luizrodrigues91

[luizrodrigues91]

Innovation & Sustainability

Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog. On this opportunity, I would like to discuss about something a bit different from my previous posts. As we all know, there is a long process that happens behind the scene before the food gets to our table. Some parts of this process includes farming, harvesting, packing, transporting, selling, consuming, and then disposing. However, many parts of the process are not sustainable due to the mass production of some products and this is unfortunate because our world is suffering many changes due to the excessive use of environmental resources. When we harvest and take resources out from the soil and do not let it recover, we are causing harm to the planet.

On top of that, we are facing a worldwide shortage food and water and there are too many people in the world that are suffering from starvation. There are many reason for that, however we all should start thinking about sustainable ways to provide food for those who are in need, and not just whatever food; It has to be nutritious that will give them a healthy life, like for example vegetables and legumes.

As I mention above, we are lacking natural sources because we are using more than we should, so governments, the food industry, and people in general should focus in solving the problem while securing food for the current and future generations. Over the past decade there has been a wide number of studies and experiments trying to find solutions to the problem and below I want to present one innovation that really called my attention.

Before, I dig into the subject, I just want to mention that sustainability is a topic that is very important for me and for that reason I decided to talk about it, and specially when it is linked to the food industry which I am part of.

The innovative technique I want to discuss is a form of food production that is less harmful to the soil and the ecosystem. I do not know if you have heard about ‘Vertical Farming’ before, but this technique was first proposed back in the 20th century and it has gained a lot of attention in recent years since it has been advanced with better and more effective technology. Vertical farming, as the name might suggest, refers to the production of food (vegetables and legumes) on a vertical arrangement rather than the usual single level of farming which takes a huge portion of land.

It is a very modern technology that uses indoor spaces to do farming. The food is grown in layers that are vertically placed one on top of each other, and connected to a network of structures that provides the perfect amount of light, water, humidity, gases and temperature control. Although you might think that this method still consumes a lot of energy and labor, it is way more sustainable that regular farming as it allows crops to grow during the whole year, it is not affected by the weather changes, and it requires less water (about 80-90% less). Also the crops will be less exposed to disease and pesticides and chemicals, making the food more organic.

This form of farming was created with the intention of producing more food and using less space and resources while being able to grow the whole year. Even though it is a technology that still needs improvement, it is a promising way to farming sustainably. Scientists and researchers are improving this technology every year and I am optimistic that one day it will become the main way of farming and a suitable solution for world hunger.

Vertical Farming can help growing more food in smaller areas and anywhere in the planet at any time of the year. It has the potential to put an end to starvation and malnutrition for poor countries.

With this post I just want you to take a moment and reflect about sustainability, innovation and some society problems. There are many ways to help our ecosystems and prevent them from collapsing. We all play a part in rescuing our planet and it is our responsibility to make positive change happen.

Picture:

References:

https://interestingengineering.com/11-innovations-that-could-build-the-food-of-the-future

https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-you-should-know-about-vertical-farming-4144786

[luizrodrigues91]

Diet & Food Restriction

Hey everyone, welcome back to my blog and to a new post where I will be sharing more content related to the food world. This time I want to share with you one of my latest experiments with diets and food restrictions. As you probably noticed by now, I am always trying to find a healthier and better way to eat but I need to confess that I have never followed any specific diet up until recently.

Out of curiosity, I started learning and searching about the variety of diets out there and I found some of them very interesting, so I decided to try one for a week and see how my mind and body reacts.

I decided to spicy up my experience and I choose to do the Mediterranean Diet but as a person that has Lactose Intolerance. In this note I want to tell you that I do not have any food restrictions, however I am planning to stop having caw milk and its products because I am feeling that my body is not working perfectly after ingest foods with lactose that comes from these products.

I choose to do the “Mediterranean Diet”. I read from different sources that this diet it is the secret for wellness and longevity; after all, most people that lives close to the Mediterranean and follows this diet has a better life expectancy when compared with other parts of the world. In order to make this experience more interesting I decided to follow this diet as a person that has Lactose Intolerance. I do not have food restrictions but I am planning to stop having milk and its products in my diet for personal preference. For that reason, I will substitute all the milk products in this 7 days for a healthy option of it.

