguay, Philippines, South Africa and Uruguay. In these areas, the increased income from biotech crops makes a contribution to the economics of family farms and the alleviation of poverty.
"Poverty today is a rural phenomenon. 80 percent of the poor people that we have on this planet today are farmers or people that work on farms," explains Dr. James. "So, therefore, if you can introduce biotech crops that will increase the income of these people, then you are making a direct contribution to the alleviation of poverty."
"If we give important technologies to grow more food in poor places — better seed varieties, better ways to manage soil nutrients, better ways to manage plant pathogens — it's going to create livelihoods. It's going to create income in the villages. It's going to convert what is now sub-subsistence agriculture into commercial farming. … helping the poorest of the poor to invest in a sustainable future for themselves," says Dr. Jeffrey Sachs about the pros of genetically modified foods in alleviating hunger in developing countries. Dr. Sachs is the director of the Earth Institute and of the United Nations Millennium Project.
As agricultural productivity increases in the developing world, it also drives economic growth and expands opportunities to trade, resulting in more and better jobs, better health care and better education. "We interviewed 10,000 farmers spread across India," says Dr. Laveesh Bhandari, economist and director of Indicus Analytics in India. "What our study shows is that the impact on overall development of the household and the community is quite phenomenal in Bt cotton-producing areas. Greater incomes, greater access to healthcare services, greater education, and on many different dimensions — we find that Bt cotton production makes the farmer, the household and the community better off."
Global population projections suggest that by 2020, there will be an additional 1.2 billion people on the planet, which is equivalent to the population of Africa and South America combined. "Looking ahead to the year 2050, we will have to produce the food and fiber for something approaching 10 billion people," says Dr. Norman Borlaug, the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient for his leadership role in the Green Revolution to increase food production. "Can we do it? I say yes. If we continue to develop technology — including more widespread application of biotechnology."
The Best Food Cuba Has To Offer
Cuba is famed for its beaches, diving, lifestyle and dancing. But one aspect of the Cuban holiday which is often overlooked is the Cuban cuisine, which is unfortunate because the mixture of cultures combine to make a truly unique combination of flavours and textures. The country’s cultural influences are so diverse as to create a unique flavour to the food – a mix of Spanish, Chinese, African, Portuguese, French and Arabic.
Yet these global influences are completed by indigenous local food stuffs – yucca, malanga and boniato are local root vegetables routinely used in Cuban food. The main meats used in Cuban cuisine are chicken, pork and beef (though the latter is subject to rationing as government property, so is harder to find) usually marinated in citrus juices and slowly roasted until tender. It’s simple, but delicious, and something that will see you hunting out the best restaurants throughout your Cuban holiday.
Cuba is also home to even simpler snacks and light treats. Masitas de Puerco Fritas (lightly fried pork cuts, slow cooked until tender), Pinchos (kebabs) and Fritas (the Cuban hamburger, spiced with shoestring potatoes and onion) all put this country’s fast food to shame not only in terms of value, but flavour. So below is a quick list of some of the dishes to look out for while enjoying a holiday in Cuba.
A quick note of warning for vegetarians, before I begin though: You’re likely to be considerably less gushing about Cuba’s food than your carnivorous friends. The concept of vegetarianism for ethical, health or religious reasons is virtually unheard of. You should still be able to find something, either from the large quantities of local fruit or the handful of rice and bean dishes available, but Cuban cuisine is unlikely to be a highlight of your vacation.
Chicharrones
These are hot thick belly cuts of pork with skin, a layer of fat and meat. The flavours and textures to combine for a tasty (though not necessarily good for you!) snack. You may find these sold in Cuba’s markets and cafes, and are the perfect antidote for a growling stomach while exploring.
Masitas de Puerco Fritas
As mentioned above, these are pork chunks slow cooked until tender and then fried lightly in their own oil. Often these are served with sliced onions and ‘mojo’ sauce. Surprisingly filling for something considered a lighter snack!
