With so many labels to choose from, it is a difficult task to discern which balsamic vinaigrettes are authentic. Thankfully O&CO.’s Best-Selling Premium Balsamic Vinegar of Modena takes the guess work out of the authenticity and quality of the balsamic vinegar you purchase from them. Checked by the Consortium of producers in Modena, each balsamic vinegar has received the coveted CABM certification red label on the collar of the bottle, with its own unique seal and number.

World renowned as one of the premier Mediterranean food merchants, O&CO.’s Premium Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is made according to an ancient recipe. Their superior quality balsamic vinegar of Modena, Italy, has been slowly refined in a variety of precious wooden casks until it has reached a perfect balance between sweet and sour, with a syrupy texture. Made solely with grape must and wine vinegar, (a requirement for authentic Balsamic Vinegars of Modena) O&CO. does not rely on sugar or caramel for flavor like inferior imitation balsamic blends.

Overflowing with attributes designed to vastly amplify the flavor of the food it touches, O&CO.’s versatile Balsamic Vinegar of Modena elicits intense flavor whether it is drizzled on grilled meat, chicken, fish, baked vegetables or even desserts. The range of recipes that can be enhanced with balsamic vinegar are endless. The complexity of the vinegar allows the product to transform ordinary foods into multifaceted dishes.

Grilled steaks braised in balsamic vinegar unleash a mixture of sweet and tangy flavors intensified by the rich and smoky beef. Used as a steak sauce, O&CO.’s Best-Selling Premium Balsamic Vinegar of Modena serves as an ideal condiment for dipping. Sprinkled on salad, it provides a sophisticated finish to fresh greens and certain fruits like ripe strawberries, pineapples and peaches are heightened with a dash of balsamic vinegar as well. Connoisseurs of the product even recommend pouring a spoonful of the elixir over fine vanilla ice cream, as the rich frozen confection transforms the intense syrup into a decadently mouthwatering dessert.

Regardless of what you choose to pair it with, O&CO. has a wide range of recipes to complement the foods you love. With asparagus finally in season, begin by indulging in O&CO.’s Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Salad with Berries and Melon and be sure to check out the rest of the delicious recipes available at O&CO.

Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Salad with Berries and Melon

Ingredients

- 12 green asparagus
- 3.5 oz. cherry tomatoes
- 7 oz. small ripe strawberries
- 3.5 oz. raspberries
- 1 small melon
- 6 tbsp. O&CO. Purple Basil Vinegar
- 1 cup O&CO. floral olive oil
- O&CO. Fleur de Sel
- O&CO. Black Pepper from Madagascar

Directions

1.Trim stems of asparagus and cook in salted boiling water until just tender. Drain and immerse in ice water.

2.Cut the melon into small cubes or scoop out using a melon baller. Rinse and stem strawberries and cherry tomatoes. Quarter them.

3.Pour vinegar and olive oil into large salad bowl. Add salt and pepper and whisk to blend. Add melon, strawberries and cherry tomatoes to the bowl and stir to coat. Marinate for 5 minutes at room temperature.

4.Gently fold asparagus and raspberries into the salad.

With a respect for tradition, O&CO. cherishes originality where tastes and smells converge to delight the senses. Emerging from the high Alpes-de-Haute, in the village of Mane, O&CO. became the brainchild of two men united around a common passion, the olive tree. Ten years since its creation, O&CO. has forged a new image of the olive tree, rooted in tradition but firmly anchored in the modern world. Their completely innovative concept has spread to seasonings, sauces, pastas, sweets, spreads and vinegar to bring the pleasures of the Mediterranean to you. View O&CO.’s full line of exclusive products at http://www.oliviersandco.com/.

Author: Alexia Cameron is a contributing writer for Search Revolutions.

