Camarena Taco Truck Launch Party

On a beautiful sunny afternoon in Hollywood, California the Camarena Taco truck rolled into town to debut their new tequila infused tasty treats created by José Briceño of Rivera restaurant. The menu was nothing short of fantastic: There was much anticipation and a long line to accompany it so I made my way to the bar where I was treated to a Tequila Sunrise. My taste buds just love anything tropical and sweet.

I sipped my cocktail as I waited in line and finally it was my turned to sample the tequila infused treats. I was delighted by each bite but my favorite would have to be the corn flan. What a surprising experience. I do not like flan at all but this unexpected savory dish left me wanting another bite. Too bad we were only allowed one sample. Too appease our sweet tooth, the desserts were also infused with Cameron tequila and were provided by I Heart Pies with three flavors to choose from, I knew I was in for a treat.

Lime, Strawberry, and an Orange chocolate were a taste bud tickling treat and I couldn't help but have a few extra of the Orange Chocolate pie, my favorite. I just love interactive events, it's a way for brands to engage their customers and leave a lasting impression so I made my way over to the photo booth so I could take a piece of the event home with me. The Green Screen had a fun themed set-up and pictures were printed immediately along with options to upload to Facebook and Twitter instantaneously. How about that for branding! Just when I thought the afternoon couldn't get any better, in walks Vikter Duplaix to bless us with his musical talent at the dj booth. I just went to his Kiss and Grind event the night before so I ready ready to hear what music selection he was going to bless the crowd with. Samba, Micheal Jackson, and everything to keep the party going.Great food, amazing drinks, and music that wakes you want to dance as is no one is watching is perfection in my world. To find out when the taco truck will be in your area passing out FREE tacos, check the Camarena Tequila community page.

Which One is it?

Yam Sweet Potato
Scientific Names: Dioscorea species Ipomoea batatas
Plant Group: Monocotyledon Dicotyledon
Historical
Beginning: 50,000 BC Prehistoric
Appearance: Rough, scaly skin Smooth, with thin skin
Mouth feel: Dry Moist
Taste: Dry Sweet




As if all that really mattered to you, right? It probably doesn’t matter to any of you whether it’s a yam or sweet potato, now does it? It is interesting though, really! Well, just, indulge me for the sake of discussion, won’t you.
We’ve all had various dishes that have called for a sweet potato but were substituted with a yam. Or, possibly a recipe that required a yam and a sweet potato was used in its place. For example, many of us have either eaten or baked a sweet potato pie that was actually filled with a yam instead of a sweet potato or was it?
Beside the uninteresting distinguishable facts stated above, both the yam and sweet potato have great benefits and similarities between them. So, before we further separate these distant cousins, let’s discuss their comparable qualities.
Both contain Vitamins A, C, B6, dietary fiber as well as trace minerals like potassium, manganese, copper and iron. They also weigh in very low on the glycemic index. Coming in at a 16 on the index scale the yam is one point lower than the sweet potato that measures at 17. For those of you unfamiliar with the glycemic index, it measures how quickly a carbohydrate-rich food increases your blood sugar concentration. A long-term consumption of these “miracle” veggies can actually assist in fighting against diabetes symptoms. Though full of nutrients, the sweet potato has been found to be of greater benefit in containing a storage protein, that produces an antioxidant similar in the capacity to that of glutathione-one of our body’s internally produced antioxidants. This causes the sweet potato to be helpful in reducing conditions of inflammation, such as asthma, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The yam on the other hand contains compounds which can aggravate inflammation-related diseases. So be careful if you’re living through any of these ailments.
Now that we’ve all been educated on their benefits, let’s discuss how we can differentiate the two.
A yam is closely related to lilies and grasses. Native to Africa and Asia, the name “yam” was adopted from “nyami”, which varies in colors from white to ivory, to yellow o purple, while the skin can be white, pink or brownish-black. They are long and cylindrical in shape, while rough and scaly in their exterior.
Sweet potatoes have yellow or orange flesh. Their skin is white, yellow, orange, red or purple. The white and yellow-orange flesh is more common. Shaped like a potato, short and blocky with rounded ends, sometimes longer with tapered ends, sweet potatoes are grouped into two different categories depending upon the texture. When cooked, some are dry, firm and mealy, while others are soft and moist. This brings me to the above question, “Yam or Sweet Potato-Which one is it?”
We’ve gone over what distinguishes these relatable vegetables and what also makes them similar but have we been able to truly tell them apart. It’s quite possible that we think we’ve done just that. Then there’s this bit of information. According to the LOC (Library of Congress), the soft varieties of potatoes often labeled as yams in the United States are not yams at all but are in fact sweet potatoes. Have you bought these sweet potatoes believing you’ve purchased yams? I’m sure you have and you’re not the only one.
Are you more confused about whether it’s a yam or a sweet potato? Don’t be. The fact that they’re so interchangeable should tell you that it’s of no consequence which one you use for your recipes, unless you just prefer one over the other or your dish calls for a firm or softer potato. Then and only then should you be slightly concerned.
As for me, I’ll continue to use the sweet potato, labeled as a “yam”. I’ve been using it this long. What would be the point of changing now? Sweet potato-yam it is.
Below is a list of traditional meals that require the “yam” or sweet potato as the key ingredient. Try switching one for the other and see if it makes a difference. Probably not but it might be fun just to experiment. Good times!

