You want the very best that life has to offer, from fancy cars to first class travel to million-dollar homes.  While these things are simply not in the budget for the average Joe, you can certainly have the best of everything (or a reasonable facsimile) when you sit down to eat each night.  Budget gourmet may sound a bit dicey, but I can assure you, it does not include items like pâté du Spam or canned tuna Fiorentina.  You also won’t be rushing out for foie gras or beluga caviar, but you can have your gourmet cake and eat it too if you understand how to cook for a king, even when you’re eating on a budget.

1. Meat can get pretty expensive, especially if you favor cuts like filet mignon.  However, there are ways to get the delicious meats you crave for far less cost.  The best way is to go to your local grocer and talk to the butcher (or someone in the meat department).  They usually have a markdown day to move product before the new shipment comes in, so if you frequent the store on those days, you will likely find very nice cuts at up to half the cost.  The same goes for fish. Bobby Flay’s Grilling For Life: 75 Healthier Ideas for Big Flavor from the Fire
2. Pasta will always give you a lot of bang for your buck, but how do you make mac and cheese gourmet?  There two easy tricks to making any meal gourmet.  One is to enhance the flavor, and the other is to make it more presentable.  To tackle the first, you’ll want to make your own sauce, which is simpler than it sounds.  A basic white sauce is really only butter, milk, and flour.  From there you throw in a few spices (white pepper, basil, etc.) and the cheese of your choice and voila!  Perfect gourmet sauce.  To aid the presentation, use a neater noodle like farfalle or penne, and add a few sprigs of parsley.  You can also make it sound gourmet by calling it “Pasta Béchamel” (literally, “white sauce pasta”…but the French name is a bit more exotic).  Potatoes can also benefit from such an overhaul. The Pasta Bible: The Definitive Sourcebook, with over 1,000 Illustrations
3. Salads get a modern gourmet twist by swapping out a few ingredients.  Instead of the tired old iceberg-tomato-carrot-mozzarella combo, try using spinach or baby greens (anything dark green will do), chop up a fuji or pink lady apple, throw in a few nuts (walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds), and finish it off with a soft cheese (feta, gorgonzola, or goat).  Surprisingly, these items will cost about the same as you would spend on your normal salad (plus, the nuts will keep for future use).  Then top it all off with a nice balsamic vinaigrette. Super Salads: More Than 250 Super-Easy Recipes for Super Nutrition and Super Flavor
4. Frozen dinners often call themselves gourmet, but really offer up an unhealthy dose of hypertension.  However, there are certain brands that will give you a gourmet-style meal without the steep price-tag or the fuss of cooking.  You’ll need to read the labels to make sure you’re not going to suffer an instant heart attack from the fat and sodium contents, but there are a few vendors that present a decent balance of flavor, nutrition, and price.  Try some of the offerings from Linda McCartney’s organic line (Butternut Squash Ravioli is trés yummy!), check out the store brand at Whole Foods, or peruse the selections from one of the many celebrity chefs who have parlayed Food Network success into a line of frozen meals.  Of course, microwave dinners are no substitute for fresh, but many are just as tasty with a lot less effort.
5. Dessert is one area in which going gourmet can spell a lot of time, effort, and cash.  There is a big difference, after all, between a Betty Crocker box mix and a flourless torte.  Or is there?  In fact, you can make even the cheapest, quickest cake mix gourmet by simply adding a few extras.  For starters, ditch the store-bought frosting and make a more sophisticated icing with two simple ingredients: powdered sugar and milk (although you can add a splash of vanilla for flavoring).  Then, instead of spreading the frosting, drizzle it.  Add a sprinkle of cocoa and a few fresh raspberries for a photo finish. Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More

Jamie Palovoy is a content writer for Gourmet Food where you don’t have to be rich to enjoy a gourmet meal.

Committing yourself to the goal of losing weight is really a transformation of your lifestyle. Changing your diet and introducing exercise into your life are a daily challenge. There are several things that can derail you from the progress of achieving your goals. Stress and illness are two of the most common culprits that rob us of our hard earned hard-bodies, but have you ever considered some of those “healthy” foods you’ve just introduced to your newly nutritious lifestyle to be guilty themselves?

Some of the foods we perceive to be “good” for us also have the potential to jeopardize our diets. There are several foods we consider to be healthy, but are high in fat, sugar and/or calories! Foods like nuts and avocados are very nutritious, but also quite fattening. Other foods commonly thought to be beneficial are: protein bars, fruit juices which are high in sugar and salad dressings!

These foods, while still quite wholesome, can throw us off our path to a healthier life without us even being aware. And that’s the point. We need to be aware. Your number one weapon in the battle for a better body, better eating habits and ultimately a better lifestyle is knowing. Knowledge is power.

