Create Dazzling Delicious Gourmet Fresh Fruit Salads

If you enjoy making fruit salads as part of your summer fare during picnics and family get-togethers, you’re going to love the suggestions we have for you here. Knowing how to combine  the right blend of fruits in a salad, either alone or with other ingredients, is the first step to creating fruit salads that impress and delight your guests.

Combine Ingredients that Compliment

Certain fruits are better candidates for a combination of greens and fruit salad, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment a little to find new flavors you enjoy. Summer melons like honeydew and cantaloupe are always good, but a number of different fruits and berries are equally compatible with some basic greens such as romaine lettuce or other mixed varieties. Consider adding, for instance, grapefruit segments to add zip and zing to an otherwise traditional spinach salad. It’s all about the flavors playing off each other.

If it’s just fruit in the salad you’re making, the sky’s the limit as to what you might combine for a delicious treat with your meals. Lots of different berries are in season in the warmer months, so consider adding two or three different varieties to a more basic fruit salad made with bananas, apples, and grapes. A little splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice will help keep everything fresh.

Stick with a light dressing, like a vinaigrette that’s not too strong or too sweet. This will allow the tartness and sweetness of the strawberries, mango, peaches, cranberries, or whatever you use to come through in the salad. And, don’t forget the texture. Adding some roasted almonds adds a bit of crunch and depth in flavor to this type of salad creation. The salty flavor of the nuts also compliment the sweetness of the fruit. Using opposing flavors will often ‘marry’ the ingredients together, creating a perfectly blended compliment of flavors.

Create Interest With One or Two Surprising Ingredients

You only need a slice or two of an exotic, unusual fruit to create excitement in a salad. Star fruit, dragon fruit, dates, apricots, figs, and papaya are just some suggestions, and they don’t have to be considered a dessert salad either. Combining one or two of these fancy fruits in a mixed green salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, shrimp salad, crab salad, or meat based salad could create quite a buzz at your next dinner.

Remember, there’s also a selection of spices and herbs that do wonders to perk up a fruit salad. And don’t just think about sweet spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Mixing hot pepper flakes or chili powder with sweet ingredients often is the perfect compliment. Savory herbs like rosemary, dill, and thyme are also surprising when used to enhance fruit salads.

When Presentation Matters the Most

Special occasions may call for a salad that looks as good as it tastes. This is where you employ additional ingredients and combine colors and layers to make a presentation and a statement with your delicious creation.

Use a melon baller, for instance, to scoop up delicate pieces of the melons you choose. Then, include layers of color with blueberries, blackberries, sliced cherries, or raspberries. Garnish your fruit salad with lemon balm or mint leaves for extra color. Other fruit favorites include fresh pineapple, kiwi, or tangerine slices. Think about shapes, sizes, and color, then mix and match for a salad that looks as good as it tastes.

Mixing fresh fruit with creamy layers of vanilla pudding is another pretty salad to serve guests for a special dinner party. Add a little whipped cream and a maraschino cherry on top for a final touch. A similar look is possible by mixing cream cheese and condensed milk together for the base that holds your favorite fresh fruits.

Drain your fruits well before combining them, then you can even make a gourmet version of the  old fashioned fruit salads found on holiday tables many years ago.  Make it gourmet by using crème fraiche and lots of fresh fruit, including berries, and even roasted nuts.

These suggestions are just a quick look at the possibilities for making gourmet fruit salads using your imagination and good taste. Having a healthy appetite for adventure will spur on the type of creativity you’ll need to make splendid fruit salads that are an unexpected pleasure.

Sushi Health Benefits for People Who Love to Eat

Many people who love to eat have often bemoaned the fact that just about everything that tastes good is either fattening or unhealthy. Actually there is a whole selection of tasty food that is not loaded with transfat, sugar and cholesterol. Those who want to indulge their taste buds need only to compare sushi health benefits with the hotdogs and burgers consumed by millions daily to see that indeed there is an alternative for people who want to eat well but eat healthy.

