Chef Foundation

Archive for the ‘Full Course Recipe’ Category

It really isn’t difficult to find good simple low-fat recipes. In fact you only need a little common sense to modify just about any favourite recipe so that it has less fat (and/or less sugar) in it.

For example, if you are making something with beef mince in it, you can start by using the highest quality mince with a very low fat content. If a recipe calls for butter you can reduce the fat content considerably without compromising on taste just by using a dairy blend which combines butter with canola oi

Sugar can be replaced by a low-calorie sweetener that’s used spoon-for-spoon or cup-for-cup in the same way as you would use sugar. Of course you can use other types of artificial sweeteners as well but something like Splenda is the simplest option and has a very natural taste compared to some others. It’s also possible to use natural ingredients like apple sauce and apple puree for sweet recipes in place of sugar.

Light evaporated milk is a very good substitute for cream, as is low-fat plain yoghurt and low-fat sour cream, depending on the recipe. There are so many low-fat alternatives on the market these days, it really isn’t difficult to considerably reduce the amount of fat in so many recipes – without necessarily using those that will ruin the taste altogether. Cheese that is reduced in fat content by even 25 per cent will help but it still tastes perfectly acceptable. You can find low-fat versions of almost any dairy product you might need. Even condensed milk comes with reduced fat content these days, so you can even make an indulgent slice with less fat in it if you crave a little bit of something very special. If a recipe calls for coconut milk you can buy that with reduced fat too. Of course there are plenty of tasty low-fat milks on the market too. It’s not like the old days when the only low-fat choice was skim milk and you might just as well use water. Just using low-fat milk instead of full-cream milk in your recipes will make a significant difference.

Adding plenty of veggies to some meat dishes – such as spaghetti bolognese, burgers and meatloaf – will make them go further, and a regular portion size will not only be more nutritious but will naturally have less fat content as well. This is also a great way to encourage children to eat veggies. My five-year-old son just loves these family favourites even though he is not fond of eating veggies on their own. In this day and age, where childhood obesity is a huge issue, it’s vital to use whatever means we can to encourage our children to develop good low-fat eating habits.

If you want some good low-fat recipe books though, you really couldn’t find anything better than a series by Annette Sym, an Australian business woman who developed her own recipes when she lost 35 kilos some years ago. Her first book of recipes proved such a hit that she has gone on to produce four more. The series is called “Symply Too Good to Be True” and the books are full of great simple recipes accompanied by gorgeous photos that will make your mouth water with anticipation. These were developed by simply modifying favourite recipes according to common sense, along with a little research and experimentation.

Weight Watchers recipe books are always a great addition to a low-fat recipe library too – and they bring out several new books each year. Most of the recipes are simple enough for most cooks to try and use ingredients that are easy enough to acquire. At the same time they are very appetising and innovative.

Besides, the internet is an amazing source of recipes of every kind – so there is no doubt anybody could find a wealth of great low-fat recipes by doing a simple Google search.

Everyone knows that a slow cooker is a great way to make hearty stews. However, there are many more slow cooker recipes that you may not be aware of.

For example, a slow-cooked chicken curry is a deliciously spicy treat. All you have to do is add the meat, vegetables, spices and sauce to the cooker before you go to work, and you can come home to a wonderful curry. All you will need to do on your return is cook some rice or heat some naan breads to serve with it. What is particularly good is that curries are amazingly versatile. For this dish, for example, you can swap the chicken with other types of meat, fish, or extra vegetables for a vegetarian alternative.

Desserts can also be prepared using the slow cooker. One option is to slow cook chunks of fresh pineapple for 4 hours, along with ginger, cinnamon and brown sugar. This method makes the pineapple wonderfully soft, and will melt in the mouth when served with exotic coconut ice cream.

Of course, most people use their slow cooker primarily to make soups or stews. After all, it is a great way to use up any spare vegetables, along with tougher cuts of meat that need a long time to cook. Adding the stock, meat, vegetables and herbs to the slow cooker before you go to work means you won’t need to think about cooking after a hard day in the office. Instead, you will be able to open your door to delicious cooking smells, and the prospect of a freshly prepared meal with minimum effort. And that really is a great way to relax.

