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imadeletingmysocials · 4 years

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Things cheaper at Dollartree (after much research)

This is a big list I made for myself and anyone else who wants to know what is legit cheaper at the dollar tree and not just 1 dollar for the sake of there, some things might surprise you what is cheaper and even better at a dollar tree. I try to also pick the healthiest options and compare them to prices in places such as Walmart or a large stock place like BJs. I have also used fooducate.com to see which ones are more healthy, of course with things such as chips and snacks though don’t consider them to be healthy but in those cases I opt for the off-brand ones that taste better than the brand ones. Note: This is USA based.

Food:

Drinks:

Azul Coconut Juice, 16.5 oz. (cheapest and healthiest coconut water out there)

Gatorade Fruit Punch Thirst Quencher, 24 oz.

Stacker 2 B-12 Vitamin Shots is also cheaper.

Rockstar Pure Zero Silver Ice Energy Drinks (energy drinks are bad for you but it’s like 30 cents cheaper here than in walmart)

LaCroix Lime Flavored Sparkling Water 1 litter

(don’t even bother with any or all of the cheap soda it’s the worst, please drink water if anything else, all of the good soda is cheaper somewhere else also)

Snacks:

Cheez-It Original Baked Snack Crackers, 4.5 oz is cheaper at Dollartree.

Nabisco Cheese Nips Baked Snack Crackers, 7 oz is cheaper at Dollartree.

Nabisco Ritz Bits Cheese and Cracker Sandwiches, 3-oz. is SORTA cheaper at dollartree.

Island Choice Dry-Roasted Peanuts, 7.5 oz. (shelled nuts cheaper everywhere else of course in bulk)

Island Choice Honey-Roasted Dry-Roasted Peanuts, 7.5 oz

Pennysticks Mini Pretzels, 12 oz (pretzels the same, these cheaper)

Tropical Chips Plantains, 3-oz (30 cents cheaper)

Barcel Takis Fuego Flavored Churritos Stix, 4 oz (apparently, 9oz is 2,50 so 3 would be 12oz and 3 dollars, it would be kinda cheaper?)

Pringles Grab & Go Barbecue Chips, 2.5 oz (buying in bulk anywhere else is cheaper though, however, this single container costs 1,25 everywhere else)

Brim's Fried Barbecue Pork Rinds, 2.635 oz

Carolina Country Snacks Salt & Vinegar Pork Rinds. 2.75 oz

Sheila G's Chocolate Chip Brownie Brittle, 2 oz

Barcel Takis Crunchy Fajitas Tortilla Chips, 3.2 oz

T.G.I. Friday’s Jalapeno Cheddar Potato Skins Snack Chips, 4.5 oz

Snack Factory Original Pretzel Crisps, 3-oz (50 cents cheaper!)

PopCorners Kettle Flavor Popped Corn Chips, 3 oz. (better in bulk also)

Good Health Veggie Chips with Sea Salt, 2.75-oz (better in bulk also)

Stacy's Parmesan Garlic & Herb Flavored Pita Chips, 3 oz (better in bulk also)

Rudolph's OnYums Onion-Flavored Ring Chips, 3 oz (it’s off brand Funyuns but it’s actually BETTER and cheaper depending on where you buy them because they’re often sold more expensively at gas stations than Funyuns, fun fact)

Island Choice Banana Chips, 6 oz. Bags

Island Choice Sweet and Spicy Trail Mix, 5 oz (healthy!)

Breakfast Blueberry Biscuits, 7.93 oz.

Harvest Hill Quick Oats, 16 oz. Canisters (Top choice too)

Canned and Pickled

Pampa Tropical Mango Slices in Light Syrup, 15 oz. Cans

Bell's Pitted Olives, 6 oz

Green Giant Sliced Carrots, 14.5 oz (but mostly because I cannot find them anywhere else, all other Green Giant stuff is sold cheaper in bulk though)

Margaret Holmes Finely Chopped Spinach, 27 oz (TOP CHOICE)

Crider Premium Chunk White Turkey 5oz

Libby"s Sliced Pineapple, 20 oz (surprisingly!)

Margaret Holmes Seasoned Field Peas and Snaps, 15 oz

Cans of Pampa(R) Peach Slices, 15.25oz

Pampa Mushroom Pieces & Stems, 10 oz

Pampa Extra-Long Asparagus Spears, 12-oz (by the way Pampa is a really good healthy brand which is cheaper so these alternatives are great)

Libby's Premium Mandarin Oranges, 15 oz

Breckenridge Farms Pickled Jalapeno Slices, 12.5 oz (however Old El Paso Jalapeno Slices, Pickled 12.5oz is 1 dollar more expensive in other places and considered more healthy)

Van Camp's Chunk White Albacore Tuna 5oz (keep in mind this is the only canned tuna that is cheaper at dollartree, Albacore is very healthy and usually more expensive than Tuna, but dollartree sells white albacore in water on the same price as light tuna, this is a very good tuna brand as well)

Mc. Trader Tender Green Asparagus Spears, 10.5 oz

Pampa Smoked Oysters in Oil

Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle Soup, 15-oz

Beach Cliff Sardines in Mustard Sauce, 3.75 (top choice)

Beach Cliff Sardines in Water, 3.75 oz (top choice)

French Onion Dip, 8.5 oz (all onion’s dips the same as well)

Condiments and Spicing

Goya Sazon Seasoning, 8-Packet Boxes

Deli Market Yellow Mustard 20oz (not only is this the best healthiest mustard, but it’s cheaper if you buy it like this than any other mustard in stock size, I wish I had known of this before already stocking up buy buying a 2 pack of 20oz mustard at BJs which is enough to last a year for me)

Louisiana Supreme Hot Sauce 12oz (top choice too)

Kendale Farm Beef Broth, 32 oz (top choice, cheaper than most 32oz broths)

Heinz 57 Sauce, 5 oz. (1,50 cheaper than Walmart)

Hunts Tomato Ketchup, 20 oz (all ketchup is the same)

Deli Market Deli Spicy Brown Mustard (top choice)

Riverton Orchards Lemon Juice, 32-oz (lemon juice the same)

Kraft Bullseye Everyday Original Barbecue Sauce, 17.5-oz (80 cents cheaper than the same product in Target)

A.1. Thick & Hearty Steak Sauce, 5 oz. (SURPRISINGLY, not even in bulk is it as cheap as this? Weird, 5oz is 1 dollar right? 30oz for A1 is usually 8 dollars in stock supermarkets, but 5 times 8 would be 40oz! This is... Interesting. Especially considering it’s a well known brand as well, I wonder who is their dealer or are they just selling it cheap out of donation?)

Healthy Chef Canola Non-Stick Cooking Spray (this one’s pretty wild too, it only is sold at dollartree and is considered the healthiest cooking spray in the entirety of America according to fooducate)

Candy

Gonna go on a safe bet here and say that everything can be found for less and in greater quantity anywhere else. Hairbo Twin Snake is the same price at Walmart though. Most candies are sold 40% cheaper at bulk supermarkets though.

Office & School Supplies

You can probably find all of these at an Ebay auction, but it’s more accessible here.

Crayola Washable Glue Sticks, 2-ct. Packs (1.50 cheaper than walmart)

Duck Tape is cheap as hell

All-Purpose Krazy Glue, .052-oz. Tubes

Other stuff:

Laundry stuff, I’d recommend Ajax 40oz or Fab. Those are AMAZING brands and known as top quality in Australia. And it is insane how cheap this is, they must import it??

Scott Toilet Paper: Oh my god HOW IS 4 TOILET PAPERS THIS CHEAP HERE AT THE DOLLAR TREE???? TP is literally more expensive everywhere else.

Kitchen appliances, a glass salt shaker is like 5 dollars at Walmart but it’s 1 dollar at dollartree. All of the Betty Crocker kitchen appliances like spatulas are only a dollar too and so good. (They are 3 DOLLARS cheaper at dollar tree). IT IS INSANE HOW CHEAP this shit is here, like the can opener they sell for 1 dollar is 6 or 5 dollars everywhere else.

Fisher-Price Smart Care Aloe Vera and Chamomile Baby Wipes, 80-ct. Packs

All Arm & Hammer stuff including the Arm & Hammer Ultra Max 3-in-1 Fresh Scented Body Wash, Shampoo, and Conditioner, 12 oz are good choices. Deodorant too is good. All Arm and hammer stuff here is cheaper than on Walmart and a great brand.

Hand soap might be found for 97 cents at Walmart but it’s a small difference.

Not Cheaper, Best bought at a bulk store:

Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels

snack bars.

V8 Vegetable Juice

Potato Stix

Cereal

Canned Soup

Canned Tuna

Badia Original Complete Seasoning (this took a while to calculate but yes it’s cheaper to buy in bulk, dollartree has 2,5oz for 1 dollar, usually a 2 pack of 12oz each is 13 dollars. if you do like 2.5 times 2.5oz, it’s like 32oz which is more than 24oz for 13 dollars, but you can find 1.75 lbs. of this for 8 dollars)

Iodized Salt (get it at Great value honestly)

Dill Pickles in general, but Vlasic Kosher Dill Pickles is the healthiest choice

Cambell canned soups

Goya canned beans

Sunny Sea Sardines in Tomato Sauce, 7.5-oz

Here’s hoping me publishing this doesn’t crash the market or anything but seriously, you can live healthily and frugally like this. I literally survive like this easily, I just spend like 60 dollars a month max with supplies.

#dollartree #frugal #money tips

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consulting-celiac-in-the-tardis · 4 years

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31+ Healthy Junk Food Alternatives for the New Year

New blog post! Now that 2020 is here, I know a lot of people set goals for moving their body a little more and eating a healthier diet. And while I 100% believe that junk food can be part of a healthy diet (and have even written a post about why I’m healthier eating more processed foods), I did discover plenty of healthy junk food alternatives in 2019 that not only had less sugar, more veggies and protein or a little more nutrition than the typical treats...but also tasted freakin’ delicious. Some of the foods I’m including below have been mentioned in previous blog posts, but most were completely new to me last year, and are totally new for the blog too!

