WHFoods: 5-Minute Healthy Sautéed Asparagus

WHFoods: 5-Minute Healthy Sautéed Asparagus

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Avocado Salad

Looking for a cool salad to fill you up this summer?

Here's a delicious recipe from my partners over at Prograde Nutrition for you.

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Avocado Salad

1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 tsp.  lemon juice
1 bag (10 oz.) torn romaine lettuce (about 10 cups)
2 cups  shredded cooked chicken
1 medium tomato, cut into wedges
1 small  cucumber, sliced
1/4 of a medium Vidalia or Walla Walla onion, chopped
½ cup Red Pepper
1/2 cup  Light or Fat-free Italian Dressing
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Toss avocados with lemon juice in large salad bowl.
Add lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions; mix lightly.
Add dressing; toss to coat.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Serve immediately.

Hey, if you like that one they've got 196 more! Seriously, Prograde has a really cool 197 Healthy and Delicious Fat Burning Recipes ebook for just $4.95!

Check it out here: http://rxsportz.getprograde.com/prograderecipebook.html

Yours in health,
Arthur M.

PS - If you've been on the lookout for simple and nutritious meals then look no further than http://rxsportz.getprograde.com/prograderecipebook.html

Feijoa: Article and Three Recipes

Feijoa Finds A Home In Fancy Food And Facials

A distant cousin to the guava, feijoa (pronounced \fā-ˈyō-ə, -ˈhō-ə\) is a small fruit native to the tropical regions of Brazil and even up to the southern parts of Georgia. While this tiny fruit is not known for its popularity in the United States, that doesn't give reason to overlook this intense, aromatic treat. If you have never tried feijoa, it is time to take a step into the unknown. This fruit will become one of your all-time favorites with one delectable bite.

What is It?

Maturing in late summer and early fall, the feijoa is a green, oval-shaped fruit about the size of a standard large brown chicken egg. Once you break into the feijoa, you will be greeted by the intense tropical aroma and flavor, after all, it is kin to the guava. The pulp inside has almost a gritty, yet gelatinous texture, again, much like a guava, and has small, hardly noticeable seeds similar to a strawberry or a kiwi.

History

Originally grown in South America, feijoa is a hardy fruit that can support itself in a number of different climates. Of course, fruit production will be lower in cooler climates, but the trees will flower around May and the fruit will ripen in August. Feijoas were brought to the US and eventually moved west. Today, the largest producers of feijoa, behind Brazil, are San Francisco and New Zealand.

Health Benefits

Not only is the feijoa low in cholesterol, it is a powerhouse of Vitamin C, claiming as much as 10mg. This is also a fiber rich source. You'll appreciate many of feijoa's benefits when it comes to hair, skin and nails as it contains folate, along with high levels of super antioxidants. The feijoa was once described as “the world's healthiest food” by the New York Times.

Fun Fact

Feijoa is often used in exfoliates and other skin softening and cleaning products. Much like other tropical fruits, the gritty texture and levels of acidity lend themselves nicely to skin care regimens. This fancy fruit was adopted by some of the top cosmetic companies. Feijoa was proven to help firm and tone skin while also adding color and shine. The next time you pick up a face wash, check the ingredient list for the beloved feijoa. This fruit works equally as hard inside and out to make you healthy.

How to Eat

Feijoa fruits can be enjoyed right off the tree, or in a juice, jam, ice cream and even adult beverages like sparkling wine. Since feijoa is similar to guava, the food applications are extremely similar. They are delicious in fruit salads and chutney and can often be used in smoothies.

If you are looking to try something different, but don't want to stray too far from your comfort zone, then look no further than the feijoa. With a similarity to guava, you can try out different cooking applications and food combinations without feeling lost in an unfamiliar territory.

Curried Feijoa Chutney

2 cups chopped feijoa flesh

2 peeled and diced white onions

2 cups cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 cup sultana grapes

1 cup packed brown sugar

Place all ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring gently until brown sugar has completely dissolved.

Reduce heat and simmer for thirty to forty-five minutes, stirring regularly until a thick syrup consistency is reached.

Serve immediately or pour mixture into clean jars and seal well to store in a cool, dark place.

