[1] A rainbow of spiralized vegetables. Here are videos demonstrating how to spiralize (photo © Downshiftology).

[2] You can turn quite a few veggies into pasta. This dish is Butternut Squash Fettuccine (photo © Spiralizer | Amazon).

[3] Spiralized veggies are a perfect garnish for grilled fish (photo © Zuma Restaurant | NYC).

[4] The Spiralizer Ultimate 7 Blade Vegetable Slicer, only $25.47, makes any shape you need.

If you bought one of the first spiralizers, it may be time to upgrade.

For only $25.47, you can have the latest and greatest Spiralizer Ultimate 7 Blade Vegetable Slicer (photo #4).

Unlike the first generation we bought, which was limited to one width of noodles, this superior, seven-blade unit enables you to make “fettuccine,” “pappardelle” and other widths of pasta, along with

This one can shred, slice and chip and shoestrings from most firm vegetables and fruits, including apples, onions and radishes.

And since everyone we know wants to eat more veggies and fewer refined carbs, is there a better reason?
 
 
WHAT SHOULD YOU SPIRALIZE?

 
We’ve not yet turned spiralized veggies into buns for burgers and sandwiches, but one of these days….Here’s the video from Inspiralized.
 
OUR FAVORITE DISHES TO SPIRALIZE

 
You can find many recipes online.

To show you the ease with which you can spiralize, check out these videos from Downshiftology.

Want to spiralize something easy tonight?

Here’s a super-simple recipe that even the original spiralizers turn out well.

 
 
RECIPE: EASY MICROWAVE ZUCCHINI LINGUINE

Ingredients

1. SPIRALIZE the zucchini into “linguine.” We core the seeds from the middle first. Place in a microwave-safe dish.

2. PRESS the garlic and add to the dish. Top with the pasta sauce and microwave, covered, on high for 4 minutes. Stir to blend and serve.

[1] Olive oil cake. Here’s the recipe from Lucero Olive Oil.

[2] This charming polenta (cornmeal) olive oil cake is packed with grapes. Here’s the recipe from Cake Keeper Cakes | Amazon.

[3] How about a chocolate cake? Here’s the recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

[4] Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins with olive oil. Here’s the recipe from How Sweet Eats.

[5] Check your olive oil for freshness. Uncap the bottle and give the oil a sniff test. If you’re still not sure, taste a tiny bit (photo © North American Olive Oil Association).

It’s still the month for resolutions: our annual plan to make one change to improve our eating patterns.

Adding more extra virgin olive oil to your life is one way, switching out less healthy fats.

EVOO is a heart-healthy fat, high in polyphenols. It can lends extra flavor and textures to your favorite dishes.

We’ve long been substituting EVOO for butter in cooking, but not in baking. Until now.

One way to make cakes, muffins and quick breads more guilt-free is to switch out the butter for olive oil.

Using olive oil in baked goods may seem strange to Americans, but it’s the fat used for baking in Greece, Italy, southern France and the other olive oil-rich lands around the Mediterranean.

EVOO adds a nuanced flavor to baked goods, keeps cakes moist, and adds a luscious crumbly texture to crumbles.
 
 
HOW TO SUBSTITUTE OLIVE OIL FOR BUTTER

To substitute butter, as a general rule of thumb, use 3/4 the amount of butter. If a baking recipe calls for a stick (8 tablespoons) of butter, use 6 tablespoons of olive oil.

You can also substitute olive oil 1:1 in recipes that call for less expensive, less nutritious oils, such as canola and vegetable oils.

Some baking recipes will call specifically for extra virgin olive oil, but you can also use regular supermarket olive oil, called “olive oil” or “pure olive oil.” (The difference is in the acidity.)

If you have a fine palate, you’ll notice the difference in flavor; but you don’t need to buy EVOO if you don’t already have it.

 
The only time olive oil is not an acceptable substitute for solid fats like butter is in recipes that require a lot of creaming of the butter and sugar, e.g., for super light and fluffy cakes, or when the fat needs to stay solid, as in a frosting [source].
 
 
WHERE TO BEGIN

It’s easy to find recipes for olive oil cakes.

It’s not only about the sweet. Here are savory recipes for quick breads and skillet cornbread.

 
 
MORE ABOUT OLIVE OIL

January 12th is National Chicken Curry Day.

Here’s an enjoyable, family-friendly twist on the Indian classic, courtesy of the southern peanut farmers at PeanutButterLovers.com. There are many more PB recipes on the website.
 
 
PEANUT APPLE CHICKEN CURRY

For The Peanut Sauce

 
For The Chicken

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the sauce: Heat the oil in a medium to large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, curry powder and scallions. Sauté 1 minute.

