Summer means it’s watermelon season. You can find these big fruits in grocery stores, farmers markets and roadside stands everywhere these days and they are the perfect treat to cool of during a hot summer day. Watermelons have 92% water, making them ideal for rehydrating on a hot day. While these biggest members of the melon family are certainly delicious just the way they are, there are also quite a few summer treats you can make with them. With all of them, you want to use very ripe watermelons. Not sure how to pick them? Here are some tips on how to tell if a watermelon is ripe. Now let’s move on the the recipes and such. Here are a few ideas for you …

Watermelon Cooler

Watermelon coolers are a delicious drink. If your watermelon is plenty ripe, you don’t need any type of sweetener, but if it isn’t perfectly ripe (or if you prefer your drinks very sweet), it’s nice to add a little simple syrup to it to sweeten it. To make the syrup, pour equal parts of water and sugar (i.e. 1 cup water / 1 cup sugar) into a saucepan and heat it stirring constantly until all the sugar is dissolved. Cool the syrup.

In the meantime, cut open your watermelon. Cut the flesh into chunks and remove all seeds. Fill your blender up with these watermelon chunks and add a bit of lime or lemon juice, a few mint leaves and a splash of the cooled simple syrup. Blend it all up and add more syrup to taste. Put the mixture into the refrigerator and serve ice cold.

For something a bit thicker and creamier, try making a watermelon smoothie. It combines the fruit flesh and some yogurt for a thick and creamy shake that’s healthy too. Here’s how to make a watermelon smoothie. Try it for breakfast on a hot day or as a delicious and calcium rich afternoon snack. Try making it with greek yogurt for an even healthier treat.

Serve It Cold

On a hot summer day watermelons taste best ice cold. You can stick the whole melon into your ice box for a couple of hours before eating it, or you can go ahead and cut it as soon as you bring it home from the store. Cut the flesh into chunks, discarding the rind. Put the chunks into a seal-able container and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to snack.

Having it all cut up into chunks also makes it easy to make your own watermelon sorbet. Just blend the watermelon with some sugar, and lemon juice and scoop it into an ice cream maker. Follow your manual directions on how to make the ice cream / sorbet. You may need to put the finished product in the freezer for about 30 minutes before scooping out the sorbet. What a delicious guilt-free treat.

Cauliflower is a great vegetable to prepare year aound since it is always available in the produce section of your local grocery store. Let’s go over the basics of cooking this mild but tasty vegetable and then I’ll give you quite a few different ideas on how to best prepare it.

The Basics

The easiest way to cook this member of the cabbage family is to boil it. Cut the cauliflower tops into bitesize pieces. Wash them and then carefully drop them into boiling water or broth. Boil them until they have softened to your liking. This could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on the size of your pieces and how soft you like your cauliflower.

Another option is to microwave the cauliflower flowerets until they are tender. This is best down in a glass bowl or other microwave-safe container. Just add the cauliflower and about 1/2 cup of water or broth. Cover and cook until tender (about 5 to 7 minutes).

Side Dish Ideas

The easiest way to serve cauliflower as a side dish is to steam it and then top it with a little butter and ground nutmeg. It’s also yummy with a little cheese sauce on top. If you are ready for a little bit more work, give this baked cauliflower recipe a try. With just 6 simple ingredients (including the cauliflower) it’s easy to put together and bakes up in just 20 minutes. That’s quick enough for me to make during the week, but tasty enough for company.

Mashed cauliflower is another favorite of mine. You prepare it the same way you would mashed potatoes, but use cooked cauliflower instead. It has a lot less carbs and calories than traditional mashed potatoes, but a lot of the same flavors and texture. It’s a great substiute when you are watching your weight.

Cauliflower in Soups

Cauliflower is a great addition to all sorts of vegetable soups. Add some to your own favorite like vegetable and beef soup for example. You can also make a quick cauliflower potato soup by cooking both vegetables in some broth. Blend them with an immersion blender when they are tender and add some milk, salt and pepper to taste for a quick but filling soup. Another favorite of mine is this cauliflower carrot soup.

Cauliflower in Salads

Believe it or not, cauliflower is even good in salad. I prefer it raw since it gives you that nice extra crunch and it has a good peppery flavor to it that’s lost in the cooking process. If you prefer, you can also lightly steam the cauliflower first to soften it up a bit. The flavor will become a bit sweeter in the cooking process as well.

If you like your cauliflower raw, try this delicious broccoli and cauliflower salad. It’s great as a special side dish for sunday dinners and also perfect for cookouts and potlucks.

