Break out of the ordinary by adding flavor to your favorite comfort foods. Your taste buds will be glad you did. For more great recipes, go to culinary.net. (Family Features)
SOURCE:
Culinary.net
Break out of the ordinary by adding flavor to your favorite comfort foods. Your taste buds will be glad you did. For more great recipes, go to culinary.net. (Family Features)
SOURCE:
Culinary.net
Sandra Spalding, Director of Marketing at Twin Liquors, has created a handy spring wine pairings menu just in time for this weekend’s celebrations. Sandra expertly chose a variety of wines with palates perfect for picnic spreads, patio parties and sit down dinner entrees. All featured wines, from ports to rosés, are available for purchase at Twin Liquors.
STARTER – Fonseca Bin No. 27 Port $$
Pour 2 – 3 oz. in a glass filled with ice, and top with tonic and a hearty squeeze of lemon. Garnish with mint, orange slices and cherries, and it’ll be the best alternative to Sangria!
SALAD NICOISE – Sean Minor 4 Bears Chardonnay $
This Central California Coast Chardonnay has aromatic notes of apricot and honeydew, gentle notes of butter, and green apple and pear flavors that provide a refreshing finish.
SPRING ROLLS – Mud House Sauvignon Blanc $
At first sip, the front palate will be greeted with fresh melon, citrus and grapefruit flavors followed by crisp acidity allowing for a long mouth-watering finish.
PASTA with GREEN VEGGIES – Côté Mas Rosé $
Made in Languedoc-Roussillon, France, this rosé offers notes of cherry and strawberry with a smooth yet rich, decadent flavor of ripe red fruit and well-balanced acidity.
BEET SALAD – Chandon Sparkling Red $$
With combined flavors of plum, black cherry and sweet cranberry, and hints of cocoa, bergamot orange and spice, this full-bodied sparkling red invigorates the palate.
PICNIC PARTY – Shania Monastrell Box Wine, 3 Liter $$
This wine sports cassis and blueberry flavors and an intense deep red cherry color with fine tannins and acidity that provide a long, savory finish – all from a box!
ROASTED PORK LOIN OR LEG OF LAMB – I Veroni Chianti Rufina $$
With ripe red fruit aromas, this medium-bodied, dry Italian red is the perfect companion for traditional Tuscan red meat, game and poultry dishes.
GRILLED CHOPS OR VEGGIES – Acheval Ferrer Argentinian Malbec $$
Made from a variety of Mendoza grapes, this Malbec will greet a nose and palate with fresh notes of blackberry, raspberry and violets, and its silky tannins provide a lengthy finish.
EVERYTHING – Taittinger Brut La Francaise $$$
Made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, this wine is unique due to its higher proportion of Chardonnay grape than other non-vintage champagnes and its extended aging process. With its aromatic maturity, this champagne is characterized by its delicate aromas of peach, white flowers, vanilla and brioche notes, and its fresh fruit and honey tones.
PATIO PARTY BUFFET—Palo Duro Canyon TX Sauv Blanc or Zinfandel $
Texas tried and true – both of these wines pair beautifully with an array of spring fare. The Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and fresh, and the Red Zinfandel is packed with luscious fruit flavors.
Striking a balance between work and home life, friends and family, and hobbies and errands can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. As you look to rebalance certain aspects of your life during an opportunity like National Nutrition Month, don’t forget to take your diet into consideration as well.
Including grain-based foods as part of a balanced diet – along with proper exercise – can be an essential part of living a healthier lifestyle and can provide numerous health benefits. In fact, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a 50-50 balance between whole and enriched grains per day for optimal health. Furthermore, research from the Grain Foods Foundation suggests whole and enriched grains supply a variety of key vitamins and minerals, like thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, zinc, selenium and magnesium, and important shortfall nutrients like dietary fiber, iron and folate.
Incorporating grains into meals throughout the day, including these under-500 calorie recipes for Grilled Cinnamon French Toast with Granola Crunch and Roast Beef and Arugula Sandwiches featuring whole and enriched grains, can aid in maintaining a healthy weight. Additional benefits of consuming grains include lowering cholesterol and supporting digestion, while also providing anti-inflammatory nutrients and fiber, which helps fight belly fat.
Find more nutritionist-developed, balanced and budget-friendly recipes for every meal at grainfoodsfoundation.org.
Recipe courtesy of Oroweat on behalf of the Grain Foods Foundation
Prep time: 20 minutes
Servings: 2
Recipe courtesy of Roman Meal on behalf of the Grain Foods Foundation
Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 2
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Quick and easy meals can be hard to come by, especially ones that don’t sacrifice flavor. You don’t have to eat bland foods to provide your family a healthy and hearty, nutrient-filled diet. During National Nutrition Month, it’s the perfect time to refresh your routine with some creative and convenient options that can serve as the starting point for an on-the-go snack or a full-blown meal.
