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Friday, August 8, 2008

What Spices To Use

Spices are the basis for flavoring your barbecue. They are many and are everywhere in the world. In days of old they were a sign of wealth. They were traded, and the quest for them has spawned new nations and caused wars. Once you learn how to work with spices, you can make your own spice mixtures, to season your barbecue, and even serve at the table instead of or in addition to, salt and pepper.


Arrowroot An edible starch known as Arrowroot Powder. Used mainly as a thickening agent.

Basil Also called sweet basil. With an aroma that is like mint and tea. Basil is available in leaf form. It is used as a seasoning for pizza, spaghetti sauce, sausage, soup, tomato juice, dressings, salads, and any dish where oregano would be used

Bay Leaves They have a woody, astringent flavor with a pleasant, slightly minty aroma. Bay leaves should always be removed before food is served. Works well in soups, with meat and poultry dishes, pasta sauces, fish and is also used to flavor some desserts.

Black Pepper Black pepper has a sharp, penetrating aroma and a characteristic woody, piney flavor. It is hot and biting to the taste.

Broiled Steak Seasoning A unique blend of seasonings including black pepper, onion, garlic, paprika and celery seed. Especially good flavor with beef as well as pork and lamb.

Caraway (Seed) With a tangy flavor similar to dill. It is used as a seasoning in potatoes, cabbage, carrots, sausages, rich meats, in breads and pastries. Caraway is available as the whole seed.

Cayenne (Red ) Pepper A seasoning ground from small, red chili peppers. It has been used as a spice in the dishes of many countries and is also used as a table condiment. It's heat and spiciness varies.

Celery Seed (Salt) Celery seed tastes like celery and is aromatic with a slight bitterness which enhances other flavors. Celery seed is available whole, ground, or mixed with salt. Celery salt is a blend of ground celery seed and fine salt. It is used primarily as a flavoring in salads (especially potato), sauces, pickling, soup, tomato juice, and meat. It is also an integral part of the flavoring of traditionally prepared crabs and other seafood.

Chervil An essential spice in French cuisine, it used like parsley and provides an herbal taste with the slight flavor of anise. Chervil is used much like parsley, but is more delicate. It is most commonly used on fish, egg dishes, salads and as a glaze on vegetables such as carrots.
Chili Powder Made from dried chilies, usually blended with garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, chili peppers, allspice, garlic, and salt. Color and spiciness varies. It has an earthy, slightly sweet, and sometimes hot flavor. This spice blend usually dominates food rather than enhancing it. Mexican and other Latin American dishes depend on chili powder for their characteristic flavor.

Chinese 5 Spice Powder A blend of star anise, fagara (Szechwan pepper), cassia (cinnamon), fennel and clove. It is heavily used in Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine.

Cilantro Cilantro has a bold flavor often described as a mixture of sage, parsley, and citrus. In Mexican dishes and salsas, cilantro is the "indescribable" flavor note that sets them apart. Cilantro adds pungent flavor to many Latin American and Asian dishes such as stews, soup, steamed fish, curries, vegetables, , salads, relishes and tomato based sauces, and noodle dishes. It is often called "Chinese parsley."

Cinnamon Cinnamon has a characteristic woody, musty, earthy, and sweet flavor. It is warming to taste. It is available whole, as cinnamon sticks, and ground. Used in spiced vegetable dishes, also in sweet dishes such as baking, pies, compotes, and also with meats, stews, vegetables and curries.

Cloves The flavor of cloves is strong, fruity, and sweet almost hot. Cloves are available both whole and ground. Used for flavoring ham, pork, pickled fruit, onions, gravy, and syrup, spice cake, pumpkin pie, fruitcake, gingerbread, chili sauce, ketchup, and in combination with many other spices.

Coriander Coriander has a sweet, slightly lemony flavor. (Coriander leaves are called cilantro.) Coriander is available as whole seed and ground and is a principal ingredient in curry powder. Middle Eastern, Indian, Russian, North African, and Mexican recipes include coriander for its distinctive flavor. Coriander seed is a pleasant addition to potato salad, rice's, bean, vegetable dishes, hot dogs, apple pie, poached fish, or bean, pea, and lentil soup.

Creole Spice
A blend of garlic, onion, cayenne, black pepper, thyme, oregano, paprika.

Cuban Spice A blend of cumin, chili powder, cinnamon

Cumin Cumin has a penetrating musty, earthy flavor with some green, grassy nuances. Cumin is available as whole seed and ground. It is a principal ingredient in both chili powder and curry powder. Middle Eastern, Mexican Indian, and North African recipes often include cumin. Also used in curries, stews, and chili.