Article Source: http://goarticles.com/

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We receive constant requests from people to give them ideas for recipes but specifically for things that can help them with taste. We’ve written articles on the topic of Taste Tips for the HCG diet and received great feedback from it. For this article we wanted to focus on the sauces and dressings. We have a site link that you can click where you can view all the hCG diet recipes that we have. Very shortly they will all be organized by phase and type of meal it is.

Here are some sauce and dressing recipes for the hCG diet.

Apples with Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients

1⁄2 of a large apple

3 strawberries

3 drops vanilla Creme Stevia

Directions

Slice apple and arrange on a plate. Mash the strawberries with a fork and add vanilla Creme Stevia to make a sauce. Pour over the apple slices. *Makes 1 serving of fruit*

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 T. water

2 T. dried thyme

1⁄4 tsp. salt

1⁄4 tsp. pepper

1 T. dried basil

1⁄4 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

Add all ingredients in a blender and mix well. *Makes 8 Servings*

Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients

4 to 6 Strawberries

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 T. lemon juice

Dash of salt

Dash of cayenne (optional)

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Stevia to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Puree until smooth. Pour over fresh arugala or green salad. Garnish with sliced strawberries and freshly ground black pepper. Variations: use as a marinade or sauce for chicken. *Makes 1 serving of fruit*

Chicken Broth

Ingredients

100 grams boneless skinless chicken breast

8 cups water

4 cups water

5 tsp. poultry seasoning

5 tsp. onion powder

4 garlic cloves

4 tsp. black pepper

3 tsp. sea salt

3 T. celery salt

1 cheese cloth

1 string

Directions

Mix all herbs and place in the cheese cloth wrap string around cloth to secure all herbs and place it in the stock pot with 8 cups of water and the chicken breast and boil for 35 minutes or until chicken breast is cooked. Place a strainer on top of a bowl with a coffee filter to strain broth to extract any fat from chicken breast and use the chicken for other recipes. Keep the cheese cloth to see if you need to continue to add more flavors to the stock for the additional 4cups of water and bring to a boil for additional 30 minutes. Set aside and chill. Use the broth for recipes for flavor and for a cup of broth before lunch and dinner. *Makes 12 servings* Count as 1/10th of a serving of meat

Citrus Dressing

Ingredients

1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

1 T. lemon

1 pkg stevia

1⁄4 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

Mix together, keep refrigerated. *Makes 6 servings*

Dill Dressing

Ingredients

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2 T. water

2 T. dried basil

2 T. dried dill

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. dry mustard

1 t. onion powder

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well. *Makes 8 Servings*

Fresh Salsa

Ingredients

4 – 5 Tomatoes

4 T. lemon juice

3 – 4 T. Garlic Minced (Jar)

1/2 chopped onion

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Cayenne Pepper to Taste

Cilantro (fresh or dried) to Taste

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Put all of the ingredients in the food processor. Blend to desired Chunkiness. Refrigerate to blend the flavors. The longer it sits the more flavor it will have. *Makes 4 servings* Each serving counts as 1/2 vegetable serving

Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients

1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar

1⁄2 cup water

2 shakes celery salt

2 shakes onion salt

Ground pepper to taste

3 Pkg stevia

Directions

Mix well, Keep refrigerated. *Makes 12 servings*

hCG Diet Cocktail Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup tomato sauce (sugar free)

1/2 tsp. celery salt

1/4 tsp. paprika

1 T. finely chopped sweet onion or shallot

4 packets Stevia powder

2 T. fresh chopped parsley

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. fresh lemon juice

2 T. drained, prepared horseradish

1/2 tsp. hot sauce

Pinch cumin

Pinch salt

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Mix well, keep refrigerated *Makes 6 servings*

No Sugar Baked Apple

Ingredients

1 apple (peeled)

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 packet granulated Stevia.

Directions

Bake an apple and peel off skin and mash and add cinnamon and 1 pkg of stevia and mix all together and serve on plate.

