Let’s talk about baking – an excellent way to communicate and express yourself. Baking unlocks all your senses and this increases feel-good endorphins. Baking for others raises a feeling of wellbeing, helps with stress, improves your skills, and more…Let us tell you all of the benefits of baking in this blog post!
If you are interested or have ever wanted to experience the sweet side of the culinary world, this post is for you! Start baking today – Chef Eric shares with you why you need to start baking now – 5 REASONS WHY BAKING IS GOOD FOR YOU!
1. Do what you LOVE and follow your PASSION:
If you have a passion for the culinary arts and a true vocation – learn and experiment! This will definitely lead you to take the right path with excellent results. Don’t forget that constant practice and training will help you achieve your ultimate goals. It is a matter of trial and error. Experiment with textures, flavors, and colors. Be passionate about what you do – “Do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life.” If you love to bake, GO FOR IT!
2. Release Stress:
Baking for other people – your family, close friends, paying customers, and even strangers helps reduce stress and increases the feeling of well-being. Baking achieves the act of “mindfulness”. This is not simply a good technique to ease stress but also helps keep negative thoughts away. How? By concentrating on your task and discovering new smells and flavors generated by the wide variety of ingredients used in baking. Plus baked items taste great and everyone loves to get baked goods!
3. Sensory Activity:
Baking stimulates all the senses. By experimenting, preparing, plating, and testing – we evoke memories that only with the senses we bring to the present. Does the smell of a delicious dessert remind you of special moments with grandma? Or from a specific place where you spent a special afternoon with a loved one? Use those senses to advance your skills!
4. Mathematical Skills:
One of the ways we use math every day is in the kitchen! Reading recipes, baking, and cooking is full of important math concepts. As you learn and practice the art of baking you will have to read the data of a recipe, calculate the quantities, and keep track of timing. Numbers will always be part of this creative experience.
5. Good Labor Demand:
Pastry Chefs enjoy high demand. Culinary professionals are always needed around the world. In addition to being able to start an independent business with a good strategy or business plan, the income can be very good. Don’t limit yourself, you have options:
Pastry Chef
Assistant Pastry Chef
Baker
Pastry Shop Owner
Caterer
Cake Maker / Decorator
If you have a passion for baking, are ready to increase your confidence in the kitchen, or are considering a career as a professional baker or pastry chef, you have come to the right place! Chef Eric created an amazing baking program for you! His 10-week professional baking program will teach you what you need to know to be successful in today’s professional environment. Discover more: Master Baking Certificate Program and Start BAKING NOW – We hope our 5 REASONS WHY BAKING IS GOOD FOR YOU inspire you to take the next step!
We hope you enjoy our Sprouts Vs. Trader Joe’s…Which is better? blog post. Read more blog posts like this one by clicking here AND don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated!
Sprouts Vs. Trader Joe’s…Which is better? Where to shop?
First, a little history….
In 1958, Joe Coulombe took over a small chain of Pronto Markets convenience stores around the Los Angeles, California, area. After seeing changes in demographics, he opened the first Trader Joe’s in 1967 in nearby Pasadena. In 1972, he introduced granola, the first private label product.
There are 552 Trader Joe’s locations in the United States today.
What is the big deal about Trader Joe’s?
The store has cultivated a broad customer base with its low prices, unique offerings, and charming store features. For the health-conscious, Trader Joe’s offers a plethora of natural and organic products. For the bargain shopper, the store’s low prices are especially appealing.
Trader Joe’s has a cult-like following from customers because of how they invest heavily in customer experience. Trader Joe’s is meant to be more than a trip to the grocery store, but an experience! Trader Joe’s employees travel around the world and bring customers the world’s most delicious cuisines.
On the other hand, Sprouts Farmers Market has its origins in 1943 – San Diego, California. … That was the year an ice cream delivery man, Henry Boney, borrowed $600 to buy a truck to bring peaches back and forth to his newly opened street-corner fruit stand.