So whether you’re looking for healthy snack options or just want some ideas of delicious snacks to try in the New Year - that also happen to be a little more nutritious and 100% gluten free - keep reading to learn about 31+ healthy junk food alternatives.

Savory:

Crunchy Snacks:

The Real Coconut chips

If you’re looking for grain free or paleo chips that give tortilla chips a run for their money, look no further than these. These healthy chips are also vegan, and I love that these are thick and crunchy. As a bonus, all of the Real Coconut's products use easily digestible plants like coconut, plantain and cassava as their main ingredients.

Rhythm Superfoods vegetable chips

Be warned - these vegetable chips are not everyone’s favorite, and people seem especially torn about the beet chips. However, if you want some crunch and to increase your vegetable intake at the same time, I think Rhythm Superfoods' veggie chips are an awesome choice.My top three favorites are the kale chips, carrot chips and beet chips (in any of the flavors). All of the healthy chips are not only gluten free, but also vegan and non-GMO.

Beanfields chips

I’ve written about these gluten free and vegan snacks before, so I’ll just say they’re made partially with beans (yay extra protein, fiber and potassium) and addictively tasty.

Artisan Tropic chips

Artisan Tropic offers a variety of certified gluten free chips made out of cassava or plantain. They come in flavors like Barbecue and Jalapeño, but my favorites are the plain sea salt. These chips are also vegan and paleo, and have fewer calories and fat than the traditional potato chip.

Saffron Road chickpeas

Saffron Road offers a variety of certified gluten free frozen meals and sweet chickpeas, but I also love their savory baked chickpeas, which come in flavors like Bombay spice, Chipotle, Korean BBQ and Sea Salt.

Green Mustache crackers

Biting into Green Mustache’s “Cheddarish Crackers,” you would never guess this healthy savory snack is gluten free and vegan. Green Mustache makes their “munchies” out of nutritious ingredients like chickpea flour and kale, and I love that they donate any unsellable crackers to local farmers for livestock.

Simply 7 Snacks chips

Like Artisan Tropic, Simply 7 Snacks sells certified gluten free chips with a range of different base ingredients, including chips made with quinoa and lentils. All their snacks are free of gluten, trans fat, preservatives and artificial colors and flavors. My favorite chips of theirs are the Original Quinoa Curls and Sea Salt Lentil.

Meals and Sides:

Real Good Foods' pizza

As I've shared before on Instagram (the best place to see even more gluten free product reviews!), Real Good Food’s cauliflower crust pizza consistently blows me away. I don’t taste the cauliflower at all and I love that the pizzas are the perfect size for one meal. Their cauliflower pizzas are grain free, low carb and high protein.

Right Rice

I definitely don’t think that you need to avoid or replace regular rice in order to “eat healthy.” However, if you are trying to increase the amount of protein in your diet, Right Rice is a tasty plant-based option. Right Rice actually made of lentils, chickpeas, peas and rice, but you can cook it just like you would at regular rice and serve it the same. It comes in many different flavors and my favorites are Original, Lemon Pepper, and Spanish.

Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi

For months, I heard everyone and their mama rave about Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi, and the rave reviews were right on target. My favorite way to prepare the cauliflower gnocchi is defrosting it a bit in the microwave before finishing it off in the skillet.

Mikey’s hot pockets

Ommmggg, y’all. Like I’ve shared before, I’m an ambassador for Mikey’s and while I love their grain free pizza crusts and English muffins, their gluten free hot pockets are something else. So far, I’ve tried (and loved) the Ham and Cheese, Cheese Pizza Pockets and Pepperoni Pizza flavors. This traditional junk food is given a bit of a nutritious upgrade by using plant based cheese and cassava flour. Besides being grain free, Mikey’s hot pockets are dairy and milk free, soy free and paleo friendly.

Sweet:

Crunchy Sweets:

Safe and Fair's kettle quinoa chips

If you like sweet and salty popcorn, this flavor of Safe and Fair kettle popcorn quinoa chips is sure to become a new favorite. They also feature quinoa for a boost in protein and are certified gluten free, as well as free of eggs, shellfish, fish, dairy, peanuts and treenuts.

Spudsy's sweet potato puffs

Sweet potato gets a sweet upgrade with these gluten free puffed chips. Made with a mix of sweet potato flour, rice flour, pea protein and other ingredients, their churro flavor seriously tastes like a delicious cinnamony fried treat.

Skinny Dipped Almonds

I can thank Skinny Dipped for making me absolutely obsessed with chocolate covered almonds. Their dark chocolate is my top pick, but strawberry and PB are delicious too. The almond base makes this sweet snack high in protein and fiber with just the right hint of chocolate.

Dang Foods' coconut chips

If you love dried fruit, Dang is another awesome company to know about. Their coconut chips come in many different flavors and the crunch is out of this world.

Bada Bean Snacks

You already know I love snacking on flavored chickpeas, but these roasted broad beans are equally delicious. These high-protein snacks are also high in fiber and relatively low in fat, and Bada Bean has many different sweet and savory flavors, but cocoa and cinnamon are my favorite. Bada Bean Snacks are also gluten free, soy free, non-GMO and vegan.

Foods Alive's Globe Trecker Trailmix

As I've mentioned previously, I’m an ambassador for Foods Alive and one of my favorite products of theirs is this superfood trail mix. Can’t go wrong with crunchy peanuts and cacao nibs and chewy dried mulberries and goji berries. All gluten free, raw, non-GMO, organic and vegan.

Quinoa Munch

This healthy snack is made with quinoa and corn and not only tastes like a light, crunchy cross between popcorn and cereal but also offers some calcium, iron and protein. I prefer the chocolate flavor to passion fruit but both are tasty.

Bare Snacks' banana chips

Bare Snacks sells gluten free dried chips made from bananas, strawberries, coconut, apples, sweet potato and many other Whole Foods. Their dried banana chips are one of my favorite healthy snacks before bed.

Candy and Cakes:

Free2B's Dark Chocolate Sun Cups

Now, these sunflower butter cups certainly aren’t “health food.” However, compared to a traditional Reese’s peanut butter cup, Free2B’s is a bit lower in sugar, avoids the top 12 allergens, uses Fair Trade dark chocolate and tastes just as delicious. Free2B also sells different chocolate bark (called “Snack Breaks”) that are also made with high quality, allergen-free ingredients and addictively tasty.

Alter Eco's Coconut Clusters

This healthy chocolate snack only lasts a few days at my house...and I live alone. There is just something so irresistible about a chocolatey treat that also has the crunch of toasted coconut shreds. Besides being certified gluten free, Alter Eco’s Coconut Clusters are free of soy, artificial flavors and emulsifiers, and only have 5 grams of sugar per serving.

Project 7’s Gourmet Chewies

I’ve never been a huge Skittles person, but I do love having a few of Project 7 Gouet Chewies with my night snack. These are chewy candies with a slightly crunchy exterior that are made with no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. They’re also gluten free (of course), non-GMO, organic and made in the US.

Nibmor

I’ve stumbled upon tons of delicious, healthier chocolate brands over the years (if you want me to write a round up of just those, let me know in the comments!), but Nib Mor is the brand that can now always be found in my parents’ pantry. Their chocolate is certified gluten free and vegan, organic, non-GMO and Rainforest Alliance certified. My Mom’s go-to buy is the Extreme Dark Chocolate, which is 80% cacao and features crunchy cacao nibs for extra antioxidants.

Rule Breaker Snacks

Who knew that gluten free brownies and blondies made with chickpeas could taste so good!?! Rule Breaker Snacks’ desserts are also vegan and nut free, and come in several flavors. My top two choices are the Birthday Cake Blondies and Deep Chocolate Brownies, and I appreciate how big the chocolate chunks always are.

Veggies Made Great

It is seriously amazing that the gluten free muffins from Veggies Made Great have vegetables as the two first ingredients. You don’t taste the carrots or zucchini at all, and these muffins (particularly the double chocolate and banana chocolate chip flavors) are especially delicious popped into the microwave for a few seconds. These veggie-packed muffins do contain eggs but are free of gluten, soy, peanuts and tree nuts.

Julie's Real Carmel Vanilla Blondie Mix

I couldn't resist sharing an amazing product from another company I love and serve as an ambassador for: Julies Real. They only recently released their paleo blondie and brownie mixes, and they are seriously some of the tastiest gluten free baking mixes I’ve ever tried. Plus, the mixes are certified gluten free, non-GMO, organic, paleo and free of dairy, soy, peanuts, cane sugar, flavorings and extracts. The instructions on the back of the baking mixes do call for an egg and a good amount of nut butter, but I’ve made these baking mixes vegan and lower fat as well by instead using one ripe banana, one vegan egg replacement from Bob Red Mill and only 1/4 cup of nut butter.

Soozy’s Grain Free Muffins

This was one of my last finds in 2019, and these paleo muffins seriously blew my mind. They are made of all-natural, unprocessed ingredients like cage-free whole eggs, almond and coconut flour and extra virgin coconut oil. Plus, Soozy’s Muffins are certified gluten free and free from grains, soy, dairy, GMOs, fillers and additives. I’ve tried the Double Chocolate and Wild Blueberry flavors and both were insanely soft, moist and loaded with flavor. They reminded me a lot of the fancy coffee shop muffins I enjoyed before celiac disease!

Ice Cream and Cold Desserts:

Wink Frozen Desserts

Since my last dairy free ice cream round up, I hadn’t tried Wink Desserts yet, and they definitely deserve a mention. This vegan, low sugar and low calorie ice cream alternative is def not a good option if you don’t enjoy artificial sweeteners, since you definitely taste them with Wink. However, I still really enjoyed all the flavors of Wink I got to try - especially Dark Chocolate, Vanilla Bean and Salted Caramel - and the texture of the ice cream got super creamy when given time to thaw.

The Worthy Company's Blendie Bowls

This isn’t a frozen dessert per se, but the Worthy Company's Blendie Bowls are some of the tastiest veggie-packed puddings I’ve ever tried. Each blendie bowl is packed with two servings of veggies, eight grams of vegan protein and fiber and only eight grams of sugar. You’d never guess that there are legumes one this thick pudding, and while I enjoyed eating it chilled on its own, it also makes a BOMB healthy frosting.