No Sugar Strawberry Jam

Ingredients

8 to 10 strawberries (Approx 2 cups)

1 cup cold water

4 packets Stevia

Directions

In a large saucepan crush strawberries. Add water and Stevia, mixing well. Over medium heat bring mixture to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour into jars, allow to cool and then cover. Can be stored in refrigerator for 1 week, or frozen for several weeks. *Makes 2 fruit servings*

Oriental Salad Dressing

Ingredients

¼ Cup MCT oil (Approved for hCG Diet)

1 T. hCG Diet approved Mayonnaise or non-fat cottage cheese

1 T. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos

½ tsp. stevia, or sweeten to taste

Directions

Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. *Makes 4 servings* approx 30 calories per serving

Spicy BBQ Sauce and Marinade

Ingredients

2 12 oz jars of Salsa (read ingredients make sure it contains less than 1 gram sugar per serving)

2/3 cup lemon juice

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

20 drops Stevia or 5 packets

2 tsp. Salt

4 tsp. Chili powder

1/2 tsp. tabasco

Sauce – (hot pepper sauce – 1/2 to 1)

1 or 2 dashes garlic powder

Directions

Mix together, keep refrigerated. *The entire batch makes approximately 220 calories depending on products used but makes 24 servings.

Strawberry Syrup

Ingredients

4 to 6 strawberries

1/8 cup water

12 drops Stevia/or 3 packets granulated Stevia

Directions

In microwave-safe bowl, combine all ingredients and toss. Microwave for 2-3 minutes until berries start to dissolve. *Makes 1 fruit serving*

Veggie Dressing

Ingredients

1/4 c. vinegar

1/4 c. sliced green onions

1/4 c. minced fresh parsley

1 tbsp. chopped green pepper

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/8 tsp. red pepper

1/2 tsp. soy sauce

Directions

Shake all ingredients well in a tightly covered jar. Keep covered in refrigerator. Shake well before serving. *Makes 8 servings*

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_J._Schofield

Technorati Tags: Balsamic Vinegar, HCG diet recipes, Recipes Of Balsamic Vinegar, sauces and dressings

Biltong is a popular South African dried meat snack that is now enjoyed around the world, particularly in Australia, India, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. While most biltong lovers prefer to buy biltong either at local retailers or online, others prefer to prepare their own high-protein, low-carb meat treats. To assist those who would like to venture into the world of making biltong at home, here is some basic information about selecting ingredients, and flavouring and drying the meat.

How to Make Biltong: The Basic Ingredients

Biltong is most commonly made with a combination of vinegar, salt, sugar, black pepper and coriander. Other ingredients that may be used include garlic, onion powder, nutmeg, Worcestershire sauce, saltpetre and chilli peppers. In traditional preparation methods, the meat being used to create the biltong is marinated for a few hours in a cider vinegar solution prior to being flavoured and prepared for the drying process. Nowadays, it is also becoming more common to see biltong makers using a vinegar solution featuring malt vinegar or balsamic vinegar in combination with or instead of the typical use of cider vinegar. These variations in the use of different spices and vinegars are part of the driving force behind the increasing variety of biltong flavours and textures available today.

How to Make Biltong: Flavouring the Meat

After the meat is marinated in the vinegar solution for the desired amount of time, the liquid is poured off in preparation for the flavouring process. The meat is then flavoured with a mix of spices that traditionally is made up of equal parts brown sugar, black pepper, coriander and salt roughly ground together. As mentioned above, it is now quite common to see other spices added to this mix, such as nutmeg, garlic or peppers. The meat is then liberally dusted with this ground spice mixture, which is rubbed into the meat. This step is followed by the meat being placed in a refrigerator overnight or set aside for a few hours before being hung to dry. If excess liquid is detected at this time, it should be poured off before hanging the meat in your preferred drying situation.

How to Make Biltong: Drying the Meat

Traditionally, biltong was made in rural settings, which resulted in open-air drying of the meat. Now it is not uncommon for biltong to be made in city settings, which can be accomplished by drying the meat in boxes constructed of wood or cardboard. Of course, for larger productions of biltong, it is also possible to create a specially designed, ventilated drying room with climate control and plenty of space in which to hang your meat. These methods will typically take about four days to produce a traditional, slow-dried biltong with a medium cure.

