Worldwide uses of sesame paste in cooking
Tahini sesame paste is a main ingredient in many Middle Eastern dishes of which Hummus is the most well known dish where it is the most important ingredient right after the chickpeas. Hummus or humus is an Arab dip or spread made of cooked and mashed chickpeas in combination with sesame paste. sesame paste is often used in combination with lemon juice, salt and garlic to create a sauce or dip.

Sesame paste is making its way into the European kitchen where it is used in salad dressings or as a spread on bread or sandwiches. Due to its oily basis it can be used to replace margarine or butter.

Benefits of sesame paste
Sesame paste is a source of calcium, protein and B vitamins and is a great source of essential fatty acids (EFA) which our bodies use to maintain healthy skin. Antioxidants and vitamin E in sesame paste help to reduce the rate of ageing of body cells and slow down the aging process.

Sesame seeds are a good source of Methionine. Methionine is an important amino acid and contributor to liver detoxification. It also helps with the absorption of other amino acids.

sesame paste recipes
Sesame paste can be used in a wide range of recipes of which there are a lot to be found on the internet(tahini recipes). Most recipes are for hummus or tahini dips but feel free to experiment and you will find sesame paste lends itself as an ingredient in a lot of dishes and is an excellent salad dressing.

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If you are thinking of following vegetarian diet for certain causes – religious belief, health reason, economic reason, animal rights – you will face a barrage of uninformed arguments from skeptical relatives and friends. A common argument about vegetarianism is the difficulty of preparing vegetarian meals. Don’t get swayed or discouraged by this argument because there is a lot of choice for vegetarians. A vegetarian diet consists of ordinary everyday foods like grains, vegetables, nuts, and fruits. Legumes and starches like potatoes and rice are also part of the diet. Fish, poultry, and dairy products can also be incorporated depending on what type of vegetarianism you follow. These are all available in your average grocery store. Also, there is a variety of easy vegetarian recipes available in many sources. Books, magazines, newsletters, and even TV shows are veritable sources of healthy vegetarian recipes. You will not miss anything because the choices are limitless.

Vegetarian meals do not deviate much from a regular diet except for the absence of meat. Skeptics argue that this could mean missing out on essential proteins. But this is hardly true nor correct. All healthy vegetarian recipes are well-balanced. They have the required amounts of essential vitamins, minerals, and protein. Examples of protein choices are legumes, nuts, beans, fish, poultry, dairy, and the popular tofu. Calcium, a mineral often associated with milk, is not missed either. Middle Easterners and native Africans are known to have strong teeth and bones but their diets rarely contain dairy or meat. They get their calcium from vegetables and root crops. So there is no reason you couldn’t get your calcium requirements from vegetarian foods. In terms of nutrition, a vegetarian diet is even superior to diets with meat. There is less fat and bacteria that enter the body which can cause heart diseases and infections. You can watch meat lover bloat and get fat while maintaining your own healthy body with vegetarianism.

After proclaiming that you are eating healthier with vegetarianism, you’d think that the non-believers will stop bugging you. But no, they’re back and possibly bearing the most difficult question for hedonists. They’ll ask if you’re not depriving yourself of the hearty pleasure and satisfaction only the flavor of meat can give. Fret not because vegetarianism has an answer to that. When vegetarians state that there are easy vegetarian recipes, they don’t just mean easy to prepare but also easy on the palate. Contrary to what the skeptics are thinking about vegetarian meals (you know, limp lettuce and carrot sticks), vegetarian meals are flavorful and varied. Recipes range from curries, soups, burgers, steaks, hotdogs, casseroles, pasta, and delicious desserts all made with true vegetarian goodness. In fact, vegetarian meals are more flavorful because they make full use of herbs and natural flavors unlike meats which use a lot of salt.

If your friends and relatives still won’t stop bugging you about your vegetarian diet, get a load of healthy vegetarian recipes and cook them a feast. When they see that you didn’t even break a sweat preparing the delicious feast, they’ll be convinced of the ease of vegetarianism. Give them copies of easy vegetarian recipes and don’t be surprised if they’ll ask you to go produce-shopping in the following days.

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To maintain the delicate flavor of a newly caught freshwater or saltwater fish, this must be handled properly to avoid spoilage. Not to mention preserving the fish with pleasing odor. There are ways to properly prepare and maintain the quality just after the catch of the fish into a sumptuous fishmeal. Check out the tips below:

1) As soon as the fish lands avoid any contact with hard surfaces to prevent bruising. It should be washed immediately by hosing or bucket rinsing in order to remove the slime and possible bacteria that cause spoilage. Never use water from close proximity marinas, municipal or industrial discharges. To make sure, always use potable water instead.

