Bonne Maman Golden Plum Mirabelle Preserves

Anytime of day where you can sneak in something sweet is the right time of day in our opinion. Knowing that what you are about to eat isn’t loaded with manmade additives should help you avoid having to furtively consume something in the dark corners of your home or office. It has been said that the most important meal of the day is Breakfast, which has been proven to be true by numerous Dieticians, Doctors and Weight Trainers. 

The reason for Breakfast being such an important meal is because it helps to kick-start your bodies metabolism and provides a much needed boost of energy after “fasting” all night while sleeping. Studies also show that individuals who routinely eat breakfast have a significantly higher chance of losing weight and maintaining that loss. That being said, we don’t want you to run out and start eating a steady diet of pancakes and sausage just because it is breakfast food (although that does sound good as it gets colder outside.)

We'd much rather like to introduce you to Bonne Maman® makers of some of the finest traditional French Preserves & Jellies found around the World.

Bonne Maman® is a brand who strives to provide their customers a product that is made from only the most superb of select ingredients. Producing a wide range of flavors from strawberry and apricot to the latest addition to the already impressive lineup Golden Plum Mirabelle, Bonne Maman® is a premium brand that should be on the kitchen table every morning next to your bagel or toast. 

If we haven’t convinced you to start eating a healthy breakfast every day, then try the Golden Plum Mirabelle Preserve out as a glaze on that roasted Holiday Ham you should be making in the near future or on some Seared Duck Breasts, you will be amazed at how complex flavors like these can turn a regular weeknight meal into some extraordinary.

All Bonne Maman® products are 100% natural, using only fruit & natural sugar with no additives, artificial flavors, colors, and are Gluten & Nut Free, so enjoy them today.

Available at finer stores or online at: www.BonneMaman.us (usually for less than $5.00 for a 13oz jar that’s pretty impressive)

The Essence of The Escape - Carnival Liberty 7 Day Caribbean Cruise

The energy you feel the moment you hit any port of call, prior to boarding a cruise ship is an astonishing feeling. No matter whether your boarding in Los Angeles, Miami, New York or Puerto Rico, to watch as the teams of porters & cruise ship staff members prepare that weeks guests for a “Bon Voyage” is like watching an action packed play unfold right before your eyes.

click to enlarge

The effortless process that Carnival has created for the thousands upon thousands of guest’s who pass through their numerous ports around the globe every few days, helps to set the tone for what everyone hopes will be an exciting, smooth running and relaxing trip. Once you go through the check in process you are given a sign & sail card (which alleviates having to carry cash everywhere you go while on the ship) and it is off to the races for just about everyone from that instant on.
 With so many culinary options to choose from, it shouldn’t take long to realize that the skilled and thoughtful staff that oversee the kitchens of this massive operation have everything under control. Every last detail, down to where they must stop and grab some quick produce while in the middle of the ocean should they be unpleased with this weeks melon and fruit selection has been carefully thought out.

If instantly getting to eating isn’t in your plans, you should slide on by the shore excursions desk. There you can get yourself properly informed about all of the amazing activities to do in each port (as well as score some cool promotional items that first day, many of which people know nothing about.) 

Ya Got To Check Out The W...

11/21/2000 Saw the release of this amazing album. The “W” from the Wu Tang Clan kept people wondering just how far The Rza could push his clan of disciples towards being above and beyond what the normal expectations were for such a large rap collective. Steamrollin’ the competition with styles unseen, metaphors unused and an abundance of unheard of slang they couldn’t be stopped.

The Captain Black & Ginger

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, ok its not even around the corner anymore, it has rounded that last base and is headed straight for you at this point. The question we must ask is simply, are you ready? Sure everyone thinks that because they have their turkey and ham ready, a few sides they think are up to par for the families partaking in, but what about your libation game? 

Do you have what it takes to satisfy not only yourself when it comes to pouring a drink but can you deliver in making sure that all of your guests are properly quenched and sauced up?  

The Captain Black & Ginger is an easy to consume cocktail, not so pungent so as to have you feeling as if you drank lighter fluid, yet strong enough to keep you well fueled for your evening encounter.

Enjoy Thanksgiving, Responsibly.

(click Read More for the entire recipe)

The Supreme Plate Guacamole

The Supreme Plate Guacamole

Regardless of the time of year, as long as you can get your hands on a few ripe and ready Avocados, Guacamole is a surefire hit, well that is if you know to make it. Some people believe that less is more, so they barely add anything to a few mashed up avocados and call it a day. We over here have adapted a few old school recipes that loved ones and well respected cooks have performed in front of us many times and felt that while less is more in some cases, a few perfectly paired ingredients will create more than you could imagine.