Curry Powder Not a single spice but a blend of many spices. Usually contains turmeric, ginger, black pepper, coriander, cumin, chilies and fenugreek and can also contain cinnamon and clove. Flavors vary according to the use or the creator of the blend. All curry blends have a rich, warm, earthy, and pungent flavor with a great many overtones. The characteristic golden color comes from turmeric. Curry powder is available in mild or hot blends. Curry powder is usually intended to be the dominant flavor but it also may be used in small amounts simply to enhance the flavor of foods such as corn bread, stuffed eggs, soup, and sour cream dips.

Dill Dill is an annual of the parsley family and is related to anise, caraway, coriander, cumin, and fennel. The seeds are light brown in color, strongly aromatic, and warming to the taste. Dill weed has a subtle, anise like, sweet flavor. Dill is available as the whole seed and as chopped leaves, called dill weed. Dill weed is used in salads, sauces, egg dishes, and especially in seafood dishes. Dill seed is used primarily to flavor pickles and in bread, potato, and vegetable dishes. It works well with a variety of culinary dishes such as omelets, soups, stuffed grape leaves, potato salad, cucumber, veal, breads, cabbage, meat stews and rice. It is also widely used with herring, salmon and other seafood dishes.

English Pickling Spice A blend of mustard seed, coriander, allspice, red chilies, bay leaves, ginger.

Fenugreek Has a bitter, maple-like flavor. It is primarily used in Indian cuisine and is also used with curry, as a pickling spice and as imitation maple.
Fil'e Gumbo A blend of dried ground sassafras leaves and thyme. It is used as a thickener in and with soups, gumbo, meat, fish, stew and poultry.

Four-Pepper Mix A blend of black pepper, white pepper, rose pepper and green peppercorns, coarsely crushed.

Garam Masala A Northern Indian blend of cumin, coriander, cardamom, black peppercorn, clove, mace, bay leaf and cinnamon.

Garlic (Powder, Salt) It has a strong, pungent green flavor and is one of the most popular seasonings used today. Garlic can be conveniently purchased as fresh bulbs, dehydrated powder, minced flakes, and blends with salt. It adds flavor to almost any dish. Garlic is especially popular in Italian cuisine and throughout the Mediterranean region and Asia. Sprinkle to taste on hamburgers, lamb, chuck roast, steak, chicken, Italian green beans, zucchini, tomatoes and green salads. Use with sour cream or cream cheese for dips. Sprinkle on stuffed eggs. Use it sparingly to begin with and add small amounts until it suits your taste.

Ginger The flavor of ginger is pungent, lemon/citrus, warm, and sweet. Ginger is available ground, whole (gingerroot), and crystallized. Used to add zest to many dishes such as gingersnaps, gingerbread, in Asian dishes and in sweets such as cakes, cookies, puddings, pumpkin pie and sweet breads.

Herbs De Province A Mediterranean blend containing oregano, savory, rosemary, thyme and marjoram, use to flavor stews, chicken, kabobs and tomato dishes and pizza.

Italian Seasoning A blend of marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil. Add to dip, herb breads, any tomato dish, good in marinades and rubs.
Jamaican Jerk Ground chilies, accented heavily with thyme and allspice. Used as a spicy flavoring to meats and vegetables.

Jamaican Spice Allspice, caraway, black pepper, coriander, garlic, ginger, nutmeg, thyme.

Juniper Berries Aromatic and spicy with the slight flavor of pine. It is mostly used a spice for meats in marinades, on roasts and in sausage mixes.

Kosher Salt A course ground salt, with no chemicals added. Used in brines, rubs, and marinades. Also used to coat the rim of the glass for Margaritas!

Marjoram Marjoram has a distinctly aromatic green and pleasant woody flavor, with a slightly bitter undertone. Available in both leaf and ground forms, marjoram should be used sparingly at first. It complements the flavor of chicken and turkey stuffing, vegetable and bean soup, as well as tomato sauces. Marjoram also enhances the flavor of many meat dishes.

Mexican Hot Chili Powder A blend of spices and chili pepper, is a U.S. invention. Similar blends were used by the Aztecs. It is usually used to dominate the flavor of a food but can be used as a background flavor. Use in Mexican dishes such as chili, tacos and enchiladas. Add to quacamole, dips and salad dressings.

Mexican Spice
A blend of cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, coriander seeds, aniseed, cumin, chili powder.

Moroccan Spice A blend of saffron, cumin, ginger, paprika, cinnamon.

