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Simple Tip: Salt Watery Vegetables Before Cooking

Susannah Chen — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 11:43:19 PDT

Many vegetables, like zucchini, cucumber, and eggplant, have a high water content, so to avoid my dishes turning into a diluted mess, I like to treat the vegetables by salting and draining them first.

The key is to sprinkle them with a liberal amount of kosher salt (but don't go overboard!), then wait patiently for 15 minutes for the salt to draw out the water by osmosis. Then, depending on the amount of water brought forth, either pat dry with a towel or drain using a colander.

This process, known as disgorging vegetables, works well for ratatouille crepes, zucchini-and-egg turnovers, quiche, or any other pastry dish that could turn soggy if vegetables are too moist after cooking. It also helps reduce bitterness and prevent cucumber salads from tasting overly watery. Have you ever tried disgorging vegetables?

Fresh and Fruity Cocktail

Yum Community — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 03:36:07 PST

Did you know that there's a group in the community that's devoted to drinks? It's called Let's Have a Drink, and it's your spot to talk all things cocktail, wine, and spirits. Here, brisas shares a favorite new concoction.

My friend recently treated me to this tasty cocktail, it combines a bunch of fresh citrus, cucumber, mint, vodka and a touch of soda water! It was delicious and refreshing, perfect for a spicy dinner!

Do you like drinking? Join the group and starting participating by uploading photos and recipes. Your story could be featured here!

5 Healthy Ways to Eat Your Heart Out

Michele Bell — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 04:00:12 PST

It's easy to roll out the sugar cookie dough and toss on some sprinkles for a quick Valentine's Day treat. While a cookie may taste delicious, it can be the downfall to a healthy diet. 'Cause who can truly make a batch of cookies without licking the bowl and eating about half a dozen when they are baked in your kitchen? Instead of tempting yourself with the usual suspects, consider showing your sweetheart or your girlfriends how much you care about them and their health with these simple and easy Valentine shaped dishes. They're sure to win their hearts over.

Healthy Recipe: Cucumber Avocado Caprese Salad

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 09:00:05 PDT

If you're like me, your garden is overflowing with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes, and basil. You basically have a salad with those three, but if you add a few more key ingredients, this salad will be your new favorite Summer dish.

This salad literally takes 15 minutes or less to make. To see the simple recipe,

Recipe For Cucumber Caprese Salad
original recipe

Ingredients

2 cucumbers
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (about 30)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 cup fresh mozzarella (I like to use the little balls)
1 avocado
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Wash the cucumbers and dry them off. Cut into 1/4-inch slices, then cut those in quarters so you're left with triangular-shaped cucumber pieces.
Wash and dry the tomatoes. Cut them in quarters.
Dice the avocado.
Place the cukes, tomatoes, avocado, basil, and mozzarella in a bowl. Pour on the oil, vinegar, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Tastes best if served immediately.

Serves four.

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Check out the nutritional info below. This salad is super healthy!

Serving Size	1/4 of the salad
Calories	236
Total Fat	16.8 g
Sat. Fat	5.2 g
Cholesterol	15 mg
Sodium	234 mg
Carbs	14.4 g
Fiber	5.1 g
Sugars	5.2 g
Protein	10.1 g

It's fun to try new recipes, so if you have a healthy dish to share, post it in the Healthy Recipe community group.

Happy Hour: Pepino el Pyu

YumSugar — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:30:12 PDT

At the daily Grand Tasting in Aspen, there are literally hundreds of bites and sips to choose from, so a true standout is one that you can't resist making repeat visits to.

One of those booths came from Mercadito, a group of restaurants in New York, Chicago, and Miami serving Southern Mexican taqueria-style specialties. Not only did they offer tacos filled with layers of flavor, but they also served them accompanied with a refreshing pepino el pyu cocktail, their update on a margarita.

Talk about a perfect pairing: the cooling essence of cucumber mixed with a punch of lemon was a welcome contrast to the ultraspicy pork taco topped with chile de arbol coleslaw. Since I can't wait to re-create it at home, I'm sharing the recipe with you, too. Don't skimp on the cumin salt rim, which adds a smoky, crunchy finish to every sip. For the recipe, read on.

Summer of Salads: Grilled Steak With a Pineapple Punch

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:15:56 PDT

While it doesn't quite feel like Summer with the Bay Area's cool weather, I still want to enjoy a simple yet delectable salad. Tossing a mildly spicy ginger dressing over grilled flank steak with sweet pineapple, peppery radishes, and refreshing cucumbers proved to be a great sweet-and-salty combination.

