properties of lettuce

The top 5 properties of lettuce:

- Lettuce - detoxifying properties: regular consumption of lettucehelps eliminate toxins from the body, especially in the intestine,prevents constipation significantly improves digestion, which is why it is recommended to be consumed both before meals, and during them. Furthermore, lettuce streamline purify the blood,regulate cholesterol, but also the level of glucose.



- Lettuce - perfect snack for those on diet: lettuce is low in calories,nourishing, even accelerate elimination regulating appetite, helping us get rid of extra pounds in a natural and healthy!


- Lettuce -  anti stress properties: it seems that salts present in lettuce gives its tonic properties reconstructed easesbreathing and reduces stress, more frequent consumption of lettuce help give us, little by little, and vice , whether it'stobacco, alcohol or narcotics. Also consumed evening lettuce works as a mild sedative and help us sleep unmoved by morning!

- Lettuce -  anti rheumatic properties: significant amount of iodine in salt composition prevents lettuce help relieve rheumatic pain, keep tissues young for longer helps children to grow bigstrong! Also, such salts contribute to normal thyroid functionand have a powerful  anti sclerotic.


- Lettuce - properties to stimulate liver; regular consumption of lettuce contributes to healthy liver and stimulates its proper functioning, as recommended in full in case of biliary dyskinesiaor chronic hepatitis.


Lettuce - properties of intensive color ...


So, add a little olive oil, a dash of apple cider vinegar and a fewpine nuts over fresh lettuce leaves and enjoy ... health taste!

Green Tea-Kiwi and Mango Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups frozen diced mango
• 3/4 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt, divided $
• 1/4 cup honey, divided
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 3 ripe kiwifruit, peeled and quartered $
• 2 cups ice cubes
• 1/2 cup packed baby spinach $
• 2 tablespoons bottled green tea $
• Kiwifruit slices (optional) $

Preparation

1. 1. Place mango, 1/2 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons water, and lime rind in a blender; process until smooth, stirring occasionally. Divide mango mixture into each of 4 serving glasses; place glasses in freezer.
2. 2. Rinse blender container. Place 1/4 cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, kiwifruit, and next 3 ingredients in blender; process until smooth, stirring occasionally. Gently spoon green tea-kiwi mixture onto mango mixture in reserved glasses, working carefully around inside of each glass to create a clean horizontal line. Garnish with kiwifruit slices, and stir to combine flavors, if desired. Serve immediately.

Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast, Oxmoor House 
2009

Calatrava Bread Pudding Recipe - Pan de Calatrava

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 8 anisette-flavored toasts or biscotti
• 2 cups (1/2 liter) milk
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 whole egg
• 4 egg yolks
• 2/3 cup (125 gr) granulated sugar

Preparation:

To prepare the caramelized sugar sauce, put a heavy bottom skillet or saucepan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup sugar. With the back of a wooden spoon, keep sugar moving constantly in pan until sugar is completely melted, and has a rich medium brown color (caramelized). Quickly pour caramelized sugar into a large baking dish or mold. Place the anisette toasts or biscotti on the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.

Pour milk into a large saucepan with cinnamon stick. Heat on high just until milk boils. Remove pan from heat and cover. In a separate pan, heat 4 cups of water for the water bath.

Heat oven to 360F (180C).

Place 1 whole egg and the 4 yolks into a bowl with the sugar and beat with hand mixer. Remove the cinnamon stick and gradually pour the milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly.

Slowly pour the milk-egg mixture into the baking dish or mold. Place the dish into a 9” x 13” baking dish and carefully pour the hot water from pan into the larger dish for the water bath. Be sure that the water reaches about 3/4 of the way up the side of the dish with milk-egg mixture. Carefully pour more warm water into dish if needed.

Bake uncovered in the water bath at 360 degrees for approximately 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted half way between center and the edge of dish.

Carefully remove dish from the water bath. Set on a cooling rack until lukewarm, then chill thoroughly in refrigerator. This usually takes at least 1 hour.

When ready to serve, un-mold by running a knife around the edge of the baking dish. Place a plate or platter on the top of the baking dish. With one hand under the dish and the other on top of the plate, turn over. Tap the dish and the custard should drop onto the plate. If it does not, carefully “prod” the flan out of the dish with a small paring knife.

Garnish with ground hazelnuts or a sprig of mint if desired.