Arroz con Pollo
This chicken and rice dish is actually popular throughout Latin America – its principally made up of rice, chicken, vegetables, herbs and saffron. It’s not a million miles from Paella, but in Cuba, the dish has a slight variation whereby it includes garlic and tomato – it can be highly spiced, but not spicy hot. This one is worth trying for the authentic Cuban experience, as it’s a popular Sunday lunch dish on the island.
Moros y Cristianos
This dish translates as “Moors and Christians”, and its name is supposed to hark back to times when Moors and Christians lived alongside each other on the island. The basis of this recipe is black beans (the Moors) and white rice (the Christians) and the dish is found throughout the Caribbean. Of course, the Cuban version is delicately spiced giving it a unique localised flavour.
Ropa Vieja
Don’t let the Spanish translation of this put you off (“old clothes) – Ropa Vieja is one of the more popular dishes in the Caribbean, and as ever the Cuban version leads the way in terms of delicate spicing. The basis of the dish is shredded beef, vegetables in a sauce (usually tomato based). As with much Cuba cuisine, local belief is that it tastes better on the day after preparation, when the flavours have had greater opportunity to mingle.
Cuban sandwiches
These make a wonderful lunch food – and were made popular on the island in the 1930s with sugar cane workers. Using Cuban bread (similar to French and Italian loaves), the sandwich is lightly toasted and typically contains roast pork (sometimes marinated in garlic or citrus), ham, dill pickles and swiss cheese and mustard. Once you have had one of these you will crave them for the rest of your days!
Costillitas
These are mouth-watering babyback ribs, marinated in typical Cuban fashion with citrus, garlic and herbs and then cooked slowly for the best part of an hour to guarantee tenderness. They are then typically served with black bean and rice.
I’ve barely scraped the surface of Cuban food and drink here – the beverages, for example are unique and the deserts (unsurprisingly for an island with so much sugar cane) are some of the sweetest I’ve ever tasted. Hopefully this should convince you that a holiday in Cuba can be just as focussed on the food as a vacation in one of its more culinary renowned holiday rivals.
Yet these global influences are completed by indigenous local food stuffs – yucca, malanga and boniato are local root vegetables routinely used in Cuban food. The main meats used in Cuban cuisine are chicken, pork and beef (though the latter is subject to rationing as government property, so is harder to find) usually marinated in citrus juices and slowly roasted until tender. It’s simple, but delicious, and something that will see you hunting out the best restaurants throughout your Cuban holiday.
Cuba is also home to even simpler snacks and light treats. Masitas de Puerco Fritas (lightly fried pork cuts, slow cooked until tender), Pinchos (kebabs) and Fritas (the Cuban hamburger, spiced with shoestring potatoes and onion) all put this country’s fast food to shame not only in terms of value, but flavour. So below is a quick list of some of the dishes to look out for while enjoying a holiday in Cuba.
A quick note of warning for vegetarians, before I begin though: You’re likely to be considerably less gushing about Cuba’s food than your carnivorous friends. The concept of vegetarianism for ethical, health or religious reasons is virtually unheard of. You should still be able to find something, either from the large quantities of local fruit or the handful of rice and bean dishes available, but Cuban cuisine is unlikely to be a highlight of your vacation.
Chicharrones
These are hot thick belly cuts of pork with skin, a layer of fat and meat. The flavours and textures to combine for a tasty (though not necessarily good for you!) snack. You may find these sold in Cuba’s markets and cafes, and are the perfect antidote for a growling stomach while exploring.
Masitas de Puerco Fritas
As mentioned above, these are pork chunks slow cooked until tender and then fried lightly in their own oil. Often these are served with sliced onions and ‘mojo’ sauce. Surprisingly filling for something considered a lighter snack!
Arroz con Pollo
This chicken and rice dish is actually popular throughout Latin America – its principally made up of rice, chicken, vegetables, herbs and saffron. It’s not a million miles from Paella, but in Cuba, the dish has a slight variation whereby it includes garlic and tomato – it can be highly spiced, but not spicy hot. This one is worth trying for the authentic Cuban experience, as it’s a popular Sunday lunch dish on the island.
