Autumn Charcuterie Board

September 27, 2021 By Anne

Who doesn’t love a good charcuterie board?

Presentation is what creates a great charcuterie board. On this board we chose a fall theme. We looked for shapes, colors and fall flavors such as maple shaped cookies, cranberry, and cinnamon. It was important to us that both sweet and savory flavors were available.

Our cheeses were:
Cinnamon Cranberry Goat Cheese
Mild cheddar cubes
Sharp white cheddar slices
Mozzarella balls

Meats chosen:
Prosciutto
Salami
Pepperoni

Fruits:
Raspberry preserves
Pomegranate
Apple slices
Dried Dates

Nuts:
Praline Pecans

Additions were pumpkin seeds, grape tomatoes, a variety of crackers and a bit of basil for a great burst of color and flavor.

There are no hard rules for charcuterie presentation. Make it with your own taste in mind, change it up, think outside the box!

A few fall suggestions you may want to include on your next Fall charcuterie board: apple butter, pumpkin hummus, figs, or pears. The options are endless.

Share with us your favorite charcuterie board foods in the comments, we’d love to try them!

Written by Nicole Valenzuela

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

3 Amazing Appetizers You Can Make In Under 15 Minutes

November 10, 2020 By Anne

If you’re planning a dinner party or a get together of some kind, coming up with the menu can be hard. A lot of people find it tough to think of ideas for appetizers and sometimes, the idea of cooking extra dishes on top of the main, all of the sides, and maybe even a dessert can be stressful.

The good news is, appetizers don’t have to be hard and there are some great dishes that you can make with minimal effort. These are some of the best appetizers that you can make in 15 minutes or less.

Baked Brie

Image From Pixabay CCO License

What could be better than rich, melted cheese with lots of breadsticks or chopped vegetables to dip in? That’s why baked brie is such a perfect appetizer for a dinner party and the best thing is, it’s so simple to do. Once you try one of these brie recipes, they will become a regular feature at all of your parties because they are always a huge hit. Everybody can dig in, so you don’t need to worry about plating anything up, and baking the brie is as simple as adding whatever toppings you like (fruit and nuts work well) and then baking it in the oven in a dish for around 10 minutes or so. You can buy special dishes that are perfectly sized for brie, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. The recipe will still work fine with a standard dish.

Homemade Guacamole

Image From Pixabay CCO License

Guacamole is so simple to make and when you make it fresh, you’ll wish you never wasted your time and money on the store-bought stuff. This is the perfect appetizer for a family BBQ when you want a fresh, delicious appetizer that takes no time at all to prepare. Simply take your avocado and mash it up as much as you like, depending on whether you want it chunky or smooth. Then, add some lemon juice, diced red onion, chill (you can use chili flakes) and season with salt and pepper. It’s as simple as that and everybody will love it.

Quesadillas

Image From Pixabay CCO License

A Quesadilla is a delicious appetizer that is perfect if you have bits and pieces that need using up because it’s very adaptable. The key components of any quesadilla recipe are the tortilla and the cheese. Beyond that, it’s up to you what you put inside them. Chicken and cheese is a popular filling but a lot of people also like to use beans. Butternut squash makes a great healthy alternative as well.

To make your quesadilla, get some store-bought tortillas and put one in the pan. Heat it until small air pockets start to form, then add your toppings and cover the pan. Once the cheese is melted, you can fold it in half, cut it up and serve it. It’s so quick to make a bunch of quesadillas and serve them in slices for your guests.

Next time you are hosting a party and you are stuck for appetizer ideas, why not give some of these recipes a try?

Anne

5 Superfood Smoothies to Start Your Day Right

October 4, 2019 By Anne

Superfoods are nutritionally dense foods that are deemed to have various benefits capable of positively affecting health. The term is coined for marketing purposes and is still considered popular today. While nutritionists and other experts have come to agree that there is no such thing as a superfood, the buzz around it has made thousands of people become more conscious of healthy living and wellness, so it isn’t too bad.

One of the many ways superfoods are enjoyed is to combine them in a smoothie. The idea is to blend as many vitamins and antioxidants as there is in one single serving to help nourish the body. Breakfast is said to be one of the major meals to never skip on, and if you’re not a breakfast person, a superfood smoothie that you can leisurely sip while on the go may sound appealing to you.

