Expand Your Culinary Horizons With Latin American Cooking Recipes

By Christa Jarvis

Eating the same type of food day after day can become really boring. Cooking also becomes nothing more than a chore when you're always making the same old stand-by dishes. To rediscover the joys of the kitchen, it might be time to expand your culinary horizons and try something new. Latin American cooking recipes are ideal, since they often use ingredients that are easy to find and they won't be too strange for the kids to try as well.

Many people think of burritos and tacos when they think of the cuisine of Latin America. However, the region is huge, with many different cultures. The landscape varies too, with tropical jungles, high mountain regions, wide plains, deserts and a coastline that stretches from the tropics to sub-polar regions. This means that there is a wide variety of ingredients to use and inevitable there are huge regional variations in what people eat.

Many foods that today are found everywhere in the world originally came from the Americas. They include avocados, chocolate and tomatoes. Probably the most important contribution to the world's food resources has been the cultivation of corn, which originated in Central America and is still the starch of choice here. People use it for making the ever-popular tortilla but also for different variations of tamales and pupusas.

Another staple from the Americas is the potato, which came from the Andean highlands and is still eaten almost everywhere. In tropical areas the plantain is often used instead and manioc is a Caribbean favorite. Rice often comes with red or black beans and it can be served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Different varieties of squash are just some of the vegetables served as well.

For protein, people tend to opt for meat or fish, depending on where they live. Beef is ubiquitous in Argentina and Paraguay while in many other countries, pork is more popular. Chicken is cheap and used in dishes from Mexico to Patagonia. The Peruvian national dish of ceviche, which is made with raw fish and lime juice, has become so popular that you'll now find it in most coastal towns as well as at lakeside locations.

Some desserts are found throughout Latin America, with only slight regional variations. These include dulce de leche and flan, as well as tres leches cake. At certain times of the year, for instance during Holy Week, you'll also be able to find seasonal specialties.

One of the greatest things about the region is the variety of delicious fruits to be found here. These make for a healthy, nutritious snack. They're also very tasty when blended into drinks similar to smoothies. In some areas, people make tasty, creamy drinks by using corn or rice as well. Rum is a popular alcoholic drink.

Food websites are great places to look for recipes from Latin America. Another option is to find specialty recipe books. A fun way to learn how to cook like a true Latina, though, is to visit the region and enroll in some cookery classes.

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Have A Culinary Trip To South America With Colombian Food Recipes

By Karina Frost

Ethnic cuisine is not something that only gourmands enjoy anymore. These days, most towns will have at least an Italian, a Chinese and a Mexican restaurant. The many culinary traditions around the world make for endless variety and learning how to prepare meals from other nations is as easy as doing a quick internet search. If you want to try a meal with some real Latin flavor, you can't go wrong with Colombian food recipes.

Colombia is a very diverse country. Its geography consists of regions that couldn't be more different from one another, such as the chilly Andean regions and the sweltering Caribbean coast. This diversity means that Colombian cooks have a huge array of ingredients to work with. Add to this the fact that the people themselves have diverse ethnic backgrounds too and you have the recipe for a richly varied cuisine.

Breakfast can be light and simple, consisting of not much more than fruit and 'arepa', which is a pancake-like, corn-based bread. However, it can also be heartier, with egg dishes such as 'huevos pericos'. Rice and beans feature on the breakfast table in some regions. You may even start your day with a soup made of beef and vegetables or the milky soup known as 'changua', which is normally served with a poached egg. Hot chocolate or a cup of the country's famous coffee rounds off the meal.

The main meal is normally served in the afternoon. Colombians love their meat and won't hesitate to eat different types of meat at the same time. An example is 'bandeja paisa', often called the country's national dish, which features beef as well as pork and even sausages. Chicken is popular too. Along the coast, fresh seafood features more strongly.

New-world vegetables such as potatoes and corn feature strongly, as do carrots and peas. Tamales are popular too and instead of being wrapped in corn husks, they come in banana leaves. Coconut is another ingredient that is used especially in the more tropical areas and many Colombian meals will also feature cassava or plantains.

Fruit is popular throughout the country and the array of exotic fruits is astonishing. Don't fret though if you can't find dragon fruit or soursop in your local supermarket. Colombian cuisine also includes more familiar offerings such as bananas, mangoes, guavas and papayas.