Vixen Kitchen

On the note of frozen desserts, I wanted to mention Vixen Kitchen’s paleo and vegan gelato. It’s sweetened with maple syrup as well as being organic, and I ended up loving the Midnight Mint flavor, as well as Naked Vanilla. This isn’t my favorite vegan or paleo ice cream that I’ve ever tried, but it’s a pretty tasty option if you’re looking for a frozen dessert with more wholesome ingredients.

Eat Fronen

Last but not least - I talk about making banana ice cream all the time, but Eat Fronen takes banana ice cream to the new level. This dairy free frozen dessert comes in five different flavors that are made mainly of bananas, along with four or fewer other ingredients. Madagascar Vanilla and Strawberry were my two surprise favorites. I really wish I could make my own banana ice cream half this thick and creamy!

What I Hope You Learn about "Healthy Eating" in 2020

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I do not think that people need to avoid traditional junk food or comfort food in order to be healthy. Personally, I lovvvve digging into a decadent full-fat, high-sugar cookie when I’m craving one...but I also love eating it with a veggie-packed pudding or using super dark chocolate while baking. That’s my definition of balance, and I hope that 2020 - and maybe even this list of yummy recommendations - will help you find yours.

In fact, my biggest hope for and goal of this post is to expose people to brands that might make it a lil’ easier to eat more vegetables and protein or less sugar. And if you are starting a new lifestyle like paleo or vegan, or need to avoid allergens like gluten, dairy, soy or nuts, this list should give you more ideas on what food options are really available for you, too. So whether eating a bit healthier is a goal you want to set in the new year or you just scrolled for the foodporn, I hope you’re taking away whatever tidbits of information will help you craft an even yummier new year! Have you heard of or tried any of these products before? Which are your favorites...or which do you want to try first?

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#Blogger #college #celiac #gluten free #coeliac #celiacs #paleo #primal #foodporn #foodart

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topfygad · 5 years

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Top things to eat and drink in Key West Florida

One of the things I loved about the Florida Keys and Key West was the food. Oh the food! After driving down the beautiful chain of islands that make up the Florida Keys, we started our three-day stay in Key West by meeting up with Key West Food Tours.

They took us on their Southernmost food tour, essentially a crash-course in Key West’s culinary history. We took away so many foodie tips from our tour guide that by the end of the three hour walking tour, we had a wealth of information on where to find the best restaurants in Key West, which cultures have influenced the Key West cuisine and which signature dishes you need to try.

So as I like to share my travel tips, here are 13 of the top things to eat and drink in Key West, Florida.

Enjoy.

13 Top things to eat and drink in Key West Florida

1. A Cuban sandwich from 5 Brothers

Florida was one of the first states in America to experience an influx of Cuban immigrants and a large portion of them settled in Miami and the Florida Keys – both places where you’ll find cafes and bakeries selling the classic Cuban sandwich.

It’s thought that the Cuban sandwich – also called the ‘Cubano Mixto’ – evolved from a lunchtime staple enjoyed by cigar factory workers. These days, it remains one of the top things to eat in Key West and you’ll find the best ones at 5 Brothers.

Located on 930 Southard Street in Old Town, this sandwich counter serves up these toasted delights filled with ham, pork, swiss cheese (and sometimes tomato, lettuce, onions or gherkins), flavoured with a slather of mustard and mayonnaise.

You’ll run shoulders with plenty of locals, all popping in for their daily coffee fix, newspaper and other authentic Cuban bites. The grocery store also stocks plenty of Cuban specialties which you can peruse while you wait.

2. A Cuban coffee from Cuban Coffee Queen

The perfect accompaniment to any Cuban sandwich is of course, a Cuban coffee. And you’ll find heaps of places to try what many people dub ‘legal speed’ in Key West. El Siboney, one of the best Cuban restaurants in Key West, is a great place to pick up this super-strong beverage, while 5 Brothers (mentioned above) is also worth checking out.

If you want to join the cool crowds however, head to the Cuban Coffee Queen on Key Lime Square in Downtown or Margaret Street by Key West’s waterfront.

There are many different ways to order Cuban coffee, which we discovered during our Southernmost Food Tour. This includes the Cafecito or Café Cubano (served in a thimble-sized cup), a Café con leche (coffee with steamed milk), a Cortadito (served with a tiny splash of steamed milk) or the Bucci (a strong shot of espresso that’s served with cane sugar.) If there’s more than one of you, you can go with the tradition of ordering a Colada which is essentially an extra-large cup of the sweet Bucci, which you then share between several people in the thimble-sized cups.

Order some Pan Cubano (Cuban bread) and follow the tradition of dunking it in your cup.

sweet Bucci at El Siboney restaurant

3. Puerco Asado from El Siboney

Aside from Cuban coffee, authentic Cuban food is one of the top things to eat in Key West. See if you can book a table at El Siboney, a no-frills Cuban diner which attracts both locals and tourists and has become something of an institution in Key West’s Old Town.

The menu features all sorts of chicken, seafood and beef dishes, but if you’re only visiting once, try the Puerco Asado, a Cuban classic. This slow-roasted pork is often marinated in various herbs, garlic, onions and lime. And it’s a great dish to try alongside typical Cuban staples such as Moro (rice and beans), sweet or green plantains, fried cassava and tamale (steamed corn husk).

4. Empanadas & Arepas

We realised empanadas were big in Florida as soon as we got to Miami. You’ll find them dotted all around the city, especially in Little Havana. In Key West, these Latin American-style pasties are just as big, especially at breakfast time. In fact, empanadas and arepas (a corn meal dough filled with meat, cheese and other fillings) are among the most popular street food snacks in Key West.

Head to El Siboney, Bliss restaurant or Frita’s Cuban Burgers for some of the best empanadas and arepas. As the name suggests, the latter is also famous for its incredible Latin-inspired burgers.

5. Burritos and Tacos from Badboy Burrito

As I mentioned in my post about the Southernmost Food Tour, the burritos and tacos from Badboy Burrito are legendary in Key West.

Try the fish tacos and you’ll be surprised at how fresh they taste – a delicious concoction of grilled fish topped with sour cream, radish, jalapenos and fragrant coriander. When we visited, ours were filled with succulent chunks of tile fish, one of the most sustainable types of fish you can eat in Key West.

Fun fact – Badboy Burrito featured on the Food Network. You’ll find a second shop further up the Keys in Islamorada too.

6. Quesadillas from Bistro 245

Quesadillas are another South American street food that are vying for your taste buds in Key West. And to be honest, I hadn’t paid them much attention until I tried the incredible lobster quesadillas from Bistro 245 at the Margaritaville Resort.

We visited this waterfront restaurant for dinner one evening and their stylish take on the quesadilla – enhanced with tomato, caramelised onions, manchego cheese, mango salsa, cumin sour cream and juicy chunks of lobster – was one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. Don’t miss out!

7. Key lime pie from Key West Old Town & Bahama Village

There are so many different ways to enjoy Key Lime Pie and I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to try them all as it’s not just one of the top things to eat in Key West, it’s also one of the most famous dishes you can eat in the whole of the Keys.

You’ll see Key Lime pies presented in various different ways across the region – some are presented with a meringue top (more traditional in Key West), some without; some are topped with whipped cream and most are baked on a graham cracker base. We even discovered chocolate-coated Key Lime Pie on a stick. (I know, amazing, right).

You can guarantee that whichever version you try, they’re going to be good.

The most famous Key Lime Pie shops in Key West include Key West Key Lime Pie Co, The Key Lime Bakery and Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe.

You can also try these gorgeous mini Key Lime Pies (pictured) at the legendary Blue Heaven in Bahama Village. They are out of this world.

8. Other Key Lime treats

From Key Lime cookies and Key Lime jelly beans to tea, chutney and taffy, the use of this citrus ingredient doesn’t stop at pie. Floridians have become quite inventive with its use and you’ll find a whole host of Key Lime-infused treats across Key West and Florida Keys.

Put aside some time to explore the various Key Lime shops across the Old Town. We found all sorts of delicious Key Lime hot sauces which you can try before you buy. And on the none-foodie front you’ll find scrubs and toiletries infused with this tangy ingredient).

9. Conch – fritters, cracked, chowder and burgers

Key Westers (or Conchs as they nickname themselves) pride themselves on cooking with this locally-caught specialty. So whether these squidgy sea snails tempt you or not, you’ve got to try them at least once!

Ease yourself in by trying cracked conch (flash fried in tempura batter) or the conch fritter with your beer at Mangoes. Then if you like it, I can highly recommend the conch sandwich at Fishermans Café on the waterfront. It’s served on a Kaiser burger bun with lettuce, tomato and Key Lime tartare sauce and their sweet potato chips are excellent.

For the best conch salad in Key West, I hear that it’s Johnson’s Grocery, an unassuming shop in the heart of Bahama Village.

And finally, when it comes to conch chowder, try El Siboney, Willie T’s or the Conch Republic Seafood Company on the waterfront and you won’t be disappointed.

10. Hogfish sandwich from Geiger Key Marina

I don’t actually know what hogfish tastes like but I heard a lot of people talking about it while we were in Key West. And the hogfish sandwich – chunks of this white fish encased in soft Cuban bread with Swiss cheese and onions – is a favourite way to enjoy it here.

While not technically in Key West, the Hog Fish Bar on nearby Stock Island, is renowned for this Florida Keys staple. But Geiger Key Marina restaurant is probably one of the best places to try either hogfish, mahi-mahi or grouper sandwiches if you’re staying on Key West island. You’ll be asked whether you want your fish fried, grilled or ‘blackened’. If you go for the latter, the fish will be cooked in a spicy ‘blackening’ seasoning that’s used over the Keys.