Heart-shaped Strawberries

Chicken Manchurian Recipe

Ingredients: 1/4 kg boneless chicken, cut into fine pieces
6-7 tbsps spring onion whites
3-4 tbsps spring onion greens
1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tbsp chopped ginger
2 tsps soya sauce
1 tbsp chilli sauce
2 tsps vinegar
1 tbsp corn flour + 5 tbsps chicken stock or water
1/2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsps tomato sauce
1/2 tsp red chilli pwd (preferably Kashmiri)
salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsps sesame oil
oil for deep frying
For marinade: (marinate chicken with below ingredients for at least 15 mts or 1 hr)
1/4 tsp pepper pwd
1 egg white
salt to taste
1 1/2 tsps ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maida/all purpose flour
2-3 tbsps corn flour
1-2 tbsps of water, if required

1 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, make small balls of the marinated chicken and carefully drop into the hot oil. Cook on low medium flame and towards the end of the cooking process increase flame to high and deep fry to a golden brown shade. Drain with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper. Keep aside.
2 Heat a heavy bottomed vessel, add oil, add the chopped garlic and saute on high flame for about 30 secs. Add the chopped ginger and green chillis and saute for a few more secs. Add the spring onion whites and saute for 3 mts on high flame.
3 Reduce to medium heat and add the brown sugar, soya sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar. Combine well and cook for 2 mts. Add 1/4 cup chicken stock or water and cook for a mt. Add the deep fried chicken balls and cook for 4 mts. Adjust salt, if necessary.
4 Add the cornflour water and cook, tossing the contents, for 4-5 mts. You will find that it becomes thick due to cornflour.
5 Add the chopped spring onion greens and combine. Garnish with more spring onion greens. Serve hot as a starter/appetizer

PALAK GOSHT

Ingredients

1 Kg. mutton
1 Kg. Palak
1½ tsp. salt (adjust to taste)
¼ tsp. turmeric (Haldi) powder
1 tsp. chili (Lal Mirch) powder
4-6 tbs. oil
1 tsp. ginger (Adrak) paste
½ tsp. garlic (Lehsan) paste
2 tomatoes-chopped
6-8 whole black pepper (Kali Mirch)
3-4 cloves (Laung)
2 black cardamom (Bari Ilaichi)
¼ tsp. cumin seeds (Zeera)
3-4 green chilies
1 small piece of ginger (Adrak)–sliced
2 tbs. corn or wheat flour
1 tbs. dry fenugreek (Kasuri Methi) leaves.

Instructions

Steam/blanch the Palak and grind.
Fry the onion in the oil till brown. Mix all the ingredients together, add to the pot and stir till the tomatoes have become soft and the water has dried.
Add the meat and cook again to let the water dry. Add 3-4 glasses of water cover and leave to tenderize.
When meat is almost done add ground palak, methi and flour. Cook till water dries.
Garnish with fresh chopped green chilies.
Serve with chapati or naan
Serving: 6-8 persons

Tamatar Gosht

Ingredients:
1/2 cups – 1 cup Vegetable oil, corn or sunflower
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 large cinnamon stick
1- 2 large onions, chopped
1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
10-12 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
0.8 kg/ 1.76 lb diced lamb for casserole
salt to taste
3 green chillis
1 red chili
1-2 tbsp tomato puree
Tempering:
1 tbsp panch puran (a Bengali whole spice blend of fenugreek, Nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts, can make up yourself or buy from any Asian grocer)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
5-10 curry leaves, dried but preferably fresh
Garnish with fresh coriander leaves
Takes about 1 – 1 1/2 hours to prepare and cook and serves about 3- 4 people served with rice or even with naan.

Method:
1. Heat a large saucepan with the oil and once hot fry the cumin, coriander and cinnamon. When the spices start spluttering add the onions and cook until translucent then add ginger/garlic paste. Fry until the raw garlic smell leaves, careful not to burn the contents. Add the chillis now too.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook and keep stirring until the water runs half dry and then add the lamb – cover and cook for 30 minutes covered, on low heat. Stir occasionally.
3. When the water runs quite dry, turn up the heat and fry and add the tomato puree at this point. (10 minutes or so). Keep frying until you are left with the thick, red, fragrant paste surrounding the lamb and the lamb is cooked through.
4. In a small frying pan heat some oil, add the panch puran and curry leaves until they splutter and add to the lamb. Serve with a garnish of coriander leaves and rice or naan and some Greek yoghurt.
Tips:
Keeps in the fridge for upto 2 days, better the next day.
Frozen on the same day, becomes even better once defrosted and slowly re-heated on low fire.

