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Category Archives: Gourmet World

Easy Beginner’s Guide to Meal Prepping

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World, Health .

If you’ve just started paying better attention to your health and fitness, one thing you’re bound to come across is meal prepping. Basically, meal prepping is dedicating time to either cook ingredients in a batch or prepare full meals for the week ahead. Now, all this may sound quite overwhelming at first, but it’s really not and we’ll help you learn the very basics with this quick guide.

First of all, why should you do it?

Meal prepping has many distinct advantages. One big benefit is that you’re sure to eat healthy food for the whole week. Because you’ve prepared your meals already, you’re less likely to eat fast food, junk food, processed food, etc. throughout the day.

Meal prepping is also pretty important when you’re trying to lose or gain weight.  This is because when you prepare the meals yourself, you can balance the calories and macronutrients accordingly with your required daily intake.

Make a Plan

There are actually many prep methods and one might work for you better than another. For example, there’s prepping ready-to-cook ingredients which you can do if you prefer cooking meals before serving. Here you prep all the ingredients and only cook them before your mealtime. The opposite of this is prepping make-ahead meals.

This is when you actually cook a meal in bulk and put it in separate containers. Then, you can just take a container and reheat it when it’s time for you to eat. So, whether it’s prepping make-ahead meals or just the ingredients, make a plan that’s convenient for you.

Start prepping and storing

Let’s use make-ahead meals as an example for this one. Let’s say the meal you plan to make consists of rice, chicken breast, and some broccoli. You plan to have that as your lunch for the whole week so, of course, you should get enough ingredients for the whole week.

Once you’ve cooked everything, place them in separate freezer-, microwave-safe containers. Then, simply store them in your fridge and take one anytime you need it. Then, when it’s time to eat you simply reheat it in an oven or microwave.

Always take note of storage life

The one thing you have to remember is that not all ingredients will have the same storage life. Some vegetables, for example, may last for only 2-3 days while others can still go for 4. So, you always have to be mindful of that.

Freezing your prepped meals properly is simply the best way to maintain quality. Even so, just put date labels for when you think the meal might not be good for consumption anymore. You wouldn’t want to get food poisoning, of course.

Does Your Child Need a Nutritional Supplement?

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World, Health and Wellness, Parenting .

As parents, you would always want to give the best for your child, including complete healthy meals to allow them to grow strong and healthy. Most parents also choose to give vitamin supplements during the crucial growth years especially when the child is picky with the food, but is it worth it?

Children Need Complete Meals

If your child already eats a variety of food, then the short answer is no, because there is no better substitute to food as the primary source of vitamins and nutrients. However, if your child is picky or has feeding problems, you need to consult a pediatrician first before adding a supplement to his/her diet.

Be Wary of Supplements with Promises

Supplements that claim they can make your child smarter or disease-free are probably lying to you. After all, these are just supplements, not medication; and there are no valid proofs that can back up their claims. Be wary as well of supplements that have not been regulated and tested properly, even if the label says it’s all-natural and herbal.

Your child might have allergic reactions or intolerance to the ingredients in suspicious supplements. Some of them are known to have contaminants and are usually less well-regulated than medications, not to mention the host of side effects caused by the ingredients and their reaction to medications currently taken by the child.

Know What Your Child Lacks

Not all children lack the essential vitamins and nutrients needed for growth and development, even the picky eaters. Most of vitamin A, B, C, and E are found in most food; however, vitamin D, fiber, calcium, and omega-3s are only found in low doses in most meals according to various studies. To meet the daily nutritional needs, the pediatrician will advise you to serve more milk, soy, orange juice, cheese, yogurt, fortified eggs, fish oils, canola oil, nuts, flaxseed, high-fiber cereals, and fruits and vegetables.

Know What to Look For

Follow instructions from the pediatrician when looking for children’s supplement. Generally, you should look for products that have a clear instruction and dosage for specific ages and are packed specifically to be child-proof. Be careful when trying to self-medicate and adding more supplements other than that already recommended by the doctor, because it can lead to an overdose. Supplements, however, should never substitute healthy meals consisting of fish, whole wheat, vegetables, dairy, and fruits.

