Food Holiday

One of the world’s most popular tequila drinks, the margarita is traditionally made with 2 parts silver tequila, 1 part orange liquor, and 1 part fresh lime juice.  Then it’s served over ice in a salt rimmed glass. There’s debate over who invented the margarita, but a popular story has it invented in 1948 by socialite Margarita Sames. According to the legend it was during a party at her cliff side hacienda in Acapulco, that Margarita began looking for something cool to cut the dust of a hot afternoon. So she experimented by mixing Tequila Herradura, Cointreau and fresh lime juice. And apparently kept the party going for two weeks.

Five fun facts:

1. The Margarita is the most popular drink in the US, representing 18 percent of mixed drink sales.
2. On average, Americans consume 185,000 Margaritas per hour.
3. The first frozen Margarita machine was invented in 1971 and it was based off a soft-serve ice cream machine.
4. The only “officially recognized” margarita by the International Bartender’s Association, is the version served on the rocks with a salt rim.
5. The margarita cocktail was the “Drink of the Month” in Esquire magazine, December 1953, pg. 76.

Five Margarita Recipes.

1. Frozen Margarita- There is nothing like an iced margarita – tart and delicious.
2. Margarita Cupcakes- Inspired by the summertime cocktail, these citrus-y sweet cupcakes are filled with a lemon-lime burst of margarita curd and topped with your choice of a fluffy margarita meringue or tequila-lime glaze.
3. Mango-rita- Refreshing and festive twist on a traditional “rita.”
4. Frozen Watermelon Blackberry Margaritas with Cilantro and Vanilla- this has visual appeal as well as being deliciously tasty.
5. Margarita Cookies with Tequila Glaze - The best of both worlds – cookies and drinks. A sure winner.

Click for more Margarita Recipes.

Nutritional Information for one home made 8 oz Margarita:

Calories:  218
Fat: 0.17 g
Carbohydrates:  12 g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium:  1638 mg
Protein:  0.11 g
Sugars: 10 g

Mint chocolate, also known as chocolate mint, is a popular variety of flavored chocolate. It is created when mint flavoring, such as peppermint, spearmint, or crème de menthe, is added to plain chocolate. Chocolate mint also refers to an herb, specifically a hybrid mint plant, that tastes and especially smells like a combination of mint and chocolate. The National Confectioners Association has declared February 19 the Chocolate Mint Day.

Five Fun Facts:

1.  Peppermint is the number 1 selling flavor among non-chocolate, hard candies.
2. Ancient Greeks believed mint could cure hiccups.
3. The most common mint flavors are peppermint and spearmint, but there are more than 20 types of mints growing around the world.
4. Mint’s essential oils are used in perfume, cosmetics, air fresheners, drink flavorings, candies and medications.
5. The US produces 70% of the Worlds peppermint and spearmint,

Five Recipes:

1. Chocolate Peppermint Cookies - These crunchy cookies combine the classic winter flavors of chocolate and mint for a treat you won’t be able to stop nibbling!
2. Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Cookies - These cookies are delicious and minty – a perfect winter treat.
3. Chocolate-Mint Cheesecake- This recipe takes a classic cheesecake and kicks it up several notches by adding in chocolate and mint.
4. Fresh Mint Ice Cream with Strawberries and Whipped Cream  - This mint ice cream is nothing like the kind that comes from the store. The fresh spearmint gives it a light herbal flavor that is reminiscent of mint tea. Its subtle sweetness is the perfect match for lightly sweetened strawberries and whipped cream.
5. Mint Cookie Ice Cream with Chocolate Ganache & Chopped Cookies  - The combination of cool mint, crunchy cookies, and warm chocolate ganache makes for a delicious treat that no one would ever suspect is parve. The perfect end to any meal.

Nutritional Information per one piece of chocolate mint:

Calories:   36
Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates:  7 g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium: 0  mg
Protein: 0.14  g
Sugars: 6 g

Cabbage has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and domesticated for over 2,500 years. Although cabbage is often connected to the Irish, the Celts brought cabbage to Europe from Asia around 600 B.C.E.  Since cabbage grows well in cool climates, yields large harvests, and stores well during winter, it soon became a major crop in Europe. Early cabbage was not the full-bodied head we take for granted today, but rather a more loose-leaf variety. The head variety was developed during the Middle Ages by northern European farmers. It was French navigator Jacques Cartier who brought cabbage to the Americas in 1536.