There are numerous recipes that can be adapted for larger numbers of guests, taking all the stress out of hosting a dinner party. This means you can concentrate on what is important – spending time with your guests and ensuring they are enjoying themselves.

A classic chili is simple to prepare and very popular – the perfect dish to satisfy hungry guests. Just remember to wash your hands after chopping chili peppers.

So, with many soup, main course and dessert slow cook recipes available, this really is one of the most versatile appliances in the kitchen.

Now you’re in the know, you’ll be able to use your slow cooker to its full potential, instead of simply concentrating on making stews with it.

The festive period is full of age-old traditions such as eating turkey on Christmas Day. But how did this originate and why should we continue this tradition? It has not always been traditional to eat turkey on Christmas day. Indeed, before the turkey was introduced to Britain, geese, peacocks and even boars’ head were eaten as a Christmas day treat. In 1526 William Strickland imported six turkeys from America and sold them for tuppence each.

The birds were considered to be extremely tasty and a more practical alternative to other livestock such as cows (which were more useful alive to produce milk), or chickens (which were more expensive than they are today). The popularity of turkeys has steadily increased and today in the UK we eat around 10 million turkeys every year.

Henry VIII was reputed to be the first person to eat turkey on Christmas Day, but it was not until the mid twentieth century that the turkey overtook the goose as the most popular Christmas Day meal. Today 87% of British people believe that Christmas would not be Christmas without a traditional roast turkey. Turkeys have the advantage of being affordable, big enough to feed the entire extended family (with guaranteed leftovers!) and fresh – if you know where to buy them from! Naturally they are born in the spring and typically take about seven months to mature to a healthy full-sized turkey.

If they are reared free range they have the space to roam around, ensuring that their muscles and tissues are fully developed. If you want to ensure you have the most succulent and flavorful bird for your Christmas celebrations buy your free range turkeys direct from the farm.

There must be a sale. Either that or there has been a major colonic breakthrough on the news that I’ve missed by being stuck in the gym for the past week. I’ve had at least a dozen juicing recipes emails from my readers regarding colon cleansing, asking about or touting its’ benefits, or inquiring as to how it can help them to lead a healthier life.

What is a colon cleanse? Well it’s really simple. Since the colon is essential to your well being – for the elimination of toxins and your bodies waste products – it is a bodily function that gets a lot of wear and tear (not literally of course). The smaller intestine is situated below the stomach and liver and is the major part of our digestive tract. Now this statistic may just blow you away, but did you know that the total surface of the gastrointestinal system is about six thousand square feet? Yep, I am not joking.

So one would think that a set of organs so massive would need some sort of regular cleaning to work at optimum capacity, and one would, of course, be right. When we are overloaded with toxins, our glandular and immune systems are suppressed, which lowers our normal temperature and our craving for water. Bad bacteria thrive in the intestines and produce ammonia, which lowers the pH. The lower pH in the colon or intestinal tract creates an environment for parasites. I could go on, but is that really necessary? You should be running to my handy and helpful juices and links already since I mentioned the words “parasite” and “intestine” in the same sentence.

As an FYI, here’s some reasons why juicing recipes can help ease any persistent nightmares about aliens growing inside your stomach.

* Carrots can help an inflamed colon.

* the skin of apple contains pectin, which help remove noxious substances from the system. Pectin helps to prevent protein matter in the intestines from spoiling.

* The juice of a lemon is a natural antiseptic, it will help destroy harmful bacteria.

* Celery has been known to help in diseases of the kidneys, pancreas, liver and gallbladder.

* Cucumbers contain Erepsin, an enzyme that helps to digest protein.

* Honey is just a great super food and contains many nutrients that help your digestive tract in many ways.

