A Surprising Use For Cacao Nibs

By Katie Barreira

Jacques Torres is known for his prowess with chocolate confections, but it was an offhand reference to one of his favorite savory chocolate dishes that caught my attention during his recent visit to our test kitchen at Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine.

While waiting for some perfectly tempered chocolate to set in an elaborate dolphin mold (Torres has been infatuated with the aquatic mammals since he and his wife, fellow chocolatier Hasty Torres, had the opportunity to swim with them on a recent trip), Jacques mentioned that he likes to crust salmon with cacao nibs before pan-searing. Seeing our interest piqued, Torres gave a concise little description of how he would coat the flesh-side of a salmon fillet with nibs, cook it, nib-side down, then flip and cook the skin side. Parfait! I couldn’t wait to give it a try.

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Eat More Veggies – These Recipes will get you Started

Photo from Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor with 75 Delicious, All-Natural Recipes, by Cheryl Forberg, published by Rodale Books (c. 2011).By Sandy Hu

Last week, I interviewed dietitian Cheryl Forberg for tips on eating more healthfully. Cheryl spent 12 years counseling contestants on NBC-TV’s reality show, The Biggest Loser.

This week, Special Fork is giving away a copy of Cheryl’s fabulous cookbook, Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor with 75 Delicious, All-Natural Recipes, published by Rodale Books (c. 2011).

To enter, follow me on Twitter @specialforksndy and tweet me a healthy eating tip with the hashtag, #freecookbook http://bit.ly/xkfEWM. Your tip could be as simple as “eat more veggies.” Tweet by midnight EST Sunday, February 12, 2012, to be entered into the drawing. Multiple entries are okay; each tweet counts as an entry. The winner, selected from a random drawing, will be announced next Monday, February 13.

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How to Blanch Almonds for Super Snacks

By Sandy Hu

Almonds make tasty, healthful snacks, great for nibbling during the big game this Sunday. So why not make your own seasoned almonds? They’re easy to make and totally addictive.

You’ll need whole blanched almonds – almonds without their skin. You can buy them that way but it’s simple to blanch them yourself in three easy steps.

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Super Bowl Chili

By Andrew Hunter

Food and sports have a lot in common. They bring people together, encourage bonding and provide fodder for fun conversation. So what better way to spend an afternoon with friends than over a Super Bowl of chili and a great ballgame?

As the Patriots and the Giants take center stage this Sunday, we’re gearing up for the big game with a celebration of kids, food and banter. They may only be eight and six, but Ben and Nick are already die-hard fans. The only thing that could make this Sunday better is if the Lions were playing the Cowboys!

Chili is almost as traditional to the Super Bowl as a great bowl of guacamole. I personally like serving chili to a group of people, because I can offer a tasty base and then a smorgasbord of toppings so each person can customize to their own.

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Skinny Dipping for Super Bowl Sunday

By Lori Powell

Super Bowl Sunday is a-comin’ and the need for great dips and chips is imminent Even though I’m not a die-hard fan of football, I can certainly step up to the line and embrace an event that involves food.

I was just on the TODAY Show on Monday as food director of Prevention magazine, www.prevention.com presenting my version of “Skinny Dipping” during the Kathie Lee & Hoda segment. I was the short one next to Jordan Sparks who was standing in for Kathie. It was fun sharing ideas for dips that are not only truly tasty, but healthy.

These recipes will help you think outside the processed dip and chip box to create snacking options that are packed with flavor, without fillers or additives. Plus, all the dips but one are just whizzed in the food processor and can be made ahead. It’s a win-win, as these dips only get better in flavor as they sit.

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