Oswego County Chamber» Food & Wine

Losing Weight With the Mediterranean Diet Plan

admin — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:44:06 +0000

Starting in the mid ’90s the Mediterranean diet plan has been suggested to people the world over. It has been noted that people in Mediterranean areas have much lower rates of high cholesterol and heart disease. Research has shown that is in large part due to the fact that diets in these regions tend to focus on olive oil as the main fat and include fish and poultry as the main sources of protein. Now you can take advantage of this natural and easy way to lose weight, by following a plan that’s worked for natives of the Mediterranean for decades.

One of the reasons that other diet plans often fail is because those using them get bored. No matter how much weight you might lose, eating only grapefruit gets boring after awhile. However, the Mediterranean has a huge amount of choices, which means you can mix up your meals and never get bored. This helps you to not just get excited when you first start on the diet plan, but to continue to follow it for a lifetime of healthy eating. There are an abundance of food and spice options available on this plan and followers of it have expressed excitement at coming up with new recipes all the time.

Surprisingly Moist Cake Must Mean Only One Thing… Banana!

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:52:21 +0000

Just about every variation of moist and rich cake has one thing in common. They usually have some nice over-ripe bananas somewhere in there! To make it even better, my Banana Honey Cake includes a couple more ingredients that really boost the moistness-factor. Add in a little yogurt, too, and you can’t miss. I also like this cake because you use whole wheat flour and it still maintains the smooth, moist texture. The cake also turns out wonderfully sweet. You can add, like I do, some chopped nuts or even raisins if you wish. This cake also begs for a cream cheese frosting. That’s my preference, but you can also serve it as is.

Whether you make cakes with fruit often, or maintain the belief that cake is only for special occasions, if you keep some interesting and cheap fruit recipes on hand, you can create cakes that are not only delicious but within your budget. And, when you cook with nutritious ingredients, you can feel good about serving your family cake every so often. Nutritious and cheap… these are the things that keep our family smiling!

Vegetarian Lentils Dish – Tacos Made with Lentils

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:27:59 +0000

Since meat prices have gone through the roof around here, I’ve been experimenting with frugal vegetarian dishes. Turns out that lentils are a great substitute for ground beef in a variety of dishes. This week we made taco style lentils and rice and served it in taco shells. It cooked up almost as fast as traditional taco filling and was very yummy. I cooked it on the stove, but the recipe also gives directions on how to cook the same dish in the crockpot. That would make it easy to have dinner cook itself while I’m at work.

This is a great dish to use if you’re introducing your family to more bean and lentil recipes. It doesn’t have that “traditional” lentil taste and serving it in tacos is just plain fun. The use of spices in this dish make it taste very much like a regular taco and if you ask me, just about anything tastes good topped with cheese and chopped tomatoes and served in a crunchy taco shell. If you’re looking for a good filling, yet cheap dinner, try these lentil tacos.

Summertime is Ripe for Picnics

admin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:50:01 +0000

There is nothing better than a well planned picnic when the sun is shining and the weather is warm. But planning is key. It’s easy to have a bad picnic experience where food tastes flat and bugs overrun the food (and humans). So it’s with a little planning that the experience moves from OK to Outrageously fun.

First plan foods that are easy to eat with your hands. Trying to juggle a plate and silverware is just too much. A great plate of meats, cheeses, fruits and veggies will satisfy the stomach and delight the taste buds. Be sure to have an insulated cooler of sorts for all things that should be kept cold.

Next, before you settle down or settle in, bring a environment friendly bug repellent and spray the area you will be putting a blanket or table cloth down on. This will go a long way to reduce the bug issues. Also you might want to bring something to sit on. Just a little lift from the ground can be much easier on the back and hips. One neat contraption I’ve recently found is the Sip ‘N Sit Cooler & Sports Stool that handles two jobs extremely well. It gives you that much needed cooler space and provides off the ground seating.

Finally make your picnic special by selecting a place with a fantastic view. Take the event up a notch by bringing some Champagne and Strawberries for a wonderful end to the feast. There are so many ways to make a picnic fun – you just need to use some imagination.

Mo’s Grill Open For Business

admin — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:47:28 +0000

Onder and Kathy Aksoy, owners of Mo’s Grill, 21 W. Bridge Street in Oswego celebrated their new restaurant with a ribbon cutting. Mo’s Grill is open 11:30 a.m. until 4:00 a.m. everyday catering to the “late crowd”. Stop by Mo’s or call them at 326-0131.

Left to right: Anne Gayne, Executive Vice President of Oswego County Chamber, Neal Smith, City of Oswego Code Officer, Colleen McBride,Oswego County Chamber Board Member, Paul Foster, Oswego County Chamber Chairman, Ed Harrington, Oswego City Alderman, Onder Aksoy, Owner of Mo’s Grill, Kathy Aksoy, Owner of Mo’s Grill, Bonnie Beck, Mo’s Grill, Melissa Olsa, Mo’s Grill, Katie Guild, Mo’s Grill and Amy Ambuske, Oswego County Chamber Insurance Coordinator

Another successful business blender at Fulton Savings Bank’s newest branch located in the Fulton Commons near the Cayuga Community College Extension site on State Route 3 in Fulton.

Call our office today to schedule your business blender in 2006.