National Chili Day February 26 2016

Today is National Chili Day and Mother Nature couldn’t have planned the drastic drop in temperature here in the Northeast any better! After all, what’s better than sitting down to a large bowl of chili when the weather outside is well, chilly?

Before we get into a delicious chili recipe though, we thought it would be a good idea to let you know what to look for when shopping for the main ingredient - ground beef. Ground beef is usually made from the leftover trimmings of steaks, roasts and other cuts of beef. It is commonly differentiated by its lean-to-fat ratio - if you’ve ever noticed “80/20, 85/15, or 90/10” you know what we’re talking about. For example, “80/20” means the meat is made up of 80% lean beef and 20% fat, so if you’re looking for minimal fat intake, look for a 90/10 option. Just keep in mind that when cooked, leaner meat tends to dry out quicker.

We recommend looking for the USDA “certified organic” label. This means the livestock was raised on organic, pesticide-free feed farms with access to pasture. There’s also no antibiotics or growth hormones.

One more important thing to look for when buying ground beef is the color of the meat. It should be a nice “cherry red” color but don’t be alarmed if you notice some brown when you open the package.

The Recipe (Serves 6-8)

• 2 lbs ground beef
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 8-oz can of tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp. La Flor chili powder
• 1 tsp. La Flor cumin
• 1 tsp. La Flor oregano
• 1 tsp. La Flor sea salt
• ¼ tsp. La Flor cayenne pepper
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can black beans
• Shredded cheddar
• Chopped onions
• Tortilla chips

Directions

In a large pot, place ground beef and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the meat browns and then add tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, sea salt and cayenne pepper. Let the mixture simmer for about an hour and then add beans and simmer for approximately 10 minutes. Serve with shredded cheddar, chopped onions and tortilla chips for dipping!

When taste is everything, La Flor is all you need to transform National Chili Day into an extraordinary culinary delight. Shop our selection of spices, herbs, and blends on the web - keep it spicy, America!

Celebrate National Margarita Day! February 22 2016

Grab the salt. Grab the limes. Grab the (insert your favorite Tequila here) and get ready to celebrate because it’s National Margarita Day!

Because it’s Monday, and let’s face it who likes Mondays, there couldn’t be a better time to stay in the city after work to grab a margarita and chow down on a bowl of chips and guac? Here are a few places in Manhattan where you can celebrate this wonderful day:

Rosa Mexicano

This authentic Mexican restaurant takes pride in their regional Mexican cuisine that exemplifies Mexico’s diverse regional culinary landscapes. Their menu changes daily so be sure to check your location for today’s specials.

Empellon Al Pastor

Specializing in the classic margarita, this is the go-to spot in East Village. Take advantage of one or all nine tacos while you enjoy your cold beverage during happy hour from 5:30 to 6:30pm.

Dos Caminos

Looking to expand your palate when it comes to your favorite Mexican drink? Dos Caminos offers ten different flavors of margaritas including two frozen options. You won’t be disappointed.

Can’t stay late today? Celebrate at home with this delicious guacamole recipe:

Ingredients

• Ripe, fresh avocados
• Limes
• Medium tomatoes
• Medium white onion
• Fresh garlic
• Cilantro
• La Flor Black Pepper
• La Flor Sea Salt
• La Flor Ground Cumin
• La Flor Cayenne Pepper

Directions

Mash avocados in a large bowl with a fork. Then add lime juice, diced tomatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic, cilantro and seasonings to taste. Serve right away with your favorite tortilla chips. Wash it all down with a delicious margarita (if you’re 21 or older, of course).

Winter Foods To Warm You Up February 02 2016

What’s better than coming inside to a warm bowl of soup after spending hours out in the cold? Not much if you ask us. Although we’ve seen drastic swings in temperatures so far this winter, we know the cold weather will rear its head once again. But don’t worry, these winter recipes will help warm up your bones and your appetite this season:

Lots of people - especially those who work full-time - find themselves ripping through the cabinets to put together some sort of meal during the week. Or they simply order out. Weeknight dinners don’t have to be so stressful, or so expensive, if you just plan ahead. And most of these recipes can be prepared in an hour or less so that “I don’t have enough time to cook a meal” excuse won’t work here.

