Past shootings targeted worshippers during a Sunday sermon, shoppers at a Walmart, students on a high school campus, and drivers on a highway. Among the latest victims were 19 children and two teachers in the small town of Uvalde, west of San Antonio, where on Tuesday a gunman opened fire inside an elementary school in the nation’s deadliest school shooting in nearly a decade.

Each of those tragedies in Texas — which resulted in more than 85 dead in all — occurred in the last five years.

But as the horror in Uvalde plunges the U.S. into another debate over gun violence, Texas and the state’s Republican-controlled government have by now demonstrated what is likely to happen next: virtually nothing that would restrict gun access.

Lawmakers are unlikely to adopt any significant new limits on guns. Last year, gun laws were actually loosened after a gunman at a Walmart in El Paso killed 23 people in a racist 2019 attack that targeted Hispanics.

“I can’t wrap my head around it,” said state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat whose district includes Uvalde. “It’s disturbing to me as a policymaker that we have been able to do little other than create greater access to these militarized weapons to just about anyone who would want them.”

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott identified the gunman as 18-year-old Salvador Ramos. The gunman was killed by authorities.

The cycle in Texas — a mass shooting followed by few if any new restrictions on guns — mirrors GOP efforts to block stricter laws in Congress and the ensuring outrage from Democrats and supporters of tougher gun control.

President Joe Biden angrily made a renewed push Tuesday evening after the tragedy in Uvalde. “When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?” he asked in an address from the White House.

The shooting in Texas happened days before the National Rifle Association is set to hold its annual meeting in Houston, where Abbott and other Republican leaders are scheduled to speak.

Even as Biden’s party has slim control of Congress, gun violence bills have stalled in the face of Republican opposition in the Senate. Last year, the House passed two bills to expand background checks on firearms purchases, but both languished in the 50-50 Senate where Democrats need at least 10 Republican votes to overcome objections from a filibuster.

“It sort of centers around the issue of mental health. It seems like there’s consensus in that area,” No. 2 Senate GOP leader John Thune said about how Congress should respond to the Uvalde shooting. He did not specify what that would be.

In Texas, any changes to gun access would not come until lawmakers return to the Capitol in 2023. In the past, calls for action have faded.

Abbott, who is up for reelection in November, said the shooting in Uvalde was carried out “horrifically, incomprehensibly” on children. He did not immediately say how or whether Texas would respond to this latest mass shooting on a policy level, but since he became governor in 2015, the state has only gotten more relaxed when it comes to gun laws.

Exactly one year before the Uvalde shooting, the GOP-controlled Legislature voted to remove one of the last major gun restrictions in Texas: required licenses, background checks, and training for the nearly 1.6 million registered handgun owners in the state at the time.

Abbott signed the measure, which came at the end of what was the Texas Legislature’s first chance to act after the Walmart attack.

A year later, a man went on a highway shooting rampage in the West Texas oil patch that left seven people dead, spraying bullets into passing cars and shopping plazas and killing a U.S. Postal Service employee while hijacking her mail truck.

Following a shooting at Santa Fe High School in 2018 that killed 10 people near Houston, Abbott signaled support for so-called red flag laws, which restrict gun access for people deemed dangerous to themselves or others. But he later retreated amid pushback from gun-rights supporters.

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won the GOP nomination for a third term Tuesday, told Fox News after the Uvalde shooting that the best response would be training teachers and “hardening” schools.

Democrat state Rep. Joe Moody recalled the hope he felt that the Walmart shooting in his border city might finally lead to reforms.

“And the only answer you get when we go to the Capitol is, ‘More guns, less restrictions,‘” Moody said. “That’s it.’”

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School massacre continues Texas’ grim run of mass shootings

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For the tomato sauce in the Pizza Margherita

Makes enough for 4 pizzas:

— 1 x 14 ounce (400 grams) can of San Marzano (or any good-quality Italian) tomatoes

— a good pinch of sea salt

Method:

In a large bowl, crush the tomatoes by hand. (This is the old-school way they used to do it in Naples, and for good reason. If you put the tomatoes in a food processor you end up with a depressingly smooth sauce that lacks texture.) Once you’ve crushed the hell out of your tomatoes, add a pinch of salt to taste and that’s it! Pure, unadulterated tomato goodness.

For the pizza

Makes 1 pizza

— 1 ball of Neapolitan pizza dough (see below)

— 3 ounces (80 grams) tomato sauce

— 4–5 fresh basil leaves

— Parmesan, for grating

— 1 tablespoon olive oil

— 3 ounces (80 grams) fior di latte mozzarella, torn or sliced

Method:

1. Preheat the grill (broiler) to its absolute highest setting, and place a large, ovenproof frying pan (skillet) over high heat and let it get screaming hot.

2. Meanwhile, flatten and stretch the dough ball to make a 10-inch pizza base.

3. Lay the pizza base flat in the hot, dry frying pan, then, using a small ladle (or a large spoon), spoon the tomato sauce onto the middle of the pizza. Using the back of the ladle, make concentric circles to spread the sauce, beginning in the middle and finishing 1ˆin from the edge.

4. Next, sprinkle over the basil (it will burn if put on last). Grate over a little Parmesan and drizzle with the olive oil.

5. Once the base of the pizza has browned, about 1–2 minutes, add your mozzarella, then place the frying pan under the grill on the highest shelf.

6. Once the crust has taken on some color, about 1–2 minutes, the pizza is ready!

Making Neapolitan Pizza Dough:

With the knowledge of each ingredient and the important roles they play, we can now make Neapolitan pizza dough.

Tip: Weigh out all your ingredients before you start.