Cabbage cousins include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, and cauliflower. The world’s largest cabbage is credited to William Collingwood of County Durham, England, whose prized cabbage in 1865 weighed in at 123 pounds.

Five Fun Facts:

1. Because cabbage requires only three months of growing time, one acre of cabbage will yield more edible vegetables than any other plant. This makes Cabbage a money saving food!
2. Cabbage is considered Russia’s national food. Russians eat about seven times as much cabbage as the average North American.
3. Babe Ruth used to wear a cabbage leaf under his hat during games. He would switch out for a fresh leaf halfway through each game.
4. Uncooked Cabbage is high in glutamine, an amino acid that is essential for intestinal health.
5. Red cabbage is a good source of flavonoids, a powerful antioxidant that can help protect your body against serious illnesses like cancer.

Five Cabbage Recipes:

1. Israeli Cabbage Salad  - Shredded, bagged cabbage makes preparation of this delicious salad effortless.
2. Hot & Sour Slaw - You’ll soon be sweet for this Hot & Sour Slaw!
3. Un-stuffed Cabbage Soup- A classic, Cabbage Soup recipe that will even have teenagers asking for more.
4. Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup- When winter nights get cold and bleak, warm yourself over a steaming bowl of this rich and vibrant soup.
5. Sweet and Sour Cabbage Rolls - Hearty sweet and sour cabbage rolls are perfect for feeding a crowd. Serve them as an appetizer, side dish or as a main course.

Click for more cabbage recipes.

Nutritional Information for half a cup home prepared coleslaw:

Calories:  47 
Fat:  2 g
Carbohydrates: 7  g
Cholesterol:  5 mg
Sodium: 14  mg
Protein:  1 g

The almond is a native to the Mediterranean climate region of the Middle East, eastward as far as the Indus. It was spread by humans in ancient times along the shores of the Mediterranean into northern Africa and southern Europe and more recently transported to other parts of the world, notably California, United States.

The wild form of domesticated almond grows in parts of the Levant; almonds must first have been taken into cultivation in this region.

Almonds were one of the earliest domesticated fruit trees. A well-known archaeological example of the almond is the fruit found in Tutankhamun’s tomb in Egypt (c. 1325 BC), probably imported from the Levant. Of the European countries that the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh reported as cultivating almonds, Germany is the northernmost, though the domesticated form can be found as far north as Iceland.

Five Fun Facts:

1. Almonds are actually stone fruits related to cherries, plums and peaches.
2. It takes 1000 pounds of almonds to make 1 pint of almond oil.
3. Cinnamon-glazed almonds were President Clinton’s snack of choice at both the 1993 and the 1997 inaugurations.
4. According to superstition: If you eat almonds before taking a drink, you will reduce your chances of getting drunk and avoid having a hangover.
5. A source of protein and calcium, it is common among Japanese teenagers to enjoy snacking on a mixture of dried sardines and slivered almonds.

Five Almond Recipes:

1. Almond Cookies  - These cookies are easy to make and come out great every time. Make them with your kids and let them stick the almond in the middle.
2. Orange-Scented Green Beans with Toasted Almonds- Give your green beans some panache. Toasted nuts and orange zest take this side dish from drab to fab in 15 minutes flat.
3. Chocolate, Cherry & Almond Bread Pudding- A rich vanilla flavor plays perfectly with luscious chocolate, cherries and almonds in this bread pudding.
4. Fondant-Covered Almond Apricot Cake- This is the cake to turn to for the “wow” factor on your holiday dessert buffet. You can decorate it in any color you like — match your room, your tablecloth, or your mood. I like to use apricot jam, but you can substitute any flavor you like.
5. Frozen Peach and Toasted Almond Torte - This torte contrasts fruity, lightly spiced peaches against the deep flavor of toasted almonds — delicious. It can be made dairy or Pareve.

