Top Five Fruits

Of course I do not need to tell you that fresh fruit and vegetables play a vital role in healthy eating habits. The reason fruits and vegetables are so important is that they are packed with micro nutrients that help your body to support specific systems.

The best way to eat fruit is raw. It is not even advisable to eat diced fruit because it is not as fresh as the whole one. If your daily portion of fruit is rich with different sorts f berries, kiwis, cherries, apples, bananas and etc. it means that your aging process will be slowing down, you will gain your natural weight, energy will increase, your cholesterol level and blood pressure will be lower.

We all know the saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". Well it turns out it is not just an apple, it is fruit in general that keeps one healthy, energized and fit.

Here are five recommendations for type of fruits you should reach for most often. These will help your body fight disease, they will lower level of inflammation, and they will generally improve your health.

Top Five Fruits

Berries

Brightly-coloured berries like blue, rasp, straw, black, cran etc. are full of antioxidants that help your body to fight disease and lower inflammation. In fact, when it comes to antioxidants, berries deliver the most of any fruit or vegetables.

Cherries

Cherries are loaded with antioxidant compounds that are anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and anti-cancer. This fruit contains vitamins which aid in prevention of heart disease; relieve pain of arthritis, gout, headache and provide healthy and safe way to produce melatonin.

Kiwifruit

Kiwis are sometimes an overlooked fruit, as they almost taste too good to be so healthy! They have twice the vitamin C of oranges, and are one of the most nutrients dense fruits on the planet. They are very high in fibber and potassium for a healthy heart.

Pomegranates

Enjoy pomegranates either the fresh seeds or pulp, or even make juice everyday as this will help lower blood pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and help slow aging.

Bananas

Bananas are very rich in carbohydrates, the reason why they constitute on of the best ways to provide organisms with vegetable energy. One banana can replace your breakfast if you have no time in the morning because it is very high in calories and will produce enough energy in your body for the rest of the day.

Top 5 vegetables

These 5 vegetables are some of the healthiest food (listed in no particular order). Try to eat as many different kinds of vegetables as you can. And each day try to eat at least one red or orange colored vegetable.

1. Broccoli - is among the healthiest among vegetables.It is an excellent course of calcium, potassium, vitamins A and C, anti-oxidant, beta-carotene and folate. These help reduce the chances for cancer and heart diseases.
2. Cabbage - is the member of the vegetable family which is rich in phytochemical. It is impressive with its high content level of calcium, iron, iodine, potassium, sulfur, and phosphorus.
3. Carrot - is one of the most healing foods that provides the finest and highest quality in nutrients, especially from its juice. It is an excellent source of pro-vitamin A, vitamin C, D, E, K, B1 and B6.
4. Garlic - has an admirable source of vitamins A, B-complex and C. It provides a good supply of minerals such as manganese, phosphorus, calcium, copper, potassium, iron. Garlic is know as anti cold treatment as it kills all bad bacterias in the body.
5. Bell Peppers - are colourful. Their rich pigmentation are full of anti-oxidants and carotenoids. Chlorophyll in bell peppers protects against environmental free radicals.
   

Russian deployment of S-300 in Abkhazia

Current week's popular topics and political debates regarding deployment of s-300 air defence systems in Abkhazia and "sincere" and "honest" intentions of Russia of implementing peace and safety in the region were under headlines of various popular newspapers, publishers and websites.

The S-300, code named "Favorite" in Russian, is a mobile, long-range air defence able to detect, track and destroy cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and high-and-low-flying aircraft.

According to Russian foreign ministry the deployment of S-300 air defence systems in Abkhazia does not contradict Russia's international obligations and S-300 deployment cannot destabilize the situation in the region. However, with this move, Russia is again flagrantly violating the August 2008 cease-fire agreement negotiated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The agreement calls upon both countries to withdraw troops to pre-war positions and restore the status quo antebellum. Yet Russia also has built up to five military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the past two years alone. Kremlin clearly does not feel bounded to any agreement. Russia neither cares much about international law. It probably should mean something to international community.