Become an expert on everything you put in your mouth. For example, if you are working out and find yourself hungry for a post-exercise snack, I suggest when you grab for that protein bar in your purse, break it in half and substitute the other with a piece of fruit. And don’t give up salads just yet. Rather than drowning them in calorie laden salad dressings… think about making your own which will allow for better portion control. Or, if you are out, ask for the dressing on the side so that you can dip at your preference.

Portion control and self-control are key! Avocados are my most favorite. I put it on everything. And they are very good for you… great for your skin and hair, rich in vitamin B and high in fiber. Unfortunately, they are also very fattening. Sure, it’s the good kind of fat… but with summer coming up, no fat is the good kind in a bikini. I won’t stop eating avocados. And I don’t suggest you do either. What I will do, and I suggest you do the same, is control my portions. My rule is to use only a quarter of a small avocado when preparing a meal for myself. And as far as the guacamole… better to spoon some on a plate rather than pillaging the bowl it’s served in. That way, again, I control how much I’m consuming.

Like I said, the quest for a healthier lifestyle is a lifelong commitment. A shift towards a more nutritious diet is essential and while it isn’t always easy, with knowledge, portion control and a lot of will power… you’ll surely be the victor! And eating well too.

Guest post by: Chris of Fatty Weight Loss where you can calculate how much physical activity you need daily with our workout calculator.

It’s never easy to start a new diet, especially if you’ve never done it before, but most adults find that since they control their own kitchen, it’s easy to toss the enticing foods of yesteryear (butter and sugar get replaced by margarine and artificial sweetener).  Therefore, it should come as no surprise that your biggest challenges will occur when you’re out at social events.  Whether it’s a party or just dinner, you’ll have a hard time not only finding dishes that suit your diet, but avoiding the ones that don’t.  So follow these five simple steps to stick to your diet and avoid temptation.

•    Don’t be afraid to customize. While some restaurants offer fare for the health-conscious diner (Applebee’s and Chile’s are two chains that present heart-happy alternatives), most are not so forward thinking.  Those high-calorie meals are not going to magically lose their fat content just because you only eat half, so ask the waiter to hold the dressing and set the sauces aside.  You can even request that items not be cooked in oil (even hamburger buns get a squirt before they go on the grill, and it adds up).  Most restaurants will make some concessions to keep your business, so don’t feel bad about making their menu work for you.

•    Beware the cocktail. This is dieting no-no!  You may feel tempted to snatch up one of those cosmos your friend is famous for, but don’t do it.  One turns into ten in the blink of an eye as you relax and lose your inhibitions.  Before you know it, you’ve downed twice your daily caloric intake in alcohol and there’s a YouTube video of you dancing on a coffee table.

•    Skip Dessert. This one is hard.  Most of us have come to associate dessert with the end of a meal, a difficult habit to break.  Instead, opt for a cup of coffee or wait until you get home so you can choose a low-cal option.

•   BYOF. That’s right.  If you’re going to a cookout where you know your friend will be grilling his famous BBQ ribs, bring your own food (and maybe a little extra for others).  Most people won’t mind if you throw a chicken breast or veggie burger on the grill, and if you provide a potluck side dish like lite pasta salad or fat-free brownies, you’re sure to garner the thanks of a harried host.

•    Eat ahead of time. If you absolutely can’t stop yourself from eating all the bad stuff when you go out, then at least curb your appetite with a healthy meal ahead of time.  Then, when you get to the restaurant, you can order a salad or side dish, or even splurge on desert instead of indulging in a huge high-calorie meal.

Guest Post by Sarah of Diabetes Forum where you can find information on diabetes symptoms and insulin resistance.

Juan is a strong supporter of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.

If you’re not familiar with this campaign, you soon will be. I encourage you all to find 22 minutes in your day to watch this speech. It’s time to listen and time to take action.

The Plan

Set up an organization to create a popular movement that will inspire people to change the way they eat. The movement will do this by establishing a network of community kitchens; launching a travelling food theater that will teach kids practical food and cooking skills in an entertaining way and provide basic training for parents and professionals; and bringing millions of people together through an online community to drive the fight against obesity. The grassroots movement must also challenge corporate America to support meaningful programs that will change the culture of junk food.

The Needs

• Help to establish the organization, with funding, office space and facilities.
• Find partners to equip and run the community kitchens, and food suppliers to provide the fresh ingredients.
• A partner to build and maintain a fleet of food theatre trucks.
• Education experts, graphic designers, artists and writers to develop and produce creative, fun teaching materials.
• Communications experts to create messaging for the movement.
• Web designers and developers to create and build the website.
• Establishment of a food line that generates a sustainable income for the movement.
• Corporate partners to invest in cooking and food education for their customers and champion honest food labelling.
• Your names added to the petition to challenge our leaders to make change now: www.jamiesfoodrevolution.com/petition

About Jamie:

“Every child should be taught to cook in school, not just talk about nutrition all day. Good food can be made in 15 minutes. This could be the first generation where the kids teach the parents.” – Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver is transforming the way we feed our children, and ourselves.