Moros y Cristianos
This dish translates as “Moors and Christians”, and its name is supposed to hark back to times when Moors and Christians lived alongside each other on the island. The basis of this recipe is black beans (the Moors) and white rice (the Christians) and the dish is found throughout the Caribbean. Of course, the Cuban version is delicately spiced giving it a unique localised flavour.
Ropa Vieja
Don’t let the Spanish translation of this put you off (“old clothes) – Ropa Vieja is one of the more popular dishes in the Caribbean, and as ever the Cuban version leads the way in terms of delicate spicing. The basis of the dish is shredded beef, vegetables in a sauce (usually tomato based). As with much Cuba cuisine, local belief is that it tastes better on the day after preparation, when the flavours have had greater opportunity to mingle.
Cuban sandwiches
These make a wonderful lunch food – and were made popular on the island in the 1930s with sugar cane workers. Using Cuban bread (similar to French and Italian loaves), the sandwich is lightly toasted and typically contains roast pork (sometimes marinated in garlic or citrus), ham, dill pickles and swiss cheese and mustard. Once you have had one of these you will crave them for the rest of your days!
Costillitas
These are mouth-watering babyback ribs, marinated in typical Cuban fashion with citrus, garlic and herbs and then cooked slowly for the best part of an hour to guarantee tenderness. They are then typically served with black bean and rice.
I’ve barely scraped the surface of Cuban food and drink here – the beverages, for example are unique and the deserts (unsurprisingly for an island with so much sugar cane) are some of the sweetest I’ve ever tasted. Hopefully this should convince you that a holiday in Cuba can be just as focussed on the food as a vacation in one of its more culinary renowned holiday rivals.
Coffee: What Are The Health Benefits?
If you are a coffee drinker, you no doubt have asked yourself how much coffee is it safe for you to consume on a daily basis. This is not surprising since so much has been blamed on coffee. Heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, you name it. At one time or another, coffee has been made to blame. Coffee has joined the ranks of red wine and chocolate as a guilty pleasure that may actually be good for you. As much as it is a great way to get that fix in the morning, recent studies have shown that coffee has been found to be rich in antioxidants and contains hundreds of pain-relieving and anti-bacterial compounds. Although one should not drink coffee with wild abandon, it's comforting to know that maybe that cup or two in the morning may be good for you. Here is a statistic to ponder: did you know that there are over 160 million coffee drinkers in the Unites States alone? In terms of consumption, the average American consumes 8.8 lbs. of coffee per year. But consider this: the world leader in terms of consumption is Finland which comes in at nearly 30 lbs per year. That's a lot of coffee!
Another statistic is that there have been well over 19,000 studies done to analyze the effects of coffee. Now, studies can often be skewed to show whatever the author wants, but here is what is generally agreed: consuming 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day is often considered more beneficial than harmful. Recent studies have shown that moderate coffee drinking can reduce the risk of colon cancer (due to it's ability to keep you regular), gallstones, cirrhosis of the liver and more, due to the fact the it is loaded with healthy antioxidants. So loaded, that studies have implied that coffee contains higher levels of antioxidants compared to other commonly consumed beverages, such as tea and fruit juice. Coffee has joined the ranks of red wine and chocolate as a guilty pleasure that may actually be good for you. As much as it is a great way to get that “fix” in the morning, recent studies have shown that coffee has been found to be rich in antioxidants and contains hundreds of pain-relieving and anti-bacterial compounds. Although one should not drink coffee with wild abandon, it's comforting to know that maybe that cup or two in the morning may be good for you. Several studies are also being conducted on Parkinson's and diabetic Patients. Research has shown that just one cup of coffee per day can halve your risk of Parkinson's, the brain disease that causes tremors and affects movement. Caffeine may protect the brain cells typically lost to Parkinson's disease. However, it has been noted that women on hormone therapy do not seem to benefit. It is felt that Estrogen may dilute the effectiveness of caffeine. It has also been found that if a woman drinks three cups of coffee a day, she can reduce her risk of Type 2 Diabetes by twenty to thirty percent. Coffee may help promote the delivery of insulin to the tissues. Experts believe that coffee's antioxidants, such as chlorogenic acid and caffeine acid, deserve the credit. There are also on going studies that are producing favorable reports on coffee helping to fight Alzheimer's due to the caffeine stimulating the cognitive area of the brain. This is just the tip of the ice berg.