It is possible to speed up the biltong drying process by using an electric lamp or an electric stove; however, some biltong aficionados believe these methods – while faster – do not deliver the taste achieved with slower drying methods.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Rush

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Royal Quinoa health benefits

Royal Quinoa is an exceptional ancient grain with unique texture and a nutty flavor, which was also the staple grain of the Incan empire. The grain has many health benefits. It would be a great idea to discuss in succinct about the Royal Quinoa Health Benefits. The popular grain provides individuals with stamina and strength. In many places, it is also used by the battle ready warriors to produce real strength and stamina in the battle field. Royal Quinoa health benefits basically emanate from the very fact that this super grain is rich in protein, manganese, magnesium, iron, calcium, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. The grain seed also has anti cancerous properties due to rich anti oxidant content which it has in it. Moreover, Quinoa is also a whole grain, having absolutely no gluten and also allergen-free, thereby making it the best accessible food for all times.

The grain has high fiber content as the result of which it helps in fighting the heart disease, and all the more reduces the occurrence of cancer and diabetes. The high fiber content in Royal Quinoa is also one of the significant reasons behind preventing weight gain and adding high levels of energy. The presence of high magnesium content is helpful in offering relief in acute and mild migraine and it also plays significant role in decreasing hypertension and relaxing the blood vessels. Along with potassium, the grain reduces the risk of heart attack as the presence of potassium simply minimizes the chances of artery blockage.

The grain is technically a seed which has mixed power source for the vital vitamins and nutrients and for which reason; it is also known as elixir of life.

Balsamic vinegar nutrition

Balsamic vinegar nutrition is used in many Italian dishes. The best balsamic vinegar is exclusively used in salad, artichokes, and even asparagus. The vinegar is popular in the America and is used in particular for the vinaigrette dressings, gourmet sauces, besides, bringing out the sweetness of delicious fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, and peaches. The best Balsamic vinegar is considered to be the wine vinegar, though it is not made from wine. This kind of vinegar is manufactured from grape pressings of those grapes which have not been fermented into wine.

When choosing the best vinegar it becomes quite important that you look into authentic online stores which are offering great number of vinegar products. Do not be in a hurry to choose the vinegar which is not the best and moreover is a health hazard. The more you look into the ingredients and also the preparation methodology used. It is very important that you choose the best vinegar variety after doing careful research and analysis.

There are exclusive stores online which are completely dedicated to the Italian food. You can find best Balsamic vinegar out there on such stores, These Italian stores offer variety in the vinegar and buying it from these stores should be your preferred choice altogether.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alyssa_Nace

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Every year, I determined that I want to get down to a reasonable weight. I’d buy diet foods, avoid things that tasted good, and often heroically went on a minimal calorie diet. It never lasted past January 31st.

You can probably see the mistakes I made by the paragraph above. That sort of diet *can’t* last. It’s too difficult, plus it’s extremely unhealthy. You can develop a lot of problems following those rules.

Why do I have the first sentence in past tense? I don’t do that anymore, and on top of it, I’ve lost weight. I’m not down to my goal yet, but I’m getting there.

There are several rules that aren’t always well known when it comes to this resolution. Forget the fad diets, get rid of the tasteless junk and come out swinging. Here’s what I do:

Avoid Scales: Getting on the scales daily can be a subconscious negative. Weight varies from week to week and day to day. Pick one day a week and one specific time of day for weighing yourself. If you are doing it correctly, you will lose one to three pounds a week.

Counting Calories, Eat Enough: Count what you eat and what you do. Don’t forget sleep, as you still burn them then. Keep the difference at no more than fifteen percent, or you could find yourself in starvation mode.