Jamie Oliver has been drawn to the restaurant kitchen since he was seven or eight. First working in his father’s pub-restaurant and then training in England and France, he not only displayed incredible culinary talent, but also a passion for creating fresh, honest and delicious food. Although he is now one of the world’s top celebrity chefs, his commitment to simple, unpretentious food remains, and with it, his drive to break people’s unhealthy eating habits and get them cooking again.

With the obesity epidemic growing globally, Oliver is using his notoriety to bring attention to the changes Englanders and now Americans need to make in their lifestyles and diet. Campaigns such as School Dinners, Ministry of Food and Food Revolution USA combine Oliver’s culinary tools, cookbooks and television with more standard activism and community organizing to create change on both the individual and governmental level.

Learn more about Jamie at jamieoliver.com.

Reprinted from The TED Awards. Thanks for your concern with our childhood obesity epidemic.

With all the different types of cooking oils available on the market today, it can beextremely confusing figuring out which ones to use. Here is your quick guide to cooking oils.

Canola Oil

Canola Oil is my go to oil for cooking, making vinaigrettes and oil based emulsions such as mayonnaise.

Canola is great for cooking because it has a high smoke point (about 400 degrees F) and a very neutral flavor. The “smoke point” refers to when the oil in your pan begins to smoke, which is a sign that it is starting to break down. When your oil starts to break down, it can give an off flavor to your food, not to mention discolor what ever you are cooking.

There are other oils out there with high smoke points such as Walnut Oil, Grape Seed Oil and Peanut Oil, but they all have distinct flavors that will be imparted on your food during the cooking process. These oils are also derived from nuts and seeds, which are both very common and very dangerous food allergies. This may not  be a concern for home cooks, but this is definitely something to consider if cooking in a professional context.

Canola is also what I use for making oil based emulsions such as mayonnaise or vinaigrettes because it has a neutral flavor. If you where to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil, your vinaigrette will surely be over powered by the flavor of the oil, masking all the other subtle flavors and seasoning that you took the time to add.

Clarified Butter

Another common preference for cooking, and one that I use in the restaurant, is sauteeing and searing with clarified butter.

Clarified butter is made by slowly melting butter, usually over a water bath, and then skimming the milk solids off the top. You are then left with the fat from the butter and more milk solids which have settled to the bottom. The pure fat that is now on top is poured off and used as clarified butter. The milk solids are usually discarded or used in some sauces, but that’s a whole different article.

The now clarified butter has many uses and is great for sauteeing because the smoke point is now at 485 degrees F instead of 350 degrees for regular whole butter.

Also, clarified butter is the best thing to use when searing fish or poultry, because it will give you a beautiful golden brown crust that is hard to obtain with any other cooking oil.

The only downside to clarified butter is that it can be a pain to make, but if you have the time and patients it is definitely worth your while.

Finishing Oils

Finishing oil are oils that you add at the end of your cooking process to enhance you dish’s overall flavor profile. The two oils that I most commonly use for finishing are Truffle Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Truffle Oil

Truffle Oil is usually made by infusing truffles in Olive Oil. Truffles are a form of fungus very similar to that of morel mushrooms. They contain a huge amount of umami (savory flavor) so they pretty much enhance the flavor of almost anything they are put on. Since no one has yet to figure out how to grow truffles in a controlled environment, all truffles are found in the wild, making them extremely expensive.

However, you can get good bottle of truffle oil for as little as $15 dollars, with a quality middle of the road option costing you about $30. Since a little goes a long way, it is money well spent.

Things that truffle oil really enhance are salads, soups (especially cream based), seared meats, fish, fresh fruit (especially melon) and starches such as mashed potatoes, risotto or any kind of pasta.

If you really want to blow people’s minds, make a melon salad by combining a couple different kinds of melons (honey dew, cantaloupe, watermelon, etc.), season it with some fleur de sel, through in some mint chiffonade, and drizzle with a little truffle oil. Toss gently and serve.

Truffle Oil should never be used for cooking because it has a very low smoke point and excessive heat (such as searing) will break down the truffle flavor.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is like good wine among chefs; there are hundreds of different kinds produced from about the same amount of regions and everyone has their own personal preference.

Like truffle oil, olive oil should only be used as a finishing oil because it has a very low smoke point and its flavors break down in the presences of high heat. Visit your local gourmet shop and see if they have any samples that you can taste. Flavors range from nutty and smoky to “fresh cut pine tree” and grassy.

Good olive oil can be used in much the same way as truffle oil but there are some classic combinations; mix with balsamic and use as an alternative for butter on your bread; drizzle over sliced tomatoes with a little basil chifonnade and good sea salt; use it to dress almost any kind of cured meat, especially Italian.