With a breakfast smoothie, you don’t need to heat up a pan or produce several dirty dishes aside from the food processor or blender. Using the right ingredients can help boost energy, keep you full, and get started for the day. Here are some creative concoctions that will leave your taste buds fulfilled and happy.

Chocolate and Avocado

Avocado is considered a superfood because it is rich in folic acid, lutein, fiber, omega-3, and vitamins A, C, D, E, and K. It is said to have more potassium than bananas have and to be loaded with fiber and antioxidants. While incredibly nutritious, avocado is also known for its flavor and texture, which is why avocado toast has been popular in the last few years.

If you’ve never gotten into the avocado-toast trend for breakfast or brunch, then you may want to consider combining it with chocolate and turning it into a smoothie. Those who say you can’t have chocolate for breakfast clearly never had this nutritious drink to wake up to. Take a look at this great recipe so you can make one at home.

Matcha Green Tea, Banana, and Tofu

Ever since the term superfood was coined, the health industry has been constantly looking for foods to add to the group, and matcha green tea is one of them. For those who don’t know, real matcha only comes from Japan, and its purported health benefits include a substantial amount of antioxidants. To be more specific, the particular antioxidant found in matcha is called catechins, which are said to improve overall health, metabolism, and heart health and to have antiaging properties.

Matcha is more potent than regular green tea is and has a unique flavor that is completely on its own league. It has a slightly bitter taste and grassy aroma, which can complement a lot of flavors. While matcha is already good on its own, a smoothie made from it and blended with banana and tofu can make the drink taste more full-bodied. This recipe can show you how you can make matcha green tea, banana, and tofu smoothie on your own.

Kale and Pineapple

Kale is also a popular vegetable known in the superfood category and is known for its deep-green color and slightly bitter taste. It makes sense to pair it with a sweet fruit like pineapple to balance the taste and add more nutritional vitamins and minerals in the mix. A quick breakfast smoothie should only have a few ingredients, and luckily, this recipe has only five.

You only need to add a tablespoon of chia seeds, unsweetened almond milk or nondairy milk of your choice, and either a banana or an avocado, depending on what you have. If you want to add more sweetness, you can add a splash of maple syrup. The great thing about smoothies is that ingredient substitution is easy.

Cucumber and Mint

Suppose it’s a hot summer morning and you want to refresh yourself and have a hearty helping of daily fruits and vegetables. A cucumber-and-mint smoothie will be perfect. While cucumber is not everyone’s cup of tea, it gets mistaken a lot as a vegetable, but it is, in fact, a fruit. It has a sweet aftertaste and is great for low-fat smoothies and suitable for those who are trying to lose weight.

Pairing cucumber with mint and lemon will serve to amp its refreshing factor when drunk on a hot day. This recipe teaches you how to make one on your own with easy-to-find ingredients that may already exist in the kitchen. Take it on the go or sip leisurely at will.

Acai Berry

You’ve probably heard of the trendy acai smoothie bowls, and while you can eat acai any way you can, why not turn it into a literal drink? Acai is the OG superfood, and it is packed with many nutrients.

In this recipe, the smoothie will also include two other superfoods, raspberries and pomegranate juice. If you don’t have acai berries on hand or if they’re out of season, you can use the powdered form instead. For a nutritionally dense breakfast smoothie, the prep time of five minutes is ridiculously short.

What other superfood combinations do you like to turn into breakfast smoothies? Share your answers below.

Photo URL: https://unsplash.com/photos/Mg9949eKtU8

Anne

Add a Latin Twist to Your Next Holiday Party with Cocina!

December 15, 2017 By Marijean

PLAN YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY PARTY WITH COCINA

The Latin Food & Lifestyle Destination Shares New Festive Recipes

¡Feliz Navidad! Add a Latin spin to your next dinner party with these vibrant recipes from Cocina, the first online food destination dedicated to celebrating the Latin lifestyle through its vast culinary culture and libations. You’ll impress all of your dinner party guests with these beautiful treats and mouthwatering recipes.

‘Tis the season for spreading cheer and sharing recipes. We’ve included some of our holiday favorites below and you can find more at www.wearecocina.com!

