Margarine - Plastic on our Bread?

Margarine is undeniably unnatural. Its popularity soared years ago when people started worrying about eating saturated fat from animal sources. Since butter contains saturated fat, it became a nutritional bad guy, and margarine - made from “healthier” vegetable oils - took its place.

The problem is, however, margarine is hydrogenated, which converts it to an unnaturally saturated fat, which is a definite no-no. Unnatural saturated fats are full of trans fatty acids, and those are dangerous to your health. Margarine dramatically increases the risk of coronary heart disease as compared to butter. In fact, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53 percent over eating the same amount of butter.

Let’s take a look at the chemical makeup of margarine. Is it made of good, healthy, natural ingredients? Are the ingredients blended in a form that will be beneficial to your health?

Of course not.

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Why I Hate Martha Stewart

Okay. Technically, she’s not a “celebrity chef,” per se, but she’s famous. And she cooks. And she’s on TV. But! She doesn’t have a restaurant with tiny portions at exorbitant prices, which, therefore, doesn’t make her an official “chef.”

But because she’s famous and cooks, she’s landed on my “Celebrity Chefs” page. But I hate her. Why?

It all began in the 1930s.

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A Taste of Africa - Merkato Ethiopian Cafe

In order to continue the African theme I’d started on wines at Vegas Wineaux, I decided that I needed to experience genuine African cuisine. I am in the early planning stages of having an African-themed wine tasting, and – while it is some months away – figured that this is as good a time as any to begin research.

Las Vegas is blessed with an abundance of restaurants showcasing international cuisine, and they range from small neighborhood restaurants to top-dollar venues in the Strip properties. I found Merkato in the pages of one of the local weekly newspapers and decided to give it a try.

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Basil, Basil Everywhere!

This time of year my Basil is usually on its last legs. The Las Vegas sun is punishing, and Basil has a hard time making it past the hot days of July. Well, we’ve already had many days with temperatures well over 110F, and my Basil is still going strong. I mean really going strong and thriving well. It’s growing faster than a creature in a bad 1950s horror flick.

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Caprese Omelet

Don’t gag! A recent breakfast at one of the local Omelet Houses had me thinking about doing something a little creative. If you’ve ever seen the Omelet House menu, you know that they have wild combinations of ingredients all enfolded by the humble egg.

Well after enjoying a Popeye omelet - without bacon - recently (my companion opted for an Eggs Benedict since the omelets looked a little intimidating!), I decided to get a little creative with some ingredients I had at hand.

We had enjoyed some Caprese a couple of days prior, and I decided to try my hand at a Caprese omelet. I had plenty of mozzarella left over, organic eggs from Trader Joe’s, fresh tomatoes, and basil that’s growing like weeds in my garden. What’s not to like?

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Pasta Fresca

I made this up some years ago because I don’t like pasta/macaroni salads with mayonnaise.  I don’t like cole slaw with mayonnaise.  Potato salad is supposed to have mayonnaise and it’s tasty, but I recently had a sweet potato salad that had been made with mayonnaise and it was execrable. Whoever created it obviously didn’t sample it.

At any rate, this is a fresh summer salad that you tailor to your own tastes.  Just follow the basic outline and go from there!

Pasta Fresca

All ingredients are to taste and you can make the proportions any way you want.

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What is Kimchi?

Kimchi is a vegetable dish, most often presented as a side dish in any Korean meal. Kimchi is made by fermenting cabbage. Napa cabbage is generally the main ingredient, and the dish is usually fermented in brine with garlic, scallions, and ground pepper. It is usually finished with a hot chili sauce.

Kimchi is the most common Korean banchan (side dish) eaten with rice along with other banchan dishes.

After fermenting for a period of time at an appropriate temperature in a sealed container, the mixture of ingredients is turned into a nutritious food which is rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and fiber. If you have ever made sauerkraut (or have seen it being made), the similarity is unmistakable. Unfortunately, foods with such distinct flavors have lost favor in today’s fast-food, superbland factory food.

This cookbook, Nourishing Traditions, offers an amazing history of food preservation and fermentation as well as recipes you can try in your own kitchen. It is well worth the read, and a simple perusal of the contents will stimulate your interest in natural ways to preserve food, which is what our ancestors used in the days before BHT and BHA.

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