FC Barcelona vs. Inter Milan Tickets

Friday, December 30, 2011

New Year Eve's Pumpkin Salad

A few weeks back I made this simple pumpkin salad (Click for Recipe) with warm onions and mushrooms. Toasted pine nuts and fresh romaine lettuce give it a healthy crunch, and the honey vinaigrette makes it a little sweet. Pumpkin is not for everyone, so you can always swap it out with another winter squash such as butternut or acorn squash.
Winter Pumpkin Salad
(serves 2-4)

Winter pumpkin salad

Granted, New Year’s Eve is still this weekend, but why not start now?

Monday, December 12, 2011

Holiday Gifts Ideas 2011

Laurel On Health Food recently posted their Laurel’s 2011 Healthy Holiday Gift Ideas for everyone who is procrastinating.











I hope you enjoyed the list! Happy holidays to all.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Food With Healthy Fat

Eating 12 almonds will give 84 calories, It is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and calcium also the highest in protein and vitamins, including vitamin E, The antioxidant in almonds compared to other nuts. but also avoid salted almonds to avoid high blood pressure. helps boost your immune system.

Almond also are on top of food that will help you loss weight. It can be substitute for regular milk. Also that almonds has less calories, it do not contain saturated fat, good for loosing weight. and it contain healthy fat that help activate ghrelin. Almonds are a perfect healthy snacks, such as smoothies, milkshakes. 


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Grapefruit For Weight Loss


It help to reduce insulin levels which is helpful for weight loss, lycopene loaded that may reduce your risk of developing cancer. All these health benefits from grapefruit and best to reach darker colored grapefruits. Eating 1 medium grapefruit  give you 80 calories. Healthy snacks isn't it!

Also according to University of Chicago that eating grapefruit may help get much out on your  prescriptions that there are enzyme in our liver and intestines called CYP3A help breaks down drugs you ingest. these enzyme may cause less of the medicine to survive our digestive process. Also found out that these compound in grapefruit that allow more medicine to get into our bloodstream (reference: Women’s Health, May 2008, p. 24). Citrus

Try these easy fruit salad for breakfast, Citrus Avocado Salad organic and healthy recipe from Laurel On Health Food.

 
1 pink grapefruit
2 oranges
1 avocado
1 handful fresh mint leaves

Chop up the grapefruit, oranges, and avocado into bite-sized pieces. Toss together and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve chilled. Tip: If you can’t eat grapefruit because of medications (or personal preference), you could substitute extra oranges, tangerines, or mango.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Heart-Healthy Nuts

Cashew nuts nuts are packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and are a great source of magnesium. Also it Reduces the total level of cholesterol. Decreases your LDL level of "bad" cholesterol and Improve your total good cholesterol which is important for heart and bone health, even if you eat just a handful. They are incredibly rich in protein and fiber, which makes a filling snack
 
Nuts are a choice filling and satisfying snack.They are a perfect all-natural choice when you travel. Choose unsalted raw nuts and when available.









Thursday, August 4, 2011

Heart-Healthy Snacks

Try these snacks, certified nutritionist, health risks of sugar before your stomach starts to growl and scratch! Put your brain to eat healthy foods every day. Fulfill the promise unfilled.

"The avocado is a heart healthy alternative, rich in folate, vitamin E, C and B6, potassium and soluble fiber," according to the American Dietetic Association. "It has heart-healthy unsaturated fats, and nutrients, reducing cholesterol, promoting the vision and possibly protect against cancer.

This smoothie recipe from Laurel On Health Food is great for the skin. 
Avocado Pineapple Smoothie
(Makes 2-3 Servings)



1 ripe avocado
1 cup fresh pineapple
1½ cups coconut water, unsweetened
½ cup 100% orange juice
6 ice cubes
1 tbsp. agave nectar (optional)

Scoop out the avocado flesh to the blender. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Certified Nutritionist Healthy Snacks

Try these certified nutritionist sugar risk healthy snacks before your stomach starts to growl and scratch! Set your mind to eat healthy food everyday. They promise to fill up without filling out.

Unsweetened Applesauce:
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 100
Health benefits:
Good source of antioxidant quercetin, and can protect against heart disease and cancer, prevent inflammation. Rich in Fiber and keeps your digestion on track. preventing cholesterol from building.


Make your own Applesauce: This recipe is from Laurel on Health Food.