Before I tell you about my experience with the Mediterranean Diet, I want to give a brief explanation on how the Mediterranean Diet works. The concept about this diet can vary slightly depending on the region you are at, but overall this diet is considered as a balance between health and nutrition. As per the name suggests, this diet was inspired by the eating habits of the people who lived by the Mediterranean Sea, like the Greek, Italian and Spanish people. This diet is based on the high consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, beans, grains, cereals, nuts, unsaturated fats, and fishes. Also this diet requires a low intake of meat and dairy foods, which is perfect for me, because I am trying to reduce the consumption of dairy products due to a mild intolerance, and also because I am not a big fan of meat.

With all this being said, I can now share with you my experience. I’ll show you what I eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the 7 days I followed this diet. Just as a side note, I am not a nutritionist and my food intake was based on research that may or may not be suitable for all individuals. Also I had to substitute the dairy products for a non-dairy products like having tofu instead of cheese and oat milk instead of cow milk.

Here we go…

DAY 1

Breakfast: Smoothies with oat milk, strawberries, and bananas

Lunch: Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables (squash, carrots, turnip, cherry tomatoes)

Dinner: Black bean soup and 2 oranges

DAY 2

Breakfast: Omelet with tomatoes, onions, and baby spinach

Lunch: Zucchini noodles with tofu, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar

Dinner: Salad with spinach, olives, cucumbers, mango, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and grilled chicken

DAY 3

Breakfast: Avocado toast with olive oil and sesame seeds

Lunch: Rice, salmon with teriyaki sauce, and sweet potatoes tempura

Dinner: Vegetable soup

DAY 4

Breakfast: Coffee with oat milk and crackers

Lunch: Spaghetti pasta with olive oil, garlic, parsley and sardines

Dinner: Salad with lettuce, boiled egg, grilled asparagus, grilled bell pepper, tomatoes, and grilled tuna

DAY 5

Breakfast: Bruschettas

Lunch: Grilled salmon, rice, grilled vegetables (bell peppers, zucchini,

Dinner: Bagel sandwich with avocado, spinach, tomatoes, egg, cucumber, grilled tofu

DAY 6

Breakfast: Fruit salad and a handful of nuts

Lunch: Mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and grilled chicken

Dinner: Baby carrots and cucumbers with hummus, and left over of the grilled chicken

DAY 7

Breakfast: Smoothie with banana, strawberries, oat and oatmeal

Lunch: Zucchini and tofu lasagna

Dinner: Ratatouille and fresh orange juice

These was my food intake for 7 days following the Mediterranean Diet with dairy restriction and substitutions. One of my biggest challenges when doing this diet was planning my breakfasts because I usually have coffee with 35% cream, and toast with cheese and ham, so trying to eliminate dairy products was quite challenging but doable.

Overall I really enjoyed doing this diet because it is full of things that I enjoy eating. I like dishes full of vegetables, legumes, and fish, so it was quite easy to follow this diet. One of the most important things is that I felt very good during the 7 days. My digestive system was working perfectly, my mood was great, and my body was full of energy. I felt somewhat healthier. The Mediterranean diet is really suitable for those who love eating plant based food, a lot of legumes, vegetables and fruits but also like to enjoy light and healthy proteins. I will definitely include Mediterranean dishes in my diet from now on.

I advice you to give a try on this diet for at least one week to see if it is suitable for you. Honestly, It is very simple to implement it on your daily routine.

Remember, small changes can make a big impact on your health. You can start changing heavy foods for a healthy and light version of it. For example, you can make a zucchini lasagna with tofu instead of the regular bolognese lasagna with pasta and cheese.

Before I end this post, I would like to share a snack that goes perfect with the Mediterranean diet so you can satisfy cravings:

Sardine Sandwich

Ingredients:

- 2slices Multigrain bread, toasted

- 65g Sardine, drained and mashed

- 30g Red Onion, minced

- 5g Jalapeño

- 1/2pc Lemon juice

- 1/2pc Avocado, small slices

- 1pc Egg, frayed

- 1pc Lettuce leaf

- 3pc Cherry tomatoes, cut into half

- 1tsp Green onions, sliced into angle

- 1tsp Olive oil

- Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

- Use a toaster to toast the bread slices. Spread a little bit of olive oil on the sides of the bread. Set aside to cool down

- Masher the sardine and set aside

- Mince the red onion and the jalapeño, then juice the lemon

- Mix in a bowl the sardine, red onion, jalapeño, lemon juice, salt and black pepper and set aside

- Slice the avocado and the green onions

- Cut the tomatoes into half and wash the lettuce

- Heat a non-stick pan and fry a egg until desired consistency, season with salt and black pepper

- Assemble the sandwich by putting the lettuce on top of one slice of the toasted bread, then add the tomatoes.

