A Tropical Twist With My Coleslaw

Coleslaw, sometimes simply called slaw in some American dialects, is a salad consisting primarily of shredded raw cabbage, which is dressed with mayonnaise and/or buttermilk in some variations and dressed with vinegar and seasoning (without any dairy or mayonnaise) in other, lighter variations. Cream or sour cream may be used as the dressing and vinegar may be added. It may also include shredded carrots as well as other fruits and vegetables such as apples, onions, radishes, and peppers. Horseradish, seeds, and various spices may be included.

Coleslaw is made even more scrumptious and vibrant with the addition of mango, and given a twist of gourmet with some blue cheese dressing in this healthy and exceptional recipe inspired by caterer Diana Temple. It is a colorful and refreshing side dish to barbecues, grills, roast chicken, and other favorite summer dishes. The bright yellow color of ripe mangoes provides a pretty contrast to the green and purple shredded cabbage. To give it texture and a rich nutty taste roasted pine nuts are sprinkled over the salad.

There are many variations of the recipe which include the addition of other ingredients, such as red cabbage, pepper, onion, grated cheese, pineapple, or apple, mixed with a salad dressing such as mayonnaise or cream. In the United States coleslaw often also contains buttermilk or mayonnaise substitutes, and carrot; although many regional variations exist, and recipes incorporating prepared mustard or vinegar without the dairy and mayonnaise are also common. Barbecue slaw, also known as red slaw and commonly found in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, is made using ketchup and vinegar rather than mayonnaise. A variety of seasonings, such as celery seed, may be added. The cabbage may come in finely minced pieces, shredded strips, or small squares.

The different colored fruits create a festive vibe and the different flavors and texture give a pleasant sensation and experience in the palate. Grilling the fruits intensify their flavors and caramelize their natural sugars, making them even sweeter. In this recipe, chunks of pineapple, green grapes, and large plums are skewered on bamboo or wooden sticks and grilled until tender. The fruit kebabs are served with a healthy and delicious dipping sauce of fat-free yogurt, honey, and lemon juice. Prepare and serve at least one skewer per person. Fruit kebabs are perfect for vegetarians at barbecue parties.

Coleslaw is generally eaten as a side dish with foods such as fried chicken and barbecued meats, and may be accompanied by French fries or potato salad as another side dish. It is commonly included when ordering a fish fry in the midwestern United States. It also may be used as a sandwich ingredient, being placed on barbecue sandwiches, hamburgers, and hot dogs along with chili and hot mustard. A vinegar-based coleslaw is the signature ingredient to a Primanti Brothers sandwich. Coleslaw also is used on a variant of the Reuben sandwich, with coleslaw substituting for the sauerkraut, the meat being either pastrami or corned beef, and the sandwich commonly is called a "Rachel" to differentiate it from the "Reuben".

A variation of coleslaw made with vinegar and oil is often served with pizza in Sweden.

Coleslaw added with cooked ham slices and sliced pepper (julienne cut), in Italy is called "Insalata Capricciosa" (capricious salad).

Other slaw variants include broccoli slaw, which uses shredded raw broccoli in place of the cabbage.

Slaw With Mango And Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients

In a large bowl combine:

4 cups thinly shaved green cabbage

2 cups thinly shaved purple cabbage

1/3 cup mango, cut in small shards (peach or nectarine in season could be substituted)

1/4 cup thin sliced green onion

3 tablespoons roasted pine nuts

For dressing, place in blender:

3/4 cup buttermilk (or 2% milk)

1/4 cup light colored vinegar, such as rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup mayonnaise (she prefers Veganaise)

5 ounces blue cheese (such as Gorgonzola)

2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preparation Instructions

1. Combine cabbage, mango, onions, and pine nuts in a large bowl.

2. Combine buttermilk, vinegar, mayonnaise, blue cheese, parsley, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce in a blender, and puree until smooth.

3. Over the salad in the bowl pour some of the dressing. Toss to combine and coat ingredients. Add more dressing if desired.

Everyone Loves Guacamole

 

Everyone loves to dip chips or whatever in guacamole. the green soft texture with a refreshing flavor and taste, it's like treating yourself every time you dip something in guacamole.  It maybe along the street, on top of you sandwich or just on top of the table, guacamole is loved by almost everyone.