2. ADD the peanut butter, vinegar, apple juice, coconut milk, brown sugar and cayenne. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, to allow flavors to develop and sauce to thicken (about 10-15 minutes). Meanwhile…

[1] Brighten up chicken curry with peanut butter and apples (both photo © Peanut Butter Lovers).

[2] Chicken curry is delicious with peanut butter and apples.

4. ADD the chicken and apples and stir until chicken is cooked completely. Add the peanut sauce and cook until heated evenly (about 2-5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm over rice.

[1] A Saké Hot Toddy (photo © Saké One).

[2] A Cider Hot Toddy (photo © Hella Cocktail Co.).

[3] A Whiskey Hot Toddy (photo © Ruth’s Chris Steak House).

[4] A close up on shichi hon yari label, an earthy, rustic style of saké (photo © Englewood Wine Merchants).

January 11th is National Hot Toddy Day.

A Hot Toddy is a cocktail made with whiskey or sherry, boiling water, sugar and spices.

 
Warm alcoholic beverages such as glogg, mulled wine and toddies originated in Northern Europe, where beer, cider, wine and spirits were mulled with sugar and spices to add some cheer to cold winter days.

Toddies can be made of any spirit—bourbon, brandy, tequila, Scotch and other whiskeys are popular.

Hot buttered rum was a favorite in Colonial America. Distilleries in the Colonies were making rum from the molasses by the 1650s, and “hot buttered rum” joined the toddies and nogs of English tradition (a nog is a beverage made of beaten eggs).

Here’s the recipe for a conventional Hot Toddy.

You may see recipes for creamy toddies, which add cream or ice cream to the basic recipe. These are new interpretations, not traditional toddies, which were not cream beverages.

But here’s a new interpretation that fuses East and West: a Saké Toddy recipe from Saké One.
 
 
WHAT IS SAKÉ?

Saké is about as old as any food we can pin a date on: a 6800-year-old beverage.

Saké-making implements have been discovered in the Yangtze River Valley in China, dating back to 4800 B.C.E.—about the time that nomadic man settled down to farm.

According to some anthropologists, the reason for this lifestyle change was so that man could grow rice to turn into saké, ensuring he could enjoy it on a regular basis.

It’s the same rationale for nomads settling down to farm in the Fertile Crescent: to brew barley for beer.

Saké is made from four ingredients: rice, water, yeast and koji, an enzyme particular to saké-making.

Saké is fermented and brewed like beer, and served like wine. It is also characterized as a wine because of its higher alcohol content.

Here’s more about saké.
 
 
WHAT KIND OF SAKE SHOULD YOU USE?

Use whatever saké you have on hand, such as junmai or ginjo. You may want to hold back on nigori, which is sweet, cloudy saké, until you’ve tried the recipe with a dry saké.

Even flavored saké works, such as Saké One’s Moonstone Asian Pear Infused Ginjo.
 
 
RECIPE: SAKÉ HOT TODDY

Ingredients Per Drink

 
Preparation

1. PLACE the lemon juice and honey into glass or mug. Warm saké to your liking, including the spices as desired.

2. POUR the heated saké into glass or mug, mix until honey dissolves.

3. GARNISH with cinnamon stick and lemon wedge. Add optional spices and ginger slices to taste. Kanpai!

We’ve given up trying to lose weight as a New Year’s resolution, so more than a decade ago, we decided we’d give up a different less-good-for-you food every year.

These included fried foods, drinks with sugar, pizza and whole milk. Instead of every day or every week, we have them four times a year or so (O.K., pizza is once a month).

One of these resolutions was to substitute 0% or 2% Greek yogurt for sour cream.

We eat a lot of crudités with dips, so it was a good reduction in fat and calories.

The recipe follows, but first, for your consideration:

> The history of yogurt.

> The different types of yogurt: a photo glossary.

> The year’s 18 sauce, dips, and dressings holidays.

> The year’s 7 yogurt holidays are below below.
 
 
RECIPE: HERBED GREEK YOGURT DIP & SAUCE

This dip is very flexible.

 
Ingredients

 
For The Garnish

 
To Serve

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in a medium bowl. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

2. COVER and chill for at 4 – 8 hours or preferably, overnight, to allow the flavors to blend.

[1] Herbed yogurt dip in a beautiful presentation from Elea Restaurant in New York City (photo © Elea).

[2] Crudités. Perhaps you have some serving dishes that will make the presentation more dramatic, like this seafood tower (photo © Australian Asparagus Growers)?

[3] Our favorite Greek yogurt is FAGE, pronounced FAH-yeh. It means “to eat” or simply, “eat!” in Greek (photo © FAGE USA).

 
________________
 
*Both dates are observed as National Frozen Yogurt Day. February 6th is the date recognized by many national day calendars and is widely celebrated by frozen yogurt chains. The first Sunday in June was established by TCBY (The Country’s Best Yogurt) in 1993, and is also celebrated.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.