Photo by John Suh

Eat them by the handful.

​First, a quick and dirty lesson on the varieties of chocolate:

• Unsweetened chocolate is all cacao and no sugar, making it incredibly bitter. It is also known as baking chocolate and is usually found in the baking aisle of grocery stores in the forms of blocks or bars. The sugar is added separately when baking brownies or cakes.
• Bittersweet, extra dark, semi-sweet, and dark chocolate, at least in the U.S., are often used interchangeably and should contain no less than 35 percent cacao. (Bittersweet and extra dark tend to have more cacao, while semi-sweet and dark have more sugar.) Unlike the cacao, however, sugar content is not regulated so sweetness may vary between brands.
• Milk chocolate contains milk (duh) either in the form of powder, liquid, or condensed.
• White chocolate uses cocoa butter instead of cocoa solids as its main ingredient. As a result, white chocolate lacks many of the health benefits found in darker chocolate.

Now that we've got that out of the way, let's dive into the most delectable of chocolates: the dark variety.

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Photo by Brooke Viggiano

​Great news! The Eat This, Not That! guys over at Men's Health have made my dreams come true by confirming that pizza made right is a well-balanced, healthy meal. Good thing, because last week, I made delicious whole-wheat pita pizzas topped with veggies and some Mediterranean flair. And because I'm obsessed with pizza, I want to do it again. This time, I'll be taking advantage of the beautiful weather with an Eggplant Flatbread done on the grill. Can't wait.

Here's what I'm making:

Sea Bass w/ Paprika Orange Vinaigrette

Roasted Beet & Sweet Potato Spinach Salad

Eggplant Rollatini

Italian Stuffed Pork Chop w/ Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Grilled Eggplant Flatbread

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Tags:

cooking, easy recipes, flatbread, healthy, pizza, pork chops, vegetarian, weekday menu plan

Photo by John Suh

Spurkey? (Spam: the turkey version)

​Ah, yes, that mysterious block of meat housed in the blue and yellow can. In 2007, the seven billionth can of Spam was sold. On average, 3.8 cans are eaten every second in the U.S. alone. Since its inception in 1937, Spam has become part of American pop culture--it has acted in films, been acquired by the Smithsonian, and now even has a museum of its own. Indeed, Spam is a rock star.

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Photo by Mel Sharlene

Touchdown!

​Earlier, we brought you a Super Bowl Buffalo Chicken Dip big enough to feed a game day crowd. Now for the sweets (I mean, you need something to counteract all of the spicy wing dip and beer, right?). With only four ingredients, these Oreo Truffle Footballs are delicious, so simple to make and even easier to shop for.

A sort of heaven-sent hybrid between a cake ball, a cookie and a truffle, these little guys make the perfect bite-size sweet.

Here's how to make them:

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Photo by alanagkelly

Buffalo Chicken Dip. Because no one looks sexy with wing sauce on their face.

​Super Bowl Sunday is here. I don't know about you guys, but I can't wait to watch the G-men beat the living $@*! out of the Patriots (God, I hate Tom Brady). But before we watch the big game, I'll need to prepare for the second most exciting act of the day: the food.

Of course, when I think football, I think of beer and wings. I love me some Buffalo wings, but making them for a crowd can be quite the hassle. Enter the buffalo chicken dip - my solution to wings made easy (like, almost too easy). This dip, filled to the brim with shredded chicken, blue cheese and hot sauce, is definitely large enough to feed a crowd. Serve it with mixed veggies, chunks of warm sourdough bread, or crisp tortilla chips.

Here's how to make it:

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Photo by aynsavoy

So good, it'll be like Cupid shot your lover right in the ass.

​Romance is in the air...and in my kitchen. This year, my fiancé and I decided to skip our usual Valentine's Day steakhouse special and cook an at-home meal full of flavor and passion. With mussels, steak, and shrimp, I'm sure we won't be missing that over-priced prix-fixe steak dinner.

Woo your lover with this romantic Valentine's Day meal:

Starter Beef Carpaccio w/ Arugula & Parmesan
Entrée Cupid's Cioppino w/ Mussels, Clams, Shrimp & Halibut
Dessert Chocolate Mousse w/ Homemade Whipped Cream

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Photo by jeffreyw

Pita never tasted so good...

​With last week's menu, I was lower-carb and lovin' it. Since I have a busy week ahead, my main goal this time around is quick and easy (but still healthy!) meals.

Here's what I'm cooking:

Spicy Chicken Pita w/ Sweet & Tangy Slaw

Thai-Style Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Linguini w/ Tuna Puttanesca

Mediterranean Pita Pizza

Grilled Stuffed Zucchini Rolls

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Tags:

fast healthy meals, healthy eating, light cooking, quick & easy recipes, weekday menu plan, weeknight cooking, whole-wheat

chow.com

​Ever since National Popcorn Day, I've sort of been on a popcorn kick. After all the savories, the Parmesan dill and Spicy Cajun, I had a hankering for something sweet. I was never a big fan of that pseudo-homemade Act II caramel corn. It was always so goopy, and the caramel was never distributed evenly. Same with just melting caramel candies. I like the crunch of caramel corn, and soft popcorn is just sad. I looked around the web for a good half hour before deciding to go with (sigh) Paula's, because it looked pretty easy.

I was a little reluctant at first because her recipe calls for a substantial amount of (duh) butter, (really, most of the recipes I came across called for just as much), but Paula wasn't diagnosed with Type II because she strictly adheres to the healthy food pyramid uh, plate. As with all sweet treats, moderation is key. Plus, deprivation can lead to binge eating, and I didn't want anyone coming home to find me huddled in a corner with the sugar-shakes, caramel corn crumbs stuck to my face and clothing.

So back to Paula's recipe, titled "Grandma Paul's Caramel Corn".

For the caramel sauce, you need:

• 1 cup butter (I know, two sticks...but it's going divided between 32 cups of popcorn so stay with me...)

• 2 cups packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup light corn syrup

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

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Photo by John Suh

Eat a banh chung for New Year.

​Happy New Year! Or as the Vietnamese say, Chuc mung nam moi! It's the lucky year of the Dragon -- those born between today and February 9, 2013, are predicted to live fortunate, prosperous lives. And what better way to celebrate the new year than by eating banh chung or banh Tet, the traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year cake?

I know this technically isn't a single ingredient per se, but with little effort, you can dress it up and make it into a dish with different texture and taste. Read on and learn about the history and possibilities of this Vietnamese New Year cake.

What is it?

Lunar New Year cakes are made by wrapping fatty pork, mung beans, and glutinous rice inside banana leaves and then steaming. The leaves' color is absorbed by the sticky rice, green being a symbol of earth and, thus, life.

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Photo by beccapie

I do so like green eggs and ham!

​I've been on a healthier cooking kick for the New Year and so far, soooo good! My cousin Franny asked me for some lower carb recipes. Since cutting down (but not cutting out) carbs never hurt anyone, I've made it my inspiration for the coming week.

Here's what I'm making:

Grilled Ginger Tuna Kabobs w/ Sesame Snow Peas

Marinated Flank Steak w/ Steamed Asparagus

Spaghetti (Squash) w/ Garlic & Oil

Garlic Sesame Flank Steak Stir-Fry

Green Eggs & Ham Frittata

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Tags:

Asian, easy meals, healthy cooking, healthy eating, low carb, low fat, menu plan, steak, tuna, weeknight meals