Know the Food Pyramid

To give you an idea how much vitamins and minerals your child needs during his/her growing years, follow the simple food pyramid guide recommended by most pediatricians in Singapore.

  1. Two or three servings of milk, cheese, and yogurt
  2. Two or three servings of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dry beans, and nuts
  3. Three to five servings of vegetables
  4. Two to four servings of fruits
  5. Six to eleven servings of bread, cereal, rice, and pasta
  6. Occasional treats with fats, sweets, and oils

4 Homemade Bread Recipes

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World .

Making bread isn’t a challenge. In fact, it is easier and more fun to make bread at home than purchasing the usual loaf bread at the bakery. Here are delicious and easy-to-make bread recipes you must try.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter, 1 lightly beaten egg, 1 ¾ cups buttermilk, 1 cup raisins or currants, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 4 to 4 ½ cups flour

Preparation: Preheat oven to 425°F while whisking flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Gradually whisk in butter and raisins/currant until the mixture looks coarse. Next, whisk in egg and buttermilk to slowly knead the dough until stiff. Add more flour if dough is sticky then gently knead into a round loaf, however, be careful no to knead too much. Place dough in a greased baking sheet, score the top with a knife, then bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

 

French Bread

Ingredients: 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon active dry yeast, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 1 ½ cups warm water, and 3 ½ to 4 ½ cups flour

Preparation: In a bowl, mix water with yeast, salt, and honey. Let mixture sit for at least 5 minutes to wait for foam to appear on top. After 10 minutes, add flour then knead the dough until the ingredients are fully combined. Form dough into a loaf and cover with a towel for 20 minutes. While waiting, preheat oven to 400°F. When ready, score the top of the dough then bake for 16 to 20 minutes.

 

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients: 2 cups flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 ¼ cups sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup milk plus 2 tablespoons, 1/3 cup sour cream, 3 teaspoons cinnamon, and 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a baking pan. Mix flour, baking powder, salt and ¾ cup sugar in a bowl then set aside. In another bowl, combine milk, egg and sour cream. Pour this wet mixture into the first bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. In a third bowl, mix together ½ cup sugar and cinnamon.

Using a fork, mix in the sugar-cinnamon combo in the batter by swirling, taking care not to stir too much. This will create a swirly pattern on top. Bake for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, create an icing by mixing 2 tablespoons of milk with powdered sugar. Pour this on top of the freshly baked bread.

 

Cheesy Breadsticks

Ingredients: 12 ounces mozzarella, ½ cup milk, 3 cups flour, ½ cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 ¼ teaspoons yeast, 1 ½ tablespoons sugar, 1 cup warm water, salt and pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan

Preparation: In a bowl, combine yeast with sugar and water. Let mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes before adding milk, salt, and a cup of flour. Whisk thoroughly before kneading the dough. Meanwhile, pour ¼ cup melted butter on the bottom of a baking pan then place the dough on top. Wait for 15 minutes for the dough to rise, then spread the rest of the butter on top. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, mozzarella, and parmesan then bake for 20 to 25 minutes in 350°F.

4 Recipes with Dark Chocolate

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World .

Can’t get enough of the bitterness, slight sweetness, and deep flavors of dark chocolate? The good news is that dark chocolate is healthier than its milk chocolate counterpart because of its lower sugar levels. Start exploring other ways to eat the food of the Aztec gods with these dark chocolate recipes.

Dark Chocolate Cake
• Ingredients: ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa, 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 2 eggs, 1 cup cold brewed coffee, 1 cup milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup vegetable oil, and 2 teaspoons vinegar

• Preparation: Preheat oven at 175 degrees C or 350 degrees F, then grease and flour a baking pan (9”x13”). Combine the flour, baking soda, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, then make a well in the center and pour the eggs, milk, coffee, vinegar, and oil. Pour the batter and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool before serving.

Dark Chocolate Pie
• Ingredients: 3 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate, 1 ¼ cups sugar, 3 cups milk, ¼ cup cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon salt, 4 beaten egg yolks, 3 tablespoons butter, 1 baked pastry shell, and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• Preparation: In medium-high heat, combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch, then stir in the milk and chocolate. Remove from heat then stir the filling into egg yolks before boiling the mixture. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla before finally spooning into the pastry shell. Cover and chill for 3 hours.