- Add the sardine mixture, green onions and the fried egg on top of that, then add the avocado slices and season with olive oil and black pepper, and add the other toasted bread on top

Pictures:

As a final remark, Following this diet made me realize that there’s no need to compromise in flavour for a healthier dish. I challenge you to try any dishes of any diet and little by little incorporate them into your daily food intake; you will notice the positive impact on your health.

I will definitely continue experimenting different diets until I find one that really suits my needs but one think I am sure about is that I want to include as much healthy and nutritional food as I can on my daily dietary intake.

References:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mediterranean-diet-meal-plan

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/291946/30-day-mediterranean-diet-meal-plan-1200-calories/

[luizrodrigues91]

Pork Tenderloin with Honey Garlic Sauce

Hey everyone, Here I am again sharing a new post that I hope everybody enjoys reading as much as I did writing it for you.

I would like to dedicate this post to a one specific food group: Proteins.

I guess that the first thing that comes to your mind when we hear the word protein is animal meat, but the truth is that there are other sources of protein that are not coming from animals. As a side note, I just want to mention that I am not a huge fan of meat; in fact, I barely eat meat of any kind, just once in a while I can have some white meat or pork.

I recently learned about one piece of meat that most of the quadrupeds has and it is named Tenderloin. This cut is very famous and somewhat especial. It is the most tender part of the animal muscles. This muscle is located in the back of the animal near to the pspine and this piece of meat is very tender because it is a muscle that it is not used for locomotion but for posture.

If you are not familiar with this cut, it might be because this piece is named differently in other parts of the world. In Brazil for example this meat is known as Filet Mignon and it specifically referred to a meat from the caw. However you can find this same cut in pork, lamb and so on.

As I told you in the beginning, I am not a huge fan of meat, however if I have to pick my favourite piece of meat. That would be the pork tenderloin. It is so tender and juice when cooked the right way. This piece is also known as pork fillet. As the name suggests, It is a very tender cut that, in my opinion, is better digested and it does not feel as heavy as beef.

The price of pork tenderloin is about $10 per piece (in Canada) and It is usually sold as a whole piece that weight about one pound (average). This muscle is very low in fat and it has high amount of protein. Which is perfect for those who does not like fatty meat.

With all this been said, I am going to share with you guys the way that I like to prepare my pork tenderloin. First I would like to mention that the best way to cook this cut is by grilling or roasting to a medium doneness (145°F - 155°F) and finishing off in the oven. High temperature and short time of cooking is the key to prepare a great pork tenderloin. This method of cooking will help to enhance all the flavors and the tenderness of the meat. It is crucial to keep an eye on the temperature during the whole cooking process because it can go from very juice and tender meat to a very dry quickly, that is why I recommend having a thermometer handy during the preparation.

Next you will find an amazing recipe that I have used several times to make my pork tenderloin. This recipe was inspired by a recipe that I found on the website named “RecipeTinEats” (link in the references). *However I made little changes on the recipe just to adjust it to my personal taste.*

Pork Tenderloin with Honey Garlic Sauce

Ingredientes:

- 1pc Pork Tenderloin (1lbs)

- 2tbsp Olive oil

- 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped

Rub

- 1/2tsp Garlic powder

- 1/2tsp Onion powder

- 1/2tsp Paprika

- 1/2tsp Cumin

- 1/2tsp Black pepper

- 1/2tsp Salt

Honey Garlic Sauce

- 3tbsp Cider vinegar

- 2tbsp Soy sauce, all purpose

- 1/2cup Honey

Garnish

- 10g Parsley, finely chopped

Method of Cooking:

- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).

- In a bowl mix the cider vinegar, soy sauce and honey together and set aside.

- In another bowls prepare the rub by whisking together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, black pepper and salt. Set aside.

- Clean the pork tenderloin by taking out the silver skin and any extra fat. Then truss the meat with a string (this is important because it will help the meat to keep its shape and cook evenly). I will share a picture of it.

- Season the whole tenderloin by gently massaging the rub mixture on all sides.