Butter Chicken - Murg Makhani

Ingredients:

• 1 kg boneless chicken skin removed
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to suit your taste)
• 6 cloves
• 8-10 peppercorns
• 1" stick of cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 8-10 almonds
• Seeds from 3-4 pods of cardamom
• 1 cup fresh yoghurt (must not be sour)
• 3 tbsps vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
• 2 onions chopped
• 2 tsps garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tsps coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 400g/ 14 oz of chopped tomatoes, ground into a smooth paste in a food processor
• 1/2 litre chicken stock
• 2 tbsps kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 3 tbsps unmelted, soft butter
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation:

• Mix the chicken, lime juice, salt and red chilli powder in a large, non-metallic bowl. Cover and allow to marinate for 1 hour.
• Heat a flat pan or griddle on medium heat and gently roast (stirring frequently) the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves and almonds till they darken slightly. Cool and add the cardamom seeds. Now grind into a coarse powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
• Mix the yoghurt, above whole spice powder (from previous step), coriander, cumin and turmeric powders together and add them to the chicken. Allow to marinate for another hour.
• Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium heat. When hot, add the onions. Fry till a pale golden brown in color and then add the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for a minute.
• Add only the chicken from the chicken-spice mix and fry till sealed (chicken will turn opaque and the flesh will go from pink to whitish in color).
• Now add the tomato paste, chicken stock, kasuri methi and remaining part of the yogurt-spice mix to the chicken.
• Cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is reduced to half its original volume.
• Melt the butter in another small pan and then pour it over the chicken.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Naan and Kaali Daal.
• For an authentic and traditional cooked-over-the-coals flavour: When the Butter Chicken is cooked, make a small bowl shape with aluminum foil and place it on top of the curry ('floating' on it). Heat a briquette of charcoal on an open flame till red hot and gently put the charcoal in to the aluminum foil bowl. Cover the dish immediately. Remove the cover just before serving, discard the foil bowl and charcoal and serve. The curry will be infused with a smokey flavor!

How to make Egg drop soup

Strawberry Mousse

Ingredients

1 quart fresh strawberries
1 package (1.4 ounces) 4 serving-size strawberry gelatin
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Whole strawberries and whipped cream for garnish

Directions

1. Wash and hull strawberries. Cut each in half and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, pour boiling water over gelatin and sugar. Stir until dissolved.
3. Pour pureed strawberries into gelatin and stir until combined. The mixture should be room temperature at this point. If not, refrigerate until cool.
4. Whip cream until stiff and fold into gelatin and strawberry mixture until well blended.
5. Spoon into individual serving dishes or keep in bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.

Strawberry Shortcake Skewers

When I saw these adorable skewers on Lady Behind the Curtain, they were just too cute to pass up.  I had to make these for my daughter’s tea party!  They are made with pre-made biscuit dough so it’s super easy too.

Roll out one piece of refrigerated biscuit dough to about a 5 inch circle and cut into 1 1/2 inch circles.  Each one should give you 7 circles.  Make sure you use your handy-dandy homemade circle cutter.

Yes, this circle cutter was made by my Dad.  First let me explain the type of guy my dad is.  He can make ANYTHING!!  Really, he’s a general contractor by trade, but a mad scientist in the workshop. He whipped up this little cutter and just soldered it together and voila, I have a cookie cutter!

Place the the biscuit circles on parchment paper and brush with an egg wash and sprinkle each one with sugar.

They are done when they’re a nice golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Now prepare the strawberries.  First wash and dry all the berries.  Cut the tops off.

Then the small end.

Then slice in half, giving you two strawberry circles.

I stacked them together and the kept each of the two pieces together, so it would look more uniform on one skewer.

I cut my skewers down in size to about 6 inches so they would look nicer.  You don’t have to do that.

Now just start layering with the biscuit, whipped cream and strawberries.

Start and end with a biscuit.  Easy peasy.  It was fun to make and even more fun to eat.  These were a hit at the tea party and they are fun to slide right off and pop into your mouth.

