Food

Sweet Treats you Can Make At Home

/ March 2, 2020 / Food

When you want to make sweet treats at home, you have a world of flavors to choose from. There are hundreds of candies and treats on the market that you might want to replicate. Plus, you can make treats that fit into your diet plan. Read more to learn about fun treats that you can make all by yourself.

Cadbury Mini Egg Cookies

A homemade Cadbury mini egg cookie is a fun treat that combines the flavors of a Cadbury egg in a cookie. Plus, you are making tiny cookies that are easy to bake. You may want to mix all the flavors, or you could make a cookie that is half caramel/half chocolate. You can add chocolate pieces to the top, and you could add colors if you want to mimic the color of the packaging.

CBD Bombs

The CBD bomb is a popular snack among people who are using CBD oil to change their metabolism. Plus, a CBD bomb is a good way to eat fewer calories that are still satisfying. You can make a simple chocolate ball that has a bit of CBD oil in it. These items are good for everyone in the family, and you can fill them with nuts or your favorite cereal.

Cereal Bars

You can make cereal bars out of any cereal you want. You can buy the marshmallow fluff at the grocery store, and you can mix the two before putting them into your baking dish. You can use any baking dish you like, and you can bake the bars for just a few minutes at a moderate temperature.

Tip the bars out of the dish, and cut into any shape that you want. These bars are good for your kids, are good for breakfast, and serve as a good dessert at night. Plus, you can add chocolate chips or butterscotch chips to any cereal bar you want.

Caramel Cubes

You need a bit of brown sugar, white sugar, and some water for your pan. Get a candy thermometer that you can hold in the pan, and boil the sugar-water mixture to the temperature that is marked as caramel. You need to add a bit of milk, or you could add heavy cream. You should mix until you get a soft substance, and you can put the mixture into any baking dish you like. You must let the dish settle, and the caramel will harden.

When you tip the caramel out of the dish, you must cut into cubes with a large knife. Once you have done that, you can wrap them in small pieces of wax paper. You could give these candies to your kids, or you could keep them in a jar on the counter.

Conclusion

You can make sweet treats for your family at any time that include the caramel, homemade Cadbury mini egg cookie, bomb snacks, or cereal bars. You can eat these sweet treats without worrying about the calories, and you can get a sugar rush … Read the rest

3 Kinds Of Vegan Protein Sources

Erin Jackson

/ December 16, 2019 / Food

Legumes are a primary source of protein in a vegan diet. Many legumes are also called beans, but not all are. Legumes also include peas and lentils.

For some people, this is a reason to hesitate to adopt a vegan diet because legumes have a reputation for being hard to prepare and for taking a long time to cook from scratch. But vegetarian diets go way back in some cultures, so there already exist quick, convenient vegan protein options.

Here are just a few solid staples for getting enough protein in a vegan diet without an excess of hassle. We will answer questions like what are chickpeas? and what can you do with tofu?

Lentils

Because lentils cook relatively quickly compared to other legumes, they are a staple of many vegetarian diets. This is true of both traditional ethnic diets from a variety of cultures and of the modern vegetarian and vegan diet trends.

Lentils are popular in flavorful Middle Eastern dishes, such as mjeddrah and tabbouleh. Mjeddrah is supposedly the dish for which a Biblical character sold their birthright.

Lentils also do very well as cold leftovers. Mjeddrah can be served up in toasted pita bread or taco shells the next day as a convenient vegan sandwich.

Tofu

Tofu is simply bean curds made from soybeans. In some sense, you could say it is the original vegan cheese. It is typically sold in small, white blocks and has a creamy texture.

Because soybeans are higher in protein than average for legumes, they are popular in areas where rice is a staple. Thus, tofu is a staple of many Asian diets. If you aren’t sure what to do with it, you can google up Asian vegan dishes for inspiration.

Tofu can be fried up in a pan in minutes with some spices and veggies or added to a corn bread recipe to enhance the flavor and up the protein of the dish. Though most people cook it, some people even like to eat it cold straight out of the box with no additional preparation.

Since it is bean curd, it’s fine to consume it that way. It’s readily digestible and not a health hazard.

Chickpeas

You may be wondering what are chickpeas? This is a common point of confusion because they are a legume that is known by various names, including garbanzo bean.

They are used in a wide variety of vegetarian staples, including hummus and flour for falafel. Like lentils, they also make a fine basis for a vegan sandwich when stuffed into a pita pocket or taco shell.

Hummus is a convenient staple of vegan diets readily available in many grocery stores. It is a bean spread that is readily used as a vegetarian source of protein. You could think of it as being not too different from peanut butter.

