This is a recipe geared towards the broke college student, when you need something that’s cheap, delicious, easy with lots of leftovers, just turn this way. However, it is something everyone can enjoy! An interesting spin on your typical chili recipe, this uses white beans only! I used a crock pot for this recipe, but you can use a large pot on low heat, and it will work just fine.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 cans of white kidney beans
• 2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey jack or cheddar works best)
• 1 large can of salsa

Directions: 

1. Place chicken in crock pot (or pot on stove), turn heat on low.
2. Cover chicken with kidney beans, cheese, and salsa and stir.
3. Cook for six hours on high, stirring every once in awhile.
4. Take out chicken, and cut into pieces, then place back into the chili and cook for another 10 minutes.
5. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe works especially well with students who are pressed for time. While six hours of waiting may seem daunting, there is very minimal preparation to making it. I suggest throwing the ingredients in when you wake up or before class, that way when you get home tired and possibly cranky, you will have a delicious bowl of chili waiting for you.

If you are looking to make this recipe a little bit healthier, you could potentially add any vegetables you desire, as with most things I cook, there are no strict rules. Also, trust me when I say you do not need to salt this dish; it will be plenty flavorful without. This will serve approximately four to five people, depending on how hungry everyone is.

If you are looking for something to serve with this, any type of salad would go well with it, and keeping a bowl of corn chips nearby would not hurt either.

As previously stated, everyone can enjoy this meal. However, it is a plus for those in a rush and on a budget.

The article Food Experiments: White Chicken Chili appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Going to a party can be stressful; what do you wear, will you know other people there, and most importantly, what should you bring to eat? Trying to find a suitable hors d’oeuvres that will be enjoyed by everyone and is a change-up from the usual sausage rolls or cheese platters can be a challenge.

Homemade guacamole provides a nice change that is delicious and healthy! According to Avocado.org, one avocado has 20 essential vitamins, and they help your body absorb fat-soluble nutrients. To top it off, they have also been linked with a healthy diet to help one steer clear of cardiovascular disease. So, go ahead, whip up this yummy dip, grab your whole wheat chips, and tell your friends you are helping save their lives.

Ingredients:

• 4 avocados
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1/4 cup red pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Peel avocados and take out pit
2. In a bowl, mash the avocados together and add the lemon juice
3. Thinly dice the peppers and red onion, and add them
4. Add salt and pepper for taste
5. Place cilantro on top

The measurements provided can be adjusted. If you really enjoy onions, then go ahead, get a little crazy and add some more. If you are planning on skipping some of the items, that is fine as well, but I suggest keeping the lemon juice, as it not only adds flavor, but it actually keeps the avocado from turning brown.

There are, however, many people who find guacamole unappetizing. Whether it be the color, taste, or the mushy texture of avocados, they are just not for everyone. So, if you fall into the category of people who do not enjoy guacamole, but are still looking for a healthy alternative, then turn to homemade salsa. A similar concept, making salsa requires little ingredients and little preparation time.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 cup onions
• 1 lime
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 1/2 green green chili peppers
• 4 garlic cloves
• Salt and pepper to taste

The article Food Experiments: Guacamole and Salsa appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Hummus is the perfect food. What can best these levels of protein and fiber? Hardly any carbs? No meat? Wait, it only costs one dollar to make a dozen servings? It takes minutes to make? You do not have to use an oven or microwave? Endless customizable options? Jesus ate it?

Hummus is an ancient food eaten during biblical times. Incorporating the garbanzo bean (chickpea), ground sesame seeds, and Mesopotamian spices, the dish has been eaten for eons. While donning a robe and manipulating a mortar and pestle is the traditional, more cathartic method of grounding the elements together, a food processor will be the only tool really needed to enjoy this exotic, yet simple dish.

The mistake of using a single large can of chickpeas is an error most first-timers will make. Go for dry. Although it is more instantly gratifying to open into a can of soft beans floating amidst a salty brine, go for dry. If using canned, the final hummus product will be done in no less than ten minutes. Grow wise and realize that dry is the advantageous option.