Ingredients:

— 35 ounces (1000 grams) ‘00’ flour (Caputo ‘blue’ is recommend)

— 2/3 tablespoon (2 grams) fresh yeast

— 21 fluid ounces (620 milliliters) tepid water

— 1 ounce (30 grams) fine sea salt

Method

1. Make a mountain of flour in the middle of the table. Using your fist, make a deep well in the middle of the flour, exposing the surface of the table (turning your mountain into a moon crater).

2. Crumble the yeast into the tepid water. Use your good hand to mash up the yeast in the water until it has dissolved. (Keep the other hand dry for taking Instagram photos to show off to your friends.) Fill your crater of flour with a third of the yeast/water mix. Using your fingertips, start making very small circular motions to combine the flour and water.

3. Start dragging in some more flour to the mix, by ‘undercutting’ the walls of the crater with your fingertips. As you do this the mixture in the middle will become thicker. Once it reaches the consistency of porridge you need to add a bit more water. Don’t let it get too thick; if it starts to form a dough too soon it becomes difficult to incorporate the rest of the water. Keep dragging in a little flour to thicken the mix, then pouring a little bit more water in to loosen it, until you have all the water used up.

4. Sprinkle the sea salt over the mixture while it’s still very wet to ensure it dissolves and disperses evenly throughout the dough. Now use both hands to push the remaining flour from the outside into the middle. Fold and press the mix until all the flour is absorbed and the dough comes together. If you have a dough scraper it really helps get everything off the table, but you can improvise with a paint scraper, spatula, or knife.

5. Work the gluten by kneading the dough. Use the heel of your hand to stretch out the dough and roll it back up, while the other hand acts like an anchor. You’ll be able to see the strands of gluten stretching, breaking, being put back together, and becoming stronger. Continue this for about 8 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and glossy. It should also feel tighter and elastic.

6. Let the dough have a 10-minute rest to relax the gluten. Cover the dough with a damp cloth or some clingfilm (plastic wrap) to keep the air from drying it out. Then divide your bulk of dough into individual portions. We recommend 230g (8oz) dough balls for 10-inch pizzas. Ensure your dough balls are neatly shaped – pinched at the bottom and tight on the top – then place them in a tray or container 3cm (1in) apart. Cover with a tight lid or clingfilm (plastic wrap).

7. Now you can relax. The yeast will take over from here. Leave the dough at room temperature for approximately 6 hours until it expands to almost double its size, then store in the fridge overnight. The next day, remove the dough from the fridge for 1–2 hours and bring it back to room temperature before baking your pizzas.

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Recipe excerpted with permission from “Pizza” by Thom Elliot and James Elliot, published by Quadrille in November 2020.

Make a pizza Margherita like an Italian. Here’s how.

The post Make a pizza Margherita like an Italian. Here’s how. appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

The high ceilings and open seating are inviting with bright yellow walls and unusual hanging thick ropes knotted with lights. A vintage pinball and Pac Man machine in a back corner is a fun diversion for kids. Pale wood accents the sides of the counters and walls.

The menu concept is this: house-made from scratch ramen noodles in a rich broth served with an array of toppings. There’s pork chashu, seasoned poached egg, scallions, mushrooms. A Miso ramen has chicken broth, egg, miso, corn and a choice of pork belly, Korean short ribs, or veggies.

The Vegan Ramen has veggie broth and thick pieces of bok choy, roasted cauliflower, beansprouts, corn, mushrooms, inari and soft tofu, hearty enough to fill no-meat eaters.

There’s a seafood option that is akin to a Thai soup with spicy lemongrass Tom Yum broth with calamari, scallops and king prawns.

I tried the 5 Spices Duck Ramen with bean sprouts, some tender baby bok choy, garlic oil and cilantro. The duck breast was sliced into thick pieces, tender and rich tasting with the garlicky broth. I added a few shots of chili paste to give it a jolt and it hit the spot. They serve it with a large ladle type spoon and a fork if you ask so you can spear and swirl and slurp as you like.

Next time’s I’ll try one of the Poke Bowls with tuna or salmon that comes with spicy krab, seaweed salad, edamame (soy beans) and pickled ginger. A Morikami Salad Bowl offers chicken tuna or tofu with kale, romaine, tomatoes and mushrooms with sesame dressing.

If bowls aren’t your thing, they offer plates with crispy chicken or pork or marinated beef served with a variety of sides like grilled omelets, caramelized onions and even kimchee – a pickled Korean dish made with vegetables, usually cabbage.

A fun selection of Asian tapas brings it with shelled edamame, steamed Bao Bros Buns filled with chicken, pork belly, mushrooms or Korean beef with kimchee.

Dumplings are made fresh daily with choices of vegetables, lobster and shrimp, pork, steak or chicken. And there’s a full bar selection of sakes and beers from Japan as well as brews from Florida breweries.

At the back of the Ramen Lab Eatery in Delray Beach is an unusual sweets counter called Sugar Milk Boba & Dessert Bar. The menu walks you through it – first you choose a base — a milk tea, classic tea, Cheese tea (?!), Tea Freshers or a Slush. Then you choose a flavor and there are lots of them like Lavender, Honey Dew, Thai, Green Tea Lemonade, Rose Tea, Taro, Coconut, Oreo and Butterfly Pea Tea. Some need explanation, some don’t. Go ahead and ask lots of questions, they’re used to it.

Then you can choose “toppings” although these sink to the bottom – Boba, mini Boba, Grass Jelly or Bursting Boba. Boba is a Taiwanese tea based drink that sprang to worldwide weird popularity in the 1980s. The tea you choose is flavored and sweet and has bubble pearls, like a tapioca but the size of a bean, floating in the bottom. It’s like having a jelly bean gummy treat lying in wait after you ingest all the sweet milky tea flavor. Very weird but strangely addictive, and you suck the boba up through an oversized straw then pop it in your mouth to get the burst of flavor.