Click for more almond recipes.

Nutritional Information per one cup of whole almonds:

Calories:  822
Fat: 71 g
Carbohydrates: 31  g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium:  1 mg
Protein:  30 g
Sugars: 6 g

Gumdrops are a type of confectionery (candy). They are usually brightly-colored gelatin- or pectin-based pieces, shaped like a truncated cone and coated in granulated sugar. This makes them very sweet.Gumdrops come in (usually artificial) fruit and spice varieties; the latter are also known as spice drops. Gumdrops, spice drops, and their variations are used in baking, candy crafting, decorating, and for eating out of hand. They are often used for decorating cakes and cupcakes. In the winter time, this candy is an ingredient used in making gingerbread houses.

Five Fun Facts:

1. Candy became widely available only 130 years ago. Until then, people would make their own fudge or caramel at home.
2. Candy accounts for only 6% of the added sugar in the American diet. Soft drinks and juice account for 46%.
3. Candy is a health scapegoat – 100 years ago, doctors blamed candy for the spread of polio. In the mid to late 20th century it was blamed for tooth decay. Now it is blamed for obesity.
4. About 65 percent of American candy brands have been around for more than 50 years.
5. A lollipop, which was invented by George Smith in 1908, was named after Lolly Pop, a racing horse.

Five Candy Recipes:

Click for more candy recipes.

Nutritional information for 10 Gum Drops:

Calories:   143 
Fat:  0 g
Carbohydrates: 22  g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium: 10  mg
Protein:  0 g
Sugars: 21 g

Creme-filled chocolates are not too difficult to make.Creme-filled chocolates can be made two ways. The first way is to make ganache and fondant, roll it into a ball and then dip the fondant into chocolate. Another way is to use a mold and put melted chocolate in the mold. Chocolate in molds are cooled by freezing. The molds are then filled with a creme filling and chocolate poured over the candy. Once the candy has cooled, it can be taken out of the mold.

The chocolates can be filled with a number of flavors. Some of them are coffee, maple, mint, raspberry, strawberry orange, lemon, vanilla, maraschino, rum, chocolate and coconut. Most of the flavors are attained by using flavoring, liqueur, extract, fruit juices or powdered ingredients.

Five fun facts:

1. More than 2000 years ago Mayan Indians in Mexico and Central America used ground cocoa beans to create a drink. Before consuming the beans, they used them as a form of currency. They only ground the beans when they were worn out.
2. Ancient Aztecs thought chocolate had magical powers; like the ability to give them strength.
3. Confectioners discovered how to make solid eating chocolate from chocolate liquor, cocoa butter and sugar. Thus the chocolate industry was born. Modern manufacturing methods enable retailers to sell chocolate to everyone.
4. Chocolate contains over 300 mineral properties that are beneficial to your health.
5. Chocolate does contain chemical elements that really do boost your mood and produce a euphoric feeling.

Five recipes:

1. Boston Cream Pie- Don’t worry about leftovers with this delectable, parve Boston Cream Pie, there won’t be any.
2. Mini Chocolate Coconut Sandwiches- Minis are great because you can enjoy just one without the guilt. (Or you can do what I do: eat seconds, thirds, and fourths of these bite-sized babies when no one is looking!) For pareve sandwiches, substitute non-dairy sorbet and pareve cookies and you are good to go.
3. Caramel Toffee Squares- mini bites of heaven!
4. Chocolate & Nut Butter Bites- A super quick and easy way to satisfy a sweet tooth.
5. Pareve Chocolate Truffles - These are so easy, so versatile and great activity with your kids.

Click for more chocolate recipes.

Read about the health benefits of chocolate.

Nutritional Information for One Chocolate Covered Caramel:

Calories: 66   
Fat: 3 g
Carbohydrates:  8 g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium: 22  mg
Protein:  1 g
Sugars: 6 g

Tortellini originated in Bologna and is accompanied by a legend: When the goddess Venus stayed in a tavern on the outskirts of the city, the innkeeper tried to spy on her through the keyhole of her room, but could catch only a glimpse of her navel. Spellbound, he went to the kitchen and, to capture this vision, shaped fresh egg pasta into the navel-sized tortellini. An alternative legend has Lucretia Borgia playing the starring role.