Exercise: It’s hard to lose weight if you don’t do something that gets the blood pumping. Find something you like, then do it regularly. You’ll be surprised at how well this fits into your life.

Food Diary: This will help keep you honest. It’s hard to cheat on your diet when you have to write down everything you put in your mouth.

New Comfort Foods: You may be surprised, if you look hard enough. There are many recipes that provide the “comfort food” feeling without the fat, salt and sugar in your current favorites.

Prevent Boredom: This is both for what you consume and how you exercise. Boredom is one of the most insidious enemies of a healthy lifestyle. Find three different things you like to do. As an example, say you hike one day, do weights next and follow it by some sort of aquatic program. You’ll see new things and work different muscle groups. So the same with your food. One can only stomach so much chicken…

Taste is Important: Bland is not necessarily the only flavor you can have. Find healthy alternatives and try new things. One that we have been experimenting with lately is aged balsamic vinegar. The cheap stuff just does not compare, and it is part of a very healthy salad dressing when mixed with olive oil. As the commercial says, “Think outside of the bun.”

You may want to have a talk with your doctor before following these suggestions. This will help you avoid injuries and get the most out of what you put into your new lifestyle.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Bodel

Technorati Tags: Balsamic Vinegar, healthy balsamic vinegar, new year's resolution diet

Are you looking to incorporate balsamic vinegar dressing into your cooking as part of a healthy diet? That’s a very smart thing to do! The dressing originates from Italy, and is more commonly known over there as the Balsamico Tradizionale. Typically, it’s prepared with wine grapes that are pressed to release the rich juices within, and mixed with vinegar as part of a rigid process that has been perfected over centuries. The result is well worth the effort, as it is a very distinct taste that many people love and is in fact very good for you.

Preparing Balsamic Vinegar Dressing With Ease

You don’t have to be a professional to prepare good balsamic vinegar dressing with ease. In fact, this is one of the most simple dressings around to make, and you can add it to salads or any other dish to lower the fat content while still enjoying great taste. Typically, the dressing is made with olive oil, the vinegar of course, and some seasonings like salt, pepper and garlic if you like. Basically, you add the vinegar to the oil with a 3:1 ratio and voila! The perfect balsamic vinegar dressing.

The Advantages Of Using Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

The one great thing about this dressing is that it’s cheap and easy to make. Unlike many other commercial dressings, this one can be made within a couple of minutes and tastes just as good without affecting your health or your diet. Many people have had considerable success in their diets and losing weight just by substituting their favorite dressing for the balsamic. These include many notable celebrities, which means that these days it’s a very popular way of losing weight. After all, if a celeb can lose weight with it, so should you too, right?

Balsamic vinegar dressing typically goes well with leafy green salads, but you can also add it to chicken and pork dishes to good effect. It seems to combine particularly well with white meats but is decent with red meats too. And of course you can add it to your fish and chips for a twist on the traditional salt and vinegar taste. So why not do something good for your diet for a change and add this unique and easy to prepare dressing to your shopping list? Your body and your taste buds will thank you for it, and chances are your family will too!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vicky_Lan

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On my last trip to Italy, I decided to mix pleasure with business. While in Rome, we were overwhelmed by the fantastic architecture, the almost indescribable beauty of the Sistine Chapel, and the gastronomical delights in almost any restaurant in the city. We had been warned that “Pasta dishes in Italy are not what you think. In America we have sauce with pasta. In Italy, it’s pasta with sauce!” And that’s what we found: the pasta had almost no sauce on it. That lets the flavors of the pasta come through unmasked, but it was a surprise which, we were told, can be alleviated by asking for more sauce, and also asking for “meat sauce”.