Raw Kiwi-Raspberry Applesauce
 


1 large Fuji apple, peeled
1 kiwi, peeled
7-8 raspberries
1/2 lemon


Cut the apples and kiwi large pieces and place them in a food processor or blender. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of one half on top of the fruit. Blend or process until smooth consistency high. Serve at room temperature or chilled.


Tip 1: Use organic products if possible. Tip 2: I used a Fuji apple, but you can use any juicy apple that you like. Tip 3: You can store this sauce in the refrigerator in a container with a lid for 1-2 days.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Asthmatics Took Ginger

Some recent discoveries: • Ginger has anti-cancer properties. For example,

Researchers at the University of Michigan, said recently that it deems to be of ovarian cancer cells at bay - in a test tube. (This is far from saying that ginger can prevent cancer, though.) • can prevent bacterial growth. For example, in a laboratory study, reduced the bacterium H. pylor4 responsible for most stomach ulcers and stomach cancer perhaps. • In one study, asthmatics who took ginger reported fewer symptoms, but found no evidence of changes in lung function. • Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and can therefore be a useful remedy for arthritis. • Ginger does not seem to relieve nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, motion sickness and chemotherapy.

What to do if you want to try ginger for nausea and vomiting, you can buy ginger capsules. But keep in mind the ginger can cause major digestive problems and nausea. instead of treating them.You can try the candied ginger or ginger tea. Most bottled ginger ginger also contain little or none.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Reduce salt intake!

Remove the salt shaker, and not far away from processed foods! Long suspected of being complicit in heart disease, indirectly, increase blood pressure, salt is then involved directly responsible for the heart.

The researchers report that people reduce salt intake from 25% to 35% lower risk of cardiovascular events over the next 10-15 years from 25% to 30%. The system without salt (NAS), which is the most commonly prescribed treatment. This system has been diagnosed in patients with congestive heart failure, cardiomyopathy, heart disease, acute or chronic renal failure, hypertension, or edema.

American Heart Association recommends that most people limit daily salt intake to 2,300 milligrams - less than a teaspoon (2,400 mg). For people with heart failure, the recommendation is no more than 2,000 mg per day. Achieving this goal requires more than to restrict the use of salt, however: More than 80% of salt intake by Americans comes from processed foods, including 20% ​​of meat and meat products and bread 35% grain / products.

Nutrition label provides the amount of sodium per serving, so always check the serving. Go milligrams instead of a percentage that is based on a diet to 2400 mg per day and is inaccurate to another level.

NAS for snacks is best to stick to fruits and vegetables. There are a few packaged snacks usually contain sodium, such as gelatin desserts and ice cream. But to be safe, you should always check the label for sodium content. However, it is important to remember that the nuts are low in sodium, which is also high in fat and calories.

Here is a list of some other snack foods that contain common, 0 mg sodium, or nearby: Read more about this Article...http://ht.ly/5NmWH



Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Camping In Adirondacks

This post was originally published as Adirondacks Camping by Laurel on Health Food blog.
Last weekend I went camping in the Adirondacks in upstate New York. Goodness, it was such a beautiful weekend. Perfect weather (sunshine and breezes), great company, canoes, camp fires, and lots of fresh air for me to breathe in. It was a great escape from the city, even if just for the weekend.
I took a bunch of healthy food on the trip to share with my friends. My big pot of vegetarian chili was a hit, and our group ate it all weekend long. I made it with tomato sauce, vegetable stock, 3 kinds of beans, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, garlic, corn, and lots of spices. I also brought hummus and red bell peppers for snacks, avocados, and my friends brought peanut butter and whole grain bread, coffee, peaches, eggs, pasta, and oatmeal with blueberries and honey for our breakfast. We also noshed on lots of beer, wine, and potato chips because it WAS a vacation. But, for me it’s all about having lots of healthy foods around to balance things out. The whole weekend was a big success and we’re already dying to go back.
Looks good, huh? I’m not an experienced camper but I am big on being organized and prepared…especially when I’m out of my element. The chili ended up being a perfect camping food and something I will definitely do again.
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Breakfast of eggs with chili and avocado next to oatmeal with blueberries.
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The view from our campsite at sunset.
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Vegetarian chili and spaghetti to warm us up at night.
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Hummus and raw yellow bell peppers for a snack.
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Me standing on the dock, happy to be breathing in lots of fresh air.
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Oatmeal, blueberries, cinnamon, honey, and a dab of peanut butter.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Natural Snack From Skout