Five fun facts:

1. Tortellini are small ring shaped pasta stuffed with meat or cheese.
2. Tortelloni  are larger than the bite-sized tortellini.
3. They are also called “umbellico” pasta due to their belly button shape.
4. The “tortellino” is quite rightly the symbol of Bologna’s cuisine, because it combines the inimitable flagrance of rolled pasta with the flavour of a rich filling: all the specialties of Bologna’s cuisine are captured in a single mouthful.
5. Up until the 19th century tortellini were confined to the tables of the more affluent members of society, or were served up only on holidays.

Five tortellini recipes:

1. Apple Tortellini Salad- For pasta salad lovers, this one is hard to beat. Healthful, low in fat, and high in fiber, this recipe has lots of flavor, texture, and color. It makes a wonderful addition to a party buffet or a tasty lunch for school or work.
2. Tortellini Peach Salad- A perfect summer salad.
3. Baked Tortellini Milano - Mushrooms, cheese and plenty garlic – delicious and easy supper.
4. Tossed Tortellini Salad- Another great pasta salad.
5. Basic Pasta Dough Recipe – for when you want to make your own tortellini.

Click for more pasta recipes.

Nutritional Information for 3/4 cup serving of cheese  Tortellini, fresh-refrigerated:

Calories:   249
Fat: 6  g
Carbohydrates:  38 g
Cholesterol:  34 mg
Sodium: 499  mg
Protein:  11 g
Sugars: 1 g

It is said that the US Military is responsible for the creation of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Both peanut butter and jelly were on the U.S. Military ration menus in World War II (1941-1945).  American soldiers added jelly to their peanut butter to make it more palatable. Peanut butter provided an inexpensive and high protein alternative to meat for soldiers. It was an instant hit and returning servicemen made peanut butter and jelly sales soar in the United States. Food historians haven’t found any ads or other mentions of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before the 1940s.

Five fun facts:

1. Americans eat enough peanut butter in a year to make more than 10 billion peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
2. The world’s largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich was created in Oklahoma City, OK, on September 7, 2002 by the Oklahoma Peanut Commission and the Oklahoma Wheat Commission. The PB & J sandwich weighed in at nearly 900 pounds, and contained 350 pounds of peanut butter and 144 pounds of jelly. The amount of bread used to create the sandwich was equivalent to more than 400-one pound loaves of bread.
3. Variations on the classic PB&J include adding marshmallows, bananas, cream cheese, and honey.  It has even been served deep fried with chocolate syrup and whipped cream.
4. 96% of people, when making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, put the peanut butter on before the jelly.
5. Former President George W. Bush said his favorite sandwich was PB&J.

Five recipes:

Click for more peanut butter and jelly recipes.

Nutritional Information for one peanut butter and jelly sandwich:

Calories:  327  
Fat:  14 g
Carbohydrates:  42 g
Cholesterol:0  mg
Sodium: 483  mg
Protein: 10  g
Sugars: 12 g

A chef at Chicago’s Palmer House Hotel created the confection after Bertha Palmer requested a dessert for ladies attending the fair; it should be, she said, smaller than a piece of cake, though still retaining cake-like characteristics and easily eaten from boxed lunches. These first brownies featured an apricot glaze and walnuts, and they are still being made at the hotel according to the original recipe.

The earliest published recipes for a brownie like those of today appeared in the Home Cookery (1904, Laconia, NH), Service Club Cook Book (1904, Chicago, IL), The Boston Globe (April 2, 1905 p. 34) and the 1906 edition of The Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer. These recipes produced a relatively mild and cake-like brownie. The name “brownie” first appeared in the 1896 version of the cookbook, but this was in reference to molasses cakes baked individually in tin molds, not true brownies.