I tried some samples of the other desserts, the green soft serve tea with chocolate syrup, fruity pebbles, whipped cream and bubble waffle. The soft serve was cold and creamy like an ice cream, the pebbles added some crunch, and then the waffle was fun to dip and scoop up all the syrup with. It had lots of textures – cold, creamy, crunchy, sweet, chewy, but for adults it may be a bit too much sweetness.

I also tried a drink made with Ovaltine flavor and Cheesecake cream on ice. Like a super sweet chocolate shake with some slightly tart cheese cream added on. Again an unusual taste treat but overload on the sugar.

This Ramen Lab Eatery in Delray Beach is good for kids with all the games and sweet treats, but also for adults as they can tailor their meal to be vegan, locally sourced, light and healthy. A variety of seating options from long high tops to smaller tables makes it good for groups or solo diners.

The ramen has come a long way from a staple of college kids eating on the cheap. It’s now a sophisticated upscale meal and Delray’s Ramen Lab Eatery is leading the way.

The restaurant was open and owned by an energetic young food entrepreneur, Louis Grayson, who also happens to have other ventures in Palm Beach County—in Boca Raton and West Palm Beach.

If you visit, Ramen Lab Eatery is located at 25 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach, 33444. Visit their website ramenlabeatery.com for more information about their services and menu or follow their Instagram stories @Ramenlabeatery.

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Or, more precisely, the year of the beginning of the reckoning. Because at year’s end, the phenomenon of powerful men being knocked off their perches by allegations of sexual misconduct — in Hollywood, on morning television, in chic restaurant kitchens, in the U.S. Senate — showed no signs of slowing. Each morning, we awoke to ask: “Who’s next?”

To that question, we should also add, “What next?” Because as the year drew to a close, many were also wondering just how deep and lasting the change would prove, going forward. Was this, indeed, the cultural earthquake many have called it? Or was there a chance it might all eventually slip away?

“We can’t be sure,” says Gloria Steinem. “But what I CAN be sure of is that this is the first time I’ve seen women being believed.” And that, says the feminist author, “is profoundly different.”

Whatever forces had been stirring under the surface, it all burst into the open with an October scoop in the New York Times, a story alleging shocking misconduct by Harvey Weinstein. The powerful producer’s misbehavior had long been the subject of whispers, but it was actress Ashley Judd who finally gave a well-known name to the allegations — a crucial launching point for what followed. Her account of a hotel-room encounter in which Weinstein asked her to give him a massage or watch him shower sounded familiar to many others, who were inspired in the ensuing days to come forward with their own allegations against Weinstein, from harassment to assault to rape. To date, some 80 women have come forward; Weinstein still denies all nonconsensual sex.

Then came the tweet heard round the world.

“If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too’ as a status,” actress/activist Alyssa Milano tweeted on Oct. 15, “we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.” Then she went to bed.

“I couldn’t have been in bed more than eight hours, because I’m a mom,” Milano says now. When she awoke, tens of thousands had taken up the #MeToo hashtag (a phrase introduced 10 years ago by social activist Tarana Burke.) Less than 10 days later, Milano tweeted that more than 1.7 million people in 85 countries had used the hashtag.

“The thing that was so surprising was the sheer magnitude and the quickness of how it happened,” Milano says. But she feels conditions had been ripe for a good year.

The beginning

It began, she says, with the election of President Donald Trump, who had bragged openly about groping women. On top of that came some aggressive investigative reporting — she cites Ronan Farrow in The New Yorker — and the domino effect of women emboldening each other to come forward. Public fascination with anything Hollywood didn’t hurt either. “For this to have taken off the way it did, it had to be a perfect storm and we had to be ready,” she says.

Even before #MeToo happened, and just a few days after the Weinstein story broke, Anita Hill was sure something significant was happening. “I think we need something to push the needle and I think this has done it,” said Hill, a symbol of the fight against sexual harassment ever since her 1991 Senate testimony against then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. Still, she noted, it was a lot easier for Hollywood stars like Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie to speak out than it was for ordinary women experiencing harassment from their bosses.

But Hill, who for years has been living a quiet academic life at Brandeis University, stressed that the next step has to be more than just conversation: “We now have to start putting into place measures at schools and workplaces and the military … about how people should be treated, and we have to enforce them.” Hill has just been named to a new commission on sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.

The accused

As the weeks went on, the accusers multiplied, and so did the accused, from Hollywood (Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K., Brett Ratner, Dustin Hoffman) to the news business (top morning hosts Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer) to the music world (Russell Simmons) to politics (Sen. Al Franken, Alabama candidate Roy Moore) to the food world (Mario Batali). The accused lost jobs, TV shows, book deals, a Senate seat — with dizzying speed (Spacey was even erased from a completed movie.) Some simply apologized, while others fought back — like Simmons, with his hashtag #NotMe. Some apologies were more effective than others. Spacey drew flak for deciding to come out as gay as he apologized for unwanted sexual advances; Batali was scorned for appending to his email-blast apology a recipe for Pizza Dough Cinnamon Rolls.

A few voices called for differentiating between levels of sexual misconduct. It didn’t always go over well. When Matt Damon said “I just think we have to start delineating between what these behaviors are,” Milano replied on Twitter that there are various stages of cancer, “but it’s still cancer.”

Not to be forgotten were the accusers who decided not to come forward with their names, many out of fear of retaliation. Attorney Gloria Allred, who held news conferences with some Weinstein accusers, said there were many more she’d spoken to who have not yet gone public.

And what about the alleged abusers we’ve never heard of, because they’re not famous? “There have been stunning accounts of farm workers harassed in the field, factory workers on lines, restaurant workers,” says law professor Catharine MacKinnon, who decades ago pioneered the legal claim that sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. “They don’t have the high-profile man … but I’m telling you, to the women he does it to, he’s plenty big.”