This post was originally published as Skout Trailbars Giveaway by Laurel on Health Food.
This week I tried out some awesome all natural snack bars from Skout Natural. The bars come in five yummy flavors: Cherry + Vanilla, Chocolate + Peanut Butter, Apple + Cinnamon, Blueberry +Almond, and Chocolate + Coconut. They contain all organic ingredients and are free of dairy and added sugar. Oh, they’re also kosher and vegan. Suhweet.
My favorite flavor is apple cinnamon, but they were all pretty good. Second favorite: cherry vanilla. I was expecting for the chocolate peanut butter to be the best, but it didn’t have enough quite enough peanut butter taste to it, and I am a peanut butter lover! To me, the best thing about Skout’s bars is the simple, all natural ingredients. They’re a great thing to eat if you need some energy after a workout, or anytime on the go. I’m planning to bring a few with me on an upcoming camping trip.
Announcing a giveaway! To submit your entry to win 5 free Skout Trailbars (all 5 flavors), leave a comment on this blog post telling me why you’d love to try them out. I’ll choose one winner to receive a box of the 5 bars. All entries must be complete by Friday July 29th, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. If you’re chosen as the winner, I’ll contact you by email to ask for your full name and address to send you the bars. Open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!
5 Flavors - Skout Trailbars
Cherry + Vanilla Skout Trailbar
Chocolate + Peanut Butter Skout Trailbar
Applt + Cinnamon Skout Trailbar
Blueberry + Almond Skout Trailbar
Chocolate + Coconut  Skout Trailbar
5 Flavors - Skout Trailbars

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Jamaican curry tofu and vegetables

This post was originally published as Weekend Eats by Laurel on Health Food.
I’ve been so busy the past few weekends and didn’t do much cooking at home, but I’ve had some wonderful food while out and about.
We had some family in town last weekend, and I recommended Land Thai Kitchen on the Upper West Side for dinner on Friday night. We went early and didn’t have to wait to sit down. I had a lychee margarita and shared root vegetable spring rolls and vegetable dumplings for appetizers. Both apps were delicious, but I especially loved the vegetable dumplings because they had a nice crunch inside (thanks to crumbled peanuts). I ordered a Jamaican Curry Tofu and Vegetables meal for the entree. I forgot to ask for brown rice, so I mostly stuck to eating the tofu and mixed vegetables which included green tomatoes, broccoli, asparagus, carrot, and more. I’m always happy with my food at Land Thai. It’s so fresh and the vegetables are never overcooked.
Vegetable dumplings
Vegetable dumplings at Land Thai Kitchen
Root vegetable spring rolls
Root vegetable spring rolls at Land Thai Kitchen
Jamaican Curry Tofu and Vegetables
Jamaican curry tofu and vegetables at Land Thai Kitchen
The weekend before I was on my way to meet up with my boyfriend and his business partner over at their Midtown studio and had worked up a healthy appetite on my walk across town. Le Pain Quotidien is always a favorite of mine, so I swung by and picked up an Organic Red Quinoa salad with arugula, chickpeas, artichoke, side of avocado, and a basil dressing. I absolutely loved this fresh salad. It was filling and perfect for the hot summer afternoon. Oh, I also tried the watermelon cooler with fresh mint. Le Pain makes it with fresh watermelon juice, and it’s just heavenly.
I love my home-cooked meals, but eating out is such a treat here in NY.
Red quinoa salad
Red quinoa salad at Le Pain Quotidien
Watermelon cooler
Watermelon cooler at Le Pain Quotidien

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Please Vote For My Recipe!

This post was originally published as Vote For My Recipe! by Laurel on Health Food.
Happy Thursday friends! I wanted to let you know that Cascade Ice Water is holding a contest where 3 bloggers created healthy cocktails using their low calorie sparkling flavored waters. I am one of the bloggers with a recipe in the running. So, would you please vote for me? I submitted my recipe for a yummy Tropical Rum Cocktail.
Visit the Cascade Ice Facebook page and click the link for Cocktail Contest on the tabs running along the left-hand side of the page. When you enter the contest on Facebook, you’ll be entered to win a Cascade Ice prize pack.
The other two cocktails entered in the contest look delicious, so it’s anyone’s game. Cheers!