Dark Chocolate Pudding
• Ingredients: ¼ cup cocoa powder, 2 cups whole milk, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup chopped dark chocolate, 4 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 egg yolks, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons butter, and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• Preparation: Whisk while cooking in a saucepan the following ingredients: milk, cocoa powder, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. When the mixture simmers, add the butter and chocolate. Continue mixing until it boils, then reduce heat to simmer until the mixture becomes thick. Pour the mixture into small cups, cover the cups, and refrigerate until the pudding sets.

Dark Chocolate and Bourbon Torte
• Ingredients: 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, ¼ cup Dutch process cocoa, 2 tablespoons bourbon, 4 egg whites, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, 2 tablespoons flour, ½ cup whipped topping, ¼ cup milk, 1 large egg, vegetable cooking spray, ½ cup dark chocolate morsel, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, ¼ cup softened butter, and ¾ cup granulated sugar

• Preparation: Preheat oven to 300 degrees then microwave the choco morsels. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, egg, milk, bourbon, and melted chocolate. Gradually add the flour and cocoa to the mixture until the ingredients are blended. Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and granulated sugar. Fold ¼ of the egg white mixture into the batter then pour remaining mixture before pouring into coated pan. Bake for 45 minutes and cool for 30 minutes. Pipe whipped topping on the base of the torte then sprinkle powdered cocoa and sugar.

Best Ways to Make Your Food Last Longer

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World .

There’s nothing more frustrating that preparing your salad only to realize that your four-day-old lettuce is already wilting. Expired produce is one of the major sources of food waste, not to mention a serious waste of your hard-earned money as well. Yet, there’s no need to resign yourself to a dry-food-only diet for we listed down some food storage hacks that’ll help keep your produce fresh up to their best-by date.

1. Store Your Veggies on a Vegetable Sack
There’s no need to store all your vegetables in the refrigerator just to keep them fresh. Veggies like garlic, onions, potatoes and shallots shouldn’t be kept in the fridge as it’ll only make them spoil faster. Most root vegetables tend to last longer if you store them in a dry place. Most households in Singapore don’t have root cellars for storing food, so the best alternative to this is using vegetable sacks for storage. It’ll help keep them from cold and light, and there’ll also be no sprouting.

2. Use Air-Tight Containers

As much as possible, avoid leaving half-empty cereal boxes and other dry foods out in the open. Doing so could make them stale and tasteless. To keep that from happening, ensure that you place them in air-tight containers after opening their original packaging. If you want, you can also reuse pasta sauce bottles as a container for storing dry foods.

3. Keep Your Cheese in a Cheese Keeper

Keeping any type of cheese fresh isn’t easy. If it develops moulds, it could become mushy, unappetizing and unhealthy. One way of keeping a cheese fresh is by storing in a cheese keeper. It’ll help in regulating the levels of humidity surrounding the cheese, keeping the cheese from drying out and preventing the moulds from forming.

4. Invest in a Vacuum Sealer

Vacuum sealers are an incredibly useful tool for maintaining the freshness of any food. By simply touching a single button, the machine will instantly seal the food in an air-tight vacuum bag. It can be used to store leftovers and sauces, and keep them fresh for several weeks or a month.

5. Make Use of Produce Savers

Some fruits and vegetables produce ethylene gas as they become ripe, causing them to spoil faster. To ensure that your fresh produce lasts longer, simply use the food savers. This tool absorbs the extra ethylene gas and humidity found in any fresh produce, resulting to an increase shelf life of the foods.

Practising proper food storage is one way of prolonging the shelf life of your produce and avoiding food and most wastage. So be sure to put these storage tips to work to keep your food fresh up to their expiration date.

5 Things You Should Never Order At a Restaurant

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World, Lifestyle .

 

Every restaurant has its own specialties—dishes that they do really well and are known for. And while there are some obvious things you should not order from certain restaurants—such as a cheese burger in a Chinese restaurant or a lobster roll in a fast food chain—there are things that you should never order from any restaurant, ever, for outrageous mark-ups, germ minefields, food poisoning and many more reason. Here’s a few of them:

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  1. Tap Water

Bottled water may be a bit more expensive, but water left sitting out at room temperature can be a breeding ground for bacteria. And if you ordered water served directly from the tap, you never know how clean the tap (and pipes) are.