Sandwiches, like this recipe for a BALCMT Sandwich, can be one of the easiest ways to incorporate grains, which deliver shortfall nutrients like dietary fiber, iron and folate into your diet. Research from the Grain Foods Foundation shows about 95 percent of Americans do not meet dietary fiber intake recommendations. Whole grain foods, like bread, buns, rolls, pita and tortillas, can help supply your dietary fiber needs and aid in maintaining a healthy weight and lower cholesterol.
Additionally, enriched grains can play a key role in metabolism by helping the body release energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates, and are also essential for a healthy nervous system, productivity and cognitive development. The vitamins and minerals in enriched grains like folic acid are also critical for reducing the incidence of some birth defects while also promoting cell function and tissue growth.
Some healthier ways to build a snack include using leaner meats and lower sodium cheeses for a sandwich or adding more vegetables to your overall snacking habits. Another nutritious option, Baked Pita Crisps accompanied by Southwest Bean Dip, can help you curb hunger without blowing past your daily calorie count.
Find more recipes and tips for quick and flavorful meals at grainfoodsfoundation.org.
Recipe courtesy of Franz Bakery on behalf of the Grain Foods Foundation
Prep time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1
Chipotle-Mayonnaise Sauce:
Recipe courtesy of the Grain Foods Foundation
Prep time: 30 minutes
Yields: 24 crisps
Crisps:
Southwest Bean Dip:
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There’s no limit to the great things you can enjoy when you’re gluten free. Give options with the ridiculously delicious cookies from Meli’s Monster Cookies. The best tasting gluten-free cookies on the market, Meli’s Monster Cookies are so good, you won’t even know there’s no gluten, flour or wheat in them! Baked treats that everyone can enjoy!
No flour? No problem. Just a few simple ingredients, and you’ve got a super fun treat from Meli’s Monster Cookies:
- Certified gluten-free rolled oats and peanut butter (can use a substitute nut butter for the dry mixes)
- Available in Pre-Baked or Dry Mix
- No flour, wheat or gluten
- Pre-baked cookies are frozen and thaw within minutes for a convenient tasty treat
- Or, fresh baked cookies with 4 steps, 12 minutes and makes 16 delicious cookies!
- Original: Gluten free rolled oats, all natural crunchy peanut butter, all natural chocolate chips, plain and peanut butter M&Ms
- Cashewlicious: All natural crunchy cashew butter, gluten-free rolled oats, all natural dark chocolate chips, dried cherries
- Choco-Lot: All natural organic chocolate chunks, gluten-free rolled oats, white chocolate chips, organic peanut butter
Give these tasty treats as the perfect Easter gift – if you don’t eat them first, that is. Feel good about feasting on these goodies from Meli’s Monster Cookies!Pick up Meli’s Monster Cookies in quality food stores all over the U.S. including Walmart, HEB, Central Market, Market Street and the Dry Cookie Mix is now available on Amazon!
For more information, contact susana@chicexecs.com.
Sheet pan and one-pot dinners can be perfect in a pinch, so it’s no wonder they’ve become a go-to for busy families. Cleanup is typically a breeze with just one pan, and it’s a quick way to get vegetables and protein all in one step. Combine your key ingredients with rich spices, herbs and sauces to create a flavorful meal in no time.
Visit McCormick.com or find McCormick on Facebook and Pinterest for more recipes to make your weeknight meals easier.
Salmon gets a sweet and spicy kick with this crowd-pleasing dish. Chili seasoning mix brings the heat while orange extract, brown sugar and red bell pepper create balance with tang and citrus flavors. Even sweeter: This recipe is made in one pan for an easy, weeknight-friendly meal.
Garlic, butter and white wine create a winning flavor combination, which is freshened up with lemon juice, broccoli and cherry tomatoes in this sheet pan version of an Italian classic.
Being short on time doesn’t mean you have to skimp on flavor. These tuna melts can be on the table in less than 15 minutes. Swap out mayonnaise for tartar sauce in the tuna salad as a better-for-you option with an extra kick.
In one pan, saute shrimp with Parmesan cheese, white wine and herbs, and serve over a bed of fluffy rice. This surprisingly simple, gourmet-tasting dish can be whipped up by nearly any home chef.
Basil Shrimp and Pasta Alfredo
Whisk up a creamy Alfredo sauce with fresh shrimp, bright green peas and crisp basil in just a few minutes. Simply toss with pasta in the same pan and you’re done.
Sheet Pan Lemon Butter Dill Tilapia
This white fish dish gets its flavor from a citrusy, lemon butter dill sauce that adds extra zest. Serve alongside asparagus, shallots and green beans for added veggie goodness. (Family Features)
SOURCE:
McCormick
For many, spring is an opportunity to hit refresh on many aspects of life, including what you eat. Rather than instituting a restrictive diet that forces you to cut back on your favorite snacks and dishes, consider making simple changes that can go a long way so you can enjoy the flavors of the season without sacrificing taste or eating less.
For example, Atkins offers a long-term, healthy lifestyle featuring a balanced approach of high-fiber carbohydrates, optimal protein and healthy fats, while focusing on reducing levels of refined carbohydrates, added sugars and “hidden sugars,” which are the carbohydrates that convert to sugar in the body – you can’t see them but your body does.