A standard bag of garbanzo beans will yield four batches of delicious hummus per preparation. This annihilates the canned variety, which yields only one-per-can. Bag versus canned is not even a close contest. Bagged chickpeas yield over half your daily fiber serving. It is good to stay regular. Canned beans offer you only 20 percent of colon-cleansing benefits. Both varieties should pack between 7-8g of protein.

The instructions for making hummus are as follows:

Take a bag of dry chickpeas, and rinse and drain 1.5 dry cups worth.

Look out for stones and dark brown rejects.

Introduce into slow cooker along with 4 cups water. (There is no science to this ratio, as long as the chickpeas come out of the cooker brown and soft. Jesus and Moses did not need measurements and technology to enjoy this nutritious dish.)

Proceed to heat them in a slow cooker overnight on low for 8 hours.
Douse two red peppers with olive oil and bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes until they start burning.
Flip up and over once or twice while they cook.
Prepare the rest of the elements.

Gather several garlic cloves and procure bottles of lemon juice, tahini (sesame-seed paste), cumin powder, and pita breads.

Remove the peppers and place in a closed container, allowing the steam to break the outer skin down. Using the blender as the receptacle is ideal.

Rinse in cold water to allow easier handling.                                                                                                                                                                             Peel away the pepper skin, then rip off the stem to subtract the inner membrane containing seeds. Leave seeds in if you want a spicy hummus.

Remove as much water from the peppers as possible. Use a “salad-spinner” if feeling fancy.
Now you are ready for the genesis of a hummus batch.

Throw the peppers into the blender along with 2 to 5 garlic cloves, 3 tbs. tahini (sesame-seed paste), liberal splashes of lemon juice, and 1-2 tbs. cumin powder.

Blend this together before adding chickpeas.                                                                                                                                                                                       Once it is broken down and liquid, start adding beans. You may need a tool to fold the mixture around if blender blade ceases effectiveness.

If the mixture becomes too thick, and you want to add viscosity or want hummus-soup, introduce some olive oil.

Upon full assimilation, and when no full beans can be seen, transfer hummus into a storage device to be chilled.
The dish can be enjoyed cold or warm.

Pita is the most authentic device to transfer hummus from storage to mouth/body. Markets provide packs of ten for close to an American dollar. Heat one briefly in the oven until malleable. Now sit cross-legged in desert sands beside a camel to dip and consume whilst drinking mint tea.

The article Hummus: The Perfect Food appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Outside of Japan, it is difficult to find authentic Japanese cuisine that lives up to the quality and diversity of the original. But for foodies with a genuine taste for Japanese, if you do find such a place, you hold on to it and visit it near-religiously.

One such place can be found tucked away by Baker Street Station in the heart of London. Getting off the Underground, you turn right and cross the street — don’t let the obvious restaurants and fast food outlets get you on the way — and soon you will spot a modest wooden placard directing you into the complex, away from the busy street.

“Nambu is a region in Japan, where my husband is from,” explains the restaurant’s hostess, Yasuko. “Tei means a little place.” They have been in business for 11 years. “I have been in the UK for more than 35 years now. When we retire, we plan to go back. We visit Japan, but not as much as we would like to.”

The owners’ attachment to their roots is evident as soon as you step into the restaurant — it is like stepping into a different part of the world. Plenty of wood and Japanese decor ensures a pleasant and fitting environment for the culinary treats you’re about to experience.

Nambu-tei serves traditional Japanese food, from sushi and sashimi, to tempura, teriyaki and even hot pot dishes, which few restaurants do because of the amount of work required. Their lunch menu includes a wide variety of set lunches that cater to all tastes and are equally gentle on your wallet.

The possibilities for lunch are in fact so vast that it can be difficult to choose which combination you would prefer. Toonari Post recommend the Unaju Box, featuring barbecued eel on rice, the Ton-katsu Lunch or the Foodie’s Lunch Box, a beautiful three-storied box including sashimi and fried salmon. Be sure to wash it down with hot green tea.

For dinner, the prices go up as one might expect, but so does sophistication. Japanese cuisine is not just rice, tuna and teriyaki sauce. The combination of flavor and texture is unique and for true fans, highly enjoyable. Have a shot at the Sunomono (a seafood salad with rice vinegar dressing) or treat yourself to Nasu Dengaku, a grilled aubergine sweetened with miso.