Rest assured, you can go vegan without being chained to a stove.
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How to Get a Reverse Steak Sear Right

Erin Jackson

/ July 30, 2019 / Food

How to Get a Reverse Steak Sear Right

The perfect tomahawk steak is thick and juicy with the ideal crispness across the exterior. If you are like most people, you may struggle to cook the meat consistently throughout the interior without charring the meat. The secret to grilling the perfect steak lies in learning how to reverse sear a tomahawk steak.

Season the Meat

The ideal tomahawk steak for reverse searing is approximately two inches thick. Apply the desired seasoning to both sides of the steak. Basic salt and pepper work well to bring out the flavors of the meat, but you can get creative as desired. If time permits, allow the steak to sit uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.

Slow-Cook the Steak in the Oven

Place a wire rack inside a baking pan, and place the steaks on this rack. Preheat the oven to approximately 250 degrees. This slow-cooking method enables the interior of the meat to be cooked to perfection. Keep in mind that the meat will not be completely cooked in the oven.

Choose the Desired Meat Temperature

You will need to monitor the steak’s temperature carefully when it is in the oven. Pull the steak out of the oven when it is approximately 15 degrees below the temperature that you desire. For example, a medium-rare steak is cooked to approximately 135 degrees, so you would pull the steak out of the oven at 120 degrees to complete the cooking process.

Get Your Grill Ready

Before you remove the steak from the oven, prepare your grill. If you are using a gas grill, turn the burners on high heat. Otherwise, prepare the coals so that they are as hot as possible. The steak will pass from the oven to the skillet and onto the grill in a few short minutes, so the grill should be prepared ahead of time.

Move the Steak to the Skillet

Heat a small amount of oil and butter in a skillet on the stove. Once the oil and butter are hot enough to bubble or smoke, put the steak in the skillet. Allow the meat to sit in the skillet for approximately 45 seconds, and repeat this process for the other side of the steak.

Sear the Meat on the Grill

The final step is to sear the meat over the grille. The meat should be placed directly on the grill. Turn it over every few seconds repeatedly so that it does not burn. Within about 60 to 90 seconds, the steak should be perfectly seared on both sides and ready to enjoy.

Many people prepare a steak by simply tossing it directly on the grill, but you can see that there is more involved in mastering your steak grilling efforts. Now that you know how to reverse sear a tomahawk steak, you can impress your family and friends with your skills.
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Drink Like a Local: Westeros Edition

Erin Jackson

/ June 4, 2019 / Food

Civilizations have been fermenting grapes and producing their own intoxicating versions of wine for thousands of years. By the time the epic battles between ice and fire occurred, the people of Westeros were freely pouring wine for merriment, with meals and seemingly as an alternative to water. In fact, wine flows so freely in Westeros that it is a staple in many people’s diets.

Rosé

Rosé is a blush wine that has a sense of elegance to it. While it looks light and fruity, it has a solid alcohol content. Essentially, it gives you a classy way to get drunk relatively quickly. In most scenes, Cersei Lannister held a glass of wine or had a glass nearby. Given the intoxicating sophistication of this Game of Thrones wine, there is a good chance that Rosé filled her cup.

Merlot

Merlot is often described as being mild and easy to drink. More than that, it pairs well with a wide range of foods. Merlot usually is made from dark, deep fruits with hints of chocolate and other decadent items, so it has a passionate or sensitive side. Tyrion Lannister has a unique and likable personality. He always has something to say, and he usually is agreeable even in the most stressful situations. Likewise, he is a lover with a surprisingly emotional side. If you like to drink like Tyrion, Merlot may be your drink in Westeros.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is one of the simpler wines. It does not have a lot of layers, and what you see is what you get. Nonetheless, its simplicity is sophisticated, and it goes down easy. Few will deny that Sansa Stark had a difficult life. While she often was forced to internalize her emotions, Game of Thrones fans could easily read between the lines. When she does speak, Sansa says exactly what she means. She does not play games. If you are looking for a Game of Thrones wine that pays tribute to Sansa Stark, fill your glass with Chardonnay.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is the perfect drink for Daenerys Targaryen. As the Dragon Queen, she has a dominant personality and demands to do everything her way. Nonetheless, she is sweet and elegant. Pinot Noir is frequently blended with flavors of cherries and other sweet, fresh fruits. However, it also has decadent layers, and its many flavors are revealed in stages.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic wine that is often paired with steak. Its bold flavors are assertive and uncomplicated, but this is not a sharp wine. Jon Snow has an agreeable personality that makes him very likable. He also is a true leader and has commanded forces from north of the wall, from across the sea and throughout Westeros. If you want a likable, bold wine in your glass, Cabernet Sauvignon is your beverage of choice.

The unique personalities of wine are as varied as the well-developed Game of Thrones characters. When choosing your wine of choice for the day, for a meal … Read the rest