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Entertaining, Health & Fitness, Side Dishes & Salsas, What's Cookin

How To Make Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo is one of my favorite Mexican salsas. How to make Pico de Gallo is even more fun and easy! Pico de Gallo is a called a “salsa fresca” in that the ingredients are left raw and it is a salsa that is not liquid based and is often used as the main ingredient in dishes such as tacos, chipotle bowls or simply place in a large bowl and serve with tortilla chips for dipping! Everyone is sure to love it.Here is my very own recipe passed on from generation to generation and I am sharing it with you hoping that you make it and enjoy it!

Ingredients
5-6 Tomatoes
1 Lime
Cilantro
1/4 of a Yellow Onion
2 Chile serranos (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste!
* You will need a mixing bowl to place ingredients

Step One
Wash and dice tomatoes and place in a bowl

Step Two
Dice onions into very small 1cm size cubes add to the bowl

Step Three
Wash cilantro and take a handful of the springs and chop very finely

Step Four
Add serrano chiles if you would like. Check out my article How To Properly Cut Chiles on how to do it and add it to your bowl!

Step Five
Mix all ingredients in bowl and add pepper (I like to add a lot) & sprinkle some salt (be gentle on the salt)

Step Six
Squeeze some fresh lime juice and mix again! Place in your serving bowl or stuff your tacos with it & enjoy!!

by CasaDeWinn

Side Dishes & Salsas, What's Cookin

How To Properly Cut A Chile

Some love them, some hate them, but we all know what a chile is and I am not talking about the country. How to properly cut a chile is a skill and should be learned by any cook out there who wants to use them as part of their cooking. Chiles come in all varieties or colors, flavors and spiciness. Here is a tip: The smaller the chile, the spicier it is! Follow my step by step guide on how to properly cut a chile.

How To Properly Cut A Chile

Step One

Wash and lay chiles on a cutting board.

Step Two
Cut the tail off

Step Three

Slice the chile in half horizontally

Step Four
Remove the seeds from the inside

Step Five
Dice chile as your recipe calls for

ENJOY LEAVE ME A COMMENT IF THIS WAS HELPFUL!

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by CasaDeWinn

Soups & Stews, What's Cookin

Vietnamese Butternut Squash Soup

The Vietnamese cuisine is a blend of European French influences and eastern Vietnamese flavors. Traditional Vietnamese cooking is greatly admired for its fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil, and reliance on herbs and vegetables. With the balance between fresh herbs and meats and a selective use of spices to reach a fine taste, Vietnamese food is considered one of the healthiest cuisines worldwide. This recipe is one of my favorites and such a great soup to have on a cloudy rainy spring day or cold wintery evening! Make a lot of Vietnamese Butternut Squash Soup and enjoy it with friends!

Ingredient List

To serve 5-6 adults

3 Leg quarters or 5 chicken Breast ( depends if you want dark or white meat)
1 Whole Butternut Squash
1/2 cup or 1 whole cup of Granulated chicken broth or chicken powder
3-4 tablespoon Fish Sauce (You can substitute it for soy sauce if you do not have any)
4-5 tablespoon Minced Garlic
1/2 tablespoon Pepper
1/2 tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1/2 tablespoon Onion Powder
3 swigs Lemon Juice

Fish Sauce is an important ingredient in all Vietnamese recipes. You can buy it at a specialty store or order it online. A little of this sauce goes a long way!

To Garnish
Cilantro
Limes

Skin and clean your chicken and place in a pot of water to boil. Let boil. Once it is cooked, strain chicken and then chop it up into 1″ x 1″ cubes.

While the chicken is cooking, begin to prepare your Butternut Squash.
First Grab a potato peeler and peel the butternut.

Second, cut the butternut in half length wise and scoop out and clean the inside

Now begin to cut it into cubes about 2″ x 2″ big.

In a new clean bigger pot fill with water to create you soup base.
Add all of the above mentioned ingredients including butternut squash.
Cover with a lid and let it boil.
Once it is boiled add the chicken cubes to the soup base.
Let it continue to boil for an additional 25-30 minutes.
Check your butternut squash at this time to make sure it is soft to the touch, but be careful and do not over cook where it crumbles. (Soft cubed mash potatoes is what you want)

Serve in a bowl with a 1 scoop of white rice (optional) garnish with cilantro and lime.

If too bland… Add a little fish sauce and/or granulated chicken broth

The longer the soup soaks (age) the better the flavor the soup is…

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by CasaDeWinn

Food Remodeling, Health & Fitness, Weekday Easy Dinners, What's Cookin

Low Fat Healthy Lasagna Recipe

Who doesn’t love lasagna!! I sure do! But I also HATE the love handles all the cheese can give you. So try this remodeled lasagna recipe I created. My Low Fat Healthy Lasagna Recipe

DID YOU TRY IT?? LIKE IT? SHARE WITH ME.

by CasaDeWinn

Food Remodeling, Health & Fitness, What's Cookin

Fast and Health Weekday Dinner

Weekday dinners can be quite a challenge. With all of us pulling in full work days and coming home to either kids, a dog, or a significant other that requires your attention sometimes you may wish you had Rosie from the Jetsons at your house to just press a button and pop out a healthy and delicious meal. Since that isn’t the case I can’t say I am a world renowned chef or even will go on the limb to say ” I love to cook”. I will say that I do love to eat well and detest pre made, sodium & chemically filled foods. Fast and Health Weekday Dinner is what I have to learn to be a master at cooking.