Blackening seasoning made by Chef Bobby Stoky of Marker 88 restaurant

11. Rum Runner from the Speakeasy Inn & Rum Bar

When it’s time for a tipple, a rum runner is one of the top things to drink in Key West. It’s a mix of light and dark (or aged) rum, banana, blackberry, grenadine, pineapple juice, orange juice and Bacardi, lime juice or sours and was actually invented in Islamorada in the Upper Keys, as a nod to the rum runners of the prohibition era.

In Key West, you’ll get the best rum runner cocktail at The Speakeasy Inn & Rum Bar, a characterful place in the Old Town, on Duval Street. It was originally owned by Raul Vaquez of Key West’s Gato cigar factory and it stocks over 250 types of rum.

12. Caribbean inspired cooking

Thanks to its proximity to the Caribbean islands and its strong Caribbean community, the food in Key West has many West Indian influences (which made me very happy).

On our first night in Key West, we dined at Blue Macaw Island Eats where you can order Caribbean-style dishes such as jerk rum glazed chicken with plantain, ‘island-style’ salads made with fresh papaya and mango and sandwiches made with authentic Cuban bread.

Over at Blue Heaven in Bahama Village, you’ll find a bounty of Caribbean-inspired curries on the menu with jerk spices and Red Stripe Beer making their way into the chef’s cook books.

Meanwhile, for no-frills Creole food that’s cooked from the heart, check out Mo’s, a Haitian restaurant where the servings are as big as the flavours.

Find authentic home cooking that’s transports you to the Caribbean

13. Stone crab, shrimp and spiny lobster

If you like seafood, you’ll be in your element in the Florida Keys. So once you’ve tried the local conch and lobster, you might like to try a few other types of locally-caught shellfish.

Shrimp here can be served in all sorts of ways. So look out for crispy tempura batter, the famed Floridian ‘blackening’ or jerk sauce. You’ll find it’s used in all sorts of Caribbean curries too.

The Caribbean spiny lobster here is served straight up in its shell (most commonly you’ll order the lobster tail), blackened, in a curry, or used inventively in Latin-inspired dishes such as tacos and quesadillas. I actually tried both the lobster and local shrimp together in a very indulgent fettuccine at Bistro 245 and it tasted incredible.

If crab’s more your thing, Key West and the rest of the Florida Keys are known for their stone crab. Try the popular Stoned Crab restaurant on North Roosevelt Boulevard for expertly-made dishes such as stone crab bisque and their famed ‘steamers’.

And you don’t have to wait for dinner to try Key West’s best seafood. Both shrimp and lobster make their way onto many breakfast menus here. Try the famed shrimp or lobster eggs benedict at Blue Heaven in the Bahama Village.

Have I got you feeling hungry? What are your tips for the top things to eat and drink in Key West? Feel free to leave your comments.

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Some of my restaurant visits mentioned were hosted by The Florida Keys & Key West Tourist Board. All views here are my own.

from Cheapr Travels http://cheaprtravels.com/top-things-to-eat-and-drink-in-key-west-florida/ via http://cheaprtravels.com

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warcraft-lore-archives · 6 years

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WoW Cuisine Lore Facts

Disclaimer: All lore facts below are taken from World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook and Hearthstone: Innkeeper’s Tavern Cookbook. Although some of these lore tidbits are based on pre-existing canon lore, keep in mind that because the cookbooks are not necessarily canon, some lore facts cannot be considered established lore.

Human Cuisine

Seafood dishes, such as boiled clams and clam chowder, are typical Westfall cuisine [World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, pg. 27, 95].

Sour goat cheese is one of Jaina Proudmoore’s favorite snacks [Ibid, pg. 49].

Soft banana bread comes from Scholomance [Ibid, pg. 87].

Westfall stew has been made many different ways over the years. At one point in the recent past, it was common to cook the stew using murloc eyes and buzzard meat as ingredients [Ibid, pg. 109].

Roasted quail is a much-loved meal in the southern Eastern Kingdoms. Ogres even enjoy this dish as a light snack [Ibid, pg. 135].

Night Elf Cuisine

Wild rice cakes, which come from northern Kalimdor, are cooked according to a traditional kaldorei recipe [World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, pg. 61].

The recipe for the night elves’ signature bread, kaldorei pine nut bread, was passed down by their forebears. It is cooked using ingredients foraged from the forests of Kalimdor and shaped into a leaf to honor Teldrassil, the World Tree [Ibid, pg. 81].

Bean soup is a popular dish among the night elves of Kalimdor [Ibid, pg. 93].

Tyrande Whisperwind enjoys eating deep-fried plantains [Ibid, pg. 163].

Versicolor treats are made and sold only by the night elves of Kalimdor [Ibid, pg. 191].

Malfurion likes to snack on mashed potatoes [Hearthstone: Innkepeer’s Tavern Cookbook, pg. 71].

Pandaren & Mogu Cuisine

Spicy vegetable chips are a pandaren staple [World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, pg. 55].

Stuffed lushrooms were once one of the mogu’s favorite dishes, but they have since become a staple in pandaren cuisine [Ibid, pg. 57].

Li Li Stormstout’s favorite snack is red bean buns [Ibid, pg. 85].

Lukewarm yak roast broth was previously enjoyed only by those who made it to the top of Kun-Lai Summit [Ibid, pg. 101].

The recipe for spiced blossom soup was found in an ancient cache in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms [Ibid, pg. 103].

Steaming goat noodles are considered Kun-Lai-style noodle soup [Ibid, pg. 107].

The ancient mogu used to favor mango ice for dessert [Ibid, pg. 175].

Pomfruit slices can only be found in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. Because they increase agility, pomfruit slices cause those who eat them to feel as light as a feather [Ibid, pg. 181].

Tauren Cuisine

Cornmeal biscuits are a staple food among the tauren tribes in Mulgore [World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, pg. 69].

Tauren make jam [Ibid, pg. 83].

The tauren of Thunder Bluff make tauren tippler, a drink that’s a bit like eggnog, but lighter. Asking where the milk for the drink comes from is considered a great insult to the Bloodhoof tribe [Hearthstone: Innkeeper’s Tavern Cookbook, pg. 23].

Blood Elf Cuisine

Honey bread, which originates in high elven culture, is shaped to resemble the hives of domesticated bees in Eversong Forest [World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, pg. 79].

A master chef tasked with feeding blood elf royalty on a budget came up with an alternative recipe to crunchy spider surprise that substitutes crabmeat for spider meat [Ibid, pg. 119].

Bloodberries from Quel’Danas are used to bake bloodberry tart [Ibid, pg. 149, Item: Bloodberry Tart].

Other

Abigail Shiel authored the recipe for crispy bat wings. Her Undercity snack has become a favorite among the Horde [World of Warcraft: The Official Cookbook, pg. 37].

The denizens of the Undercity enjoy snacking on honey-spiced lichen [Ibid, pg. 43].

Sliced zangar buttons are traditionally cooked using thin shavings from Zangarmarsh’s enormous fungi, but the recipe has been adapted to accommodate more common (and smaller) varieties of mushroom [Ibid, pg. 47].

Spiced beef jerky is the Darkmoon Faire-goer’s snack of choice [Ibid, pg. 53].

Sweet potato bread is a Northrend staple [Ibid, pg. 89].

The recipe for dragonbreath chili originates in Dustwallow Marsh [Ibid, pg. 97].

Ironforge rations have been a dwarven staple for over a thousand years [Ibid, pg. 131, Item: Ironforge Rations].

Magic users particularly enjoy eating tender shoveltusk steak because they claim it gives them a little edge in casting their spells [Ibid, pg. 143].

The goblins of Bilgewater Cartel took the recipe for goblin shortbread from Kezan with them on their journey to Kalimdor [Ibid, pg. 171].

Pirates drink Garr’s limeade to prevent scurvy on the high seas [Ibid, pg. 197, Item: Garr’s Limeade].

Honeymint tea is a popular drink in the cold weather of Northrend [Ibid, pg. 201].

Pizza is tortollan cuisine [Hearthstone: Innkeeper’s Tavern Cookbook, pg. 77].

#world of warcraft #WoW #warcraft #worldofwarcraft #lore #canon lore #world of warcraft lore #night elf cuisine #tauren cuisine #blood elf cuisine #pandaren cuisine #mogu cuisine #human cuisine

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paleorecipecookbook · 5 years

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Meal Prep: Your Best Tool for Healthy Eating

One of the main reasons why people are unable to stick with Paleo is that they feel overwhelmed; the grocery shopping and cooking involved can certainly be a major adjustment if you’re not used to preparing your own meals. Fortunately, there is a simple way around this potential roadblock and to make your diet changes stick—start meal prepping!

In this article, I’ll cover the art and science of meal prepping, as well as provide you with valuable tips and tricks for making the Paleo lifestyle affordable and time-saving, even if you’re on a strict budget and tight schedule.

Want to skip ahead? Use these links to jump to a new section:

Why meal prepping makes sense

Five steps to successful meal prepping

The best foods to use

Other ideas to help you meal prep

Why It Makes Sense to Meal Prep

Why should you start meal prepping? Simply put, meal prepping saves you time and money and, by ensuring that you have good-quality meals to eat on a daily basis, helps you stick to your diet!

If you want to start meal prepping but you’re not sure where to begin, this article is for you. Get time- and money-saving tips and learn how to plan and prep your Paleo meals successfully. #nutrition #wellness #chriskresser

You Save Time

The thought of having to cook 21 separate meals every week (breakfast, lunch, and dinner times seven) can seem daunting to Paleo newcomers. Because it’s simple to batch cook foods ahead of time, rather than making complete meals from scratch every day, meal prepping saves you valuable time in the kitchen.

You Save Money

The costs associated with regularly buying takeout or eating at restaurants really add up (and such food, unless you pay a premium, is typically lower in quality). Meal prepping, on the other hand, saves money because it involves cooking at home with ingredients that you can easily buy affordably in bulk. (Keep reading to learn more strategies for eating Paleo on a budget.)

You Prevent “Decision Fatigue”

For many of us, our action-packed days are a series of decision-making sessions that leave us exhausted and deplete our willpower—leading to “decision fatigue.” Decision fatigue can make us more likely to lounge on the couch and order takeout after work than hit the gym and cook a wholesome meal. By deciding on all your meals in advance, meal prepping reduces decision fatigue and frees up some of your willpower, helping you stay on track with your diet and your other health-related goals.

