Food bites Archives - Life Bites

Why high fructose corn syrup is bad for you

Ever wonder why high fructose corn syrup is bad for you? I just stumbled upon this video, in which Robert H. Lustig, MD, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology of California State University in San Francisco explains how fructose consumption has affected America's weight gain overtime and how it affects overall health. The video makes for an educated, well researched companion to my post The No Nonsense Diet: Watch What you Eat, written from the perspective of a lay person trying my best to stay healthy. The video explains why America is becoming obese and points to a…

The no nonsense diet: watch what you eat

You see them everywhere: articles, books and programs suggesting you will be able to lose weight without changing your eating habits. Some ask you to modify your diet for a while, but promise you can get back to eating that delicious cake you crave in no time. These programs must assume that in the process of dieting, your will power will undergo a drastic transformation that will keep you from craving more chocolate after you eat the first piece of congratulatory pie for the 10 pounds you shed. Here is my two cents: it will not happen! The subject of…

Mapo Tofu Rainbow

If you like mapo tofu, but wish you didn't have to cook an additional dish to get your vegetables, here's my original recipe for mapo tofu raimbow. Eat up! Mapo Tofu Raimbow 1 lb ground pork1 pack silken (soft tofu, cut into 1/2 inch squares)1 bunch garlic shoots (approximately 20)4 medium tomatoes cut into 1 inch squares1 tablespoon Minced fresh ginger1 tea-spoon minced fresh garlic1 medium jalapeno or other small hot pepper (cut into rings)1 tablespoon light soy sauce1 tea-spoon corn starch1 tea-spoon sesame oil1 tea-spoon brown sugar (1/2 tea-spoon if using refined sugar)1/2 tea-spoon salt2 tablespoons cooking oil In…

Arroz con pollo – Peruvian style

Peruvian cuisine is delicious. A mix of flavors with Native Peruvian, European, African and Asian influences appeals to many palates. Arroz con pollo is a common dish in many Latin American countries, each with its own seasonings and cooking method, but all equally delicious. The Dominican version, called "locrio de pollo", is said to be an adaptation of Spanish paella. It uses tomato sauce instead of the scarce and pricier zafron. In contrast, Peruvian arroz con pollo is green, calling for big amounts of cilantro. A friend recently introduced me to this dish and I loved it. See easy print…

How to make pot sticker wrappers from scratch: recipe and videos

This is a follow-up to my post Chinese pot stickers or dumplings where you can learn how to make fillings for your pot stickers. This post will explain how to make pot sticker wrappers from scratch, using a simple mixture of all-purpose flour, salt and water. Although time-consuming, there are many good reasons to make pot sticker wrappers from scratch: better taste, fresh wrappers are more malleable so they are easier to fold - and most importantly: you know what you are putting in them. If you are making 100 pot stickers or more to store, this method is…

Easy carnitas recipe – pork roast

Don't you just love carnitas? That tender, tasty pork that breaks with a fork and melts in your mouth? I do! It turns out you don't have to go to a Mexican restaurant to get a taste. This is my version of the pork carnitas recipe and it couldn't be simpler. If you decide to use bija or annatto seeds for this dish, see my related post. Easy slow cooker carnitas recipe - pork roast 2 lbs. of pork loin2 1/2 teaspoons ground salt (use 1/2 tea-spoon more if sea salt)2 teaspoons of oregano or oregano flakes1 teaspoon of…

Vegetarian comfort food for winter

Is there such a thing as healthy comfort food? This question comes to mind when I make stir-fried vegetables to eat with rice... probably high in calories but also high in fiber. The following two vegetarian comfort food dishes complement each other and make a delicious winter dinner. You can use ingredients left over from one to make the other. Fried eggplant Tofu vegetables black bean sauce recipe. Using the left over eggs from the eggplant egg wash, make this tofu stir fry with vegetables and black bean sauce. Use the links provided to access the recipes. Serve both dishes…

Braised chicken recipe (pollo guisado)

Dark poultry meat is specially tasty when braised. For this braised chicken recipe, I'm going to use all drumsticks (because I like them so much!) but you can use any part of the chicken. See easy print recipe at the end of the post! Braised chicken recipe (pollo guisado) 10 chicken drumsticks6 garlic cloves (peeled)1/2 of a red onion chopped in half inch squares1 tea spoon salt1/2 tea spoon ground oregano or 1 teaspoon oregano flakes1 tea spoon tomato paste1 tea spoon brown sugar2 table spoons vegetable oil4 green onions chopped (for garnish)1 1/2 cups water Garlic: mash garlic in…