Richard Kaloust Recipes

 Healthy Living: is Organic and Natural Food Worth It?

Richard Kaloust about Organic Author:  Doug G White.

This weeks theme:  Going organic on a budget.  In this tough economy I will explore ways to go organic and still have money left over. 

Is Organic Worth It?

Been in the grocery store recently shopping for meats, eggs, fish milk etc? Noticed all the strange labeling; “Organic” or “Natural” on these items? So we all know these organic food stuffs cost significantly more than regular food, but why, what is the difference really and is it worth the extra cost?

The word natural is used for most fruits and veggies, and is mostly a marketing ploy to get you to buy their product, as all fruits and veggies are natural – unless its some newly developed processed food, it is natural. What you should be looking for is the food labeled “organic”.

So what does organic mean?

Organic food is food which has been grown without the use of pesticides, fertilizers or other chemicals. Buying organic food has two major benefits: Firstly you are preventing these potentially harmful chemicals from entering into the environment, so organic food is more environmentally friendly. Secondly, you do not induce these chemicals yourself, which is a lot healthier than “regular” foods. Since organic food tends to be a bit more expensive; if you are shopping on a budget then skip over the organic fruits and veggies which have peels that you remove before you eat them e.g. Bananas, Oranges etc… After all once you have removed the peel you remove the chemicals. Opt to at least buy organic foods such as apples where you actually consume the peel.

Remember to rinse the food thoroughly under water when you get home, regardless of whether it is organic or not.

Another label that you might come across is “No Hormones”, this is generally used on milk and meat products. Technically all such labels are completely wrong, as all animals produce hormones to function properly. What they really mean with this label is that no artificial hormones were given to the animal to grow faster and fatter or to produce more milk. Regardless of hormones or not, this meat and milk is perfectly safe for human consumption.

The last label that you might come across while shopping is found on meat and egg products. These will indicate whether the animal was caged or penned. This makes no difference to the nutritional value of the food but is more a question of animal rights. These products also generally cost more but are more of a humane decision.

So remember to read the labels carefully while grocery shopping, as being informed about what they mean can help you make the best choices for your diet.

Persian Recipes

Richard Kaloust Persian Recipes By Sunil Tanna.

The region that is today Iran has a very long history. Urban settelements have existed in the country since at least 4000 BCE, and of course most people have heard of the Persian empires. The country of Persia, officially changed its name to Iran in 1935 at the direction of then ruler, Reza Shah, but in 1953, Mohammad Reza Shah (the son of Reza Shah) announced that both names, “Iran” and “Persia”, were acceptable.

Persian cuisine is known for its subtle and delicate mixtures of spices. You will also find that Persian recipes use many interesting ingredients including apricots, artichokes, eggplant, lemon, lime, oranges, pistachios, spinach, saffron and tarragon.

All Persian meals are traditionally served with tea (”chai”). Tea is in fact drank throughout the day, as well as with breakfast, and before and after both lunch and dinner. You should also look out for the side dishes (”mokhalafat”), containing various accompaniments which are served with Persian meals, as they form an important part of the experience.

Additionally, rice is often eaten with Iranian meals. Although the rice may be prepared in a variety of different ways, the best known is “chelow”, in which rice is partially boiled, then drained and finally steamed. This results in a fluffy texture for the rice, with a golden crust at the bottom of the cooking pot.

Popular Persian main dishes include:

* Chelo Kabab – This is probably the most famous of Persian dishes. It is marinated lamb, cooked over a charcoal grill, and served with rice.

* Fesenjan – Fesenjan is a stew made from chicken or duck. It contains walnut and pomegranate, and has a sweet and sour flavor.

* Abgousht – This is vegetable and beef stew.

* Shirin Polo – Shirin Polo is traditionally eaten at Iranian weddings. It is rice with slivered almonds, orange peel and pistachio nuts.

Some mokhalafat side plates may accompany Iranian meals include:

* Naan – Persian unleavened flat bread.

* Panir – A type of cheese that is reminescent of feta.

* Khiyarshur – Pickles.

* Torshi – Relishes.

* Sabzi – Mixed herbs.

Crock Pot Recipe For Spicy Shrimp Chowder

Richard Kaloust Spicy Shrimp Chowder By Natalie Schloesser.

Cooking is truly an experiment; what foods work with what spices, how much, the variables go on and on. For many, cooking without a recipe or even altering a recipe is a scary thing. They follow recipes exactly, worried that the cooking police might come find them if they don’t.

And so, I offer you my Spicy Shrimp Chowder recipe. You will notice the ingredients are in two categories – what you can alter and what you can’t. (Please notice which list is longer and that even the necessary ingredients have options.) What I have offered you is a choice, a sort of “experiment with a guide”. I have it listed the way I make it (although I often think my husband sneaks in more red pepper when I’m not looking) but please feel free to add or subtract, increase or decrease amounts, or whatever else you want to please your palate. For some altering hints, I’ve added a list below the recipe instructions. Enjoy!

Necessary ingredients

2- 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups eight vegetable or tomato juice

1 cup white wine or water

½ cup rice

Other ingredients

2 cups celery, chopped

1 green or red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp ground red pepper

1 pound pre-cooked, tail off shrimp

Spray 5-6 quart crock pot with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients except shrimp and rice in slow cooker, cover and cook on low 7-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Stir in fish and rice. Cover and cook on high an additional 45 minutes.

Hints for alteration

- For soupier chowder, add an additional 1 cup juice and/or ½ cup wine.

- Make with any firm fish such as tuna steak, halibut, or haddock cut into 1 inch cubes.

- Increase or decrease celery, bell peppers, and onion according to your tastes.

- For a spicier chowder, increase garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and/or ground red pepper. You could also add some hot sauce if desired.