If you don’t finish the entire bowl, smooth out whatever is left in the container your going to store the Guacamole in, take some plastic wrap and press it tightly against the top of the Guacamole. For those that don’t know, after slicing an Avocado, if your not going to eat it all, lightly dip the Avocado in lime or lemon juice and wrap it in plastic wrap tightly and place it in the fridge. You will see little to no browning of the Avocado at all.

With this recipe it usually isn’t a problem, because there’s never any left.

Enjoy.

(recipe after the jump)

Burger King To Hold An "All You Can Eat" Buffet (In Japan)

Burger King Japan, home of the famous Kuro Burger (or Black Burger) is now announcing they will have an “all you can eat buffet” to highlight they have been open for 5 years (since the closing all of their locations in Japan in 2001.)

We stumbled upon the rules to just how hard it actually will be for many people to get a chance at the all you can eat buffet, and can only laugh at how companies will do whatever it takes to deceive their customers to make a buck.

Peep the “official” rules after the jump.

Happy Diwali

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

It was cold outside this morning. Many things are worse than waking up an going outside into the freezing cold, but this salad isn’t one of them. As we are literally just a week and a half away from Thanksgiving Day, everyone by now should be on point in watching what and how much they are eating. Right around now, I find myself in the kitchen for days on end, making recipes for other people, taking care of catering orders and preparing to feed my family and friends, not because it is Thanksgiving, but because that is what I enjoy doing.

This is a quick and easy Mediterranean Tuna Salad recipe that uses makes short work of any cooking, leaving more time for eating, enjoying and getting back to what you have to do for the day.

Enjoy!

(click Read More for the entire recipe)

ROTD: Honey Glazed Carrots

Honey Glazed Carrots.

A simple yet elegant side, that imparts a woodsy flavor combined with light tangy glaze from the honey & lemon, these Honey Glazed Carrots go perfectly alongside some roasted or grilled chicken. Then again not much doesn’t sit lovely alongside some good old bird. Try these out before Thanksgiving and perfect your skills, they don't take much effort and even make a mixed drink seem healthy.

(click Read More for the entire recipe)

An Alphabetical Guide To Healthy Eating

An Alphabetical Guide To Healthy Eating.

As the warm days begin to dwindle and the cold weather months kick their calamity of sorts into high gear, it is imperative to remember the ABC’s of staying healthy, by eating the right foods & avoiding stress in your life.  The times have changed, people used to have to search for the latest diet craze to make themselves miserable in hopes of losing a few lbs or inches. These days, consumers looking to stay in shape have to search through what they are force-fed, everywhere they turn to figure out what is hype and what is reality (and trust us a lot of these new diets are just pure BS.)

With everyone labeling themselves as “Fitness Gurus” and “Lifestyle Coaches,” its plain to see that there are two simple facts that cannot be overlooked in regards to living a healthy lifestyle;

1. It (fitness) is a big business, so know who you are listening too before you start some crazy diet that may cause you sever harm &

2. Not every diet is geared to work for everyone, so a clear understanding as to what you should and should not be eating is crucial before getting started.

We’ve put together a quick list of super foods and foods that do super damage and hope that this will help to inform you a bit about foods that are great for you vs a diet that does nothing for you at all.

 A. Avocados -

Loaded with Vitamin E, these delicious fruits are full of healthy fatty oils that promote smooth muscle growth, are loaded with antioxidants and help to promote cell signaling.

B. Bananas -

Bananas are an excellent source of Vitamin B, soluble fiber and contain moderate amounts of Vitamin C, Manganese and Potassium. Along with a few other foods, consuming Bananas has shown to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and in women breast cancer.

C. Cranberries -

Raw Cranberries have moderate levels of Vitamin C, Dietary Fiber as well as show increased abilities in helping to fight urinary tract infections in both men and women.  Cranberry Juice also has a high molecular weight that inhibits the formation of Plaque pathogens that cause tooth decay. (click Read More for the entire Alphabet of Healthy Eating)

Action Bronson X Alchemist = Rare Chandeliers

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm (Random)

My kind of shot glass

Wrong on all sorts of levels

World Peas

So Cal Snowmen Cookies

Word to the Beat Junkies

Rubiks Cube Pepper Mill

Pretty creative molded shot glass

National Candy Day (Nov. 5th)

Vote Yes on Prop 37

Why Labeling GMOs is Important

What is Proposition 37?  Proposition 37 is a common-sense November ballot measure that will help consumers make informed choices about the food they eat. Written with broad input from food groups, industry, science, legal and health experts Prop. 37 (The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act) requires clear labels letting consumers know if foods are genetically modified. 