The Exception To The Rule

There is one exception to the rule of being able to cook with “finishing oils” and that is slow poaching. Things that are really good slow poached in flavored oils are mushrooms, garlic, meat and fish. To do this properly, the oil should never be allowed to go over 190 degrees F.

Also, in the case of garlic, mushrooms and other like products, the food should be stored in the oil after being poached to not only enhance the flavor of both food and oil, but to also preserve the food product.

Recap

• Use Canola Oil for cooking as well as standard vinaigrettes and emulsions

• If available, use clarified butter for sauteeing and searing

• Only use flavored oils, especially Truffle and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to finish a dish

Follow these three guidelines and you’ll never go wrong when purchasing a cooking oil and deciding how to use it.

Jacob Burton
http://FreeCulinarySchool.com

This is a guest post by fellow Chef: Jacob Burton of FreeCulinarySchool.com

Salt is by far the most valuable ingredient you can have in your
kitchen; serving a well seasoned dish without the addition of salt
is pretty much impossible. That’s why I felt it necessary to write
an article specifically talking about this indispensable ingredient.

There are so many different types of salt on the market, is there
even a difference in taste?

Yes there is. Although technically speaking, salt is salt. Made up
of 39.3% sodium and 60.7% chloride, there is no scientific difference between any number of the designer salts on the market.

So what’s the difference? In short, size and shape. Yes, in the world of salt, size does matter. Salt crystals can take many different shapes including dense cubes, delicate flakes and fragile pyramids.

So what are the different types of salts out there and which ones should I use?

Iodized Salt (Table Salt)

Iodized salt is the common house hold salt that you would buy to
put in your salt shakers that live on your dinning room table. It is
made up of compact, dense crystals that dissolve slowly on your tongue.

Any salt can be iodized. 1/100th of 1% of potassium iodide is added to common table salt to guard against Goiter, a disease caused by an iodide deficiency. However, with the well rounded diets and availability of diverse food sources, salt as an Iodide source is no longer necessary.

Iodide however, is unstable and can easily break down. To counter this, Sodium Ferrocyanide is added along with Dextrose to help stabilize the Iodide.

At high temperatures however, such as searing meats and baking, some of the Iodide can still be broken down and oxidized, turning it into Iodine, which gives off an acrid smell or flavor. For this reason, I would suggest not to ever use iodized salt, not only in cooking, but just in general. As you’ll see when we discuss other salts, traditional table salt is a thing of the past, like black and white TVs and rotary telephones.

Kosher Salt

Kosher salt would be more accurately called “koshering salt” since it is used in the Koshering process in which raw meat and poultry are blanketed with the salt to purify it. Kosher salt can come from the sea or mined from salt mines, but it must have course, irregular shaped crystals to allow it to stick to the meat.

Kosher salt is my go to salt that I use for cooking. The course
crystals are easy to pick up in fingertips for seasoning, and are
large enough to allow you to sea how much salt you’re putting on the product.

There are many different brands of kosher salt available, and one
isn’t necessarily better than the other. My only advice to you is
once you find a brand, stick to it, because different companies make kosher salt with different sized crystals, which can through off your “feel for seasoning.”

Sea Salt

Sea salt and kosher salt are commonly mixed up because there look, shape and feel are so similar. In fact, sometimes kosher salt and sea salt can come from the same batch of salt, their only difference being their label on the package.

The FDA has set no standard to labeling sea salt, so quite frankly,
it can come from the sea or from a salt mine without any legal
repercussions. Technically speaking, all salt is sea salt because
the salt in salt mines originally came from the sea.

With that said, there are some good “sea salts” to be found on the market, and there quality comes from the size and shape of their crystals. The Grandaddy of all sea salts comes from France, a salt known as Fleur de Sel.

Fleur de Sel (Flower of Salt)

Fleur de Sel, which translates from French to “Flower of Slat,” comes from a delicate crust of crystals that forms on the surface of French ponds when the sun and wind are just right. They have a fragile pyramid like shape that bursts with a wonderful salty sweetness when it hits the tongue.

Because Fleu de Sels attributes come from its size and shape, it is pointless to cook with it. Once it is dissolved in simmering water, it is no different than if you were to be cooking with table salt (except the extra $30).

For this reason, Fleur de Sel should always be used as a finishing
salt, sprinkled on fresh fruits, vegetables, salads, meats and fish
right before they are eaten. The salt sweetness that comes from
the this special French salt helps to bring out the natural flavors
of whatever it is sprinkled on. It is considered a secret ingredient
by many fine dining chefs.

Colored Salts

While purusing the “specialty” or “gourmet” aisles of your local
supermarket, you may have come across specialty salts ranging in color from pink to gray and red to black. Most of these salts are both flavored and colored from the algae and clay in the salt ponds where they were harvested from.

For example, Korea and France are known for their Gray and Pinkish Gray sea salts, while India is known for its black salts.

