Figs

Build An Affordable Cheese Board

December 3, 2020

Cheese Boards are a no-cook, sure-to-please option for any holiday celebration. Build a cheeseboard that’s affordable yet special. Then toast the season with festive cocktails.

A few inexpensive ingredients and simple homemade touches are all you need for a spectacular, special occasion-worthy spread. Here are some smart tips to deck your board with festivity and flavor without breaking the bank.

For a classic, colorful centerpiece, make your own cranberry and herb cheeseball. Start with a container of spreadable cheese and form into a ball. Use a sheet of plastic wrap to avoid messy hands. Roll the ball in a combination of finely chopped dried cranberries, parsley, and chives until thoroughly coated. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

No need to buy expensive cheeses. Inexpensive cheddar is always a crowd pleaser. Skip the pre-cut cubes and cut the block yourself. Orange or white, mild or extra sharp. Cheddar is always a favorite.

Upgrade affordable goat cheese by rolling the log in herbs and spices, like dried thyme, dried oregano, or crushed rainbow peppercorns for a beautiful, flavorful crust. You could also keep it plain and top with jarred pepper jelly or mango chutney.

Instead of mixed nuts, opt for crunchy snack mixes, which are often less expensive and just as delicious. For the board, look for one with little or no seasoning.

Give a budget-friendly feta or mini mozzarella balls a flavor boost by marinating cubes in olive oil with herbs like parsley, oregano, or rosemary, and other seasonings like sliced chilis, crushed garlic, or lemon zest. Refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.

Round out your cheese board with other delicious items like fresh or dried fruit (dried apricots, figs, grapes, and sliced pears), pitted olives, and plain crackers.

Pair your cheese board with a festive holiday beverage and enjoy!

©Tiny New York Kitchen © 2020 All Rights Reserved

Autumn Apples

October 2, 2020

Autumn’s bounty is vibrant, varied, and delicious. Apples of all varieties are now available at farmers’ markets and supermarkets, including crunchy, sweet Honeycrisp, gorgeous Galas, MacIntosh mottled with both green and red, pale yellow Ginger Golds, and dark, dusky Paula Reds.

Apples are the perfect snack, satisfying and sweet. Try slicing an apple, place the slices in a plastic baggie, sprinkle liberally with cinnamon, close the bag, and shake until the slices are well coated with cinnamon. The apple slices will stay crisp and white for several days in the refrigerator. Perfect for grab and go school lunches, picnics or work from home snack breaks.

A versatile cooking ingredient, apples go well with both sweet and savory components. Combing apples with plums, cranberries, figs, raspberries or blueberries will yield particularly pleasing desserts, such as pies, puddings, tarts, cobblers, and crisps. Whether baked, poached or sautéed, apples lend marvelous layers of flavor to breads, sauces, slaws, salads, stuffing, coleslaw, chutney, and relishes.

As the weather turns cooler, what could be more comforting than the scent of apples roasting in the oven, mingling with spicy cinnamon. Apples enjoy an easy association with all manner of spices, including allspice, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.

©Tiny New York Kitchen © 2020 All Rights Reserved

Autumn Fruit

November 8, 2019

The fruit that is available in the autumn isn’t nearly as abundant as the fruit that’s available in the summer, but there are actually some delicious seasonal autumn fruits that you can look forward to eating. Delicious, tasty, and healthy seasonal autumn fruit is also a refreshing alternative to the heavier food we tend to eat in the colder months. If you love fruit and have been missing summer’s bounty, there are plenty of autumn fruits that will satisfy your craving.

Apples are one of the quintessential autumn fruits. Every fall you will see crates full of apples at farmers’ markets. Try venturing out and get some of the lesser known varieties of apples. Each variety tastes very different and autumn is the perfect time to try all of the different varieties.

Pears are best in autumn even though you can get them year-round. In fall they make a great snack. Like apples, there are many different varieties of pears. Try as many different varieties as you can.

Pomegranates are so delicious because they’re the right combination of tart and sweet. The best pomegranates start being available in late October and early November, which means you must wait for most of autumn for them to be available.

Cranberries are not a fruit that most people think of eating. In fact, cranberries usually only make an appearance as cranberry sauce or jelly. However, there are actually other uses for this tart fruit. They make excellent smoothies when blended with oranges and bananas. Cranberries also taste great when roasted along with vegetables because they add a nice tart bite.