What Are Genetically Engineered Foods (GMOs)?  A genetically engineered food is a plant or meat product that has had its DNA artificially altered in a laboratory by genes from other plants, animals, viruses, or bacteria in order to produce foreign compounds in that food. This type of genetic alteration is not found in nature and is experimental.   Many of the foods we currently eat and feed our families (including certain baby formulas and a high percentage of corn, soy, cotton and sugar beets commonly used in processed foods sold in the U.S.),  but we don’t know which ones without labeling.

Yes Prop 37-Truck Painted by Griffin One & Ernest Doty

Example: Genetically Modified corn has been engineered in a laboratory to produce pesticides in its own tissue. GMO corn is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency as an Insecticide, but is sold unlabeled. [EPA Pesticides]. Walmart is now sellingMonsanto's sweet corn that has been genetically engineered to contain an insecticide, but consumers don't know because it's not labeled. 

Are Genetically Engineered Foods Safe?  GMOs have not been proven safe, and long-term health studies have not been conducted. A growing body of peer-reviewed studies has linked these foods to allergies, organ toxicity, and other health problems. These studies must be followed up. However, unlike the strict safety evaluations required for the approval of new drugs, the US Food and Drug Administration does not require safety studies for genetically engineered foods. The United Nations/World Health Organization food standards group and the American Medical Association have called for mandatory safety testing of genetically engineered foods -- a standard the U.S. fails to meet. 

GMOs Linked to Environmental Problems:  Various environmental problems associated with genetic engineering have been well documented, including biodiversity loss, an overall increase in pesticide use, the emergence of super weeds that are threatening millions of acres of farmland, and the unintentional contamination of non-GMO and organic crops.

We Have a Right to Know What's in Our Food:  Fifty countries around the world—representing more than 40% of the world’s population---already require GMO labeling, including all of Europe, Japan, India and China. Polls show that more than 90% of Americans want to know if their food is genetically engineered. We are free to choose what we want to eat and feed our children. The free market is supposed to provide consumers with accurate information about products so we can make informed choices.

Who is in Favor of Proposition 37?  Prop 37 was initiated by a grassroots organizing effort with the help of thousands of volunteers across the state, the Right to Know campaign gathered nearly one million signatures from California voters within a 10 week period.  More than 2,000 organizations – including media outlets, food manufacturers and retailers, leading consumer, environmental, farming, health, faith-based, political and labor groups – have since endorsed Yes on 37: www.carighttoknow.org/endorsements.

Who is Opposed to Proposition 37?  Not one human being has made a contribution to the campaign against Prop. 37.  Instead, the campaign is funded entirely by giant pesticide and junk food companies with a track record of making false claims about the safety of their products.  The “No” campaign’s two largest donors-- Monsanto and DuPont—are the same companies that told us Agent Orange and DDT were safe.  Further undermining the No campaign’s credibility is the fact that its biggest funder—Monsanto—produced a series of ads supporting labeling of GMOs in Europe in the 1990s. 

A Simple Proposition for California in 2012:  The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act is simple: The initiative would simply require food sold in retail outlets to be labeled if it is produced through genetic engineering, and would not allow these products to be labeled as “natural.” Prop 37 gives companies 18 months to change their labels, and allows for the GMO disclosure to appear wherever they choose on packaging.

No Cost to Consumers or Food Producers:  Companies change their labeling all the time, and research shows that Prop. 37 will have no cost impact on consumers or food producers.  In a recent study on the economic impact of Proposition 37, Joanna Shepherd Bailey, Ph.D., Professor at Emory University School of Law, concluded that there would be “no increases in prices as a result of the relabeling required.”  In Europe, introduction of GMO labeling produced no increase in food costs. David Byrne, former European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection of the European Parliament, stated that when Europe introduced GMO labeling in 1997, "it did not result in increased costs, despite the horrifying (double-digit) prediction of some interests.”

