You Don’t Season the Meat

Seasoning is the key to getting the perfect meatballs. If you don’t season the meat, then you will just end up with a bland and disappointing dish. Salt is the most important, of course, but other seasoning plays a role as well. Parsley, basil, oregano, and nutmeg will give your meatballs a heavenly taste.

You Use Too Many Eggs (Or Don’t Use Them at All)

Eggs serve only as a binder in the meatball mixture, allowing it to thicken and giving it texture. This is why adding too many eggs to your meatballs will make them tough and heavy. On the other hand, not using any eggs will make them crumble and fall apart.

You Over-Mix

Yes, it is possible to over-mix the meatball mixture. Doing so will result in a paste that will give your far less satisfying results. In order to avoid this, you should mix the ingredients using your hands. Stop when you notice that the ingredients combined well, but chunks of meat are still visible.

You Don’t Roll them Correctly

The way you roll the meatballs is also crucial, as it isn’t just enough to make a ball and call it a day. The first thing to avoid is making the meatballs too tight. This will make them rubbery when cooked, and they won’t be able to absorb any sauce. The other thing you need to pay attention to is making all meatballs approximately the same size. This will allow them to cook evenly. 

The post 4 Mistakes to Avoid if You Want Perfect Meatballs appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

You can use them for so many different recipes, put them in smoothies, salads, and much more. But still, people do make mistakes and we’re here to help you figure them out.

You Defrost Them

Not all frozen vegetables need to be defrosted before cooking. Actually, you can cook with most of them right away. Waiting for the veggies to defrost can only cost you time. Instead, get to making your dish right away. If you feel that the veggies will release too much water, feel free to defrost them first.

Don’t Cook Them All

The best thing about these frozen packs is that you don’t even have to cook them. Simply take it out of the freezer and add them to your salad.

Avoid Buying Them Frozen If Available Fresh

This is something that most people forget. There are many types of vegetables that are available year-round, and they have the same quality. If you can get them fresh, forget about frozen.

The post Biggest Mistakes You Might Be Making With Frozen Vegetables appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

The persimmon is a tree fruit from Asia that is quickly gaining popularity. People love this orange fruit because of its healthy composition and its sweet, delicious taste.

It’s important to know how to identify and pick the right persimmon to eat, so here are some tips:

There are two different types of persimmons, and it’s crucial to know which one you have.

The Fuyu persimmon has a reddish-orange skin and is spherical in shape like a tomato.

This variety can be enjoyed when the flesh of the fruit is still firm. This is because it is the “sweet” persimmon.

You can eat it in slices or even whole like an apple if you want. Watch out for seeds, though!

The other type of persimmon is the Hachiya.

This persimmon variety is more acorn-like in shape and has a bright orange skin. They are also generally a bit larger than the Fuyu varietal.

This persimmon is different—it is very astringent and almost inedible until its flesh becomes very soft. It shouldn’t be eaten when firm, as it will taste sour and unpleasant.

Eat the Hachiya persimmon when it is very ripe and soft. It’s easiest to eat with a spoon, like a pudding.

The post How to Pick the Perfect Persimmon appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

A grilled cheese doesn’t have to be boring or traditional, though, so here are 5 ingredients that can turn a normal grilled cheese into something extraordinary.

1. Tomato Jam

It makes sense, doesn’t it? A classic pairing with a normal grilled cheese sandwich is tomato soup, so adding tomato jam to the sandwich itself is a great way to compliment the cheesiness with a tangy touch.

2. Avocado

The world’s trendiest food right now is a perfect pick to add some extra creaminess and richness to a regular grilled cheese, and it’ll give you a boost of healthy nutrients too.

3. French Toast

Whaaat?! That’s right, using french toast for your grilled cheese instead of normal bread is a great way to add a touch of sweetness and a unique touch to the sandwich. You get bonus points if you drizzle maple syrup on top, too.

4. Macaroni Noodles

Now you must think that I’m crazy. Don’t knock it until you try it, though. Using macaroni (and cheese) as the filling between the bread of the sandwich is insanely delicious.

5. Strawberries

Hear me out here: if you use a mild, soft cheese like brie as the cheese in your sandwich, the tart sweetness of strawberries turns the sandwich into an absolute wonder.

The post These 5 Ingredients Will Take Your Grilled Cheese to the Next Level appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Use Fruits That Contain Acids

Any type of acid has the ability to slow down this process of cut fruits. Mixing apples, pears and everything else that turns brown can go in the same plate with berries, oranges, lemons and more.

Use Cold Water

You probably didn’t expect this one. You can easily prevent cut fruits from turning brown by soaking them in cold water. Simply put the pieces in a bowl full of water. This protects them from the oxydation process and keeps the fruit looking pretty much the same.