Summer Salads Recipe

This post was originally published as Healthy Summer Salad – TCOP by Laurel on Health Food.
Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion (TCO) salad is a staple in my family. We always make big batches in the summertime when the tomatoes are ripe and everyone’s craving salads. I love the simple ingredients in the recipe. It’s a perfect healthy dish to bring to a summer BBQ or pool party.
Back in 2007 I posted the recipe with avocado: TCOA Salad. This year I added some sweet raw bell peppers and a garnish of fresh basil. I hope you enjoy this one. The colors in the salad are beautiful, huh?
Tomato, Cucumber, Onion, Pepper (TCOP) Salad
TCOP Salad 
4 vine-ripened tomatoes
1 large red onion
1 large hothouse cucumber
2 sweet bell peppers (orange or yellow)
Fresh basil (for garnish)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Sea salt & pepper
Cut the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and bell peppers into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Drizzle a couple tablespoons of olive oil and red wine vinegar on top. Add a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper and mix well. Cover, refrigerate, and stir before you eat. Serve chilled with fresh basil on top.
Tip: This salad gets better as time goes on. It’s wonderful right after you make it, but it tastes best after it’s had a few hours to sit in the refrigerator.
TCOP Salad
 

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Trinidad Street Food

This post was originally published as Doubles (Trinidad Street Food) by Laurel on Health Food.
Ever since we got back from Trinidad, I’ve been dying to make some of the foods we ate on our trip. Last night I made curried chickpeas and fried bread (doubles). They came out great! When we were in Trinidad we ate doubles on the street several times and I loved them. They are loaded with flavor thanks to gobs of curry powder, garlic, onions, and hot sauce. I used a half teaspoon of some super-spicy homemade hot sauce we brought back with us from our trip.

Frying the bread was a new thing for me. I typically don’t fry my foods because it’s obviously not the healthiest cooking method. But this was fun for a special treat. Plus, the curried chickpeas filling is super healthy, vegetarian, and full of disease-fighting curry spices.
I used a Doubles recipe from the cookbook I bought on vacation: The Multi-Cultural Cuisine of Trinidad & Tobago & The Caribbean. If you want to make these doubles too, I found an almost identical recipe on the Fabulous Foods website.

It feels good to experiment with new recipes, and I know my boyfriend loves that I’m learning how to make homemade Caribbean food. Can’t wait to try more recipes from the cookbook! For more on Trinidadian food including pictures from my recent vacation.

Curried chickpeas and bake bread
Curried chickpeas and bake bread
Curried chickpeas and bake bread
Hot pepper sauce from Trinidad
Curried chickpeas, onions, garlic

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Food To-Go In 2 Minutes

This post was originally published as Rickshaw Dumpling Bar by Laurel on Health Food.
Before I left for my 4th of July vacation in Florida, I stopped by the Rickshaw Dumpling Bar on 23rd street. I had heard about the Rickshaw food trucks, but just realized they have two stores in NYC.
The Flatiron store was very clean and I also got great service. I ordered my food to-go and it was ready in 2 minutes. There were lots of things I wanted to try, but I narrowed it down to the Vegetarian Edamame dumplings and one Herby Spring Roll as an appetizer. The spring roll was made with glass noodles, carrot, cucumber, jicama, cilantro, mint, basil, and a peanut dip. It was super fresh and served chilled. I love that they used three different green herbs in there.
The Vegetarian Edamame roll was made with mashed up edamame beans with lemon and wrapped in a whole wheat dumpling wrapper and served with a lemon sansho dip. They were pretty good and tasted healthy, but I thought they were a little plain. Next time I’ll try the mustard green dumplings with tofu, mustard seeds, and soy sesame dip instead. What I did love was the fresh Soy-Sesame Salad I got on the side of the dumplings. It was made with spicy-tofu that tasted like they were dipped in chicken wing sauce. Plus, there were a ton of crispy bean sprouts, scallions, and garlic. The flavor-packed salad made up for the mild-tasting dumplings.
Overall, I had a good experience at Rickshaw. I’ll definitely be back. They also have a Peanut Sate Salad I want to try that’s made with young coconut and thai basil.
Rickshaw Bar - Flatiron Location
Rickshaw Bar - Flatiron Location
Inside look at Vegetarian Edamame dumplings
Inside look at Vegetarian Edamame dumplings
Herby Spring Rolls
Herby Spring Rolls
Vegetarian Edamame Dumplings and Soy-Sesame Salad
Vegetarian Edamame Dumplings and Soy-Sesame Salad