Still, says MacKinnon, of the University of Michigan and Harvard law schools, “any time any victim is believed, it’s a miracle.” And that’s why the events of late 2017 have been unprecedented. “It’s amazing to me that people are being believed and listened to and responded to, and their accounts being acted on,” she says. “That’s never happened before in the history of the world.”

And to those who might still doubt there is tangible change, MacKinnon points out the remarkable sight of “white upper-class men deserting white upper-class men, in droves. We’ve never seen that before, ever. They feel they can no longer afford to be associated with this. THIS is cultural change. THIS is real social change.”

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The Year of the Reckoning. The Year of #MeToo: A scoop, a tweet, and then a reckoning. It suddenly it seemed like everything had changed overnight.

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Arepa is sort of round cornbread disc that’s cut open and stuffed with ingredients. It came from Venezuela hundreds of years ago and once everyone tasted the deliciousness, it spread like wildfire. It’s very popular in Venezuela and Colombia.

Venezuelans eat their arepas as a snack or late-night food. Many people compare this bread to an English muffin. They are often stuffed with savory fillings like shredded beef, black beans, fresh cheese, etc.

As arepa restaurants, called areperas, began becoming more commonplace, that’s when the arepa became something beyond its already extraordinary existence. Much like sandwiches, there’s really no wrong way to fill an arepa, though it should be noted that arepas without fillings are called “widows.”

You’ll find arepas in a variety of sizes. Some are the size of silver dollar pancakes while others are bigger, like burgers. They also come in varying degrees of thickness. Some are baked, some are fried, and some are grilled over hot coals. It’s really hard to have a bad arepa experience. Try them plain, with butter, or with cheese.

Traditionally, arepas were made by indigenous tribes in Venezuela by shucking corn and then allowing them to dry and preserve. Now, most people these days buy ready-made corn flour and make their own arepas. Others will seek them out at areperas, which have become widely spread in Florida, to get pretty tasty arepas with very little effort.

In Miami, Doggi’s Venezuelan Cuisine is a fantastic place to seek out for an arepa eating experience. It began life as a hot dog food truck but turned into a brick-and-mortar establishment in order to feed its massive (not to mention hungry) customer base. On the menu, you’ll find 23 different types of arepas, all of them overstuffed with incredibly delicious delights.

But if 23 different arepas sounds like a difficult decision to choose from, then head on over to Doral where you’ll find El Arepazo. They have over 70 unique arepas to try. Most of them feature fillings made with traditionally authentic Venezuelan ingredients and dishes like reina pepiada or asado negro. In addition to so many choices, you can create your own perfect arepa by mixing and matching the ingredients.

There’s really no wrong way to eat an arepa.

The general consensus is that just eating one is good enough. Once you try one of these wonderfully soft and flavorful Venezuelan cornbreads, you’ll wonder why you never had one sooner. It’s like the next level sandwich, only it’s been around for much longer than you have. That’s OK, most things need to grow into their cool before they become the next big thing.

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Arepas, the Venezuelan Corn Bread. Tasty Latin American often stuffed with savory fillings like shredded beef, black beans, fresh cheese, etc.

The post Venezuelan Arepas: Popular, Savory Snacks for Lunch or Late Night Food appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

You can buy hummus from the store, but if you want to get all the healthy goodness that it comes with, it’s always better to go for the homemade kind. Despite its delicately complex taste, hummus is actually surprisingly easy to make.

Basic hummus consists of only six ingredients: olive oil, tahini, chickpeas, garlic, sea salt, and lemon juice. As hummus rose to popularity outside its region of origin, many variations of this simple dip have been created. Flavored hummus is now one of the most popular dips in many places, and it is just as easy to make as the basic one.

Aside from adding a flavorful punch to make food taste better, or adding texture to excite your tastebuds more, hummus also provides tons of benefits that will improve your health. Here are 15 benefits of hummus, according to science, and delicious recipes that you can try.

1. Hummus is abundant in plant-based proteins

If you’re vegan or you’re following a plant-based diet, you should try to consume hummus regularly. The main ingredient for hummus —chickpeas— is an excellent source of plant-based protein.

One 100g serving of chickpeas contains 20.47 grams of protein. With this much protein in chickpeas, it’s no wonder, they can easily make you feel full after just a few handfuls. This keeps you from sneaking unhealthy snacks into your everyday diet which can help a lot if you’re trying to control your weight.

What’s more, the way hummus is eaten often allows for the consumption of what we can call “complete proteins.” Often, hummus is eaten with pita bread or other types of whole-grain which contain another type of protein. When consumed with the plant-based proteins found in chickpeas, what are called complete proteins contain all the essential amino acids needed to be converted and used for energy.

Chickpeas aren’t the only ingredients present in hummus that are rich in protein. Tahini, a rich and creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds, is also rich in a protein called methionine. Just like the proteins in chickpeas, the methionine proteins can also form a complete protein that the body can use for energy when consumed with other protein-rich foods.

2. Hummus is rich in various vitamins and minerals

Because of the healthy ingredients included in the making of hummus, it is only natural that this delicious dip is loaded with vitamins in minerals. Again, if you want to get the full benefits, going for natural and homemade is the best way to go since it’s really the only way to keep away from preservatives and all that other stuff your body doesn’t need.

Chickpeas, the main ingredient in hummus, are loaded with iron, folate, phosphorus, and B vitamins. Hummus also contains lemon juice which, as we all know, is a great source of vitamin C as well as antioxidants. Another ingredient, tahini, which is made of sesame seeds is loaded with copper, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous. Garlic, which adds flavor to hummus, is rich in antioxidants and it also has a ton of trace minerals along with a good number of vitamins loaded in it.