Guacamole 

Is an avocado-based sauce that originated with the Aztecs in Mexico. In addition to its use in modern Mexican cuisine it has also become part of American cuisine as a dip, condiment and salad ingredient. It is traditionally made by mashing ripe avocados with a mortar and pestle with sea salt. Some recipes call for tomato, onion, garlic, lime juice, chili, yogurt and/or additional seasonings.

History

Guacamole was made by the Aztecs as early as the 16th century. The name comes from an Aztec dialect via Nahuatl āhuacamolli, which literally translates to "avocado sauce", from āhuacatl ("avocado") + molli  ("sauce"). In Mexican Spanish it is pronounced [wakaˈmole], in American English it is sometimes pronounced, and in British English sometimes.

Early recipes from the California Avocado Advisory Board (Calavo), published in the 1940s, were accompanied with a pronunciation suggestion: "Say Huakamole". Later marketing tried to create a "luau" or Pacific Island image of the avocado in the 1960s, and a Spanish or Mediterranean image in the 1970s. Guacamole has pushed avocado sales to 30 million pounds on two days a year, Super Bowl Sunday and Cinco de Mayo.

As much as i love a guacamole dip wherever football game i watch, I don't even know to make that dip before, so I found myself asking a friend and added some twist on my guacamole dip.

A refreshing and spicy dip, guacamole takes only a few minutes to make and can add life and nutrition to chips. Adapted from Time to Cook Low Cab by Paragon Publishing, this healthy guacamole recipe is made with ripe avocados, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sour cream, olive oil, cayenne pepper, onions, garlic, and salt. Serve this with potato chips, corn chips, tortilla chips, nachos, pita bread, or with vegetable sticks for a light and healthy appetizer, snack or party food. Whip this up when you have guests coming over or bring it to a potluck or picnic. Tangy, spicy and creamy it is a sure hit that will keep your guests asking for more.

10 Minute Guacamole

Ingredients

3 ripe avocados

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 green onions, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

Salt

Preparation Instructions

1. Cut one avocado in half lengthwise. Stick the point of a knife in the pit and pull up to remove the pit completely. Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the avocado and put it in a bowl. Repeat with the remaining avocados.

2. Add the lime juice to the removed avocado flesh. Mash the mixture with the back of a fork.

3. Stir in the sour cream, oil, cayenne pepper, green onions, and garlic. Season with salt. Mash again with the back of a fork; the mixture should not be perfectly smooth.

4. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate and serve within 2 hours.

A Humble Feast for People Who's into Diet

Vegetarian Dieting

Vegetarianism is defined as the practice of consuming solely plant-based foods and taking out meat, poultry, fish and seafood. Dairy and eggs may or may not be included. Compete avoidance of animal products is classified as veganism. On the other hand, a diet by definition is the intentional selection and/or limitation of food to control body weight and/or address certain health issues such as high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and heart disease.

In the broadest sense, vegetarianism may be considered a diet in itself as it confers health benefits including weight loss if done properly. Those who practice this oftentimes do not wish to call it a diet as this term connotes deprivation and that it is something you get into for a specific amount of time to achieve a specific health goal as opposed to a lifelong lifestyle choice.

In the strictest sense, a vegetarian diet can be viewed as a “diet within a diet” wherein excessive fats and high-glycemic fruits are limited and instead more vegetables are consumed.

Whether vegetarian or not, smart choices have to be made to be able to achieve long term health and wellness and avoid diseases.

With the rapid increase of people who refrain from or totally avoid consuming meat, more and more restaurants are offering vegetarian options in their menu. Same goes for airlines and cruise ships. These are usually priced more expensively that other meal options and/or sometimes have to be requested ahead of time. Though vegetarians are rarely spoilt for choice in most restaurants, coffee shops and fast food joints, there are some that have a variety of vegetarian options or are flexible in converting some of their dishes.

A home made recipe for vegetarians alike would enjoy:

Ingredients

1 can (8 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 cup raspberries, preferably fresh

2 lb. mixed salad greens

1/2 cup raw almonds

1. In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the salad greens and almonds. Put in refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes.

2. Put salad greens in a large salad bowl. Remove dressing from refrigerator and pour over salad greens. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.