The Benefits of Enjoying Vegetarian Food Recipes

Vegetarianism is the act of eliminating meat from the diet. This includes chicken, fish, beef, pork, or any other form of meat. Some people choose this diet out of respect for animals, while others enjoy these eating habits for their health benefits. Below are some of the main benefits of eating healthy vegetarian food recipes.

Benefit 1: You will have lower levels of cholesterol, which is commonly caused by eating a lot of red meats.

Benefit 2: Vegetarianism helps to decrease the amount of toxins in the body. Fresh fruits and vegetables do not introduce nearly as many toxins as meat.

Benefit 3: You will have lower blood pressure, which is wonderful especially if you currently have high blood pressure.

Benefit 4: You will have a lower risk of heart attack or stroke.

Benefit 5: The food is delicious and will give you the energy your body needs.

Benefit 6: Vegetarian recipes are very nutritious! You will be eating a variety of vegetables, which are rich in nutrients and vitamins that your body needs to stay healthy.

As you can see, eating a vegetarian diet does not come without its own list of great benefits. One of my favorite vegetarian food recipes is a simple salad with cheese cubes. It's incredibly delicious, and you can put almost anything in a salad. Finish it off with your favorite salad dressing and you have yourself a great meal or snack, depending on the size of your bowl!

Vegetarian food recipes are incredibly healthy for you and can be a lot of fun too. If you have any favorite meat recipes, you can alter them to become vegetarian by substituting meat for something else. Get creative with your diet and have fun with your cooking. Your body will thank you, and so will your family.

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How to Enjoy French Food

When Americans think of fine dining, one of the first foods that come to mind id French food. French food is synonymous with "haute cuisine". French food differs greatly by the different regions in France. In this article I will highlight for you briefly some of the regions of France and the food that is typical for that region.

First, Champagne, this region is best known for the sparkling wine that comes from this region, but fine wine is not all it is known for. Champagne is part of 3 regions that are known for their fine gourmet French food. Lorraine is known for its for its wonderful fruits and is most famous for quiche. A baked dish made from eggs, cream, and pastry.

Secondly Paris who doesn't think of Paris when we speak of French food. Paris is famous for all French delicacies as well as for food from countries all over the world. A Paris restaurant can offer you a wonderful selection of meat broiled or stewed in a tasty sauce. All over Paris you can find wonderful seafood restaurants serving fresh shell fish over ice. No city serves better Mussels then those found in little Bistros in Paris. You will find dishes such as escargot {snails} that are so popular in Paris as well as a whole pigs foot on your dish. Everyday in Paris you can find something wonderful and new to try. From the very unusual to the fine everyday sandwiches sold on the street.

Third, Brittany and Normandy because of their close proximity to the ocean have outstanding seafood. The Brittany are has a fine assortment of lobster, crayfish and mussels. Normandy in the north has a wonderful selection scallops, and sole. Normandy also has many great fruit trees, especially apple trees that allow them to have wonderful baked goods as well as ciders.

Fourth, Burgundy and Bordeaux are known for the finest of wines. This region is also home to Dijon mustard famous served with many French food. This area is also known for fine poultry, river pike and many sweet treats. Where ever you dine on French Gourmet food you are in for a real treat.

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Japanese Food - Five Dishes for Newcomers

Japanese food, once little more than a niche occupant in the greater scope of American cuisine, has become increasingly popular in recent years. The harmony of flavors and lightness emphasized in the typical Japanese dish appeals to the palettes of many in the United States, where heavy and often deep fried foods have long dominated the market. Many people remain reluctant about exploring this aspect of ethnic cuisine, however, for fear that they'll find something on their plate which appears as though it came from the Iron Chef. This is far from the truth! The intent of this article is to introduce readers to a variety of different Japanese dishes, that they might go out and try something new without fear of what they'll be eating.

Domburi: This dish is quite simply a bowl of rice adorned with some sort of topping. A variety of toppings are popular in Japan, many of which have successfully migrated across the Pacific and into American restaurants. One example of this dish is oyakodon, which uses both chicken and egg for its topping. Another sort of domburi, gyudon, is beefy in flavor and more popular in Japan as fast food. Those of you who are especially outgoing tasters might like to sample unadon, a type of domburi wherein strips of grilled eel coated in a thick soya sauce are used to top the rice bowl.

Ramen: This soup dish has been a staple of the American college student's diet for years. Wildly popular around the world, ramen is to the Japanese what a burger and fries are to your average United States native. Ramen comes in a variety of bases and is best recognized for its long, slender noodles. Complimenting these noodles are such ingredients as dumplings, pork, miso (fermented soybeans) and soya sauce. It's interesting to note that ramen originated in China, rather than Japan, but the dish is almost always associated with the latter source nowadays.