Prop. 37 Doesn’t Ban the Sale of Any Foods:  Despite opposition claims that Prop 37 would "ban the sale of thousands of groceries," it would not ban any foods at all. It merely requires that GMO-containing foods be labeled with the phrase “partially produced with genetic engineering” anywhere on the front or back of packages.

Greater Legal Certainty For Businesses: According to an independent legal analysis by James Cooper, JD, PhD, of George Mason University School of Law, Proposition 37 has been narrowly crafted in a way that provides “greater legal certainty” for businesses than other California consumer disclosure laws.  It won’t invite frivolous lawsuits.  What it will do is help California consumers make more informed choices about the food they eat.

If Proposition 37 passes, it will be a huge step toward the transparency we deserve. This is about our right to know what's in our food and the right to choose for ourselves what we eat and feed our families. These are fundamental American values. Join us in helping us win back our right to know about the genetic engineering of our food system. Vote Yes on 37 in November, join our campaign, share our ad, donate if you can (every little bit helps!).

Together, we can make history this November 

National Fig Week (The 1st week of November)

The National Food Holidays of November 2012

November is a crucial moth for just about everywhere on the face of the planet. With it being the second to last month of the year, people begin to realize they haven’t lived up to their New Years Resolutions in the slightest and so they begin to make up for their shortcomings. We here at The Supreme Plate, don’t really care how you spend your year, so long as you do right by your loved ones and those in need around you. It really isn’t so much as what you do for yourself, but what you can do for others who need some love, friendship or a bit of good food ont heir plate to help them see another day.

As always as the year draws to a close, we remember those that we have lost who didn’t make it to see the high holidays and that sometimes puts many of us in a bad mood that rightfully so weighs heavy in our hearts.

With Hurricanes tearing apart much of the East Coast, we spend a minute to think how thankful and grateful we are that we did not lose anyone dear to us in the storm, but also hope that those who lost their homes are able to recover from such a drastic blow quickly.

Enjoy the last 60 days or so of the year, with lots of laughter, good food and strong drinks and as always get a sober person to drive you home, no one wants for you to be another memory that is thought of painfully.

Thanks for being a fan to the site, we couldn’t do it without you.

The Amount of food that is made in the month of November far outweighs almost every other month of the year. This year do the right thing and make something for someone less fortunate who may be suffering through some hard times, who just can't find the strength or desire to cook a good meal. You may not know how much you are doing, simply by giving someone a warm meal.


With that said here go the Food Holidays for November...

November is home to:

Georgia Pecan Month

Good Nutrition Month

National Peanut Butter Lovers Month

National Pepper Month

National Raisin Bread Month

Vegan Month

The 1^st Week               National Fig Week

The 2^nd Week              National Split Pea Soup Week

The 4^th Thursday          National Turkey Day

The 4^th Thursday          National Stuffing Day

The 4^th Friday              National leftovers Day

November – 1            National Deep Fried Clams Day

November – 1            National Vinegar Day

November – 2            National Deviled Egg Day

November – 3            National Sandwich Day

November – 4            National Candy Day

November – 5            Doughnut Appreciation Day

November – 6            National Nachos Day

November – 7            Bittersweet Chocolate w/ Almonds Day

November – 8            National Cappucccino Day

November – 8            National Harvey Wallbanger Day

November – 9            National Scrapple Day

November – 9            CookSomething Bold & Pungent Day

November – 10            National Vanilla Cupcake Day

November – 11            National Sundae Day

November – 12            Chicken Soup for The Soul Day

November – 12            National Pizza w/ Everything (except Anchovies) Day

November – 13            National Indian Pudding Day

November – 14            National Guacamole Day

November – 14            National Pickle Day

November – 15            National Raisin Bran Cereal Day

November – 15            National Bundt Day

November – 16            National Fast Food Day

November – 17            National Baklava Day

November – 17            Homemade Bread Day

November – 18            National Vichyssoise Day

November – 19            Carbonated Beverage w/ Caffeine Day

November – 20            National Peanut Butter Fudge Day

November – 20            Noveau Beaujolais Day

November – 21            Gingerbread Day

November – 22            National Cashew Day

November – 23            National Espresso Day

November – 23            Eat a Cranberry Day

November – 24            National Sardines Day

November – 25            National Parfait Day

November – 26            National Cake Day

November – 27            National Bavarian Cream Pie Day

November – 28            National French Toast Day

November – 29            National Chocolates Day

November – 29            National Lemon Crème Pie Day

November – 30            National Mousse Day