Looking for a more healthy 2011?

Are you in need of more energy?
Would you like to get more get in better shape?
Are you concerned about future health?
Would you like support and directions to reach your weight goals?

I can help you with concrete and realistic goals. We will together make a plan that is easy to follow. I can give you hands on menu training and cooking advise. We will frequently have follow up sessions and adjust program to current need. I can direct and motivate you for easy forms of exercise. We will together find options that our suitable for your life style and economy.

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Helena's Holiday Horchata

Serving Size: 4

Preparation Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

4 Cups Original Horchata (Hispanic style rice milk)

1 Cinnamon Stick

6 Whole Cloves

1 tsp Tamarind Paste

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 TBSP Honey

Preparation Method

1. Mix all ingredients in a pot and stir
2. Bring to a boil, take pot off heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
3. Strain and serve warm or chilled. All to your liking.
4. Enjoy!

Helena's Chorizo & Catfish Soppa

Serving Size: 8

Preparation Time: 1 Hours 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

4 oz Pork Chorizo

8 TBSP Crumbled Cotija

2 lbs Catfish fillets plus bones, tail and fins

2 Cups Carrots

2 Cups Red Potatoes

1 Cup White Onion

1 Cup Chayote Squash

2 Cups Roma Tomatoes

2 Bay Leaves

2 Cloves Garlic

1 TBSP Dry Oregano Leaves

1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro

8 Small Corn Soft Tortillas

4 TBSP Olive Oil

1/2 Gallon Water

3 TBSP Salt

Preparation Method

1. Cut all Root Vegetables, Squash and Tomatoes in large dice pieces.
2. Cook Chorizo on medium heat in a 2 gallon soup pot until light brown.
3. Add Fish bones Bay Leaves, Garlic, Oregano and the water, bring to a boil, take down heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
4. Take out fish bones, tail and fins.
5. Add all Vegetables and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
6. Add Catfish Fillets in bite size pieces, ruffly chopped Cilantro and Salt, cook for another 5-10 minutes, until fish is cooked and vegetables are soft.
7. Crumble Cotija over each Corn Tortilla and sprinkle Olive Oil over. Brown under oven broiler until golden and crispy.
8. Serve soup with Tortilla on top.

Entry in Cacique's "Go Autentico" Challenge

Crab Fritters with Chipotle Aioli

A wonderful appetizer to serve your guests over the holidays. Prepare a little tray to pass around when your guests arrive. The crab fritters are festive and tasty with a slight spice kick.



10-20 Appetizers/ Hors d'oeuvres

Ingredients for Crab Fritters:
1/4 Cup Pine Nuts
1/4 Cup Panela Cheese or Feta Cheese
2 TBSP Shallot Onion
2 TBSP Fresh Cilantro
1 Egg
1 Lime Juice and Zest
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Crab Meat
1/2 Cup Panko Japanese Bread Crumbs

2 Cups Canola Oil for deep frying

Ingredients for Chipotle Aioli:
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
2 TBSP Lime Juice
1 TBSP Grated Garlic
1/4 tsp Ground Chipotle
1/4 tsp Ground Paprika
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Chop nuts, cheese, onion and herbs fine in a food processor or very fine with a knife.
2. Whip egg with juice, zest, salt and pepper before adding it with the crab meat into nut blend.
3. Mix well and make small bite size patties to turn in bread crumbs.
4. Heat up oil to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Drop patties into hot oil carefully and flip them over when edges are golden brown. Only cook a few fritters at a time so oil stays hot enough.
6. Remove fritters with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel when they are golden brown all around.
7. Mix mayonnaise, juice, garlic, salt and spices for the Aoili.
8. Plate crab fritters on a platter with a dot of Aoili on top.
9. Enjoy!

5 New Cooking Videos for you to enjoy

Click here for videos

Dungeness Crab Feast Flavor Art Winemaker Dinner December 16th

Helena @ Old World Winery December 16th. We are serving up a 6 course Crab Feast paired with Darek's fabulous wines. Click on Dinner Menu to see full picture.



