Sunday, January 18, 2015

Zucchini Corn Cake with a Twist

Last night I decided to experiment with a recipe I found online. Actually called zucchini fritters, these easy to do recipe can be modified to your liking.
 
2 zucchinis
1 cup of baby carrots
3-4 slices of bacon
1 cup flour
Seasoning for flavor
2 eggs
Garlic
Yellow onion
1/2 cup of corn
Olive oil or butter
1 lime
1 avocado
 
Again, you can modify this recipe to your liking, whether you are a vegan or decided to go paleo. Substituting the flour for coconut flour or almond flour is great if you are on the paleo diet.
 
 
I started off cutting my zucchini up into smaller pieces. Then I threw that and the carrots into a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, a blender works just as well. Use the "grate" setting and depending on your blender, I'd recommend only putting one a handful of vegetables in at a time.
 
With carrots and zucchini grated, I set that a side and throw a garlic clove and a quarter of an onion in the food processor. After grating, I cooked the mixture of onion and garlic in the skillet for 5 minutes or so with some olive oil. I then added the onion and garlic to the carrot and zucchini mixture. I also added cooked corn kernels and cooked bacon bits at this point.
 
Add the eggs and whisk. Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then combine that mixture with the wet mixture (zucchini, carrots, egg, onion, garlic, corn, and bacon), then stir. You can use your hands if you'd like.
 
After all ingredients are combined, take a spoon and scoop a dollop into a skillet with oil or butter. Coconut oil or olive oil would be a good option if you're on a special diet. I used olive oil, but I prefer to use salted butter for flavor.
 
Cook on each side for about 4 minutes. I wouldn't make the cakes too big because they might be harder to flip. Eating them right off the skillet with an avocado crema will change your life!
 
The avocado crema was quite simple. I cut the avocado in half, unseeded it, peeled the skin off, cut each half into 4 pieces, then threw it into the blender. I squeezed a fresh lime over the avocado and set the blender to liquefy. Its as simple as that! Dollop the crema on top of a zucchini cake and you will fall in love. The combinations of flavors was amazing. I used table salt, garlic salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, but you can use what ever seasonings you'd like.
 
Happy creating!
 
 
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Saturday, January 17, 2015

My First Brazilian Steakhouse Experience


Today I went to the Charbroil Grill Steakhouse with the family and it was AMAZING! I never knew there was a Brazilian-style restaurant so close to where I live. They had a nice all-you-can-eat bar, with salad, pastas, mussels, soups, and even bourbon chicken. Then they had a great variety of meat, also all-you-can-eat, including bacon wrapped filet mignon, bacon wrapped turkey, chicken wings, parmesan pork, and prime rib, just to name a few. All the meat was so juicy and flavorful, nice and tender. I should’ve asked what type of seasonings they used on their meats because it was that good. Everyone at the table was so amazed with how delicious the food was.
 

The service was great, very friendly and accommodating. All-you-can-eat meat and unlimited salad bar for $18.99 per person is a great deal. Great for date night, Sunday brunch, or just a family outing. You can also join their members club to receive special offers, newsletters, gifts, and discounts. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who is looking to share good times, laughs, and great food with the ones they love. Check out the Charbroil Grill Steakhouse!

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Tequila: The New Weight Loss Secret

One of the reasons why I decided to start this blog is to share my love for alcoholic drinks. From a fruity cocktail to a nice pint of brew, I enjoy it all. Too much of anything is not good for anyone, but who knew tequila could actually be beneficial to one’s health?!
On my way home from work tonight, I heard on the radio that tequila can help with weight loss. My jaw dropped. I had to hurry home and do a little research on what I had just heard.
 
Tequila can be made from the agave plant, which contain a natural sugar called agavins. A study showed that these sugars could lower blood glucose levels for people with type 2 diabetes, and help obese people lose weight. Researchers experimented with mice and found that the mice who consumed agavins ate less and had lower blood glucose levels than the mice who consumed other artificial sweeteners. The mice who consumed the agavins also produced a hormone that kept them feeling fuller longer and produced insulin, which could be beneficial for diabetics and those trying to lose weight. Drink up!
I'm not a big tequila drinker, but if I'd have to choose, I'd pick patron, Jose Cuervo, 1800, or Don Julio. Hump Day drink anyone? Learn how to make a margarita!
 
 
 

Speaking of Sushi..

 I admire foods from different cultures and parts of the world. Sushi is of Japanese origin. They history is somewhat fuzzy, but surrounds myths and folktales. Nevertheless, Sushi can be very tasty and also very healthy. I work at an establishment that sells sushi. We make a point to let customers sample the sushi because if they don’t try it, they won’t know what it taste like. I get so many people who sneer away because they think “ewww it’s raw?!” I am aware that there are people who can’t eat raw food or fish, such as pregnant women, but sushi is too good to not try it once in one's life.
 
Sushi isn’t always raw however. Some sushi uses cooked fish, while some don’t use any fish at all.
What is sushi?
Sushi a Japanese dish consisting of small balls or rolls of vinegar-flavored cold cooked rice served with a garnish of raw fish, vegetables, or egg.
Types of Sushi
 
Nigiri are small rice balls with fish, shellfish, etc. on top. There are countless varieties of nigiri sushi, some of the most common ones being tuna, shrimp, eel, squid, octopus and fried egg. 
 
 Gunkan are small cups made of sushi rice and dried seaweed filled with seafood, etc. There are countless varieties of gunkan sushi, some of the most common ones being sea urchin and various kinds of fish eggs. 
 
Norimaki is sushi rice and seafood, etc. rolled in dried seaweed sheets. There are countless varieties of sushi rolls differing in ingredients and thickness. Sushi rolls prepared "inside out" are very popular outside of Japan, but rarely found in Japan. 
 
 
 Inari is a simple and inexpensive type of sushi, in which sushi rice is filled into aburaage (deep fried tofu) bags. 
 
 
The types of sushi mentioned above are a couple of the more popular types of sushi. No matter if you want to keep it simple and try a California roll or be more adventurous and try sushi made with sea urchin, it’s important to get out there and try something new. Don’t forgot the soy sauce and wasabi. Cheers!
Want to know how to eat sushi? Check this out!
 
Sources used:
Types of sushi: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2038.html

Food & Drinks...YES PLEASE!!!


I started blogging a year ago through my English class and took up an interest with it. I loved how I was able to express myself and put my feelings out to others, along with sharing my passion and interested. My previous blog, "3,2,1. Design!” is my pride and joy. Dedicated to everything interior design, I learned so much through my research and writings. I have decided to start a new blog today.

I love great food and awesome drinks. I love trying new things. It drives me crazy when people say they don’t like something but have never took the time to try it. Sushi, for example, is one of those foods I hear too often getting tossed aside because many people can’t get pasted it being raw. For those who don’t know anything about sushi…

1.       There are many types of sushi.

2.       Sushi isn’t always raw

3.       There is also vegetarian sushi

Not only did I choose to write this blog to share my love of food and drinks, but to educate people and to meet others with similar interests and learn new things. I look forward to this new and exciting journey with you all.