  1. Meat With Bone In

Small cuts of meat with the bones in, like chicken breasts or bone-in pork, take more time to cook thoroughly because the outsides easily char. Therefore, this translates to crispy on the outside and raw on the inside. Unlike undercooked beef, such as a steak tartare or a rare beef patty—undercooked chicked and pork are dangerous and can cause food-borne illnesses. Not to mention that bone-in means lesser meat.

  1. Free Bar Snacks

Since these pretzels, nuts and other munchies are free of charge, bars and restaurants often do not set out fresh serving for each order, It is like eating out of a stranger’s hand. At closing time, many of these free snacks are dumped back into containers, to be re-served to customers the next day.

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  1. Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg wedge salad is one of the F&B industry’s major rip-offs. Take into consideration that iceberg lettuce is 98 percent water, and it is priced at least 20 times its worth. Plus, germs and bacteria can hide in the lettuce’s crack, edges and corners. Even if restaurants wash their greens, these lettuces are often served soggy, which is a red flag—natural water content mixed with room temperature mayo-based dressing is a recipe for a food disaster.

  1. Saucy Recipes

For restaurants to avoid running out of ingredients, they purposely purchase more ingredients than they need. At the end of the day, excess ingredients that have not yet expired can be used for tomorrow’s specials, disguised in sauce. Be careful with meats that have been braised, cut and disguised in stews, pastas or soup dishes.

While some of these dishes sound alluring, they are included in this list for a reason. Some menu items just ridiculously priced while others carry a higher risk of food-borne illnesses. Order smarter the next time you dine out by keeping these not-to-order foods in mind.

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Qualities of Excellent Restaurants in Singapore

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World, Life in Singapore, Lifestyle .

 

Are you in search of a restaurant in Singapore? Singaporean food might not be as popular as those in its neighboring nations, but there are points why you have to go give it a try. Whenever you wish to try something new today that would not dissatisfy the picky eater within you, you then must consider travelling to a Singaporean restaurant. If you wish to delight someone, this would help to take them to the best restaurant Singapore situated.

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How would you find out when a Singaporean restaurant is surely worth visiting? Here are a couple points you must look into.

  1. Easy online reservations

You may have found out about a number of Singaporean dining places. It is now time to go see them out and know regarding them by searching the Internet. If you’re after the frequently-visited restaurants, then they’ll likely also have online booking options for their client convenience. While you are with it, bear in mind your experience navigating their website. A Singaporean diner that is popular around town will try to make bookings a lot simpler for their clients.

  1. Different food selection

If you are from Singapore or have visited the country before, it is likely you are longing for its famous food. Or you may want to make certain that all your dining companions would have a dish to order according to their own choices. Check if the Singaporean restaurant has a wide selection of meals you can select from. You may be searching for a specific dish. In this regard, it will be worth it to ensure the diner serves it.

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  1. Positive customer reviews

You want anyone you are bringing to the restaurant to enjoy their meals and the entire dining experience. One way you could make sure that you’re set for an incredible experience is by looking into customer assessments. Find out what everyone has to say on the dishes and the crew. Your enjoyment of the dish may be affected by the quality of assistance the cafe staff delivers. It is only fitting to ensure that the staff does a great job accommodating the demands of their customers.

  1. First-class dining experience

Aside from the food, the decoration and atmosphere in the restaurant also contribute to the entire dining experience. The best restaurant Singapore based takes their clients to a trip to Singapore with their style theme. From the furnishings up to the style patterns, the place should keep up to the expectation they have established on the food list. The cafe have to express class and provide convenience to their clients.

  1. Finally, convenient takeaway service

Seek for a Singaporean restaurant that features reputable takeaway service. It is so you can enjoy Singaporean cuisine even if you’re too occupied to go out.

Don’t forget to review these factors as you determine which Singaporean restaurant to visit. All are evenly significant in your search for you to enjoy this cuisine you’ve always been craving to eat. And when you did like the meals and service, make sure you relay among your friends.

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The Oily Fish Study  

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World, Health and Wellness .