Five Steps to Successful Meal Prepping

While meal prepping pays off, it does require some planning on your part. In this section, I've provided you with handy guides, tips, and tricks to make each of these steps as painless and straightforward as possible.

Step 1: Clean Out Your Kitchen

The first step towards successful meal prep is to get rid of foods in your fridge, freezer, and pantry that aren’t serving your health. Toss or give away items like processed foods, industrial seed oils, and refined sugar. Get rid of items that have already been opened and donate unopened items to a food pantry. And before you panic that your shelves will be bare, remember that you’ll be replacing these foods with healthy staples!

Prepping for the Thirty-Day Reset Diet

If you’re brand new to the Paleo lifestyle and are unsure about the types of foods you can tolerate, I recommend trying a Thirty-Day Reset, as outlined in my book The Paleo Cure.

To start, you eliminate unhealthy foods and potentially problematic foods for 30 days. Then you systematically reintroduce those possibly problematic foods to determine which ones you can tolerate. This diet is specifically designed to reduce inflammation, identify food sensitivities, and reduce allergic reactions—in addition to improving your overall health.

If you’re beginning a Thirty-Day Reset, eliminate these foods (at least temporarily):

Alcohol

Coffee

Dairy products like butter, cheese, yogurt, milk, and cream

Grains, including rice, wheat, oats, quinoa, barley, and couscous

Beans, legumes, and related products like peanut butter and soy sauce

Chocolate

Processed “health foods” like whey protein and energy bars

All sweeteners, whether they’re real or artificial

What to Do If You’re on a Paleo Template

Not everyone needs to follow a Thirty-Day Reset. If you already have a good idea of which foods you can and can’t handle, a Paleo template might be a better fit for you.

Under a Paleo template, your main focus should be on getting rid of packaged, processed food. Eliminate foods made with industrial seeds oils and goods that include hidden sweeteners or food additives. While there are some healthy packaged foods out there (and you should check the ingredient label if you’re unsure), a good general rule is if it comes in a bag or a box, throw it out.

Here are some common items to toss:

Sugary beverages like juice, soda, energy drinks, and sweet teas

Seed oils, like vegetable, peanut, or canola

Margarine and Crisco

Packaged meals like pizza, french fries, and frozen dinners

Imitation meat or seafood

Boxed pastries and other packaged baked goods

Canned soups, unless they’re free from preservatives, processed ingredients, and other additives

Breakfast cereals and snack bars

Dips, dressings, seasoning mixes, marinades, and gravies

Chips and crackers

Candy, cookies, cakes, pudding, and other desserts

Syrups, including processed pancake syrups, sorghum syrups, etc. (Note: real maple syrup is okay)

Processed honey (Note: raw, local, and organic honey is fine)

Step 2: Restock with Healthy Staples

Once you’ve eliminated those foods from your kitchen, it’s time to restock with healthy staples.

Non-Starchy Vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables are a nutritious and affordable staple in the Paleo lifestyle. Stock your fridge and freezer with fresh or frozen broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, green onions, bell peppers, and leafy greens.

Whole Fruits

Whole fruits such as berries, apples, pears, bananas, mango, pineapple, and citrus fruits are excellent sources of vitamin C and phytonutrients. They make a great snack on their own or can be added to smoothies. However, avoid fruit juice because its lack of fiber allows fruit sugars to be absorbed more rapidly, resulting in spikes in blood glucose levels. In fact, diets heavy in fruit juice are linked to an increased risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, whereas whole fruit consumption does the very opposite, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. (1)

Starches

Starchy plants such as sweet potatoes, white potatoes, plantains, winter squash, taro, cassava, beets, turnips, and rutabaga are affordable, nutrient-dense, satiating foods to include in your diet. Stock up on these vegetables when they’re available seasonally; many of the tubers and root veggies will keep for quite a while when properly stored in the refrigerator. If you have trouble finding some of the more exotic tubers at your grocery store, consider checking out Asian markets, which frequently stock taro and cassava.

Protein

High-quality protein is a staple of the Paleo diet and can be prepped ahead of time. Purchase grass-fed and organic beef, bison, chicken, turkey, and eggs from your grocery store or farmers market or directly from local farms. Check out EatWild to find farms near you offering grass-fed and organic meats. I also recommend eating wild seafood several times a week as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, selenium, and many other micronutrients. Thrive Market and Vital Choice both offer excellent selections of wild, sustainable seafood.

Healthy Fats

As you may know by now, Paleo encourages the consumption of plenty of healthy fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, red palm oil, avocado oil, pastured tallow and lard, and duck fat. Select a few of these fats and keep them on hand for sautéing, roasting, baking, and dressing salads.

Nuts

Nuts and nut butter make for a great Paleo snack. If possible, buy soaked and sprouted nuts because these processes remove much of the anti-nutrients from nuts, making their nutrients more bioavailable. You can also soak and sprout raw nuts yourself at home. Avoid buying roasted nuts covered in vegetable oils, as the roasting process causes the fats to go rancid.

Spices

Spices can quickly add interest to any Paleo dish. Invest in a spice rack and stock it with staples such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, and turmeric.

Baking Ingredients

If you’re planning to do any Paleo baking, then you’ll want to stock your pantry with a few Paleo flours and sweeteners. Try cassava, almond, coconut, and tigernut flours for baking Paleo cookies, brownies, or cake. Coconut flakes are a nice addition to homemade Paleo granola. Keep cans of full-fat coconut milk (preferably a BPA-free version such as Native Forest Simple Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk) on hand along with Paleo-friendly sweeteners such as raw honey, maple syrup, stevia, coconut sugar, molasses, and monk fruit sweetener.

Other Paleo Template-Friendly Foods

Depending on your personal Paleo Template, you can also stock up on things like white rice, buckwheat, full-fat dairy products, legumes, and chocolate. Just look for organic products that aren’t processed or refined.

Step 3: Plan Your Meals

Now that you’ve eliminated unhealthy foods and restocked your kitchen with healthy staples, it’s time to start planning your meals! This part of the meal-prepping process is fun, will save you time in the kitchen, and will even tempt you to try new tastes and flavors.

Start by planning your meals on a weekly schedule. You can do this in one of two ways.

Old-School Style

Take a pen and paper and figure out how many breakfasts, lunches, and dinners you will need for the upcoming week. Factor in things like date nights, meals with clients, and travel. Once you know how many meals you’ll need for the week, decide what to eat for those meals. See the sections “What makes a good meal?” and “Which foods work best for meal prepping?” below for ideas. Make a grocery list based on your notes.

Use a Meal-Prepping App

There are many useful apps that will help you with meal prep—and some are even tailored specifically for Paleo. These apps provide you with recipes, chart out your meal schedule for the coming week, and automatically generate a grocery shopping list based on your meal plan. (Check out Step 4 below for an overview of my favorites.)

Once you’ve laid out your meal plan for the week, display it in a place where everyone in your household can see it. This way, you can get input from them and ultimately create weekly meal plans that will make everyone well fed and happy.

After the first few weeks of planning meals regularly, I realize it can be easy to fall into a rut, using the same few recipes repeatedly. But dietary diversity is crucial for meeting our nutrient needs and for feeding our gut microbes, so I recommend introducing new foods and recipes regularly. Start by adding one new vegetable per week and work your way up from there.

What Makes a Good Meal?

What exactly should the meals on your meal plan look like? First and foremost, choose nutrient-dense, whole foods. To learn more about how to select nutrient-dense foods, read my article “What Is Nutrient Density and Why Is It Important?”

Secondly, try to create meals that contain a balance of carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Eating well-balanced meals promotes satiety, modulates your body’s blood sugar response, and even enhances nutrient uptake from food. For example, eating protein with carbohydrates moderates the spike in insulin caused by dietary glucose, and consuming fat with vegetables enhances the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients such as carotenoids. (2, 3)

While I typically don’t advise people to count calories or obsess over macronutrient ratios, some people need to do so for health reasons. If you are one of those people, I highly recommend using a meal planning app to make the process easier.

Step 4. Use an App

The amount of planning involved with meal planning is significant, but fortunately, there is a way to make it infinitely easier—meal planning software and apps. I’ve taken the guesswork out of selecting the best ones for Paleo meal planning by creating this list.

AnyList App

AnyList collects and organizes recipes and adds them to a meal plan calendar. It then generates a grocery shopping list that you can easily edit and share with friends and family.

Cook Smarts

In addition to creating weekly meal plans, Cook Smarts also offers helpful cooking guides, infographics, and online cooking sessions.

eMeals

eMeals lets you choose from a variety of different meal plans (including a Paleo plan, of course). Each meal plan includes recipes with main and side dishes, a shopping list, and step-by-step instructions.

Mealime

Mealime produces weekly meal plans with over 200 personalization options.

Keto Diet Tracker

The Keto Diet Tracker app is helpful for tracking net carbs and storing recipes for those following a keto diet.

Nom Nom Paleo App

The Nom Nom Paleo app has nearly 150 recipes, 2,000 step-by-step photos, and a Whole30-friendly monthlong meal plan and generates customizable shopping lists, all for a low cost.

Paleo Leap Meal Planner

This app includes only Paleo-friendly recipes—every single one is free of gluten, grains, legumes, sugar, soy, and corn. The app offers over 1,500 recipes, generates grocery lists, and lets you set your own food preferences and restrictions; for example, you can indicate if you’d like low-FODMAP, egg-free, or autoimmune protocol-friendly recipes.

Paleo.io

The Paleo.io app answers a simple question: Is it Paleo? It helps users determine whether a given food is Paleo or not using a database of over 3,000 foods. It also includes hundreds of Paleo-approved recipes. This app is particularly helpful for those who are new to Paleo.

Paprika

The Paprika app helps you organize recipes, make meal plans, and create grocery lists. Paprika’s built-in browser allows you to save recipes from anywhere on the internet so you can create your ideal meal plan.

