Prep Time: 10min

Cook time: 5min

Ingredients

* 2-3 bunches Buk Choy
* 1 Red bell pepper
* 2-3 Carrots
* Spring onion (scallions)
* Mushrooms (optional)
* Unsalted cashews roasted or raw
* Chang’s Original Fried Noodles
* 2 Table spoons of Soy Sauce
* 2 Table spoons of White Vinegar
* Half cup of Brown Sugar
* Half cup of Olive Oil

Preparation

In small saucepan at a low temp, slowly heat the vinegar, soy sauce and brown sugar. Stir until brown sugar is dissolved then remove from heat, allow to cool.

If you have a V-slicer or mandolin slicer then cutting up the salad will much faster but if you like, a knife is just as good though not as quick. Thinly slice Buc Choy and scallions top to bottom, julienne bell pepper and carrot (could grate carrot if quicker). Slice mushrooms. Cashews can be used whole or can be spread out better if coarsely crushed. Combine with fried noodles in bowl. Add olive oil to cooled soy mixture to finish dressing. Toss in dressing and serve straight after.

If there’s any left overs they can be kept in fridge though noodles will absorb dressing and go soft. If making in advance, add noodles and dressing and combine before serving.

The benefits of eating greens are many, and for the budget conscious, they represent pretty good nutrition for dollar ratio. Lets look at some reasons why you should engage this food group in your cooking:

• Green plant foods are a great for balancing a healthy pH. Modern foods are quite acidic, be it from high sugar content or consumption of meat (or many other reasons). Bad pH levels can cause many health problems to arise so a healthy dose of greens can help reduce your pH to a healthy level.

• Some dark greens contain omega-3, a fatty acid essential for brain function and may other of the body’s functions

• High in antioxidants, greens aid in immune support

• Rich in chlorophyll, a natural blood detoxifier

• High in nutrients and enzymes, C, E and B vitamins

So there you have it, greens are great. Lets look at some ways of preparing greens. Most common is salads for they are quick and easy to create, there are countless salad variations you can make make just use your imagination. Try a vitamin K rich Japanese spinach or juicy garden salad, there are hundreds of ideas out there to try. Juicing is a great way to get the most out of greens, mix them with fruits like apples for a more palatable taste.
If your looking for some warmth in your meal this winter, try steaming a selection of greens. Steamed broccoli, beans or peas go well as a side to roast meats, or a substitute to fries even. Add some greens to your stir fries for extra color.

You see greens can be dressed up for everyone to enjoy and before you know it your plate is full of foods that, not only do you want to eat, but also what you need to eat for a balanced diet.

This recipe of shrimp salad has some wonderful combination of veggies and simple olive oil lemon dressing makes it very healthy and nutritious for everyone. Shrimp salad can be prepared in a very short time and to enjoy its awesome taste always serve it after chill for few minutes in fridge. You can add vegetables according to your own choice like capsicums, green chilies etc. This salad can be prepared in just 15 minutes and is best to serve for 6 persons.

Ingredients:

For Shrimps:
500 gm shrimps (Remove tail and clean properly)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic paste
Pinch of salt

Other Salad Vegetables:
1 cup gherkins (cut into small pieces)
1 medium size iceberg lettuce (roughly cut into large pieces)
1 medium size tomato (Take out seeds and cut into julienne)
1 cup carrots (julienne)

For Dressing of Salad:
3-4 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste
Crushed black pepper as required
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Preparation of Shrimp Salad:

1. In a sauce pan and stir fry shrimps with oil, red chili powder, garlic paste and salt for just two minutes on medium flame. After that take them out in a mixing bowl.

2. Now add all the vegetables including, iceberg lettuce, gherkins, carrots and tomato into the bowl and mix with shrimps.

3. To prepare dressing for shrimp salad, at first mix olive oil, sesame oil and lemon juice together using whisk so that they all blend and mix to form a smooth mixture.

4. After that add seasoning of salt and pepper to the mixture and mixes well.

5. In the end pour the dressing onto the vegetable and shrimp mixture and toss them together. Chill the shrimp salad for few minutes in fridge and then serve with any meal.