Limited seats, call Steven at 707-490-6696 for more info and reservations. Welcome!
Price $65 per person for food and wine
Wine club members $45 


Click on link below for more information.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160436197332820

Helena as Finalist for Cook-Off in NYC

Cacique Go Autentico Challenge

CONGRATULATIONS to Stella Ortega (Chicken a la Diabla), Leah Lyon (Shrimp Rajas Al Carbon Panela Tostaditos), Helena Giesea (Helena's Cactus Frittata), and Susan Ten Pas (Roast Squash w/ Pear Soup & Chorizo Meatballs). We were delighted by all the creative and truly brilliant recipes submitted, and were honored by the care and hard work that went into the videos. Selecting finalists was no easy task, but these four brought something extra to the challenge, and we’re excited to watch them bring it again… on camera!

Watch the Go Auténtico Finalist Cook-off premiering on The Cooking Channel, friend us on Facebook for cook-off updates and video snippets, or check back in February to see these 4 finalists compete at Celebrity Chef Aaron Sanchez’s restaurant in New York City to win a trip to Napa Valley and The Culinary Institute of America!

Watch Finalist Helena’s creative spin on a traditional Hispanic ingredient, nopales, and try making Cactus Frittata yourself with silky Crema Mexicana, robust Cotija and mild Panela for a fun and festive vegetarian dish.




A couple of more recipes that I entered in the Cacique Go Autentico Challenge

Helena's Chorizo & Catfish Soppa

By Helena Giesea

Meal Type:

Soups & Salads

Serving Size:

8

Preparation Time:

1 Hours 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

4 oz Pork Chorizo

8 TBSP Crumbled Cotija

2 lbs Catfish fillets plus bones, tail and fins

2 Cups Carrots

2 Cups Red Potatoes

1 Cup White Onion

1 Cup Chayote Squash

2 Cups Roma Tomatoes

2 Bay Leaves

2 Cloves Garlic

1 TBSP Dry Oregano Leaves

1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro

8 Small Corn Soft Tortillas

4 TBSP Olive Oil

1/2 Gallon Water

3 TBSP Salt

Preparation Method

1. Cut all Root Vegetables, Squash and Tomatoes in large dice pieces.
2. Cook Chorizo on medium heat in a 2 gallon soup pot until light brown.
3. Add Fish bones Bay Leaves, Garlic, Oregano and the water, bring to a boil, take down heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
4. Take out fish bones, tail and fins.
5. Add all Vegetables and cook for another 15-20 minutes.
6. Add Catfish Fillets in bite size pieces, ruffly chopped Cilantro and Salt, cook for another 5-10 minutes, until fish is cooked and vegetables are soft.
7. Crumble Cotija over each Corn Tortilla and sprinkle Olive Oil over. Brown under oven broiler until golden and crispy.
8. Serve soup with Tortilla on top.

Cacique® Products Used in the Recipe

• Cotija
• Pork Chorizo

Helena's Holiday Horchata

By Helena Giesea

Meal Type:

Snack

Serving Size:

4

Preparation Time:

0 Hours 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

4 Cups Original Horchata

1 Cinnamon Stick

6 Whole Cloves

1 tsp Tamarind Paste

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 TBSP Honey

Preparation Method

1. Mix all ingredients in a pot and stir
2. Bring to a boil, take pot off heat and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
3. Strain and serve warm or chilled. All to your liking.
4. Enjoy!

Cacique® Products Used in the Recipe

• Original Horchata

Holiday Flavor Art Winemaker Dinner at Old World Winery

Holiday Flavor Art Winemaker Dinner

Click here to see pictures from our dinner

Helena's Holiday Inspired Food with Darek's Old World Wine. Time to book your
seat for next weeks Flavor Art Winemaker Dinner. Welcome!