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE SNOWMAN CAKE

It’s almost too cute to eat! Learn how to make this fun and delicious snowman cake using regular chocolate cake mix and ground Mexican chocolate.

https://wearecocina.com/recipe/mexican-chocolate-snowman-cake/

HOLIDAY EMPANADAS

A fun twist to a classic treat. Learn how to make four different kinds of empanadas for this holiday season, because who doesn’t love an empanada?

https://wearecocina.com/recipe/holiday-empanadas/

COLOMBIAN HOMINY AND PORK STEW

The perfect dish to curl up with on those cold wintry days. Make this delicious and traditional ‘cuchuco’ this holiday season, a classic staple from central Colombia.

https://wearecocina.com/recipe/colombian-hominy-and-pork-stew/

THE MISTLETOE

A refreshing and easy cocktail for any holiday party, take a sip and kiss under the mistletoe!

https://wearecocina.com/recipe/the-mistletoe/

About COCINA:

We LOVE food and we are incredibly excited to bring you even more amazing recipes, riveting stories from Latin countries and culture, and highlight local chefs and personalities with contrasting backgrounds. Be sure to check out https://wearecocina.com/ for a year-round celebration of all things Latin-flavored, so pull up a chair, relax, and get ready for the first bite—the food is on us.

Follow Cocina on Facebook and Instagram!

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

The Comely Cuisiner – 5 Meals That Will Hone Your Health

May 24, 2017 By Anne

Image: http://www.bellabeat.com/blog/media/Frittata-with-potato-and-broccoli-000053346852_Small.jpg

The secret to losing weight and maintaining a toned, healthy body is not what you think. The diet industry has spent decades trying to convince us that control is everything, but we’re starting to understand why this might not be true. More important than what you don’t eat is what you do consume, so sticking to tough, calorie deficit diet plans is an uphill struggle.

The healthiest, happiest people are not on diets. They don’t obsessively monitor everything that passes their lips because picking the right foods comes naturally to them. They have trained their brain to love the good stuff, so eating well is never a chore. And with so many amazing recipes out there, can you blame them?

Keep reading for a peek at some of the tasty, super nutritious meals that you should be enjoying on a regular basis.

Mano Chia Pudding

It takes just ten minutes to prepare a delicious bone healthy mango chia pudding recipe. All you need is a handful of chia seeds, a little milk, a cup of fresh mango, and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. The ingredients (minus the mango) are placed in a jar and shaken vigorously. Then, you leave the jar in the fridge for an hour and voila, you’ve got a beautiful, healthy pudding which is fantastic for the bones, heart, joints, and cells.

Broccoli and Feta Omelette

If you can’t get enough of brunch recipes, but need to keep your choices nutritious, eggs are a wonderful choice. They are filled with healthy fats and protein, so they are a great way to start the day. Plus, leafy vegetables like broccoli are rich in calcium and vitamin D as well. Just make sure that you use minimal oil when cooking your omelette. The best option is one of those low-calorie spray oils.

Middle Eastern Salad

Carbs tend to get a bad rep, but it’s really just the white, processed options which you should avoid. So, stick with whole grain rice, pasta, and bread for maximum nutrition. Middle Eastern rice and salad dishes, for instance, ditch the heavy white rice in favour of a brown alternative or they use chickpeas, couscous, and quinoa. In fact, chickpeas are an incredible health food, because they contain minimal calories, but they are packed with protein and fibre.

Greek Lentil Soup

Often, thin soups taste great, but they can leave you craving a more filling snack. This is tricky because the last thing that you want to do is dive into creamier, fattier recipes. Plus, canned supermarket products are some of the worst offenders. They are filled with sugar and salt, so do try to make your own if you’re a soup fan. Lentils are tremendously filling and they taste amazing when added to carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and oregano.

Five Bean Chili (Non-Carne)

Mincemeat is not a great choice when you’re trying to cook healthy meals because it contains a lot of fat. If you are going to eat meat, you should stick with whole, lean cuts, as opposed to processed products. Swap out the mince for beans when you make your next chilli and you’ll be amazed at how tasty and filling it can be. You can use whatever beans you want; kidney, black, butter, pinto, haricot. Bring them all together in a bubbling pot of tomatoes, paprika, cumin, garlic, and chilli powder.

Why Food Is the Secret to a Healthy, Happy Life

Everything starts and ends with the food that we put into our bodies. It affects our mood, energy levels, happiness, resilience, and ability to deal with daily challenges. So, there is no excuse for not paying attention to the quality of your physical fuel. With just a few small changes, you can transform your diet and become a healthier, happier individual.