If you’re looking for a great way to get a good amount of vitamins and minerals incorporated into your daily diet, eating hummus with your daily meals might just be what you need to do.

3. Hummus can keep your bones at optimal health

Your bones are one of the most important parts of your body that you should really pay attention to and take care of because, without bones, you won’t be able to do much or move around much at all. Aside from serving as the main framework that supports your body, your bones are responsible for a ton of other things as well. These things include, but are not limited to protecting your internal organs from injury, making it possible for you to be mobile in every way you can think of, producing blood cells, storing essential minerals, and more.

So now the question is: “How do you take care of your bones?” Well, making sure it gets the right amount of calcium is a start.

Calcium is the mineral that keeps your bones and teeth strong. In fact, 99% of the calcium that you consume goes to your bones and your teeth and this mineral alone makes up about 2% of your total body weight.

Blood clotting, cell signaling, nerve function, and muscle contraction — are just some of the things that your body does and uses calcium for. The recommended daily intake of calcium for adults is anywhere from 1,000 to 1,300 milligrams per day, depending on your age and gender

Without enough calcium in your diet, you could suffer from calcium deficiency which could lead to other diseases like osteoporosis and rickets, among many others. Be wary, though, because too much calcium in your diet could also be bad for your health. Consuming too much calcium can lead to kidney stones and constipation, especially when you get your calcium from supplements.

Now, where does hummus fit into all of this, you may be wondering. Well, sesame seeds, which are one of the ingredients in making tahini used in hummus, are an excellent source of calcium. You can get 1404 mg of calcium in one cup (144g) of sesame seeds alone. Chickpea, the main ingredient used in hummus, is also a rich source of calcium and is one of the top sources of calcium for many vegans.

4. Hummus can help lower cholesterol

Eating delicious foods is one of the pleasures that we get out of life, but it comes with a ton of risks and one of them is getting your cholesterol up to dangerously high levels.

In order to keep yourself healthy, you need to maintain a good and healthy level of cholesterol and if you’re the kind who likes foods that are too rich and indulgent, this may be a problem for you. Luckily, there are plenty of foods out there that can help you lower your cholesterol, and chickpeas which is the main ingredient used in hummus is one of those foods.

According to research, there is a group of foods called “pulses” which can help lower your cholesterol levels when consumed regularly. These foods include lentils, peas, beans, and chickpeas, among others.

According to a study by Australian lecturer Jane Pitaway where two groups consumed the same amount of fiber for three years with the first group getting their fiber from daily consumption of chickpeas and the second group getting their fiber from wheat, cereal, and other wheat products, the group that consumed chickpeas was shown to have consumed less fat and had a reduction in cholesterol, too.

5. Hummus can help Reduce the risk of cancer

While it’s great that there are always new developments in the search for a cure for cancer, it’s unfortunate how many people succumb to this disease every year. There were 8.2 million cancer-related deaths recorded in 2012 alone and 14 million new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the same year. It is one of the leading causes of death worldwide the numbers are predicted to rise up to 22 million in the next 20 years.

Knowing these and how difficult it is to deal with cancer, wouldn’t you want to do anything and everything to lower your risks of getting cancer?

We’ve already discussed so many health benefits coming from chickpeas, the main ingredient used in hummus, but did you know that one of the greatest benefits of consuming it is to help reduce the risk of cancer?

Foods that are rich in folate like those in the Pulses food group have been found to contain lignans and saponins which are substances that help fight cancer. They also contain starch that is not digested in the small intestine and this is used by good bacteria present in the colon to make fatty acids to protect the colon cells. Aside from that, chickpeas and other foods from the Pulses group also contain a ton of antioxidants.

6. Hummus is a great way to get started on the Mediterranean diet

There are plenty of diet plans out there that are designed and marketed to help you with a problem area or two in your health. There are those that are designed to help you lose weight and others that are curated to give you better cardiovascular health. There are also those that are meant to boost your energy levels so you can be more active and productive.

Most of the time, however, people are turned off by these diets because they’re either bland and boring or just too hard to follow religiously. So, wouldn’t it be nice if there was a diet that’s not only tasty and delicious but also actually good for your overall health?

That’s where the Mediterranean Diet comes in. Unlike most diets, this is something that tastes good, is easy to follow, and is not just great for one aspect of your health but for your overall wellness as well. In fact, the Mediterranean Diet has been shown to lower the risk of stroke and heart disease by 30% in a study conducted in 2013.

If you’re thinking of getting started on this diet but have no idea how to, consuming hummus regularly is a great way to do so. Some of the foods included in the Mediterranean Diet are beans, legumes, olive oil, and garlic, among others. These, as you know, are all included in the healthy goodness that is hummus.

7. Hummus can help you with your weight loss journey

Everyone wants to be fit and healthy and everyone wants to look good, but looking for food that’s healthy, delicious, and will help you lose weight is the ultimate challenge.

If you love the taste of hummus, though, you might be off to a good start. Hummus is one of the foods that can help you with your weight loss journey and that is because this tasty treat is loaded with a good amount of monounsaturated fats that can help reduce belly fat and promote weight loss.

Now, you may be confused as to how consuming fats make you lose weight. Most people think that, in order to lose weight, one should cut out fat from their diet. This is not true at all. Fat is essential in any diet. You just need to make sure that you are consuming the right kinds of fat and monounsaturated fat is one of those.

8. Hummus helps in dealing with anemia

With the kind of fast-paced lifestyle most people have nowadays, it’s no wonder a lot of people are getting sick and having weaker immune systems. Diseases that affect the immune system are some of the hardest to battle. Anemia, for example, is one of them. If left untreated, anemia could progress into something much worse.

Now, there are plenty of ways to keep yourself from being anemic. The first one, of course, is to keep a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating a healthy diet and consuming foods that will help boost your iron.