Cauliflower is a yummy and versatile vegetable. Even if you are not a big fan (yet), I recommend you give some of these recipes a try. You might just find a new favorite.

Image by dragon762w via Flickr

Warmer weather can mean you are reaching for picnic recipes to impress your friends, but you want new ideas. Hot dogs and potato chips can be very plain and with so many options available at local stores there’s no reason to stick with the standards. The warm weather can dull appetites if you are out in the heat for periods of time, so consider foods that are served chilled or at room temperature. Cool foods are a lot easier to pack when you head out for the perfect picnic spot.

Fruit and Mint Salad Recipe

Seasonal fruit and a mint infused simple syrup combine to form this sweet treat. While the fruits listed work very well together, do not be afraid to switch out your favourite seasonal fruit for one listed below. Kiwi and strawberries should be packed separately and added just before you serve.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 bunch fresh mint, leaves chopped
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups watermelon
• 1 1/2 cups cantaloupe
• 1 cup fresh pineapple

Directions

1. In a small pan over medium heat dissolve sugar in water. Bring syrup to a boil and reduce heat to barely a simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool thoroughly.
2. Cut each fruit into small 1/2″ pieces. Toss together in a bowl gently.
3. Combine the mint, lemon juice and simple syrup in a blender. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour syrup over fruit just before serving.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad Recipe

Summer picnic recipes can come from all over the world and this cool salad uses the unique flavours from the Mediterranean to lighten up your meal on the go. Couscous Salad can be served alone or topped with grilled chicken, beef or lamb. The vinaigrette and herbs brighten up the flavour of this very filling dish. If you want to make the couscous vegetarian, substitute water instead of chicken stock and add chick peas or lightly toasted pine nuts for a boost of protein.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quick cooking couscous
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber, seeded
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. In a medium pot bring chicken stock to a boil. Add couscous, cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit until all the water is absorbed.
2. In a large mixing bowl blend together the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper with a whisk to form a vinaigrette. Toss tomatoes, cucumber and onion in vinaigrette.
3. Add the cool couscous, mint and feta cheese. Toss gently to combine.

When packing your picnic basket, remember to take a small garbage bag for food and one for plates that need washing later. Friends and family will often share their favourite picnic recipes, but next time they will be asking for yours.

Nowadays every one like to be careful what they eat, especially when it come to fried or fattening food. This is one of the reasons that salads have become very popular in the last few years. There are many variations of dishes around the world, based on salads. Every nation seems to feel the need for the freshness of greens and so on. Dressings further enhance the flavours and salad recipes can be used for a starter course, part of a main course or side dish. There is nothing finer than a salad accompanied by a chunk of crusty bread straight from the oven and there are so many basic low calorie recipes that can be achieved by making simple salads.

One more reason why salads are popular is that salad recipes are so easy and quick to prepare. Green salads usually contain some sort of leaf crop, such as rocket, lettuce or spinach. Other ingredients are very often a combination of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrot or radish. Onions are also added sometimes, in the form of spring onion or red onion. Some Italian salad recipes call for pasta and other Mediterranean dishes use olives, rice or cheese. Beans or croutons add another texture. Meat or fish are common elements too and ham, chicken, tuna or shrimp make tasty additions. Crab meat is another idea or chopped up bacon. There are numerous dressings, which are easily made at home or can be bought in. These include Thousand Island Dressing, Blue Cheese Dressing, Russian Dressing or Mayonnaise.

Some chefs have made a name for themselves by inventing their own signature salad recipes. The original recipes are sometimes subject to modern adaptations. One such invention, which was to stand the test of time, is the Caesar Salad, the achievement of an Italian chef working at Hotel Caesars in Mexico in the 1920s. The dish contains lettuce, croutons, lemon juice, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, hard-boiled egg yolks, black pepper and Worcestershire Sauce. Another famous salad was first introduced at the Hollywood restaurant favored by celebrities, the Brown Derby. This uses lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, Roquefort cheese, chives and vinaigrette.

Tourists to Greece will know that here are many fine salads on the menu. Common salad recipes contain tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, red onion, oregano and seasoning. Sometimes feta cheese, olives or capers are added and dressings usually involve olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice. Tabouli Salad hails from the Lebanon and is a mixture of bulgur (wheat grain), parsley, scallion, mint, lemon juice, black pepper and cinnamon. It is a popular dip in America. Russian Salad has different versions that have evolved over the years. The basis is chopped vegetables in mayonnaise but meat, game or fish is often added. Perhaps the cold climate calls for more bulk. Ham, tongue, sausage, lobster and truffles are common additions.

