Healthy Chinese Recipes - Cooking With Rice

Okay, let's start off with some simple healthy Chinese recipes, boiled rice and fried rice. One is the quintessential accompaniment to a Chinese dinner, while the other is your classic takeaway dish from the local Chinese restaurant.

But, with just a little tweaking we can make the former have a bit of life and color, and the latter an easy to knock up dish after a long day at work.

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Now, these are both suitable for beginners and vegetarians.

Healthy Chinese Recipes - Cooking With Rice

Boiled Rice... with a difference

Right, this is using a rice cooker. All cup measurements refer to the rice cooker cup, which is about 3/4 size of a US measuring cup.
Measure the rice. 1 1/2 cups is enough for two people. Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Put the rice in the pot and add water. 2 cups of water per cup of rice is enough. Add some extras - sweet corn, peas, sun-dried tomatoes, diced carrots, pineapple chunks. These will add flavor, color and nutrition to the rice! Put the pot back in the cooker, close the lid and switch on the cooker. Don't open the lid until the cooker switches itself off. That's right, it will do the rest of the work for you. Dish up. Please remember, if the cooker doesn't keep the rice warm, to refrigerate all uneaten rice ASAP.

Do you like your rice hard or soft? I'm a hard man myself, but enough boasting, ha-ha! Basically, if you like your rice soft then add more water, and vice versa.

Fried Rice

Right, this is great for using leftover rice. You can add loads of stuff. This recipe will be a simple, egg fried rice. For you meaties you can add pre-cooked shrimps or meat strips to the wok in step 5.
Prepare your ingredients - beat one egg per person, chop up some spring onions, dice up some veggies (or use canned or frozen ones). Add a little oil to the wok (or large frying pan). Heat up high and when the oil is hot, add the eggs. Cook until set and then remove from wok and put to the side. Add some more oil and let it get hot. Fry your onions until they just start to turn golden. Remove from wok and set aside. Add more oil if needed and keep the heat medium-high. Put in your veggies and cook until tender, but not too long. We don't want to lose all their goodness! Add a bit more oil. Throw in the rice, eggs and onions. Add a teaspoon of soy sauce (or more if you like it). Cook through, and make sure to keep an eye on the rice to stop it burning. You'll need to do lots of tossing and flipping with the rice to make sure everything is getting cooked through. It's sweaty work! Serve.

Please note, many Chinese people like to add a teaspoon of crushed red chillies at step 5. If you're feeling adventurous or you've got a cold, I suggest you do the same!

What, no meat?

Now the beauty of rice is that apart from being a gorgeously healthy Chinese food, simple to cook, and cleverly versatile, it is also a perfect vegetarian food. So, the recipes above are all Chinese vegetarian recipes, too, though they can be easily adapted to include meat if that's your cup of... um... gravy?

So, there you go two healthy Chinese recipes that you can go and make straightaway!

Healthy Chinese Recipes - Cooking With Rice

The Best Crockpot Recipes For Big Families

If you have a big family, you probably already have a mental list of favorite meals that everyone enjoys. Big pots of chili, stew, casseroles and more are all good to make when you are cooking for a big family or a group.

Did you know that investing in a large crockpot is also a great idea? You can make all kinds of crockpot dinners and some of the best crockpot recipes are the easiest ones to prepare. Crockpots come in different sizes and a lot of people are happy with a medium sized one.

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If you have a large family or you enjoy cooking in bulk and making freezer meals, a large crockpot is something you will be able to use often. You might want to invest in a six and a half quart slow cooker if you are going to be using it enough to justify buying it. Remember that it will not be filled up to the top when you make food in it.

The Best Crockpot Recipes For Big Families

Tasty Crockpot Cooking Ideas

Some of the most popular family dinners can be made in a crockpot. Chili con carne, chicken noodle soup, macaroni and cheese, meatloaf and beef stew are just some of the possibilities. You can cook rice, potatoes or pasta on the stove in the usual way and the sauce or topping in your slow cooker.

There are plenty of easy crockpot recipes you can make with ground beef, for example, and this includes meatballs, sloppy Joes, ground beef casserole and even lasagna. If you want to use chicken, you could opt for sweet and sour chicken, beer-braised chicken, chicken in cheese sauce or one-pot chicken in gravy. You can load the crockpot with the ingredients in the morning and your dinner will be ready when everyone gets home.

A lot of the meals you usually bake or cook on the stove can be made in the crockpot, which is very time saving because if you have a big family to feed you probably have a lot of chores to be getting on with.