Strawberry Shortcake Skewers

Biscuit Rounds:
1 can of grands biscuits
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
sugar for sprinkling
20 large strawberries, 2 slices per strawberry
Cream:
2 cups heavy cream
½ jar marshmallow fluff
3 tbsp sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
On a lightly floured surface, roll a biscuit into a 5-inch circle.
Cut 7 – 1-1/2 inch circles and place on a cookie sheet sprayed with non stick cooking spray.
Whisk together the egg white and water.  Brush on each biscuit and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.
While the biscuits are baking prepare the strawberries.  Cut two 1/2 inch slices from each strawberry.  I also kept the two slices stacked on themselves, so I could use the same strawberry for one skewer.  This way they fit together better.  Once the biscuits are baked, transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before constructing the skewers.  Then start layering; biscuit, strawberry, whipped cream.  Do this twice ending with a third biscuit on top.  One can of biscuits made 20 skewers.  That’s WITHOUT using the scraps.  If you use the scraps you’ll need to adjust the ingredients for extra.
Cream:
In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream and sugar and beat until firm peaks form.  Add half a jar of marshmallow fluff until just combined.

Beef and Rice Cake Skewers

Ingredients

10 oz NY striploin beef, cut into 1/2" thick strips (cut 3/4" longer than rice cakes)

1 lb fresh rice cakes

a bunch of green onion, cut into same length as rice cakes (using only white and light green part)

3 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Korean soy sauce for soup

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

dashes of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 small onion, grated

1/4 Asian pear, peeled and grated

1/4 kiwi, peeled and grated (optional)

some bamboo skewers, about 4" long

1-2 tablespoon canola oil 

 

Directions

1. Make a marinade by combining soy sauces, sugar, sesmae oil, garlic powder, black pepper, grated onion, grated pear. and grated kiwi (if using) in a shallow bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce in a another container and set that aside.
2. Place the beef in the marinade mixture and toss together and let it sit for 10-15 minutes to soak up the flavor. Toss the rice cake with the reserved 1/4 cup of marinade in another bowl.
3. Skewer beef, rice cakes, and spring onion one by one to the bamboo skewers. (2-3 strips of each ingredient in one skewer)
4. Heat skillet over med-high heat and drizzle a little oil. Place skewers on the hot skillet and brown them about 1-2 minutes on each side. Add a little more oil if the pan seems too dry.
5. Serve warm or at a room temperature.

No-Bake Mini Heart Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz) frozen poundcake, not thawed

      Icing

• 5 1/4 cup(s) (about 1 1/2 lbs) confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) milk
• 3 tablespoon(s) light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoon(s) almond or vanilla extract
• Red liquid or paste (icing) food color
• Decorations: tubes of white, red and pink decorating icing, each fitted with round piping tip; red crystal sugar; and tiny candy hearts (available in many supermarkets, crafts stores and cake-decorating and party-supply shops)

Directions

1. Have ready 2-in. and/or 2 1/2-in. heart-shape metal cookie cutters.
2. Using a long, sharp knife, trim rounded hump off poundcake so top is flat. Trim crust off sides. Slice cake horizontally in half. Cut hearts from each half.
3. Put hearts 1 1/2 in. apart on a wire rack set on wax paper to catch drips.
4. Icing: Stir ingredients, except food color, in a bowl until smooth and as thin as maple syrup. Divide between 2 bowls; cover 1 bowl with plastic wrap. Tint icing in other bowl pink.
5. Spoon pink icing over half the cakes, completely covering tops and sides. Stir drips on wax paper into icing in bowl; cover airtight. Let icing set 30 minutes. Meanwhile repeat with white icing on rest of cakes.
6. Thin remaining pink and white icings with a little water as needed; give cakes a second coat. Let set at least 1 hour.
7. To decorate: With decorating icing, pipe designs and words on cakes as shown, or create your own designs. Add red sugar and candy hearts.