By deploying the missiles, Russia wants to be able to intercept Georgian, or indeed U.S. and NATO, flights over the nearby Black Sea area, Georgia's interior and the south Caucasus air corridor, the Jamestown Foundation, a U.S. think-tank, said in a research note.

Georgia's Deputy Prime Minister Temur Iakobashvili expressed anxiety over Russia's statement.

"This should be of concern not only for Georgia but also for other regional actors including Nato", he told the AFP news agency.

"It is very obvious that Russia is using these occupied territories as a military platform for larger plans than only Georgia".

However, it shows... not only that Russia does not intend to withdraw its troops from Abkhazia and South Ossetia but that it is actually strengthening its military control over these territories.

Feijoada

Feijoada - this easy-to-do version can be ready for dinner tonight. I was told by my Brazilian friend that this dish was created by slaves in the colonial Brazil. Feijoada became a national dish and very popular because it is easy to prepare for large crowds. The slaves started cooking the pork meat that farmland owners discarded such as ears, tails, feet in a big pot with black beans. This dish was incremented with pork sirloin and sausages that transformed the menu in a famous entree that everybody who visits Brazil has to taste. The following recipe is an easy-to-do version of Feijoada made only with pork tenderloin and sausages. This recipe is preferred for busy people that do not want to handle the salted pork ears, tails and feet found in the complete Feijoada.


Ingredients:

1lb of varied pork sausage (preferred smoked sausage)
1lb of pork tenderloin
Some slices of bacon
1 can of black beans (15.50 Oz)
2 table spoon vegetable oil
Salt, garlic, chopped onions and bay leaves

Serves: 6 portions

Directions:

Add black beans to a medium-sized pot with 2 tbs oil, salt, garlic, chopped onions and about 6 bay leaves. Cook for a bout 15 minutes on medium heat and set aside. In separate fry pan cook cubes of pork tenderloin and slices of bacon with salt and garlic. Add sausage slices and stir on medium heat until all water dries. Add the cooked meat to the pan with black beans and your Feijoada is ready! Cook Feijoada for more 10 minutes to soak meat with black beans. You can add some pepper sauce to your Feijoada at this point.

Hint: to make Fejioada creamy, liquefy 1/2 cup of black beans in the blender and add to the Feijoada.

Feijoada is a main dish which frequently is served with rice.

Meat replacements

In previous post Khatia Caroline asked me if I could write an article about the meat replacement products, so I decided to explain today how carefully we should be when we decide to replace meat with other vegetables so our body still will be getting enough nutritions and vitamins for healthy life.

Some people choose not to eat meat because of perceived health benefits, or for religious, economic or ethical reasons. If non-meat eaters include fish, milk, or eggs in theirs daily food, they do not have to be especially vigilant about getting all the necessities of a balanced eating. However, if they eat only non-animal products, there are a few things they have to watch out for. Such as:

1. Meat is called complete protein because it contains all the amino acids the body needs. Soy beans are the only plant source of complete protein. In the next post I will write some good and tasty soy beans recipe. Other legumes, nuts and seeds and whole grains, which are good source of protein, need to be eaten in combination to supply the full range of amino acids.

2. Vitamin B12 is not available from plant sources. Without animal products in the food a supplement with B12 is required.

3. Iron, Calcium and Zinc are all available from plant sources, but various things some food contain can prevent the body from absorbing the minerals. Consuming Iron rich foods with vitamin C can increase the absorption of Iron. Iron is essential to maintain healthy blood and prevent anaemia. Good food sources of Iron include leafy vegetables, potatoes, peas and whole grains. Now calcium. You will find calcium in soya beans, broccoli (which I doubt is sold in Georgian market), nuts, seeds and dried food. Calcium is needed for lots of body processes, but particularly for healthy teeth and healthy bones. Now it is still true that diary is the easiest form of Calcium and there are a number of things that inhibit the absorption of Calcium from plant products, so if you decide to go without dairy altogether, please study up on it.