In 2002, the first store was opened in an effort to make natural foods accessible to everyone. Up until then, grocers offering fresh, organic choices were either too expensive to shop or too hard to find.
There are currently 126 Sprouts Farmers Market grocery stores in the state of California, more than double that of any other state in the nation. The chain has seen rapid growth, with an increase in stores of nearly 800 percent over the last decade
Sprouts offers a wide selection of products that are minimally processed and free of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives and synthetic ingredients. The company says that 90% of its products meet this standard. Sprouts has its own private label brand of products, featuring more than 2,400 items.
Is Trader Joe’s cheaper than Sprouts?
Yes, Trader Joe’s is cheaper than Sprouts Farmers Market. Sprouts often has a few rock-bottom deals they feature prominently, but on average, Trader Joe’s is almost always less expensive than Sprouts across the entire store.
What are the differences between the two stores?
According to How I Got the Job. com,
Sprouts Farmers has a different sales price every week while Trader Joe’s has the same price throughout according to customer service representative Lora Reitman.
Sprouts Farmers has more organic products as compared to Trader Joe’s which makes it preferable for people who are into organics.
While Sprouts Farmers is known for owning a Butcher shop, selling fresh meat, where butchers are trained to custom meat as per the requirement of the customers, this is not the case with Trader Joe’s as it does not own a butcher shop and sell packaged meat which is not always fresh.
Sprouts Farmers has a wide range of products from toiletries to food items to body care products, while Trader Joe’s does not offer such a wide variety of products.
Trader Joe’s charges less on certain items in comparison to Sprouts Farmers for instance the organic products and hence customers prefer it more even though Sprouts offer better quality and a wide range of products.
The ambiance of Trader Joe’s is lively and jovial while Sprouts Farmers has a clean and crisp environment.
Our Social Media Survey “Sprouts Vs. Trader Joe’s…Which is better” showed that both stores are pretty popular and LOVED for different reasons. Trader Joe’s takes the lead when talking about cheaper prices, variety, and accessibility (referring to more locations). Wine LOVERS also like Trader Joe’s wine! On the other hand, Sprouts Farmers Market takes the winning place for product quality. Comments from our survey show that people would love to shop here if there were more locations nearby.
We hope you enjoy our “Coca-Cola Vs. Coke Zero…What is better?” blog post. Check out more blog posts like this one AND don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated!
Coca-Cola Vs. Coke Zero…What is better?
Coca-Cola is one of the most popular soft drinks in the world. According to Coca-Cola’s official website, more than 1.9 billion servings of Coca-Cola drinks are enjoyed in more than 200 countries each day. The Coca-Cola Company sells a range of products, including regular Coca-Cola, Diet Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. While these products all taste fairly similar, they contain different sweeteners. Some of these sweeteners are meant to be low in calories.
First, a little history…
On May 8, 1886, Dr. John Pemberton sold the first glass of Coca-Cola at Jacobs’ Pharmacy in downtown Atlanta. Serving nine drinks per day in its first year! Dr. John Stith Pemberton, a local pharmacist, produced the syrup for Coca-Cola, and carried a jug of the new product down the street to Jacobs’ Pharmacy, where it was sampled, pronounced “excellent” and placed on sale for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink. Carbonated water was teamed with the new syrup to produce a drink that was at once “Delicious and Refreshing,” a theme that continues to echo today wherever Coca-Cola is enjoyed.
So, What are Coca-Cola’s Ingredients?
Coke contains a fairly short list of ingredients:
Carbonated Water.
Sugar (which can be sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup)
Caffeine.
Phosphoric Acid v. Caramel (E150d)
Natural Flavorings (which include coca leaf extract)
There are 39 grams of sugar in a 12 oz Coca-Cola can. Coca-Cola’s smaller portion sizes can have less sugar and fewer calories.