2) Simply chill the fish to prevent deterioration in less than an hour. With a little advance planning, proper icing can be accomplished with the use of some relatively cheap equipment. Fish should be stored in coolers and should be well chilled. It should be 3″ deep, thus, covering a pound of fish with pound of ice. Use chlorinated water per quart of water for the final rinsing.

3) Clean the fish as soon as possible. Their tissues are sterile but not their scales, which contains many types of bacteria. When cleaning fish, avoid rough treatment because wounds in the flesh can allow the spread of bacteria. Gutting the fish does not have to be necessarily long. It is wise to cut the belly, as it leaves no blood or viscera in the body. Make sure not to soak cleaned fish fillets in a prolonged freshwater as this could reduce the meat texture and flavor.

4) The eating quality and nutritional value of fish can be maintained up to 5 days if properly cleaned. Washing of the hands before touching the fish is also important. No matter what fish and the cooking technique used, one golden rule is to be followed always. Whether it is whole or not, cook exactly 10 minutes for every inch measured. 15 minutes should be allotted to fish enclosed in foil or sauce baked. Double the time for frozen fish.

Allow extra time if fish will be baked while packed in an aluminum foil and allow extra time for the penetration of the heat. That should be an additional 5 minutes for fresh fish and 10 for frozen. In thawing frozen fish, slowly thaw in the fridge for 24 hours or let the wrapped fish be run under cold water not at room temperature. Do not thaw a fish that’s frozen before cooking as it may make it mushy and dry.

More articles about Successful Cooking

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Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
3 C. coleslaw
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. fish fillets (unbreaded), cut into 6 equal portions
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt
¼ C. all-purpose
12 corn tortillas, heated

Directions:

To make the slaw, mix the mayonnaise and lime zest and juice in a medium bowl. Add the coleslaw mix, scallions, and cilantro, if using and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand while making the fish for the tacos. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat the oil is hot but not smoking. Season the cod all over with the chili powder and then the salt. Place the flour in a small bowl. Coat each piece of cod in the flour, shaking off the excess. Add to the skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer the cod to a plate. Place tortillas in a napkin-lined basked and close the napkin to keep the tortillas warm. Serve the tortillas, fish, and lime slaw at the table. To make each taco, place 2 tortillas, slightly overlapping, on the plate. Top with 1 piece of fish and break it up with a fork. Top with a spoonful of the lime slaw and roll up the taco.   
  

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1 pkg. sausages 
1 Tbsp. olive oil
8 lightly beaten eggs  
½ c. sliced green onion
¼ c. milk  
½ c. diced sweet red pepper
½ to 1 c. shredded cheese 
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. salt 
1 c. frozen hash browns
¼ tsp. black pepper  
¼ c. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Put foil into baking cups and set aside.  Cook and drain sausages.  Combine eggs, milk, cheese in a large bowl; add salt and pepper to taste.  In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the vegetables and sauté until tender.  Combine egg mixture, sausages, and vegetables.  Pour even amounts into the separate baking cups and place in the oven until eggs are set, approximately 22 minutes.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

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Ingredients:

16 oz. lean round steak, cut into strips
1 (15 oz.) can chunky tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1/3 C. water
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 C. onion slices

Directions:

In a large skillet, brown meat. In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, mustard, water, and black pepper. Pour sauce mixture over meat in skillet. Layer onion slices over the top. Cover and lower heat. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Good served over rice or pasta.

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• The common onion is part of the Allium or lily plant family, which includes garlic, chives, leeks and shallots.
• The onion gets its name from the Latin word unio which means ‘one’ or ’single’, as onions are different than garlic, which produces many small bulbs while the onion produces only one.
• Traces of onions have been found in Bronze Age settlements dating back to 5000 B.C.E.
• Actual cultivation of onions by man is believed to have begun 4000 years ago in ancient Egypt.
• Alexander the Great fed his army onions with the belief that if they ate strong foods, they themselves would become stronger.
• Onions have strong antiseptic qualities, and their juice has been used for cleansing and healing wounds for centuries, all the way up to the American Civil War.
• When The Plague infected Europe, some believed it was caused by evil spirits. Some would wear strings of onions around their necks to try and protect themselves.
• Onions have also been used for other varieties of ailments through the centuries. In ancient India they were used as a diuretic, in China they were used for many things like liver disease, constipation and wound healing. In Colonial America eating a raw wild onion was thought to cure measles.
• There is medical research that proves onions are indeed a healthy vegetable. They can lower blood glucose, lower blood pressure, lower overall cholesterol, dissolve blood clots and help prevent cancer.
• There are two general categories of onions. Fresh spring/summer onions and storage onions. Fresh onions can be any color, some have their green stems attached. They are generally milder than storage onions. Storage onions can be red, yellow or white. They can range in flavor from mild to really strong, but most storage onions sweeten up and become mild when cooked.
• Onions have also been used for other varieties of ailments through the centuries. In ancient India they were used as a diuretic, in China they were used for many things like liver disease, constipation and wound healing. In Colonial America eating a raw wild onion was thought to cure measles.
• Everybody who has ever had to cut up a lot of strong onions knows what happens. It is literally a job that makes all of us cry. That is because onions contain sulfur, and when you cut the onion sulfur is released into the air. This air-borne sulfur reacts with the moisture in your eyes and creates a mild form of sulfuric acid! Your eyes tear up to flush this substance from your eyes.
• There are many ways to try and prevent crying while cutting up onions, some methods practical, some not. Some say cut them under water, or put them in the refrigerator an hour before cutting, or don’t cut the root end until last. Some have even suggested putting on a tight fitting swimming mask!

