If you are an office goer who has a packed schedule around the clock, you might get very less or no time to cook something extravagant on a daily basis. Cooking a complete entree on the go when you are already running low on time is not an option. To add to it, a nine-hour desk job which compels you to sit in front of a laptop or desktop makes it more challenging to prepare something which is light on the stomach and is made with minimal efforts. Even for those who manage to get some time out of their schedule might find it difficult to pull off appetizers which require lot of ingredients and pre-preparation. There are many ways that you can cook yourself delicious appetizers within a short span of time.
The best way to prepare an easy on-the-go appetizer, is use leftovers from last night’s dinner. For instance, if you had prepared something out of baked beans last night, you can add chopped spring onions or regular onions, tomatoes and sliced jalapenos. Mix them well with a salad dressing of your choice and there you have it! A healthy baked beans salad with a veggie twist, which can be prepared in no time.
You can use the same baked beans (sans the gravy) and add them to nachos. Trans fat and cholesterol free nachos are available in stores, add those beans and finely diced bell peppers, and tomatoes to the nachos. Shred some cheese on those baked beans topped nachos and bake them in the oven until the cheese melts. A simple yet filling appetizer.
A simple appetizer for bacon lovers is bacon wrapped wedges or fries. Cut potatoes in the shape of wedges or fries, drain and pat dry them. Wrap with bacon strips and flip bake them at 400 degrees in the over for under half an hour or until crisp. Sprinkle salt and herbs seasoning on top and serve hot.
Bacon can also be added along with the conventional recipe of deviled eggs. Hard boil 6 eggs and cut them to half. Remove their yolk and mash mix them with mayonnaise. You can use flavored mayonnaise if you wish to add an extra and a different taste to your appetizer. Chop bacon slices finely and either add them to the mixture or stuff them separately in the eggs. Sprinkle some black or red pepper or other herbs of your choice on the bacon-added deviled eggs to give them a unique taste.
Easy appetizers are definitely a go-go if you don’t want to waste much time in the kitchen and yet create relishing appetizers for yourself or for the guests that have arrived unannounced.
We are a coffee-drinking nation and every form of the beverage – decaf, regular, expresso, latte, cappuccino, macchiato and ristretto is consumed everyday by millions of us. It’s the first thing we need in the morning and the last (for some) after dessert. Black, with cream, with sugar, no sugar, flavored, each of us has a preference with regard to strength. Nespresso’s taken heed of this and given us a gift in a pod with the Nespresso capsules. Available in the regular Arabica and Robusta capsules, they have some amazing seasonal flavors as well.
Nespresso capsules are hermetically sealed in a capsule that holds 5-7 gms of coffee – enough for one serving of coffee. They offer five ranges in Ristretto (25ml), Espresso (40 ml), Lungo (110 ml), Decaffeinated (40 ml and 110 ml) or Flavored (40 ml).
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Ristretto range are:
Ristretto Origin – Made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has toasted flavors with cocoa notes and woody undertones.
Ristretto Origin India – A blend of the finest Arabicas with a smidgen of Robusta from Southern India, this full-bodied coffee has hints of spices.
Ristretto Intenso – A strong blend of South and Central American Robustas and Arabicas, the Ristretto Intenso is a full-bodied coffee with a creamy texture and peppery notes.
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Espresso range are:
Espresso Origin Brazil: A pure Arabica coffee, it has a mild sweet flavor.
Espresso Leggero: A blend of South American Arabicas and Robusta, it has smooth notes of cocoa and cereal.
Espresso Forte: Exclusively made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has an intensely roasted balance of espresso and fruity notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Lungo range are:
Lungo Leggero: Lightly roasted East African, South and Central American Arabicas, with mild notes of jasmine is what makes up this delicious brew.
Lungo Forte: A complex mix of South and Central American Arabicas, this coffee has heavy roasted notes with a slight hint of fruit.
Lungo Origin Guatemala: A mix of Arabica and washed Gourmet Robusta coffee, Lungo Origin Guatemala is smooth and well balanced with dry and malty cereal notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules in the Decaffeinated range are:
Espresso Decaffeinato: Dark roasted South American Arabicas with a touch of Robusta enhances the cocoa flavors and roasted cereal undertones of this decaffeinated espresso.
Lungo Decaffeinato: This is a slightly more complex blend of separately roasted South American and East African Arabicas. It includes toasted cereal and sweet notes with subtle and floral hints of East African Arabicas.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Flavored range are:
Espresso Vanilla: This silky-flavored coffee is the result of a base of Espresso Forte, which is a complex and heavily-roasted blend of South and Central American Arabicas and a slightly caramelized aroma of vanilla. Espresso Caramel: On a base of Espresso Forte, this complex and intensely roasted blend made from South and Central American Arabicas has the sweetness of caramel.
Here are a few easy and healthy recipe ideas that are both quick to make and light to digest on hot summer days. With very few ingredients, the preparation of these recipes is a breeze. So go on, enjoy these easy, healthy recipes that are brimming with nutrition and taste heavenly too!
Greek Cucumber Rolls
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
This is popular among easy and healthy recipes. Slice cucumber into thin flat strips using a vegetable peeler and arrange them in slices of two on a clean tray. Smear the hummus on top of each slice, then toss some feta cheese, black olives and cut tomatoes on each of the cucumber strips. Squeeze a little lemon juice and sprinkle some finely chopped dill and cilantro. Finally, roll the strips, serve the Greek cucumber rolls and see them being gobbled up by the young and old alike!
Flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
Cook the fettuccine pasta according to the directions on the label. In a thick bottomed pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic and shallots. After about a minute or so, add the other vegetables along with salt and toss them gently for a few minutes. The vegetables must cook and be crunchy at the same time. When they are done, add the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper to it and mix well. Serve this flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables for lunch or dinner as a filling, yet light meal.
Sunshine juice
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Direction
Squeeze juice from the oranges and blend the strawberries in a juicer. Then in a pitcher, take the orange juice, strawberry juice, and chilled water together and mix well. Refresh yourself with this yummy sunshine juice with ice cubes on a hot day.