A second recipe appeared in 1907 in Lowney’s Cook Book, by Maria Willet Howard and published by the Walter M. Lowney Company of Boston, Massachusetts. This recipe added an extra egg and an additional square of chocolate to the Boston Cooking School recipe, creating a richer, fudgier brownie. The recipe was named Bangor Brownies, possibly because it was created by a woman in Bangor, Maine. The Bangor Brownie went on to be rated 3rd in the top 10 snacks a few years later. (Wikipedia)

Five Fun Facts:

1. The world’s largest brownie was made in 2001. It weighed in at 3,000 lbs. and was made with 750 lbs. of chocolate chips, 500 lbs. of butter, 850 lbs of sugar, 500 lbs. of flour and 3,500 eggs!
2. There are two types of brownies: fudgy and cake-like. According to Greyston Bakery research, fudgy tops the preference list of most consumers.
3. The first brownie made was not actually a brownie at all. It was a tasty treat sweetened with molasses that we now know as a blondie. (Click to read about blondies)
4. The name “brownie” first appeared in the 1896 version of The Boston Cooking School Cook Book, but this was in reference to molasses cakes baked individually in tin molds, not true brownies.
5. Brownies are actually classified as cookies rather than cake.

Five Brownie Recipes:

1. Quick Dark Chocolate Brownies - These better-for-you brownies are rich in chocolate, but balanced in sweetness by almonds, which also add a little crunch.
2. Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches  - These ice cream sandwiches use brownies instead of cookies for an extra blast of taste.
3. Brownies- A quick and easy treat made from scratch.
4. Macaroon Brownies- an interesting way to make brownies – with egg whites!
5. Spicy Hot Chocolate Brownie Cookies – The taste of a brownie, but in cookie form. Delish!

Click for more brownie recipes.

Nutritional Informations per 2 inch square brownie:

Calories:  112  
Fat:  7 g
Carbohydrates:  12 g
Cholesterol:  18 mg
Sodium: 82  mg
Protein:  1 g

Considered a peasant’s meal in Italy for centuries it is not known who invented the very first pizza pie. Food historians agree that pizza like dishes were eaten by many peoples in the Mediterranean including the Greeks and Egyptians. However, modern pizza has been attributed to baker Raffaele Esposito of Naples. In 1889, Esposito who owned a restaurant called the Pizzeria di Pietro baked what he called “pizza” especially for the visit of Italian King Umberto I and Queen Margherita. The first pizzeria in North America was opened in 1905 by Gennaro Lombardi at 53 1/3 Spring Street in New York City.

Five Fun Facts:

1. October is the US national pizza month.
2. Over 5 billion pizzas are sold worldwide each year.
3. Pizza comes from the latin root word Picea which means the blackening of crust by fire.
4. Saturday night is the most popular night to eat pizza.
5. The world’s fastest pizza maker can make 14 pizza in 2 minutes and 35 seconds.

Five Pizza Recipes:

1. Quinoa Pizza Dough - There are a few qualities that the serious pizza lover looks for in any crust. The outside should be crispy and browned, the inside airy and moist but with some chew and flexibility. These can be a little challenging to reproduce in a gluten free crust, but with the right ingredients it is possible to make a pizza crust every bit as good as a wheat based version!
2. Roasted Vegetable Pizza- Skip blah frozen pizzas and greasy take out with beautiful homemade pies. An excellent dish for Shavuot, a dairy lunch or anytime you need a slice.
3. Pizza Roll-Up Bento Lunch- Try this kid-friendly, pizza-inspired box lunch.
4. Grilled Pizza with Pesto, Tomatoes & Feta- Dazzle your guests, and keep the kitchen cool, by baking pizza on the backyard grill. For convenience, this recipe uses prepared pizza dough, found in most supermarkets and pesto from a jar.
5. Green Pizza - A veggie rich pizza idea.

Click for more pizza recipes:

Nutritional information per slice of pizza with cheese topping, frozen crust:

Calories:   533
Fat:  24 g
Carbohydrates:  58 g
Cholesterol:  28 mg
Sodium:  890 mg
Protein:  21 g
Sugars: 7 g

The Potato (Solanum tuberosum) originated in the Andes of South America, thousands of years ago. Inca Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate them. The Peruvian Quechua language records more than 1,000 words to describe potatoes and potato varieties! The potato was believed to have medicinal qualities and was rubbed on the skin of sick patients as a remedy.However, the invading Spanish conquistadors centuries later also loved the Peruvians’ potatoes. The Spaniards had been on the look-out for gold and jewels – potatoes became one of the exotic finds they excitedly brought back to Europe to impress royalty in 1536. The word ‘potato’ known in Spanish as ‘patata’ is derived from the word ‘batata’.

