Food Minia

From Daube Creole Daube Creole is a Beef Roast dish unique to Louisiana because it is larded with seasoned salt pork, garlic and herbs and braised. Daube Creole Recipe at Nola Cuisine From Daube Creole In addition to the new Daube Creole recipe I've also recently posted a recipe for one of my favorite soups New England Clam Chowder at American Gourmand ! From American Gourmand Be sure and check out my new site American Gourmand in addition to Nola Cuisine !

  You can order the Nomemade Cookbook for only 17.99 if you order now using this website by clicking the "Add to Cart" button below which will lead you directly to PayPal. 

Lemon verbena infusion is one of these tried and true "grandmother's remedies" that are really enjoyable. Drink a cup after a heavy meal and you won't suffer indigestion. Not only is this drink good for your gut, it freshens the mouth and gives you the perfect excuse for a relaxing break during your day. Time will stop for a few minutes while you sip your hot " verveine ." People in France love herbal teas. Actually, when I am in France, I am offered an herbal tea after every single meal—lunch and dinner, heavy or not. Stores in France offer an incredible selection of tea bags filled with all kinds of tasty herb and flower mixes, but many families still grow (or pick) and dry their own medicinal herbs. Some very common examples are lime blossom (linden tree flower— le tilleul ), chamomille, thyme, mint, and of course lemon verbena . All can be brewed and turned into delectable beverages and have specific benefits. Chamomille and linden are great bedtime rela...

Hope you all had a nice Earth Day today. Here are a few more tips and links to conclude this week's blogging marathon. You can access all these posts by clicking the Green Your Kitchen tab at the top of this blog. Origin and Nature of your Food Many factors contribute to the energy bill of the food we eat: The type of food it is (Livestock consumes a lot more energy than fields of vegetables for instance)  The way it is produced (Is the food produced organically or with the use of petroleum products for instance?)  The distance it travels before reaching your kitchen  The type of transportation used and the quantity transported on each trip  The amount of processing involved in producing the food The type of packaging used Although some of these variables are difficult to determine, keeping them in mind and being as well informed as you can will help you choose healthy, tasty, and eco-friendly foods. (This is true for drinks too, including water.) Cooking Methods Th...

There is time for one more post before Earth Day tomorrow. This week I have told you about freezer and refrigerator temperatures , hot water temperature , and  energy-efficient lighting . Let's talk about one more way to save electricity. Most electric appliances consume energy as soon are they are plugged in, whether they are actively used or not. The power is drawn from digital clocks and displays, remote controls, or voltage regulators, and can be as high as 10 to 15 watts. This standby power is sometimes called "phantom load." How to measure your energy usage You can use a wattmeter to measure the electric power of any device plugged to an outlet. (Some public libraries lend wattmeters.) Plug the wattmeter to the electric outlet. Plug the device to the wattmeter. Read the power usage in watts when the device is running. Read the power usage in watts when the device is in standby mode (that is, plugged in but not performing its main function). You can then compute the...

Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Light emitting diode bulbs (LEDs) seem to be even more attractive, as they use the same amount of energy as CFLs, but last at least 15 times longer than incandescent bulbs. They may eventually replace CFLs as their price goes down. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with CFLs or LEDs A CFL or LED bulb will produce the same brightness, or light output, as an incandescent bulb, while requiring less power. Use the Energy Savings Calculator provided below to determine the power and energy savings obtained for each light. The energy savings depend on how long the light is turned on during the day. Energy Savings Calculator Old Bulb Power: Watts New Bulb Power: Watts Daily Bulb Usage: hours/day Electricity Rate: $/kWh –––––––––––––––––––––– Power Savings: Watts Yearly Energy Savings: kWh/year $/year (Numbers are shown as an example. Enter your own data...

To continue this week's Green Your Kitchen series, I will show you how to measure your kitchen faucet flow rate . Your faucet's flow rate indicates how much water passes through your faucet during a given amount of time. In the U.S., it is often measured in gallons per minute (gpm). The bigger the flow rate, the more water you consume. The recommended flow rate is 1.5 gpm or less, which ensures proper pressure while minimizing water consumption. However most fixtures have a flow rate of 2.2 gpm or more, according to Energy Savers . Recommended water flow rate:  1.5 gallons per minute or less How to measure the water flow rate To measure your faucet's flow rate, follow these simple steps: Open the faucet completely. Collect cold water in a graduated container for an exact period of time (for example 4 seconds). Measure the amount of water collected. Convert your measurement to gallons per minute. Use the Water Flow Rate Calculator provided below to convert your measurement ...