Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Quinoa Jambalaya

Quinoa: 
2 cups quinoa
2 garlic clove, crushed
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon vegetable bouillion
1 teaspoon fresh sage
1 teaspoon cumin
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Bring broth to a rolling boil, add quinoa, cumin, sage, bouillon, and garlic. Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine. Season with sea salt and black pepper and reduce heat to low. Put the lid on and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is cooked but still firm to bite (al dente) about 15 - 20 minutes. Turn heat off and leave lid on.

Content: 
1 lb medium shrimp, devein and peel
4 links chicken and apple sausages, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 large celery stalks, chopped
1 large white onion, peel and chopped
1 fuji apple, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper

In a deep sided skillet on medium heat, add three tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, add onions, apples, celery, sausage and garlic. Sauté until soft. Add shrimp, sautéing a further 4 minutes or until shrimp turns pink. Add Quinoa and stir well to combine. Add parsley and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Drizzle extra olive oil on top and serve hot.

School Lunches Around The World


1. Japan
Rice and fish make up the bulk of the menu, but some days students are treated to the kind of East-West comfort food.

2. Korea
Most school cafeterias in Korea use sectioned metal trays and there's a standard way of filling them up. The two biggest sections are for rice, usually served with pickled vegetable kimchi and soup. Smaller compartments there's usually three of them hold side dishes of vegetables and fish. As for the beverage, kids are given little plastic bottles of sweet yogurt drink, hugely popular in Korea.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Vivid Vitality

Primary Benefits*:
a good dose of potassium, copper, magnesium, and manganese, among other valuable vitamins and minerals; aids in cleansing kidneys, reducing blood pressure, alleviating hypertension, general heart and brain health, plus hormonal and blood sugar stabilization, as well as eye function and cancer prevention.
*based on information gathered at OrganicFacts.net

This recipe is one of many that I will be sharing in my upcoming book, "Rustic Modern Cuisine". To pre-order your copy, please click here. Available for a limited time only!


How to Figure Out if Your Produce is Organic or Genetically Modified


Grocery stores are quick to advertise nowadays if the produce they're selling is organic, but rarely (if ever) market the fact that your onion or apple is genetically modified. However, the PLU sticker or sign accompanying the item will—if you know how to read it.

According to the International Federation for Produce Standards, there is a set number system to show whether your item is a GMO (genetically modified organism), or conventionally or organically grown. This information isn't new, but most shoppers aren't aware of how to use it.

The PLU (stands for price look-up) code is used on items that are sold loose or bunched, by weight or by each (i.e. an individual apple or bunch of greens). A PLU code contains 4-5 digits total and is key-entered at the register.

Here is the simple breakdown for identifying what your buying:

ORGANIC - The number 9 is added to the front of the regular four digit PLU code (e.g. an organically grown banana would be 94011).

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