Health & Healthy Eating Speical Diets Blog

Meals for One – Cooking and Grocery Shopping Tips

Posted on January 17, 2021 by Vanessa H

Chances are if you’re looking at Flavorly’s website that you’re in the market for meals for one to two people. I can’t stress enough the joy of opening my freezer and seeing it stacked from top to bottom with creative, imaginative and delicious meals – individually portioned just for me! But there are times when I want to want to cook for myself. I enjoy cooking when I can find the time and don’t have to cater for the variable schedules and taste buds of my family. But cooking for one, or even two, can be challenging. Can you buy just 3 slices of cheese? What do you do with any leftovers? Here are a few tips to get you started.

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Traditional Greek Moussaka – Global Flavors Recipe Cards

Posted on January 16, 2021 by Vanessa H

Photo Credit: Greek Moussaka – All Recipes

The second in this series of Global Recipe Cards is Greek Moussaka. This is another one to try for those who love to cook with ground beef or hamburger. I chose this recipe because I am thinking wishfully about going to Greece this summer. I am admittedly what you might call a Grecophile and was planning to take a trip last year but it didn’t happen due to the pandemic. Making a recipe like this is the next best thing.

Category: Entree, Comfort Food

Global Flavor: Greece

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr

Yield: 8

Method: Oven

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Veganism – Highlights of a Plant Based Diet

Posted on January 16, 2021 by Vanessa H

Photo Credit: Texas Lifestyle Magazine

If you’ve been toying with the idea of starting a vegan diet, January is the month to do it. Actually, make that Veganuary – a term that comes from a UK-based nonprofit of the same name. Launched in 2014, Veganuary’s mission is to encourage people to consume only plant foods for the month of January. Since then, veganism has more than doubled each year, with an estimated 1.3 million people committing to Veganuary in 2019. Subsequently Veganuary arrived in the US in 2020 and the appeal of adopting a plant based diet continues to gain traction. But what’s all the fuss about and how do you go about being a vegan in Texas? After all, Texas is the Argentina of the United States! Not only for its pride and passion, but also because it’s the top beef producing state in the union.

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Low Fat Diet or Fat Free Diet? Which is Healthier?

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Vanessa H

January is National Fat Free Living month. No surprises there! After the excesses of the holidays it only stands to reason that many of us try to get back on track with sensible eating early in the new year.

Sensible eating can mean different things to different people but the common denominator often involves a low fat diet. But what does low fat mean and is there such a thing as a healthy fat?

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Buon Giorno, Brassica Oleracea Italica!

Posted on January 5, 2021January 5, 2021 by Vanessa H

Photo Credit: Daily Express – Albert R Broccoli

Buon Giorno, Brassica Oleracea Italica! Or otherwise stated “Hello, Broccoli!”. Inspiration for these blogs comes from all kinds of unusual sources! This one comes from the old James Bond 007 movies. I rewatched several last week because they remind me so much of the nostalgic 1970’s Christmases of my childhood. In those days we would sit down in front of the television after a huge Christmas lunch (usually a joint of roast beef with all the trimmings) and watch the afternoon movie. Invariably it would be a Bond movie which enjoyed the same kind of acclaim as today’s Harry Potter series. Curious where this is all leading?

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How to Make The Mother of All Sauces – or Five

Posted on January 2, 2021January 2, 2021 by Vanessa H

Photo Credit: August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.

Even though I enjoy cooking from scratch I’ve always been slightly intimidated by the challenge of making certain savory sauces. Especially any involving flour. Undoubtedly making a good sauce is a skill that requires careful measuring, immaculate timing, patience and a watchful eye. Above all, practice is key and to be honest I haven’t got the hang of it yet. However, what helps is knowing that many sauces are variants of 5 basic French recipes. Once you’ve mastered these five mother sauces, you’re all set to make variations effortlessly. If you’re unfamiliar with these sauces, why not add them to your cooking repertoire and impress your family and friends? I think I’m going to make mastering these sauces a personal goal for 2021.

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New Year Food Superstition: Eating for Health, Wealth and Happiness

Posted on December 31, 2020January 2, 2021 by Vanessa H

One thing’s for sure as we close out 2020. Most people will be hoping for a better year than the one we’ve just had. The start of a new year is traditionally celebrated all over the world with culinary rituals and special dishes believed to attract good fortune. Maybe this year more of us will be putting these ideas to the test! In that case, what should we eat on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day to summon healing, progress and prosperity? Whether you’re a believer in New Year food superstition or not, they make a fun read and are food for thought!

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Holiday Leftovers – Christmas Roast Beef All-In-One Soup

Posted on December 29, 2020December 29, 2020 by Vanessa H

So it’s been a few days since Christmas and I’ll bet you’ve already Googled ‘creative ways to use up holiday leftovers’. So many fancy recipes on the Internet! How about ‘Next Level Turkey and Ham Pie’, “Mustardy Sausage and Sprout Gnocchi’ or ‘Red Cabbage, Cauliflower and Coconut Dhal’? That’s what you’ll find if you’re looking on the BBC Good Food Christmas Leftovers Recipes website.

But what if you’re over that? What if you’re all cooked out and have lost the will to live – in the kitchen that is – figuratively speaking. What if you just want to make something unbelievably simple without spending yet more money on groceries? And if you’ve only got a few bits left but hate throwing away food? Well, I have the answer for you. Without further ado, I present to you Christmas Roast Beef Soup.

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Christmas Food Traditions from Around The World

Posted on December 20, 2020December 20, 2020 by Vanessa H

What better way to celebrate the holidays than to take a look at some festive culinary experiences from around the world. Let’s look at some Christmas food traditions from countries where Flavorly has introduced a new meal: Mexico, Italy, Greece and Korea.

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The Sunday Roast: A Beef-eater Tradition

Posted on December 17, 2020 by Vanessa H

One of the things I miss most about British eating habits is the Sunday roast. In some ways it looks like one of the easiest meals to prepare – no complicated sauces, no special seasonings to worry about. On the other hand, it is one of the most difficult because it requires careful timing of the main event (the roast meat) while several side dishes cook to perfection so they are ready to serve simultaneously. In addition, it is annoyingly easy to overcook the green vegetables, create soggy roast potatoes and bake Yorkshire puddings that fail to rise. Why on earth would anyone want to go to such trouble? The answer is because practice makes perfect and the end result is spectacular!

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