YaDa Chef Private and Personal Chefs

On a theme from a post yesterday, here are the benefits of lemons: Lemons are acidic to the taste, but are alkaline-forming in the body. In fact they are one of  the most alkaline-forming foods; this makes them great for balancing a highly acidic condition in the body. Lemons are a favorite all over the world and an essential food in kitchens everywhere. “We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.” –Alfred E. Newman 16 Health Benefits of Lemons: 1. Lemons are alkalizing for the body: Lemons are acidic to begin with but they are alkaline-forming on body fluids helping to restore balance to the body’s pH. 2. Lemons are rich in vitamin C and flavonoids that work against infections like the flu and colds. 3. Your liver loves lemons: “The lemon is a wonderful stimulant to the liver and is a dissolvent of uric acid and other poisons, liquefies the bile,” says Jethro Kloss in his book Bac...

Looking for a different homemade gift idea? How about this! equipment: mini muffin tin mini muffin liners candy thermometer for the turtles: ¾ cup/108g smoked almonds, coarsely chopped ¾ cup/150g brown sugar ¼ cup/60ml heavy cream OR soy creamer, room temperature ½ cup/113g butter OR vegan butter, (such as earth balance), room temperature ½ tablespoon/7ml water 4 ounces/113g dark chocolate instructions Fill 12 mini muffin tins with mini muffin liners. Split up the almonds between the 12 muffin tins, placing them in the bottom of the liners. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the brown sugar, soy cream, vegan butter, and water. Stir over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth, and the sugar has melted. Stop stirring and allow the mixture to come to a boil. (keep on medium low heat unless the mixture is not boiling within a few minutes.) Without stirring, allow the mixture to bubble and cook until a candy thermometer registers 250F/121C, about 5 to 7 minutes. Let the mixture c...

The song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is an English Christmas carol. From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of the Church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember. To fit the number scheme, when you reach number 9, representing the Fruits of the Holy Ghost, the originator combined 6 to make 3, taking the 6 fruits that were similar: the fruit in each parenthesis is the that was not named separately. There are actually Twelve Fruits of the Holy Ghost. The "True Love" one hears in the song is not a smitten boy or girlfriend but Jesus Christ, because truly Love was born on Christmas Day. The partridge in the pear tree also represents Him because that bird is willing to...

Tapenada is French for capers. Tapenade is a dish from t he Provençal region of France of finely chopped olives and capers. Frequently you will find anchovies, and poached flaked tuna. It is generally as a spread on bread, but is delicious on pasta or baked like this. Serves 4 4 boneless skinless chicken breast Tapenade 1 1/2 cups/343ml Kalamata or Gaeta olives, pitted 3 tablespoons/45ml capers, drained 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 1/4 cup/59ml minced fresh parsley leaves 1/8 teaspoon/.5ml red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon/2ml salt 1/8 teaspoon/.5ml freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup/60ml extra virgin olive oil In a food processor or mortar, combine the olives, capers, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the oil and pulse or work with the pestle into a coarse paste, retaining some bits of olive and caper for texture. Taste to adjust the seasonings. Stored tightly covered in the refrigerator, this will keep well for a week or two. Preheat oven to 375F/1...

feel free to bake your eggplant in rounds individually No need to salt the eggplant slices. This is done when the eggplants are old to remove liquid and some of the bitterness. The original eggplants where small oval shaped and cream or white coloured,like an egg, hence the name. Later they were bred to be the purple colour and this is why many call them “aubergine” Serves 4 2 large eggs 1 large eggplant, sliced into ½ inch/1.27cm rounds 1 cup/225ml corn meal or crisped rice crumbs 1 tablespoons/45ml olive oil, plus some for the sheet pan and for spritzing 1 clove garlic, minced 2 cups/450ml tomatoes, diced ½ teaspoon/2ml salt ½ teaspoon/2ml black pepper pinch of red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons/30ml fresh oregano or 2 teaspoon dried ½ tablespoon/7ml fresh rosemary, minced or 1 teaspoon/5ml dried ½ cup/118ml vegan parmesan cheese 4 ounce/114g vegan mozzarella cheese Preheat oven to 350ºF/176ºC/Gas Mark 4. Place a sheet pan lined with aluminum fo...

pot pie: noun 1. a meat and vegetable pie baked in a deep dish, often with a top crust only. 2. a stew with dumplings. Have a fridge full of leftovers and you have a dinner party pop up or you want something “simple” and “homey” for a special occasion? How about a Pot Pie. No not those frozen things we have all eaten. Try this more elegant version using Pate a Choux for the top. We made some dropping them from a spoon for a rustic look. Feel free to pipe them for a more uniform appearance. Brown and Crusty Turkey Pot Pie Served Up Thick and Delicious Serves 4-6 1 onion diced 2 medium carrots cut into 1 inch/2.5cm rounds 3 ribs celery cut into half moons 4 ounces/115g sliced baby bella mushrooms 1 bell pepper, diced 2 teaspoons/10ml YaDa Kosher sea salt 1 teaspoon/5ml herbs de provence 1 teaspoon/5ml ground white pepper 2 tablespoons/30mls goose fat 3 tablespoons, unsalted margarine or butter 1 bay leaf 10 juniper berries, crushed 1/2 cup/50g all p...

Sweet potatoes are not really potatoes at all. In fact they are in no way related to the tuber used for fries or chips which are a member of the “nightshades ve getables”. Sweet potatoes are cousins of the morning glory flower. Their flesh can range beige through white, red, pink, violet, yellow, orange, and purple. Here is a foolproof way to get a crunchy, sweet, salty, spicy low fat snack. SWEET POTATO CHIPS/CRISPS Serves 4 (snack/side) Pre-heat oven to 225F/107C/1/2 Gas Mark 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, washed 1 teaspoon/5ml olive oil 1 teaspoon/5ml salt 1/8 teaspoon/.5ml cayenne pepper 1/8 teaspoon/.5ml granulated garlic Using a mandolin or food processor with 3mm slicing disk. Slice the potatoes as thin as possible (the thicker the slice the longer the cooking time). Place sliced potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat each piece of potato thoroughly on both sides. Place potatoes in a single layer on aluminum foil or parchment lined baking tr...