So, as opposed to inundating you with all the things that can be wrong inside your digestive engine, here’s a juicing recipe to help you cleanse your colon using the properties of the items involved. Alternately (or additionally, depending on how ambitious you are) you’ll find a great colon cleansing 7 day kit here and a colon cleansing treatment here. Both come highly recommended.
Colon Cleansing “Power Juice” Recipe

* 1 green apple

* 1 medium size carrot

* 5 slices of cucumber

* 1 stalk of celery (optional)

* 1 big glass of cold water

* 1 tbsp of honey or 1 tsp of muscovado sugar

* A juice from one lemon if you want a sour flavor or 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar.

Instructions:

Mix the apple (the greener, the better), stalk of celery, carrot, five slices of cucumber, lemon juice and honey or sugar in your juicer (or a blender) with ice cold water. Puree into a shake.

Drink immediately before it oxidizes.

You may also consider a colonic irrigation, or visit one of the many spas that caters to colon cleansing. All in all, it is extremely important to keep your intestines healthy. Although the subject of your colon may conjure up all sorts of embarrassing problems or potential compromising situations, the methods you can use to maintain a healthy digestive tract are really not that intrusive, and the benefits are great and many. So run off now, make that juicing recipe, and give your colon a break.

In late August and early September, if you take a walk in the English countryside, you will often see hedgerows full of plump juicy blackberries. If you have a garden or allotment, you may well have blackberries growing there too, and of course blackberries can also be obtained from “pick your own” farms, and ready packed and prepared in supermarkets. However you obtain them, although sometimes a little sour, blackberries can be quite delicious and can be used in a number of different recipes.

One of the best uses for blackberries is to make your own jam at home. In the past, many people used to make blackberry jam using ordinary sugar, water, and the juice and rind of lemons. While this can work wonderfully, it can also be a bit of a hit and miss affair, and it is not unknown for the jam not to set well and come out rather too runny.

An easier way to make blackberry jam is to use “Jam Sugar” – which you can find in most major supermarkets. Jam sugar contains pectin (usually obtained from apples), which is the essential ingredient for make jam gel properly. Basically, making the jam involves mashing the blackberries, gradually adding the jam sugar while heating, and a little knob of unsalted butter, and finally bringing to a boil for about 4 minutes. Then jam then needs to be removed from the heat, and

You want to go barbecuing, therefore you start preparing. The list in your mind or on your paper should include the grill, the meat, the corn on the cob if you are in love with it, and of course the grill seasoning. Some people prefer to grill their meat after having added to it only pepper and salt as the flavor of grill seasoning mixtures takes the deliciousness of the barbecue away, they say. Others however, can not have a barbecue without the grill seasoning as, having gotten used to it, they consider the meat cooked without it tasteless.

Why Homemade Grill Seasoning Is Healthier than Bottle Seasoning

There is a great number of recipes for the grill seasoning, each to appeal to various types of people and each to go with a certain kind of meat. The shelves in supermarkets are full with bottles of seasonings and mixtures of spices and herbs, yet many people prefer to make their own grill seasoning at home. One reason for this is that these seasoning bottles contain a lot of unhealthy ingredients which, even though make the meat very tasty, should not get into our habit of regular buying. However, if you insist on buying grill seasoning, then checking for additives and unhealthy ingredients before going to the store would be a good recommendation. The next one would be to read the label, check what the main ingredients are and also avoid choosing from the cheapest of the products.

Grill Seasoning Recipe

In case you are interested in making your own grill seasoning, then you should know that it is so easy to prepare it yourself. All you need is to mix is:

1. Pepper
2. Salt
3. Onion
4. Garlic powder
5. Coriander
6. Red pepper flakes.

Recipes are all over the internet nowadays so it will be much cheaper for you to Google search than to buy recipe books. The recipe mentioned above is very simple and it very much resembles what you usually add to a nicely home made steak. Usually when making a steak at home, you want it to have the best of flavors. And of course you tend to add garlic and onion at least beside the salt and the pepper.

Storing Grill Seasoning

As for storing the grill seasoning, they recommend keeping the mixture of spices in an airtight container and in a place that is not very warm. In case you follow this tip, you will ensure that your grill mixture will preserve all its qualities for the next-to-come grill.