A Foodie Vacation in the Algarve for Me
Posted on: 2008-06-16 16:05
I am badly in need of a break, and have left it way too late again.
I am not too worried about that, because, luckily, I hate warm weather, so going in the off-season suits me fine.
So, after thinking it through, I decided to visit portugal, or specifically, the algarve.
Often seen as spains 'little brother', portugal is one of my favourite places to visit, the portuguese are extremely warm people, but not quite as explosive as the other med countries. Dining out in portugal is a rewarding experience, and costs are low compared to the rest of europe.
Easy choice, then - portugal is where I am going..
Surfing over the thousands of vacation rental websites on the web, I found one villa rental site that offered villas in the algarve that really impressed me. a site calling itself 'villaretreats.com'. Not only do they offer the standard villa booking service, but a few unique selling points that made all the difference for me. They offer a villa price match promise, a promise that they have checked them all in person, a flight booking service, a car hire service, 24 hour support number and a pre-booking service that can provide me with a personal chauffeur, a personal chef, babysitters etc
These aren't really need for me but the fact that they are on offer really helped me make up my mind.
Now I need to decide which resort I want, Quinta do lago, Vila sol, Santa barbara de nexe and Praia da rocha all look interesting, I suspect that 'she who must be obeyed' will decide that one.
See y'all when I get back
Fragrant Fish Recipe
Posted on: 2008-06-16 19:53
Ingredients: 2 scallions, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp minced fresh gingerroot 1 tbsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp chinese chili paste 1 or hot chili oil 2 tbsp hosin sauce 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1/2 tsp sugar 1/2 cup water 1 1/3 lb white fish fillets such as 1 cod or chilean sea bass 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 tbsp canola or veg oil Instructions: In a nonreactive container, combine the scallions, garlic, gingerroot, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili paste or oil, vinegar, sugar and water. Set aside. Slice the fish fillet, if necessary, into 1/2 inch thick slices. Spread cornstarch on a plate and dredge fish in it. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When the pan is hot, cook the fish in batches for a couple of minutes per side, or until almost cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm while cooking the remaining fish. Put the sauce into the pan in which the fish was cooked. Simmer for a couple of minutes until slightly thickened. Then put the fish back in the pan and warm gently in the sauce for 2 minutes, or until cooked through. Nutitional Info per serving: 196 calories, 28g protein, 5 g fat, 8g carbohydrates, 61mg cholesterol, 542mg sodium, 24% calories from fat. Servings: 4
Broiled North Sea Black Cod Recipe
Posted on: 2008-06-16 19:52
This Broiled North Sea Black Cod looks really interesting - not tried it myself yet, but will give it a go next week. Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb black cod, rock cod, or red 1 snapper filets 3 tbsp regular soy sauce 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 2 tbsp rice wine or sherry 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped 1 tbsp celery, finely chopped 2 tsp sugar 1 pinch ground white pepper Instructions: Cut fish into serving-size pieces. Combine remaining ingredients in a glass baking dish. Add fish, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate, turning once, for 4-6 hours. Place fish on a rack in a foil-lined baking pan. Broil 4-6" from heat source for 4 minutes. Turn fish and broil 4-5 minutes longer, or until center of fish is opaque. Serves: 4 Per Serving: Calories: 140, Protein: 26 g, Carbohydrate: 4 g, Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 61 mg, Sodium: 1108 mg.
Pan-Fried Trout With Bacon Recipe
Posted on: 2008-06-16 19:51
Today, its a Pan-Fried Trout With Bacon Recipe for you: Ingredients: 8 slice bacon 1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal 1/2 cup atkins bake mix 1 tsp chili powder 4 whole trout, gutted 2 tbsp peanut oil 1 salt, to taste 1 freshly-ground black pepper, to taste 1 lemon wedges, for serving Instructions: In a large heavy skillet, fry bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove skillet from heat, drain bacon on paper towels (leave drippings in skillet). Combine cornmeal, bake mix and chili powder on a plate. Roll each fish in cornmeal mixture. Add peanut oil to drippings in skillet. Heat over medium heat. Fry fish (two at a time), 5 to 6 minutes per side, until lightly browned and cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Crisscross 2 bacon slices over each fish, and serve with lemon wedges. This recipe yields 4 servings. Carbohydrates: 15 grams Net Carbs: 12 grams Fiber: 3 grams Protein: 49 grams Fat: 36.5 grams Calories: 627
Pork Rillettes Recipe
Posted on: 2008-06-16 19:50