Coca-Cola comes in several sizes (availability varies based on geography):
7.5 oz – 25g of sugar and 90 calories
8 oz – 26g of sugar and 100 calories
8.5 oz – 28g of sugar and 100 calories
12 oz – 39g of sugar and 140 calories
16 oz – 52g of sugar and 190 calories
20 oz – 65g of sugar and 240 calories
What about Coke 0?
Coca-Cola Zero shares some, but not all, of Coca-Cola’s ingredients. Coca-Cola Zero, also known as Coke Zero, is made of:
Carbonated water
Caramel color
Phosphoric acid
Aspartame,
Potassium Benzoate (To protect Taste)
Natural Flavorings
Potassium Citrate
Acesulfame Potassium
Caffeine.
Unlike Coca-Cola, Coke Zero has no sugars. Coke Zero’s calories are also nonexistent. The lack of sugar and calories in Coke Zero is the major attribute of this beverage. Coke Zero’s nutrition is negligible — it has just 2 percent of the daily value for potassium and sodium (40 to 55 milligrams) per 12- or 16-ounce can. This product is made for people trying to reduce their sugar intake or daily calories. A 12-ounce (355-mL) serving of Coke Zero provides:
Calories: 0
Total fat: 0 grams
Sodium: 40 mg
Total carbohydrates: 0 grams
Total sugars: 0 grams
Protein: 0 grams
Potassium: 60 mg
Caffeine: 34 mg
Coke Zero contains no added sugars since it uses artificial sweeteners instead. It comes in a variety of flavors, including cherry, cherry vanilla, orange vanilla, and vanilla. Caffeine-free Coke Zero is also available.
Coke Zero has less caffeine than Diet Coke. However, both beverages are well below the recommended daily caffeine limit of 400 mg per day for adults.
So, the classic Coca-Cola or Coke Zero? Coca-Cola Vs. Coke Zero…What is better?
My wife Jennie LOVES Coke Zero and I Love my classic Coke. The best choice will depend on your taste preferences.
Unique Valentine’s Day Date Ideas: 6 Sweet Valentine’s Date Ideas You’ll Love! Make your February 14 feel extra special this year. We hope you enjoy our Unique Valentine’s Day Date Ideas Blog Post. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated and check out our YOUTUBE Channel for Valentine’s Day cooking inspiration Chef Eric’s YouTube Channel.
Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to express love and commitment. Some popular valentine’s day traditions include gifting flowers, letters, and chocolates. On February 14th, we celebrate love and friendship. It is safe to say that V-day is the most romantic day of the year. Chef Eric shares with you 6 original ideas for the romantic and not-so-romantic type – surprise your partner this year!
RETURN TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU FIRST MET
An excellent idea to revive the first special moments you shared together is to return to the place of your first date. Was it a park? a restaurant? a bar? Wherever it was, take your partner back and remember that special day. We can assure you plenty of laughs and unforgettable memories as you both remember the thoughts that ran through your heads that day.
GETAWAY TRIP
An express getaway trip together is always a great idea. We recommend going on a road trip to someplace you’ve always wanted to go. We suggest going camping, spending the night at a hotel or a cabin in the mountains. Nature will recharge your souls!
TAKE A COURSE TOGETHER
Performing activities outside the usual routine strengthen the relationship. We suggest taking an online class together. There are different activities and workshops from culinary to crafts. Wine tastings, pastries, flower arrangements, and more. If you are into cooking, you should definitely check out Chef Eric’s Video Cooking Series, an excellent option to spend some time cooking together!
SURPRISE YOUR LOVED ONE Surprise your loved one with an unexpected activity or an unforgettable gift! Go ALL in – A hot air balloon ride, a helicopter trip, or an extreme sport experience like skydiving will do the job. If you are not into any of these, a special custom-made gift to show appreciation will mean the world to your partner. What about matching rings? or a romantic handwritten letter or poem?
SPA DAY
Valentine’s day is the perfect excuse to take time to relax in the middle of a workweek. Reserve in advance either a place or book a couples massage at home. There are plenty of options in the market and different packages for couples with natural and organic benefits!