Plan to Eat

Plan to Eat allows you to add your own recipes from anywhere on the internet into a recipe book. You can then drag and drop recipes into a calendar to plan out your meals for the week. The app also generates a grocery list for you based on your planned recipes.

RealPlans

RealPlans creates and organizes recipes, develops a weekly menu, and generates grocery lists so that you can get healthy, delicious food on the table. If you need to track your macros, Real Plans has you covered. A subscription will give you access to all the app’s meal plans (Classic, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Keto, autoimmune protocol, and more) and over 1,500 recipes. You can add on recipes from well-known food bloggers for an additional fee.

Yummly Recipes and Recipe Box

Yummly takes a cue from Instagram, allowing you to browse through a photo gallery of recipes and save them to your own digital cookbook. Yummly also uses a proprietary program called Food Genome and a patent-pending technology called Food Intelligence to recommend recipes to users based on their allergies, tastes, and more.

Step 5: Cook Your Meals

You’ve cleaned out your kitchen, restocked it with healthy foods, and created a meal plan—now it’s time to start cooking! Here are a few simple strategies that will make it easier for you to follow through on your commitment to stick with Paleo.

Set Aside Time for Grocery Shopping and Meal Prepping

For many people, Sundays work best. You may also want to consider doing your shopping and main meal prep session on a Sunday and a second, smaller meal prep session mid-week to keep your fridge stocked with fresh options. Use a list when grocery shopping and check off items as you add them to your cart.

Organize Your Recipes

Organizing the recipes you intend to use in meal prepping will save you time in the kitchen. The meal prep apps I mentioned above make organizing your recipes easy, but you may also want to keep a few cookbooks in your house and print out recipes from blogs and websites and collect them in a binder. Find 15 to 20 recipes that you really enjoy and rotate them throughout the weeks (and check out some of my favorite Paleo-friendly recipes).

Keep Things Simple

You don’t need to cook an elaborate meal to satisfy your nutritional needs and appetite! Uncomplicated meals should be a staple in your weekly meal plans. For example, a high-quality protein source; steamed or roasted veggies with salt, pepper, and some healthy fat; and a sweet potato can make for a wholly satisfying and effortless meal.

Incorporate Leftovers into Your Weekly Meal Plan

Don’t be afraid of leftovers! Eating leftovers is an easy way to cut down on meal prep and prevents food waste. Label and date leftovers so you keep track of what’s in your fridge and freezer. And speaking of the freezer, use it! When you batch cook (see next item), you’ll have extras that you can stash away for later.

Batch Cook

Batch cooking, including doubling and tripling your favorite recipes, is a critical component of food prepping and can be applied toward many types of foods. For instance, bake several batches of egg muffins at a time to have around for breakfasts or roast a bunch of sweet potatoes to use as sides throughout the week.

Which Foods Work Best for Meal Prepping?

Some foods are more suitable for meal prepping than others; for example, roasted sweet potatoes hold up well to reheating, whereas pre-dressed salads quickly wilt in the refrigerator. In this section, I’ve outlined some of the best foods to include in your meal prepping process.

Meat

Cook chicken, turkey, beef, bison, or game meat in a slow-cooker. Shred the meat and set aside to use in stir-fries, in Paleo tacos, on top of salads, or in soup.

Sauté ground turkey, chicken, or beef in a pan with garlic, onion, and sea salt. Use the ground meat in Paleo “taco” salads, on top of spiralized vegetables, or in hearty stews.

Bake chicken breasts, wild salmon fillets, burgers, or meatballs in batches. Use them throughout the week with roasted or sautéed veggies, salad, and starchy vegetables as sides.

Eggs

Hard-boil a dozen eggs. Hard-boiled eggs are ideal for a quick and easy breakfast and are also an excellent portable snack.

Vegetables

Roast sweet potatoes, white potatoes, winter squash, and root vegetables in batches. These vegetables hold up well to reheating and are nutrient-dense sources of carbohydrates.

If you tolerate white rice, make large quantities in a rice cooker or Instant Pot.

Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts, also hold up well to reheating throughout the week.

Sauces

Make several sauces to use throughout the week. Salsa, guacamole, gremolata, and chimichurri are just a few examples of Paleo-friendly sauces that can be made ahead of time and quickly spice up any meal.

Four Meal Prepping Tips and Tricks

Now that you know the basics of meal prepping, you’re well on your way towards saving time in the kitchen and eating well.

To build on your new skills and help you stay on track with Paleo eating, here are more ideas you can use, including strategies for how to shop Paleo on a budget, where to buy healthy staples and fresh ingredients, how to shop seasonally, and—when home-cooking isn’t on the menu—recommendations for Paleo meal delivery services.

1. Stick to a Budget

Shopping Paleo can be expensive if you don’t know how to grocery shop to your advantage. With the tips I’ve outlined here, you can successfully shop Paleo on a budget while still filling your cart with high-quality, nutrient-dense foods.

Buy conventional instead of organic (for some produce). Organic produce is ideal because it reduces our exposure to harmful pesticides and herbicides. However, costs can really add up when buying nothing but organic foods. If this is a problem for you, check out the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen lists to determine which conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are lowest in pesticides and thus safe to buy conventional rather than organic.

Whether you buy organic or conventional produce, thoroughly wash your produce before eating. Almost no food is completely free of pesticides. The most effective way to remove pesticides from produce is by washing produce in a baking soda bath. (4) To wash vegetables, fill a large bowl with water and add a teaspoon of baking soda. Add the veggies and soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Scrub with a scrub brush and then rinse under clean water. For leafy greens, soak in a baking soda bath for a minute, thoroughly rinse, and then spin dry in a salad spinner. Wash smooth-skinned fruits (like apples and nectarines) in a baking soda bath like you would for veggies.

Here are some more money-saving tips:

Buy frozen produce. Buying frozen produce saves money while still providing you with nutrient-dense food; most fruits and vegetables are flash-frozen immediately after picking, thus preserving the nutrients they contain.

Buy in-season produce. Out-of-season produce is typically shipped from distant locations, including other continents, increasing costs. It’s also generally picked before it’s allowed to ripen (so that it can be transported without bruising or other damage), and that can impact its nutrient content if it’s improperly stored or subjected to temperature extremes.

Start a garden. Growing your own produce takes some work, but it ultimately is a really low-cost way to obtain organic fruits and vegetables.

Buy lower-quality cuts of meat. You don’t need to buy expensive cuts of meat to eat Paleo. For example, ground beef and brisket are cheaper than filet mignon but have the same nutritional value. In fact, some of the so-called “less desirable” cuts of meat may actually have higher nutritional value than pure muscle meat; for instance, nutritious gelatin-rich cuts of meat such as chuck roast and beef shank are often cheaper than cuts such as sirloin.

Choose more affordable species of wild fish, such as wild sardines instead of wild salmon.

Make eggs a staple in your diet. Eggs are a very economical protein source, including high-quality, farm-fresh eggs from a local source.

Buy in bulk. Many bulk grocery stores now offer many healthy options, including organic produce, wild seafood, and pastured meats, at lower prices than regular grocery stores. Consider buying a quarter, half, or or whole animal for meat directly from a rancher or farmer instead of single cuts from the grocery store; while you’ll need to invest in a chest freezer, this strategy can significantly reduce the cost of meat.

2. Shop Around for Healthy Food

Contrary to popular belief, Whole Foods is not the only place you can buy healthy food! All the stores listed here have excellent selections of healthy, Paleo-friendly foods. Even your local grocery store is likely to have some options.

Trader Joe’s

Natural Grocers

Sprouts Farmers Market

Super Target

Wegmans

Harris Teeter

Hannaford

Albertsons

Food Lion

Publix

Pathmark

Kroger

Aldi

Lidl

Costco

Sam’s Club

Farmers Markets

Don’t forget about your local farmers market! Farmers markets offer fresh produce, meat, and (depending on where you live) seafood at lower prices than most grocery stores. You might also want to investigate a CSA—community supported agriculture—in your area from which you can purchase a subscription to locally raised foods including produce and meat, delivered weekly or monthly.

Online

Healthy grocery shopping can now be done online as well as in person. The following online grocery stores offer organic, healthy options and deliver right to your door:

Thrive Market

Vitacost

AmazonFresh

Shop Seasonally

Shopping seasonally is a great way to tune in with your local food system and save money. Check out the Seasonal Food Guide to find out what produce is in season near you.

3. Use Real Food Delivery Services

If you are really tight on time but still committed to eating healthy meals, you may want to consider a Paleo “real food” meal delivery service. There are countless options out there, but I’ve curated the very best in this list.

Beetnik Foods

Beetnik Foods meals are certified Paleo friendly, delivered nationwide, and also available in select health food and grocery stores.

ButcherBox

ButcherBox delivers 100 percent grass-fed and grass-finished beef, heritage breed pork, and free-range, organic chicken. That can help if you’re short on time or if you’re struggling to find a local provider of grass-fed meat.

Caveman Chefs

Caveman Chefs offers both meal delivery services and catering. It is based in Colorado but ships nationwide. Choose from meals that are Whole30 approved, autoimmune protocol, low FODMAP, and ketogenic.

Factor 75

Factor 75 meals are premade, 100 percent organic, and free of hormones, GMOs, and antibiotics. Choose from bundles of four, six, eight, 12, or 18 meals.

Green Chef

Green Chef provides you with prepped ingredients to cook three two-person Paleo dinners (or two four-person dinners on the family plan) each week. All recipes are organic and gluten-free, feature protein and fresh veggies, and contain zero grains or dairy.

Kettlebell Kitchen

Kettlebell Kitchen meals are free of artificial ingredients, preservatives, gluten, dairy, soy, corn, industrial vegetable oils, and refined sugar. Some of the meals contain non-Paleo ingredients that are tolerated by many people, including white rice, lentils, and gluten-free oats.

Paleo On The Go

Paleo On The Go operates out of a completely gluten-free kitchen and specializes in Paleo and autoimmune protocol-friendly frozen premade meals that can be delivered nationwide. You can purchase meals individually or in bundles.

Paleo Power Meals

Paleo Power Meals offers premade meals with generous portions that pack a large amount of protein.

