A Spoonful of Sofrito: 2016 Super-foods you need to try!

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

 2016 Super-foods you need to try!

 

Sofrito Lovers, 

As 2015 winds down, some of us are thinking about which New Year's Resolutions we want to make and which ones we want to re-do for 2016.  Being an intrepid healthy foodie, I'm already researching for new 2016 Super foods I will be incorporating into my daily food adventures.

In my research, I came across another one of those handy dandy Super-food lists posted on a blog called, "Nature's Happiness."

I find the list fascinating and informative.  I'm eager to start cooking with Kefir, eating kelp salads, and sipping protein packed bone broth.

Don't get me wrong! I'm still eating Cuchifritos, Burgers, Pho, Ramen, Pasta, and all the other delicious dishes I love.  I don't believe in deprivation, diets, or denial of cravings.  I believe everything in moderation and balance.  For every fried chuleta, there should be an organic salad.  For every gooey flan, there should be a fruit salad sprinkled with organic Probiotic powder.  It's all about balance.

Click the link below for the 2016 Super food list and go taste some of these delicacies for yourselves!  Buen provecho!

Check out the list here!

 

 

A Spoonful of Sofrito: El Atoradero Soft Opens in Prospect Heights

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

Denisse Lina Chavez's El Atoradero Soft Opens in Prospect Heights

 

 Sofrito Lovers,

I'm excited and overjoyed to re-post this amazing article from NY.Eater.com about the re-opening of El Atoradero!

Last year, I posted a review of Carnitas El Atoradero, a small Mexican restaurant in the South Bronx with some of the best food you could ever find. I was devastated when I found out  the restaurant closed down due to a rent hike. 

I heard a rumor that it had reopened somewhere in the City, but never followed up on visiting the new spot.  Imagine my sheer joy, when I received this article about El Atoradero (without the Carnitas?) opening up in Brooklyn!  Yet again, another sign from the universe that I have to start trekking out to the BK!

Folks, read up, and go taste for yourself!  ¡Buen provecho!

Denisse Lina Chavez's El Atoradero Soft Opens in Prospect Heights by Serena Dai

Its menu will be rotating to see what people like.

Chef Denisse Lina Chavez has started slinging her famous carnitas at El Atoradero, a Prospect Heights iteration of her now-shuttered Bronx restaurant Carnitas El Atoradero. The new restaurant at 708 Washington Ave. soft opened last week and currently has a daily rotating menu, which will be posted on the restaurant's Instagram regularly, says partner Noah Arenstein. "We’re trying out different stuff, seeing what people want," he says.

Read the rest of the article here!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Puerto Rican Style Mac'n'Cheese

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

Puerto Rican Style Mac'n'Cheese

Sofrito Lovers,

Christmas, Kwanzaa, Three Kings Day and a few other holidays are coming up pretty soon!  If you're like me, then you're looking for side dish recipes to accompany the Pernils (roasted pork shoulders), Pavos (turkey), and Pasteles (kind of like Puerto Rican tamales) that you're cooking!

The video below comes from Sweets and Beyond, which is an amazing Youtube cooking channel that I frequent.  I consider Ida, the channel host, to be one of my culinary mentors.  I l love her simple, delicious, and easy to follow recipes. Trying out her recipes has bolstered my confidence as a beginner cook.

I've posted the video for her incredible Puerto Rican Style Mac'n'Cheese recipe! Also, I've included a photo of my version of her recipe, which I cooked last night. Check out her channel, cook, and taste for yourself!  You won't regret it!¡Buen provecho!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Gift Guide for the Beginner Cook

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

Gift Guide for the Beginner Cook

Sofrito Lovers,

SeriousEats.com has published an article featuring holidays gifts for the Beginner Cook.  As an amateur chef, I think this list is amazing; I'd love to get a few of these instruments for my kitchen! HINT! HINT! FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Hand-held blenders, micro graters, and Stoneware casserole dishes are some of the coolest "must have" items for the beginner cook! HINT! HINT! FAMILY AND FRIENDS!  Check out the list and make a beginner cook in your life a happy camper!  Spend generously and joyfully!  Happy Holidays!  

Check out the list here

Some of the amazing items on this list...Hint! Hint! FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

 

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Super-foods we should all be eating in 2015!

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

Super-foods we should all be eating in 2015!

Sofrito Lovers,

Sometimes you have to give in to pressure and eat well (groan!).  The internet is rife with lists upon lists of "Super-foods" that we should be eating three times a week, adding to our morning coffee, or juicing for maximum nutrient absorption. I find the list below one of the most interesting compilations; it promotes eating some of my favorite foods. I know that it may be super dated since we're a few weeks away from 2016, but it's never too late to start eating awesome food!

According to Melissa Greer, author of the list for the website BestHealth, we should all be eating more Kimchi, dark chocolate, broccoli, quinoa, butter, and sprouts.  If these delicious Super-foods are essential to good health and vitality, then I must be Superman! I eat some of these on a daily basis!

Check out: The new superfoods: What to eat in 2015 

Dark Chocolate is healthy!  Awesome!  Hershey's here I come!

Broccoli and all other cruciferous veggies are super healthy...and make me fart like crazy.

Any diet that promotes eating Kimchi is the one for me!

A Spoonful of Sofrito: Emmy Eats/Made in Japan

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

Emmy Eats... and Emmy Made in japan

Sofrito Lovers,

Today, I'm sharing with you my favorite Youtube Channel: EmmymadeinJapan!  Emmy is a young Chinese American cook, crafts person, and foodie that hosts an awesome show called, "Emmy Eats..."  The premise is simple; Emmy eats treats, sweets, and snacks from all over the world and talks about the taste, texture, and if she likes it.

Okay, so some of you might be thinking, "Why is watching someone eat interesting?"  It's a scientific fact; observing someone enjoy their food has a deep psychological effect on us and motivates us to try to eat new types of food.  

Think about it, why are there fast food commercials on TV?  Because they work! Just watching a two minute commercial motivates people, the very next day, to try whatever new burger, pizza, or taco the company is selling.

Back to Emmy!  I love her insight, humor, cultural fun facts and openness to try new things!  Every time I watch an episode it makes me want to travel and taste the world!  Her curiosity is infectious!  I warn you, after watching a few videos you might find yourself shopping at a few "exotic" markets searching for amazing new goodies!

Give it a chance!  Watch some videos, buys some new treats, and ¡Buen provecho!

  

 

A Spoonful of Sofrito: 50 Cheap Eats Destinations you should know about NYC.

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

50 Cheap Eats Destinations you should know about NYC 

Sofrito Lovers, 

I LOVE IT WHEN NYEATERS.COM POSTS THESE LISTS! From time to time, NYEaters.com posts these amazing lists of "cheap eats" throughout NYC. I love how they include eateries from the Bronx and Brooklyn, usually lists like these aren't as inclusive as they should be!

It's wonderful to have some of my favorite Uptown restaurants and mom'n'pop eateries acknowledged by the geniuses at this site!  I can't wait to read through this list and start pounding the pavement on a few new culinary adventures!

Enough of my rambling!  Read this amazing article, hit the streets, and taste for yourself!  ¡Buen provecho!

1. Tandoor Palace

This Wall Street old timer boasts a steam table room where you pick up your victuals, and a large, labyrinthine dining room. The ground-lamb dish called haleem is particularly flavorful, and vegetarians will particularly enjoy the palak paneer, luxuriant with rubbery cheese chunks and nicely spicy. Pick the tandoori bread over the rice on the $7.50 special — it’s as large as a small child, and much crisper.

88 Fulton St

New York, NY 10038

Visit website

(212) 791-8981 

Read the rest of the article here