Of course, the prospect of leaving dinner to cook itself in a few hours in a crockpot is bound to sound more tempting than making the same meal on the stove and having to watch it for an hour and stir it every few minutes! The best crockpot recipes really do simplify things for busy parents.

More Delicious Slow Cooker Recipes

Perhaps the idea of slow cooked pork shoulder or chicken and corn chowder can get your mouth watering or maybe a thick, warming soup would be a great meal for the family.

You can make all kinds of slow cooker soup recipes including classic favorites such as chicken noodle soup, Mexican tortilla soup or leek and potato soup. Serve your crockpot soup with warm bread and butter and this makes a wonderful fall or winter dinner.

If some members of the family are going to get home later than others, the crockpot will keep their dinner warm until they get home, which is another great reason to find some of the best crockpot recipes for big families and make them for your loved ones.

The Best Crockpot Recipes For Big Families

2 Yummy Samosa Recipes - Indian Vegetarian Cooking

Samosa is a stuffed pastry / dumpling usually served as a savory snack and is a popular street food in India (Chaat). It is found all over the world in many different variations but the basic dish consists of a stuffed meat or vegetables in a triangular shaped dough which is either baked or fried in oil. Indian Samosas are almost always deep-fried.

North Indian Samosas usually have a filling of mashed potatoes and are served with Chutneys. The South Indian varieties are filled with a mixture of vegetables and Chutneys are usually not part of the standard menu when serving them.

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Two Indian Samosa Recipes are here:
Mixed Vegetable Samosa Sweet Samosa

2 Yummy Samosa Recipes - Indian Vegetarian Cooking

A Green Chutney Recipe is also included as an accompaniment for the Samosas.

Samosa Tip: To get crispy samosa outer cover, add some rice flour to the dough. You can also add a pinch of soda to the cooking oil to add to the crispiness.

1.Vegetable Samosas
Ingredients:

For the pastry:
All Purpose Flour (Maida) - 2 Cups Ghee or Hot Oil 3-4 Teaspoons Salt to taste Cooking Soda - teaspoon

For the stuffing:
Potatoes (big) - 3 (about quarter Kilograms) Green Chillies, Chopped - 4 Garlic - 4 flakes Ginger - 1 inch piece Onion (chopped finely) - 1 Fresh Peas (shelled) - 1 cup Garam Masala - 1 teaspoon Cumin power - 1 teaspoon Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon Mint leaves - a handful chopped fine Amchoor (Mango) Powder

For Frying:
Vegetable Oil - half a liter

For the seasoning:
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon Oil - 1 tablespoon

How to Make / Method:

Preparing the dough
Sieve the flour, salt and cooking soda together and put it in a bowl. Add heated ghee or oil to this and mix well. Add water and prepare it into a soft dough.

Preparing the Masala stuffing
Boil the potatoes, peel them and cut them into small pieces Grind the garlic and ginger together into a paste Heat a tablespoon of oil in a Kadai and season cumin seeds in it. Add the ginger and garlic paste into the oil and stir for a while. Add the chopped chillies, finely chopped onion and peas; fry till these are cooked and soft. Next add the chopped mint leaves, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt into this and saut it for about 2 minutes Remove the pan from the fire Finally add the mashed potatoes and mix well with the other masalas. This Masala should be dry and water content in it will not result in a proper stuffing.

Preparing the Samosa
From the dough that you first prepared, divide it into small and equal parts Prepare small balls and roll them into thin chapathis. Heat a Tawa and put the chapathi tossing both sides. Make several chapathis from the dough balls Cut each of these chapattis into half. Take one half and fold it into a conical shape. Place the potato and masala stuffing inside this (the cone). Seal the edges of the chapatti cone with maida dipped in little water. Prepare Samosas from the all the chapattis that are prepared. Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Fry the Samosas until they turn golden brown. When they are crisp and brown, remove from oil using a perforated spoon. Use a tissue filled dish to absorb excess oil from the Samosas. Serve hot with chutney or tomato ketchup.

2. Sweet Samosa
For the sugar syrup
Sugar - 2 cups Water - 2cups

For the filling
Condensed milk - 1/2 tin Grated/scraped coconut - 2 cups

For frying
Ghee & oil - equal amounts For the dough Maida (All purpose flour) - 2cups Soda - 1/8 teaspoon Warm water - as needed

For decoration
Saffron strands Silver waraq

How to make / Method:
Make the pliable dough with given ingredients. Make sugar syrup into one thread consistency Mix the condensed milk and coconut into a smooth mixture for filling. Work with the dough for 1-2 minutes on a flat board, and divide into equal balls, roll out like Samosa pouches, fill with the sweet mixture. Heat the oil & ghee, turn into medium heat. Add Samosas batch-wise and deep fry both sides into golden brown. Soak them in syrup for some time and decorate with silver waraq & saffron strands.