Analyzing Sushi

Sushi consists of protein with omega 3 packed in seaweed and rice. The staple ingredient of sushi is short grain white rice flavored with rice vinegar, salt and sugar. Once cooked, the rice itself is more than 50 per cent water and each 100 grams contains 28.7 grams of carbohydrate, 5.2 grams of fat, and 2.4 grams of protein for a total of 130 calories.

Different types of sushi would have different nutritional and caloric contents depending on the fillings used. A standard California roll, for example, would contain 7 grams of fat, 38 grams of carbohydrates, 5.8 grams of fiber, and 9 grams of protein. The entire roll would be an estimated 255 calories.

A tuna roll is estimated to be around 190 calories with 2 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbohydrate, 3.5 grams of fiber and 24 grams of protein. An avocado roll would contain approximately 28 grams of carbohydrates, 5.5 grams of fiber, and 5.8 grams of fat and 2.1 grams of protein. This roll would have only an estimated 140 calories making it very low calorie indeed. A yellowtail roll would have 245 calories but would also have only 2.6 grams of fat, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 1.9 grams fiber and a whopping 24 grams of protein.

Soya, if naturally fermented, has been linked to lowering the incidence of breast cancer and alleviation of menopause. The other ingredients of sushi each have their plus points: ginger is supposed to aid in digestion and helps in fighting bacteria while wasabi also has anti-bacterial properties. Nori, the seaweed sheet used to cover sushi, contains minerals that are normally found in the ocean such as iodine, magnesium, calcium and folic acid. It also contains Vitamin A, B-complex and Vitamin C.

Omega 3 Fats and Sushi

One of the noteworthy sushi health benefits is that it is generally low in saturated fats. In addition, depending on the filling, it can be high in protein. More importantly however, the sushi rolls that have mackerel and sardine contain significantly high amounts of Vitamin E and Omega3 which are vital to the nervous system. Omega3 fats such as DHA are not only good for the brain, they are good for the cardiovascular system since they are known to increase good cholesterol and lower the bad cholesterol in the body. Some studies even show that Omega3 can be linked to preventing or delaying the progress of Alzheimer’s; to maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and alleviating symptoms of depression and arthritis.

Some people look askance at sushi health benefits and do not like to eat sushi because the filling is usually raw. While it is true that raw fish can contain parasites, a precautionary measure that European restaurants take is to freeze the fish at -20 degrees Centigrade for more than 24 hours. This is known to kill nematode parasites. Others are reluctant to eat tuna because of mercury. A precautionary measure in this case would be to eat tuna with smelt roe, freshwater salmon or Atlantic mackerel since studies show these have lower mercury content.

Although diabetics are advised to go slow on the rice and use low-sodium soy sauce when eating sushi, it is still a far healthier choice than burgers, hot dogs or pizza. As a whole, sushi is food that is low on fat and it has good nutritional value. Moreover, it is kinder to the arteries and never has healthy food come in such an attractive package.

Fresh Start on How to Make Homemade Wine from Fruit

Fruit wines are wines usually implied by the primary ingredient used in making them - fruits. They are different from country wines, which from the term itself connote the fact that they are not made from grapes. Because of the growing popularity of fruit wine making, there abounds recipes on how to make homemade wine from fruit that offer simple tips and procedures that even those new to wine making can easily follow.

A misconception is that fruit wines can only be made from grapes. The range is large because practically any fruit or non-toxic plant can be used that when done properly produce the same bouquet of aroma and taste as grapes. Before trying your hands at your new found recipe on how to make homemade wine from fruit there are some points to consider first.

Fruit Preparation

The first step in fruit preparation is to sanitize everything. This does not only involve the equipment to be used but the fruits as well. Always choose the best fruits that are ripe because they are juicier. Avoid rotten, bruised and under ripe fruits. The final quality of the homemade wine depends on the quality of the fruits used. Wash them completely and thoroughly including the leaves, pits and stems. Remove bad spots as they may contain bacteria and may cause undesirable taste to the wine.

Slice the fruits into pieces making sure that not a bit of juice is lost. Some fruit juices have much potency in flavor and have higher level of acidity that is why they have to be extracted with water unlike pure grape juice that can be used undiluted. Slightly mash the fruits in a nylon strainer bag. Hang the bag on the side of the fermenter, then mash and squeeze some more for the fruit juice to come out.