People with asthma who drink coffee can have up to 25 percent fewer symptoms because one of the compounds in coffee - theophylline - acts as a bronchodilator. A recent Brazilian study showed that consumption of coffee promotes better sperm mobility - and now studies are in progress to determine whether caffeine can help infertile men. Coffee contains polyphenols, substances that may reduce the risk of cancer and coronary artery disease. Caffeinated coffee, as opposed to decaffeinated coffee, makes you a better thinker. Studies have shown that coffee keeps you focused, particularly when you are doing not-so-pleasant work. A researcher with the U.S. Army stated caffeine improved scores on a range of cognitive tasks, such as decision making, learning, and attention in the sleep-deprived. Coffee can also boost your mood, probably by making you feel more energetic. A little known fact is that coffee contains antioxidants which have been shown to imporve oveall health. Here is a short list of some benefits which have been shown to be present in coffee:
Reduce symptoms of Parkinson's Disease
Antibacterial ingredients
Reduce the risk of developing gallstones
Preserve mental accuity
Reduce risk of developing type 2 Diabetes (if you have diabetes, reduce your consumption
If you are free of hypertension, coffee will not likely produce it
Headache relief
Reduce the risk of some types of cancer
Improve physical endurance
Another statistic is that there have been well over 19,000 studies done to analyze the effects of coffee. Now, studies can often be skewed to show whatever the author wants, but here is what is generally agreed: consuming 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day is often considered more beneficial than harmful. Recent studies have shown that moderate coffee drinking can reduce the risk of colon cancer (due to it's ability to keep you regular), gallstones, cirrhosis of the liver and more, due to the fact the it is loaded with healthy antioxidants. So loaded, that studies have implied that coffee contains higher levels of antioxidants compared to other commonly consumed beverages, such as tea and fruit juice. Coffee has joined the ranks of red wine and chocolate as a guilty pleasure that may actually be good for you. As much as it is a great way to get that “fix” in the morning, recent studies have shown that coffee has been found to be rich in antioxidants and contains hundreds of pain-relieving and anti-bacterial compounds. Although one should not drink coffee with wild abandon, it's comforting to know that maybe that cup or two in the morning may be good for you. Several studies are also being conducted on Parkinson's and diabetic Patients. Research has shown that just one cup of coffee per day can halve your risk of Parkinson's, the brain disease that causes tremors and affects movement. Caffeine may protect the brain cells typically lost to Parkinson's disease. However, it has been noted that women on hormone therapy do not seem to benefit. It is felt that Estrogen may dilute the effectiveness of caffeine. It has also been found that if a woman drinks three cups of coffee a day, she can reduce her risk of Type 2 Diabetes by twenty to thirty percent. Coffee may help promote the delivery of insulin to the tissues. Experts believe that coffee's antioxidants, such as chlorogenic acid and caffeine acid, deserve the credit. There are also on going studies that are producing favorable reports on coffee helping to fight Alzheimer's due to the caffeine stimulating the cognitive area of the brain. This is just the tip of the ice berg.
People with asthma who drink coffee can have up to 25 percent fewer symptoms because one of the compounds in coffee - theophylline - acts as a bronchodilator. A recent Brazilian study showed that consumption of coffee promotes better sperm mobility - and now studies are in progress to determine whether caffeine can help infertile men. Coffee contains polyphenols, substances that may reduce the risk of cancer and coronary artery disease. Caffeinated coffee, as opposed to decaffeinated coffee, makes you a better thinker. Studies have shown that coffee keeps you focused, particularly when you are doing not-so-pleasant work. A researcher with the U.S. Army stated caffeine improved scores on a range of cognitive tasks, such as decision making, learning, and attention in the sleep-deprived. Coffee can also boost your mood, probably by making you feel more energetic. A little known fact is that coffee contains antioxidants which have been shown to imporve oveall health. Here is a short list of some benefits which have been shown to be present in coffee:
Reduce symptoms of Parkinson's Disease
Antibacterial ingredients
Reduce the risk of developing gallstones
Preserve mental accuity
Reduce risk of developing type 2 Diabetes (if you have diabetes, reduce your consumption
If you are free of hypertension, coffee will not likely produce it
Headache relief
Reduce the risk of some types of cancer
Improve physical endurance
Does Coffee Have Any Antioxidant Benefits?