Use Salt

Salt is another great trick everyone could use. Sprinkle some salt on top of the pieces and you prevent them from turning brown. You can also soak them in salt water.

Use Lemon Or Lime Juice

The acid present in these juices has the ability to slow down the process of cut fruits going brown. It lowers the levels of pH, which will save you some time.

Use Air-Tight Bags

There are air-tight bags that are ready to use. All you need to do is to fill them with fruit and seal them.

The post Best Tips to Prevent Cut Fruits From Turning Brown appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Today we will share three delicious and easy dip recipes. Dips may vary and you have plenty of different ones, from sweet to savory. Have a look:

1. Dill Scallion Dip
   Ingredients:
   * 1 cup sour cream
   * 1/2 cup sliced scallions
   * 1/4 cup mayonnaise
   * 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
   * 1 tbsp lemon zest
   * 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
   * Salt and Pepper
   * Potato chips, for serving

   Directions:
   Stir together sour cream, scallions, mayonnaise, dill, lemon zest, and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Chill 2 hours or up to 3 days. Serve with chips.

2. Warm Pimento Cheese Dip
   Ingredients:
   * 1 package reduced-fat cream cheese
   * 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
   * 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
   * 1 jar pimientos or roasted red peppers
   * 6 oz. sharp orange Cheddar
   * 6 oz. pepper Jack cheese
   * 2 scallions
   * Salt and pepper
   * Potato chips / tortilla chips

   Directions:

   Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper. Fold in the pimientos, Cheddar, Jack cheese, and scallions.
   Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and bake until bubbling and light golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve with chips.

3. The Ultimate Guacamole
   Ingredients:
   * 2 ripe avocados
   * 1 medium lime
   * 1/4 cup red onion
   * 2 tbsp. cilantro
   * 1 tbsp. jalapeño pepper
   * 1 clove garlic
   * 1 tsp salt

   * 1/2 tsp. black pepper

   Directions:
   Place avocados and lime in a medium bowl, and lightly mash with a fork. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 3 hours.

The post Three great Chips & Dips Recipes appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Here are five ways to preserve your avocados so they taste delicious and look appetizing for as long as possible.

Water Immersion

Immersion in water followed by immediate refrigeration for 48 hours, according to the test, is the absolute best way to keep a cut avocado looking fresh and beautiful. None of the remaining eight methods tested worked nearly as well as storing a cut, pitted half of an avocado submerged in water. The video did not show whether the water came from a tap or was bottled. Another advantage of this method is that water does not affect the avocado’s flavor.

Why does water work so well? The reason might not be the water itself, so much as the fact that the avocado is submerged in it. Exposure to air is what causes oxidation, the process of the avocado turning brown. Essentially, it’s rusting. By completely immersing the pitted avocado half in water, oxygen is prevented from getting to the flesh of the fruit, and so the avocado retains its lovely green color as if it had just been cut open.

By completely immersing the pitted avocado half in water, oxygen is prevented from getting to the flesh of the fruit, and so the avocado retains its lovely green color as if it had just been cut open.

Lemon Or Lime Slice

The experiment results seemed to show that a pitted avocado half fared slightly better when covered with a lime slice than a lemon slice. Either or both of these juices are often squeezed into guacamole to add flavor and keep it looking fresh. Not surprisingly, the avocados tested with citrus fruit slices came out looking pretty good, though not nearly as good as the water-immersed avocado. It would be interesting to see the result of an avocado being immersed in citrus juice for two days.

Red Or Yellow Onion Slice

Onion slices don’t make avocados cry; they keep avocados looking reasonably fresh. If you don’t mind onion flavor mixed in with your avocados, this could be a useful trick to try. The avocado halves tested with this method came out looking about as good as the ones topped with citrus fruit slices.

Pit In Versus Pit Out

Mothers have long sworn that avocados stay fresher when the pit is left in, but the results of the avocado preservation experiment seemed to show that pit out is the way to go. This is counterintuitive because, if preventing air from reaching the flesh of the avocado prevents oxidation from occurring, pit in ought to do better than it appeared to.

Brushing With Olive Oil

Again, by logic, this ought to work better than it seemed to. Brushing the avocado flesh with olive oil should have coated it enough to prevent oxygen from turning the flesh brown. The flat part of the avocado half did not look too bad, but the hollow part where the pit was removed had gone brown by the time the two days were up.

One final note: If your avocado does turn brown, you can slice off the brown bits and safely eat what’s underneath!