In France, Antoine-August Parmentier helped King Louis XIV make the potato a popular hit in the 18th century. Having been imprisoned in Germany – where he was fed only potatoes – he knew how to create a feast of fabulous dishes all based on this one ingredient. One guest at a Parmentier Feast was legendary American statesman Benjamin Franklin. He enjoyed it so much he spread the word to the “New World.” “French Fries” officially arrived in the United States of America when Thomas Jefferson served them at the White House during his presidency of 1801-1809.

The potato started being grown in London by 1597, and soon became popular in Ireland and Scotland. Popularity for the potato came during the Industrial Revolution, when demand was created for cheap, energy-rich, non-cereal foods. Potatoes went on to become the basis for many peoples’ essential nutrition around the world. When a fungus destroyed the potato crop in Ireland in 1845 the death toll of the infamous Irish Potato Famine was immense.

Five Fun Facts:

1. The first time potatoes became popular in Europe was after Marie Antoinette wore potato blossoms.
2. The potato has actually been grown in space. Potato plants were taken on board the space shuttle Columbia in 1995.
3. The world’s largest potato weighed in at 18 pounds, 4 ounces according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
4. The potato is actually about 80 percent water.
5. The average American eats just under 140 pounds of potatoes every year.

Five Potatoriffic Recipes:

1. Potato and Goat Cheese Triangles- Puff pastry gets a savory addition of potatoes and goat cheese that are perfectly seasoned with fresh lemon zest for a beautiful light appetizer that will both impress and satisfy.
2. Microwave Potato Chips -Did you know that you can make potato chips without a deep fryer? Try these with the kids, they will never know that there a lot less fat.
3. Celery Root, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes-  I love the flavor of celery root (celeriac). The intense celery flavor and “mashed potatoey” consistency pairs well with the potatoes and roasted garlic. I insist that you use homemade aioli to fluff your potatoes. Jarred mayonnaise is not a substitute in this case and will not yield great results. The homemade aioli is fluffier, tastes better and simply makes a better mash.
4. Creamy Smashed Potatoes with Chives - Chunkier and more rustic than your standard mash, these spuds are enhanced by the color and flavor of fresh chives.
5. Spicy Chipotle Roasted Potatoes - Roasted potatoes get a spicy, smoky flavor when tossed with ground chipotle peppers. If you like potato skins, just scrub the potatoes and leave the skins on—they add fiber and great texture.

Click for more potato recipes.

Nutritional information for a medium baked white potato:

Calories:    130
Fat: 0.2  g
Carbohydrates: 29  g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium:  10 mg
Protein: 3  g
Sugars: 2 g

It was popularised amongst US tourists in Rome by restaurateur Alfredo di Lelio who served it with his own name attached. The restaurant’s story is that the dish was invented by di Lelio at his restaurant Alfredo in 1914 as a variation of fettuccine al burro. When butter was added both before and after fettuccine was put in the serving bowl, the butter was known as doppio burro (double butter). Di Lelio’s “original contribution” was to double the amount of butter in the bowl before the fettuccine would be poured in (thus a triplo burro (triple butter) effect instead of double) which he started doing for his pregnant wife who was having difficulty keeping food down. Alfredo added the new dish to his restaurant’s menu when his wife began eating again. (Wikipedia).

Five Fun Facts:

1. Fettuccine Alfredo supposedly became famous in 1927 when Hollywood stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks dined at Di Lelio’s restaurant for several nights while on their honeymoon. They spread the word when they returned to America.
2. Fettuccine Alfredo can be made with several variations. One variation is to add chicken to the basic Fettuccine Alfredo recipe. Ingredients like broccoli, cream, other cheeses, garlic, and parsley are just a few of the variations that can be used for this pasta dish.
3. Fettuccine Alfredo is commonly served in the United States as a main dish. In Italy, a pasta course is typically served before the main dish, in an appetizer portion.
4. When meat and peas are added to Fettuccine Alfredo, the dish is called Hay and Straw.
5. In the jarred Alfredo sauce available in supermarkets, the sauce is thickened with starch and not with cheese.