Friday, July 1, 2011

Healthy Cruciferous Vegetables

This post was originally published as What’s in Season? by Laurel on Health Food.
Hey there! I’ve been thinking a lot about seasonal cooking this week. Last Saturday I took a trip to the local farmer’s market and was excited to see some of my favorite fall produce on display. Down in Florida, we’re not feeling much of a change in weather (it’s still hot & humid), but we should get a break soon enough.
One of the best things about cooking and eating in-season foods is they taste better and they’re at their peak levels of nutrition and freshness. Eating seasonally means you can eat locally (supporting farmers and community-supported agriculture). Your food will travel shorter distances from the fields to your plate.
Here’s a list of fruits and vegetables in season for Autumn/Fall: apples, arugula, asian pears, beans (for shelling), broccoli, Brussels sprout, fennel, green tomatoes, hard-shelled squashes, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, radicchio, sweet peppers, and sweet potatoes. (Ref: Fresh From the Farmers’ Market by Janet Fletcher)
Look out for these foods in your local stores and markets. Or maybe you’re lucky enough to have a few growing in your garden!
I picked up some fresh Brussels sprout last weekend and they’re really delicious. I recently learned that these magically healthy cruciferous vegetables are sweeter during their peak season. I could really taste a difference and they didn’t have the strong bitter flavor Brussels sprout tend to have other times of the year (the longer they’re stored off the stalk, the stronger their bitter flavor becomes).
Happy Fall Season and I hope you enjoy some seasonal produce!

Monday, June 27, 2011

Food Truck Event NYC

This post was originally published as Taste of Parks NYC by Laurel on Health Food.
Yesterday there was a food truck event in Central Park, and I was all over it! New York City’s Taste of Parks event showcased over a dozen gourmet food trucks in a gathering at The Arsenal in Central Park over on the east side. Several of the best food trucks were there including Desi Food Truck (my fav), Fatty Snack, and Coolhaus.
Here’s a roundup of the food I sampled (or saw someone else eat):
  • Desi Food Truck – I tried the vegetarian-friendly Aloo Masala (potatoes & peas) kati roll and a sample of the Dal & Rice (yellow & red lentils over basmati rice). Desi’s Indian food is authentic, super fresh, and very spicy. Just like I like it.
  • Ladle of Love – I sampled a chilled gazpacho and their truffled chickpeas. Wow, the chickpeas were a fun, salty snack. Plus, they were vegan and dairy free. I’d definitely like to try more from this truck another day.
  • NY Dosas – This South Indian food truck was making vegan crepes. This was the smallest cart there but people were loving it. I talked to a group of guys and girls who said the crepes were “amazing.” They are regularly located at Washington Square Park at West 4th and Sullivan. I’ll definitely be there for lunch someday soon.
  • Food Freak – These guys were serving samples of their gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and “watermelon freak juice” which was so fresh and perfect for summer (recipe here). I tried a bite of the Garden Grillz sandwich with shaved carrot & zucchini salad tossed in red wine vinaigrette. I don’t eat a lot of cheese, so a sample size bite was perfect. They toasted the bread perfectly.
  • Pullcart – Fatty Snack’s pull cart was giving out samples of their pulled pork sandwiches, but they sold out early (no surprise there). I’d like to visit them another time because I noticed they sell fresh coconut water.
  • Rouge Tomate – Their chilled white gazpacho with almonds, grapes, and cucumber was refreshing and classy. What a surprise to have something like this come out of a food truck.
  • Kelvin Natural Slush - The slushie cart had samples of their almond palmer slush made with citrus, tea, and mixed berries. I really liked it and it wasn’t overly sweet, so that’s a plus. I bet the Kelvin trucks do very well in the summertime.
  • Coolhaus – The ice cream sandwiches coming out of this truck looked so good, but I just drooled over what other people were ordering. I was definitely too full for dessert. Some of the creative flavors included dirty mint chip, tahitian vanilla bean, matcha green tea, and brown butter & candied bacon ice creams. Whoa.
One more thing! While I was there I spoke with a reporter from DNAinfo (Manhattan local news). Today I found her article with my picture and a quote. Check it out here.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Brooklyn Big Sandwich

This post was originally published as Brooklyn Bowl by Laurel on Health Food.
I went bowling with a bunch of friends last weekend at Brooklyn Bowl. My boyfriend and I showed up starving, so we went straight for the menu and ordered some food. I was pleasantly surprised at the menu selection, including lots of veggie options for me. I chose the “Veggie Buster” sandwich and found out that the name really holds up.

It was a HUGE sandwich with fresh mozzarella cheese and every roasted vegetable I could think of including arugula, tomatoes, olives, mushrooms, artichoke, onion, red pepper, and more. I only ate a little bit of the cheese, but gobbled up all the veggies. I don’t know if the picture does it justice, but it was so huge that I only ate half of the sandwich and the nice fresh greens salad served on the side. I took the rest home for leftovers. Everyone who walked by was like, “Daaaaang that is a big sandwich….looks good.”