For more recipes Visit : Easy recipes Blog
The author of this article runs a cooking blog where he and many other food lovers post various easy to cook food recipes including vegetable recipes, beef, snacks, chicken, salads, desserts, cakes, drinks, and many other meal ideas. The aim of his blog is to deliver the best easy to make cooking recipes to all foodies.
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Scientists at Newcastle University have found that lightly boiling, or roasting the roots whole, rather than chopping them up, means you keep about 25% more nutrients in the vegetable. Carrots also contain various “anti-cancer” compounds.

Raw carrots contain the same beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A) chemicals as cooked carrots, but they are less easily absorbed.

Fish is delicious and healthy. Full of fatty acids fish is good for you as it reduces heart disease. People are often afraid of cooking fish at home. This is evidenced by the fact that Americans eat twice as many fish at restaurants as at home. Cooking fish is not complicated, but it does require a little bit of knowledge.

When buying fish be sure to smell it. It should smell sweet, not smelly. That infamous fishy smell means the fish is old. Fresh fish has the best taste and is moist. The fish should look healthy. The eyes should be bright, and the body should be plump and firm. The colors should be bright with no spots or discoloration. In other words, the fish should look very close to how it used to look when it was alive.

Fish only stays fresh for a couple of days. If you don’t plan on cooking it today or tomorrow, wrap it up in freezer paper and freeze it. In general, most of the fish you buy will be frozen. Only areas that are near large bodies of water have large fresh supplies of fish. If the fish is already frozen when purchased, don’t thaw it until you are ready to cook it. Fish can be thawed a number of ways. One way is to soak it in milk overnight.

When cooking fish, do not disturb it. Leave it alone for between 2 and 4 minutes depending upon the thickness. The fish will develop a crust and be easy to turn. There’s a thin line between cooked and overcooked fish. Since fish will continue to cook for a little bit after the heat source is removed, turn the heat off when the fish is almost cooked but not completely cooked.

If you choose to marinate fish, don’t marinate for more than 30 minutes. Acidic marinades will denature protein in the fish. Even meatier cuts such as tuna and salmon shouldn’t be in a marinade for more than an hour. If you marinate too much, you will be left with mushy fish as opposed to flavorful fish.

There are numerous ways to cook fish depending upon your preference. Heartier cuts grill beautifully, but you can also sauté, steam, broil, and bake. Experimentation is a must in cooking fish.

The old way of cooking soul food resulted in health problems for many African Americans, like high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. Dishes are being prepared very differently these days because of all the negative health consequences of the old methods. Advanced cooking methods and healthier ingredients are being used now to make dishes that are lighter and leaner.

This is not the same as your grandmothers soul food, which was full of unhealthy animal fat. This newer approach attempts to maintain the hearty flavors and satisfying textures produced by the older methods. What you want is to make the great classic dishes without harming your health.

For one thing, modern soul food meals don’t include the classic, artery-clogging fatback. Fatback is the name for the fatty layer along a pig’s back. The old style of cooking called for fatback to be added when making black-eyed peas, greens, and other vegetables. You can use the healthier smoked turkey necks for flavoring Southern meals, rather than the traditional fatback. Smoked turkey necks frequently have only 10% of the fat that the more commonly used fatback has.

Another difference in soul food recipes nowadays is the notable decrease in sodium. Instead of using salt as a main flavoring agent, which contributes to blood pressure problems, other spices are used. You can add plenty of flavor by using hot or savory spices like gumbo file, cayenne, onion powder and garlic.

A big revision in the way soul food is prepared today is the total absence of lard, the animal fat that was formerly used. Oils that are less heavy are more in demand among cooks these days. Like oil made from olives, peanuts, rapeseed or other vegetables.

An increasingly common difference in soul food dishes has come about due to their altered preparation techniques. Healthier techniques and methods of cooking are replacing the old tradition of deep frying food in lots of fat. People who are concerned about their health are now opting to braise, oven roast, bake, and broil rather than deep fry. Deep-frying is known to be more harmful to your health than these approaches.