What we were not prepared for, and it was an extremely pleasant surprise, was the appetizer: bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Here, in the “colonies”, when we are served balsamic vinegar, it’s like all other vinegars – acidic and sour. In Italy, nothing is farther from the truth. Balsamic vinegar is described in Wikipedia as “..The original traditional product (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale), made from a reduction of cooked white Trebbiano grape juice and not a vinegar in the usual sense, has been made in Modena and Reggio Emilia since the Middle Ages: the production of the balsamic vinegar is mentioned in a document dated 1046. During the Renaissance, it was appreciated in the House of Este. Today, the traditional balsamic vinegar is highly valued by chefs and gourmet food lovers.”

“Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale” is prepared in a process similar to how fine sherry is created: aged in barrels of various woods for years, during which its volume is reduced by natural evaporation. Again, from Wikipedia: “True balsamic vinegar is rich, glossy, deep brown in color and has a complex flavour that balances the natural sweet and sour elements of the cooked grape juice with hints of wood from the casks”.

You don’t have to travel to Italy or visit on-line importers to find and enjoy these rare tastes. I’m going to show you what to look for, and how to sort quickly between various brands in your local stores.

First, the obvious: look for vinegars that say that they are “traditional”, or actually say on the tag that they have been aged at least 12 years, or are recommended to be poured over ice cream or pastry. The second step is to pick the bottle up and tip it. The liquid inside should flow thickly. If it flows like water, it’s probably not what you want. The third step is to tip the bottle so that the liquid flows up over the inside of the neck. Aged product will actually coat the glass of the neck. If it doesn’t leave a coat on the neck, it’s probably not sweet. I have found that most aged liquids may be bottled and sold in rectangular, squat bottles. But be prepared: good, aged balsamic vinegars can be costly: it’s not uncommon to find aged traditional balsamic vinegars that can cost between $150 to $400 for a 100 ml bottle. However, acceptable, sweet, aged, traditional balsamic vinegar can be bought at markets like Whole Foods for under $30.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Norm_Huffnagle

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To lose weight we want to consume foods that are low in calories, but these foods most often taste terribly. But luckily for years chiefs around the world have come out with diet recipes that not only delicious but also make you lose your weight.

Here are some my big fat diet recipes that you might want to try:

Apple and Spinach Salad

The ingredients:

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 2 tsp honey

- 2 tsp Dijon mustard

- 2 Tbsp fresh orange juice

- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

- freshly ground black pepper to taste

- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

- 8 cups fresh baby spinach (about 8 ounces)

- 1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced

- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled blue cheese

How to cook:

The cooking instruction is very simple; just combine juices, mustard, honey, salt, and paper. Place onions and spinach, add dressing and toss together top with blue cheese.

Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze

The Ingredients:

- 1 Tbsp sugar

- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice

- 6 medium beets (about 2 1/2 pounds)

- 1 star anise

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

How to cook:

First you need to pre-heat your oven up to 400. Next you need to trim off all but one inch of the stem on beets, and you need to leave the root intact. Then you need to scrub with a brush, and wrap the beets in foil. Then you need to bake the beets for 1 hour, then cool the beets to room temperature, then peel and cut each beet into 8 wedges. At the last phase, you combine orange juice, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and star anise in a small saucepan, bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 minutes until reduced to 1/3 cups. Throw off the star anise. Then combine beets, vinegar mixture, salt, and pepper then toss well.

The instructions mentioned above are just general guidelines, feel free to experiment or add your own mixture.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jasmine_J

Technorati Tags: Balsamic Vinegar, buy balsamic vinegar, Recipes Of Balsamic Vinegar

There are many uses for balsamic vinegar beyond just the traditional salad dressing. In case you didn’t know, balsamic vinegar is typically made from a reduction of wine grapes, but unlike wine it is fermented for much longer in a process to turn it into vinegar. These used to be only made through the traditional process, but now there are commercial varieties that use shortcuts which lower the cost drastically. That means that the product is now widely accessible for anyone and everyone to use.

