Author: Carma Spence

Carma Spence has been experimenting in the kitchen since she was four years old and loves trying out new recipe ideas. She is the author of Bonkers for Bundt Cakes and Your Perfect Pie, as well as author and contributor to several more non-food-related books. With Carma's Cookery, she is taking her passion for empowering people and blending it with her passion for cooking, gift-giving and entertaining.

Flavor Blending

The Secrets To Pairing Your Food and Drink

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 30, 2017

Food and drink go hand in hand. They’re our sustenance, the things that keep us alive, as well as the main joy of most meals. So when it comes to pairing our food and drinks together, why are we so lazy about what tastes best? We settle for whatever we prefer in each category, without really taking into consideration what can really bring out the flavors in each dish that we are sampling. Pairing your food and drink together is something that can really open your eyes to the true tastes of both dish and beverage.

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Spirits

There are a lot of very different spirits that you can choose from, each being almost synonymous (for some foodies) with their own particular set of dishes. For example, whiskey is traditionally meant to be sipped with beef; the flavors complement each other and offer a perfect match for most dishes.

Different whiskeys from different countries can be set and sampled with the traditional flavors from the nation’s favorite dishes – you can review Kikori Japanese whiskey with a number of meals from Japan to see just how perfect a pairing can be. Take a moment to savor the undertones of the spirit that you are drinking, as most of the time these can be finely tuned even more so with the dish that you are eating.

Wines

There are a whole host of colors and flavors of wine to pick from that can do everything from complement to completely ruin your meal. The general rule is that red wine is meant to be paired with red meat and white with white meat and fish, but if you stick to this then there are so many great combinations that you could be potentially missing out on.

There are websites dedicated to letting you know which up and coming wines are the ones to go for and with which food you are preparing.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks

This isn’t so much thinking about what soda you can have with your meal, but instead venturing out into other drinks which may be able to better enhance the food that you are consuming. For those who are going out and eating who aren’t drinking, trying to pair your food and drink together can be a challenge. Alcoholic drinks offer a depth and a myriad of complex flavors which are made up from a strong base; they have often been fermented, taking a while to reach the point where they are the drinks that we know and love.

The majority of non-alcoholic drinks can’t offer this, and so there have been specific creations of drinks that can. Most of these drinks are based on the principle of infusing herbs in with the water that you are drinking that are also included in your meal to bring out the flavors that you want to intensify.

Have a go with your next meal; simply get a glass of iced water and put in some fresh herbs (amount depending on how much flavor you want to bring out) and see if it’s something that suits your palette.

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Tags beverages, drinks, food pairing, spirits, wine

Flavor Blending Healthy Living

Add More Flavor While Keeping Meals Healthy

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 29, 2017
1 Comment on Add More Flavor While Keeping Meals Healthy

People often make the mistake of thinking that to add a little more taste to their food they have to make it more unhealthy. For instance, you add salt to give it a little bite. Or, you add sugar to the sauce to make it a tad sweeter. Well, there are healthy ways to add taste to your food and still get a great healthy meal. Here are some of the best options.

Use Organic Vegetables

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Most people agree that organic vegetables actually taste better and this means that they are the perfect way to add a little more taste to your sauces. Just think about how much better your tomato sauce would taste if you used tomatoes straight from your backyard! Or, how about buying some organic potatoes next time you want some vegetables with your roast dinner. You’ll be amazed by the difference this will make, and while it’s a tad more expensive, it’s definitely worth it.

Rub It In

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If you want to add some taste to your meat, you might want to try using a meat rub. Top chefs have been using Diamond Dales World Famous Spice and Rub to make meat taste delicious. The best part is that products like this have no salt and are completely gluten free. So, it’s the perfect way to treat your taste buds without cheating when you’re on a diet.

A Little Lemon

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How about adding a little lemon juice to your meal? This will give it a delightful, zesty taste that is just perfect for a salad or any dish where you want to be a little more adventurous with the taste. You can even use it to season your meat and lemon juice works particularly well over chicken. I’ve even used it to saute green beans!

Pass The Parsley?

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How about something so simple that will add a lot of flavor to your meals? You can add parsley to anything from a delicious stew to some hardboiled eggs, and you’ll get an extra kick of flavor. If you want an extra tip, don’t mince it as most people tend to. Instead, leave it whole and that way you’ll get a more prominent taste when you give it a chew.

Minty Fresh

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It’s not just great with ice cream. A minty taste can really make your spaghetti taste great because it’s so sweet and fresh. It can also enhance the flavor of chicken soup. There’s also the bonus benefit of making sure you get your daily vitamins. Mint is packed full of vitamin C, making it a wonderfully healthy addition to any meal. And did I mention you can grow it in your home? If you grow it on your kitchen, it will always be on hand when you want to add something new and exciting to your cooking.