November 18, 5:30pm @ Old World Winery
Price $65 per person for food and wine
Wine club members $45


Click here for reservations and more information


Click here for Menu

Moovision.com - Creamy Rice Porridge with Lactaid, Lactose Free Milk

Will you give me your vote for this cooking competition? Click on link below to see video.


Moovision.com - Creamy Rice Porridge with Lactaid, Lactose Free Milk

Cooking Video: Herb Crusted Halibut with Chilled Avocado Soup and Green Salad

This refreshing meal is for a sunny day or perfect when you have a need for a delicious, light and healthy meal.
Click here for video

Come with Helena till Sweden

Helena is visiting in Sweden. Come and see Hötorgshallen, her favorite shopping place for produce in Stockholm.
Click here for video "Hötorgshallen 1"

Helena is visiting in Sweden. Come and see her favorite bakery Konditori Vetekatten in Stockholm.
Click here for video "Vetekatten 2"

Harvest Flavor Art at Old World Winery

Winemaker Darek

Chef Helena

Harvest Flavor Art

Click here to see pictures from the dinner

Wine Maker Darek Trowbridge and Chef Helena Gustavsson Giesea
6 different food and wine pairings $65 per person Thursday October 14th
Limited to 20 seats at the Old World Winery on River Rd x Fulton Rd in Santa Rosa
Click here to see the menu 
Price $65 per person for food and wine
Wine club members $45

Vegetarian option availble upon request at the time of reservation

Welcome!

Click here to see us on Facebook or book your tickets with Steven at (707)490-6606

The 2010 California Wild Rice Recipe Rumble

Congratulations to all the winners of

The 2010 California Wild Rice Recipe Rumble

Click here for recipe

Third place winner Chef Helena Giesea of Monte Rio, California created California Wild Rice & Beef Cabbage Wrap with Crunchy Ricotta Cheese and she was also the third place winner in the photo division.

Banana Oat Cake

Vegan and low fat healthy dessert.

Serving 6-8 people

Part I:
2 Cups Oat Flour
½ tsp Baking Soda
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
¼ tsp Ground Cardamom
1 Cup Raw Sugar

Part II:
½ Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup Chilled Brewed Coffee
1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
¾ Cup Chopped Fresh Banana

How to:

1. Set oven to 450ºF
2. Sift Flour, Baking Soda, Salt and Spices into a bowl.
3. Add Sugar and mix all the dry ingredients.
4. Mix all Liquids with Banana.
5. Add Wet Mix to Dry Mix and stir with a spatula until smooth.
6. Pour Batter into a greased 10 inch cake pan.
7. Bake cake 40-60 minutes (check by sticking a toothpick in center and it should come out dry)
8. Cool on rack before cutting slices.
9. Garnish with Powder Sugar.

Enjoy with a cup of coffee in company of good friends.

Healthy and Hearty Bean Soup

All vegan and rich with protein and fibers.

Servings: 6 Cups

Part I:

2 Cups Azuki Beans, can be substituted with other red beans

4 Cups Water

3 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 Tbsp Tomato Paste

2 tsp Chili Powder

1 Tbsp Chopped Garlic

Part II:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

½ Cup Chopped Yellow Onion

½ Cup Chopped Carrots

¼ Cup Chopped Red Bell Pepper

½ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Part III:

¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes

2 Cups Water

1 Tbsp Salt – or to your liking

Part IIII:

Fine shredded Green Onion and Lemon Peel

How to:

1. Mix all ingredients under Part I in a big pot on the stove.

2. Bring to a boil and then take down to simmer under a lid.

3. Heat up a frying pan, add olive oil.

4. Slightly brown Onion, Carrot and Bell Pepper.

5. Pour Vinegar in pan, take it off the heat and add it all into the Beans.

6. Stir in the Nutritional Yeast, add the rest of water and taste off with Salt.

7. Simmer slowly until Beans are soft but not mushy.

8. Cook time around 2 hours. Beans will cook faster if you soak them over night.

9. Serve with Green Onion and Lemon Peel as garnish.

This healthy and hearty soup will warm you up a cold day. Enjoy!