COZY TIME AT HOME: A GOOD FILM AND POPCORN
If you are not interested in leaving home – nothing is more calm, economical, and pleasant than a “movie night” at home. Make it a special night – popcorn, a blanket, and a marathon of romantic movies are all you need! Disconnect from your daily routine and enjoy this night to the fullest!
Make the most of your Valentine’s day celebration this February 14th. We hope that these Unique Valentine’s Day Date Ideas will help you to make the perfect plan! Remember that taking the time to celebrate your partner is totally worth the effort!
Chef Eric wishes you a loving, romantic, and happy Valentine’s Day!
We hope you enjoy our THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO START YOUR CAREER AS A CHEF blog post. Check out our master chef certificate programs in 2022 that teach you how to cook and give you the skills YOU need to become a chef! AND don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated!
If you’ve always been attracted to studying gastronomy, love spending time planning and developing a menu – it is time to make the decision and fully immerse yourself in the culinary world. Change your world for the better as this life-changing decision can bring you plenty of benefits and help you meet your objectives. Take into account the following qualities to become an excellent chef:
Concentration Capacity
Manual Skills/Dexterity
Creativity
Work Well Under Pressure
Empathy
Good Interpersonal Relationships
Teamwork
Perseverance
Chef Eric wants to motivate you to take the big step of starting your career as a Chef – Here are 5 reasons why THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO START YOUR CAREER AS A CHEF!
IN-DEMAND CAREER/ JOB OPPORTUNITIES –
It is very common that when we decide to study a career we look at the opportunities we’ll have in the future to perform within that specific field. Gastronomy is one of the careers that offers different sources of work and where the job offers never stop! You will have options to choose from according to what best suits your needs. Personal, professional, and financial options will be available! Restaurants, Hotels, Cruises, Catering for Events or Companies, Media, and Personal Homes are always looking for trained and professional Chefs. In each field, you’ll find different categories of employment, and the BEST news is that these job offers are all very well paid!
START YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND BECOME YOUR OWN BOSS –
A great advantage of becoming a professional Chef is the ability to start your own business and become your own boss! Once you obtain your certification, you’ll be able to have an entrepreneurial profile with skills that will help you achieve your ultimate goals. Characteristics such as leadership, operational strategy, and service management will help you in the culinary world.
Creating and having a company is not an easy process but it isn’t impossible either. Chef Eric recommends that you start with a small business where you have low risk in the investment you make. Try to get simple kitchen jobs while you study! WHY? You will be gaining experience and skills while you attend culinary school. Practice will make you an expert! Once you start going up the ladder, you’ll meet interesting people and possible investors to support you in a larger venture.
TRAVEL THE WORLD –
Gastronomy is a universal, essential, and necessary career anywhere in the world! You will have no problem working in the country of your dreams! Professional chefs have great job demands inside and outside the U.S. This will also depend on the path you decide to take and how far you are willing to go in your self-preparation. Chef Eric has studied and worked in different parts of the world, it is one of the best experiences, and special moments of his life – “There is nothing more commemorative than traveling the world doing what you really love.” – Chef Eric.
DIFFERENT FIELDS OF ACTION –
Taking into account what we mentioned above, as you study Gastronomy you will discover the field of action that you are most passionate about and in which you perform the best. It is a great opportunity to take complementary courses that will help you reinforce your skills, and focus on what you really want to achieve professionally. These fields of action are: International Cuisine, Fusion Cuisine, Local Cuisine, Pastry/Confectionery, and Fitness Cuisine. Remember that Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom offers different programs that will help you get there! Review our great courses.
DO WHAT YOU LOVE/SELF-ACCOMPLISHMENT
We are not talking about any service, we are talking about a basic need that human beings have. Eating a delicious dish generates happiness because it releases endorphins, so when your guests reach this level of happiness, you’ll feel satisfied and proud for the work you have done. Your self-esteem grows and your desire to learn and improve as well! In addition to the monetary reward, serving others will bring you the biggest personal reward there is!