- Preheat a large sauté pan (that can go to the oven as well) over a medium height hit. Add the olive oil into the pan. Then place the tenderloin in the center of the pan to sear until to get the golden color all over.

- Add the sauce mixture into the pan and then place the pan in the oven. Make sure to roll the tenderloin around in the pan so all sides cook evenly. Roast until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 150°F. The roasting process will take about 10 - 15 minutes.

- When the tenderloin reaches the internal temperature aimed, remove the pan from the oven and transfer the port onto a cooling rack, cover with tin foil and allow to rest for about 5-8 minutes before untying and cutting it.

- Place the pan with the sauce back in the stove and in a medium hit, reduce the sauce until gets a thick consistency.

- Untie the tenderloin and place it back in the pan to coat it with the reduced sauce.

- Then cut the meat into thick slices and serve it with the sauce and garnish with finely chopped parley.

This dish is very simple and the final result is amazing. The meat will be very juicy and tender. You can serve this meat with a simple mashed potatoes if you like it. I usually pair with mashed potatoes because I think it is a perfect combination, but you can pair it with rice, beans and salad as well.

I am including some pictures of this dish for your reference and also the source from where I got the inspiration for the recipe. If you like tender pieces of meat, I think you should try this recipe, and if you prefer beef over port, you can change the pork tenderloin for beef tenderloin instead and follow the same method and recipe; the final dish will be amazing as well. And remember that the best part of cooking is sharing - so double the recipe and invite your family or friends to have this great dish with you. Enjoy!

Pictures:

Reference:

https://www.recipetineats.com/pork-tenderloin-with-honey-garlic-sauce/

https://zestfulkitchen.com/how-to-roast-pork-tenderloin/

[luizrodrigues91]

Onion Compote

Hey everyone, I’m in here again to share with you another gastronomic story. I guess it is save to say that onion and garlic are one of the most important ingredients in the kitchen. Well, at least it is true for me and my family which always have these 2 ingredients at home and, along with salt and pepper, onions and garlic are the most common seasoning ingredients we use in our food.

As you can imagine based on the introduction, today I want to share with you a recipe where the protagonists are Onions and Garlic. I will teach you a recipe that I learned from my grandmother that allows you to preserve these 2 ingredients in a very versatile and delicious way.

As I mentioned before, my family and I always have onions and garlic at home because we simply love the flavours they give to a variety of dishes and we enjoy getting creative in the kitchen and using these 2 ingredients in almost everything we do. You probably know by now that I am Brazilian, and as a good Brazilian, I love barbecue. It is part of my culture to get together with family and friends and have a good, old fashion barbecue, where each attendee brings something to share. My grandmother, for instance, always brings her famous Onion Compote, which we put on top of the roast beef (barbecue) and gives the perfect combination of flavors; You have the salty of the meat combined with the bittersweet taste of the onion compote.

To be honest, I am not a huge fan of meat in general but my family’s barbecue with my grandmother’s onion compote is so yummy that I just can’t help myself and eat it all. Today I decided to share with you my grandmother’s onion compote so you can also have the perfect barbecue this summer! But even if you are not a meat lover like myself, this compote is so versatile that you can eat in different ways like on top of your favourite cheese (my personal preference is on top of Brie cheese), or even just with crackers or a toasted bread.

Just a side note, onion and garlic are not only responsible for making your food taste better but also they are very important for our diet and overall health. Specialists say that these vegetables are rich in nutrients and vitamins. Some studies even suggest that the consumption of onion and garlic regularly can help you to reduce inflammation and lower high blood pressure, so go ahead and add Onions and Garlic to your favourite food!

Before jumping into the recipe and the method of making it, I just want to explain that this method of cooking onions is also a way to preserve them. This compote can be stored in a cold dark place (fridge) for up to 6 months, and the taste just gets better with time. This recipe is very easy to make and does not require many ingredients.

Onion Compote

Ingredients:

- 4 pcs, Onions (I used 1 red onion and 3 white ones)

- 3 cloves, Garlic

- 3 springs, Fresh thyme

- 10ml, Olive oil

- 50ml, Lemon juice (half lemon)

- 60ml, Red wine vinegar

- 124ml, Red wine

- 95g, Sugar

- 1 tsp, Honey

- 1 pinch, Salt and back pepper

Method:

- Peel the onions and then cut then into half. After cut then into horizontal slices of 0.5 cm. Peel the garlic and cut into slices.