If the many fruits on their own aren't enough to satisfy your sweet tooth at the end of a meal, you'll find plenty of ways to use them in more substantial desserts, such as meringue. They also form the base for a 'cholado', which is perfect for a hot summer's day. For something more sophisticated, try figs, which are cooked in a sweet syrup and used to top cheese. Colombia also has its own version of rice pudding and flan, which here includes coconut.

There are different ways to find authentic Colombian recipes. Recipe books that focus on the food of Latin America may feature some. Otherwise, check out various food blogs online. The best sources of good recipes, however, are Colombians themselves, so consider choosing this exciting country as your next holiday destination.

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Have a taste of Latin American cuisine by trying out Colombian food recipes. This web page entails all the latest info about this fascinating country and its culture at http://www.mycolombiancocina.com.

Famous Latin American Cooking Recipes

By Mattie MacDonald

Latin American food is rich, colorful, robust and flavorful, in short, fun to explore. This region includes Caribbean and Mexico and South and Central America, and every part has its traditional dishes. Latin American cooking recipes are inventive in every single part, and here are some traditional ones you will surely enjoy in.

Easy to prepare but really delicious Brazilian empanadas are definitely something you should start with. First you need to make a dough. Mix together three cups flour, ten tablespoons of butter, a little bit of salt and turmeric and six tablespoons of shortening. Add one egg and a half cup of beer and make the dough. Leave it to rest for at least fifteen minutes.

Now you have to prepare the filling. Saute one diced onion on two tablespoons of butter, add one can of diced palm hearts and two small diced tomatoes. After few minutes, add some Sherry and one spoon of tomato paste. When it is done, add peeled and diced shrimp, maybe one half pound. Add some salt and fresh ground pepper.

Flatten the dough and cut it into three-inch rounds. Place a small spoon of filling on each, brush the edges with mixed egg yolk and fold in half. Seal the edges with your fingers or use a fork. Preheat the oil on 190 degrees of Celsius and deep fry each empanada for maybe four minutes.

Cuban sandwiches are highly popular, but people mostly add jalapenos and mayonnaise in them today. Traditional Cuban sandwiches don't contain such ingredients. You will need two slices of Cuban or French bread, yellow mustard, four pickle slices, four slices of ham and four slices of roast pork, and three slices of Swiss cheese. Put it in a sandwich press. You can add some butter as well.

Coconut rice is really simple recipe to try. This traditional dish is prepared quickly, and you will love it. You will need only few simple ingredients, including two cups of rice and water, one can of coconut milk, two spoons of sugar, some salt and a half cup of raisins and some coconut flakes for decoration, preferably toasted. Long grain rice is usually used for this dessert.

Mix together sugar, salt, rice, water and coconut milk. Stir occasionally until water evaporates. Set on the lowest temperature, cover the saucepan and continue cooking for another twenty minutes. Use a fork to mix in raisins, remove from the heat and leave it rest for a while. Sprinkle with coconut flakes and serve hot or cold.

A type of doughnut called Churro is one really popular snack. There are so many different recipes for preparing it, and all are really simple. All you need is two cups of flour, water, salt, some sugar, according to your taste and four spoons of vegetable oil, and some salt.

Cook sugar, salt and oil in two cups of water. Remove from heat and stir in flour, until the ball of dough is formed. Make strips of the dough using your pastry bag, and deep fry until golden. Mix one cup of sugar with cinnamon and roll drained churros in this mixture. You will positively enjoy in these simple snacks.

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Make Living An Ethical Life Easier With Vegan Frozen Meals

By Jaclyn Hurley

With a growing number of people trying to be more ethical in their consumer choices, veganism is becoming increasingly popular. However, giving up so many of your favorite foods can be a challenge. The good news is that the variety of delicious vegan frozen meals makes that transition much easier.

Vegans are people who don't eat any animal products whatsoever. This means that unlike vegetarians, who usually eat dairy and often egg products, vegans stay away from foods like cheese, yogurt, milk and even honey. The reason for this choice is often religion or the ethics involved in animal husbandry.

