Buttermilk, a perfect healthy food

Due to the “butter” in this long word you may think that buttermilk is very buttery milk. But in fact buttermilk is low-fat milk with sour taste, which is left after butter churning. And that fat free milk is a very healthy food containing lots of nutrients: carbohydrates, calcium, potassium, magnesium, Vitamins (B Group).

Buttermilk is rich in natural probiotic, that supports healthy digestion and prebiotic, which supports the growth of healthy bacteria in human body.

You can use buttermilk in different ways, e.g. you can make hair masks, or add it into your bath, use it for peeling procedures. In cooking you can use buttermilk as salad dressing base, or marinade for poultry for frying, or add it to your bakery according to the recipes. For drinking purposes it is perfect within the first week after opening.

Find recipes with buttermilk used as a salad dressing in the book Easy Peasy Tasty Salads. Get it on Amazon right now!

Things you should know about shrimp

Shrimp contain a lot of Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. These vitamins play a great role in blood cells formation, support metabolism and help produce energy. Shrimp contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce cardiovascular problems, heart disease, high blood pressure and support lower cholesterol level in blood. Shrimp are also a source of Vitamin D, which is very important for strong teeth and bones. Why is it so important? The absorption of calcium and phosphorus is controlled by Vitamin D.

You probably know, that shrimp are high in cholesterol. Then you need to know that the cholesterol in shrimp is food cholesterol, which differs from the one produced in human liver. Shrimp cholesterol doesn’t contain trans fats, thus doesn’t actually affect the cholesterol level in your body.

Discover shrimp salad recipes in the book Easy Peasy Tasty Salads. Get it on Amazon

Proteins and red kidney beans

Proteins are very important for metabolism, strong immunity and building muscles and blood cells. In the human body proteins turn into amino acids. Meat and eggs are considered to be complete source of proteins, as they contain all the essential amino acids. Nowadays lots of people prefer to avoid meat in their diet. So they need to find non animal sources of protein. Such incomplete sources of protein are low in a number of amino acids, compared to meat. But still they are a great solution for a certain meatless diet. Red kidney beans do fit best. They have a great nutritional value, and a meaty taste. Red kidney beans contain all the essential amino acids. The benefits of red kidney beans are numerous: they are low in fat, great source of folate, and make you fill full. Red kidney beans are a good protein source for those who are reducing meat intake in the menu.

Find a number of red kidney beans salad recipes in the book Easy Peasy Tasty Salads on Amazon

Salads are the most popular meal!

Salads are included in basic everyday menu. You can find salads at any restaurant, café and supermarket. And you can make them yourself: fast and easy, especially when you do not have enough time to cook a special meal. All you need is ingredients (usually found in your pantry) and a desire to be creative. There are so many varieties of salads, that you may start trying new combinations of ingredients and dressings. Due to vegetables and fruit salads are the source of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Salads, which include beans and boiled shrimp, eggs, chicken etc. bring protein to your body. Though the last bring lots of fat and calories too, still that’s not the reason for paranoia. What is really important is the amount. Everything is recommended to be consumed in moderation.

Discover some new variaties of salads in the book Easy Peasy Tasty Salads. Get it on Amazon

Pickles, pickles, pickles

Foodies Unite! Happy weekend!

I love pickles: all those cucumbers, Korean carrots, Japanese pickles…Pickles are low in calories and fat, and high in sodium. Eating lots of salt may increase the reason of high blood pressure. What can those, who love crunchy and flavory pickles, do? Is there any solution? Yes. There are lots of varieties of low-sodium pickles. They contain less salt, and are high in antioxidants, which protect our body against free radical attacks. Pickles improve digestion due to probiotics, and bring essential vitamins and minerals to your body. Of course, pickles should be consumed in moderation.

Get yummy salad recipes with pickles here

EVOO

Extra virgin olive oil is obtained from the olives by means of “cold” pressure. So the olives are pressed, no heating is used, and the extracted oil is considered to be the healthiest. It is high in antioxidants and low in acidity. That’s why extra virgin olive oil is always expensive. It preserves the best flavor and has darker color in comparison with the pure olive oil, which is usually refined with neutral flavor. Extra virgin and pure (refined) olive oil have different smoke points, i.e. the temperature, when the oil starts to burn is different. Due to the facts, mentioned above, extra virgin olive oil is perfect for salad dressings and marinating, while regular olive oil is good for sautéing, grilling and roasting.

Find a number of yummy recipes with extra virgin olive oil dressings in the cookbookEasy Peasy Tasty Salads

Peeling bell peppers

When you need to add some bell peppers to your dish, you start thinking of those annoying tiny pieces of pepper skin between your teeth. You decide to peel the peppers and use only soft and silky pepper flesh. But how to peel bell peppers? Those buddies have extremely thin skin, and an ordinary vegetable peeler is not the best solution, as the pepper shape won’t let you peel it perfectly. Still there is the most recommended method, which some people consider a little bit old-fashioned: just roast them in the oven. This way of peeling is quite simple. Besides, this way brings incredible flavor.

Find salad recipes with roasted and peeled bell peppers in the cookbook Easy Peasy Tasty Salads

Mayonnaise: for and against

To eat or not to eat mayonnaise - that is the question.

Those who are concerned about extra weight and healthy eating sometimes do forget that there are advantages and disadvantages everywhere. And mayonnaise is not the exception. Mayonnaise is considered to be a fatty product, but the fat it contains is of plant origin. And the more fat it contains, the better. For instance, homemade mayonnaise contains about 80% fat. The main ingredients are oil, lemon juice (or vinegar), and eggs. Commercial low fat mayonnaise contains starch and other stuff, which helps imitate the real mayonnaise. Treat yourself, don’t cheat yourself: consuming a fatty product in moderation is more useful, rather than consuming an imitation.

Surfing the web, I found a number of polls showing that mayonnaise still remains the top condiment in the USA. Just compare: pro-mayo 67%, anti-mayo 33%, total number of votes 501.

Find the recipe of homemmade mayo in the book Easy Peasy Tasty Salads