Sushi Rolling In-Home Cooking Class

I've encountered so many people who don't eat a certain type of food
because they have never tried it before and they simply "think"
they don't like it... even if they have never tried it!

I think it's pretty important to have kids try all kinds of foods as well.
Too often and sadly, kids end up sometimes with a limited palate
all because their parents had a limited palate and only gave them what they
enjoyed.  I think this happens quite often with certain veggies and seafood
most commonly.

During our Sushi rolling class with S & A... this was not the case
but it often can be with sushi.  I remember the first several times
I tried sushi and sashimi and I certainly DID.NOT.LIKE.IT at all.
I think I tried it at least 3-4 times before starting to enjoy it.
Now, I just can't get enough.

Sushi is a popular menu choice for Let's Cultivate Food's
In-Home Cooking Classes AND also for Personal Chef dinners.

Below are a few pics of one of many In-Home Classes we have completed.
S & A were such a great couple. They were so eager and excited
to learn how to roll and make sushi. It was a blast to share an evening
with them! I start with a demo with the fresh ingredients I bring to your residence.

Eager learners really do learn SO quickly... they start rolling their own rolls in minutes!

We try to do a variety of different kinds because... the more the better! RIGHT!?!

'S' learned the trick of how to evenly cut the roll pieces.  Pretty easy trick

once you know- often that's how it is- it always seems easy once we know

how to do something!

'A' rolling out the 'sushi' rice evenly out onto the nori.  (Sushi rice is different than 

regular long grain rice) Many people don't realize that sushi rice is different

AND that some premium pieces of nori are $4-7 a sheet! WHAT!?!

Regular and inside out (aka: naked rolls) So many combinations can be fun!

Tada!  S & A made their first EVER tray of a variety of sushi and veggie rolls!

Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food

Greek Yogurt - the basics

When someone says Greek Yogurt-- what pops into your mind?
Healthy? Super-food? Good protein? Good bacteria? Nutritious?
Makes you 'regular'?  Are you running through all the different
brands of Greek Yogurt right now in your head?

In a nut shell, Greek yogurt is made by straining yogurt to
get rid of the whey; (whey is the liquid after milk has curdled)

I think that most of us think that all Greek yogurts are good for us.
Every brand has a different recipe which means the nutritional value
is different as well, especially when it comes to the amount of sugar,
corn starch, actual bacteria and other added ingredients.

The FDA has regulations on just regular yogurt...
so what that basically means is that it can be regular yogurt with
the label simply marked as "Greek yogurt" which still isn't horrible
BUT you will be paying a lot more since the Greek is more expensive.

Some things to look for in true Greek yogurt; with any product-
just read the label. The main ingredients should simply be milk
and the active cultures; what I like to call the "good bacteria".
Stay away from things such as: "added whey cultures, modified corn starch."

Greek yogurt gets its thickness from the straining process, however,
some companies like to skip the straining process and they just add
a thickener like corn starch to mimic the thick richness we favor in
Greek yogurt. Sometimes even a gelatin is added to give it a slippery
looking texture.  Anything to make it more appealing to our eyes right!?

Last bit of fact just for fyi purposes: yogurt (any kind) and frozen yogurt
are not made from the same recipe; so frozen yogurt is not
made simply by freezing regular refrigerated yogurt, but that's a whole
other post with more info!

Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food

Buffalo Wild Wings, Chipotle and Panera Bread

The 3  restaurant chains to watch in 2014.

These 3 restaurants are the leaders when it comes to casual restaurant chains.
Buffalo Wild Wings was started by 2 guys over 30 years ago.
They have been consistently growing and currently have 959 locations in 49 states.
Buffalo Wild Wings is planning to serve Pepsi rather than Coca Cola to help
spice up their menu (Doritos).

Chipotle Mexican Grill started in 1993 and currently has  1539 locations globally.
They recently started selling tofu along with their other proteins.
Chipotle also has made a pizza partnership where the pizzas are made to order
and baked in 2 minutes.

Panera Bread started their journey back in 1981 with the original being Au Bon Pain Co.
In 1993, Au Bon Pain purchased the St. Louis Bread Company and renovated them
into Panera Bread. There are currently about 1500 Panera Bread locations  in 40 states.

Enjoy all 3 chains,  Let's Cultivate Food

French Toast Rolls

I've always been found of wraps... especially lettuce wraps.
I also love rolls. I even have a whole board dedicated to wraps and rolls on Pinterest.

I also love taking everyday foods and changing them up a little
just to make it different. I unfortunately don't get to eat brunch too often
BUT lucky for me- french toast can be eaten any time of the day.
I think most breakfast foods can be devoured at any time of the day...
or is it simply the thought that it's breakfast food and eating it at a different time
of day makes it more special?  Hmm, I wonder.

