Food Blog Spotlight: Tofu is the New Black on Tumblr

So glad such a thing as a spotlight was invented. The concept or idea of shining a light on something or someone worthy of being noticed comes in handy when you find a fantabulous food blog like “Tofu is the New Black”. 

My foodie adventures around the web often either begin here at this blog or at my complementary Tumblr micro-blog. Was scanning the posts stream and came across this amazing blog. Fortunately the publisher, “Irene”, introduces herself in both Italian and English. (No problem if she didn't. I keep my Google translator at the ready! ☺ ) 


Irene is a vegan and not only does she share great vegan recipes but the food images at her blog show off some of the prettiest food I've ever seen!  She scours the web and recycles recipes, cooking tips, healthcare tips, charts displaying food alternatives or substitutes, infographics, and other food finds.  She is PRO-Green and extremely environmentally conscious (as we all should be).  Her posts date back to August 2015. Got so excited just browsing January 2017, decided her food / foodie adventures needed to be shared with others.

Are you a tofu lover?
Do you have a favorite tofu recipe?

Please comment below. 

Pretty food!

Healthcare Tips!

Cheese Lovers!

Healthy Ways to Satisfy the Munchies!

Foodie Friday : Falafel - Traditional Recipe for Chickpea Falafel (Reblog)

** Food trivia:  "Falafel was originally made with fava beans and continues to be made that way in Egypt and other Arab countries, but Israeli falafel is made from chickpeas."  

Personally, I am sort of glad the recipe was modified.  Ever since the character Hannibal Lecter - played by Sir Anthony Hopkins - made that comment about fava beans in the movie "Silence of The Lambs", the beans just don't look the same on my plate.

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Falafel restaurant in Nazareth (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

"A falafel sandwich is truly an exceptional taste experience!”

Falafel - Traditional Recipe for Chickpea Falafel | toriavey.com

Falafel is a traditionally Arab food. The word falafel may descend from the Arabic word falāfil, a plural of the word filfil, meaning "pepper." These fried vegetarian fritters are often served along with hummus, and tahini sauce (known as a "falafel plate.") They're also great served with toum, a Middle Eastern garlic sauce.

"Why is it we... David Sipress Allposters.com

 
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More #FoodieFriday Posts Food Blog Spotlight : Cook, Mix, Mingle  Falooda, An Indian Dessert  Improve Boxed Mac-n-Cheese. Is that possible?  Little Things Shares Delightful Recipes and Cooking Tips  Raw Milk Cheese (Americans are Missing Out!)  Happy Holidays! Who Wants Egg Nog?  YACR ( Yet Another Chili Recipe )  Purple is the Color of Royalty and of Glorious Vegetables  Sampling Fast Food World Cuisine is a Fun Do!  Name Your Favorite Instant Noodle  YAPAS (Yet Another Post About Spinach)  Immune-boosting Smoothie ~ Order at Starbucks  Recipes | Desserts | Pineapple Stuffing and More!  Japan’s 10 weirdest ice cream flavors  The Right Blend of Spices for Cajun Food Lovers  Indian Food: Hot n Spicy Samosas (Reblog)  Candied Jalapeño Peppers  Chinese New Year Recipes and Dishes  Pesto Around the World  Experiencing the Joy of Salsa   Spice Spotlight: Cinnamon  It's Flipping Foodie Friday!  Raw Coconut Fig Slice (Reblog)  Winter Salad Binging  Banana Brownies - Back for Seconds

Which Countries or Cultures Make the Best Cakes? Let's Discuss!

Which Countries or Cultures Make the Best Cakes? Would love to hear your thoughts on this foodie topic.  My husband says when it comes to baking, nobody beats out the Greeks and the Jews. Not that I'm a cake connoisseur, but I am tempted to agree with him; especially about the Greeks.  Did you know the Greeks invented cheesecake and that we have them to thank for the tradition of the birthday cake?  

Sorry to say cake baking is not my forte. But I do love a great cake. It would be right to say that cake loving IS my forte.  💗

Honestly! If Queen Marie Antoinette had really said “Let them eat cake!” and I had been in earshot distance, I would have been “Where?!! Where??!! Where's the cake??!!”

Recently, I've been coming across recipes shared by my online friends from different countries and also from food newsletters that I subscribe to and it's got me dreaming and wishing I could enjoy all of these wonderful baked delights without having to concern myself with the possible ill effects of consuming too much sugar. Alas! There is diabetes in my family line and I just don't want to take any chances.

Most of the time, I enjoy cakes by just looking at them or maybe taste a teeny weeny sample. ☺

But some cakes are far too pretty and unusual to eat. Don't you think?  Like these incredible jelly cakes.

Stunning Edible Flower Jelly Cakes Blooming in Your Plate
These gorgeous jelly cakes came from 'La Floraison' in Sydney Australia. Like a Japanese rainbow cake these confections are almost too pretty to eat.

Some cakes are not even cakes. They're masterpieces. Works of art!

• Like the cakes created by celebrated sugar artist Michelle Wibowo Seeing is believing!.

And then some cakes are dummy cakes. Dummy cakes? Yeah. New term I learned when I found a wedding cake by LeNovelle Cake that somebody shared via the Google Plus social network. Below is a photo of the most extraordinary dummy wedding cake I've ever seen.

But we all have our preferences and there is not one person in the world who can say that their specific food taste is “the right food taste”.