Mustard (Seed, Ground) Mustard has a clean, fresh aroma and a pungent, biting flavor. Ground mustard enhances meat, fish, poultry, sauces, salad dressings, cheese, and egg dishes. It must be moistened for about ten minutes to develop its sharp, hot, tangy flavor. The whole seed is used in pickling, boiled with beets, cabbage, or sauerkraut, and as a garnish for salads.

North African Spice
A blend of cumin and cinnamon.

Nutmeg & Mace Nutmeg has a strong cinnamon, nutty flavor used to flavor sweets, fruit dishes, sauces and vegetables. Nutmeg is available both whole and ground. Mace is sold primarily in the ground form. Nutmeg and mace are most commonly used in flavoring sweet foods such as puddings, cakes, and cookies. They are also used in meat products such as sausage. Mace is the lacy covering of the Nutmeg which is the seed of the fruit.

Onion (Flakes, Powder, Salt) Onions are an important flavoring in almost every country in the world. When combined with other ingredients, onion flavor is rarely overwhelming or assertive. Onions, pungent when raw and sweet in flavor when cooked, are an extremely versatile flavoring and can be used to accent nearly any kind of dish.

Oregano Similar in flavor to marjoram, it is not as sweet and is slightly more pungent and bitter. Use oregano in your favorite ethnic dishes as well as in fresh garden salads, egg dishes, quick breads, rubs, and sauces.

Paprika The brilliant red powder is the "garnish spice" contributing color and sweet pepper flavor. Hungarian paprika is characterized by a hotter taste, achieved in recent times by adding hot, red capsicum pepper to ground paprika. Sold in ground form. Used as a garnish for light-colored food such as fish, potatoes, eggs, and cheese dishes. A popular addition to many rubs, marinades and sauces. It is the principal seasoning in Hungarian goulash and often is used in French dressing. To retain its red color, paprika should be kept in the refrigerator.

Parsley Parsley has a slightly mild green taste. Parsley is available fresh or as dried flakes. It adds both flavor and visual appeal to salads, soup, pasta, butters, shellfish, meat, poultry, sauces, potatoes, omelets and soft cheeses.

Poultry Seasoning A mixture of ground thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper, and nutmeg. Poultry seasoning was created mainly to season stuffing but it also adds an unusual flavor to all poultry, pork, or veal dishes.

Rosemary Rosemary has a distinctive fresh, sweet, piney aroma and flavor. Rosemary is available in leaf form. Use with lamb, pork, potatoes, carrots, stews, sauces, marinades, fish, poultry, bread, on grilled or skewered meat and in roasted potato dishes.

Sage Comes in whole, rubbed (crushed) and ground form. The herb is distinctively aromatic and fragrant with slightly medicinal, piney, and bitter flavors. It is used to flavor pork, pork sausage, poultry stuffing, veal, stuffing, and tomato sauces.

Savory Available in ground form and gives a piquant flavor to many dishes. It has a strong, slightly peppery flavor and is used to flavor legumes, meat, fish (especially trout), sausage, stuffing, tomato sauces, bean soup, meat loaf, hamburgers, eggs, or poultry.

Southwestern A sweet/spicy blend of cinnamon, cumin, cloves, cayenne.

Szechwan Peppers Not a true pepper but a dried berry of a prickly ash tree. It has a woody aroma with a spicy, tingly taste. It is an essential ingredient in Chinese 5 Spice.

Tarragon It is rich and sweet with a faint anise-like flavor. It is an excellent seasoning for sauces, dressings, and with meat, poultry and fish.

Thyme It has a pungent and sweetly herbal fragrant. It can be used to improve the flavor of most dishes, especially slow cooked dishes.

Turbinado Sugar Also known as "Sugar in the Raw". Used in many rubs and sauces because it can take higher temperatures without carmelizing.


White Pepper
White pepper has a similar but more earthy flavor than black pepper. Used in many dishes, sauces, rubs, and marinades. Experiment to decide how much you like.
Whole Mixed Pickling Spice A blend of whole and broken spices, herbs and seeds. In it you find cinnamon, allspice, mustard seed, coriander, bay leaves, ginger, chilies, black pepper, mace and cardamom. Used by some as a rub.
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Honey Mint Glazed Chicken Recipe


Can you tell we are gearing up for grilling season? This has to be one of the simplest chicken recipes for the taste, grilled or otherwise. It's just basic grilled (or oven broiled) chicken with a fresh mint and honey glaze. Nothing to it really, but it tastes fabulous. This recipe is set up for whole chicken parts, but you could easily use boneless, skinless breasts or thighs; just reduce the cooking time.