Wine And Dine

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Red wine is good for you so I don’t think it’s cheating to say that adding a splash of this to your meals could be considered healthy. It will also give certain meals gorgeous, rich flavors and I think you’ll love the taste it brings to your bolognese. But don’t take my word for it. Try it for yourself!

I hope you see now that adding a little more taste to a meal doesn’t have to result in an unhealthy dish.

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Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

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Tags flavor

Healthy Living

Love Food Even When Food Doesn’t Love You Back

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 24, 2017

If you love food, then it can be utterly heartbreaking when you start to suspect that your body might not be reacting well to some of the ingredients you truly love. If you’re dealing with cramps, gas, bloating, or stomach pain, you might be intolerant or your diet might just need a little adjustment. Let’s look at how you keep loving food even when it seems like that relationship isn’t always reciprocated.

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Learn the usual suspects

Everyone should know that some foods are more likely to cause gut problems than others. You might love the occasional spicy meatball, for instance, but indulging in spicy or fatty foods too often will at the very least lead to indigestion. Carb-dense foods that are low in fiber can really slow the digestive process, as can excess fructose and artificial sweeteners.

Get specific with your approach

Sometimes it’s not about the overall diet but about the particulars of what exactly you’re eating. It might be painful to have to say goodbye to an ingredient you love, but you need to narrow down what foods are bringing out what reactions. A diet and symptom diary helps you narrow down the list. You might discover that your body just doesn’t react very well to certain vegetables, or you might discover something with broader impacts like an intolerance to gluten or dairy products.

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See if something more serious is going on

It might not just be down to the food but what else is going on in your body. Sometimes, you don’t need to eat much at all for irritable bowel syndrome to play up, for instance. But treatment for irritable bowel syndrome can also clear up many of those symptoms, leaving you free to occasionally indulge in the ingredients you love without fear of too much reprisal. Again, you still need to learn if you have any trigger foods worth avoiding in future. IBS isn’t curable, but it is highly treatable, so don’t feel like it’s going to forever spoil your love of food.

Encourage that gut health

Good IBS treatment also takes into account the balance of probiotics and prebiotics in your stomach, but you should be doing that anyway. There are a lot of probiotic foods like miso and sauerkraut that can promote the presence of healthy bacteria that keep your digestive system working well. But the most widely available probiotic food is Greek yogurt. There are plenty of Greek yogurt recipes to incorporate it into your diet, too. You can have breakfast fruit and yogurt bowls, dinners like pasta with yogurt sauces or sides like Greek yogurt egg salad.

Most of the time, dealing with recurring gut health issues is more about individual foods you might better avoid. But sometimes it’s about broader aspects of your lifestyle, such as the balance of bacteria in the stomach, or a long-term condition you’re going to have to deal with from now on. Hopefully, the points above help you change your cooking and eating habits so that you can love your food without your body fighting it all the time.

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Take Charge of Your Health!

Changing your eating habits can be tough. But it doesn’t have to be if you take a little time to think it out and create a plan.

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Tags food allergies, food intolerance, food issues

Creative Cookery

5 Ways to Spice up Your Lunchtime Sandwiches

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 19, 2017

The classic sandwich is arguably one of the most iconic foods in the world — and for good reason! It’s so simple to create, it’s perfect for packed lunches, there are countless varieties, and it’s nutritionally packed if you put the right stuff in it. However, sandwiches can get pretty boring if you’re eating the same things over and over again.

The classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich is delicious and nostalgic, but it can get rather dull after so many years. The bacon lettuce and tomato is another staple for many people, but again, eating the same thing over and over will tire you out.

So in order to spice up your lunchtime sandwiches, here are five unique ideas to try out for your next sandwich. I won’t go through exact recipes (sandwiches should be flexible!) but I will go through some basic ideas and give examples.

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Leftover Sandwiches

One of the best ways to use leftovers is to cut them up and stuff them into sandwiches the next morning. It’s a great way to cut down on food waste and you’re always guaranteed to have a unique sandwich the next day. For instance, if you have a roast chicken dinner the previous night, then you could try chicken, lettuce and mayo sandwiches that are similar to the classic chicken burger. If you had macaroni and cheese, then there’s nothing wrong with trying a mac and cheese sandwich with some crispy bacon bits. Get creative with your leftovers and you’ll never have a boring or dull sandwich again!

One leftover sandwich that I found surprisingly delicious was the leftover Thanksgiving sandwich: Turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce on your favorite bread. De-lish!

Different Types of Bread

Why stick to the same old bread? Give baguettes a try, panini bread, or even tortilla wraps to house all of your toppings. You can buy sourdough bread in sliced loaf form. Give that a try! Mixing it up now and then is a fantastic way to give your sandwich some new textures and tastes, so don’t neglect the difference a new type of bread or wrap can make for your delicious ingredients.