1. Butternut Squash Soup: Sit down a bowl of piping hot creamy butternut squash soup. If this doesn’t warm you up, we don’t know what will. Recipe Here: http://bit.ly/1PSxNYF
   La Flor products needed: La Flor Cayenne Pepper, La Flor Black Pepper
2. Spaghetti With Turkey Chili: Combine two winter staples, spaghetti and chili, and you have yourself a meal you won’t want to stop eating. Pile your plate high and top it off with sour cream and hot sauce to give your taste buds a kick. Recipe Here: http://bit.ly/1PSxZY1
   La Flor products needed: La Flor  Sea Salt, La Flor Don Diego Special Habanero Blend
3. Four Cheese Pasta With Ham and Peas: Creamy pasta. Ham. Cheese. What more do you need? Recipe Here: http://bit.ly/1nAoLTE
   La Flor products needed: La Flor Sea Salt, La Flor Black Pepper
4. Chicken Cordon Bleu: This quick and easy recipe takes the stress and time out of the traditional meal, yet it still tastes amazing! Recipe Here: http://bit.ly/1P3wumj
   La Flor products needed: La Flor Sea Salt, La Flor Black Pepper, La Flor Parsley Flakes

Recipes for a Snow Day January 23 2016

Jonas isn’t stopping anytime soon and as such it’s better (and safer) to stay home, cue up the next episode of [insert favorite TV series here], and raid your pantry.

Not sure where to begin? We’ve got some belly-warming recipes perfect for fueling you through your Netflix binge:

Sopa de Ajo Castellana (Castilian Garlic Soup) - The perfect companion to a cold winter’s day. This classic soup hails from the Castilian region of Spain, featuring serrano ham, La Flor's paprika, cumin and black pepper - and a lot of garlic. Recipe here » 

Mexican Hot Chocolate - Not your kid’s hot chocolate, that’s for sure. Here we include some mezcal and La Flor’s cinnamon and cayenne to spice things up. Recipe here » 

Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika - A simple beef stew featuring your favorite cold brew and La Flor paprika. This will take a little over 2 hours to make - start now and it’ll be ready just in time for dinner. Recipe here » 

When taste is everything, La Flor is all you need to transform your everyday meal into an extraordinary culinary delight. Shop our selection of spices, herbs, and blends on the web - keep it spicy America!

photo via Flickr

Common Diet Myths Debunked January 19 2016

Eat this. Drink that. Stay away from this. Don’t go near that. Everybody has their own beliefs and opinions when it comes to “eating healthy” and let’s face it, no two people are alike. What may work well for your best friend or your brother may not work the same way for you. It is important however, to do a bit of research on your own and not listen to everything you hear. After all, there are thousands of diet myths available through a variety of sources that need to be debunked.

Myth: Red wine is the best thing for heart health.

Truth: According to researchers at the University of Texas, wine drinks were not better off when compared with those who preferred beer of liquor. While red wine does have antioxidant power, the alcohol itself is what boosts level of HDL, or “good” cholesterol, according to Arthur Klatsky, MD, the senior cardiology consultant for Kaiser Permanente, a nonprofit health plan based in Oakland, California. Keep in mind that consuming more than two drinks a day can do more harm for your heart than good.

Myth: A grilled chicken sandwich is healthier than a burger.

Truth: Health enthusiasts tend to believe that consuming a grilled chicken sandwich is a much healthier option compared to a burger. The truth is, a chicken sandwich has about 100 more calories than a plain hamburger and can contain double the amount of sodium.

Myth: Raw veggies pack way more nutrients than their cooked counterparts.

Truth: The days of forcing down raw crunchy veggies are over. According to Tammy Roberts, RD, a nutrition and health-education specialist at the University of Missouri Extension, cooking vegetables can increase their nutritional value. Toss your favorite greens in with some La Flor onion powder and cayenne pepper for a spiced up version that gives off the perfect kick.

Spice Up Your Weekday Lunch January 12 2016

Turkey sandwich - bland. PB&J - boring. Hot pocket - need we say more? For those of us battling with the daily 9 - 5, crafting a culinary masterpiece for lunch sounds like a terrible joke. But believe it or not, there are a bunch of ways you can take that boring brown bag and fill it with something you’ll actually look forward to after those morning meetings.