When we grill meat, we like to marinate the meat first in an acidic marinade. Even half an hour of an acid-based marinade (vinegar or lemon juice) help mitigate carcinogenic effects of grilling. The simple marinade in this recipe will do the trick, will not interfere with the honey mint taste, and will help keep the chicken pieces from sticking to the grill.

Ingredients:-


1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 4-5 pound chicken, cut into parts
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup honey
2-3 Tbsp water
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (or 2 Tbsp dried mint)

Method

1. Place chicken pieces in a bowl. Mix vinegar with olive oil and pour over chicken pieces. Turn chicken pieces so that all are coated with the simple marinade. Let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.

2. In a small bowl mix honey, mint, and just enough water for a good basting consistency. Set aside for glazing the chicken.

3. Prepare grill for medium high heat. Remove chicken pieces from marinade. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place chicken pieces on the hot grill, skin side up. Cook for approximately 30-40 minutes, covered, turning every 7 or 8 minutes. For the last 5-10 minutes of cooking, baste all sides with the honey mint mixture. The chicken is done when the juices run clear (not pink) when a knife tip is inserted into both the chicken breast and thigh, about 165°F for the breast and 180°F for the thigh. Note that although the breast pieces are bigger, they may finish cooking earlier than the thighs.

Serves 6.
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Which One WOuld U Like To Have....?

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ice-creams










which one did u like among them????
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Top 10 Foods for Success Body Building


#10 - EGGS

Eggs were at one time the gold standard in developing protein rating scales such as the Biological Value (BV) scale. Eggs have a superior amino acid spectrum. They are very good at helping hard training individuals maintain a positive nitrogen balance. Eggs contain virtually no carbs and if you eat only the whites they are also fat free. Even the much maligned yolk is now considered to be something which should be consumed in moderation. The cholesterol and fat in the yolk can help to support hormone production including the best strength training hormone of all, testosterone.

#9 - SALMON

For years bodybuilders and other athletes have consumed can after can of tuna due to its low fat and high protein content. Recent studies have shown that salmon is the fish of choice for athletes. It is an excellent source of protein but also provides the very important and beneficial (not to mention essential) Omega 3 fats. Salmon mainly increases the omega 3s in the form of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docoxsahexaenoic acid (DHA). These EFA's can reduce inflammation from training, as well as from injuries thereby leading to better recovery from intense training sessions. These fats are also responsible for reduced insulin resistance levels, improved cardiovascular health, and even muscle growth. Forget about that can of tuna and replace it with salmon so that you can benefit from this amazing fish!

#8 - TURKEY

If we were to look at all the meats readily available to us turkey is the leanest of them all, hands down. It thus provides high nutritional value with a low caloric cost. It is an excellent source of protein. In a 7 ounce serving of turkey you get a whopping 70 grams! Wow! If that isn't a concentrated protein source then I don't know what is. It also contains an excellent micronutrient profile. One word of advice, stick with the white meat as it is lower in fat than the dark or organ meats.

#7 - SWEET POTATOES

Sweet potatoes are a food which too many of us only eat during the holidays. They are one of the best complex carbohydrate sources available. A 7 ounce serving provides 48 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, less than 2 grams of fat, and a paltry 200 calories. Sweet Potatoes are also loaded to the brim with vitamins and minerals. They contain large amounts of vitamins A (40,000 IU!!!), C, B6 and beta carotene as well as the trace minerals manganese and copper. Don't let the fact they are much sweeter than regular potatoes fool you into thinking they are higher in calories or have a higher glycemic index. Actually, the opposite is true! The presence of an enzyme that converts starches to sugars (which leads to their sweet taste) is why they can be so sweet and yet not have a higher glycemic index than standard potatoes. Sweet potatoes are also high in fibre. Off-season, pre-contest, or pre-game the sweet potato has a lot to offer the athlete looking to take his performance to the next level!

#6 - COTTAGE CHEESE

Cottage cheese has found a popular following among athletes and bodybuilders in recent years. A 7 ounce serving of 1% cottage cheese contains 25 grams of protein, 5 grams of carbs, 2 gram of fat, and only 145 calories. It is high in casein protein which is a plus for those looking to maximize their protein retention. Studies have shown that casein clots in the stomach providing a slow release of amino acids into the blood stream. This is the perfect source of protein to take before bed so that there is a steady stream of amino acids in your bloodstream helping you stay in an anabolic state throughout the night. Many people don't care for its taste but there are many recipes and ways to spice it up so that you can take advantage of this super food!