So I will begin to share with you some of my recipes and tips and would enjoy receiving yours. Most of what I share will take 10mins or less to prepare and max 30mins to cook. So in 40mins total you can say no to the Microwave dinner and eat well.

Ingredients
4 Tilapia filets
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
A handful of cilantro
2 tablespoons of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Cayenne pepper

First cut your peppers into strips ( Sometimes my dog Bella helps me cook…JK)

Add olive oil to your pan and heat it to high

Add talaria filet. Dust cayenne pepper on it and minced garlic

Cilantro and red peppers

Cover and lower the heat to low. Let it simmer for 18 minutes and wallah! Done!

Cover and lower the heat to low.

Let it simmer for 18 minutes and wallah! Done!

I would serve it as is no rice needed! You have enough veggies and protein in the fish.

Did you make it? Liked it? Leave a comment or suggest a new alternative recipe 🙂

by CasaDeWinn

Food Remodeling, Health & Fitness, My Thoughts, Smoothies and Juices, What's Cookin

Juice Cleanse Recipes

If you are staring a juice cleanse, then you need some juice cleanse recipes! There are a lot of helpful books, websites information galore on the juice recipes you should try. My favorite thing to do? Is get recommendations and trust friends who have already tried some!

For my juice recipes and what to buy preparation I went to friends and the good ol’fashion NYC fruit cart guy! With there recommendations and recipes I had more than enough to work with to get my grocery shopping done for a weeks worth of juicing!

Here were the recipes my friend Amanda tried out and loved:

Mean Green
6 kale leaves
1 cucumber
4 celery stalks
2 green apples
1 lemon
1 piece of ginger

Green Goddess
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 handful watercress
4 broccoli spears
1/2 pineapple

Beetles
2 beets
2 apples
3 celery sticks

BerryKick
2 beets
3 carrots
2 apples
2 oranges
1 celery stick
a piece of ginger

And some I would add:

SuperOrange
2 Oranges
4-5 Carrots
1/4 of Papaya

Carrots
Celery
Apples

Bananas
Blueberries
Strawberries

So to prepare myself I went out first looking for the recipes I would be using and then buying the necessary ingredients. You want to make sure not to buy too many too far in advance since fruits and vegetables are best when they are fresh.

Many times people think that doing this or eating in a healthier way is expensive or that cannot afford it, but it is NOT! I think it is just a sorry excuse for people who are too lazy to show their body some love 🙂
I went to a local farmers market and came out with a cart full of stuff enough to last me one who week! for 2 people drinking juices I spent a total of $52, the cost of 3 cocktail drinks at a hip NYC club.

Have a favorite juice recipe you would like to share?
ADD IT TO THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW

by CasaDeWinn

Smoothies and Juices, What's Cookin

Jack LaLanne Juicer Review

Juice! Juice! Juice! We all know Jack LaLanne here is a Jack LaLanne Juicer Review. I cannot help to think of the old Saturday Night Live skit with Jim Carey as the “Juice Man”. This week I am venturing to share with you all about my juicing experience including fist sharing with you a review on the Jack LaLanne juicer. I will also share with you juice recipes my favorite juice recipes and my least favorite. I have always been an advocate for health and fitness. I myself went through my own health & body transformation loosing a total of 65 pounds over 5 years ago and the existing thing is without buying expensive supplements full of ingredients that I can not pronounce and a laundry list of synthetic ingredients, I have maintained my figure and healthy lifestyle! I deeply understand the benefits of feeling good inside and also in a superficial world what feeling good abut yourself outwardly can do for yourself and your body.

In the world of great relationships in friendship, family and love you have to love YOU first! So this week I venture to do some juicing and share it with you. First important thing with juicing is making sure you have a great juicer. Some things I look for are; Easy to use; produces a lot of juice; and lastly easy to clean.

In this post I am reviewing the Jack LaLanne’s Juicer he has several, the one I bought is the one pictured below.

For a price point this juicer was reasonably priced at $99 at Bed Bath and Beyond. It comes in a nice white plastic finish, which makes any kitchen look cooler. As far as how this faired in making juices I would have to give it a 2.5 star rating. Some of the things I noticed I am sharing below:

PROS

Nice style
$99 price is reasonable
Large compartment for vegetable and fruit peels
Easy to clean

CONS

Did not produce as much juice as I have seen in other juicers
Stained after one use…. imagine what it will look like after 5!
To many compartments makes it complicated to clean.