Hawaii is also known for their black and red colored salts, which
are made by the addition of powdered black lava and red baked clay respectively.

You can also buy other specialty flavored salts such as smoked sea salt and truffle salt.

Long Story Short

Ok, so I know that is a lot of information for you to digest,
especially when talking about salt. But since it is the most
important ingredient in your kitchen, I felt it needed some
attention. So to recap:

*Never use table salt
*Use kosher salt for general seasoning and cooking
*Use sea salt, especially Fleur de Sel, strictly for finishing a dish
*Experiment with different colored and flavored salts to experience new tastes and textures.

Cook With Passion!
Jacob Burton
FreeCulinarySchool.com

Eggs are an excellent food because of their high protein content, low cost and readily available. They are extremely versatile and are used throughout the kitchen, either served alone or as an ingredient in a prepared dish.

PARTS OF THE EGG

• Shell - The outermost covering of the egg. It prevents microbes from entering and moisture from escaping, and also protects the egg during handling and transport.
• Yolk – The yellow portion of the egg. It constitutes just over 1/3 of the egg and contains 3/4 of the calories, most of the minerals and vitamins and all the fat.
• Albumin – The clear portion of the egg. It is often referred to as the egg white. It constitutes about 2/3 of the egg and contains more than half of the protein and riboflavin. Egg whites do not contain cholesterol and are often added to egg dishes such as omelets to reduce total fat content.

Egg freshness is determined by placing the egg in water. Fresh eggs will lie flat, older eggs will float upright. This is due to the “air sac” in the egg. The older the egg is, the bigger the air sac.

APPLYING VARIOUS COOKING METHODS

Dry-Heat Cooking Methods:

Baking:

• Shirred Eggs – Also referred to as baked eggs. They are prepared in individual ramekins or baking dishes. Ingredients such as breakfast meats or vegetables are added to the ramekins. Then the egg is placed over the top and baked in the oven.
• Quiche – Consist of an egg custard (eggs, cream or milk and seasonings) and fillings baked in a crust.

Sautéing:

• Scrambled eggs – Are eggs whisked with seasonings and then sautéed.
• Omelets – They begin as scrambles eggs then are either folded around or filled with a warm savory mixture.
• Frittatas – They are essentially open-faced omelets.

Pan-Frying:

• Pan-fried eggs – Are commonly referred to as (sunny side up, over easy, over medium, or over hard).
• Basted eggs – Are cooked over low-heat with the hot butter from the pan spooned over them as they cook.

Moist-Heat Cooking Methods:

In-Shell cooking (simmering) – The difference with soft-cooked eggs (also called soft-boiled) and hard-cooked eggs (also called hard-boiled) is time. Both refer to eggs cooked in their shell in hot water.

Despite the word “Boiled”, in their names, the eggs cooked in the shell should never be boiled. Boiling toughens eggs. The eggs should be simmered. Soft-cooked eggs are simmered for 3-5 minutes; hard-cooked eggs may be simmered for as long as 12-15 minutes.

Procedure:

1. Fill saucepan or stockpot with sufficient water to cover the eggs. Bring water to a simmer.
2. Carefully lower each egg into the simmering water. Simmer uncovered for appropriate time.
3. Lift each egg out of water with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and serve.

Poaching – When poaching eggs always use cold eggs. A cold egg stays together better when dropped into the hot water. The water for poaching is help at approximately 200*F, a gentle simmer.

Procedure:

1. Fill saucepan or stockpot with at least 3 inches of water. Bring water to a simmer.
2. One at a time crack egg into a small bowl or cup. gently slide the egg into the simmering water abd cook for 3-5 minutes.
3. Lift the egg out of the water with a slotted spoon. Trim any ragged edges with a paring knife. Serve immediately.

Poaching egg

Poached egg in ice bath

The best way to use poached eggs: Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce

This Weeks Recipes: Basic Egg Recipes

Fried Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs whole
• Clarified butter

PROCEDURE:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl; make sure not to break the yolk.
2. Preheat a sauté pan with clarified butter to medium high heat.
3. Slide the egg into the pan and cook over medium high heat until the white is cooked and the yolk is soft, for “Sunny side up”.  Flip the eggs and cook for a minute for “Over easy”. Continue to cook for “Over medium” and “Over hard”.

Poached Eggs

Yield: 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

• Water for pot
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 fl oz vinegar
• 2 eggs

PROCEDURE:

1. Bring the water to a simmer, add the salt and vinegar.
2. Crack one egg into a cup and carefully add it to the water. Repeat with the other egg.
3. Cook the eggs to the desired doneness, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and serve as or carefully lower them into ice water and refrigerate for later use.

Soft Boiled Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs, whole

PROCEDURE:

1. Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with hot water
2. Bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat to simmer, boil the eggs for 3-5 minutes from this point forward.
3. Shock the eggs in cold water to stop the cooking and cool.  Peel as soon as possible.