#5 - LEGUMES

Most people don't consume enough legumes. This may be because of the childhood rhyme, "Beans, beans the magical fruit…" Ok, enough of that! The reality is that legumes are very good for your health and performance. Beans, lentils and peas are definitely the number one source of plant protein available. They are an incomplete source of protein since they don't contain all the essential amino acids in adequate quantities but you can easily remedy this by including them with rice or with another source of complete protein (meats, protein powders etc.). Legumes are low in fat and contain close to 25% of their calories from protein. They are also high in B vitamins and all the trace minerals. Let's not forget that they are also an excellent source of dietary fibre and this is something that most athletes and bodybuilders don't get enough of. Legumes have a low glycemic index so they will not adversely affect your blood sugar levels. Find a place in your diet for them and you will be the better athlete for it!

#4 - OATMEAL

Oatmeal is one of the best-ever sources of complex carbs! It is low on the glycemic index scale so it won't give you a massive insulin spike and send you into the sleep zone an hour later. It is high in both insoluble and soluble fibre. It is not only low in fat; the fat it does contain is over 80% unsaturated. Oatmeal has been shown to reduce cholesterol. One cup per day can help improve your cholesterol levels in as little as 8 weeks. When choosing your oatmeal, don't get the ones in nice little flavoured packets. These contain excessive amounts of sugars and hydrogenated oils. Get yourself a nice bag of steel cut rolled oats. If you have been ignoring oatmeal now is the time to make it part of your new healthy breakfast.

#3 - ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

I bet you would have never thought that fat would make it on this top 10 list. Fats have been considered an evil for too long. Studies and real world results have shown that low fat diets are ineffective for muscle gains and fat loss. As was already touched upon in the discussion of salmon the right kinds of fats need to be incorporated into any smart dietary regimen. What are the right kinds of fats? My personal favourite fats (oils are fats) are: salmon oil, herring oil, hemp oil, flax seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, safflower oil, and Udo's Ultimate Blend. Flax seed and hemp oil provide the body with the much needed omega 3 and 6 fats (also known as polyunsaturated fats). Olive oil provides you with the all important monounsaturated fats. It also contains oleic acid which has been shown to keep the arteries in your heart soft and supple. Udo's Ultimate blend is a balanced combination of all the healthy fats including omegas 3, 6, and 9. Bottom line, fats can improve your hormonal profile (testosterone, for example), increase muscle hypertrophy, decrease body fat levels, improve cardiovascular health, benefit insulin sensitivity, and much more. Eat the right kinds and you will reap the benefits!

#2 - Protein Powder

I know, you are thinking that protein powder is a supplement, not a food. True, but protein is contained in most foods and protein powder is merely a concentrated form and really more like a food than most supplements. So, by author's choice I have included it in my list. Bodybuilders and athletes have been using protein shakes since the 1950's to help them ingest sufficient protein. Nitrean is one of the best protein products on the market. Its protein matrix provides a superior mix of whey, casein, and egg proteins which results in one of the highest net retention to protein ingested ratios of any product on the market. This means bigger muscles and better recovery. Nitrean contains all the essential amino acids and is high in the important branch chain form. It has immune boosting abilities, as well as antioxidant properties.

Try Nitrean even once and you will see exactly what I am talking about. The taste is awesome and the results are even better! If you are not currently using a protein powder as part of your diet, then get off your ass and make it a priority!

#1 - WATER

That's right; water grabs the number 1 slot as it should. The body's most abundant nutrient is water. Water helps to keep our organs functioning efficiently. It rids our bodies of impurities and toxins. It hydrates our muscle cells helping them improve nutrient absorption. Water also helps liberate fat stores so that fat can be burned off as an energy source. Bodybuilders should drink a minimum of 1 gallon of water daily. Bodybuilders that consume high protein diets need extra water to help prevent dehydration. Did you know that the less water that you drink the more likely you are to become overtrained? The correlation between water consumption and your rate of overtraining is directly linked. Believe it or not muscle is comprised of over 70% water. When you increase your protein intake your body requires more water to process it. Let's not forget that sweating from intense workouts causes you to lose water as well. Water is also an essential transport mechanism for a vast array of nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Even more important is how water transports carbohydrates in the form of glucose into muscle cells. It serves an important role in all cellular activity. If your water intake is too low, your ability to transport nutrients becomes compromised, muscle fullness decreases, and a toxic build up of ammonia, urea, uric acid, and other junk begins to accumulate in your body. So, in short, drink your water!
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