2 Yummy Samosa Recipes - Indian Vegetarian Cooking

Superfood Recipes - 2 Healthy and Delicious Recipes

Many types of food available at grocery and health food stores today can be called "superfoods." Typical superfoods include certain types of greens (e.g., spirulina, algae, and chlorella), herbs, anti-oxidants, sea vegetables, essential fatty acids, probiotics, energy enhancements and enzymes can be correctly called superfoods. Some common superfoods that you have probably heard of include blue-green algae, spirulina, blueberries, fish oils, and probiotics (i.e., beneficial bacteria for your digestive system).

It is important to recognize that superfoods are indeed among the richest sources of nutrients for your body. Still, it is also important to constantly come up with new and delicious ways to prepare your superfoods so that they continue to delight not your body, but also your taste buds. That is why I am always on the lookout to come up with new superfood recipes that can be made using the simplest, healthiest superfood ingredients. All of the ingredients in the following two recipes can be easily found in most grocery stores, health food stores, or online health stores.

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Below are two great recipes made with spirulina-based powder. The first recipe is one that you can enjoy anytime of the day or night, either as a snack or as an accent for a healthy meal. The second recipe is a sumptuous-yet-healthy dessert that would serve as a delicious side for any dinner.

Superfood Recipes - 2 Healthy and Delicious Recipes

Recipe #1: Billy's Nuggets

Ingredients: Raw chocolate nibs, hemp seeds, cold-pressed coconut oil, agave nectar, spirulina-based superfood powder, herb-pharm peppermint extract. Equipment needed: mixing bowl, mixing spoon.

Mix these dry ingredients:

- 2 cups chocolate nibs

- 2 cups hemp seeds

- 2 tablespoons spirulina-based superfood powder

Add:

- 3/4 cup agave nectar

- Add 3/4 cup coconut oil

- Add 20 drops herb-pharm peppermint extract

Mix well and refrigerate for at least one hour. Then, scoop mixture with spoon and shape with fingers into one-inch balls. Roll in bowl of hemp seeds (hint: add coconut oil to fingers to reduce sticking). Refrigerate nuggets for at least one hour more. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe #2: Billy's Raw Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients: Raw chocolate nibs, hemp seeds, agave nectar, spirulina-based superfood powder, water. Equipment Needed: Vita-prep (or equivalent) blender

Blend 8 ounces of raw cacao nibs in blender until the mixture turns to a powder and starts to become gummy in texture, then add 2 cups warm water and blend for one minute.

Then add:

- 3/4 cup agave nectar

- 2 cups hemp seeds

- 1 tablespoon spirulina-based superfood powder to catalyze the effects of chocolate

Add more water as needed to maintain blending and blend again for one minute more. Pour into a glass bowl and place in refrigerator to set for two hours. Serve and enjoy!!! note: if you are using a conventional blender, use approximately half the amount of ingredients indicated above and blend at least twice as long

Incorporating superfoods into your meals and snacks is a great way to feel better and more energized throughout the entire day. Try both of these delicious recipes to prepare for yourself, or plan a special dinner for a friend or loved one. You will be giving everybody present the gift of wonderful nutrition that tastes great.

Superfood Recipes - 2 Healthy and Delicious Recipes

Brown Rice Recipes For Dinner

Rice is the most popular grain consumed in the world. In parts of the Far East it's the main item on the menu. Harvested on small family farms, in most of Asia, the Oriental diet is built around rice. There are mainly two types of rice. White rice and brown rice. Both have similar Gylcemic Index values. The Glycemic Index of brown rice is about 55 with the Glycemic index of white rice coming in at 58. Not much difference in the GI, but a gross difference in nutritional value.

It is by far a better choice for over all nutrition. Left essentially in tack, save the outside husks, brown rice packs a considerable amount of fiber and vitamins a minerals that are striped away when making white rice. Trapped inside the fiber resides the bran oil, which has been shown to help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and protect against heart disease. When compare to all other rice, brown rice shines as the premier rice for overall eat and well being.

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Because brown rice is digested slowly, the blood sugar response is a lot slower. This keeps the glycemic index of brown sugar in the low range. Brown rice can be soaked for 20 hour in warm water prior to cooking to soften up the outer covering if a smoother texture is desired..