Sashimi: This dish is often mistaken for sushi by those still new to the realm of Japanese cuisine. Although it is often presented artistically, the fact remains that sashimi is raw fish, a truth which turns the stomach of many a squeamish American. Several types of sashimi are served, the most popular of which is probably tuna. Diners should be lend particular attention to the scent when partaking of this dish. The fish used to prepare sashimi must be exceptionally fresh and as such, it should be devoid of any fishy scent.

Sushi: Perhaps the most well-recognized of all Japanese dishes, sushi has become particularly popular in trendy regions of the United States. It is served in too many variations to list completely in the space of this article. To be considered sushi, however, the dish must contain rice that has been prepared with sushi vinegar. The most recognized form of sushi is probably norimaki, or sushi rolls. These rolls contain sushi rice and various sorts of seafood rolled in sheets of dried seaweed. Norimaki often includes vegetables, as well.

Tempura: This dish has also become quite popular within Japan and across the globe. Tempura is something of a finger food, consisting of differing types of seafood and/or vegetables fried in a special batter. The end result is a delightful treat which is crisp without being heavy, as is often the case with deep fried cuisine in America. The ingredients featured in tempura are too numerous to possibly list and often vary wildly from one restaurant to the next.

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Food Processors and French Cooking

A Frenchman invented the food processor to help restaurants and catering companies speed up the food preparation time back in the 1960s. Pierre Verdon invented the first food processor and called it the "Robert Coupe". It wasn't until 1972 that he designed a food processor for the home user called the "Magimix".

In the United States, Carl Sontheimer brought out a food processor called the Cuisinart in 1973. Popular Chefs like Julia Child immediately embraced the food processor as a huge time saver and other companies soon offered similar models to the Cusinart. In the late 1970s, and sales of food processors skyrocketed to 100s of thousands.

Food processors are of two basic styles. Some have a single bowl and a flat blade that, depending on the skill of the operator, can do just about any task. That's how the original design of Pierre Verdon worked. These days there are many accessories that include extra bowls, a lid, chopping blades, mixing blades, and disks for slicing and shredding. There are many sizes now too. From Mini Food Processors that have a capacity of 3-4 cups, Small Food Processors that hold 6-9 cups, and the full size Food Processors that can hold up to 14 cups.

Many Chefs have created different methods to take advantage of the flexibility of all the accessories and attachments. You can now find recipes on everything from Ice Cream to Salsa. There are cookbooks dedicated to using the food processor to make just about any type of meal or dish. I've even seen a recipe for homemade soap!

The Mini Food Processor has had a huge impact on meal preparation since it is small and convenient. Most user complaints about a food processor is the time it takes to drag it out and then clean it for 5 minutes of use. The new Mini models are small and can be left right on the kitchen counter for quick cutting or chopping chores. These units also are dishwasher safe and that cures the clean up problems.

Many of the most popular French cooking recipes call for some type of food preparation with a food processor. Although originally designed for restaurants and catering companies due to the volume of cutting and chopping, even home users can benefit from the timesavings and flexibility. Anyone can quickly learn how to add fresh chopped vegetables to any meal.

And when it comes to making just about any type of dough for baking, a food processor really comes in handy. Making fresh pasta, rolls or bread, pastry, and many fancy desserts is a quick process. Most food processors come with a handy guide to making just about any type of dough.

French cooking is all about using simple beginnings to come up with magnificent meals full of flavor and presented with a flourish. The French style of cooking involves sauces and spices that transform your everyday vegetables into a gourmet meal. The art is in both the preparation and the presentation, and no detail is left to chance.

Common cooking techniques like blanching, which is boiling or scalding fruits and vegetables to hold color and make skin removal a snap. Reducing sauces (removing moisture) to increase the flavor and create rich color and texture. Roasting vegetables and meats before combining into dishes that adds a unique and caramelized look, texture, and taste. Making fresh spices from raw ingredients have a much richer flavor that enhances any vegetable, meat, or fish.

French meals are often served by course with palate cleansers to allow each dish to be savored with it's own flavor and taste. The French enjoy both cooking and eating; they rarely rush any of the necessary techniques for preparation or serving. A well-prepared French meal is an event and meant to be leisurely enjoyed.

French cooking is an art and a food processor comes in real handy to save time and work. If you enjoy cooking and spend a lot of time in the kitchen, a food processor can make life a lot easier. Throw in a few French cooking techniques and you can be a French Chef.

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