Tonkatsu Burger

McDonalds Restaurants in Japan will offer for a limited time the “Tonkatsu Mac Burger” to their customers.

Tonkatsu, Japanese-style pork cutlet, is a classic Japanese food. The new burger features tonkatsu pork loin patty with special tonkatsu and mustard sauce, and shredded cabbage.

Each burger is sold for 399 Yen before tax (about US$3.9).

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Macaroni and Cheese with Beer

Ingredients

2½ cups uncooked whole wheat macaroni
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
8 oz milk
8 oz beer
8 oz freshly grated cheddar cheese
4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
black pepper and nutmeg to taste
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
10 large fresh basil leaves, chopped for garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium high. Whisk in flour to create a roux and cook until bubbly and golden in colour, about 2 minutes. Add milk and beer while whisking constantly. Mix in cheeses and stir until melted. Turn heat down to medium and continue to stir, cooking for 5 to 6 minutes until mixture thickens a little bit. Stir in pepper, paprika and nutmeg.
4. Add pasta to a casserole dish, and then pour cheese over top, mixing gently to combine. Top with panko bread crumbs and an additional sprinkle of cheese if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden on top.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with chopped basil before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Femina

In Pictures: Character Bento

Mediterranean Diet May Slow Type 2 Diabetes Progression

A study published in Diabetes Care shows that for people recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, eating a Mediterranean diet—focusing on vegetables, fish, and whole grains—may slow progression of the disease more than restricting fat.

The researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial of 215 participants diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. They divided them into two groups—108 were assigned to follow a Mediterranean diet and 107 were told to follow a low-fat diet.

Both diets were designed to help prevent type 2 diabetes from getting worse and to keep blood sugar under control without medication for as long as possible. On both diets, women aimed to consume 1,500 calories per day and men aimed for 1,800 per day. Monthly sessions with nutritionists helped them keep less than half of their calories coming from carbohydrates and at least 30% of calories from fat, mainly olive oil. The low-fat diet restricted fatty or sugary snacks, limiting fats to less than 30% of daily calorie intake.

The researchers followed the participants for more than eight years, and found that those following a Mediterranean diet went significantly longer before needing diabetes medication and more of them had their diabetes go into remission, compared to those on a low-fat diet. Diabetes “remission,” in which blood sugar levels appear healthy with no signs of diabetes, was rare overall but slightly more common in the Mediterranean group.

Source: Institute of Food Technologists

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Today’s Comic

My Recipe

Thai Lettuce Wrap with Spicy Shrimp, Pork and Peanuts

Ingredients:

14 oz lean ground pork
1 lb frozen small shell-on shrimp
12 oz coconut milk
2½ Tbsp red curry paste
5 oz roasted peanut (chopped)
16 lettuce leaves (trimmed)

Seasoning:

2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice

Garnish:

16 sprigs cilantro (chopped)
8 or to taste Thai chili (sliced)
to taste roasted peanut (chopped)

Method:

1. Thaw frozen shrimp in refrigerator overnight or in a colander under running cold tap water. Peel shrimp and devein, if any. Rinse shrimp and dry with paper towel.
2. Heat 7 oz of coconut milk over medium low heat and blend in red curry paste. Stir and cook for about 3 minutes to release the aroma of the paste.
3. Stir in pork and remaining coconut milk. Add fish sauce, sugar and lime juice. Bring to a simmer on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Add peanut and cook for about 3 minutes or until liquid dries out. Cool slightly.
4. Serve with lettuce leaves and garnish with cilantro, chili and additional peanut.

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Nutrition value for 1 wrap:

Calorie 168, Fat 11.8 g, Carbohydrate 5 g, Fibre 1 g, Sugar 2 g, Cholesterol 47 mg, Sodium 361 mg, Protein 11 g.

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• Fish Sauce
• Red Curry Paste
• Pictures of selected ingredients used in my recipes
• See my other recipes