If culinary school is calling your name and you’re ready to follow your dream – THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO START YOUR CAREER AS A CHEF! If you have a passion for food, never doubt that becoming a Chef is definitely a great learning experience and a lifetime career path. Don’t hesitate to take the big step – you won’t regret it! Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom is one of the best culinary schools in the United States. Culinary Classroom offers multiple programs and career opportunities in the culinary world. Are you ready to join the fun? Check out our great programs that start in January 2022 and get your career started NOW!
Chefs enjoy the advantage of working in different parts of the world while earning a solid income. As time goes by, the Chef profession becomes more and more dominant and many choose to start studying this great art. This profession is estimated to grow by 10% by 2026. There are a wide variety of schools and universities that specialize in culinary training and education around the world.
To enter a school with a high global ranking, it is required to have experience, have a high school diploma or GED, and have SAT scores. It is recommended to have these requirements ready before applying – presenting these in advance will give you an advantage for admission to the institution.
If you are at the point of searching for specialized training and want to follow your dream of becoming a chef, this Top Culinary Schools in The World blog post will guide and give you important information to consider for your future career.
1. The Culinary Institute of America
Founded in 1946
Location: New York, California, Texas, and Singapore
As you can see, there are plenty of choices around the world to follow your dream. Our Top Culinary Schools in The World blog post is just a guide! If you are in Los Angeles and want to pursue the career of your dreams – Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom is one of the best culinary schools in California.
Culinary Classroom offers professional cooking programs, online chef classes, 4-week culinary series, recreational cooking classes, team building events, and much more fun in the kitchen. Don’t miss out!
Chef Eric teaches hands-on cooking classes and gives you a technical education as a European-trained professional chef. Our 14-Week Professional Master Chef Certificate Program will teach you all you need to know to succeed in today’s restaurant environment. This French-based system is a comprehensive cooking program designed to teach in individual modules that build from Knife Skills to Sauces, to Vegetables, to full Meals. For more information, visit us and find out about our programs:
Chef Eric gives us a sneak peek of his TOP 8 Best Amazon Kitchen Products. Success in the kitchen comes from practicality and good use of kitchen equipment! “You are only as good as your tools.” This popular saying becomes true when we talk about cookware. Kitchen utensils can make your life so much easier and can save you plenty of time. In addition, the right kitchen tools can help you maintain a clean kitchen and can aid you with tasks such as chopping, slicing, and dicing. Here are the TOP 8 of Chef Eric’s favorite, affordable, and really useful utensils to work in your kitchen like a pro! He’s even added some of his favorite cookbooks.
8 Best Amazon Kitchen Products – Chef Eric’s favorite equipment, cookware, gadgets, tools, and MORE….
Hand Blender – Muller Austria Ultra Stick: The perfect blender for Smoothies, Shakes, Soups, and Baby Food!
The removable blending arm with fixed blade locks into the motor body for easy operation. The stainless steel S-Shaped fixed blade quickly blends ingredients for smoothies, milkshakes, soups, or baby food. The quality whisk attachment is a perfect addition!
Grill your food on the top and bottom at the same time from the comfort of your kitchen. With the simple press of a button, you can adjust the cooking temperature of each Grill Plate independently, giving you complete cooking control.
It’s easy to clean, non-stick and thin enough to transfer heat and grill marks onto your most delicate, unexpectedly grillable foods – even pancakes. Sometimes it’s too hot to grill outside – so this is a great option!
Built-in ceramic sharpeners, automatically sharpen chef knives, and other straight edge knives with every use. Each time you pull a knife from the block, it is automatically sharpened. The secret: Each storage slot for fine-edged knives (paring, slicing, and chef’s knives) contains ceramic sharpeners that sharpen each blade at the ideal angle. This helps blades retain their optimal cutting properties and quality for a long time. Labeled handles for easy identification in the block. Triple-riveted handles are contoured for a secure grip.