Before we get all excited over the recent news about coffee being our new antioxidant, we need to take a look at the entire picture. Is there truly a coffee antioxidant? If there is, how exactly is coffee an antioxidant? Does it become the antioxidant when it's heated? Does the coffee antioxidant benefit everyone? Are there still dangers to drinking coffee? How much coffee is good for us and when does it become bad for us?
Brewed coffee contains many antioxidants and consumption of antioxidant-rich brewed coffee may inhibit diseases caused by oxidative damages. Antioxidants are said to be an inhibitor of certain types of diseases. However, coffee beans are not all a like. Not all coffee beans are of the same quality or even the same make up. Sort of like comparing tennis shoes to sandals. Both go on your feet, but they are not made up of the same components. You can actually break coffee down into several different water-soluble components. The dietary fiber derived from roasted coffee silverskin. This is one component of the coffee bean that has high antioxidant content. This is how the scientists find out about the antioxidant benfits of coffee in their studies. What they do in fact is the break down the coffee beans into different components. They filter out the components that the coffee antioxidant is found in, and then they test lab rats in a variety of experiments to determine how well they survive with or without the various additives in their diet. When they discover something really swell, like a coffee antioxidant, our culture of coffee drinking addicts suddenly becomes a feverorish mob.
For years and years we've heard bad things about coffee. For example: it's bad for your heart, increases blood pressure, may cause breast cancer, probably keeps you awake at night, and my personal favorite, has a poisonous gas when brewed.When the world of coffee addicts even gets a tiny hint that coffee could have something beneficial, believe me they don't just drink more coffee, they try to get everyone to join them. So, here we now have scientific studies proving to us that coffee has antioxidants.
Researchers have identified several compounds in coffee that create a coffee antioxidant. Why would this be of interest to us? Because scientific studies are showing that antioxidants may help prevent cancer. You see the connection here. However, until human studies are done, science cannot state exactly how much coffee must be consumed in order gain this protection against colon cancer or any other type of cancer. Before the coffee is roasted the antioxidant benefits are varied. However, once the coffee is roasted and served as a drink things get evened out. They all seem to have the same degrees of antioxidants.
Some studies suggest coffee having other benefits such as added fertility in men and some benefits for those suffering from diabetes. You'll have to read those studies on your own. The fact that a coffee antioxidant exists may be true, but the reality is that coffee can be just as harmful if your body doesn't like it, if you consume too much, if you have high blood pressure, and if it keeps you awake at night. Is there truly a coffee antioxidant? Yes, but the actual amount needed to be consumed in order to receive the anti-cancer benefits by humans is unknown. How exactly is coffee an antioxidant?
Coffee alone isn't the antioxidant, it's several different components that are part of the coffee bean. Roasting and heating the coffee changes the total antioxidant output. Does it become the antioxidant when it's heated? It seems that although some coffee beans like green coffee beans may be higher in antioxidants that other more common beans, once they are roasted and heated for consumption, the results are the same regarding the antioxidantal benefits. Does the coffee antioxidant benefit everyone? Honestly, this is NOT a question easily answered. In fact, the truth is it is still unknown just how beneficial coffee antioxidants are for humans. Are there still dangers to drinking coffee? Yes, of course there is. If you have high blood pressure and you have seen how coffee enhances this problem, you know it's bad for YOU personally. If you can't get proper sleep or you drive everyone around you nuts because you can't sit still or shut-up, you know coffee is bad for you.
Use common sense and listen to your body. Coffee is not good for everyone and unknown just how good for anyone. How much coffee is good for us and when does it become bad for us? Again drink coffee in moderation, pay attention to your own body. Exercise and good eating habits are a far better way to get healthy than drinking 10 cups of cappuccino a day. All things in moderation. After reading everything about this new thing called a coffee antioxidant I have decided that there are better ways of getting antioxidants into my blood.
