food and mood

we ofthen eat to calm down or cheer up when we're feelings stressed or depressed.

now new research suggests there's a reason: food changes out brain chemistry.
these changes powerfully influence our moods, but can certain foods really make us feel better? nutrition  experts say yes,
 but what should we eat and what should we avoid? here are the foods that work the best, as well as those that can make a bad day worse.

food and mood - we ofthen eat to calm down or cheer up when we're feelings stressed or depressed. (you have to read this great article)

The Most Popular Colombian Food Recipes

By Claudine Hodges


Some people believe that Colombian kitchen is quite similar to Mexican. Although they have some similar ingredients, they are actually quite different. Colombians don't appreciate hot spices, but they love fried food. They use different herbs and spices, and some are quite popular in all regions. Here are some of the most popular Colombian food recipes, and a few little things about the most important ingredients Colombian mostly use.

Masarepa is a type of precooked corn flour used to make arepas, empanadas and tamales. Sazon Goya is a dry seasoning often used in Colombian kitchen. It contains cumin, saffron and garlic powder. Cilantro or coriander, also known as Chinese parsley, is really important herb and it gives specific taste to their specialties.

Empanadas are probably one of the most popular dishes in Colombia. This filled dough is simple to prepare. You should simply mix 2 cups water with one and a half cups Masarepa, with vegetable oil, salt and Sazon Goya. The dough has to be smooth and it needs to be left to rest for a while.

Traditional empanada filing is made using two cups of diced yellow potatoes, one cup of chopped tomatoes, one half cup chopped white onions and green onions, one chopped garlic clove and one half pound chopped meat, usually pork and beef. For seasoning, you will need two tablespoons of fresh cilantro, red bell peppers, black pepper and salt.

Cook potatoes in some bouillon and mash them. Put some olive oil in a pan and add onions. After a while, add all other ingredients and cook until done. Add mash potatoes and stir. Add more spices if you want. This filling should be quite dry.

Make around twenty small balls out of your dough and form a thin circle of each. Place one spoon of filling on each circle, for a small half circles and seal them using a fork. Preheat larger amount of vegetable oil in one large pot and fry your empanadas until they become golden. Serve them hot, as a side dish. Empanadas taste great cold as well.

Arapas are really easy to prepare, and Colombians simply love them. Mix Masarepa with water and crumbled cheese, with a little bit of salt and vegetable oil. You should get smooth and elastic dough. Form small circles and deep fry them to become golden and crispy. Arepas are crispy but soft and juicy inside and really delicious. They make perfect little snacks, but can also be served as a side dish.

Colombians often use cumin, usually toasted and ground. They also use Achiote, the ground seeds of Annatto bush. This powder or paste has a subtle pepper flavor, but is mainly used for food coloring. Garlic is probably one of the most important ingredients in numerous traditional dishes, used for seasoning breads, seafood, meat and even rice.

Tamales are a little bit more complicated to prepare. Every region in Colombia has its own recipe, but this really is one interesting dish. It contains corn as well. You will find it in any Colombian restaurant, and you should give it a chance.




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