- Preheat a frypan in a medium heat. When the pan is hot add the olive oil and the garlic and onions with a pinch of salt. Cook the onions for about 10minutes or until them start getting softer and having a gold color.

- Add the red wine and let it reduce; make sure to stir it with a wooden spoon to incorporate the wine reduction in the onions. Then add the sugar, honey, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste. Add the little leaves of the fresh thyme as well. Mix everything together and wait until start simmering.

- Lower the heat to the low and let it cook for about 15-20minutes. Stir occasionally. The onions needs to be very soft and you will have a glazed liquid on the pan as well. Let it cool down a little bit before you transfer it to the jars.

- Use a glass jar that have been cleaned in boiling water (to kill spoilage bacteria) and put your onion compote in it. After putting the compote in the glass jar let it get the room temperature and then put the lid on and make sure that the jar is well sealed. Put it in the fridge and let it develop the flavors for at least a day before you eat it. (I usually eat the compote after 2 days or more)

- Serve the onion compote as an accompaniment to cheeses, grills, crackers, roast beef, salad and so on.

I am including some pictures of the whole process of making this recipe and also the final result. The flavor is bittersweet with notes of caramelized onion sweetened with the sugar and honey, but specially the deglaze of red wine, the freshness of the lemon and thyme, a little spiciness from the black pepper (by the way, I used the coarse grind black pepper instead of the ground black pepper just because I wanted to add some crunchiness to it). So if you are an onion’s lover you should try this recipe and enjoy a new way to eat it.

[luizrodrigues91]

Plant-Based vs Animal-Based Diets

Hey everyone, today I want to talk a little bit about a very interesting diet that is very popular nowadays, the Plant-Based diet. I will give you a brief explanation of the main difference between a Plant-Based diet and an Animal-Based Diet. I will be also sharing a super delicious and healthy vegan recipe.

As the name suggests, The plant-based diet consists of consuming food that is primarily from plants; This includes vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, and oils. On the other hand, in an animal-based diet, your main source of food comes from animals like fish, poultry, meat, eggs, dairy and so on.

For years, people has been skeptical about adopting a plan-based diet because they believe essential nutrients such as protein and amino acids that are necessary for our body to work effectively and maintain a good health can only come from animal products. The truth is that you can fulfill all your protein needs from a plant-based diet too, with the value added that they are rich in fibre, minerals, vitamins, and it is free of cholesterol and very low in fats and calories as opposed to food based on animals which are typically rich in calories, cholesterol, saturated fat, etc., which can endanger our health when consumed in excess.

Having a plant-based diet is very healthy and can help you prevent a variety of diseases like heart disease, diabetes type 2, cancer and many more. A diet rich in animal products could increase the likelihood of suffering health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease due to the amount of saturated fat that can be found in some meats, reason why It is recommended to limit meat consumption and substitute with plant-based food. Also, diabetes type 2 is linked to bad fat consumption, which wouldn’t be a problem on a plant-based diet where the amount of bad fat is low, helping the body to keep a healthy weight, improve insulin functions, and regulate the blood sugar, preventing the risk of having this disease. Furthermore, many studies are suggesting that a plant-based diet can even help to prevent cancer because this diet is rich in nutrients, minerals, and fibre which increase the protection of our body against these disorders.

As if the health benefits of a plan-based diet was not enough, This diet has also a positive impact on the enviroment. The production of food based on animal sources are responsible for a good amount of greenhouse gas emissions, which has a huge impact on the climate change. If people start eating more plant-based products, the production of animal-based food would decrease and the environment will benefit from that.

I am personally not a huge fan of meat and I limited its consumption drastically over the past couple years because I realized that my body does not work well when I eat a lot of meat. I changed my way of eating and included more plant-based food on my diet. Since I made this easy and simple changes, my body and my mind feel better.

In order to include more vegetarian dishes on my diet, I had to experiment and get creative in the kitchen, which has been a pleasant surprise because plant- based products are so rich in textures, flavours, and colours that the possibilities are endless. Speaking about dishes, I want to share with you a Vegan recipe that I love and it is inspired by a famous Disney movie named “Ratatouille”.

When I saw that movie my mouth was watering; as soon as the movie ended, I did some internet research and rushed to the grocery store to get all the ingredients to make my version of ratatouille. Ever since, I make this recipe on a regular basis for my family and friends and they love it. I have made some changes from the original recipe over the years to accommodate personal preferences resulting in an exquisite and enhanced version of the original. Below you will find my version of the famous Ratatouille recipe and cooking instructions.