Choc-a-block trifle

• Ingredients

• 4 good-quality chocolate brownies (about 85g each)
• 1/4 cup (60ml) Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur)
• 275g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 tbs caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 600ml thickened cream
• 150g white chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup (30g) toasted chopped walnuts
• Dark chocolate curls (see note), to decorate

• Method

1. Step 1
   Break up brownies into small pieces and place in the bottom of a 1.5 litre dish or 6 x 1 cup (250ml) serving glasses. Drizzle over the Kahlua, then set aside.
2. Step 2
   Place dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). Allow to melt, then stir very gently until smooth. Remove from heat and add 225ml boiling water, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring to make a sauce (don't add water more quickly or the chocolate will 'seize' and become grainy). Pour sauce over the brownies, then cover and chill for 2 hours.
3. Step 3
   Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together in a bowl with electric beaters until thick and pale.
4. Step 4
   Heat 300ml of the cream in a saucepan over medium heat until just below boiling point. Pour the hot cream mixture over the egg mixture, stirring to combine. Transfer to a clean saucepan and place over low heat. Stir for 2-3 minutes until a thick custard forms.
5. Step 5
   Place two thirds (100g) of the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the custard into the bowl, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is well combined. Cool completely, then pour over the chocolate brownie base. Chill for 2 hours.
6. Step 6
   Place the remaining 50g of white chocolate in a food processor with the walnuts and pulse until fine. Whip the remaining cream to soft peaks, stir in the walnut mixture, then spread over the trifle. Chill for at least 2 hours until set, then serve decorated with chocolate curls, if desired.

Adasi (Lentil Soup)

If you’re wondering what else you can do with lentils, this post is for you. This is a simple dish to make and very yummy.

Ingredients (4-6 servings):
2.5-3 cups lentils
1 large onion - finely chopped
salt/pepper
turmeric
lemon juice (optional) — just a small amount
Golpar (ground angelica) — desired amount sprinkled on top
oil
4-5 cups water –may need to add more water
Directions:
Wash and soak the lentils for a few hours prior to cooking.
Fry the onions in oil in a large pot until they become golden in color (set burner to medium heat). Rinse the lentils and then add them to the pot and stir in with the onions. Add some turmeric, salt, and pepper. Add enough water to cover the lentils completely.
Place the lid on the pot and all the lentils to completely cook. If desired add some lemon juice.
Once the Adasi is ready to be served you can spring some Golpar on top.

Mutton Fry

Ingredients

• 500 gms mutton, chopped in small pieces
  
  1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  
  1 tsp turmeric powder
  
  2 tsp chilli powder
  
  4 Tbsp vegetable oil
  
  1 cup water
  
  Salt to taste
  
  2 Tbsp ulavacharu paste (optional)
  
  
  For the base:
  
  3 Tbsp oil
  
  6-7 cloves
  
  1 inch cinnamon stick
  
  6-7 green cardamom
  
  2 tsp garam masala
  
  10-15  curry leaves
  
  1 onion, finely chopped
  
  4-5 sliced green chillies
  
  Fresh coriander, for garnishing

Method

Heat 4 tbsp of oil in a pan and lightly brown the mutton to seal the juices.

Add the ginger garlic paste, salt, chili, ulavacharu paste (optional) and turmeric powder.

Cook for 8-10 minutes on medium flame, stirring at intervals.

Add the water and pressure cook for 20-25 minutes or 4-5 whistles, till the mutton is tender.


For the base:

In another pan, heat the oil, add cinnamon stick, green cardamom and cloves and let them splutter.

Mix in the  green chillies, then add the onions and curry leaves.

Saute for 5-6 minutes and season it with salt.

Cook on low heat for 6-8 minutes, till the onions are soft.

Then add the cooked mutton  to this base and mix well.

Sprinkle in the garam masala and cook for 7-8 minutes. till all the flavors combine together.

Garnish with coriander.

MUTTON BIRYANI

Ingredients 1 1/2 kg basmati rice 1 1/2 kg mutton 200 gms ginger (ground) 150 gms garlic (ground) 3 tsp garam masala powder (clove, cinnamon, cardamom and shajeera) 500 gms oil 500 gms finely chopped onions 250 gms thick yoghurt 2 lemons 2 sprigs of coriander 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 2 tsp salt (salt to taste)

Method Cook mutton with salt, turmeric and ginger-garlic paste for 15 - 20 minutes in a cooker or in a thick-bottomed vessel. Heat oil in a wok and fry finely chopped onions until golden brown. To this add the cooked mutton pieces and fry for 15 minutes. Add the beaten yogurt, chopped coriander and juice of two lemons. Take one-and-a-half measures of water for each measure of rice. Bring the water to a boil and add washed and presoaked (for 30 minutes) rice and cook until done. Add the mutton pieces and cook for 10 minutes. Serve hot with raita (yogurt chutney).

new year in malaysia