As you can see there is a huge variety of salads and salad recipes, so the chances of one getting bored with ones salads and salad recipes are very rare.

Finding quality tasting gluten-free food items isn’t always the easiest thing to do.  Especially when you want to divulge into the the different ethnic or nationality food types.  In all reality, though…producing gluten-free Mexican, Italian, or Chinese food can be accomplished.  Variety is key in order to provide a well-rounded diet.  Those that are willing to put in the time and effort can produce quality tasting gluten free food items without a problem.  It just take dedication and effort on behalf of the preparer.   The receiver will definitely appreciate it!

For those that require being on a gluten-free diet,  here is an easy recipe for a great tasting gluten-free pasta sauce.  A tasty gluten-free and vegetarian spaghetti sauce is only a few minutes a way.  So get together your ingredients and start making your sauce!!!!

Only 5-10 minutes of prep time is needed.

Short cooking time of only 7-10 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• dash cayenne red pepper
• 1 stalk of chopped celery
• 1 chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 2-3 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/2 chopped green bell pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 (6) oz can tomato paste
• 1 (8) oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano

Prep:

Combine the garlic, onion, green pepper & celery in a large skillet.    Add the 1 tbsp of olive oil and sauté until soft.   Once the ingredients become soft, add the leftover ingredients.  Stir well.   After covering, simmer for upwards of 7 minutes.   Simmer another 2-3 minutes after stirring again.   Combine with your favourite gluten-free pasta and enjoy your healthy gluten-free Italian dinner. Add a salad with non-gluten products and some gluten-free garlic bread and you have the perfect Italian dinner.  To top it off, find a gluten-free desert to serve as well.

Image via Wikipedia

What’s the best time to barbecue? Whenever you can get to the grill! Have two feet of snow on your terrace (like we did the previous wintertime ? Prepare your meat and veggies, shovel a path to the cooker, fire it up, slap on the meat and enjoy! Nothing like BBQ ribs when it’s below freezing, right? If you live on the surface of the sun (e.g: Arizona) and never have the snow you’ll never have any excuses not to fire that BBQ up at any time of year.

Now, there’s the slow cooking barbecue and there’s the much faster grilling. Barbecue uses indirect heat, much like your oven on a low setting, while grilling uses more charcoal and whatever you’re cooking is placed right above them. Like a broiler. The BBQ might take 3 or four hours to finish, while you can grill steaks in 10-15 minutes.

By and large you’ll be barbecuing the tougher cuts, ribs, or meats that may have some gristle or connective tissue. The slow, long heat will break that down and the meat will be totally delectable. Do that with a fish or a good steak, and, well, it won’t be pretty. So grill your steaks & fish and barbecue your baby back ribs.

Speaking of steaks, here’s what you’ll need for a good rib eye steak “barbecue,” (and here’s the video of this rib eye steak recipe.

1. 2 rib eye steaks, 1 lb each
2. 1 medium sweet onion, sliced
3. some diced celery and scallions
4. garlic clove
5. butter
6. charcoal and your grill/weber
7. cast iron skillet

Pile up the coals to one side of the lower grill and fire them up. Since you’ll be grilling these cuts   you’ll want a good size pile to generate a lot of heat, but you won’t cover the lower grill with them, keep them to one side. Put the steaks on the grill when the coals are hot enough. This step seals in the juices by searing the meat, so you want to hear those steaks sizzle when you put them on the grill. Flip them after a minute or so and check out those nice grill lines.

Once seared, move the steaks to the part of the grill without the coals. Now place your skillet over the coals and add the sliced onions and some butter. Saute the onions until they’re just they way you like them and then set them aside. Keep the steaks on the “cool” side of the grill and close up the grill. Open it up every couple of minutes to turn the steaks until nearly done (and done is the way you like it.)

When the steaks are almost ready put the skillet back on and add the celery, the scallions, and some butter. While that mix sizzles take the clove of garlic, mash it up, and add it to the mix. Move the mix out of the way and put the steaks in the skillet and put the mix on top of the steaks. Add the onions, too. Cook them just long enough to warm the onions and then serve.

Barbecuing is handled differently and this St. Louis Spare Ribs video will show you how to make perfect BBQ ribs. Now, the real question is this: can you wait three to four hours to eat the ribs while that wonderful barbecue scent drifts through the air? It’s tough, but be strong. The finished BBQ ribs will be worth the wait.