What about you? Do you 💗 cake?If you were going to sing praises about a country or a culture that makes the best cakes what would your choice be?

I'd love to hear your picks. Do you agree or disagree with my husband? ☺

A Fall Neapolitan Style Dinner | jovinacooksitalian (Reblog)

Have you ever found a food blogger or food blog that is undeniably magnificent? Several years back I came across this woman's blog and am so happy to find that it is still being published. Her posts not only have great recipes but great food history too!


This one that is being shared as a reblog is perfect because it's for the fall season and it's about Italy, one of those places on my bucket list of "Places to Visit".  Will likely never realize that dream but dreaming about it is a wonderful thing.

Dream Italian?  Think Italian.  Be Italian!

The post begins by giving the reader a quick history of Neopolitan cuisine.  Neopolitan is a cuisine?  Only ever knew it to be a flavor for ice-cream!  In 3 short paragraphs, she took me from ancient Greece and Rome to modern-day Italy and the United States.  Then she set forth an entire Neopolitan dinner, recipes and all, from the first course to the dessert.  Of course, I skipped the courses and went straight to the dessert.  But that's just me!  :) 


This blog post is dated 2013.  Liked it then.  Like it now!  The image from her post is an Italian Apple cake.  Isn't it gorgeous?!!

A Fall Neapolitan Style Dinner | jovinacooksitalian

* Image of apples found here.

Celebrate National Apple Month in October  (or any month! 🍏)

World Cuisine : Focus on Food Contributions of the Irish

Since March is Irish-American Heritage Month, this post will share information about Ireland's food history and various recipes which were likely brought to the United States by way of Irish immigrants (or were adopted by the Irish-Americans and made their own).  😍
  

Timeline of the Irish Potato Famine 1845-1851
Some may say there's plenty of meat and potatoes when it comes to Irish food.  But that was not always so.  7 years of famine? Sounds biblical doesn't it?
WIZZLEY JOHARRINGTON 706 PAGES 100% AUTHOR FOR 6 YEARS

How to Make Irish Stew

How to Make Irish StewIrish Stew is the kind of food that is great on a cold winters night, but is simply perfect on any occasion. The aroma combined with the flavor make it one of my favorite meals. I currently have about five, but the addition of the barley in this recipe add a lot of texture and flavor to the stew.

Why Do We Eat Corned Beef and Cabbage on St Patrick's Day?
The complete question is: Why Do We Eat Corned Beef and Cabbage on St Patrick's Day When Corned Beef and Cabbage is Not Irish Food?

Why Do We Eat Corned Beef and Cabbage on St Patrick's Day?by JoHarrington I'll admit that I was somewhat taken aback. I'd just finished telling an American friend that her country is responsible for St Patrick popularly wearing green (traditionally he wore blue), and for linking shamrocks with the Irish.

The Best Irish-Inspired Recipes
EPICURIOUS 

Is Traditional Irish Food in America Accurate? | PBS Food

PBS FOOD 

Irish American Mom's Top Ten Recipes

IRISH AMERICAN MOM IRISH AMERICAN MOM

Pork Lo Mein - Make Takeout at Home | The Desert Cook (Reblog)

Fellow food blogger Candy Dorsey publishes her own blog and also food-related Wizzley pages (see widget below). Reblogging / sharing the link to her post about pork lo mein. Not only is the dish delicious and easy to make but did you know that for the Chinese people, noodles are a “symbol of longevity”.  For those who celebrate, Chinese New Year, for 2017 it occurs on January 28th.  Candy also has a recipe for Chinese New Year Balls, which I'm sharing as well.

Wishing you peace, prosperity, good health and a long and wonderful life!

Pork Lo Mein - Make Takeout at Home |
The Desert Cook

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Chinese New Year Balls
THEDESERTCOOK CANDY DORSEY

Oven-Baked Summer Squash Fries (Should Be in Your Winter Recipes)

Oven-Baked Summer Squash Fries (Should Be in Your Winter Recipes) A summer squash has a strong resemblance, in flavor and texture, to a zucchini. You can, in fact, substitute zucchini in this recipe, but it will probably bake a bit more quickly.

Not sure what the weather is like where you are. In my city (Austin, TX USA), it's confusingly balmy and breezy, occasionally rainy, comfortably warm with no need for a sweater, and sometimes chilly. It's climatically perfect! ☺ 

My friends elsewhere around the USA and the world are still complaining that Old Man Winter has overstayed his welcome and refuses to leave! This recipe is fabulous no matter what the season of the year is or what kind of weather you're experiencing. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 medium summer squash
2 eggs
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs (try panko breadcrumbs for a crunchier texture)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon mustard powder
Salt and pepper
Olive oil


How to Make It:

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil and set aside. 
• Cut your summer squash into wedges. Remove the seeds if they are quite large and set wedges aside. 
• Whisk the eggs in a dish and set aside. 
• In another dish, combine the breadcrumbs, paprika, mustard powder and salt and pepper. 
• Start by dipping the wedges, one by one, into the egg mixture and then the breadcrumb mixture. Place each wedge on the greased baking sheet. Continue until all the wedges are done. 
• You can bake the wedges as is for about 30-40 (until soft inside and golden brown on the outside) as is, but if you want a more golden texture, drizzle or spray some olive oil on top of the wedges. Flip halfway through baking. 
• Serve with ranch or another favorite dip. 

There are many versions of oven-fried squash recipes?  Find more.