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Ingredients:

1 (6 ½ oz.) can solid white tuna in water, drained and flaked
½ C. plain low fat yogurt
1 celery stalk, diced
1 tsp. coarse grained mustard
¼ tsp. dried dill weed
Salt and pepper
2 pita bread, halved crosswise
8 lettuce leaves
2 tomatoes, sliced thickly

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Line bread halves with lettuce leaves and tomatoes. Divide tuna mixture among bread pockets.

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Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup orange juice
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless and thawed
2 cup pasta, any kind
1 cantaloupe, diced

Instructions:

Place the mayonnaise into a large mixing bowl.  Add the orange juice and mix together well being sure that the mixture becomes very smooth.  Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Set the oven on 375 degrees.  Place the chicken breast in a shallow baking pan.  Bake 25 minutes.  Chicken will be done when juices run clear when pierced with a fork.  Remove from the oven and allow cooling.  Once the chicken has cooled enough to work with, use a sharp knife to dice it into small chunks.  Cook the pasta as directed on the package.  Rinse with cool water and drain well.  Place the pasta into a large serving bowl.  Add the diced chicken and blend well.  Remove the orange juice mixture from the refrigerator and pour over the top of the pasta and chicken.  Use a rubber spatula to stir the ingredients together.  Add the cantaloupe and stir to incorporate.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours.  Salad should be cold when served. 

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If you’re like many women today, you’re working a full-time job during the day and then come home to put in at least another eight hours taking care of the home.  Finding things that will make your time at home less taxing would be great, especially when it comes to being able to feed your family nutritious meals that they will enjoy.

Truth be told, everyone prefers to eat a good, home cooked meal.  But if you’ve just spent a draining eight hours outside the home, you may not have the energy to cook from scratch.  You can create great meals that don’t take a long time; here’s how:

  • Make a plan before going grocery shopping.  Creating a meal plan for at least a week at a time will solve two problems. Firstly, you’ll know what you’re going to fix so you won’t be racking your brain after you come home trying to figure out what to fix.  Secondly, you’ll be able to better control how much you spend because you’ll already know what ingredients you need.

  • After you’ve done your shopping, wash all the vegetables and cut them up into the sizes you’ll need for each meal.  This may take a while on the front, but will save you a lot of time when you’re preparing each meal later.  Don’t forget to ask for help from those that are old enough to use a sharp knife.  This will greatly lessen the time you need to spend.

  • Make your crock pot your best friend.  This one cooking tool can make your life so much easier, and your family much more satisfied with the meal.  Put your ingredients into the crock pot, turn it on, and leave it alone.  By the time you return home, you’ll have the makings for a great home-cooked meal!

  • When you plan a family favorite, prepare more than one meal’s worth.  You can double, triple, or quadruple the amount that you make.  Freeze the separate meals for later use.  When you’re craving a particular meal and don’t have time to fix it, you’ll have one in the freezer; all you have to do is take it out and reheat it.

  • If you don’t want to spend an entire day cooking extra meals, plan on cooking enough for one extra meal that you can use as a planned leftover one night.  If you’re using making chili one night, make a little extra that you can add to baked potatoes on another night.

  • Stretch your home-made meal with a great tossed or pasta salad.  Salads are quick, easy, and nutritious.  They’re also good to add when you’re having leftovers.  They’ll stretch the meal quite nicely.

You may not be able to be supermom or superwoman, but you can accomplish your goal of providing nutritious, home-made meals even after working outside of the home all day long.  By using these tips, you’ll reduce some of the time you need to prepare those meals.  You might actually find that you have a chance to enjoy your meal, as well, and that should make you feel super!

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