The post 5 Useful Tricks That’ll Keep Your Avocados Fresh For Days appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

You Don’t Season the Meat

Seasoning is the key to getting the perfect meatballs. If you don’t season the meat, then you will just end up with a bland and disappointing dish. Salt is the most important, of course, but other seasoning plays a role as well. Parsley, basil, oregano, and nutmeg will give your meatballs a heavenly taste.

You Use Too Many Eggs (Or Don’t Use Them at All)

Eggs serve only as a binder in the meatball mixture, allowing it to thicken and giving it texture. This is why adding too many eggs to your meatballs will make them tough and heavy. On the other hand, not using any eggs will make them crumble and fall apart.

You Over-Mix

Yes, it is possible to over-mix the meatball mixture. Doing so will result in a paste that will give your far less satisfying results. In order to avoid this, you should mix the ingredients using your hands. Stop when you notice that the ingredients combined well, but chunks of meat are still visible.

You Don’t Roll them Correctly

The way you roll the meatballs is also crucial, as it isn’t just enough to make a ball and call it a day. The first thing to avoid is making the meatballs too tight. This will make them rubbery when cooked, and they won’t be able to absorb any sauce. The other thing you need to pay attention to is making all meatballs approximately the same size. This will allow them to cook evenly. 

The post 4 Mistakes to Avoid if You Want Perfect Meatballs appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

You can use them for so many different recipes, put them in smoothies, salads, and much more. But still, people do make mistakes and we’re here to help you figure them out.

You Defrost Them

Not all frozen vegetables need to be defrosted before cooking. Actually, you can cook with most of them right away. Waiting for the veggies to defrost can only cost you time. Instead, get to making your dish right away. If you feel that the veggies will release too much water, feel free to defrost them first.

Don’t Cook Them All

The best thing about these frozen packs is that you don’t even have to cook them. Simply take it out of the freezer and add them to your salad.

Avoid Buying Them Frozen If Available Fresh

This is something that most people forget. There are many types of vegetables that are available year-round, and they have the same quality. If you can get them fresh, forget about frozen.

The post Biggest Mistakes You Might Be Making With Frozen Vegetables appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

The persimmon is a tree fruit from Asia that is quickly gaining popularity. People love this orange fruit because of its healthy composition and its sweet, delicious taste.

It’s important to know how to identify and pick the right persimmon to eat, so here are some tips:

There are two different types of persimmons, and it’s crucial to know which one you have.

The Fuyu persimmon has a reddish-orange skin and is spherical in shape like a tomato.

This variety can be enjoyed when the flesh of the fruit is still firm. This is because it is the “sweet” persimmon.

You can eat it in slices or even whole like an apple if you want. Watch out for seeds, though!

The other type of persimmon is the Hachiya.

This persimmon variety is more acorn-like in shape and has a bright orange skin. They are also generally a bit larger than the Fuyu varietal.

This persimmon is different—it is very astringent and almost inedible until its flesh becomes very soft. It shouldn’t be eaten when firm, as it will taste sour and unpleasant.

Eat the Hachiya persimmon when it is very ripe and soft. It’s easiest to eat with a spoon, like a pudding.

The post How to Pick the Perfect Persimmon appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

A grilled cheese doesn’t have to be boring or traditional, though, so here are 5 ingredients that can turn a normal grilled cheese into something extraordinary.

1. Tomato Jam

It makes sense, doesn’t it? A classic pairing with a normal grilled cheese sandwich is tomato soup, so adding tomato jam to the sandwich itself is a great way to compliment the cheesiness with a tangy touch.

2. Avocado

The world’s trendiest food right now is a perfect pick to add some extra creaminess and richness to a regular grilled cheese, and it’ll give you a boost of healthy nutrients too.

3. French Toast

Whaaat?! That’s right, using french toast for your grilled cheese instead of normal bread is a great way to add a touch of sweetness and a unique touch to the sandwich. You get bonus points if you drizzle maple syrup on top, too.

4. Macaroni Noodles

Now you must think that I’m crazy. Don’t knock it until you try it, though. Using macaroni (and cheese) as the filling between the bread of the sandwich is insanely delicious.

5. Strawberries

Hear me out here: if you use a mild, soft cheese like brie as the cheese in your sandwich, the tart sweetness of strawberries turns the sandwich into an absolute wonder.

The post These 5 Ingredients Will Take Your Grilled Cheese to the Next Level appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Use Fruits That Contain Acids

Any type of acid has the ability to slow down this process of cut fruits. Mixing apples, pears and everything else that turns brown can go in the same plate with berries, oranges, lemons and more.

Use Cold Water

You probably didn’t expect this one. You can easily prevent cut fruits from turning brown by soaking them in cold water. Simply put the pieces in a bowl full of water. This protects them from the oxydation process and keeps the fruit looking pretty much the same.