Use Healthier Options

Turning over a new leaf? Then why not consider cutting out the unhealthy sauces, dressings, and butter? Try using butter made from hemp seeds for a unique taste in your sandwich. Tired of spreading store-bought mayo? Try making your own mayo instead and adjust the flavoring as you see fit. You might also give Vegenaise a try … I love it! A spicy sriracha mayo is a fantastic idea if you want a little kick to your sandwich.

Grill It

Tired of cold cut sandwiches? Try grilling your sandwich! You don’t have to stick with the classic grilled cheese. Add in your favorite lunch meats. Use fun bread. Use mayo on the outside instead of butter — it changes the flavor nicely. Something I’ve been experimenting with is adding Parmesan cheese to the outside of sourdough bread slices. I got the idea from Ruby’s Diner and I’m loving it!

Fruit Sandwiches

Fruit sandwiches are a staple in Japanese cooking. These colorful creations are often seen in the lunchboxes of children or as a lunchtime snack when friends are visiting. The toppings usually consist of strawberry, kiwi, banana or any other solid fruit, and whipped cream is spread between the slices to make a filling. The bread should be nice and soft and you can sprinkle some cinnamon or sugar for added taste. These make fantastic desserts as well and you could even grill them a little to heat up the fruit. And, of course, there is the classic fruit sandwich of my youth: Peanutbutter, banana and honey. Yum!

Tags grilled sandwich, sandwhiches

Special Occasions

Foodie Fun with Friends – Six Interesting Ideas

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 13, 2017

Have you noticed that it is nearly impossible to socialize with friends and family with food or drink is involved? Eating and drinking is a natural part of how human so socialize — at home or out and about. However, we can often get stuck in a rut when it comes to spending time with our friends, and end up doing the same thing each time. Which is why I thought it would be worth sharing with you some other interesting ways to spend some time with loved ones, while still having a foodie angle. Interested? Read on to find out more.

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Foodie fun idea #1: An afternoon tea

There may not be anything better than enjoying a high tea with some of your nearest and dearest. Afternoon tea is growing in popularity, and whether you choose to book in someplace swank or create your own at home, it is a lovely way to enjoy an afternoon with friends and family. Enjoy scrumptious sandwiches and decadent cakes along with your tea. If you want to create your own, you only have to search the internet for cakes with a special recipe that will give your tea the wow factor. Or check out this book I reviewed.

Foodie fun idea #2: Take turns cooking a course

Here’s a foodie fun idea: Hold a revolving course party with your friends. I’ve heard of people holding these monthly or quarterly. At each party, each friend is in charge of one of courses – first, second, dessert, etc. Each time a party is held, the assigments and host location is switched out. This is something everyone can look forward to and it allows each friend to experiment and shine the light on their cooking prowess.

Foodie fun idea #3: Head out to a Michelin starred restaurant

Is visiting a Michelin starred restaurant on your bucket list? Why check it off with some of your friends? It’s a chance to eat some of the food prepared by the world’s most talented chefs. Just head to the Internet to find some of the top restaurants to try out. Whether you choose to do this locally, or while in on vacation, you will never be short of venues to try.

Foodie fun idea #4: Celebrate cultural dates in the calendar

You’re probably aware of such cultural observances as Chinese New Year and Cinco de Mayo, but did you that pretty much every culture on the planet also has a day the celebrates their heritage? Why not use these observances to inspire some foodie fun with your friends? Enjoy food from a particular culture on a set celebratory day and learn something new during the process! You can find some to get you started here.You can find some to get you started here.

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Foodie fun idea #5: Set each other cooking challenges

Are you up for a challenge? What about your foodie friends? If so, this foodie fun ideas will tickle your fancies: Set challenges to create different meal options or dinner parties. Perhaps creating a meal from scratch in under twenty minutes. Or using specially selected ingredients that someone else chooses. You can even take your inspiration from competition food shows like Iron Chef!

Foodie fun idea #6: Throw a lavish dinner party

Finally, sometimes there is no better way to have some foodie fun than to throw a lavish dinner party and cook up some of your signature dishes — or even something you want to experiment with. Enjoying good company over even better food and drink is just one of the best ways to enjoy time with friends and family.

Tags foodie fun, friends, party ideas

Cooking Techniques Well Stocked Pantry

5 Simple Tricks For Tastier Meals

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 8, 2017

With many things in life, it’s often the smallest of tweaks and touches that make all the difference. This is certainly true when it comes to food. If you’ve been getting bored of your usual meals, and wondering how you can make them that much more satisfying, here are five simple changes you can make for tastier meals.