Grapes are a fruit that people eat by the handful. They’re delicious, and they make a nice healthy snack that children and adults love. If you have a chance, try some concord grapes this fall. They are a nice treat and a change from the globe grapes that we always find in the market.

Figs start making an appearance in grocery stores in early fall. They can be expensive, but they’re worth it. They have a wonderful sweet flavor that’s not too intense. Figs do have delicate skin so if you do buy them, make sure you plan on eating them right away.

Persimmons are a sweet fruit, but when you get persimmons you should make sure they’re fully ripe before eating them. Unripe persimmons are very astringent. Make sure they are plump and juicy before taking a bite.

“Work With What You Got!”

©Tiny New York Kitchen © 2019 All Rights Reserved

Make The Most Of Cherries

July 17, 2017

I’ve been making the most of cherry season these days and sometimes have to get a bit inventive to use them to the fullest. Here are some ways to make the most of beautiful summer cherries.

Breakfast: Make quinoa and top with almond milk and cherries for a nourishing hot cereal bowl.

Lunch: Pick your favorite whole grain to make a salad with cherries, arugula, almonds, and tarragon.

Snacks: Blend almond milk, creamy almond butter, and cherries to make a delicious smoothie.

Dinner: Grill salmon and serve with couscous combined with cherries, green onions, and toasted almonds.

Dessert: Make a cherry crisp. You may want to throw in some dates or figs to give it a little extra heartiness.

Preserve: Make cherry jam, cherry syrup, or pickled cherries.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved

Figs

February 19, 2017

Figs are truly fantastic! Dried figs are available all year round and many markets offer luxuriously sweet fresh figs throughout the year as well. Figs are a healthy and portable snack that is packed with nutrition.

Figs are rich in potassium, which helps control blood pressure. They also provide calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. Because they’re rich in fiber, figs support digestive health and may be helpful for managing a healthy weight. Figs are among the most alkaline foods and help balance the body’s pH.

Fresh figs are highly perishable, so they should be eaten a day or two after you purchase them. Look for figs that have a rich, deep color and are plump and tender, but not mushy. Wash them under cool water and remove the stem. Add fresh or dried figs to oatmeal, salads, cheese, and baked goods.

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved

Rosh Hashanah

October 1, 2016

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year (the first day of the Jewish High Holy Days) and is also known as the Feast of Trumpets. The holiday , which is also a day of remembrance, is at once solemn and festive. Joy comes not only from trust in God’s compassion, but also the anticipation of renewal and fresh starts.

The Rosh Hashanah meal becomes more than mere rejoicing as it is also a form of prayer. The table is transformed into an altar to supplicate God, partaking of symbolic foods: honeyed and sugared treats for a sweet year; round foods for a fulfilled year, unbroken broken by tragedy; foods that grow in profusion at this season and those eaten in abundance, such as rice, signifying hopes for fecundity, prosperity, and a wealth of merits.

Dinner begins with a prayer for a sweet year, dipping challah, or other sweet bread, and apples into fragrant honey. Some start with sugared pomegranates, dates, figs, or quince in rose petal syrup.

It is customary for the first course to be fish, which symbolizes fertility and God’s blessings. Seasonal vegetables like leeks, Swiss chard, black-eyed peas, and pumpkins appear throughout the meal in major and supporting roles. Delicious main dishes follow, and usually two or more sweet desserts (such as a plum tart, honey cake, or noodle kugel) conclude the meal.

A few foods, however, are unwelcome at the Rosh Hashanah table. Many Ashkenazi Jews do not eat nuts (because the numerical value of the Hebrew word for nuts is equal to the value of the word for sin). Others do not eat pickles, horseradish, or other sour foods, while Moroccans avoid foods that are black, like olives and grapes (which are considered bad omens).

“Work With What You Got!”

© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved

Healthy & Whole Foods

January 6, 2013

Healthy & Whole Foods

Many Americans have been struggling with weight issues for years.  People may lose a few pounds by trying various diets, but only to gain a few extra pounds when resuming old eating patterns.  As we get older we find that losing weight becomes much more difficult with our metabolisms slowing substantially.  Being overweight brings on serious health risks such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.  It is important for us to make a real connection between what we eat and our overall health.  Here are some eating tips that typically make a difference in weight loss and, of course, incorporating exercise into your daily routine helps significantly. 