Fresh flavors abound during spring, and you can enjoy nature’s bounty while avoiding hidden sugars by selecting high-fiber, low-glycemic fruits and vegetables. For example, a single avocado contains 10 grams of dietary fiber in addition to healthy fat. Consider a menu comprised of recipes like Egg-Filled Avocado with Prosciutto, Avocado Kale Berry Smoothie Bowl and Thai Peanut Buddha Bowl.
Find more inspiration, tips and recipes by seeking out additional resources like “Atkins: Eat Right, Not Less: Your Guidebook for Living a Low-Carb and Low-Sugar Lifestyle.” The book, filled with 100 whole-food recipes and simple solutions for living a low-carb lifestyle, contains a variety of meal plans, low-carb takes on classic comfort foods and tips for creating a low-carb kitchen. Readers can also learn about Atkins 100, a flexible and personalized low-carb lifestyle program.
Learn more about the benefits of a balanced, flexible, low-carb approach to eating at Atkins.com.
Recipe courtesy of “Atkins: Eat Right, Not Less”
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Dressing:
Tip: If you don’t have a spiralizer, you can achieve the same effect by using a vegetable peeler to shave thin ribbons. You can also use a mandoline vegetable slicer then use a knife to cut the strips into thinner noodle-like strips.
Nutritional information per serving: 10.8 g net carbs; 427 calories; 18.1 g total carbs; 7.3 g fiber; 21.8 z protein; 30.7 g fat.
Recipe courtesy of “Atkins: Eat Right, Not Less”
Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Nutritional information per serving: 4.1g net carbs; 422 calories; 16 g total carbs; 11.9 g fiber; 18.5 g protein; 34 g fat.
Recipe courtesy of “Atkins: Eat Right, Not Less”
Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2
Nutritional information per serving: 12.5 g net carbs; 356 calories; 24.2 g total carbs; 11.8 g fiber; 32.2 g protein; 15.6 g fat. (Family Features)
SOURCE:
Atkins
One area of the kitchen that is often overlooked when it comes to spring cleaning is the area home chefs keep their spices, whether it’s a cabinet, rack or drawer. Keeping your spices fresh and organized is a smart way to create faster, more flavorful meals.
Try these tips from Toni Hammersley, author of A Bowl Full of Lemons, for a simple and stress-free way to spruce up your spice storage.
Find more tips for storing and organizing your spices at McCormick.com.
SOURCE:
McCormick
(Family Features)
With March Madness having just kicked off with the First Four yesterday, we want to inform you COVER 3, the leading high-end sports bar & restaurant in Central Texas, will be taking reservations for those interested in watching the basketball tournament and all of the games leading up to the NCAA National Championship, happening on April 2nd.
For some info regarding why basketball fans should consider COVER 3 as their go-to spot to watch all March Madness games, the restaurant has previously been added to CNN’s list of “101 of the best sports bars in the U.S” as well as the “Best Sports Bar in the Central Region” by Sports Illustrated. Each COVER 3 location features more than enough televisions to give guests an extensive selection of tables to choose from that are comfortable and nearest to the TV/game of their choice. Serving upscale food, craft cocktails, and high-end wines, COVER 3 remains elegant and still manages to provide guests with a prime sports viewing experience to watch all TV coverage of the month-long basketball tournament.
COVER 3 is also happy to take care of all the food prep for those hosting their own March Madness viewing parties at home through their Party-To-Go take-out option; which features a pre-set menu(also attached) of some of COVER 3′s most popular game-day items, including the White Queso, Green Chile Beef or Chicken Tinga Nachos, various sliders and wings options, tacos, signature dishes like the Brick Chicken Mac n’ Cheese, side options, as well as healthier items like the Allandale Salad (COVER 3′s most popular menu item at every location), and even desserts such as the Brownie Bites, Cheesecake and Key Lime Pie. Contact Catering@Cover-3.com to place your Party-To-Go order with COVER 3. See below for more details, as well as a link to a folder containing hi-res photos of some of the Party-To-Go menu items.
COVER 3 LOCATIONS:
Are you hosting a St. Patty’s event? Yummy Cupcakes is the perfect treat for the parties! This gourmet cupcake company puts a new twist to a classic recipes with unique flavors such as their green velvet cupcake, Lucky Charms inspired cupcake filled with marshmallow cream and a delicious Lime Meringue.
Yummy Cupcakes has received raving reviews from many prestigious publications such as Every Day with Rachael Raye, O, VOGUE, Martha Stewart, the Food Network and more!
#TWISTITGREEN
Yummy Cupcakes is one of the original cupcakeries, starting in March 2004, and one of the very few who remain a cupcake only business. Yummy Cupcakes makes cupcakes in fun new shapes and delightfully unexpected flavors. The company is the originator of the cupcake in a jar, it also creates cupcakes on sticks and cupcake push pops, Cupcakie Pies, cupcake biscotti and cupcake parfaits. How’s that for out of the box thinking? Its flavors include Green Tea and Honey, Peach Cobbler and Peanut Butter and Jelly to name of few of Yummy Cupcake’s 400 proprietary flavors. They do make Chocolate too!