Health Benefits of a Cajun and Creole Diet

         I know what you’re thinking, how can Cajun and Creole food that tastes as rich and delicious in actually be healthy for you? Surprisingly, there are many healthy ingredients and spices that are staples for almost all Cajun and Creole dishes.

            First off, onions are a delicious ingredient used in almost every dish. Don’t dismiss them to fight bad breath or watery eyes! Onions actually have been proven to fight diseases such as heart disease and cancer with their anti-inflammatory properties. Not only do they fight disease, onions also have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties that prevent colds and infections.

            Next is the almighty power of tomatoes in Creole dishes. Tomatoes are great anti-oxidants since they are filled with Vitamins A and C that also neutralize free radicals in the blood stream. They are also known to help with diabetes and heart problems.  Vitamin A in tomatoes will improve your vision and keep your hair strong and shiny, along with strengthening your teeth, skin and bones!

            Lastly, don’t underestimate the greatness of peppers. All peppers are rich in vitamins A, C and K, but these properties are most prevalent in red peppers. These vitamins prevent cell damage and disease related to aging and support immune function. Cayenne peppers are the star in Cajun cooking, but the wonderful taste comes along with amazing health benefits with some of the highest amounts of vitamins and minerals. Both hot and sweet peppers contain substances that increase body heat production and oxygen consumption after eating them, which means your body is burning extra calories for weight loss!

            So what are you waiting for, get rid of your vitamin supplements and jump start healthy eating with a Cajun and Creole diet full of vitamins and minerals! The bold tastes found in Cajun and Creole cooking are the exact ingredients that help fight against diseases, protect against illness, fight aging and promote weight loss (just don’t add all oil and butter that the recipes call for!). In your next meal, don’t forget to pile on extra tomatoes, peppers and onions!

Get To Know the Owner: Nita Duhe!

To say that Nita Duhe lives and breathes New Orleans would be an understatement. Nita exudes what it means to be a New Orleanian by sharing her passion for local food, music, and culture with everyone she meets. The one way she educates and inspires people on the unique and beautiful charm of New Orleans is through what she does best: cooking.

Having grown up in New Orleans all of her life, and stemming from a long line of Louisiana ancestry, Nita shows no other place to call home. “Being from Nola means good food, good music and good times. That’s what we are all about here and that is soaked up in me and that is what exudes from my soul,” says Nita. Her grandmother was a large influence on her love for New Orleans, taking her to eat at Camellia Grill, grabbing beignets at Café Du Monde, or feeing pigeons in Jackson Square.

Nita started The Crescent City Cooking School a few years after Hurricane Katrina with the encouragement of her friends and family. She admits that she never had the opportunity to be classically trained in cooking like many local “celebrity chefs”, but her experience cooking with her family has given her enough to last a lifetime. “I was classically trained on the streets on Nola, where just about everyone is friendly and loves to talk about food, music and fun,” says Nita.

While her friends wonder how she manages to still provide great meals for her family with such a busy schedule, Nita states it’s because cooking is her passion and a big priority for her and her family. “After Katrina, when everything and everybody was just hanging on, I realized life is too short and I want to do what I love and I love to cook.”

Come visit Nita and soak up her knowledge and experience at one of her very own cooking classes – Or just stop by the shop to say hi and check out the shop! http://www.crescentcitycooks.com/classes.asp

Fourth of July Cajun Cooking

The Fourth of July is here! Having family in town? Hosting a dinner party for your friends? Simply enjoying a beautiful New Orleans summer barbeque? Well whatever the event to celebrate this fun holiday, we have the perfect New Orleans-inspired dish made with many of our festive spices and sauces, Cajun Buffalo wings!

 

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. chicken wings
• 1 tsp. pecan oil (sold in our store)
• 1 small onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (Garlic Chop sold in our store)
• 1/2 cup Cajun pepper sauce (Slap Ya Mama is our fav! Sold in our store)
• 1/2 cup cane syrup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbs. or more, Slap YA Mama hot sauce (Sold in our store)
• 1 tbs. prepared horseradish
• 1 tsp. flavoring and browning sauce (sold in our store)
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• Cajun seasoning to taste (Our “Slap YA Mama” shake)

 

Directions:

 

1. Remove wing tips from wings and place in a large bowl and season with Cajun seasoning.
2. Heat oil in large, heavy pot and cook onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in Cajun pepper sauce, cane syrup, vinegar, hot sauce, horseradish, flavoring and browning sauce, and chili powder. Over medium heat, cook for 5 minutes, until bubbly. Allow to cool.
3. Pour half of the sauce over wings, to coat, and cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain sauce and discard. Arrange wings on a baking sheet lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes on each side.
4. Meanwhile, bring other half of sauce to a boil and boil for 1 minute, reserving some for dipping, if desired. Brush half of the remaining sauce over wings and continue baking for 10 more minutes. Turn and brush with remaining sauce and bake for 10 more minutes or until no longer pink inside.

 

Check out our items online at http://www.crescentcitycooks.com/shop.asp or come visit our store at 500 Port of New Orleans Place – Suite 116!