In spite of how it might be advertised, the truth is… that not everything served with a side of cheese dip is authentic Mexican food! Mexico is a diverse country with distinct regional flavours and a history of wonderful, flavourful, and varied cuisine.

Before the Spanish landed in ships on Mexican soil, the native people enjoyed many staples of Mexican cuisine today, such as corn, tomatoes, beans, squash, peppers, poultry and fish.  However, the Spanish are not to be left out of the food of Mexico… because the garlic, onion, wheat, chicken and rice that arrived from the Spanish table to the Mexican one is now a very integral part of the food of Mexico. The introduction of these ingredients and other items broadened the food of native people. Foods that have been prepared in Mexico for fifty years or more are thought to be truly incorporated into the cuisine of the country and are called authentic.

Classic Mexican Flavours and Foods

Regional Mexican Food. Each region of Mexico has a flavor and style all its own. Northern Mexico epitomizes the use of the flour tortillas with burritos, refried pinto beans and slow roasted beef. The Yucatan Peninsula incorporates foods from the Pacific Rim as well as Mayan ingredients like hard boiled eggs, turkey and honey.

In authentic Mexican food the seasonal availability of ingredients is very important. The Baja California Peninsula enjoys a rich variety of seafood and a long growing season for vegetables. Dishes like the fish taco and Caesar salad are popular here. The Southern region of Mexico uses more chicken in their dishes than other regions. These warmer climates closest to the Equator are the home of corn tortillas at nearly every meal, as well as black beans and plantains.

Mexican Spices. For hundreds of years, Mexicans have also used many of the spices found in Mexican cooking today. Authentic Mexican dishes are cooked using a variety of spices, including: chili powder, cumin and even some cocoa in savoury dishes, like mole poblano.

The Famous Mole. Mole means “concoction” in the original Indian language, and mole poblano is a complex sauce that incorporates raw cocoa, dried chili peppers, ground nuts and spices. Dishes labelled as native to Mexico are those that use and celebrate the ingredients available to Mexicans before the introduction of the Spanish people and foods.

Dishes that claim to be authentic might be true to one or two regions of Mexico, but they are unlikely to be traditional in the whole country. A truly Mexican dish can include native Mexican influences, as with authentic Mexican tamales, or it can include Spanish and even a bit of French influence.  But in general, great –and authentic– Mexican will always reflect bold flavours and a tendency toward heavily spiced dishes.

Americanized Mexican Food

The foods that are often served in American restaurants as authentic are only the beginning of Mexican cuisine. Most authentic dishes were created at home by the Mexican people and have a flair for layers of complex flavour in each dish and simple preparation. Often restaurants modify very traditional dishes to fit an American taste, which tends to like sweeter flavours over spicy ones. The Mexican government takes its food seriously, though, and has even set up educational programs and business associations to encourage a more authentic version of Mexican cuisine in their northern neighbour, the United States.

The whole of authentic Mexican food is too big to be put on just one plate!

Quality often gets sacrificed for quantity, because this has become a general tendency for the consume food market. In order to make crops more profitable and accelerate the growth of products, producers use chemical stimulants, additives and pesticides. Natural organic foods are little available on a market saturated by conventional products. People lack education, awareness and information about what goes in their food. A massive change of paradigm is necessary to improve eating patterns and food choices.

There are countless benefits for consuming natural organic foods. Did you know that there are over 30 chemicals in a simple apple? And you can’t wash them away. There has been a major drop in food quality over the last decades, and we can only hope that natural organic foods will reinstate the balance once more. In comparison with products from conventional crops, green products have 50% more nutrients and they are so much tastier.

Not only fruit and vegetables but cattle and poultry have suffered the modifications of modern agriculture too. With a piece of regular chicken breast that you have for dinner, you’ll actually consume a cocktail of hormones and antibiotics. Let alone the in-humane animal environment where livestock are grown. With organic farming, the animals are growing naturally, in an unpolluted environment with almost no restrictions whatsoever. Try to consume natural organic foods that come from local family farms, and you’ll improve your health and give a chance to a better living to humans and animals alike.

Take whatever information you find about natural organic foods as seriously as you can, because this is the health and safety of your family that we are talking about. You should read more articles on organic food, and learn how to cook meals that preserve most of nutrients in food. Go to the local market, find out what farmers provide organic products and shop with them.