Five Fettuccine Recipes:

1. Fettuccine with Shiitake Mushrooms & Basil- This is not your mother’s spaghetti. It is so much better. Who could resist shiitake mushrooms and fettuccine?
2. Fettuccine with Light Alfredo Sauce - delicious but healthier than a regular Alfredo sauce.
3. Light Pasta Alfredo- Jamie says “My favorite pasta sauces are alfredo and vodka. I find it hard to choose between them. I have been known to order both at restaurants. Hey, sometimes a girl just has to help herself! This lighter version of the classic alfredo goes down just as smoothly as the original”.
4. Fettuccini with Mock Alfredo Sauce- This is an old classic made over to suit the modern vegan taste. Best served warm.
5. Creamy Spinach Fettuccine – Perfect way to get your indulgence but with the goodness of spinach at the same time. Even the kids will love this dish.

Click for more pasta recipes.

Nutrition information for one serving of Fettuccine Alfredo:

Calories:   415
Fat: 17  g
Carbohydrates: 48  g
Cholesterol: 32  mg
Sodium: 334  mg
Protein: 16  g
Sugars: 1 g

Chopsticks were developed about 5,000 years ago in China. The pieces of food were small enough that they negated the need for knives at the dinner table, and chopsticks became staple utensils. It is also thought that Confucius, a vegetarian, advised people not to use knives at the table because knives would remind them of the slaughterhouse. Chinese chopsticks, called kuai-zi (quick little fellows), are usually 9 to 10 inches long and rectangular with a blunt end. By 500 CE, chopstick use had spread from China to present-day Vietnam, Korea, and Japan. In Japan, chopsticks were originally considered precious and were used exclusively for religious ceremonies. The earliest chopsticks used for eating looked like tweezers; they were made from one piece of bamboo that was joined at the top. By the 10th Century, chopsticks were being produced in two separate pieces. Japanese chopsticks differed in design from Chinese chopsticks in that they were rounded and came to a point; they were also shorter (7 inches long for females and 8 inches long for males). The Japanese usually made their chopsticks out of wood.The Japanese were also the first to create disposable wooden chopsticks (called wari-bashi), which appeared in 1878.

Five fun facts:

1. In Chinese the word for chopstick –  筷子 means quick little bamboo fellow.
2. The English word “chopstick” was apparently derived from the Chinese Pidgin English words “chop chop” – which means fast.
3. In Japanese, chopsticks are called hashi.
4. Chopsticks are traditionally held in the right hand, even by left-handed people. Although chopsticks may now be deployed by either hand, left-handed chopstick use is considered improper. This practice prevents a left-handed chopstick user from accidentally elbowing a right-handed user seated nearby.
   
5. It is a huge breach of chopstick etiquette to impale a piece of food with one.

Recipes to eat with chopsticks:

1. Tempura Sushi rolls- This is my go-to dinner when I haven’t gone grocery shopping. Who doesn’t have seaweed in the pantry and imitation crab in the freezer? Some people think of sushi as an appetizer, but this is a complete filling meal. I use homemade panko (my leftover challah processed) for the breadcrumbs.
2. Tuna Stir-fry Over Whole-Wheat Vermicelli - Using cubed tuna in a stir-fry is unusual in a fantastic way. Combined with fresh veggies, edamame and whole-wheat pasta, this dish is teeming with nutrients and fiber. Because small batches are made at a time, stir-fries are a great way to cook for one, four or eight.
3. Cool Soba with Citrus Chicken and Spinach- Refreshingly light and slightly sweet with a splash of sesame over soba—this is not your grandmother’s pasta dinner.
4. Spicy Thai Beef Salad- This crunchy salad is nice light way to use leftover beef. Cut down on your chopping prep time by using shredded cabbage and carrots.
5. Crispy Seitan Stir-Fry for Two - A flavorful sauce and lots of crunchy vegetables make this seitan stir-fry a quick and healthy choice for dinner tonight!