Three precision speeds, a pulse function, and the extractor program offer full control at the press of a button. 1200 watts of power let you make an endless array of smoothies, juices, soups, sauces, nut butters, and beyond. I also like the two drinking cups so I can drink mine on the go! We use this at least 1-2 times a week.
The best way to check out great products!Everything for Kids and Adults – These subscription boxes have something for everyone – they are a really great way to check out products. No need to reorder – these items will come to you automatically! Enjoythe variety!
We all need a little inspiration in the kitchen and we invite you to review Chef Eric’s favorite books to create new memories for your family. You can find a list of 39 books priced from $5. There are books for everyone in the family…From teenagers “Find The Baking Cookbook for Teens”, to Vegetarians “How to Cook Everything Vegetarian”. Chef Eric’s Cookbook List has it all!
The Blowtorch is great for caramelizing sugar to make creme brulee, roasting bell peppers, and even melting cheese. This torch makes a great gift!
The torch lighters have been designed with double flame and feature a durable aluminum alloy metal body and non-slip handle! The compact safety lock effectively prevents improper operation and accidental ignition.
Are you still worried about the lack of oven capacity? This air fryer oven is a spacious 20-Quart unit that allows you to make plenty of food, so you can make enough for the whole family.
The Iconic plus air fryer oven circulates super-hot air around your food instead of using oil to cook, penetrates the inside of the food, cooks evenly and locks in moisture. The 1800 Watts of power makes your food crispy and delicious and it’s healthier, too! I use mine all the time.
These 8 BEST Amazon Kitchen Products are a great addition to your kitchen! Discover Chef Eric’s complete Amazon shopping list at:
Choosing the foods we eat and taking care of the time we dedicate to each of our meals, without interfering in our daily work and responsibilities is a must. Being as productive and as healthy as possible is the key to having a balanced lifestyle.
Eating three meals a day helps keep energy levels up and hunger at bay, according to (livestrong.com). Chef Eric and his team compiled the main benefits of having a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. We also added quick recipes that will be a good option in our day to day, giving us all the energy, nutrients, and water we need.
As main advice, Chef Eric recommends that we should consume our 3 main meals in a 12-hour range. For instance, if we eat our breakfast at 7:00 am, our dinner should be at 7:00 pm. Let’s take a look at some QUICK AND EASY GOOD EATING HABITS!
1. BREAKFAST:
The importance of a healthy breakfast every day is because it helps to maintain nutritional balance throughout the day. Since it is the first meal we eat after a period of 10 to 12 hours of fasting, it is important that breakfast is away from processed foods. Choose real foods instead! Shakes are a magnificent option since almost immediately they conjugate all the nutrients and vitamins necessary to start the day right. You can combine different fruits and veggies, according to the purpose of your diet. Shakes can detoxify, nourish, and feed the body with the right amounts of healthy foods.
The most important benefits of a healthy breakfast are:
– Improves physical performance, the lack of breakfast causes fatigue and loss of energy – Covers the needs of vitamins and minerals – Controls body weight as it helps to keep our metabolism active, avoiding the accumulation of fat – Increases productivity at work and there is greater mental clarity – Reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes – Reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases – Prevents the risk of obesity and overweight problems – Improves concentration and behavior – Maintains good growth and development – Contributes to maintaining health and well-being – Helps to preserve muscle mass, when we age we tend to lose muscle mass, which leads to bone and joint complications, hence the importance of supplementing with physical activity.
Lastly, the myth that skipping breakfast helps you lose weight faster, it’s FALSE!