In hummus, there are two ingredients that are great sources of iron: chickpeas and tahini. These can help prevent iron deficiency, thus preventing anemia and alleviating it for those who already have it.

9. Hummus is a healthy and tasty alternative to a lot of unhealthy

Healthy foods aren’t always the best-tasting ones out there which is why some people find it difficult to jump on the bandwagon and join health buffs in their quest for a healthier lifestyle and a better body that’s physically fit.

Mayonnaise, ranch, sour cream, creamy salad dressings — these are just a few of the multitude of things that we add to food to make them even more tasty and delicious. The thing about these, though, is that they’re made from ingredients that aren’t very good for you.

If you’re trying to become more healthy and are looking for ways to make your meals more appetizing without loading them up with unnecessary fats and calories, why not try substituting your unhealthy picks with hummus?

Hummus can add just as much zing and flavor to your food without making you feel guilty afterward. You can use it to replace your favorite sandwich spread or use it as an alternative to any recipe that calls for any kind of cream. You can dip your bread, crackers, and chips into it, too, instead of buying the bottled kind.

If you’re worried that you’d get sick of the taste of hummus if you replace everything with it, don’t worry. You can always add fun and unique flavors to your hummus to change things up a bit and excite and entice your taste buds again every once in a while.

10. Hummus helps reduce blood sugar

Having diabetes is tough. Being restricted from eating certain kinds of food, especially the ones you grew up loving, can be a little disappointing and maybe a little depressing at times. You’d think that the only foods that are not allowed from a diabetic’s diet are sweet and sugary ones, but there are actually more than just those.

If you’re a diabetic who’s looking for a way to make food taste better or if you’re looking for something new to eat with your snacks, why not try eating hummus or at least incorporating hummus into your diet? Traditional hummus is savory and it is great for dipping and cooking. If you’re looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth without putting your life at risk, though, you can always make your own hummus from scratch and throw in some beets to sweeten it up a little bit.

What makes hummus great for diabetics is that it is a complex carbohydrate which means that it supplied you with time-released energy so your blood sugar levels won’t spike. In fact, one study conducted in 2012 showed people who had a cup of legumes incorporated into their low glycemic index diet consistently for three months have improved glucose tolerance.

This is because hummus is rich in protein that can easily fill you up, thus allowing your system to digest, process, and utilize all the glucose found in the beans and making sure that your blood sugar levels are stable before they get the chance to drop again.

11. Hummus helps you win your battle against allergies

One of the things that take the joy out of receiving food items for gifts or joining a fun food-filled activity like a potluck party or a picnic is having to be restricted from tasting the delicious food because you have allergies.

Allergies are indeed a pain to deal with, but more so when you have kids. You’ve seen and read about it before schools banned kids from bringing in certain types of food (even if it’s healthy) because it might trigger an allergic reaction from them or the other kids. As a parent, you might be enraged to find the only healthy thing that your kid likes on that list. So, what can you pack for your kid’s school lunches that won’t trigger an allergic reaction of any sort? Hummus, that’s what.

Of course, the ingredients in hummus might still be a trigger for some. However, it does not contain any of the top 10 food allergens which means that unless you have allergies that are not included in the top 10 then you’re good to go. Hummus is the epitome of a fuss-free snack. They’re perfect for picnics and school lunches and, paired with crackers or your favorite vegetables, they make a great snack in between meals as well.

Remember to always check with other people to see whether or not they are allergic to any of the ingredients found in hummus to be on the safe side. Some may not have allergies to the top 10 food allergens, but they might be allergic to something else, and that something else could be an ingredient in hummus.

12. Hummus makes you look young and beautiful

Hummus is such a big hit among celebrities and beauty and fashion icons and it’s not just because of its amazing flavor. For those of you out there who are set on doing everything to maintain a younger and more radiant look, hummus might just be the very thing you are looking for.

There are tons of ways to preserve your looks. Some of these include very expensive trips to doctors and surgeons who specialize in procedures like stem cell therapy, botox, and plastic surgery. Of course, if you’re not keen on going under the knife, you can always opt for the natural options instead and that includes eating lots of healthy foods that are rich in antioxidants.

Speaking of foods that are rich in antioxidants, did you know that hummus is overloaded with all the natural goodness that you need to keep your skin looking youthful, radiant, and glowing? Chickpeas, the main ingredient of hummus, is jampacked with antioxidants. If you’re making your own hummus from scratch, try to look for chickpeas with darker skin, too.

Now, most people would stay away from darker-colored chickpeas thinking they’re old or not as good, but research shows that chickpeas with darker-colored skin actually contain more antioxidants which are great if you want to get a boost on that health and beauty benefit.

13. Hummus can help prevent constipation

As mentioned earlier, hummus is rich in fiber, thanks to its main ingredient: chickpeas. Fiber is one of the most important things that you need to consume if you’re suffering from constipation. It sweeps your insides clean and it helps soften your stool as well so you won’t have any kind of trouble when you’re doing your business.

Of course, just hummus won’t be enough to help your body process food better. Unless you’re eating tubs of it at every meal,.you’ll need to eat it with something else that’s rich in fiber to get all that constipation-fighting benefits.

14. Hummus is anti-inflammatory

Anti-inflammatory drugs aren’t often very expensive, and while most of them are quite effective in relieving pain and other symptoms of various diseases, they do have side effects that users might suffer from in the long run.

Taking anti-inflammatory drugs along with other kinds of drugs could also lead to adverse effects. Another thing that you have to watch out for when taking anti-inflammatory drugs is overdosing. Since many anti-inflammatory medicines can be purchased over the counter without any kind of prescription, it’s easy for people to abuse them and risk overdosing.