 

There is a new study that interests Singaporeans. The study was conducted by Cleveland Clinic Children and it was all about the oily fishes. According to the study, oily fishes have plenty of health benefits especially for kids.

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The study involved parents and their kids as well. The parents and kids completed questionnaires providing detail of how often they consume ninety eight beverages and foods common in Sweden. In the case of fishes, respondents were specifically asked of oily varieties like mackerel, herring and salmon. Researchers also asked respondents to name oily alternatives which include tuna, pollock, codfish and pike.

Their study revealed:

  • Rhinitis symptoms: 19% of the children who have rhinitis symptoms like runny nose or sneezing come in contact with pollens or furry pets after 4.

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  • Allergic rhinitis: 21% of the children developed allergic rhinitis and about 15% developed non allergic rhinitis at the age of 16 (this is about 1,590 children who had no symptoms when they were eight).  
  • Conclusion: The study divulged that eating oily fishes may keep the allergies away from kids. In fact, the study proved that about 50% of the children who consumed oily fishes dropped their risk of allergic rhinitis.

Knowing this, as parents, we have to encourage our kids to eat oily fishes especially if they are prone to nasal allergies. As mentioned above, oily fishes include herring, mackerel and salmon. We can also consider tuna, codfish and pike.

Allergic rhinitis is very uncomfortable and it can affect our kids. If the symptoms persist, we have to consult our doctors right away for proper medication.

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What to Expect From Your Bbq Caterer?

Posted on by Posted in Gourmet World .

When planning to host a bbq party, it would be best to hire a Singapore bbq catering company. The catering expertise of these providers can make any bbq party extraordinary. Though bbq cookout parties seem easy to organize, it entails lots of planning and decision making before, during, and after the event. When employing bbq catering services, here are the duties that you can expect from them.

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Creating the Menu
Bbq wholesale and catering services in Singapore have two approaches when it comes to creating their client’s menu – set menus and customizable menus. Regardless of the kind of menu you’ll have, your caterer is responsible for creating one for your barbecue party. Generally, established catering companies incorporate their catering style and branding to the menus they create for their customers. For instance, a gourmet bbq catering company keeps their menu to the traditional bbq style, while catering company specializes in French cuisine creates a bbq menu centralizing in French recipes and preparation methods. The catering company also handles the purchasing and should carry with them enough stocks of ingredients on the event.

Food Preparation and Service
Obviously, the bbq wholesale and catering company like my bbq place from Singapore is the one responsible for food preparation. This includes shopping for all ingredients necessary in your otah and satay party. Also, the catering services provider is expected to do the cooking on-site and serving food to guests. Caterers should also ensure that the food is prepared according to the state health department’s food safety and sanitation guidelines.

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Transporting Food Items
Transporting of food items is another duty for your bbq caterer. To ensure efficient transport of your ordered foods, find out what vehicle they use to travel to and fro locations. A catering service company should have plenty of vehicular space to contain warmers and coolers for food that needs to be kept warm and chilled. Other items may be prepared in advance while some must be prepared on the site. Your bbq catering service provider should have complete catering packing supplies and knowledge of proper packing techniques to successfully complete an on-location catering job.

Setting Up
In most cases, bbq caterers are tasked to set-up the outdoor location for the barbecue party. They will setup all the chairs, tables, linens, and place labels where guests will be seated. Even if the area is pre-arranged, when the caterer arrives, they will always have to rearrange the setting a little bit to make room for food serving area or create a buffet style setting for guests to easily move around and help themselves.

Event Coordination
In many instances, the food is served in the middle of events. In these circumstances, the caterer will have to work closely with the event coordinator or the master of the ceremony to be sure that meals are served at the right time without disturbing anybody or obstruct any important event. One example of this event is wedding receptions. The servers may serve the appetizers while guests are received, but may be required to leave the dining area while speeches and toasts are ongoing.

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Cleaning Up
The last and final step that every catering company is tasked to do is the cleaning up and tearing down of the dining setup. All dishes, glasses, silverware, and tables and chairs must be removed, linens collected and garbage cleaned up. Packing up serving equipment, thermal containers, and leftovers is typically the last responsibility of a Singapore bbq catering provider.