Toonari Post also highly recommend the grilled eel. Some of the Chef’s recommended dishes can sound slightly intimidating: fermented octopus, seasoned jelly fish, or how about some assorted seaweed? The casual eater might not want to risk ordering something they won’t be able to eat, but often the best food experiences are the surprises you stumble upon. If you don’t try it, how can you say you’ve really lived?

The dinner menu also includes set dinners and impressive hot pots – some of which have a two-person minimum. Prices range between £28-£38 but if you do indulge, rest assure you won’t be walking away hungry. A Nambu Dinner Special for one cost £36 but you get a sushi platter, a special soup in a teapot and assorted tempura before the main course of two well-sized seafood skewers, rice and miso soup arrives.

In addition to a well prepared and beautifully presented meal, try a glass plum wine if you haven’t already. It’s a sweet and fruity alcoholic drink which you drink slowly. There are many different types and strengths; Some home-brewed ones are not for the faint hearted, but the house brand at Nambu-tei is delightful. Finish off, if you can, with a scoop of ice cream – pick from chestnut, sweet red beans or green tea.

Beyond the dining area, Nambu-tei also has rooms downstairs in the authentic style of floor seating. Parties of four to eight can gain the full experience, sitting on specially made chairs and placing their feet in the floor. Yasuko explains that their busiest days are Thursdays and Fridays and that they are frequented by office workers and people looking for a place to eat near the Tube station.

What may attract people is a welcome break from the local food chains and the generic menus. Nambu-tei is a truly original experience in the British capital. Being run by Yasuko and her husband, who is the head chef, they have been careful to keep the spirit of their home country, from the menu to the interior and to the friendly staff who all but one speak Japanese.

To learn more about the location and their menu, please visit the Nambu-tei website. They are open for lunch Monday-Friday from 12PM-2.30PM and dinner Monday-Saturday from 6PM -10.15PM (last order).

The article Nambu-tei, A Piece of Japan in London appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Rollin’ Oats may look like just a health food super market, but head towards the back and you’ll find a tantalizing treat. You can find breakfast, lunch, and dinner are part of the Rollin’ Oats experience. Made fresh daily and designed with your health in mind, you can’t go wrong with this delicious hot spot.

The Mediterranean quiche is overflowing with taste bud delights. Fluffy, whipped eggs, thin crust, spinach, tomatoes, Greek olives, and hints of garlic will have you starting your day off with a smile. The apple tuna salad is refreshing and sweet. Speaking of sweets, check out Rollin’ Oats desserts on your way to the register.

They are always made with natural sugars, no starch, egg whites, sometimes tofu, and other healthy ingredients, yet with all the sinful flavor of your favorite treats. The lemon berry bars and chocolate muffins are a Toonari recommendations. If you need a power up to go with your soup or sandwich, try a smoothie! Nothing seems to be able to beat the thick, creamy, natural ingredients of Rollin’ Oats blended drinks.

“I have been coming to Rollin’ Oats for months,” said Paula, a local, and Rollin’ Oats lover. “Everything is so healthy, but taste so good! I can grab a snack and do my personal shopping at the same time,” she  said. Rollin’ Oats is the perfect blend of café and local market, and the food blends are even better!

And perhaps eating right make a person more…personable. The servers behind the counter are always friendly, happy, and ready to assist you on your food adventures. “I love working here,” says the bubbly young lady from behind the café counter. “Management is wonderful, and everyone is really nice. Want one of our new wheatgrass shooters,” she asked.

I was not brave enough for the shooter, but with tons of vitamins, and the possible ability to cleanse the blood and bring energy, I highly recommend Toonari readers give the shooters a try. As I took a seat in the small diner, and began to chow down on my toasted wheat bread, pressing down on fresh avocado, tomato, cheese, and garlic cream cheese, I was truly happy.

The menu is varied, and at great prices, you’ll be rollin’ back to Rollin’ Oats. Rollin’ Oats is located at 2842 Dr. Martin Luther King Street N. in St. Petersburg, FL. It is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Happy Eating!

The article Rollin’ Oats Will Have You Rollin’ Back For More appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.