Like most diets, one that doesn't include animal products can be boring if you don't put some thought into preparing your dishes. However, with a bit of imagination you can enjoy hearty meals full of flavor. These dishes can take some time and effort to prepare, though. Luckily things become much less complicated if you can just take a meal from the freezer and heat it up in the oven, in the microwave or on the stove.

With veganism being especially popular in countries like India, it's inevitable that there are many fragrant curries that don't contain anything that comes from animals. Chinese, Japanese and other Asian cuisines also have plenty of vegan options. Middle Eastern and Latin American cuisines are great choices too.

Many people think that vegans only rely on curry, hummus or less familiar foods such as quinoa, or that alternatively they eat only healthy dishes such as salads. However, vegans love comfort food just like everybody else. Pot pies and pasta dishes such as macaroni and cheese can easily be incorporated into a vegan diet by simply using dairy-free cheese and butter substitutes.

Vegans can enjoy fast foods just as easily as everybody else. You can buy frozen burritos or pizzas that use dairy-free cheese. Legumes usually form the basis of burgers and these days you'll even find soy-based hot dogs that taste just like the real thing.

A good meal becomes a great one when you end it with something sweet. Ice cream doesn't have to contain dairy to still have a rich and creamy taste. Ingredients such as coconut milk or even avocado can do the job of cream perfectly well. Baking is easy too since you can use things like apple sauce or vinegar instead of eggs and there are many chocolate options that are completely dairy free.

Frozen meals that are suitable for vegans are easy to come by these days. Most grocery stores stock some but for a wider variety, you may want to visit your local health-food store. You can also order dishes online. Another option is to prepare extra whenever you cook and just freeze portions for those days when you don't have the time or energy to spend in the kitchen.

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Coffee Health Benefits - The Health Benefits Of Coffee

By Bill Jamison

Everyone is down at their local coffee house getting a cup of their favorite beverage. It has long been suspected that there may be some health risks associated with the regular consumption of coffee, but increasingly, it seems that any risks may be far outweighed by the beneficial effects.

Historical research holds that coffee increases your risk of everything from heart disease to cancer.

Recent scientific research indicates that the health benefits of coffee may outweigh its risks, when it is taken in moderation. The primary reason for this change in thinking is that many coffee drinkers in the older studies also smoked cigarettes, making it difficult to separate the health effects of these two substances.

Caffeine is the best known psychoactive substance in coffee and caffeine is responsible for many of the effects of coffee, for both good and ill. Individuals who consume four or more cups of coffee daily may experience side effects including anxiety, irritability and difficulty sleeping, although these effects are largely limited to people who are sensitive to caffeine. The results of the studies performed thus far seem to indicate that in order to derive the maximum benefits from coffee, consumption should be limited to two or three cups daily and that the beverage should be taken without milk or sugar.

Coffee increases your alertness, which can be beneficial for certain tasks. A scientific study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that caffeine improves the ability of students to detect grammatical errors in written text, especially errors in verb tense and subject verb agreement. The same study did not show an improvement in the students' ability to detect misspelled words.

A Harvard University study also found a correlation between coffee consumption and a lower risk of depression in women. The study, published in The Archives of Internal Medicine, found that women who drank two to three cups of coffee per day had a 15% lower risk of developing depression, while those who drank four or more cups per day experienced a 20% lower risk of depression. The lower risk of depression in women who drink coffee regularly is thought to be due to caffeine's effects on regulating the release of neurotransmitters which affect mood.

A study published in The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that mice who were given an amount of coffee equivalent to 4 - 5 cups in humans had elevated levels of the hormone Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor, which is believed to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Coffee may also reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men. A study at the Harvard School of Public Health studied men who drink at least six cups of coffee per day. This study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, and found that the risk of these men developing the most dangerous type of prostate cancer decreased by 60 percent. It also found that this amount of coffee reduced the risk of all forms of prostate cancer in the test subjects by 20 percent.

Caffeine may also reduce the risk of basal cell carcinoma, which is the most common form of cancer. This finding was recently presented to the American Association for Cancer research. A study at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School also showed that women consuming at least three cups of coffee per day experienced a 20 percent reduction in the risk of skin cancer. The men in this study experienced a 9 percent reduction.

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Thank you My Cap-supplier of Keurig k cup caps (my-cap.com) for the ideas on coffee and k-cup products. I'm not associated with My Cap and they did not review this document.