What a nice surprise from a bowling alley! Brooklyn Bowl really is a huge step up from the rest. Our server took good care of us all night and even brought our bowling shoes over for us so we didn’t have to stand in line, haha.

Veggie Buster at Brooklyn Bowl

Friday, June 10, 2011

Trinidadian local food

This post was originally published as Trinidadian Food by Laurel on Health Food.
Last week I went on vacation with my boyfriend to Trinidad. We visited family members, ate lots of delicious local food, sipped many drinks, and relaxed with no phones or computers. Ahh, the life! I absolutely loved the food I had while I was in Trinidad and took a bunch of pictures. We spent our time on the northern end of the island, but I look forward to going back someday so I can see the southern side and also visit Tobago. I heard the beaches were stunning there. Oh, and I definitely want to visit during the famous Carnival that happens in February/March. Sounds like soooo much fun. Did you know that Trinidad is home of the original Carnival?
As I expected, there was a ton of curry spices and hot sauce in the foods. You know I loved that! I tried to order vegetable-heavy dishes when I could, but I also tried some fish and meat so I could get a taste of what the locals had to offer. There were tons of street vendors, and I loved how we could always pull over to the side of the road for a quick snack or a fresh coconut water. It was certainly an indulgent trip, but I loved that all the fresh food was grown or caught locally. I can’t wait to try to make some of these dishes at home.
Here’s a summary of my favorite foods I tried on the trip. Hope you enjoy it!
  • Roti - This yummy flat bread originates from India and it’s typically eaten with meats and vegetables. I had it several times wrapped with curried potatoes and pumpkin inside, but also ate Paratha Roti which is roti crumbed into pieces. Trinidadians call it “Buss-Up-Shut” because it resembles a torn or busted-up shirt. You can dip the Buss-Up-Shut in your curry sauce or make mini wraps with the meat and/or veggies. Learn more about roti here.
  • Doubles – This well-known street food is made with fried flat bread that’s filled with curried chickpeas (channa), spicy chutney, and hot pepper. Omigoodness these were so good. We had them for breakfast, lunch, and anytime we needed a snack.
  • Coconut water – There were tons of places to pull over and get fresh coconut water. The guys take a big machete and quick chop off the top and stick a straw in. So refreshing. They even give you a little scoop so you can break the coconut open when you’re done and eat the soft coconut meat inside.
  • Bake & shark – Bake is a fluffy fried bread. It was served at the beach with fried shark meat and a spread of fresh toppings and sauces. I had mine with cucumber, tomato, lettuce, mustard, slaw, and a little hot sauce. It was a HUGE sandwich!
  • King fish – My boyfriend’s Dad’s cousin made us some super fresh king fish that he bought when we went to Maracas Beach. He lightly seasoned it with herbs and curry spices, pan fried it, and we ate it with fresh lime juice, mustard, and pieces of soft white bread from the bakery.
  • Breakfast bake – A family friend made us bake for breakfast one morning topped with sautéed spinach, garlic, onions, and peppers. This was one of my favorite things I had on the trip. Just a little something our friend whipped up with leftovers in her refrigerator.
  • Mango, avocado, and tamarind coconut trees – I think everyone we visited had at least one of these fresh fruit trees in their backyard. Man, I would kill for an avocado tree!
  • Carib & Stag (local beers) - Everyone was drinking the cold local beers Carib and Stag. Carib is sort of like Corona and Stag tastes a bit like Heineken.
Check out my pictures below and see more pictures from my trip at this link!
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Roti filled with pumpkin, curried potatoes, and mango
Doubles with chickpeas and onions
Doubles with chickpeas and onions
Mmm...fresh coconut water
Mmm...fresh coconut water
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The view on our drive to Maracas Beach
Laurel looking out over Maracas Bay
Laurel looking out over Maracas Bay
Bake and shark sandwich with slaw, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and mustard
Bake and shark sandwich with slaw, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and mustard
Buss-up-shut with bok choy, curry potatoes, and pumpkin
Buss-up-shut with bok choy, curry potatoes, and pumpkin
Road-side roti stand
Road-side roti stand (only open late at night)
Breakfast bake with spinach, garlic, and peppers
Breakfast bake with spinach, garlic, and peppers
Pan-fried king fish with mustard and fresh bread
Pan-fried king fish with mustard and fresh bread
Tequila, carbonated grapefruit juice, and a splash of bitters
Tequila, carbonated grapefruit juice, and a splash of Angostura bitters
Mango tree
Backyard mango tree