Click for more Asian recipes.

Nutrition Facts per Vegetable Egg Roll:

Calories:  153
Fat: 4  g
Carbohydrates: 25  g
Cholesterol: 0  mg
Sodium:  438 mg
Protein: 5  g

Frozen yogurt is a dessert similar to ice cream, but contains yogurt as a replacement for cream. It tends to be healthier than ice cream, so many people choose it as an alternative.

Five Fun Facts:

1. Frozen yogurt was introduced in New England in the 1970s as a soft serve dessert by H. P. Hood under the name Frogurt.
2.  In 1978, Brigham’s, a Boston-based ice cream, candy and sandwich chain, developed and introduced the first packaged frozen yogurt under the name Humphreez Yogart.
3. Frozen yogurt, as the name implies, is a blend of yogurt ingredients that have been frozen to a solid consistency.
4. Commercially manufactured frozen yogurt follows a similar process to how ice cream is made. Both ice cream and frozen yogurt require a combination of air and water and the added steps of pasteurization and homogenization.
5. In the early 1990s, frozen yogurt was 10% of the frozen dessert market.

Five Frozen Yogurt Recipes:

1. Gingersnap-Banana Frozen Yogurt- Gingersnaps, bananas and toasted pecans transform plain, frozen yogurt into a special treat.
2. Pomegranate Tart Frozen Yogurt -This is so easily made with greek yogurt and is done in 30 minutes, healthy and delicious.
3. Vanilla Frozen Yogurt- For this yogurt I start with plain and add sugar and vanilla extract, you can also try using vanilla yogurt, but you will probably need to add a bit more sugar.
4. Lemon Yogurt Pie- How can something be so creamy and yet so light at the same time?
5. Peaches & Yogurt Smoothie - Smoothies are a great way to get a dose of fruit, fiber and good fats. This shake is loaded with antioxidants and full of flavor. Adding a little canola oil to it gives me omega-3 fats and vitamin E as well as a smoother taste. Every body wins with canola oil!

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Nutritional information per one cup of frozen yogurt.

Calories:  221
Fat: 6  g
Carbohydrates: 38  g
Cholesterol: 23  mg
Sodium:  110 mg
Protein: 5  g
Sugars: 35 g
Calcium: 174 mg

Carrots have been used in sweet cakes since the medieval period, during which time sweeteners were scarce and expensive, while carrots, which contain more sugar than any other vegetable besides the sugar beet, were much easier to come by and were used to make sweet desserts. The popularity of carrot cake was likely revived in Britain because of rationing during the Second World War.

Five Fun Facts:

1. Carrot Cake is denser than a regular cake.
2. It is often topped with marzipan carrots.
3. The most common icing on carrot cake is a cream cheese icing (icing sugar, butter and cream cheese).
4. Carrot cake was named as one of the top five food fads of the 1970s by the Food Network.
5. A survey by the Radio Times  in 2011 named carrot cake as the most popular cake in Britain.

Five Carrot Cake Recipes:

1. Carrot Apple Mini Cupcakes with Non-Dairy Cream Cheese Icing- This recipe makes 10 mini cupcakes which makes for the perfect little sweet treat at the end of the meal. But if this is all you are serving for dessert you may want to double this recipe so each guest can enjoy 2 mini cupcakes.
2. Carrot Cake - Carrot cake with 40% fewer calories, 50% less fat and a light, smooth frosting … heaven!
3. Walnut Carrot Cake Muffins- The walnuts give these muffins a great added crunch.
4. Cream Cheese Frosting- Great on carrot cake or cinnamon buns! Or…plain.
5. Quick & Simple Pareve Vanilla Frosting - Icing is so simple. Feel free to replace the vanilla with any flavor you choose. I personally love using a little mint bartender’s syrup! so good and refreshing on brownies!

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Nutritional Information Per Serving of Carrot Cake:

Calories:   326
Fat: 17  g
Carbohydrates: 42  g
Cholesterol: 48  mg
Sodium: 147 mg
Protein:  3 g
Sugars:  31 g