Pete’s Paleo

Pete’s Paleo offers seasonally inspired, farm-fresh prepared Paleo meals. Order bundles of five, 10, 14, or 20 meals in vacuum-sealed packages from anywhere in the United States.

Sunbasket

Sunbasket allows you to select three two- or four-person meal kits per week without gluten, grains, soy, corn, added sugar, or dairy. The ingredients and recipes are delivered fresh so you can cook great meals without any planning or shopping.

The Good Kitchen

The Good Kitchen sources organic produce almost exclusively from local farms in North Carolina (where its operation is based) and delivers its refrigerated and frozen meals nationwide.

Trifecta Nutrition

Trifecta Nutrition provides ready-to-eat dinners and lunches that are non-GMO, 100 percent organic, and free of sugar, grains, gluten, dairy, and soy. You can also upgrade to add breakfasts and additional entrées or choose build-your-own meals.

TrueFare

TrueFare uses the highest-quality ingredients in their meals, including organic produce, grass-fed beef, heritage pork, and organic or free-range poultry. They offer Paleo-, keto-, autoimmune protocol-, and Whole30-friendly meal plans.

4. Stock Your Kitchen with the Essentials

To successfully meal prep, you’ll need to stock your kitchen with some essential tools. This includes basic tools that everyone should have in their kitchen, Paleo-specific items, cookware and bakeware, and maybe some “nice to have” extras for when you decide to get creative with cooking.

Kitchen Basics

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Potholders

Kitchen towels

Vegetable peeler

Spice rack

Cutting boards

Chef’s knife

Slotted spoons

Spatula

Ladle

Utensil holder

Mixing bowls

Glass storage container

Wooden spoons

Paleo Kitchen Essentials

Meat cleaver

Paring knife

Whisk

Grater

Probe meat thermometer

Hand-held lemon squeezer or citrus reamer

Mason jars

Salad spinner

Cheesecloth or cotton/linen fine mesh towel

Potato masher

Tongs

Food processor

Blender

Immersion blender

Cookware and Bakeware

Sauté pan

Saucepan

Skillets

Baking dishes

Stockpot

Soup pot

Dutch oven

“Nice to Have” Items

Kitchen shears

Pepper mill

Mandoline

Muffin tin and muffin liners

Ramekins

Spoon rest

Meat grinder

Hand mixer

Mortar and pestle

Slow cooker

Sous vide

Dehydrator

Spiralizer

Fermentation pot

Juicer

Spice grinder machine

Garlic press

Tool for making your own meat jerky (such as LEM Products 468 Jerky Cannon)

Food processor

Instant Pot

Countertop toaster oven or convection oven

Water Filter

For drinking and cooking water, I recommend investing in a high-quality water filter. Berkey water filtration systems sit conveniently on your countertop and remove viruses, pathogenic bacteria, cysts, and parasites to undetectable levels. They also reduce heavy metals without eliminating beneficial minerals. Additional white filters can be added to remove fluoride. If you want to filter your home’s entire water supply, you may want to consider a reverse osmosis filter instead.

Food Storage

Once you’ve prepped your meals, you’ll need containers for storing everything. Since plastic containers contain chemicals that are known endocrine disruptors, I prefer people use glass storage dishes with BPA-free lids.

For wrapping up foods, use unbleached parchment paper or beeswax-coated reusable food wrap (such as Bee’s Wrap) instead of conventional plastic wrap, which may leach endocrine disrupting chemicals into your food. (5) Finally, try reusable silicone storage bags (such as Stasher bags) instead of plastic freezer/storage bags, which may also contain endocrine-disrupting plasticizers.

Now I’d like to hear from you. Do you practice food prepping? If not, do you think you’ll try the food-prepping strategies I’ve outlined in this article? Let me know in the comments below.

The post Meal Prep: Your Best Tool for Healthy Eating appeared first on Chris Kresser.

Source: http://chriskresser.com February 12, 2019 at 06:10PM

#paleo #recipe #food #delicious #healthy #yum #diet

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thesnug · 5 years

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The Whole story

I realize that my list of all the crazy diets I’ve tried makes me look, well, crazy. There’s some truth to that, but I honestly find experimenting with different eating regimes interesting and often enlightening. Here’s what I’ve learned about myself over the years:

I have intensely strong willpower over short periods of time, and rubbish willpower over long stretches of time.

Carbs make me feel full, and protein helps me maintain that fullness.

I have a raging sweet tooth, and also raging salt and starch teeth.

I hate calorie counting with a fiery passion, and it leads me to bad eating habits.

Portion control often backfires, because I start to feel claustrophobic and “lash out” by binge eating.

Exercise doesn’t help me lose weight, but does dampen my appetite and (more importantly) alleviates/prevents depression.

When I got pregnant, I was very excited at the thought of nine months of food freedom--nine whole months where I could eat whatever I wanted, where gaining weight was a good and expected thing, where everyone would smile approvingly and say “you’re eating for two!”

Well, people certainly said that, but the midwives were of a different opinion. By around 6 months they were commenting on my weight gain at every appointment, and although they tried to do it gently I often left the office in tears. It was a whole new level of being trapped in my body, my poor body that was working so hard to do something so miraculous, and was being told once again, over and over again, that it was doing it wrong.

Despite all that, a part of me really believed that once I was breastfeeding, the weight would come off. Everyone assured me -- “it melts away!” But I actually managed to gain weight in the first few months after birth, despite Rowan eating around the clock. I got stricter about my diet and started the world’s most boring food journal to keep myself accountable, but felt very stuck.

In July, Mark suggested we try the Whole30 diet. I didn’t think I’d learn much, as it was very similar to various diets I’d already tried, like Atkins and sugar-free and the anti-candida diet. But I liked the thought of doing a diet with Mark, so we gave it a shot.

The idea behind the Whole30 is you give up all processed foods, and certain whole foods that are considered “triggering,” for 30 days. And you’re not allowed to weigh yourself. After the 30 days, you reintroduce foods slowly and see how your body responds.

I loved it. It made sense with everything I’d learned about myself from previous diets:

I can have intensely strong willpower for 30 days, no problem.

Carbs weren’t entirely forbidden -- potatoes and fruit were okay. Fruit also hit my sweet tooth cravings nicely.

No calorie counting, no portion control. Eat as much as you want.

Ghee is permitted. How can you feel claustrophobic/restricted while eating a baked potato smothered in ghee? Shepherd’s pie? Fried plantains?

I felt full all the time.

I’m too lazy/weird about food to make real meals... but Mark isn’t, and he’s an excellent cook.

I made it through all 30 days including my birthday, and didn’t even realize when we hit the final day. All told I lost about 5 lbs, which is unusual enough; but even more miraculous, even after introducing dairy and sugar back into my diet, I continued to lose a little bit of weight, which has literally never happened before.

One thing I’ll note is that, for unrelated reasons, we were sleeping terribly during the entire 30 days. So while I had a couple days in the first week of feeling the “tiger blood” amazingness the diet promises you, that wasn’t one of the benefits for me. I’d like to try it again with better sleep and more cardio, and see how my body responds to that.

Up next: The impossibility of finding fabric to drape over your body when that body is anything larger than a size 8. Fun! Stay tuned...

#katieeats

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morethansalad · 6 years

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Heya I was wondering if you think it’s possible for anyone to be vegan? I’ve always been interested in trying but I have a lot of allergies (rice, corn, all types of melon, tomatoes, broccoli, nuts, seeds, peas, garlic, onion, chocolate, carrots, lettuce, sunflower seeds, strawberries, mango, pineapple, apples, and an oral allergy to bananas and avocados so I can only eat those cooked) that intimidate me out of it. Just curious if you have advice of any kind. Thanks!

Hello! First off, I have to say if you really want to go vegan then you can do it. Personally I believe that it is possible because most of what would change is the swap of meat for meat substitutes (many omnivore dishes contain ingredients that you are allergic to…also consider the fact that you’ll be ditching bad cholesterols :). I was also nervous about going vegan cuz i thought that my allergies to all nuts and many seeds would make things difficult (it seemed like a goodbye to all affordable forms of cheese–vegan or not). But I learned over the years that eating according to allergies (and other food choices that was better for my health–eg. plant based eating) is not a matter of restriction but finding alternatives (like a parent should do with a child with picky eating habits). I’ve become accustomed to tweaking recipes because of it. The biggest thing I would say that you would need to face is cooking more for yourself (but you may be used to that) and possibly costs (since you are allergic to some of the cheaper vegan foods). I can give my suggestions in three parts: allergen swaps, dish ideas, other eating tips.

i. Allergen Swap Ideas (considering similar taste, use, and/or nutritional value)Rice (easy replacement!) –> wheat flour, wheat germ, quinoa, barley, oats, pasta, couscous Corn –> cucumber, chickpeas, celeryMelons –> other fruits with high water content eg. grapefruit, blueberries, peaches, pears, pomegranatesTomatoes –> persimmons, olives, bell pepper, beets, sauces with different bases (red pepper, sweet potato)Broccoli –> cauliflower (if you can), brussel sprouts, artichoke, asparagus, celeryNuts & seeds –> chia seeds (if you can, i’m allergic to all but these)Peas –> beans (and there are so many to choose from), edamame, okraGarlic –> ginger, mushroomsOnion –> celery, bell peppers, fennel, celeriac, ginger, cumin (but if your allergy is only specific to traditional white onions and not other types of onion you can use shallots, chives, scallions)Chocolate –> carobCarrots –> squash, parsnips, beets, rhubarbLettuce –> cabbage, spinach, kale, collard greens, celery, argulaStrawberries –> raspberries, blueberries, grapes, blackberriesMango –> coconut, dragonfruit, Pineapple –> prickly pear, star fruit, jackfruit, kiwiApple –> peaches, plums, datesBanana –> plantain (if you can), oranges, full fat coconut milk (for making nice cream)

ii. Possible Dish IdeasSome vegan food staples:Baked fries (sweet potato, potato, parsnip, etc), hummus and corn-free chips, icecream (arrowroot powder + coconut cream) with date caramel sauce, pancakes, nut free granola (bars), mac n cheese, soups (so customizable!), chickpea omelette, mug cakes, sandwiches/subs, salads, casseroles, overnight oats, sweet potato pizza

iii. Other eating tips (generally for new vegans)-Caloric + nutritional intake are so crucial to get a hang of on a vegan diet. And with your allergies, many foods will be less accessible so you’ll want to compensate for that fact especially as you first try to navigate the lifestyle.-Supplemental foods: spirulina, moringa, carob, microgreens/sprouts, nutritional yeast, goji berries-Explore other cuisine-Berries for antioxidants-Teas (hibiscus, licorice, peppermint)-Listen to your body. Feed it if you feel hungry-Vitamin C –> helps iron absorption-Omega 3s –> soy products like tofu or edamame-B12 –> fortified plant milks and nutritional yeast-Get familiar with more herbs to give your dishes variety

