Chef Jay Bonilla’s Sangria Recipe

The world traveled Honduran Chef Jay Bonilla knows a thing or two about Sangria.  This is one ofhis classic Spanish sangria recipes. Jay says the bottle of wine does not need to be expensive.  In this recipe he uses the famous inexpensive wine from Trader Joe’s affectionately called “Two Buck Chuck.”  (SEE RECIPE)

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5 nutritious habits of the planet’s healthiest countries

If you’ve vacationed in an international destination, you know that learning about its food is one of the best ways to become familiar with a new culture. But lately, Americans have also taken greater interest in global cuisine because of health benefits attributed to certain styles of eating. READ MORE

Mexican Atole Recipe

Atole has a really long history. The name comes from theNahuatl (Aztec) word atolli, and like so many foods in Mexico and throughout the Americas, it’s based on corn. Sometimes it’s made with cornstarch, but the more traditional versions, like this one, use masa, the same cornmeal dough used to make tortillas and tamales.

Click to See Recipe

10 Happiest & Healthiest Countries to Live

Photo from crtourism.com

For my fellow Americans, we did not make the cut.  Forbes has gathered information about both classes of country (here and here), and it’s from these helpful lists, neither of which features the U.S. in the top 10, that this larger one is drawn. Yes, the United States is a wonderful place: freedom of speech, Law & Order reruns, and cheap fuel.  I know the suspense is killing you and that’s not healthy.  Let’s find out where happiness and health abound.

Canada: This one has to upset Americans. Canada, right next door, is happier and healthier than the superpower with which it shares a border. Despite a relatively low number of doctors per capita, the socialized medicine (which sounds awesome right now) and long life expectancies make Canada one of the safest places to live. They’ve also got a high number of financially thriving citizens, boosting their happiness ranking several notches past that of the United States. We’re so close, yet so far.

Costa Rica: Costa Rica’s health is average, but what makes the country so special is how unexpectedly high its happiness rating is. Fully 63 percent of its people are thriving, thanks in many ways to a cultural emphasis on community and togetherness that bonds the citizens to each other in a manner often lost in larger countries. It’s one of the highest ranked countries in the world in terms of environmental performance and human development, too. Glee actor Harry Shum is from Costa Rica.

Click to SEE Rest of the List

Girl, You Look Good Enough to Eat Awards

The Multi Cultural Cooking Network brings the worlds of food, culture and celebrity together in a unique way.  If internet views were bites, let us say these are the stories our readers have been nibbling on all year long.  This is our 1^st Annual You Look Good Enough to Eat Awards. What does the expression really mean? Are you simply appetizing or is there something comforting to your appeal like red velvet cake or flan?

The MCCN list consists of beautiful women whose articles or video interviews have generated the most views on MCCN home-site, blog or Multiculturalcooking at You Tube Channel. The Multi Cultural Cooking Network has a really diverse demographic.  Like anything there will always be a majority.  In our case the majority demographic is Latin American but to say Latino means consisting of several different cultures.  With that said it is exciting to see a range of complexions embody beauty and peak the public’s curiosity to know more about them.  It is wonderful to see women in their twenties to past their forties considered eye candy.  Moreover, they are dynamic. We are really proud to see Latinas, African American, American, Women of European heritage, Middle Eastern, Asian and Native American groups represented.  Honorable Mention to Kate Walsh, Sheila E, Sharon Leal and Cheryl Burke were short of making the list. Oh and Angelina Jolie up there, we had to put someone appetizing up who didn’t make our list to catch you attention.

Click Here to SEE Winners

*Photo from Photobucket.com

The Truth About Milk

Milk: Healthy and nutritious drink, or fattening, contaminant-filled menace?

You might expect an organization called the Dairy Education Board to promote milk as a good thing. But instead, this advocacy group claims that “Milk is a deadly poison.” Oops. And as Americans have grown more wary of saturated fat, and more concerned about hormones and other substances fed to—and injected into—dairy cows, milk consumption has fallen dramatically. In the post-war days of 1945, the average American was consuming 45 gallons of milk a year. By 2001, per capita consumption was down to just 23 gallons. READ MORE

Christmas and Food Traditions of Russia

In the days of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not celebrated very much. New Year was the important time. With the fall of Communism, Christmas is openly celebrated – either on December 25th, or more often, on January 7th. The date is different because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old ‘Julian’ calendar for religious celebration days. The Orthodox Church also celebrates Advent. But it has fixed dates, starting on 28th November and going to the 6th January, so it’s 40 days long.

The official Christmas and New holidays in Russia lasts from 31st of December to the 10th of January. The Russian Christmas greeting is ‘S Rozhdestvom!’.

Some people fast (don’t eat anything) on Christmas Eve, until the first star has appeared in the sky. People then eat ‘sochivo’ (a dish made from wheat or rice with honey and fruit). The Russian word for Christmas Eve ‘sochelnik’, comes from the word ‘sochivo’. People then go to the midnight services.

Special Christmas food includes cakes, pies and ‘meat dumplings’. Read More

5 Tips for Planning the Winter Wedding

Having a wedding in the winter time does not mean it has to be void of color and expression. Winter weddings can still have and display vibrant color that express the personalities of the bride and groom. More often than not people who have a wedding in the winter months tend to think that they have to have a snowflake theme. But modern traditions prove that anything goes for weddings. For example pick a theme that will evoke a warm feeling throughout all who attend the wedding a reception. Focusing on making the day special and unique will create memories that will last a lifetime no matter the season you decide to marry. Remembering some key points will ensure a beautiful and successful winter wedding.  READ MORE

7-Eleven Now To Offer Vegan Choices Alongside Their Big Gulps

Being vegan just became seriously mainstream. 7-Eleven, home of gluttonous (late night) food options, is introducing a new vegan menu at 8 of its Manhattan locations. That’s right—along with your Big Gulps, you can now find artichoke spinach noodles, vegetable lo mein and two types of dumpling—for only $6. READ MORE