Ratatouille

Ingredients:

- 2 Eggplants, small

- 2 Zucchinis, small

- 2 Carrots, small

- 6 Roma tomatoes

- 4 Yellow potatoes

- 2 tsp Tomato pasto

- 1 Onion, diced

- 4 clove Garlic

- 50ml Olive oil

- 30g Green onion or cilantro, garnish

- Water, hot (until cover the ingredients)

- Salt, black pepper and oregano to season

Method:

- Preheat the oven for 375°F (190°C)

- Wash all the vegetables (eggplant, zucchini, carrot, tomato and potato) and start slicing them into thin slices, then set aside

- Save the trimming of the vegetables to make the sauce. (You can include the slices that are not irregular in the sauce)

- Peel and dice the onion and garlic

- Dice the green onion and set aside for garnish

- In a saucepan, put the olive oil and the onions and cook it until start getting the gold color

- Add the vegetable trimmings, diced garlic, tomato paste, and season with salt and pepper

- Add hot water until cover the ingredients and bring to a boil and then to simmer. Let it cook until the ingredients are soft and the water reduces

- After you prepare this mixture (will look like a very concentrated veg soup), let it cool down and then blend it to make the purée

- In a round tray put the sauce (vegetables purée) on the bottom and arrange the sliced vegetables in alternating patterns on top of the sauce from the outer edge to the middle of the round tray. After that season with salt, black pepper and oregano. Also drizzle the olive oil on top of the vegetables.

- Cover it with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, then bake for another 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are softened.

- When it’s done you garnish it with the green onion and you can put a pinch of black pepper and oregano on top as well (according to your preference)

This recipe is very easy to make and you can play with the ingredients using the ones of your preference. The biggest challenge in this recipe for me is cutting all the vegetables in the same thickness and shape because I like everything to look uniform but you do not need to worry about that because the flavours will still there anyway. However, I would recommend you to try to cut all the vegetables without any equipment to practise your cutting skills. It is fun!

Hope you all enjoy this recipe and remember that it is totally possible to have a beautiful, flavourful and nutritive dish without any animal-based ingredient. Try to cook any plant-based food (like this one that I did) and invite your family and friends to eat with you. I'm sure that they will like it and will find the flavours very interesting!

References:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-a-plant-based-diet-and-why-should-you-try-it-2018092614760

https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/scientific-benefits-following-plant-based-diet/

https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/plant-based-diets

[luizrodrigues91]

Gastronomical Adventure - Sensory Evaluation

Butter Chicken

Hey everyone, today I want to share with you one of my gastronomical adventures. By now, you are probably aware of my love for food. What you are not probably aware is that I also like interacting with people from different countries and learning about their culture (specially about their food).

When I decided to move to Canada, one of my first requirements was to find the most multicultural city to live in. After some research, Toronto was on top of my list. Since I got here I had the opportunity to experience a variety of dishes from all over the world. I usually say that Toronto is a mini version of the world because you can find literally everything in here. Of course, I would love to travel the world and experiment the different cultures first hand but, as a student with a limited budget, I can not do it now but maybe one day. However, I am pretty happy to live in a multicultural country that introduced me to such diversity. I have already tried a variety of food from many ethnicities like Canadian, Mexican, Korean, Turkish, Bulgaria, Greek, Venezuelan, Chinese, Filipino, Jamaica, and Japanese. Honestly, there is a lot of good stuff for each of these cuisines and I always get amazed by its peculiarities and different flavours.

Today I am going to share my first experience trying an interesting dish, from I country I didn’t know much about when I was living in Brazil: India. I confess that I was hesitant to try this dish because I had heard that Indian dishes are very spicy and my level of tolerance is very low. So you can imagine how I was feeling about trying an Indian dish. Anyways, my roommate just loves ‘Butter Chicken’ which is a famous Indian dish and he always offers it to me. Last weekend I decided to be brave and give it a try.