Would I keep it or recommend to a friend?
No. I would have to say that I will be taking advantage of the return policy for this juicer and be purchasing another one. Many times you may not want to spend the extra $20-40, but in my opinion a juicer is something that will and should be a part of your everyday life and health so you might as well purchase the best you can afford.

Have you ever made your own juices? Done a juice cleanse before? Have you used this juicer? Do you have a better one you recommend?

SHARE with me below !!

by CasaDeWinn

Food Remodeling, Health & Fitness, What's Cookin

Cheap Low Calorie Snacks

Whether you are currently dieting, thinking about it or eating everything in sight, this cheap low calorie snack is for you! It is fast, quick, and easy to make and oh yeah D-Lish-ous! It is one of my favorite cheap and low calorie snacks out there.

If you are watching your weight looking to “get it tight, get it right” for the summer this snack is perfect for you! The key to weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight is to eat about 5 “mini meals” of 200-400 calories each a day and not the old fashion what your momma taught you of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Your metabolism is like a computer; if you do not feed it for several hours it goes on “screen saver” so it is resting and NOT burning calories. Many of you might say “oh but I have no time to make food” or ” I have no money” then lucky you because I will share with you my top full proof $2 meals.

For the “Apple Pie A la Mode” you will need the following:

1 Apple of Your Choice ( I prefer to buy organic because apples have the highest amount of pesticide residue on their skin) — .50-.75cents

2 Tablespoon Scoops of Greek Yogurt – I buy the 17-20oz for about $6 about .30 cents an ounce…. 3oz used — .90cents

2 Tablespoon Scoops of Raw Oats – Oatmeal is the best and cheapest thing to buy — a few cents used here…

Dust With Cinnamon – Cinnamon has NO calories and high in antioxidants. Use as much as you want! – The $1 you bought last year is still in your kitchen.

Totally qualifies as one of my most made cheap low calorie snacks!
Chop the apples in bite size pieces and place in a bowl. Then take a table spoon and scoop two nicely rounded and full scoops on top of the apples. Scoop two table spoons of raw oats and then dust with as much cinnamon as you would like.

Thats it. Under 200 calories. No more than $2 for this serving and did I mention Delicious???

Did you try it? Did you like it? Share and connect with me on FACEBOOK.

by CasaDeWinn

Food Remodeling, Health & Fitness, My Thoughts, What's Cookin

Detox Diets That Work

Decided you may need to detox? Been eating too much crap? Way to many things that come in fancy wrappers, color bubbly stuff and things you cannot pronounce? Alright you sick, mean, unappreciative B*&^$#@(d I will help ya out. A detox can be very beneficial. IN this post I talk about a few Detox Diets That Work!

Although there are many types of detox diets, most eliminate foods that contain potentially harmful substances and allow foods that support the body’s natural ability to rid itself of toxins, such as dark, leafy green vegetables. Overall food intake is usually reduced, ranging from small meals to full-fledge juice fast.

Here are a few of the most popular detox diets that work.
• The Master Cleanse – Also called the lemonade diet, a fast that involves drinking only lemonade, grade B maple syrup, and cayenne pepper.

To me this is the most challenging one and also not very convenient if you have to continue with day to day activity. Lugging around your “juice” that looks like pee may not be too fun.

• Juice fasting – A type of fast that calls for consuming only fresh vegetable and fruit juices, such as beet juice and wheatgrass juice, and water.

• Smoothie and Shake fasting – Involves drinking pureed or blended vegetable and fruit smoothies, especially green smoothies.
• Commercial cleanse programs – Specially designed protein powders, vitamins, nutrients for detoxification. You buy these at local health markets of vitamin shops.

• Raw Food Detox Diet – Based on the raw food diet. Involves only eating food that is raw or hasn’t been heated above 118 degrees.

My “Detox” Plan

I am doing a HYBRID of the Master Cleanse+ Raw Vegetables+ Puree soups. To me this is my favorite detox diet that works. I find that the morning routinue suggested in master cleanse helps get my digestion a kickstart and the drinking of lemon water but I add raw veggies and pure nothing added organic vegtable puree soups to keep my intake low. These are great

I avoid meats, anything processed and no sugars… that includes fruits….they have tons of hidden sugars. I also recommend you take probiotics during any of these cleanses is also highly recommended. My personal favorite is one made by YOR HEALTH it is highly potent and excellent for the digestive system.

And lastly I want to leave you with this.
One week of cleansing your body from hot cheetos, coke, big macs,cookies, fried chicken, etc will not change things for you. To see ultimate benefits you must adopt this healthier way of eating as a lifestyle. Today there are many options for organic and healthy food. Many times the cost difference isn’t much. Without complicating it to much I do and follow a Mediterranean Diet “Lots of fruits, veggies, fish, and whole grains”.

Have some successful detox stories or tips you would like to share? Connect with me on FACEBOOK.

by CasaDeWinn

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