If you’re trying to avoid these risks but are still in need of some anti-inflammatory relief, try having some hummus. Most of the ingredients in hummus like garlic, chickpeas, and olive oil have anti-inflammatory properties that could help provide you the relief that you need. It could also prevent arthritis flare-ups when consumed regularly and for a long time.

15. Hummus makes your monthly period easier to bear

If you’re someone who always suffers from unnecessary downtime once a month because of your period, you know how difficult it is to deal with something that your body can’t help but do. Women around the world have to sacrifice precious time and some even have no choice but to stay in bed all day because of the pain that comes with your monthly period.

Sure, there are several treatments and drugs out there that can help relieve and alleviate the pain, but do you really want to be dependent on those? One natural way to ease the pain and make your periods easier to deal with is to eat certain kinds of food, and that includes hummus.

Now that you’ve read about the wonders that hummus can do, it’s time to learn more about this delicious dip and how you can enjoy it with this easy and delicious hummus recipe.

Quick and easy hummus sandwich

Lunch at school or in the office doesn’t have to be boring and unhealthy. If you’re looking to add some zing to your daily lunches, why not try packing a hummus sandwich or two? It’s quick and easy to make and is great for anyone who wants to eat healthier lunches all the time. Here’s a tasty recipe that you can take inspiration from.

You will need:
• 1 onion, small
• 2 tbsp of ghee
• 2 slices of bread, whole grain
• 2 tbsp of hummus
• 1 pinch of garam masala

Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, start slicing your onion into thin rounds then add them to the skillet. Let sit for a few minutes until they caramelize, making sure to stir occasionally to avoid burning.

Once the onions have caramelized, take them out of the pan and set aside to cool a bit. While you’re doing that, spread a teaspoon each of hummus on both slices of bread (adjust according to your taste preference) and sprinkle some garam masala on the hummus for extra zing.

Lastly, add in the onions, close your sandwich, and enjoy!

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There are great health benefits why you should be eating hummus more offer. Find here 15 health benefits of hummus according to science and try a recipe.

The post 15 health benefits of hummus according to science appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

But the Cuban sandwich, also known as a Cubano, has a rather intriguing history and that’s largely because there is much debate as to how it came to be. However, by most accounts, it once travel from Cuba to Florida somewhere around the late 1800s. Cubans set sail for employment opportunities in Florida by that time. Ports like Key West and Tampa were by and large, the easiest to access. The first series of immigration of Cubans to the United States resulted from establishment of Cuban cigar factories in Tampa. Thousands of Cuban settlers also immigrated to Louisiana between 1778 and 1802, and since 1820 the Cuban presence in the US was considerably large throughout the south.

Because of all this coming and going, historians are not quite sure when the Cuban sandwich first appeared, or where exactly it appeared, or who was responsible for delectable sandwich. However, many of them suppose that it likely made its debut somewhere around Tampa’s Ybor City, thanks to the booming cigar industry.

Time marched on and as the Cuban population blossomed throughout the southern portions of Florida, the Cubano did as well. By the 1960s, it was a staple in Miami cafeterias, however because many Cubans also sought refuge from Castro’s rule in their home land, they found themselves calling places like New York, Jersey and Chicago home.

Two cities, Tampa and Miami, have been locked in the battle to claim the Cuban sandwich as its own. Most food historians now agree the sandwich was invented in Tampa’s Ybor City.

There’s not much difference in the Cuban Sandwich between both cities, only the differently-shaped bread, and the salami or swipe of mayo used, depending on who’s making it.

So what’s in this iconic sandwich that has everyone clamoring for it?

Again, some will debate the contents of an authentic Cuban sandwich, but it can pretty much be agreed upon that it all starts with a loaf of Cuban bread, somewhere between 8 and 12 inches in length. The bread is gently buttered or even brushed with olive oil. Inside, yellow mustard is generously spread and then slices of roast pork, glazed ham and Swiss cheese are layered on top. The coup de gras is the thin slices of pickle. Then, it’s toasted in a sandwich press like the kind you’d use on a Panini.

The disputed ingredient is salami. Original accounts from newspapers in the 1930s list salami as an ingredient but you’ll never find it on a Cubano in South Florida. As a native Miamian, I have never once seen salami on my Cubano, and as much as I adore salami, I’m not sure I want it there.

In Miami, the best places to grab a Cuban are easy – Versailles, Palacio de los Jugos and Enriqueta’s. Further north in our state, head to Tampa where the rich Cuban history also makes it a contender for best Cubanos and try Columbia Restaurant.

The Columbia Restaurant is Florida’s oldest restaurant. It was founded in 1905 by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr. A small 60-seat corner cafe known for its Cuban coffee and authentic Cuban sandwiches, frequented by the local cigar workers at the time, now the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. It is said that Casimiro’s Cuban sandwich recipe of 1915 is the perfect iconic cubano.

But whenever in doubt of where to try the best Cuban sandwich in your area, ask your Cuban friends where they go to get their fix.

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The Iconic Cubano: How the Cuban Sandwich became legendary in Florida. Few commentaries about why a Cuban Sandwich is so popular in Florida.

The post The Iconic Cubano: How the Cuban Sandwich Became Legendary appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

A well-made frittata is one of the world’s most perfect foods, equally delicious at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Some people think the frittata is a less pretentious cousin of the French omelette, but it turns out to be that it is often heartier, healthier and more satisfying than its famous cousin. And the frittata can become one of your favorite things because you can throw together anything you need to use.

It is most often a breakfast item in the United States but can be eaten for any meal, either hot or cold. One interesting thing about Frittata is that you won’t find it on many menus in Italy according to the website Dellalo.

In Italy a frittata is a common way to use up leftovers – usually it is made from the pasta (dressed or undressed) or the vegetable contorno (side dish of vegetables) from the night before, much like the English dish bubble and squeak made with shallow-fried left-over vegetables. In Italy, it is usually placed between slices of bread and eaten as a panino (stuffed rolls or rustic shaped sandwich) or as a snack (spuntino).