Bonus Recipe # 1:
Banana, Mango, and Vegetable Smoothie: 2 Servings
Ingredients:
For the base: • 80 g of kale or baby spinach • 1 mango • 2 bananas • 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds • Mint leaves • Basil leaves • 1 small handful of alfalfa sprouts • Water
For the topping: • 1 tablespoon of hemp seeds • Sliced mango • Banana cut into slices
Method: • Blend the base ingredients • Serve in a bowl • Add the toppings so that it is pleasing to the eye
2. LUNCH:
Lunch provides the energy that the body needs to face any activity. In the afternoon, having lunch reinforces a good dose of nutrients to your body and many more benefits that we will mention below:
– Nutritious and balanced lunch options should have 7% vegetables, 15% protein, and 15% carbohydrate – Each ingredient that we use in our plate must benefit our organism – Drinking water before eating lunch helps to have good digestion – To accompany lunch, drink water or tea! Avoid dairy and sugary drinks – You can eat whole grains or cereals, and avoid refined grains such as white rice and white bread – Try to choose fish, poultry, legumes and nuts. Limit red meat and processed meats! – Variety of colors in vegetables: Reds reduce the risk of cancer (tomatoes, peppers, radishes, watermelon, apple), orange and yellow strengthen the immune system (carrot, pumpkin, pineapple, peach), greens are detoxifying, help the immune and bone system (lettuce, artichoke , broccoli, spinach), and white ones, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and prevent diabetes (onion, garlic, cauliflower, mushrooms) – For preparations and supplements, healthy oils such as canola, and olive oil should be used. Do not use margarines or trans fats – Having ketogenic or “ketos” lunches as an alternative, helps us burn fat
Bonus Recipe # 2:
Grilled Swordfish with Herb Butter Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
• Swordfish or other meaty fish, cut into 2 pounds 1 to 1 ½ inch steaks • Olive oil 1/4 cup • Lemon, zested and juiced 1 each
Herb Butter • Unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 c / 1 stick • Mixed herbs, chopped 1/2 cup • (Parsley, dill, chives, tarragon, chervil, thyme) • Salt and pepper to taste
Method: • Brush the fish with the olive oil and lemon juice. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. • In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the butter and mix thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. • Prepare a grill pan on medium heat. • Spray the grill pan with oil and grill the fish for 7 to 10 minutes, turning once. • Remove the fish from the grill and place on a heated serving platter. Brush with the softened herb butter and garnish with the lemon zest
3. DINNER:
A healthy dinner is one that is easily digestible and helps to have a good night’s rest. It is important to keep the following in mind and achieve a perfect end of day:
– Going to bed lighter after a healthy dinner can be the solution against insomnia – The digestive process is relieved as it helps to repair any problems caused by heavy and abundant meals – Eating a light dinner is a healthy habit that allows you to wake up earlier the next day and with more energy – Improves general health and mood – Eating lighter is the key to living longer and staying fit – When you have a light dinner during the summer, it helps to keep your body temperature stable – Try to eat dinner at least two hours before going to sleep – Light cooking methods such as boiling, baking, and steaming are the most recommended in the evening hours – Very heavy recipes with high fat content should be avoided. Dinners should contain in very moderate measures foods rich in Omega 3 or healthy fats – You should only have dinner if you feel hungry
Bonus Recipe # 3:
Grilled Vegetable Ratatouille:
Ingredients:
• Olive Oil ¼ cup • Garlic cloves, minced 4 medium cloves • Thyme, chopped fine 1 t & sprigs for garnish • Parsley, chopped fine 1 Tablespoon • Rosemary, chopped fine 1 teaspoon • Red Onion 1 large • Basil, chiffonade 2t & sprig for garnish • Zucchini, large 1 each • Eggplant, large 1 eggplant • Yellow squash, large 1 each • Red Bell Pepper, roasted, peeled & chopped 1 pepper • Tomatoes, roasted, peeled and chopped 2 tomatoes
Method: • Heat a Grill Pan over medium heat. Combine the oil in a small bowl with garlic, thyme and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set the bowl aside. • Trim the zucchini and eggplant. Peel the eggplant, and slice the eggplant and zucchini into ½ inch thick rounds. Peel and cut the onions into ½ inch slices. Brush the vegetables with the garlic herb oil. • Place the vegetables on the hot grill pan. You may have to grill in batches. Grill, turning the onions several times but the other vegetables once, until dark grill marks appear. • Continue grilling until the vegetables are cooked through. While grilling, spread the chopped tomatoes on a platter. Place the finished vegetables on the platter on top of the tomatoes. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs and roasted pepper.