Brown Rice Recipes For Dinner

In addition to being a heart protector, it fills you up fast and adds flavor and texture to a dish. The innate characteristics of brown rice are that by filling you up quickly which automatically reduces your caloric intake helping you to lose weight while satisfying your appetite.

Here's one of my favorite recipe

Mediterranean Shrimp and Brown Rice Salad

1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed through a press
Salt to taste
3 cups cooked rice
3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup of peeled, seeded ad diced cucumber
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup of diced roasted rd peppers
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill
1/2 pound of cooked peeled shrimp
3/4 cup crumpled feta cheese, 1 1/2 ounces

1) In a large bowl, combine the oil lemon, garlic and salt. Mix well.

2) Stir in the cook grain, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, peppers, and dill. Add the shrimp ad cheese and gently stir again. Is that simple of what?

Brown Rice Recipes For Dinner

Low Carb Cooking - Recipes and Ideas to Prevent Low Carb Boredom

If you've jumped on the low carb bandwagon and found it has worked really well for you, chances are you've run out of meal ideas at one time or another. When cooking low carb, it isn't always easy to come up with new foods to keep it interesting. Here, we'll discuss some easy low carb foods you can prepare that'll mix things up a little and prevent low carb boredom.

Cooking low carb means you should always have a few food necessities around to whip up a good meal that is high in protein.

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Some of these low carb necessities are:

Low Carb Cooking - Recipes and Ideas to Prevent Low Carb Boredom

1.) Low carb bread crumbs

2.) A variety of cheeses such as Muenster, Provolone and Mozzarella - which are lower in fat than orange cheeses like cheddar.

3.) Low carb wraps that are about eight inches around and high in fiber.

4.) Cottage cheese

5.) Yogurt

6.) Almonds, macadamia nuts and brazil nuts are all excellent sources of protein and omega 3 fatty acids, which help slow the absorption and utilization of calories.

7.) Flavored tunas - a favorite of mine is sweet and spicy tuna by Starkist.

8.) Brown rice, the slow cooked variety.

Once you have these "staples", you'll always have food around for a simple lunch or dinner and snacks. The cheese can be used as a snack by itself or you can wrap a piece of deli pepperoni around it and have a snack that tastes like pizza bites. If you want to have a hot snack, try frying pepperoni in a pan with the mozzarella over it, and you can even dip it in a tomato sauce. Another good snack is deli ham rolled with cream cheese and a slice of dill pickle. Believe it or not, this is a great flavor combination!

Yogurt with some slivered almonds also makes an excellent snack, and they even have some low carb varieties of yogurt on the market that are pretty tasty. You can also eat this as a breakfast since it is filling enough to replace a meal. The same goes for cottage cheese. You can even make a low carb lasagna with special whole wheat pasta. Layer about two rows of the whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce, small curd cottage cheese, some cooked and crumbled hamburger meat which can also be mixed with either vegetarian or pork sausage, and mozzarella cheese. As mentioned previously, you can also make this a vegetarian dish by substituting the meat with either soy versions of meat or a vegetable of your choice such as broccoli or spinach.

Another excellent low carb meal is eggplant parmesan. Lightly salt thinly sliced eggplant, dip it in egg whites and fry in a pan with olive oil or low fat cooking spray until golden brown. Layer the eggplants with sauteed mushrooms, mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. Sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 miutes.

If you want a lighter dinner, try flaking the sweet and spicy tuna over a small bed of brown rice. You may season the rice with a dash of salt and pepper and a hint of sesame oil for extra flavor also. What you end up with is a delicious low fat, high fiber meal that leave you feeling lighter and satisfied for hours.

More Low Carb Cooking: Comfort Foods that Won't Pack on the Pounds

An excellent low carb substitute for a common comfort food is turkey meatloaf. This one is both light on carbs and light on fat. Take 2 pounds of ground turkey, about 3/4 cup of low carb bread crumbs, 2 eggs, and a meatloaf seasoning packet such as McCormicks meatloaf seasoning. Mix it all together and bake. An optional topping is a low carb BBQ sauce for an extra zing.

You can even make a low carb pizza. Specialty stores and even some grocery stores carry special low carb pizza crusts. The toppings are all naturally low in carbs. Just add some tomato sauce - preferably one without any sugars, mozzarella or provolone cheese and toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms or other veggies.

Eating low carb no longer has to be a prison sentence. There are hundreds of specialty low carb foods now available at your local grocery store and all it takes is a little creativity to eat a diet filled with variety and flavor.

Low Carb Cooking - Recipes and Ideas to Prevent Low Carb Boredom