First, to give you a bit of context, Butter Chicken is an Indian dish that was created in Delhi, India. This dish has the very traditional Indian spice Curry. The dish is made with tandoori chicken cooked in butter and tomato sauce and It is very creamy. You can find butter chicken served in different ways, like as a filling in wraps, rotis, rolls, pies, etc. Also, you can simply have it with rice or bread on the side. The one that I tried was with bread. My roommate and I ordered the Butter Chicken from his favourite restaurant in Toronto. When the food was delivered I noticed the peculiar and strong smell of curry and its aroma was everywhere in the house. My roommate first enlightened me on the way that this dish is usually consumed and we dig right into it. My first impressions are that butter chicken is very flavourful and you can taste the seasoned cream and the moist chicken that melts in your mouth. It's a salty dish full of seasoning and herbs. It has a brownish colour and yes! It is spicy; The bread gave a great contrast though and I loved the bread with the creamy sauce. The bread was naan, which looks like a tortilla and the taste is delicious with some garlic flavour. For some reason, this dish reminded me of the ‘Chicken Stroganoff’ dish that I usually do but without the rich combination of spices. By the way, I got a low spicy version of it, however, even the low spicy was too much for me and obviously, I could not finish the whole dish but it was a great experience. If it would have been less spicy, I would have eaten it all.

With that being said, I want to encourage you to try something new even though it is something you think you won’t like. You are just going to know if you like it or not just by try it. Furthermore, you can find yourself falling in love with a new dish. I love that I allowed myself to try the Butter Chicken and share a good time with my roommate. He loved that I tried something from his country. This was awesome! As I always say “food is connection; it is expression of love”. Definitely, I want to have it again but now I know that I have to ask for a mild one!.

Picture reference: https://www.wellplated.com/slow-cooker-butter-chicken/

[luizrodrigues91]

Vegetables Soup with Noodles

First of all, I need to confess that I am not a huge fan of soups (I know, weird!), but this recipe is so delicious that it always makes me lick the plate clean.

For starters, you might be wondering why I am not a fan of soups. Here is the thing: I remember that when I was younger and got sick, the meal that my mother always cooked for me was soup, and now I tend to associate eating soup with being sick, which nobody likes.

My mother has always insisted that we eat this soup because it is rich in nutrients and good for the health, but she always faced some challenges to get me and my siblings to eat it, so she had to get creative and tweak the recipe a bit to make it more appealing to us, and this is how the recipe I am about to share was born.

First, she included noodles to try to convince me that this was just a bowl of pasta with vegetables (Very smart of her because it worked!); and Second, she added sweet potatoes, which was my favourite vegetable. These simple two additions made the original recipe even better and made me enjoy it.

Below you will find the recipe and the method of making it. Also, I will include a couple of pictures and some notes about the ingredients.

Vegetables Soup with Noodles

Ingredients:

- 50g Butter (or Lard)

- 150g Onion (one large unit)

- 120g Potato (one unit)

- 130g Sweet Potato (one unit)

- 120g Carrot (one unit)

- 100g Zucchini (one unit)

- 250g pasta (your preferred - I use spaghetti)

- 30g Kale (or spinach)

- 1 tsp Garlic puree

- 2 chicken broth cubes

- Water, hot (until cover all the ingredients)

- Salt, black pepper, and saffron powder to season

- Parley for garnish

Method:

- Clean all vegetables. Peel onion, carrot, potato and sweet potato.

- Cut onion into small dice. Set aside

- Cut potato and sweet potato into small dices then cut the carrot and zucchini into small dices as well. Set aside

- In a pan put the butter and onion. Cook the onion until it gets soft.

- Add all the other vegetables (carrot, sweet potato, potato, and zucchini) but kale. Then add the garlic purée and sweet the vegetables in middle heat.

- Add hot water until cover everything in the pan and add the 2 chicken broth cubes (or you can add chicken stock until cover everything instead)

- Bring the mixture to boiling and then turn down the heat to simmering.

- Add the pasta when the mixture is still boiling.

- Add salt, black pepper (how like you desire) and 1tsp of saffron powder.

- Cook everything until the potatoes are soft and the pasta is cooked then you can add the kale and turn off the stove.

- Your soup is now ready and it is better to serve it hot.

- After you put the soup in a medium bowl to serve, you can garnish the bowl with parsley on top and some slices of bread or crackers on the side.

Sensory Evaluation: The appearance is thick. There is a great flavor of vegetables and a little flavor of chicken. There is an aroma of tempered vegetables. The texture of the vegetables are soft and the liquid is rich in flavor coming from the vegetables and seasoning.