By Moyan Brenn from Anzio, Italy (Cooking) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Stop Preparing Garlic and Onions in Advance

As you’ve probably learned by experience, chopping up onions and garlic releases sharp, strong odors that can be overpowering in a meal. You might be tempted to prepare them in advance, but it’s best to do this at the last minute. You may also want to try soaking chopped onions and garlic in baking soda and water before they’re added to the meal. This will subdue some of the pungency, and create a much more balanced flavor.

Keep Your Fats Fresh

The fats contained in oils, butter and nuts can go rancid incredibly quickly, producing off flavors when they’re added to your cooking. To keep this from happening, start keeping their exposure to light and oxygen at a minimum. Keep your butter and nuts frozen, keep any nut-based oils in the fridge, and vegetable oils in a dark pantry.

By Elina Mark (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Start Shopping Organic

The main reason to shop organic is avoiding pesticides and the risk of super bugs in the produce you eat. However, many will agree that organic foods taste much better than regular, processed foods. Because organic ingredients cost more to buy from vendors, many companies that sell them go the extra mile in making sure they taste great. From the vegetables you regularly pick up in your grocery shopping to the best organic coffee on the market, there are all kinds of foods you can swap out.

Wait for the Pan to Heat Up

The second you add food to a pan, the temperature of the surface will drop. Don’t make the common mistake of rushing the preheating stage when you’re cooking. Give it a little while, waiting for the oil in the pan to simmer before dropping in vegetables. When you’re frying proteins, on the other hand, you should wait for those first tiny wisps of smoke to rise from the oil.

Stop Throwing Out the Fond

When you finish cooking, and see all those brown, caramelized bits sticking to the base of the pan, your first reaction might be to throw it all out. Resist this urge! This residue is bursting with potent, savory flavor, which can make all the difference to how your food tastes. Instead, get into the habit of deglazing your pans with some kind of liquid. Wine, juice and broth are all good choices. Then, scrape the fond free with a spoon or spatula, and incorporate it in the finished meal. For a creamier sauce, stir in a little sour cream. Yum!

There you have five simple habits you can get into that will make your cooking tastier. Obviously, everyone has their own palate, but keep experimenting with these kinds of creative tricks, and soon you’ll figure out which ones work for you.

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Tags fond, garlic, onion, organic

Special Occasions

Summer Road Trip Food You Can Prepare in Advance

Post author By Carma Spence
Post date June 7, 2017

With the summer come the summer trips … and if you aren’t prepared, the sky-rocking costs of eating out on the road. However, a day trip with the kids — whether to a theme park or just out for a drive to the coast — doesn’t have to break the bank. Nor does it have to be junk food. Read on for some ideas for road-trip food you can prepare in advance.

Source: Pexels

It makes both financial and nutritional sense to prepare summer road-trip food beforehand, pack everything into containers such as thermal lunch boxes and enjoy home-cooked goodness even when you’re far from your home.

Pre-prepared food, however, has a pretty dire reputation. Soggy lettuce, damp bread, wilted pasta – it’s not particularly appetizing, is it? That’s why you need some new, summer-friendly recipes that you can quickly prepare the morning before and still enjoy on your day trip.

Road-Trip Food Idea #1: Cumin Chicken & Pumpkin (with chickpea salsa)

Here’s an exotic twist to road-trip food. Chicken is a good meat to pre-cook, as it tends to keep its consistency well – just make sure you allow it to cool before packaging it away, unless you’re using a thermal container. This spicy, light recipe is found here. The pumpkin adds a sweet touch that the cumin cuts through nicely, but you could use any vegetable of your choosing.

Road-Trip Food Idea #2: Macaroni & Cheese

It’s a classic for a reason! Macaroni and cheese keeps well, and some people even prefer to eat it cold (the same is true of my third choice, below!). This has the extra benefit of being easy to cook. If you find mac and cheese a little bland, then recipes such as this one will change your mind for the better. On the road, pair it with kale chips which are quick enough to prepare and seal on the morning of your trip. This adds a gorgeous crunch to the meal while remaining nutritious.

Road-Trip Food Idea #3: Homemade Pizza

Pizza is a difficult one to master, but if you get it right, you’ll never need another takeout again. There’s no easy method of keeping the crust from getting soggy, so go for an Italian base so you limit the likelihood of that undesirable “mushy” feeling that some crusts can produce when left to cool. There’s a great option for Italian bases to be found here, which can ensure you get the best results. You might also try Boboli, which is nice and thick and holds pizza sauce well without getting soggy. As for toppings, the best bet is to stick with vegetables – squishy mushrooms, succulent peppers, and sweetcorn all make excellent options. If you really can’t go without the meat, you can’t go wrong with good old pepperoni.

Tags road-trip food