 

Breakfast

Eat a healthy breakfast every day.  A healthy breakfast is one that consists of

Protein, fruit and whole grains.  Avoid processed foods.  Eating breakfast helps

prevent overeating later in the day.  Try eating an egg sandwich with a piece of fruit or whole grain cereal with low fat or skim milk and a banana. 

 

Water

Drink more water.  Most of us don’t drink enough water.  Substitute water for sodas, juices, alcoholic drinks and even diet sodas.  Substitute water for those high calorie drinks and you will begin to see the pounds melt away.  I like to drink sparkling water when I crave a soda.

 

Fish

Fish is great for giving you those good omega-3 fatty acids that we all need and

is lower in calories.  Stay away from eating processed meats like hot dogs and sausages.  Eat fish two to three times per week and eat red meat once a week at most.

 

Whole Grains

Whole grains are chock full of vitamins, minerals and high in fiber.  Eat whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta and brown rice.  Stay away from refined grains such as white bread and white pasta.

 

Fruits & Vegetables

We need our fruits and vegetables.  They are antioxidant rich foods that help in weight loss.  Fresh produce contains water so we feel full and satisfied longer.  Berries are great antioxidants. 

 

Dairy

Including low-fat dairy food into our diets is important.  These foods are rich in calcium and vitamin D.  Many of us are deficient in obtaining these bone building vitamins. 

 

“Diet” Foods

Just because the label says “diet” or “low-fat” or “fat-free” doesn’t mean that they are healthy for us or will promote weight loss.  These foods are typically loaded with sugar and are highly processed which means empty calories.  It would be better to eat a hand-full of nuts than to turn to these impostors. 

 

Home Cooking

As you know I am big on cooking at home.  I rarely use processed foods and would rather cook my own meals.  It takes time, money and energy, but in the end it’s worth it.  When we eat out in restaurants we truly don’t know how our food is cooked.  Chefs tend to put butter on “everything” and that’s why the meals taste good.  Also, we tend to eat much larger portions when we go out for dinner.  For certain stay away from fast food restaurants. 

 

Portion Sizes

I am a visual person.  It sounds ridiculous but the serving size for fruits and vegetables should be fist size.  Look at your fist and get a visual of what a fruit/veggie serving size should be.  A serving size of meat should be the size of a deck of cards and a serving size of fish should be the size of a checkbook. Eat smaller meals!

 

Slow Down

Eat slower.  We should spend 30 minutes eating a meal.  Eat at the table sitting down. 

 

Food Labels

Read those food labels for calories and other nutrients.  Scan the food labels for how many grams of sugar an item has.  Just because a food item my say it is low in fat it just may have a high amount of sugar. 

 

Snacking

Snacking twice a day on healthy snacks helps from overeating later in the day.  Healthy snacks are items such as fruit, carrots or a handful of nuts (not sugar coated candy type nuts).  Don’t forget that water! 

 

Gum

Believe it or not chewing gum can help keep that weight off.  I like to nibble so when I get the urge to nibble I will pop a couple pieces of gum in my mouth. 

 

Sleep

Sleep at least 7 hours per night.

 

Exercise

Join a gym and go at least 3 times a week.  If you can’t make it to a gym then walk.  Go for a walk after lunch or after dinner for 45 minutes to an hour.  Incorporate lifting some free weights into your routine. 

 

Foods To Avoid

Butter

Ice Cream

Chips

Crackers

Instant Oatmeal

Fish Sticks

Sugary Cereal

White Pasta

Cereal Bars

Candy Bars

Fried Chicken

Regular Pretzels

Potato Chips

White Bread

White Potatoes

Prepared Salad Dressings

White Rice

Cookies

 

Foods To Eat

Olive Oil

Greek Yogurt

Nuts

Seeds

Steel Cut Oats

Broiled Salmon

High Fiber Cereal

Whole Wheat Pasta

Blueberries

Piece of Dark Chocolate

Grilled/Roasted Chicken

Whole Wheat Pretzels

Unbuttered Popcorn

Whole Wheat Bread

Sweet Potatoes

Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing

Brown Rice

Figs

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