Hard Boiled Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs, whole

PROCEDURE:

1. Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with hot water.
2. Bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat to simmer, boil the eggs for 10-12 minutes from this point forward.
3. Shock the eggs in cold water to stop the cooking and cool.  Peel as soon as possible.

Scrambled Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and whip them just before cooking.
2. Preheat a sauté pan with clarified butter to medium high heat.
3. Add the egg mixture and cook the eggs, stirring with a wooden spoon, until cooked to desired doneness.

Omelet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• Pre-cooked fillings as needed
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and whip them, just before cooking. Preheat a sauté pan with clarified butter to medium high heat.
2. Add the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon, constantly moving the pan back and forth until the egg has slightly coagulated. Pull cooked egg from the sides of the pan toward the center, allowing raw egg to run underneath. If desired, add pre-cooked filling or herbs at this point.
3. Flip one side of the omelet toward the center with a spatula. Slide the omelet onto a plate so that it lands folded in thirds with the seam side underneath.

Suggested fillings – Pre-cooked mushrooms, spinach, peppers, onions, diced ham; Finely grated cheese.  Omelet aux fine herbs:  chopped parsley, chives, and tarragon

Frittata – Farmer Style Omelet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz bacon, diced
• 2 oz onion, diced
• 8 oz potato, par-cooked, diced
• 8 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Cook the bacon in a sauté pan until the fat is rendered. Add the onions and sauté for 1 minute; add the potato and sauté until lightly browned.
2. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and whip them. Add the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon.
3. Place the pan into a preheated 350 degrees oven and cook until the egg has coagulated, remove the pan and serve.
4. Other par-cooked vegetables may also be added to this preparation.

Soufflé Omelet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• 2 oz   cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tsp chives, sliced
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Separate the eggs, beat the egg yolks, and season to taste.
2. Add the grated cheese and chives and fold in.
3. Beat the egg whites to medium soft peaks, fold the egg whites into the yolks.
4. Pour the batter into a preheated buttered pan and bake at 400 degrees until the egg has set, but not dry.  Serve immediately.

Crepes

Yield: 30 each

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, whole
• 6 egg yolks
• 12 fl oz water
• 18 fl oz milk
• 6 oz granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 14 oz flour
• 5 oz unsalted butter, melted 
clarified butter as needed

Methods:

1. Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, water and milk. Add the sugar, salt and flour; whisk together. Stir in the melted butter. Cover and set aside to rest for at least 1-hour before cooking.
2. Heat a small sauté or crepe pan; brush lightly with clarified butter. Pour in 1-1 1/2 fl oz of batter, swirl to coat the bottom of the pan evenly.
3. Cook the crepe until set and light brown, approximately 30 seconds. Flip it over and cook a few seconds longer. Remove from the pan. Repeat this process until all the batter is used.
4. Cooked crepes may be used immediately or covered and held briefly in a warm oven.

Variations:

• Savory Crepes – Reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon. Substitute up to 5 oz buckwheat flour or whole-wheat flour for an equal amount of the all-purpose flour if desired.
• Savory Crepes Florentine – Fill Savory Crepes with creamed spinach topped with Mornay sauce.

Bacon on Sheet Pan

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 16 Bacon slices 
parchment paper

Methods:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Line a half pan with parchment paper. Layout bacon slices on the parchment paper.  Cook in oven until desired doneness is achieved.



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I was reading a great article the other day about food trends for 2010 and I wanted to share them with you. These predictions are from local foodies on what’s cooking for 2010. At the end of the post I have also added the results of a national chefs’ survey ranking trends.

1. Craft Beers Reign
Imported beer sales are down and mass-produced beer sales are flat, but American craft beer sales have risen. Brew-masters are saying, “The extreme beers, those that contain more hops, barley, alcohol or fruit, are really hot now” with more exposure and educated palates, beer is increasingly becoming a popular hobby and passion.”

2. Alternative, affordable meat cuts
People are looking for alternative cuts that are more affordable and unique.

Sales of beef filets are declining, but flat iron steaks are on the rise. The name may be new to some, but the steak has always been around. It’s an underutilized cut from a beef shoulder clod. More recently, the bavette steak, which is a fancy name for a cut from the flat meat piece of a bottom sirloin, better known as (flank steak) has been gaining popularity with local chefs.

Another prediction is that chicken livers, pork belly and short ribs, once considered peasant food, will become popular entrees too.

3. Artisanal products
An increased interest in handcrafted, artisanal food products is on the rise. Specialty products such as heirloom tomato relish, pickled beets with vanilla bean and fig, and roasted almond goat cheese becoming increasingly popular at farmers markets.

4. Tasting new wine varietals
There is a trend of people trying less-familiar varietals. Sales of pinot gris and Gewürztraminer now compete with chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. And instead of cabernet and merlot, people are pouring Carmenere and Tempranillo.