As the frittata is made on the spur of the moment: a last-minute decision made when you don’t have the time to go grocery shopping and the refrigerator seems bare, we have an easy recipe for you today.

Garlic and mushrooms bring great flavor to this super-low-calorie, easy-to-make frittata. Serve with salad for a simple and delicious lunch.

As part of an intermittent diet plan, 1 serving provides 3 of your 6 daily vegetable portions.

This meal provides 243 cal per portion.

Ingredients

low-calorie cooking spray
250g/9oz chestnut mushrooms, sliced
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp thinly sliced fresh chives
4 large free-range eggs, beaten
freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

1 Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated
100g/3½oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cucumber, cut into chunks

Method

1. Spray a small, flame-proof frying pan with oil and place over a high heat. (The base of the pan shouldn’t be wider than about 18cm/7in.) Stir-fry the mushrooms in three batches for 2-3 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned. Tip the cooked mushrooms into a sieve over a bowl to catch any juices – you don’t want the mushrooms to become soggy.
2. Return all the mushrooms to the pan and stir in the garlic and chives, and a pinch of ground black pepper. Cook for a further minute, then reduce the heat to low.
3. Preheat the grill to its hottest setting. Pour the eggs over the mushrooms. Cook for five minutes, or until almost set.
4. Place the pan under the grill for 3-4 minutes, or until set.
5. Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl.
6. Remove from the grill and loosen the sides of the frittata with a round-bladed knife.Turn out onto a board and cut into wedges. Top with broccoli and serve hot or cold with the salad.

Enjoy!

The post A Broccoli, Garlic and Mushrooms Frittata Tastes as Good as an Omelette appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

According to Pizza.com, the average pizzeria uses roughly 55 pizza boxes per day and at least, 93 percent of Americans have eaten pizza in the last month.

These holidays in our country seem to take the cake when it comes to making people eat pizza: Super Bowl Sunday, New Year’s Eve, Halloween, the night before Thanksgiving, & New Year’s Day.

Though this day — February 9 is National Pizza Day, October is the month dedicated entire to pizza. Most restaurants offer special deals during the month.

There is a good scientific reason for loving pizza and all the “addictive-like eating” foods that you can think of. Pizza has everything to ease the taste buds. Most popular gourmet toppings are chicken, oysters, crayfish, dandelions, sprouts, eggplant, cajun shrimp, artichoke hearts, and tuna. The crunchiness and the cheesiness of a pizza can satisfy peoples’s taste buds like no other food.

After a late night of going out, there is nothing you crave more than some nice, heavy carbs. Pizza is the perfect answer. But on any ordinary day, if you aren’t feeling a big dinner, just pick up a slice as a quick, fulfilling snack, a pizza can be an ideal snack or a meal.

San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Orlando, New Haven, New York City, Miami Beach, and of course Chicago; are top names when you have to decide the top cities in America where you will find the highest ranking and best pizza-making restaurants.

But the truth of the matter is it’ll be hard to find bad pizza. You know well those places in your city where you head to when craving for a homemade gourmet pizza. Here’s a list of places around Florida that brag about why you should stop by and try their pizza, maybe today in National Pizza Day or any other day of the year.

Andiamo! Brick Oven Pizza has flavorful pies, and excellent service. One of the choices in their menu – Quattro Formaggi – makes you feel like you are in Italy. A delicious thin pizza with these traditionally known cheeses: Mozzarella, Parmesan, Ricotta, Gorgonzola Cheese. If you like cheese, you’ll absolutely love this four-cheese pizza dish!

Luigi’s Coal Oven Pizza of Fort Lauderale, located on 1415 E Las Olas Blvd, is the proud spot of Chef Luigi DiMeo since he moved to USA in 2005. This is where he has been following the traditions of his family and the way people form Naples, Italy, make their pizza. He uses standard ingredients he brings from the Naples & San Marzano region included mozzarella cheese, and tomatoes that can provide  the best flour.

Their coal oven Truffle pizza with mozzarella, Romano, French goat cheese, spinach, and sauteed with mixed fresh wild mushrooms and drizzled with white truffle oil. You’ll be tasting a piece of Italy with it.

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria is a casual, Brooklyn-based pizzeria chain which is quite popular in Florida. if you like brick-oven pies & calzones plus wine and beer, then this will be a fave spot to go. Grimaldi’s in Palm Beach Gardens is makes a Prosciutto Arugula white pizza which is heavenly warded. Adding Arugula to pizza has been the idea of a genie. Make no mistake about it, once you add Arugula to a pizza, it adds just enough flavor and fresh spiciness to accent it without overwhelming.

Bronx Pizza is a convenient joint in Orlando serving different Italian fares, and of course, Bronx-style pizzas. The NY style pizzas tend to have far more cheese than Neapolitan-American coal oven pies. They also get their distinguishing crusts from the high-gluten bread flour with which they are made. That’s exactly the expectation you get form a slice at Bronx Pizza in Orlando. When you visit one of the parks in Orlando, think about this pizzeria and try their Bronx Special Pizza and top it with extra cheese, bacon, beef, ham, mushrooms, and anchovies.

Isabellas’s Pizzeria Napoletana in Tallahassee has a pizza in their menu for vegetarians – Vegetariana. If you think meat makes pizza better, well, not precisely 100% right. This pizza has a single combination of tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes, basil, onions, and homemade mozzarella with extra virgin olive oil that makes it delicious and nutritional.

Today social media has been exploding with special deals, recommendations, photos and advice on the best pies using the hashtag #NationalPizzaDay. Feel free to let us know your recommendations.

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The post Some Quick Pizza Facts and a Few Best Places for Pizza in Florida appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.