Pork products are gradually decreasing in popularity as soul food staples as time goes by. Pork products have long been considered a significant causative factor for the higher rate of high blood pressure among African-Americans. Increasingly, dishes are based on chicken, fish and vegetables which are better for everyone’s health.

Given all the changes in soul food for the better, even Grandma would approve. Grandma’s tradition of just plain good food being served at family celebrations is kept going. But people who shift to this modern brand of Southern cooking will be healthier, and will be around to enjoy it longer.

And some more…

* Tables sourced from FitSugar.com

One tablespoon of olive oil contains 120 calories and 15 grams of fat. It contains a beneficial fat called monounsaturated fat that has a soothing effect on the blood cholesterol level. In Mediterranean countries where it is being used a lot, it has been reported that there is a low occurrence of cardiovascular disease there. The mild vegetable mucilage found in the product helps defend your body’s digestive tract. It was even used to heal wounds in ancient civilizations. In this day and age, it is not only being used as medication for skin problems but also as an efficient moisturizer. It is very simple yet very effective.

Buying the cold-compressed product is better. It is proven to have higher nutritional value. Read the label on the bottle to find whether it is cold-pressed. Most times, it is typed on the top right hand corner, so you have to examine closely. It is a technique that will give you a product that is free of additives. Here are the benefits derived from the oil:

•The presence of monounsaturated fats will help lower the LDL or the bad cholesterol in the blood. This is done without disturbing the HDL (good cholesterol) level. Taking as little as 1 teaspoon daily will help lower the LDL level.
•It is being used in the Swedish diet designed to keep off the weight.
•It can ease constipation.
•It can reduce the appearance of stretch marks.
•It can soften cuticles and build strong fingernails.

You can take control of your diet while enjoying your favorite foods, by simply changing a few ingredients.

Macaroni and cheese tops the list of favorite foods for most Americans, yet in its original form is high in calories, fat and sodium, and has little if any beneficial fiber. The next time you prepare macaroni and cheese cook a few vegetables along with the pasta, and vary the pasta. Choose whole grain rotini instead of processed white elbow macaroni, and add sliced carrots, diced onion, broccoli florets and sliced summer squash.

Drain the pasta and vegetables and toss with two tablespoons low fat margarine, one teaspoon granulated garlic, and one-teaspoon chives. You can add diced red pepper for added color and nutrition. Place in a shallow baking dish and grate about one half-cup low fat cheddar cheese over the pasta, and top with sliced almonds. Bake at 375° for about 15 minutes. This tasty dish is lower in calories, fat and sodium than its full strength counterpart, and the vegetables add a nutritional punch and great flavor.

When baking your favorite chocolate chip cookies, use sugar free chocolate chips, low fat margarine, a sugar substitute and three tablespoons oat bran for extra fiber. If your recipe calls for eggs, add them before adding the sugar substitute as it has a tendency to stick to the margarine. Adding one-teaspoon baking powder makes cookies light and chewy.

Most meat and chicken dishes are not complete without their accompanying gravy. Make tasty, reduced calorie gravy by combining low sodium chicken or beef soup with one teaspoon granulated onion and one half teaspoon granulated garlic with a fine flour such as Wondra™. Whisk the flour into the liquid a little at a time until you reach desired consistency.

The next time you roast a turkey, make your own fruit compote instead of using canned cranberry sauce. Combine one-cup fresh cranberries, one cup frozen blueberries, one diced medium apple with skin left on, one medium diced onion, one cup reduced sugar orange juice, one half cup sugar substitute and one quarter cup sherry. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook until cranberries pop. This thickens on its own and freezes well.

If you are watching your carbohydrate intake but love potatoes, cut one large potato with the skin left on into small chunks, season with a salt free seasoning. Place in a shallow baking pan and add one-tablespoon low fat margarine and one-tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. When potatoes are almost tender, add a package of your favorite frozen vegetables and continue baking until potato and vegetables are tender. Top with sliced almonds for an added nutritional boost.

Get into the habit of making minor adjustments to your favorite dishes and you’ll stay on your eating plan without feeling deprived.