For those unfamiliar with these varietals, here’s what our they are:

Carmenere: Originally from France, the grape may become the signature grape of Chile. For years in that country, without the vineyard owners knowing it, carmenere vines were planted among merlot vines. They thought it was all merlot until a few years ago, when some scientists discovered the true identity of the fruit. Now more and more Chilean wineries are making carmenere wine.

Tempranillio: It has been the major grape of Spain’s Rioja region for centuries, and some tempranillo is also planted in California. “The Rioja region, which has a vested interest in exposing consumers to their wines, has a campaign to get more people interested. “However, most consumers still think of Rioja as a wine to serve with Spanish food. It actually goes with many foods.”

5. Comfort food with a twist
With this economy, food trends will still be geared toward comfort food and the right prices.

But chefs are looking for interesting versions of these comfort items to make their menus different from the competition. For example, chicken wings slow cooked in duck fat, confit-style, then fried crisp and tossed with a house-made hot sauce or a Korean-style mixture flavored with kimchee spices and sweet soy. That’s a far cry from the traditional buffalo wings.

6. Local and sustainable
It is not uncommon to see a local farm’s name listed next to an ingredient on a fine-dining menu designating where the baby arugula or mango was harvested. As a result, farmers are developing their own celebrity status. And the public is becoming more aware of where their produce is grown.

There is a growing demand for seasonal fruits, veggies and herbs bought directly from the local farm.

And one way to participate is through Community Supported Agriculture — people buying shares in local farms and getting produce in return — which is a growing trend.

7. Veggies for all
There has been a notable shift in customers willing to try new things. People tend to be more adventurous and experimental when it comes to trying new fruits and vegetables.

There’s been an increase of sales in Japanese eggplant and baby beets among chefs and home cooks. The thinking is that the eggplant attracts attention because of its unusual size, thin skin that doesn’t need to be peeled and smaller seeds, and the fact that it’s less bitter so it does not require salting.

The beets’ popularity is making a comeback.

People are using beets as an ingredient in salads and recipes instead of just eating them by themselves. Like a simple pan-roasted cauliflower, beets, carrots, parsnips and Brussels sprouts. These were the underdogs of the vegetable kingdom.

8. Back to basics
There is an interest in getting back to the basics of food. Fusion is not for everyone’s palate. People want a pure and simple dining experience, from the menu, to flavors, to presentation. Today, even the way restaurateurs write their menus has changed. Now less is more; it’s about utilizing great ingredients and classic cooking techniques.

9. Health is here
People love anything with a healthy aspect. Health and weight concerns continuing to drive customer choices. After all, customers are purchasing more fresh seafood, prepared foods that are grilled and whole-wheat pasta dishes with lighter sauces.

10. Local, seasonal seafood
People are experimenting with local seafood. The usual grouper, Florida lobster and stone crabs are always popular, but more and more people are now interested in local varieties such as bluefish, mackerel, red and black grouper, and even octopus.

Top restaurant  trends you’ll be seeing in restaurants

The National Restaurant Association’s annual survey asked more than 1,800 chefs, who are members of the American Culinary Federation, to rank nearly 215 food and beverage items, preparation methods and culinary themes to reveal the hottest restaurant trends in 2010.

Here are the top trends you’ll be seeing in restaurants listed how they ranked with the chefs:

1. Locally grown produce

2. Locally sourced meats and seafood

3. Sustainability as a culinary theme

4. Mini-desserts

5. Locally produced wine and beer.

6. Nutritious kids’ meals

7. Half-portions/smaller portions for a smaller price

8. Farm-branded ingredients

9. Gluten-free/food-allergy conscious meals

10. Sustainable seafood

11. Super fruits

12. Organic produce

13. Nutrition as a culinary theme

14. Simplicity/back to basics as a culinary theme

15. Regional ethnic cuisine

16. Non-traditional fish (including barramundi and Arctic char)

17 . Newly fabricated cuts of meat (including Denver steak and pork flat iron).

In addition to menu trends, the survey included alcoholic beverage trends listed here from how the ranked with the chefs:

• Local wine/beer
• Culinary cocktails
• Artisan liquors

Organic beer/wine/spirits
• Food-beer pairings
• Craft beers
• Bar chefs/mixologists
• Gluten-free beer
• Specialty beer
• Organic cocktails

As for trendy food preparation methods:

• Liquid nitrogen freezing/chilling
• Braising
• Sous vide
• Smoking

Hope you enjoyed it. Leave me a comment and let me know what you see in the future of culinary delights and trends.

Eating fruits and vegetables can do some amazing things for your body: help stave off chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, keep your skin healthy and your brain sharp, and help you lose weight without your feeling hungry. But the sad fact is that three out of four people don’t get close to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, which is the minimum amount recommended by most health program.