Let me know if you have more questions :)

#asks #vegan #veganism #allergies #nutrition

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captainbgraves-blog · 5 years

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Last night was a really fun and tasty night. We got to experience our first Hispanic cuisine and culture. I heard it was local and walking distance. I got super excited because I love Hispanic cuisine and culture. We went to a local teachers house. When we got there I quickly learned that we were focusing on the Hispanic country of the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is a costal Hispanic country. The Dominican Republic is on an island shared with the country of Haiti. One of the things I first learned was how time traditionally works there. Time is turned into an estimate not an exact. The Dominican is mostly a warmer country. Sports are a huge deal in the Dominican. The main sports are baseball and basketball. They are used as a way to make it big and come to America. People in the Dominican are known for being friendly. They want to learn about you and know you. I learned music is huge in the Dominican which is really cool being a music person. Music here is fun and upbeat and easy to dance to. Now we move on to the tasty cuisine. Back in 1412 was when people began to populate the land. The food and taste comes from the Spanish, Arabs and the Africans. Creating a new combination of flavor. We learned that lunch and dinner are ment to be the main meals of the day. They always make time for it to be a big meal. They even take time of work to enjoy food. When you think of Hispanic food you mainly think about how spicy can you get. In the Dominican you focus your food more on the flavor than the spicy. For example we had rice and beans with chicken in it. We had something very similar in New Orleans with Cajun food. So I was going to expect spicy but I was wrong. It consisted of so much flavor that melted in your mouth. I learned that one of the most popularly used items in the Dominican is the plantain. The plantain looked almost identical to a banana so I expected it to be a fruit but ended up being a starch. They said the best way to prepare was frying in a pan and adding salt over top. It reminded me of round French fries. Next I will move on to the potato salad. I thought that I was an expert in the field of potato salad with my mom making it constantly. But I learned it dosnt always have to be based with mayo but it can have way more flavor without it. After the salad was the avacado dish. The avacado dish had tons of sweet flavor in it. Then comes the beans. The beans were looking like baked beans but tasted way better. After all that came dessert. The dessert was flan. It had the texture of custard. They had regular and coconut. Both tasted extremely good and a creamy texture. My thought on Hispanic culture has been changed after enjoying some Dominican food. I used to think all were very similar in their cuisine. Some of the biggest things I got were flavor over spices, the plantain and friendship. When all of those are combined into one you get the great cuisine and culture of the Dominican Republic. Now I really want to take time out of my life to visit this great country and experience it in person.

https://www.visitdominicanrepublic.org/cuisine-in-dominican-republic

#candc hispanic

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ascot016-blog · 6 years

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Facts, what learned, and my advice on Costa Rica

The name of my host country is Costa Rica. It is located in Central America. The countries that borders is Nicaragua in the North and Panama in the Southwest. The bodies of water that borders Costa Rica is the Pacific Costa in the West and the Caribbean Sea in the East. Costa Rica is culturally influence by the Span because they were colonize by them. Therefore, the official language of Costa Rica is Spanish. Majority of the people there speak Spanish, but the native indigenous people have their own language. The indigenous The pre- Colombian languages that are from Indian tribes in Costa Rica. Theses tribes speak Boruca, Bribri, Cabecar, Chibchan, and Maleku. These languages derived from sections of the Central America language and a small percent of the population speak the native language. Also, Nicaraguan and Honduras are close to the Costa Rica culturally because the countries united to gain their independence from William Walker. Costa Rica is culturally close with the Unites States. Costa Rica has been influenced by America. The United States government has put a lot money into Costa Rica in standards and America companies have open up stores in the country. The Capital of Costa Rica is San Jose. The major cities there is San Jose, Limon, San Franciso, and Liberia. San Jose is the capital this where majority the government congregate to for politics. Costa Rica government is a democracy. It is similar to the United States government. The Constitution of Costa Rica was approved in 1949. So the country government is relatively new and only exist for over a little half of a decade. Then in 1950 they establish their currency which is colon. The colon has also exist for over a little of a decade too. But, they established three branches in the government the executive, legislation, and the judicial branch. They also have a president that the citizens directly voted in office for four year term. The current president that is in office right now is Carlos Andres Alvarado and, he was elected in May 8th 2018. He has two vice presidents one male and one female. Also, the church and government maintain a close relationship with the church in Costa Rica. Even though a survey was taken among the people and 47 percent would rather live a secular state. But, the dominant religion in Costa Rica is the Christianity. Most of the citizens identify with the Roman Catholics, about 70 percent of the people follow behind the church beliefs. About 44 percent of the people that is practicing Catholic and the other 25 percent is non-practicing Catholics. Then, the rest of the people follow behind the Protestant beliefs which is 16 percent. The other 14 percent follow other religions beliefs or have no religions preference.

The social class of Costa Rica. The middle class is group of people that are between the upper and lower class of people that have median skill jobs such as professional and business workers. The middle class makes up 50 percent of the population. The class earns about 45 percent of the country’s income. I did not know that Costa Rica middle class made up the majority of the country’s income. In Costa Rica society the people admire citizens that are hardworking. The lower class makes up 25 percent and they only earn 7 percent of the country’s income. While the upper class makes up 2 percent of the population and they earn 20 percent of the nation’s income. Some of their wealth can be traced back to the first colonists. The distribution of wealth is very unequal with the upper class earning one third percent of the nation’s income while the lower class only earn roughly 10 percent of the country’s income. The class system is open. There is social mobility and everyone shares the value of hard work in Costa Rica. They have a strong belief in “The American Dream” where an individual puts in effort and works hard in school. Therefore, they will succeed in life.

The gender roles in Costa Rica are traditional. This country has a typical gender role the men are supposed to go out and work hard for the family. While the women stay at home and take care of the children. However, the roles are starting to change in country. The women of Costa Rica staring to convert from traditional roles to more modern roles. This started when women’s education was promote in the 20th century. Then, in 2010 Costa Rica had their first women president, Laura Chinchilla. Even though women work in the work force and have government jobs they still have responsible of housewife. Some families can hired a maid to take on the responsibilities of the wife, but economically lower income families cannot afford it. Also, women have made long strives to change their roles, but still have disadvantages. The women of Costa Rica are still fighting to change the role of women in their country.

Costa Rica has many media outlets. The main Costa Rica media for newspapers are the La Gaceta Government Official Newspaper, La Nacion, La Republic, Al Dia, and LA Prensa. These are just a few of the main newspapers in Costa Rica. If you looking for a newspaper that is in English I would recommend The Costa Rica. This newspaper is in English. Some of the television news are Telenoticias, Noticias Repretel, and the Extra Noticias. When I was in Costa Rica and I tried to watch t.v. the shows look like typical American shows, but they were in Spanish. My roommate and I found a couple of t.v. channels that were in English. The radio stations that I found in Costa Rica were named RadioU and Beatz106. These radio stations were up tempo and Latin America music. I like the beat of the music even though I did not know the lyrics. In the film industry a lot of American made movies are film in Costa Rica. Jurassic Park, Spy Kids 2, and Suicide Squad are major films that were shot in Costa Rica. There are many more films that American made in Costa Rica. I did not know that Costa Rica is a good place to film movies. But the country is so beautiful I can see why people would wanted to shot movies there. Also, most of the America films that are film in Costa Rica are action movies. While I was in the country I saw several America made films that were advised around the city and on billboards. The only difference was that the title of the movie were written in Spanish.

Most of the food in Costa Rica is delicious. The second day I was in Costa Rica I went to restaurant in San Jose. The meal was excellent. They first serve us salad that had tomatoes in it. The dressing they gave us was olive oil and vinegar which interesting. You have to find the perfect balance for yourself. I also added salt to dressing to balance out the taste. The drinks they serve us was called casa. I really enjoy. It had a unique flavor and taste like lime juice. How the restaurant serve the main course was different. The serves brought us the meat that we ask for and then serve us a variety of options with our meal. You could either have vegetables, baked potatoes, and French fries. I know our waiter was probably thinking that my table ate a lot of food because we kept asking for a refill on the options that they gave us. It was a really unique and cool way to eat dinner. I would recommend that a traveler go to a restaurant like that in Costa Rica to get a different experience. One of the deserts that was popular in Costa Rica is plantain. This dessert is fried banana and this is a sweet dessert. I would try it before leaving the country. But, the main dish that people eat in Costa Rica is rice, black beans and it served with eggs and sour cream this dish is called gallo pinto. At the hotel, I ate the rice and beans that they had out at breakfast. I like it, but I don’t know if I could eat rice and beans every day. In Costa Rica the people eat in the morning with the dish I talked about gallo pinto and then have a big lunch in the late afternoon normally with some type of meat rice and beans. Finally, for dinner they have a light dinner that is easy to digest. The people of Costa Rica typical eat with their family and friends. Also, Costa Ricans have probably eaten all there dinners at dinner since the have 12 hours of dark and light since they are so close the equator. I would strongly recommend taking a trip to Costa Rica. The people there friendly. I would normally greet them by smiling and saying hola. But, the country is beautiful. Before I took this trip I have never been out of the country. I had an open mind of Costa Rica and, I am happy I did that. I truly enjoy my trip and recommend anyone to explore this beautiful and wonderful country.

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