Making the Fruit Wine

Stir in the rest of the ingredients: sugar, tannin, acid blend, Campden tablet, and if, required, pectic enzyme. Regulate the sugar level of the fruit juice before fermentation. There are different types of sugar that can be used and each one can affect the quality of the wine. Do trial batches with corn and cane sugar, being the cheapest. Honey is also an option because it provides a better-rounded flavor.

Add the yeast after 24 hours. Many fruits are lacking in yeast nutrients that are important for fermentation that is why homemade wines use yeast to promote this process. When the pulp starts to break, use the hydrometer to have an accurate measurement of alcohol produced when sugar reacts with the yeast. This process of sugar conversion to alcohol is called chaptalization. Determine if more sugar is needed according to your taste preference. In a week's time, the "must" reaches an SG of 1. 3“ 1.040. Remove the fruits and siphon off the wine into a glass carboy to continue fermentation. When the SG is down to .990 "“ 1.000, rack the liquids into another clean carboy with air lock. By this time, the wine is getting clearer. Clearing agents may be added or simply allow the wine to clear by itself. The latter is highly recommended because allowing the wine to clear naturally takes longer to set and age thus making the wine tastes better. This process promotes esters development, which is good in making the taste mellower.

You have just made your first homemade wine. It is your preference to make final adjustments and amendments to the fruit-based wine before putting them in bottles. If you come up with a new idea to improve the blend, make experiments in small batches to avoid spoiling the whole batch. When your friends ask for tips, you can now exude that self-confidence to teach them how to make homemade wine from fruit without spilling an ounce of error.

Wake Up to the Aroma of Freshly Brewed Coffee with these Drip Coffee Makers

For hundreds of years, people all over the world used a very simple process for making coffee. In the past, people considered it adequate to add ground coffee to hot water in a pan, boil it until it smelled perfectly right, and pour the brew into a demitasse. However, the process of making coffee has been changed over the years with the invention of coffee makers. Also known as coffee machines, coffee makers are cooking appliances used to brew coffee without needing to boil water in a separate pot or pan. Different brewing principles gave rise to the numerous types of coffee makers in the market. The process of drip brewing, which is now more than 125 years old, is considered the first modern method of making coffee and is what gave birth to drip coffee makers.

Drip coffee makers are electric coffee machines that heat up cold water from a chamber and pump it through coffee grounds held in a filter basket. Then they drip the finely brewed coffee into glass pot, where the special liquid is kept warm. Drip coffee makers are among the most popular and simplest ways to make coffee for people who are always in a hurry. Used and cared for properly, they can make a great-tasting cup of coffee.

There are literally hundreds of drip coffee makers that one can buy in the market. The overwhelming number of products plus the fact that you can't try it out in the store make decision-making a really tough job. Given the numerous items to choose from, how do you make a buying decision?

First, the best coffee makers aren't cheap. When buying a drip coffee machine, remember to choose a brand or company that has been proven to provide quality machines throughout the years. The Rancilio Silva is an example. Not cheap, but tested to give you product satisfaction and of course, the best coffee brew every morning.

Next, take a look at the features of the coffee maker and see if it fits your needs. How many cups do you intend to brew most of the time? Do you want one that has a thermal pot to keep your special coffee warm? Do you want a coffee maker that has thermostat so you can adjust the temperature to your liking?

Of course, consider the price. Sure there are hundreds of drip coffee makers out in the market, but which unit fits your budget? If you're planning to get a coffee machine that is quite cheap, check out several consumer reviews online before buying and see if you don't have to pay double for a low-quality machine. As some would say, those who buy cheap pay twice. It may not always be true, but the thought is worth considering.

If you're too busy to scour the market to look for a drip coffee maker that will make you the best cups of coffee for breakfast, here are some machines that make drip brewing a convenient task.

• Kitchen Selectives Single Serve Drip Coffee Maker

Enjoy that good cup of morning coffee using this simple and easy single-serve drip coffee maker. With its sleek black design, removable filter basket, and one-cup capacity, you will definitely enjoy your home-made cup of coffee with virtually no waste.