Use Salt

Salt is another great trick everyone could use. Sprinkle some salt on top of the pieces and you prevent them from turning brown. You can also soak them in salt water.

Use Lemon Or Lime Juice

The acid present in these juices has the ability to slow down the process of cut fruits going brown. It lowers the levels of pH, which will save you some time.

Use Air-Tight Bags

There are air-tight bags that are ready to use. All you need to do is to fill them with fruit and seal them.

The post Best Tips to Prevent Cut Fruits From Turning Brown appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Today we will share three delicious and easy dip recipes. Dips may vary and you have plenty of different ones, from sweet to savory. Have a look:

1. Dill Scallion Dip
   Ingredients:
   * 1 cup sour cream
   * 1/2 cup sliced scallions
   * 1/4 cup mayonnaise
   * 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill
   * 1 tbsp lemon zest
   * 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
   * Salt and Pepper
   * Potato chips, for serving

   Directions:
   Stir together sour cream, scallions, mayonnaise, dill, lemon zest, and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Chill 2 hours or up to 3 days. Serve with chips.

2. Warm Pimento Cheese Dip
   Ingredients:
   * 1 package reduced-fat cream cheese
   * 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
   * 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
   * 1 jar pimientos or roasted red peppers
   * 6 oz. sharp orange Cheddar
   * 6 oz. pepper Jack cheese
   * 2 scallions
   * Salt and pepper
   * Potato chips / tortilla chips

   Directions:

   Heat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice, and 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper. Fold in the pimientos, Cheddar, Jack cheese, and scallions.
   Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and bake until bubbling and light golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve with chips.

3. The Ultimate Guacamole
   Ingredients:
   * 2 ripe avocados
   * 1 medium lime
   * 1/4 cup red onion
   * 2 tbsp. cilantro
   * 1 tbsp. jalapeño pepper
   * 1 clove garlic
   * 1 tsp salt

   * 1/2 tsp. black pepper

   Directions:
   Place avocados and lime in a medium bowl, and lightly mash with a fork. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 3 hours.

The post Three great Chips & Dips Recipes appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.

Here are five ways to preserve your avocados so they taste delicious and look appetizing for as long as possible.

Water Immersion

Immersion in water followed by immediate refrigeration for 48 hours, according to the test, is the absolute best way to keep a cut avocado looking fresh and beautiful. None of the remaining eight methods tested worked nearly as well as storing a cut, pitted half of an avocado submerged in water. The video did not show whether the water came from a tap or was bottled. Another advantage of this method is that water does not affect the avocado’s flavor.

Why does water work so well? The reason might not be the water itself, so much as the fact that the avocado is submerged in it. Exposure to air is what causes oxidation, the process of the avocado turning brown. Essentially, it’s rusting. By completely immersing the pitted avocado half in water, oxygen is prevented from getting to the flesh of the fruit, and so the avocado retains its lovely green color as if it had just been cut open.

By completely immersing the pitted avocado half in water, oxygen is prevented from getting to the flesh of the fruit, and so the avocado retains its lovely green color as if it had just been cut open.

Lemon Or Lime Slice

The experiment results seemed to show that a pitted avocado half fared slightly better when covered with a lime slice than a lemon slice. Either or both of these juices are often squeezed into guacamole to add flavor and keep it looking fresh. Not surprisingly, the avocados tested with citrus fruit slices came out looking pretty good, though not nearly as good as the water-immersed avocado. It would be interesting to see the result of an avocado being immersed in citrus juice for two days.

Red Or Yellow Onion Slice

Onion slices don’t make avocados cry; they keep avocados looking reasonably fresh. If you don’t mind onion flavor mixed in with your avocados, this could be a useful trick to try. The avocado halves tested with this method came out looking about as good as the ones topped with citrus fruit slices.

Pit In Versus Pit Out

Mothers have long sworn that avocados stay fresher when the pit is left in, but the results of the avocado preservation experiment seemed to show that pit out is the way to go. This is counterintuitive because, if preventing air from reaching the flesh of the avocado prevents oxidation from occurring, pit in ought to do better than it appeared to.

Brushing With Olive Oil

Again, by logic, this ought to work better than it seemed to. Brushing the avocado flesh with olive oil should have coated it enough to prevent oxygen from turning the flesh brown. The flat part of the avocado half did not look too bad, but the hollow part where the pit was removed had gone brown by the time the two days were up.

One final note: If your avocado does turn brown, you can slice off the brown bits and safely eat what’s underneath!

The post 5 Useful Tricks That’ll Keep Your Avocados Fresh For Days appeared first on falafelandcaviar.com.