Traditional Uses For Balsamic Vinegar

There are a lot of Health Benefits to using balsamic vinegar, as demonstrated by many health experts and celebrities using it in their diets. One of the more popular uses for this product is as a replacement for fatty salad dressings. By mixing the balsamic together with olive oil and seasoning, you can really add a zing to your salad without adding anything extra to your waistline. This used to be something that very few people requested in restaurants or cafes, but now it’s a mainstream option, which shows just how popular it’s become.

Aside from salad dressing, there are a few other uses for balsamic that you may not have heard about. First of all, you can use balsamic as a marinade for your meat as well. It works particularly well with white meats like chicken, pork and also seafood. The sweet and sour taste of the vinegar is the perfect complement to the base taste of the meat, and it helps to keep the meat moist during the cooking process as well. Secondly, believe it or not, one of the little known uses for this kind of vinegar is in desserts. For example, you can marinate fresh strawberries with higher quality balsamic to add a sweet, tangy taste to this classic dessert when you serve it together with cream or ice cream. Alternatively, you can sprinkle it on cheesecake or a cheese platter to add a unique taste.

Other Uses For Balsamic Vinegar

Perhaps you have uses for balsamic vinegar that I have failed to mention here, after all we all experiment in the kitchen and sometimes even the most unlikely combinations can prove to be a winner. So what are your “secret recipes” that involve uses for balsamic that no one has ever tried before? I’d love to hear about them so do share them with me.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vicky_Lan

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If you’re planning a brief detox diet, you’ll want to make sure you eat the foods that increase your chances of success and avoid the foods that will hurt your efforts. Here is a list of the best and worst foods to eat while you’re on the diet.

Best Detox Diet Foods

• Fruit: You can eat any fruit including fresh, frozen, dried or canned in natural fruit juice. This includes apples, bananas, pears, oranges, grapefruit, satsumas, sultanas, raisins, pineapple, mango, kiwi fruit, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, nectarines, peaches, and melons.
• Fruit juice: Either make homemade fruit juices or smoothies from fresh fruit, or drink ready-made juices. Make sure ready-made juices are labelled as pure or unsweetened.
• Vegetables: Eat any vegetables including fresh, frozen or canned in water (without salt added). This includes carrots, onions, turnip, swede, sprouts, cabbage, peppers, mushrooms, corn, peppers, leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, salad, tomatoes, and cucumber.
• Beans and lentils: Eat any beans, including those that have been dried or canned in water. This includes red kidney, haricot, cannellini, butter, black eye, pinto, red lentils, green lentils and brown lentils.
• Potatoes: Eat all types
• Brown rice and rice noodles
• Rye crackers and rice cakes
• Fresh fish: Eat any fresh fish including cod, mackerel, salmon, lobster, crab, trout, haddock, tuna, prawns, Dover sole, red mullet, halibut, lemon sole, monkfish, and swordfish. You can eat canned salmon and tuna in water.
• Unsalted nuts: Eat any, including Brazil, peanuts, almonds, cashew, hazel nuts, macadamia, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio, and walnuts
• Unsalted seeds: Eat any, including sunflower and pumpkin.
• Plain popcorn: Eat without sugar or salt
• Live natural yogurt
• Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar
• Garlic, ginger and fresh herbs
• Ground black pepper
• Honey
• Water: Drink at least eight ounces of tap or mineral water a day.
• Herbal or fruit teas

Foods to Avoid During Your Detox

• Red meat, chicken, turkey, and meat products such as sausages, burgers, and pate
• Milk, cheese, eggs, cream
• Butter and margarine
• Any food that contains wheat including bread, croissants, cereals, cakes, pies, pastry, quiche, or battered and breadcrumbed foods
• Salted nuts
• Chocolate, candy, jam and sugar
• Processed foods, and ready-made meals and sauces
• Alcohol
• Coffee and tea
• Sauces, pickles, store-bought salad dressing, and mayonnaise
• Salt
• Carbonated drinks, both sugar and diet

Now that you know the dos and donts of detox diet foods, you’re halfway to success!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joan_Yankowitz

Technorati Tags: Balsamic Vinegar, detox diet