Coffee may have many benefits, but so does water and it is possible to drown from drinking too much water. Yes, I know, you have to really drink a lot to accomplish this, but it's the principle of the matter. Too much of anything is not a good thing.
Brewed coffee contains many antioxidants and consumption of antioxidant-rich brewed coffee may inhibit diseases caused by oxidative damages. Antioxidants are said to be an inhibitor of certain types of diseases. However, coffee beans are not all a like. Not all coffee beans are of the same quality or even the same make up. Sort of like comparing tennis shoes to sandals. Both go on your feet, but they are not made up of the same components. You can actually break coffee down into several different water-soluble components. The dietary fiber derived from roasted coffee silverskin. This is one component of the coffee bean that has high antioxidant content. This is how the scientists find out about the antioxidant benfits of coffee in their studies. What they do in fact is the break down the coffee beans into different components. They filter out the components that the coffee antioxidant is found in, and then they test lab rats in a variety of experiments to determine how well they survive with or without the various additives in their diet. When they discover something really swell, like a coffee antioxidant, our culture of coffee drinking addicts suddenly becomes a feverorish mob.
For years and years we've heard bad things about coffee. For example: it's bad for your heart, increases blood pressure, may cause breast cancer, probably keeps you awake at night, and my personal favorite, has a poisonous gas when brewed.When the world of coffee addicts even gets a tiny hint that coffee could have something beneficial, believe me they don't just drink more coffee, they try to get everyone to join them. So, here we now have scientific studies proving to us that coffee has antioxidants.
Researchers have identified several compounds in coffee that create a coffee antioxidant. Why would this be of interest to us? Because scientific studies are showing that antioxidants may help prevent cancer. You see the connection here. However, until human studies are done, science cannot state exactly how much coffee must be consumed in order gain this protection against colon cancer or any other type of cancer. Before the coffee is roasted the antioxidant benefits are varied. However, once the coffee is roasted and served as a drink things get evened out. They all seem to have the same degrees of antioxidants.
Some studies suggest coffee having other benefits such as added fertility in men and some benefits for those suffering from diabetes. You'll have to read those studies on your own. The fact that a coffee antioxidant exists may be true, but the reality is that coffee can be just as harmful if your body doesn't like it, if you consume too much, if you have high blood pressure, and if it keeps you awake at night. Is there truly a coffee antioxidant? Yes, but the actual amount needed to be consumed in order to receive the anti-cancer benefits by humans is unknown. How exactly is coffee an antioxidant?
Coffee alone isn't the antioxidant, it's several different components that are part of the coffee bean. Roasting and heating the coffee changes the total antioxidant output. Does it become the antioxidant when it's heated? It seems that although some coffee beans like green coffee beans may be higher in antioxidants that other more common beans, once they are roasted and heated for consumption, the results are the same regarding the antioxidantal benefits. Does the coffee antioxidant benefit everyone? Honestly, this is NOT a question easily answered. In fact, the truth is it is still unknown just how beneficial coffee antioxidants are for humans. Are there still dangers to drinking coffee? Yes, of course there is. If you have high blood pressure and you have seen how coffee enhances this problem, you know it's bad for YOU personally. If you can't get proper sleep or you drive everyone around you nuts because you can't sit still or shut-up, you know coffee is bad for you.
Use common sense and listen to your body. Coffee is not good for everyone and unknown just how good for anyone. How much coffee is good for us and when does it become bad for us? Again drink coffee in moderation, pay attention to your own body. Exercise and good eating habits are a far better way to get healthy than drinking 10 cups of cappuccino a day. All things in moderation. After reading everything about this new thing called a coffee antioxidant I have decided that there are better ways of getting antioxidants into my blood.
Coffee may have many benefits, but so does water and it is possible to drown from drinking too much water. Yes, I know, you have to really drink a lot to accomplish this, but it's the principle of the matter. Too much of anything is not a good thing.
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