1. Chicken & Avocado Sandwich: take your boring turkey on white bread and kiss it goodbye. Substitute sliced turkey with cooked chicken breast, cut up a quarter of an avocado and a few slices of tomato and you’ve got yourself a simple, yet delicious sandwich. Add a pinch salt and a dash of pepper for some extra flavor and you can even take it to the next level by creating an herb mayo dipping sauce with our basil leaves.
2. Buffalo Chicken Salad: prefer a lighter lunch option? Put your own spin on a buffalo chicken salad by seasoning the chicken with our chili powder and cayenne pepper. Chop up some lettuce, add a few diced tomatoes and pack your favorite blue cheese dressing on the side.
3. Homemade Burrito Bowl: why order out when you’ve already got your own burrito bowl? This simple recipe calls for your favorite choice of rice, diced chicken or chop meat seasoned with some adobo picante, sour cream and shredded cheese. Load up a container with all of the above and you’ll surely make your coworkers jealous.

When taste is everything, La Flor is all you need to transform your lunch into an extraordinary culinary delight. Shop our selection of spices, herbs, and blends on the web - keep it spicy, America!

6 Spices for Detoxing November 12 2015

During the holidays there are so many delicious treats abound, it’s no wonder that people start their diets after the holiday season ends. But, you can get your body back to where it once was, now, with..... spices!

Not only do spices and herbs transform your dish into a culinary delight but many pack some surprising detox benefits:

Cilantro helps with mercury detoxification, typically due to consuming too much fish. This herb is filled with minerals as well as vitamins A and K and is also proven to be an anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antiseptic. 

Cayenne seasoning encourages digestion and muscle movement in your intestines and helps your body absorb nutrients. It is both an antioxidant as well as an anticoagulant that helps clean the blood from unwanted toxins. 

Turmeric helps in detoxing your liver because of its active ingredient, curcumin. Curcumin stimulates the production of bile in your gall bladder that is needed to eliminate toxins as well as rejuvenates liver cells that break down harmful compounds.

Cinnamon paired with honey can help in preventing the accumulation of certain fats as well as reduce inflammation in the body. Cinnamon is a good dietary fiber and an excellent source of manganese, calcium, iron and vitamin K.

Rosemary, according to a study, can protect the liver and stomach against carcinogenic and toxic ingredients. It contains phenolic antioxidant rosmarinic and essential oils which are known to have anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antiseptic properties.

Ginger is a great source of sulfur which is important when excreting toxic substances from your body during phase two of the detoxification process. This spicy root also helps in cleansing our system, digesting and settling your stomach. 

Everyday we ingest unwanted chemicals and additives without even realizing, so it’s important to filter them out regularly. Help your body bounce back this holiday season and rid any unwanted toxins by adding the above spices to your cooking!

When taste is everything, La Flor is all you need to transform your everyday meal into an extraordinary culinary delight. Shop our selection of spices, herbs, and blends on the web - keep it spicy America!

#FoodieFriday - Chili Recipes for a Chilly Day October 02 2015

For our friends on Long Island and along the east coast - Joaquin may not be joining you for dinner tonight, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare some extra grub just in case.

Warm up with some of the below chili recipes - great for leftovers and sure to keep you warm all rainy, chilly weekend long.

Slow Cooker Chili - Can’t go wrong with a crock pot recipe! Slow cookers are the easiest way to get the richness of a long-simmering stovetop chili. Plus, by making your chili a day or 2 in advance allows for the flavors to continue developing while sealed tight in the refrigerator. (Recipe here ») 

Vegetarian Chili - Packed with vegetables, beans, and tons of flavor this meatless option can be made stove top and is sure to satisfy meat eaters and vegetarians alike! (Recipe here ») 

Cincinnati Chili - Warm spices like allspice and cinnamon distinguish Cincy-style chili. To keep the beef moist, this recipe simmers calls for simmering the meat in water. (Recipe here »)

Chili with Chipotle and Chocolate - Never had chili with chocolate? Well there’s a first time for everything. The combination of smoky chipotle chiles and earthy unsweetened chocolate add unexpected depth and richness to this hearty chili. (Recipe here ») 

Chili Tortilla Bake - Change things up with this homestyle Tex-Mex casserole. With your favorite chili flavors topped with bubbly cheese - you won’t need to take out any tupperware for leftovers. (Recipe here ») 

If you need to stock up on your chili necessities - cumin, cayenne, chili powder, black pepper, etc - we’ve got you covered. When taste is everything, La Flor is all you need to transform your everyday meal into an extraordinary culinary delight. Shop our selection of spices, herbs, and blends on the web - keep it spicy America!