A Spoonful of Sofrito: Americans Try Haitian food for the first time.

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A Pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

Americans Try Haitian food for the first time.

Sofrito Lovers,

Griot, Cabrit fricassee, and Lambi.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then you've never had Haitian food!  Haitian cuisine is a combination of African, French, and Taino flavors that tantalize and mesmerize your taste buds.  One of the most delicious Caribbean cuisines, Haitian food is usually a mystery to most Americans.

Below, I've posted a tasting video from Buzzfeed, which features Americans tasting Haitian food for the first time.  Usually, these videos are hilarious because Americans consider anything outside of fast food culture as "exotic" or "unusual!"  The participants in this series are typically afraid to try new things, but in this video you see what happens when you're open minded and most importantly open "palated!"

It was wonderful to see people experiencing a new cuisine and loving it.  Again, I love these videos because they can be really funny, but I also love it when people gain an appreciation for something new.  Variety is the spice of life, people! Fear and hesitation keep us small and uncultured! Go out there and try something new!  Your palate will thank you!

Watch the video, go get some Haitian food, and ¡Buen provecho!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: 100+ Recipes for Amazing Paleo and Primal Vegetables

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A Pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

 

100+ Recipes for Amazing Paleo and Primal Vegetables

 

 

Sofrito Lovers,

I am a loud and proud omnivore!  I love all sorts of grains, veggies, proteins, nuts, dairy, and fats!  Combining these myriad ingredients creates incredible cuisines that nourish our bodies and souls!  Now as you know, there are several different food cultures that people subscribe to.  One of the newest, yet ironically oldest, is the Paleo Diet!

This diet is based on the types of foods presumed to have been eaten by early humans, consisting chiefly of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit, and excluding dairy or grain products and processed food.  This diet has become extremely popular among health enthusiasts, celebrities, and food activists.

I know many people that are Paleo and I deeply appreciate their generosity when it comes to recipes and beverages.  You don't have to be Paelo to enjoy, love, and prepare Paleo recipes.  I think their clever use of veggies, fruits, and proteins is amazing and truly brilliant.

Below, I've posted a great article from Ancestralize Me (Sent to me via Facebook by my friend Fernando Reals) that features 100+ recipes that everyone should try!  These entrees and side dishes will give you a renewed appreciation for veggies and their nutritional majesty!

Read, cook, and taste for yourself! ¡Buen Provecho!

100+ Recipes for Amazing Paleo and Primal Vegetables

December 20, 2014 by Laura 0 Comments

 

I frequently have clients who say they hate vegetables. Hearing this can sometimes be challenging for me as a nutritionist, since not only are vegetables an incredibly important part of a healthy diet, but there’s also dozens of ways that veggies can be prepared to make them taste amazing! And I want my clients to love vegetables as much as I do.

Check out the rest of the article here!

 

 

A Spoonful of Sofrito: 10 Chinese Desserts you have never probably never heard of

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A Pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

10 Chinese Desserts you have never probably  never heard of

 

Sofrito Lovers,

Most people are unaware of the Chinese sweet tooth!  The Chinese love their sweets and desserts with an intense passion and loyalty!  Go to Chinatown and you'll see a bakery on every corner full of amazing pastries, desserts, cakes, and other confections.

This may come as a shock to many because the only contact most of us have with Chinese "cuisine" is our local Chinese take out,which never feature desserts.  We think of Chinese food as purely savory and never get a chance to explore their uniquely delicious dessert culture.  

To add some sweetness to your life, I've posted this cool video about Chinese desserts from Off the Great Wall, one of my favorite YouTube Channels dedicated to Chinese/Asian culinary culture.  

I loved learning about the cultural significance of many of these desserts and how some of these yummy sweet treats have health benefits as well.  The video is really interesting and will definitely stimulate your sweet tooth!

Watch it, run down to Chinatown, and go taste for yourself!  ¡Buen Provecho!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Is Chelsea Market the City’s Best Food Court?

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A Pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

Is Chelsea Market the City’s Best Food Court?

 

Sofrito Lovers,

New York City's food courts are renown for their diversity, incredible flavors, and amazing fare.  With so many to choose from the question of which is the best is only natural to ask.

Eater.com's Robert Sietsema makes a strong argument that Chelsea Market, located at 75 9th Avenue, is the City's finest food court.  I will agree that some of the market's eateries are amazing.  I love the food at the Green Table,  the desserts at Creamline, the pastries at Sarabeth's, and the amazing chocolates at Lilac Chocolates.

Check out Sietsema's article below!  If you've never been to Chelsea Market, then maybe it's time you treated yourself to a nice Saturday afternoon of food, fun, and nice shopping.  Read it, get out there, and ¡Buen Provecho!

Is Chelsea Market the City’s Best Food Court?

Robert Sietsema noshes around and finds the 10 best things to eat at the Westside market

by Robert Sietsema, March 21, 2016  

 When it started out 20 years ago, Chelsea Market aimed at providing warehousing and manufacturing facilities for small food-oriented businesses, many with retail outlets that would cater to professional and home cooks. For those of us who dabbled in the kitchen, it was paradise.

Wandering through the near-empty halls of the old Nabisco factory — where Oreos were invented — one could drop in on a butcher, an upstate dairy, a kitchenware concern, a shop selling groceries from Italy, an amazingly diverse fruit and vegetable stand, a Thai food store, and a bakery whose excellent loaves you could see being made through large plate glass windows. Planning a Sunday dinner party? This was your one-stop destination!

Check out the rest of the article here!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

A Spoonful of Sofrito: A Pinch of advice that will add a lot of flavor to your life.

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Sofrito Lovers,

Yesterday, I tried my hand at preparing another favorite Jamaican dish, Brown Stew Chicken, and it was an unqualified success!

As per usual, this weekend I was searching through my favorite YouTube channels for some culinary inspiration when I came across a wonderful recipe on Cooklikeajamaican: Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken! Brown Stew Chicken is one of my three favorite dishes at any Jamaican/Caribbean restaurant.  When I saw Fay's video, I decided that it was my time to learn how to cook this yummy dish.

The recipe and video were easy to follow and the results were delicious.  My finicky partner, David, loved it, as well; that's how I know it was a success! 

Now it's your turn!  Check out the video and recipe below!  Watch it, learn it, and taste for yourself ¡Buen provecho!

Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken

Ingredients:

3lbs Chicken, cut in pieces and skin removed

Chicken Seasonings:

2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper

2 tsp Sugar

3 Large cloves garlic, minced

2 stalk scallion (white part only), chopped

Gravy:

1/2 cup Cooking oil (for frying chicken)

1 Large onion, chopped

1/4 each, Red and Green bell pepper, chopped

1 Sprig of thyme or 1 tsp dried

1 tsp Pepper sauce

1 Tbsp Tomato ketchup

2 cups Hot water

1 tsp salt (to taste)

Method

Tip: Wash the chicken and make sure to dry it with paper towel to remove any water before frying.

1. Season chicken with salt, black pepper, sugar, garlic and scallion (green onion).Marinate the chicken overnight of at least one hour before frying.

2. Remove scallion from chicken and, on High heat, fry the chicken in cooking oil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove chicken from pan.

3. Remove half the cooking oil in pan and use remaining oil to fry onions and bell peppers until onions are transparent.

4. Add thyme, hot pepper sauce, tomato ketchup and 1 cup of hot water to pan and stir; taste gravy and add 1 tsp of salt, if needed; let simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Add chicken to gravy. Add 1 cup of hot water and turn heat to Low and cover pan. Simmer chicken for 30 minutes or until it is tender and the gravy has thickened.