Note: this soup goes very well on a cold day, specifically for dinner. Also, feel free to add any kind of season that you like. My sister usually adds chimichurri to it as well and it tastes very good.

Here is a photograph of the final result of this recipe. I usually serve it in a bowl with some crackers or bread on the side. It is so yummy!

Here is a photograph of the vegetables used for this recipe. I usually try to cut them into the same shape because it is easy to cook and looks better when you plate it.

As you can see this recipe is very easy to make and the final result is just surprisingly amazing and very tasteful even though there are just vegetables and noodles inside. Also, the chicken stock adds a lot of flavours to it.

One of my difficulties in making this recipe was finding the seasons that my mother uses, like the chicken brath in cubes and the saffron in powder but luckily, I found even the same brand that my mother usually uses in Brazil. Thanks, Walmart for that!

Making this recipe was very emotional because it reminds me of my family in Brazil. I sent the picture of the final product to my mother and told her that I made her soup recipe for my blog. She loved it and also told me that she makes this soup on a weekly basis now because my father loves it.

I also decided to have this amazing soup with my roommates for dinner and they just loved it. They said that the smell was awesome and that it was very tasty, with the noodles adding richness to it. I was so happy and proud to share this dish with them after a long day of work and school.

I encourage you to give it a try and make this recipe and have it with your loved ones or friends. I am sure they will love it. Remember that “A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.” (Thomas Keller)

[luizrodrigues91]

I would like to suggest that you check out my friend’s blog. Her name is Thays Araujo and she is also very passionate about the culinary world. On her blog, you will find amazing recipes that are very easy to follow. If you don’t know how to cook or if you don’t feel confident with your culinary skills, her blog is perfect for you. We both was born in Brasilia, Brazil and she posted some recipes of Brazilian dishes. So if you are curious about food from different places in the world, you should check out her blog.

[luizrodrigues91]

There is nothing better than having a good meal surrounded by our loved ones. Picture reference: https://www.woodstock-inn-ny.com/food-drink.html

[luizrodrigues91]

A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe.

Thomas Keller

[luizrodrigues91]

Intro

Hey everyone! Welcome to my culinary blog. Here I will be sharing a little bit about myself and some of my passions in life which involves family, friends, and food.

My name is Luiz, and I was born and raised in Brazil. I am currently living in Toronto, Canada and I felt in love with this country since the day that I landed here. I moved to Canada in September of 2017. Moving to Canada was one of the biggest decisions in my life. Leaving my family, friends, and career in Brazil to follow my dreams was very hard but to be honest I do not regret it. This place gave me and is still giving me the opportunity to learn more about myself and discover new things, especially different cultures and meet people from all over the world. I am a Lawyer, graduated in 2016 that found joy in helping people to fight for their rights. When I decided to move to Canada I told myself that I was going to explore and try to do different things in my life that make me happy, and I am definitely doing that. So here I am, starting a new chapter, and I will be sharing with you everything about it and how the culinary world became my passion. Cooking was a hobby that quickly became my joy, my Expression of Love. I learned the basic skills of cooking with my mother and it was also through her that I learned that cooking for someone is also one way to show love. This can sound silly for you but, once I asked her what she does to make everything she cooks taste so amazing, the answer was simply: “When we do things with love the result will always be special”. I love to discover new tastes and dishes from different parts of the world. I am always watching culinary and pastry TV shows and trying to learn some skills and new recipes and then cook them for my family and friends. There is nothing better for me than having a good meal surrounded by my loved ones. I am currently taking a course in Culinary Skills at George Brown College in Canada in order to gain new skills and learn more about this beautiful and fascinating world of food. I want to become a chef not only for a gratifying career but also to be able to cook the best meals for my family and friends. I strongly believe that this course will open the door to new and exciting opportunities that I can not wait to explore; as my father always says, “You can say that you know somebody or have a good relationship with them just when you eat 1kg of salt together”. This sounds crazy, right?! But I totally agree with him because to eat that amount of salt with someone you will need to spend a lot of time sharing meals with this person. So cooking for my loved ones is an opportunity to spend time with them and know them better, also express my love and appreciation for them through my dishes. 

I never thought about creating a blog but I am very excited to take this great opportunity to not just post some pictures of my dishes, like I usually do on others Social Media, but also to be able to share the recipes and my story, my passion for food and my philosophy that Food is an Expression of Love.