Ingredients: 2 lb pork butt - (abt 1/3 fat), cut 1 1/2 cubes 2 cup finely-diced onion 12 medium garlic cloves, crushed 2 large thyme sprigs 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp freshly-ground white pepper 1/2 tsp allspice 1 1/2 tsp freshly-cracked black pepper 1/2 tsp allspice 2 bay leaves 1 cup white wine Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy-bottomed casserole, cover and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Place in 250 degree oven and cook until meat falls apart completely when mashed with a fork (1 1/2 to 2 hours). Check the meat while it is cooking to make sure that liquid doesn't evaporate completely, adding more wine if necessary. When cooked, remove the thyme and bay leaves and crush the meat with a fork or in a mixer, using the paddle attachment. Adjust seasoning and pack into a crock for storage or serve immediately. (If storing, pour a thin layer of melted duck, chicken or pork fat over the top to seal. Keep in the refrigerator up to 10 days.) This recipe yields 16 average serving slices; approximately 3 carb grams per serving (not counting cracker or accompaniment). Servings: 16
Milanese Steak Recipe
Posted on: 2008-06-16 19:49
This Milanese Steak Recipe is todays high protein offering: Ingredients: 1 cup atkins bread crumbs 1/4 cup parmesan cheese 3/4 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper 8 beef cubed steaks - (abt 4 oz ea) 1 egg, beaten with 2 tbsp water 3 tbsp olive oil Instructions: Heat oven to warm setting. In a plate, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Prepare 2 steaks at a time. Dip steaks in egg mixture, then coat with crumbs. Cook 3 minutes per side until golden brown and coating is crisp. Transfer to oven to keep warm while cooking remaining steaks. Nutrition: Carbohydrates: 4.5 grams Net Carbs: 2 grams Fiber: 2.5 grams Protein: 60 grams Fat: 22 grams Calories: 464 Description: "Trick of the trade: to keep coating crisp while you saut? batches, lay steaks on a wire cake rack set over a plate." Servings: 4
Chicken Morocco Recipe
Posted on: 2008-06-16 19:48
Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked bulgur wheat 4 chicken thighs, skinned 1/2 medium onion, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 1 (14 1/2 oz) can tomatoes (no salt, a, dded) 1/2 cup prune juice 6 pitted prunes, diced 1/4 tsp ground allspice Instructions: Servings: 4 In a large saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to boil; add bulgur. Cover and cook ovr low heat 20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, season chicken with salt-free herb seasoning, if desired. In large skillet, brown chicken with onion in oil over medium-high heat; drain. Stir in tomatoes, prune juice, prunes and allspice. Cover and cook 10 minutes over medium heat. Remove cover; cook over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce thickens and chicken is no longer pink, turning chicken and stirring sauce occasionally. Serve chicken and sauce over bulgur. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Per Serving: Calories 334 Cholesterol 49.0 mg Fat 9.7 g Sodium 95.0 mg CB
Cheese And Chicken Quesadillas Recipes
Posted on: 2008-06-16 19:47
Cheese And Chicken Quesadillas for you today: Ingredients: 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese 1/4 cup sour cream 8 low-carb flour tortillas, any flavor 8 oz cooked chicken breast, shredded 2 roasted red peppers, patted dry, 1 and cut into strips 3 green onions, thinly sliced 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley Instructions: Mix jack cheese and sour cream. Spread mixture over four tortillas, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Evenly divide chicken, peppers, green onionsand cilantro over cheese mixture. Cover with remaining tortillas. Heat two large nonstick skillets over medium-high heat 2 minutes. Cookquesadillas 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning carefully with a spatula. Cut each quesadilla in quarters. This recipe yields 4 servings. Carbohydrates: 27.5 grams Net Carbs: 8.5 grams Fiber: 19 grams Protein: 34.5 grams Fat: 20 grams Calories: 379
Turkey Legs With Mushroom Gravy Recipe
Posted on: 2008-06-16 19:46
Turkey is one of the best high protein foods you can get. This turkey recipe is ideal for those wanting to cut down on the carbs. Ingredients: 4 turkey legs, about 12 ounces each 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp pepper MUSHROOM GRAVY 1 cup water 1 tbsp cornstarch 1 4 ounces can sliced mushrooms, drained 10 1/2 oz mushroom gravy, can 1 tsp minced onion 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley 1 tsp garlic powder hot cooked noodles, optional Instructions: Place turkey legs in a roasting pan. Combine lemon Juice, oil and seasonings; pour over turkey. Bake, uncovered, at 375* for 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn legs twice and baste occasionally. For gravy, combine water and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in mushrooms, gravy, onion, parsley and garlic powder; bring to a Boil over- medium heat. Spoon over turkey. Cover loosely with foil. Bake, basting frequently, for 1 hour longer or until meat is tende. Serve over noodles it desired. Serves: 4 servings. Exchanges: 4 Lean Meat, 1 Vegetable, 1/2 Starch Nutritional Information Serving Size: 1/4 recipe Carbohydrate: 9 gm Calories: 270 Protein: 35 gm Sodium: 464 mg Fat: 11 gm Cholesterol: 132 mg