• Mr. Coffee Drip Coffee Maker

This drip coffee maker will make up to 12 cups, but you can adjust the settings if you only want a cup or two. All the standard features are present too, but you can take advantage of the Pause 'n Serve capability which allows you to grab a cup of coffee while the rest of the pot is still brewing.

•  Delonghi 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker DCF212T

The best thing about this coffee machine is the aroma button which enhances your morning coffee's flavor and aroma. This feature time-releases water to saturate coffee grounds slowly to create a more flavorful taste. It also has a 24-hour programmable timer that features a 2-hour automatic shut off.

If you're a beginner, putting a drip coffee maker in the kitchen is a must. There are various kinds of coffee machines out there but drip coffee makers are definitely the foundation of home coffee making.

Preparing Healthy Bestseller Smoothies for Kids

Sometimes children can be so picky mothers find themselves at a loss as to how to get them eat. If you yourself are in this position, be consoled by the fact that most kids will drink a smoothie with gusto. All you need is a few tips on how to prepare surefire bestseller smoothies for kids.

What to Put in Smoothies for Kids

In terms of nutrition, you want to avoid putting too much fat and sugar into your children’s smoothies. What you do want to include is as much of their daily requirement of calcium, protein and some healthy carbohydrates. In order to accomplish this, you can use yoghurt as the base of your smoothie and put fruit in. To make sure your child gets protein in his or her smoothie, you can use yoghurt, skim milk, soya milk or almond milk. You may even want to include some commercially prepared breakfast mix with vitamins and minerals to enrich you smoothie.

You can use fruits or frozen juice for vitamin C in your children’s smoothies. Here’s a deep, dark secret: you can also smuggle in some veggies in the process. Carrots and beets are easy to smuggle into a strawberry or cranberry smoothie so that apart from anti-oxidants, the beverage has a good dose of magnesium and potassium. When you use fruits in smoothies, include the skin when this is edible to supply fiber.

Inviting Your Child to be Part of the Process

It is even easier to get children to take smoothies when you let them to take part of the preparations. Allow them to pick the fruit and the juice you will be using. If they are old enough, let them put the ingredients into the blender or pour the smoothie into glasses. Ask them after if they think you should add more fruit or juice or milk. These simple acts will make the food more attractive to them.

A Few Foolproof Recipes

To start you off on your smoothie path, here are some simple recipes you can try. The ingredients for each smoothie are different but the procedure is the same for all three. Revise them according to what is available in your market then go ahead and have fun.

Golden Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peach or apricot or mango or pineapple (combinations are fine)
• 1/2 cup carrot
• 1/2 cup nonfat yoghurt
• 1/2 cup crushed ice
• 1/2 almond milk (nonfat milk is also fine)
• 1 tablespoon light colored honey (optional)
• 1 teaspoon protein powder
• 2 drops vanilla

Strawberry Smoothie

• 1 cup strawberry
• 1/2 cup cooked beets
• 1/2 to 1 cup banana
• 1 cup nonfat yoghurt
• 1/2 cup crushed ice
• 1/2 almond milk (nonfat milk is also fine)
• 1 tablespoon light colored honey (optional)
• 1 teaspoon protein powder
• 2 drops vanilla

Chocolate Smoothie

• 1/2 to 1 cup chocolate syrup
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter (omit if your child is allergic)
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup steamed and drained spinach
• 1 cup nonfat yoghurt
• 1/2 cup crushed ice
• 1/2 - 1 cup almond milk (nonfat milk is also fine)
• 1 tablespoon light colored honey (optional)
• 1 teaspoon protein powder
• 2 drops vanilla

Procedure for all three:

Peel and cut fruit into small pieces. Put all ingredients together and blend till smooth. Serve with a straw.

Perhaps the only caveat for smoothies is that they could encourage children to develop a palate more attuned to sweet rather than savory foods so it is good to give children opportunities to sample other foods as well. As a rule though, because kids love smoothies, you can make these a regular treat especially for those who are hard to feed. Smoothies for kids present parents with a fun and delicious strategy to ensure that children get the nutrition they need.