The preparation is easy, with only a bit of chopping, a quick dressing, and flank steak that takes no time on grill. Next time, I'll make the dressing spicier by adding more pepper flakes, or take it to the next heat level with some finely chopped jalapeño. Also, I'd throw the pineapple on the barbecue to caramelize some of the sugar, creating even more complexity. If you're salivating over this salad, get the recipe here!

Happy Hour: Gordon's Cup

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 14:00:00 PDT

I am always tempted by cocktails with cucumber in them but often disappointed. Aside from the classically refreshing Pimm's Cup, the cucumber-based recipes I've tried have either been too sweet, not sweet enough, or way too much trouble.

The Gordon's Cup, however, made me giddy, and it wasn't just the 1/4 cup of gin. This cooling Summer cocktail is easy to make: simply muddle lime and cucumber in a shaker, toss the other goods on top, give it a few shimmies, and dump everything out in your cup - no straining required. Shake up your Summer and get the recipe.

Come Party With Me: Bastille Day Lunch - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:50:53 PDT

Nothing gets the conversation rolling at a party like flowing drinks. For a Bastille Day lunch, serve a refreshingly light apéritif-based cocktail, such as the Lillet-basil concoction seen here. Lillet is a French alcoholic drink made from a blend of wine, brandy, fruits, and herbs.

Traditionally it's served over ice, but this recipe makes it more festive by combining it with fresh orange juice, basil, and cucumber spears. When you sit down to eat the Niçoise salad, pour a crisp classic French white. To check out the Lillet cocktail recipe, please

Lillet-Basil Cocktail
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 cup ice, plus more for serving
1/2 cup Lillet Blanc
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) gin
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
Splash of tonic water
1 cucumber spear, for garnish
1 cinnamon stick, for garnish

Directions

Put ice, Lillet, gin, orange juice, and basil in a cocktail shaker; shake well.
Fill a glass with ice; strain mixture into glass. Add tonic water. Garnish with cucumber spear, cinnamon stick, and basil sprigs.

Makes 1 drink.

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Why Do People Put Cucumbers on Their Eyes?

BellaSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 07:00:57 PST

Last week on another one of my wild nights, I caught a TV rerun of The Princess Diaries. Since it's pretty much tied for your favorite movie makeover, do you remember the part when Paolo says the "cucumbers do nothing" during her beautification? This jumped out at me . . . 'cause it's not quite true!

While its exact benefits aren't scientifically proven, there are a few things about this fruit that can be quite beneficial:

The 95 percent water. The cucumbers' high content of water provides a naturally hydrating effect. Because they are colder than skin temperature, they can reduce puffiness in the same way that a cold compress would – by removing heat and shrinking swollen tissue.
The other 5 percent. The flesh of cucumbers also contains ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and caffeic acid, both of which help soothe skin irritations and reduce swelling.

I'd say don't knock it 'til you try it – so have you?

Source

Happy Hour: Fall Fizz

partysugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:15:08 PDT

Recently I attended a female-only cocktail competition hosted by Nirvino. While I've been to many cocktail competitions, I always look forward to Nirvino's monthly contest because the crowd gets to taste each cocktail and ultimately decides the winning drink. Nirvino is an exciting social networking community where drinking is the common denominator. You can rate drinks, bars, bartenders, wine, beer, and different kinds of liquor.

Its a fun concept that makes for an interesting event. After tasting each cocktail everyone gets on their iPhones or Blackberrys to rate the drink. This competition featured Square One Cucumber vodka and the winning bartender was Brooke Arthur from Range restaurant in San Francisco.

Her Fall Fizz delightfully combined the fresh flavors of cucumber, apple, and pear. Lemon juice adds an acidic balance and a dusting of cinnamon gives this drink a holiday feel. Like the gin fizz, it includes egg whites. I can't promise you won't get salmonella, but your drink will be deliciously frothy! To check out Brooke's recipe and a video of her mixing at the competition,

Fall Fizz
From Brooke Arthur of Range

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces cucumber vodka (recommended: Square One)
1/4 ounce apple brandy (recommended: Coeur de Lyon Calvados)
1/4 ounce pear liqueur (recommended: Poires Pear Liqueur)
1/2 ounce egg whites
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
grated cinnamon, for garnish

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
Shake without ice for 30 seconds to emulsify the egg whites.
Add ice to the shaker and shake for another 30-45 seconds.
Strain into a martini glass. Garnish by grating cinnamon over the top of the cocktail.

Makes 1 cocktail.

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