Prepare healthy and balanced recipes for your everyday menu. You will begin to see improvements in your body in no time! If you eat a healthy dinner, and prepare light, and rich dishes for the whole family – your children will get used to eating healthy from a young age. Take advantage of these QUICK AND EASY GOOD EATING HABITS! Make sure to include the little ones in the cooking process so they learn how easy and fun it is to eat healthy.
Chef Eric recommends healthy snacks if you feel a bit hungry between meals. You can incorporate walnuts, almonds, or peanuts in moderate portions. Fruits are also a good alternative for a healthy snack!
For additional fun, quick, and delicious recipes – don’t forget to subscribe to Chef Eric’s YouTube channel! Chef Eric’s YouTube Channel.
For children, living fun and entertaining experiences are the basis of their physical and emotional development. Let’s discover the surprising benefits of cooking with Kids!
Activities related to cooking are the perfect resource for kids to learn to develop different skills in a didactic way. It is time to take advantage of the time spent at home and start to teach your children something new and exciting! Cooking will help them in the future and bring amazing benefits in the present. Chef Eric shares the benefits of cooking with kids. This blog is based on his vast experience teaching cooking courses to the little ones:
1. Creative Mind:
Whenever the human being learns something new, the brain creates new ways to put what has been learned into practice. This shows the importance of constantly stimulating the mind – It is time for your children to practice different activities! Cooking awakens their senses; making them explore fields they have never seen before, or have previously ignored. Children learn and experiment to understand the connections and harmonies in the kitchen. Cooking will help them to become more creative – Take advantage of this activity to let your children’s imagination fly!
2. Motor Skills Development:
Fine motor skill is the coordination of movements of small muscles in coordination with the eyes. For this reason, we carry out activities to strengthen our motor skills since kindergarten. These are very important for the development of cognitive areas and language. Cooking is an ideal activity to develop these kinds of skills. Cutting-washing vegetables, peeling foods, eating fruits, learning to use kitchen implements such as knives, and learning different culinary techniques are some of the processes that contribute to motor skills development. Experimenting with various textures, flavors, and shapes is also great for human development!
3. Mathematical Ability:
Children involved in the culinary arts are exposed to mathematical and chemical concepts in a didactic way, even without realizing it! Weight, quantities, and fractions are essential when preparing food. Chemical concepts are also part of the cooking experiment; everything that can happen with the different ingredients when mixed in their different states!
4. Autonomy:
As children learn and practice cooking, they adopt independence in each of the processes that cooking involves. It is important that they are supervised by a responsible adult or a professional to guide them, and prevent any accidents in the kitchen. Afterward, with experience, and practice, the child will have the autonomy of cooking, thus giving him security and self-confidence!
5. Learning about Healthy Food:
By involving or inspiring children to learn about each of the ingredients and foods, they will surely want to know where these come from and what they are made of. This knowledge will allow them to identify which foods are healthy and which are not! This concept also encourages them to cook the food. As we know, cooking at home can be much healthier than eating at most restaurants.
6. Teamwork:
Cooperating from an early age will help kids to socialize and work with others! Cooking classes generate great interaction between kids, achieving successful teamwork. For children, cooking becomes a great team activity!
7. Reinforcement of Emotional Intelligence:
Emotional intelligence is the ability to express, understand, manage, and perceive emotions. This type of intelligence achieves behaving in an appropriate way socially.
As mentioned above, culinary arts awaken the senses that reinforce, and activate emotional intelligence. During the preparation of a recipe, conversations must be held – kids learn to listen and reason! Additionally, the cuisine world is wonderful and diverse. The little ones enjoy learning about other cultures, flavors, and textures!
We hope that you have enjoyed reading this blog – Benefits of cooking with kids!