Fresh Sea Bass With Parsley And Vegetables

In previous post I introduced you to Georgian cuisine but I promised as well that I will be posting different countries delicious recipes.

Today I want to chose something more healthy eating and stopped my choice on a fish. I will not explain all aspects about fish nutritions and vitamins but it goes without saying that it is very good for you as well as all vegetables you can serve with it as garnish.

I can not tell you from which country this recipe comes, all I know is that I cooked it myself and I saw it cooked in England, so I can call it English meal according to the place it was made. It is cooked very fast and tastes great. All you need for this meal is:

Ingredients:

(Serves 1 person)

1 fresh Sea bass with parsley

100g mange tout

100g baby corn

1 courgette

3-4 baby potatoes

1-2 cherry tomatoes

Directions:

First we get baby potatoes, clean them, cut into smaller cubes, sprinkle little bit oil and salt on them, put into preheated oven and cook for 35-40 minutes at 180C. From time to time check the potatoes and stir them until they become nice golden and crispy.

Fresh Sea Bass with Parsley needs to be washed and cleaned from bones. Cut the fish into two parts and place on a plate so it is ready for cooking. Meanwhile we wash manage tout, baby corn and courgette. It is your choice of vegetables for garnish as you can pick different kinds. Washed vegetables we steam for 30 minutes until they get soft and nice.

Cleaned fish we place on a hot pan and fry for approximately 10-15 minutes. Make sure that you do not start frying fish too early before your potatoes and vegetables are ready.

Cooked fish, potatoes and vegetables we place on a plate and can also add some lemon and lime couscous. I like it very light, healthy and goes very well with fish.

BONE APPETITE!!!

Georgian Cheese Pie "Khachapuri"

I Love delicious food. Sometimes nice food loves us and tries to tempt with its marvellous smell and taste. Every country, even some small areas has their own local yummy recipes and I am going to take you for a trip around the world to find nice food and meals of various people so we can try to cook them ourselves and share our results and expectations.

It is not essential that you are an excellent in cooking, no one is the best but if we follow the acclaimed chef Auguste Gusteau quotation from Ratatouille - Everyone can cook, we can possibly make it real and pretty enjoy ourselves creations. Do not judge me too strictly if my words sound funny, it is my first (and hope not the last) attempt to write on blog for public. My aim is to make it nice and relaxing to enjoy my company and ideas, or just simply have a nice meal for evening which can lead to the very special evening afterwords.

As I am Georgian, I am more familiar with Georgian cuisine, so please do not punish me for starting from this Country, trust me you will not regret it because I am going to give you a very delicious Georgian cheese pie called in Georgia "Khachapuri" recipe. I would like to add a note that because in some countries they do not sell Georgian cheese I made some changes in it (from my own experience) and added similar kind cheese sorts to cook it like Georgian one.

All we need to cook Khachapuri is:

200gr Feta Cheese

100gr Mozzarella Cheese

2 eggs

100ml milk

1 table spoon butter

Puff pastry

100gr Flour

All above listed ingredients you can easily find in supermarkets

Grade 200gr Feta and 100gr Mozzarella cheese into the bowl, add 1 egg and mix it together. Add 1 table spoon butter and mix it again until it gets smooth. Preheat the oven on 200C. Cut Puff pastry into two parts. apply flour on the workplace so the pastry will not stick on it, roll each part of the puff pastry into thin slices preferable into squares, depends what shape is your tray (some puff pastries are sold rolled and ready). Break another egg and get only yellow part of it and mix it with a little bit milk. We take one part of rolled pastry and place mixed Feta and Mozzarella cheese mixture on it and spread all over it. Another part of the pastry will be the cover for the first part, but we have to make sure that the edges of the pie are sealed properly. Next we take the worm tray from the preheated oven ( we can sprinkle little flower on the tray to avoid the pastry sticking on it) and carefully place our masterpiece on it. When Pie is safely on the tray we can apply egg and milk mixture on top to make it look brown and nice when it's cooked. Let it stay to cook for 35-40 minutes on 175C. When it is well brown on the top it means that Khachapuri is ready to surprise you.