Feijoa Crisp

12 medium feijoas

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 cup water

6 ounces butter

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pre heat oven to 325 degrees F. Peel and slice fejoas into a baking dish.

Mix water and brown sugar together in a bowl, then add flour, butter, and baking powder; use a mixer to blend until like fine breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle this topping on top of feijoa and bake for 45 to 55 minutes. Topping should be crisp and feijoa should be soft.

Serve hot or warm with custard or cream.

Makes 4 servings.

Sweet Feijoa Quick Bread

1 cup feijoas, peeled and sliced

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 cup boiling water

1 egg, beaten

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Place feijoas, sugar, butter, and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and cook gently for five minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Stir in beaten egg and dry ingredients. Mix only until dry ingredents are just moistened, then bake in a lined loaf pan for 45 to 50 minutes.

The Wonderful Tools of Cooking

Far too often people overlook the importance of using the proper tools when cooking fine meals. While there is nothing in the world that can quite compare to cooking with the finest and freshest of ingredients, these things can only be enhanced by making use of the perfect tools for the job at hand.

When it comes to pots and pans and skillets you should keep in mind that conductivity is of extreme importance. You should also select pots and pans that are made of a heavier gauge. This allows your pans to heat evenly avoiding hot spots, which can lead to food that may 'stick' to your pan or scorch during the cooking process. This means that simply stopping in at your local mass market retailer and purchasing any old set of pots and pans is probably not the best course of action for the best possible quality in your kitchen.

Kitchen knives are also important ingredients in the kitchens of today. If you plan to prepare many meals in your kitchen, then the quality of your knives is of the utmost importance. Your knives are an investment you shouldn't have to make too often in your lifetime. For this reason, select a really good set and be prepared to make a sizeable investment in your knives. You will never understand, unless you've tried to prepare foods with knives of inferior quality, just how important it is to purchase good quality and well-balanced knives for your kitchen. You should also try the handles in your hand to see how comfortable they feel before purchasing a set of knives. If you do a lot of chopping and cutting during your meal preparation and cooking you will want to make sure that the knives you are using feel comfortable in your hands. 

If you are like me and plan on cooking a great deal of meat then you should also invest in a jacquard. This useful tool helps not only when it comes to tenderizing rather rough and tumble cuts of meat but also pierces the surface so that rubs and marinades can penetrate for a more flavorful experience. This is by far one of my favorite kitchen gadgets and it isn't a sizeable investment for the added value it provides to meals.

A good quality grater is another tool that no kitchen should be complete without. There are many who feel that with all the pre shredded cheese products on the market today this tool is obsolete but nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, pre grated and pre packaged cheese simply doesn't touch the quality of flavor that freshly grated cheese provides. Second, cheese isn't the only thing that these graters are useful for grating. Graters are excellent tools for grating citrus fruits, spices, garlic, chocolate, and even onions. If you do a good deal of baking in addition to your cooking you should not overlook the value of having a quality grater in your kitchen.

Of course there are many more cooking tools than I could possibly mention here. Those mentioned above simply happen to be among my personal favorites. There are all kinds of appliances that in my humble opinion no kitchen is truly complete without. In addition to these great appliances there are many tools that are simple matters of preference. Do you peel enough potatoes to warrant a special device for doing so or do you simply opt to purchase an ergonomically designed potato peeler and peel them by hand? There are no one size fits all answers when it comes to kitchen tools and many of us are often limited by serious budget constraints and restrictions. My best advice if this is the situation for you is to purchase the best possible quality you can afford and build from there. Even if it means replacing one pot or knife at a time until you can manage a complete set of superior quality cooking tools you will find it well worth the price you've paid in the long run.

------------

Chicken Recipes Collection - 357 Chicken Recipes

Simple and Healthy Chicken Pizza

Eating healthy does NOT mean bland and boring food. They say the proof is in the pudding. Well, I don't have a recipe for pudding today, but how about one for pizza?!

http://rxsportz.getprograde.com/healthy-chicken-pizza.html

Yours in health,
Arthur M

PS - This mouthwatering "Healthy Chicken Pizza" is just ONE of the 197 Healthy and Delicious Recipes my partners over at Prograde Nutrition have compiled.

 

Free St. Patrick's Day Recipes

Free St. Patrick's Day Recipes