Mustard seed from India is the source of most mustard oil. This seed variety is more pungent and hotter than Mediterranean mustard seeds. Use mustard oil as a flavorful addition to your cooked dishes by heating it first. Once the oil reaches its smoke point, it develops a subtle, mellow flavor.
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The tiny sesame seeds that you find on rolls, cookies and broccoli stir-fry originated in Africa, according to Chow.com. They have now traveled throughout the world, adding texture, nutrition and flavor to a variety of dishes. You have a choice of three colors, white, tan and black.
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Black-eyed peas traveled to the Americas and the Caribbean with slaves from their home in Africa. They are one of the world’s most widely-eaten peas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also known as cowpeas, black-eyed peas are nutritious and cook faster than many other bean varieties.
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Pineapples are low-calorie, nutrient-rich tropical fruits native to the Caribbean islands, and to Central and South America. The Spanish introduced them to the Hawaiian Islands, which has become the primary producer of pineapples sold in the U.S.
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Lobster tails are a delicacy that has little of the culinary work associated with other shellfish. They cook quickly and require few advance preparation steps. Once you cook them, separating the flesh from the shell is a one-step process or, for quick and easy dining, you can skip this step and dive in with your fork.
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Whether you are ordering a salad out or creating a salad at home, one dressing you may enjoy is the classic balsamic vinaigrette. When you are following a low-calorie diet, though, this dressing may not be your best bet. A traditional vinegar and oil dressing contains approximately 200 calories per 2-tbsp.
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Graham crackers are sweet, but they do not taste like cookies. Historians credit a Presbyterian minister, Sylvester Graham, with the creation of Graham crackers around 1829.
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With the year-round availability of American and imported lamb, your microwave lets you enjoy lamb roasts quickly and with minimal fuss. The shorter cooking time, compared to oven roasting, makes it more convenient to cook a lamb roast in the microwave.
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If you play baseball or fast pitch softball, you are all too familiar with the difficulty of hitting a well thrown fastball. It takes less than a half second for a fastball to travel from the pitcher’s hand to home plate. That is all the time you have to react to the pitch.
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Bicycles are measured according to their frame size. Bike frame size in turn is defined by the length of the seat tube--the vertical part of the frame that supports the seat and seat post assembly. Choosing a bicycle with the proper fit makes riding more comfortable and you have better control.
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When you want to lose weight, cutting fat and calories are only part of the story. Starting and following a consistent exercise program will burn away calories. In addition, regular exercise improves your health and physical fitness.
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Running is one of the best physical activities you can do to lose weight. A regular running program has other health benefits too. You improve the condition of your cardiovascular system, thereby cutting your risk of developing heart disease and other medical conditions.
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To most people, jogging means running at a slow to moderate pace one finds comfortable. Jogging is an ideal way to achieve and maintain a good level of physical fitness and to manage weight. How long a jog should last depends on your exercise goals and your current physical condition.
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Riding a bicycle is excellent cardiovascular exercise and a workout that can help you lose weight. At just 10 miles per hour an individual who weighs 200 lbs. burns over 360 calories in an hour of riding. Most people find tracking their exercise helps in achieving exercise goals.
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A cycling program is a great way to get in good shape and to lose that excess weight. Even a short bike ride such as three miles burns a surprising number of calories. For best results, you should maintain a continuous effort, rather than stopping and starting when doing so isn’t necessary for safety reasons.
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To the Aztecs, the cacao bean was the food of the gods. The beans are the basic ingredient of chocolate. Recent research has suggested dark chocolate offers some health benefits. Raw cacao beans are an increasingly popular alternative to chocolate.
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Like baseball games and bar-b-ques, pork plays a major role in the American diet and you can find some form of pork at any event. You encounter pork in the form of baked ham for Christmas dinner, as hot dogs at ball games, and as a standard breakfast meat.
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Rib-eye steak has a well-deserved reputation for being a flavorful and tender cut of beef. Sometimes known as Delmonico, Spencer or Beauty steak, rib eye is a boneless steak cut from the rib area. Cook rib eye by broiling, grilling or panfrying it.
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The word vermicelli literally means “little worms,” and refers to the shape of this type of pasta -- long strands thinner than spaghetti. People use vermicelli in Italian dishes, as well as many other ethnic cuisines. Vermicelli is especially popular as part of Asian menus, and usually is made from rice or wheat.
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Pasta is an amazingly varied and versatile food. Pasta dishes include spaghetti with a variety of sauces, lasagna and macaroni and cheese. Macaroni salad and other cold pasta recipes abound. Nor are you limited to wheat pasta. Rice pasta is a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes.
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