If you place larger orders with a certain provider, you may take advantage of free delivery. Natural organic foods can also be ordered on the Internet. In case you have no other provider in the neighborhood, the search engine query may help you identify the best alternative. Take advantage of every chance you get to go green! Make it a lifestyle!

The health benefits of organic foods have become a topic of common interest for the public opinion. The repeated comparisons between organic food and conventional food have increased the consumer’s self-awareness, making people more selective of what they eat and call food. The evidence is yet inconclusive as to whether organic food is 100% superior to non-organic products. For some people the health benefits of organic foods remain a fact, while for others something to be still proved.

The following examples indicate the benefits of organic foods per category:

Organic milk has more anti-oxidants and  valuable fats than non-organic milk. On the long term the impact on the overall body health condition is considerable. Children for instance should only consume organic milk because it supports accelerated growth a lot better.

Organic eggs show the benefits of organic foods better than lots of other food groups. Non-organic eggs contain unwanted substances in chemicals due to the treatments with antibiotics and hormones performed on the animals. Organic eggs have a lower cholesterol content, they have a higher nutritional value and bring superior amounts of essential vitamins.

As long as products correspond to the organic standards for purity and quality, you’ll encounter pretty much the same benefits of organic foods in most of them. No health risks, more nutrients and much more flavor sum up the benefits of organic foods best in general.

If you want to read more about the benefits of organic food, there are lots of Internet websites that you can access. The consume of non-organic products has serious consequences on our health and on the environment, and the sooner you realize this, the better for everybody. Your preference for organic food may convince others that this is the solution to enjoying a great health condition!

The very natural model that we were meant to follow on earth is closer to the organic food pattern: Nature can offer everything we need, without human interference and stimulation. The moment a consumer becomes aware of the fact that the beautiful apples he/she eats are inflated with water or hormones, much of his/her appetite will drop. What’s the good of eating something that together with nutrients also brings unnecessary substances to your body.

Hopefully, the predominance of organic food on the market will increase with people becoming more aware of the benefits of organic foods.

With the economy just starting to pick back up, people are still looking for an inexpensive way to eat healthy. There are numerous options for eating healthy and more often than not, it is less expensive to fix a healthy meal at home rather than eat one out. When preparing that fantastic healthy meal at home, it helps to know what kinds of foods that are high quality for not-so-high prices.

Quinoa

For the group of people who must have pasta at least three times a day, quinoa is a great alternative without all of the carbs and for a fraction of the price. Finding quinoa in the bulk isle is a steal; it is easy to prepare, completely healthy and cheap as all get-out. Quinoa is more like a grain than pasta, but can double in some of the same ways that pasta does, plus it is a great addition to salads.

Oats

Oats are one of the most, if not THE most, versatile foods around. They taste like whatever you cook them with, they can be creamy or crunchy, baked, fried, sautéed; you name it, oats can probably do it. The bigger the container, the cheaper it will be. Oats are loaded with fiber and contain a decent amount of calories for the serving size.

Frozen Fruits and Veggies

Many people have the misconception that fresh fruits and vegetables are the best way to go. It turns out that many of the fresh produce you see in the store, is actually around a week old by the time you pick it up and give it a squeeze. Once picked, produce begins to lose its nutrients, so by the time it gets to the store, there aren’t much of the original nutrients left.

Frozen produce is typically flash-frozen 24-48 hours after picking, locking in the highest concentration of nutrients available. Since they come in packages, they tend to be cheaper by the pound than their plump partners and can store for longer periods of time. The next time you go to the store, take a look at the price of frozen spinach versus fresh spinach. Even if they are priced around the same mark, think about how long the fresh spinach has been sitting there

Brown Rice

Not only is brown rice healthy, with around 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber and only 170 calories per serving, it is dirt-cheap. The great thing about rice is the servings are measured by dry volume, which means, when the rice is cooked, your serving size nearly doubles. Brown rice can be used in burritos, casseroles, fried rice and is even hearty enough to stand up in many stews.

Beans

No matter if you buy bean from the bulk isle or get them in a can, they are cheap and packed with protein. Out of the hundreds of varieties, there are countless numbers of ways to utilize beans in your cooking.

Eating healthy does not have to break the bank. Just look for nutritional food that is fresh and vibrant and you can’t go wrong. Another idea for healthy eating on a dime is to keep the meal simple. Keeping a meal simple is usually the best way to make sure all of the nutrients are there and it allows you to taste everything in the dish. Make a quick trip to the store, pick up a few of the healthy items listed above and see what you and your family can create.