The Food Snob: A guide to Keeping Fruits and Veggies Healthy and ...

The Food Snob: A guide to Keeping Fruits and Veggies Healthy and ...: The Food Snob: Quiz: Which Produce Need to be refrigerated?? Check out the Blog to find the answer

A guide to Keeping Fruits and Veggies Healthy and Safe

Just Follow These Steps to Healthy and Safer Fruits and Veggies:

Check: 

• Be sure that the produce you are buying is not bruised or damaged
• Any produce that is pre-cut and/or packaged should be in the refrigerated section of the store..if not..Run away!

Clean: 

• Wash ALL produce (with the exception of pre-cut, ready to eat, or already washed)! Even produce with rinds that are not eaten such as Watermelon, Cantaloupe, etc. (think about it, they grow in the dirt, if you don't wash them first and just cut into them, anything that was on the outside, is now transferred to the inside...)
• RUB Firm Produce under running tap water and Dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
• If using a produce cleaner, only use products sold for the purpose of washing produce. Even with those products, read the label..

Separate:

• Whether in the shopping cart, in your fridge, or cooking at home, keep fresh produce separated from raw meats, poultry and seafood.
• Don't use the same cutting board that you use for meat, poultry or seafood for your produce. If you must, cut up produce first, wash the board and after using it for meat, wash the board thoroughly. I recommend getting a second board.

Chill:

• Test: The Only Fruits and Vegetables that NEED to be chilled are cut and cooked Fruits and Vegetables. Refrigerate cut, peeled or cooked produce within 2 hours.

Throw Away:

• Cut, Peeled or Cooked produce that have been sitting out for more than 2 hours.
• Remove bruised or damaged portions of produce before cooking or eating them raw.
• Get rid of any produce that has touched raw meat, poultry or seafood (not if you are cooking them together)
• If in Doubt, throw it out!

SOURCE: The Partnership for Food Safety Education.

The Food Snob: Cool Tips to Keep Cool!

The Food Snob: Cool Tips to Keep Cool!: " It's HOT out...Everywhere! So here are some cool tricks to keep coooool : I know this may be a bit difficult for some of us but, when pos..."

Cool Tips to Keep Cool!

 It's HOT out...Everywhere! So here are some cool tricks to keep coooool:

• I know this may be a bit difficult for some of us but, when possible, try to avoid an excess caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine and Alcohol tend to promote dehydration. 

• Eat Light!  Instead of hot foods, try lighter summer fare like salads and cold fruit or low fat dairy products. You also won't have that weighed down feeling after a heavy meal. As an added benefit, you won't have to cook next to a hot stove.

• Try eating hot foods or spicy foods. It's not a coincidence that many people in hotter regions of the world eat spicy food. Spicy (hot to the taste) food increases perspiration which cools the body as it evaporates. When I was in Panama they would give us hot horchata or a hot cornmeal drink (the consistency of porridge) in the middle of the heat and I would be so mad (partly because I was so hot) but it did the trick!

• Stock your freezer with flavored ice treats. Freeze a bag of chopped fruit such as watermelon, pineapple or lemons. I personally stock up on bomb pops (they are a tasty, retro, low calorie treat).

• Don't Use the Stove. Crock pots, electric griddles and outdoor grills will all put off less heat than your stove. If you can, cook ahead that way on those really hot days you can just warm your meal up in the microwave

• Use a hint of mint. Menthol in Mint triggers sensors in the body that cause you to feel cool. Besides tossing a few mint leaves in your drinks, put some mint in you ice cube trays. Use mint/menthol products to cool your skin such as peppermint lotion, peppermint soap, foot soak and powders. Mint refreshes the skin and leaves a nice cooling sensation.  

• Eat Garlic! It has anti-platelet effects, which reduce blood clotting, which can help those looking to decrease their body heat (Not ideal for someone to eat before heading into surgery). By increasing blood circulation, garlic allows the body to sweat and help the body cool down.

• Stay Hydrated! Cucumbers, Melons and Watermelons are jammed packed with water so eat up! You can also use the astringency of a cool cucumber on your eyes and face.

The Food Snob: Cupcakes!

The Food Snob: Cupcakes!: "I have not delved into the world of Cake and Cupcake design yet...BUT, that doesn't mean my cupcakes don't taste DELISH! So I know it's a J..."

Cupcakes!

I have not delved into the world of Cake and Cupcake design yet...BUT, that doesn't mean my cupcakes don't taste DELISH!  So I know it's a June, but here are a couple cupcakes I made for Easter for a family gathering. I surprised myself I must say!

Key Lime Cupcakes! (1 dozen)
1C All Purpose (AP) Flour
3/4C Self-Rising Flour
1/2 C (1Stick) Unsalted Butter at Room Temperature
2 Large eggs
1 1/4C Sugar
3/4C of Fresh Lime Juice- I squeeze about half a small bag of key limes
2T finely grated lime zest
3/4C Buttermilk

Frosting:
1 8oz package of room temperature Cream Cheese
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
1T finely grated lime zest
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 and line your cupcake pans with cupcake foil.
Mix both flours in a bowl and set aside. In a separate large bowl beat butter until smooth. Add the sugar to the butter and beat to blend. Beat in the eggs into he butter sugar mixture one at a time, then add the lime juice and lime zest. (you can add green food coloring at this point to make your cupcakes green!). Add in the flour mixture in sections alternating with the buttermilk. Fill cupcake liners

Bake cupcakes about 20-25 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Frosting:
Blend all ingredients together
ENJOY!

Mine came out yellow because I did not add food coloring

Sweet Potato Cupcakes!! (2 dozen)

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 (16-oz.) can mashed sweet potatoes or 2-3 small sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed
2/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting

Heat oven to #50 degrees, Place foil baking cups in cupcake pans
 Beat sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Whisk together mashed sweet potatoes, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sweet potato mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition.  Spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.  Bake at 350° for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove immediately from pans, and cool 50 minutes to 1 hour or until completely cool. Spread cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting.
ENJOY!

  Sources:
bon appetit
Southern Living
NOVEMBER 2007

The Food Snob: You wanted More! Spices deux

The Food Snob: You wanted More! Spices deux: "Every time I go down the spice aisle in the Farmer's Market I get excited about the different dish and flavor possibilities available.... ..."