If you count yourself among that majority, here are some tips to help you fit more of these nutritional powerhouses into your life!
•    Buy bags of pre-washed greens so you can make a salad in no time.
•    Keep blueberries, grapes in the freezer, and nibble on them while they’re still frozen.
•    Make an extra-large batch of vegetable soup. Freeze the leftovers in single-serving containers for easy, instant homemade lunches on busy days.
•    Keep the fruit in a basket — not only will you eat more but you’ll enjoy how it looks!
•    For a satisfying snack, spread some peanut butter on apple slices or a banana.
•    Take a half hour each week to cut up fresh fruits and veggies and store them in sealed containers. No one can resist a ready-to-eat fruit salad, and peppers, celery, and carrots are much more enticing when they are already washed and cut.
•    Visit your local farmers’ market. You’ll be amazed at the array of colorful, delicious produce you’ll find.

Make sure to eat at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables every day.

There have a buzz of weight loss programs these last few years, from the safe to the downright dangerous. Americans have spent $33 billion annually in the hope to attain the perfect health and perfect figure. Yet, the obesity has increased steadily over the years. Companies producing these products, in the meantime have enjoyed the profits from the overwhelming and never ending demands for new improved products promising quick weight loss schemes without exercise and a change in healthy lifestyle.

What exactly is Carb Rotation Diet? This diet is developed by Jayson Hunter, who is a registered dietitian and the Head of Research & Development for Prograde Nutrition.

He has developed various diet plans for men and women for the past 10 years and finally came up with the Carb Rotation Diet plan which is suitable for the majority of healthy individuals, even diabetics looking for a balanced diet. This diet focuses on consumption of lean meats, nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich carbohydrates, good fats and lots of water.

This diet is to be followed for 30 days and weight loss up to 15 lbs (for the really overweight) can be observed after the end of the month safely and healthily. He stresses on being realistic in your goals and to allow yourself to fall off the wagon without having to give up completely. I have been doing a version of this program for the last 3 years, and it works!

The Carb Rotation Diet evolves around the principle of alternating between a high, low and no carbohydrate diet daily by eating carefully selected groups of foods which are highlighted by Hunter in his book.

The concept behind this alternating type of eating is this:
Many low carb and low fat diets are detrimental to our health because it deprived the body of essential nutrients and energy, making the body switch itself into self-preservation mode. Why? This is because the system in our body perceives itself as being starved and automatically lowers the metabolism to conserve energy. That is why a person on this type of diet is often lethargic and will not be able to stay on it for very long. However, the weight loss is drastic and evident and that is why this diet is popular even today. It is even bad for health as the kidneys have to work overtime to assimilate all that protein.

The principles in the program are as follows: (The Carb Rotation Diet has a 3-day cycle)
Day 1 is a high carb / protein & vegetables day
Day 2 is a low carb / protein & vegetables day
Day 3 is a no carb / all protein & vegetables day.
Day 4-Day 6 is a repeat of Day 1 to Day 3

This is to ensure that the body’s metabolism is burning efficiently all day.

Eat Whole Grain Carbohydrates
Choose only wholegrain versions of bread, pasta and cereals to control insulin levels as large amounts of insulin promote fat storage. Eat sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes and stay away from the sauces. Eat brown or wild rice instead of white rice.

Eat Nutrient-Rich Vegetables
Limit starchy vegetables like corn to increase fiber intake. Fiber fills you up and promotes colon health. It also takes more energy to digest fibrous vegetables. The higher serving of vegetables you consume, the more weight loss you will achieve.

Consume Lean Protein
Learn to buy leaner cuts of beef and pork and choose white meats over dark meats for poultry. Seafood, including fatty fish like Salmon should be a regular part of the diet. Limit egg yolk but consume more egg whites daily. Select low or nonfat dairy products.

Consume Heart Friendly Fats
These are the polysatured & monosaturated fats. These fats protect the heart, cushion your organs and transport fat-soluble vitamins to your cells. Sources of good fats can be found in extra virgin olive oil, nuts, salmon and omega 3 supplements

Eat Frequently
We should target to eat 5-6 mini meals a day. Each meal should include a portion of carbs, proteins and vegetables and some fats.

Water
Drink 1 oz for every 2lbs of body weight. This will flush toxins out of your body, clear your skin and help you in your weight loss plan.

Exercise
Engage in strength training exercises for the whole body at least twice a week and add cardiovascular training for at least 20 minutes 3 times a week.

Personally and professionally for me, the whole concept of cycling your carbs makes sense providing you add exercise to the program to make the whole fat burning process effective.

I will leave you to decide if this program will work for you. If you try any new program, do it for at least 30 days to see the effects. Your body is the best indicator so listen to it.This program is a sound one which incorporates a variety of healthy food choices from all food groups. It won’t hurt to try it at least once.