Cooking | Page 10 of 18 | The Rambling Epicure

Health Challenge: Getting Your Vitamin C Fix

Published by Jonell Galloway + Thursday, December 1, 2011 Permalink 0

by Tamar Chamlian

Vitamin C Supplements

At the first signs of the common cold, in the modern world, we turn to vitamin C supplements, in any form or shape — whether chewable tablets, effervescent tablets, fortified juices…you name it. Vitamin C is most often associated with the “flu” or common cold because of its reputation to keep the body strong and healthy.

People rely on these supplements, or on hot drinkable remedies fortified with Vitamin C, because they are accessible, quick, and the common notion about this vitamin is that it helps you get relief from the common cold. The best source of vitamin C almost always comes from fresh fruits and vegetables. The wisest, most common sense thing to do is to add them to your daily diet to ensure you get it from natural sources, without turning to packaged, processed, chemically-made tablets.

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Thankful Moments — Honey-Ginger and Pomegranate Salad

Published by Esha-Chhabra + Tuesday, November 29, 2011 Permalink 0

by Renu Chhabra

“For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last Sunday, I went for a walk with my daughter in our neighborhood. It was a lovely autumn afternoon, and sunshine was gracing the landscape with its golden rays. Everywhere we looked, the view was stunning with trees dressed in red, green and golden tones. “Look at that red tree – it looks so majestic. Let’s take a picture of it,” I said. “And what about that wall covered with golden leaves? That’s very charming too,” she pointed out with excitement. Enjoying these simple moments was worth treasuring. We clicked several pictures of this beautiful scenery.

Food News Daily: November 29, 2011

Published by Jonell Galloway + Tuesday, November 29, 2011 Permalink 0

Click here to read an overview of the latest global food news.

Health Challenge: The Hot Soups of Winter, Nourishment of Body and Soul

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, November 28, 2011 Permalink 0

by Tamar Chamlian

There are many reasons to love winter. For some, it might be gorgeous change of colors as the new seasons ease in; for others it’s festivities that bring celebration and lots of activity. I like both the colors and the festivities, but most of all I like the abundance and versatility of vegetables available that can be used in endless combinations to make hot soup.

Make your own pumpkin pie spice for pies and lattes

Published by Jonell Galloway + Tuesday, November 22, 2011 Permalink 0

Save money on those pumpkin spice lattes by making your own pumpkin spice with this recipe. Click here to see recipe.

Find variations on this spice recipe here.

And if you get a craving for pumpkin pie spice lattes from time to time, here’s a low-calorie version. For an all-out version, whipped cream and all, you might go for this recipe. For a simple version using fresh pumpkin purée, click here.

I’m having baked sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving!

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, November 21, 2011 Permalink 0

by Jonell Galloway

Sweet potatoes are a traditional part of a American Thanksgiving dinner. Every family has its own favorite or traditional recipe. Here’s mine, in all its simplicity.

I love sweet potatoes for their natural flavor and texture, so I simply scrub them really well and bake them, with the peeling on, at 200° C / 400° F until they’re soft enough to eat. The time depends on the time and variety of sweet potato. I then cut them crosswise into chunks (still leaving the peel), put them into a serving dish, and slather them with butter with sea salt, which I buy from my cheesemonger.

No marshmallows, no brown sugar, no maple syrup, just au nature.

It’s interesting to watch Europeans’ reactions to them. At first they’re puzzled, but on their second bite, they usually find them interesting and like them.

Note: If you peel them, they will dry out in the oven.

Simple Sustenance: Cumin-Lime Pumpkin Mash

Published by Esha-Chhabra + Thursday, November 17, 2011 Permalink 0

by Renu Chhabra

Savoring Fall

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.–George Eliot

Fall is a perhaps the earthiest of seasons. Crisp air, fallen leaves, and trees changing hues make it a season to savor before winter sets in. For me, it’s a pleasant reminder of the holiday season ahead. But most of all, fall brings us an abundance of harvest.

The first thing that comes to my mind is pumpkin – the good old orange ball, greeting us at farm stands and grocery stores. Big, small, mini, round, and some not so round — they all whisper, “Take me home with you!” How can you ignore these scrumptious beauties? Even though they are not the easiest of fruits to peel, if you can win that battle, there are endless ways to enjoy them, sweet or savory.

Health Challenge: Luscious Red Cranberries, good for your Health and Good for your Heart

Published by Jonell Galloway + Wednesday, November 16, 2011 Permalink 0

by Tamar Chamlian

5 Easy Ways to Use Cranberries to Make Dishes Healthier and Add Pizzazz

Cranberry harvest in New Jersey in U.S.

It’s autumn, a season when the color of much of nature goes red by default — vineyards, trees, Japanese oaks, Virginia creeper. Houseware and kitchen accessories — and even Starbucks — magically sells everything in red, even the paper cups. Except for cranberries, which are naturally red, and we have plenty of good reasons to eat them in abundance during the two months they are available, not just for their color, but for their taste and health benefits.

Here are five easy ways to incorporate cranberries into pretty much any dish you’re whipping up.

Old-fashioned, American-style layer cakes, revised

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, November 14, 2011 Permalink 0

by Old Fashioned Living

I am not a lover of sweets, in fact most of the time I dislike them, which is quite a handy thing for my figure.

Still, sometimes, nostalgia takes over. I remember my great aunt’s fresh coconut layer cake, with the layers stacked high like a cathedral, and how the white coconut reminded me of angel’s wings. I remember moist chocolate layer cakes from childhood birthday parties. Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, popular when I was in college. As a little girl, how pretty the name “red velvet cake” sounded. Gingerbread with hot butterscotch sauce on a cold winter’s day, made by my best friend’s mother on Saturday afternoons.

Food Art: Fig Delice, food photography by Prerna Singh

Published by Jonell Galloway + Monday, November 14, 2011 Permalink 0

Prerna Singh runs the award-winning food blog Indian Simmer, which was a finalist in the prestigious Saveur Best Food Blogs this year. Her photos are at the same time sophisticated and rustic, giving a natural yet polished look to the simplest of foods. She grew up in India, but now lives in the U.S. with her husband and daughter.

Prerna uses a Canon 50mm f1.4 lens and photographs in natural light, occasionally using reflectors.