I was grabbing lunch at Chilis Restaurant for lunch the other day and I remember
this mom saying to her 2  young sons that this lunch was special but their dinner
was going to be even more special simply because they went out for lunch.
She told them that they were going to have 3 different types of cereal for dinner.
I'm not sure if this was a save money tactic or a just being clever tactic.
Either way... a cereal buffet could be fun!

To make french toast rolls:
Simply take some sliced bread and cut the crust off on all 4 sides.
Add some cream cheese or Nutella and add your choice of fruit.
(berries or banana are most divine)

Roll them up almost like sushi and then dip them in some egg
like the way you would for regular french toast.
(having the egg on a plate vs a bowl for these rolls will be a little easier)

Fry them in a pan (again just like the way you normally would regular french toast)
Once the rolls have cooked and browned-- while still warm roll them in
a sugar and cinnamon mixture, again on a plate will be easiest!

quite divine and delish,   Let's Cultivate Food

Mochi rice cake with pork belly

Duk is the Korean word for rice cake.
When we typically think of cake... we think of a sweet dessert type of cake.
Rice cake is certainly not sweet simply because it's just rolled rice often made
into long cylinders cut into smaller pieces.

It is sort of similar to tofu in the way that it will take on the flavor of the sauce
but not like a sponge like texture like tofu.

I decided to take some pork belly which is basically bacon- pre-curing or smoking.
It is often sold in long strips or slabs that you can cut yourself.

An easy way of slicing the pork belly is to place it in the freezer for a minute or 2
-which will make it a little firmer so it;s easier to slice.
Pork belly is also a cut of meat used when you eat Korean BBQ.

Oh and this is what the Duk (rice cake) looks like, well- a common form of it.
It stores in the freezer really well also.

The sauce is soy sauce, water, sesame oil, sugar, black pepper & red pepper paste.

The pork belly has unbelievable taste and flavor on its own so if you saute the pork

first it helps give the rice cake flavor as well.  This is a popular street food in Korea

that is done in many different ways. This is just one simple way.

Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food

Overheard a conversation the other night...

I was at a Chinese restaurant a few nights ago and
over heard this conversation at the table right next to us.
The restaurant was slightly busy but the girls next to us were
quite loud in their conversation...

The conversation went something like this:

Older Sister: (in a very snotty tone) "I don't eat Asian food."

Younger Sister: "What are you talking about?  You don't eat Asian Food.?"

Older Sister: (again in a snotty tone) I don't do Asian food.
I have NEVER eaten any Asian Food. I DON'T DO ASIAN FOOD!"

I was pretty mortified (since I am Korean-- that's Asian by the way)
of the tone especially since the server was standing right there ready
and waiting to take their order.

As the server patiently stood there to take their order
the older sister had her arms crossed at this point
and was pretty much huffing and puffing in a way.

The young sister at this point said, "That's enough,  just look at
the menu and order something."
         
Older Sister: (not having even opened the menu yet) yells again,
in this rude and snotty tone- "whatever, I know I won't find a
single thing I like."  she finally opens the menu and
screeches out   "Oh! General Tso's. I LOVE General Tso's chicken.
 I'll order that and I'm not sharing any with you!"

Younger sister: "How can you say something like that?
You love Chinese food. I know for a fact  that you've eaten Chinese food."

Older sister: "I've never heard of Asian Cuisine. I thought it was
some weird crap. They should put on their menu that they
have Chinese food also not just Asian cuisine.

Younger sister: "You do know that China is a part of Asia right!?!-
What's wrong with you?!?!"

Older sister: "No, I didn't know that. I thought China was an island.

Overhearing conversations like this really makes me annoyed but also
it makes me wonder are these people real? I'm certainly not an expert
in geography and all but.... that's pretty much all I can say... but... really? HUH?


was slightly mortified,  Let's Cultivate Food

Avocado Caprese Toast

I love the combination of fresh mozzarella cheese, ripe tomatoes and basil.
Also known as an Insalata Caprese  or a appetizer salad
that is in the style of Capri.  (an island off of Italy)

A heartier way to have a caprese salad in the form of brunch
or lunch is on toast.

Take some of your favorite crusty bread and cut it into slices.  

If you can-  toast or warm the bread so it's a little softer and simply warm.

Mix your combo of ripe tomatoes fresh mozzarella cheese and basil 

cut in chiffonade  (long strips)  in a bowl and add a sprinkle of salt 

and drizzle a little olive oil. (about 2 TBSP)

While the caprese contents are marinating in your bowl--

take your ripe avocado and mash it up with a fork or a potato masher.

The only thing you have to actually cook is an egg. 

A poached or egg cooked over easy is best so that 

the egg yolk drizzles onto your toast.

To dress your slice of bread-

take your butter knife and smother your bread with the mashed avocado-

then add the egg on top of the avocado and top with the caprese salad.

In Home Cooking Classes Valentine's Class Birthday

Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food