Yam Ideas:
Grilled Yams, Yam and Apple Casserole, Harvest Yams, Rosemary Mashed Potatoes and Yams, Candied Yams

Sweet Potatoes:
Boiled Sweet Potatoes, Deep Fat French Fried Sweet Potatoes, Smashed Parmesan sweet potatoes, Skillet Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Potato Butter, Sweet Potato Pie

The Simpsons gave me the BEST Diet advice

Everyone is familiar with the hilarious antics of the Simpsons cartoon. But the best diet advice I had ever learned was from one of their episodes. It was the episode where Homer Simpson had received a serious health scare and was prompted by his doctor to change his eating habits. The lovable and rotund Homer is a junk food addict so the fruits and veggies spiel was not enough to stop him from eating foods he wasn't supposed to. The doctor told him, that he cannot eat foods that leave a greasy residue on surfaces that he rubs them on. As a result, throughout the episode Homer and Bart were rubbing food products on windows, papers, pretty much anything they could find (which I don't recommend you do) however, take that concept and run with it. Anything that you wouldn't rub on your face, don't eat it! It ends up on your face anyways. Or anything that you wouldn't massage into your own skin, don't consume. It's really your call, what you put into your body. The lesson I pulled from Homer was to be able see and process what you are putting into your body before you eat it. If you do your body will thank you!!!!

Striving for Summertime Sexy

It all started when we got our first summertime pool party invite, and had to turn it down because we weren't in bikini body basking mode (aka not in shape).

Summertime is almost here and the LA Girls DO Cook Team is focusing on losing our winter "snuggle weight" and strapping up for our "get it right, get it tight" mode. In order to keep us on task, we are using this blog to hold us accountable to our goals! The next couple of weeks we will be reporting on the consistency of our routine, what is working, what is not working, and in the end, the only cottage cheese you'll see around us is the kind you put on top of your strawberries!

Step 1 meet with a trainer- In our case, we met with Mark Jenkins celebrity trainer to P Diddy for the marathon, Mary J Blige, Beyonce, Busta Rhymes, the list goes on! We talked about our goals and the feasibility of time constraints! We recommend that you consult a doctor before any physical activity or supplement taking. He took our measurements and did some calculations and recommended specialized plans geared towards our individual body types!

You know all the things you are supposed to do: eat a healthy breakfast, cardio till your chest burns, drink enough water to drown a fish etc. You don't do them and neither do we. But we have resolved to stick to our guns on this one for a life changing experience.


Now you know that the LA Girls team loves to cook... meaning we also LOVE to eat... so half the battle is curbing the appetite or retraining our palates to lust for foods that are delicious and nutritious! This will be a a fun project along with all of our other adventures, we can't wait for the results!

Keeping love in the air after the Valentine's Day rush is over

Ladies, we have successfully perpetuated Valentine’s day as a day to celebrate loving the one closest to us. We plan for it around the same time every year (around the time the New Year ball drops)yet most men do not reap the benefits of this day. They write it off as a day to cater to the woman's romantic inclinations. Once the date is done and the romantic romp is through, like a pumpkin at midnight "poof" it all goes back to normal. But ladies, it is 2010 and men should have the opportunity to be just as excited by the thought of V-day as we are. By doing so, you are prolonging the romantic euphoria. So kick it up a notch this year and follow up V-day's traditional and predictable trend of dinner and a movie date with a sexy play date day for your man.
The key is to engage him mentally, stimulate him orally, and get a little “hands on”… We’re talking food of course… You can create a meal filled with aphrodisiacs to get you and your honey going from zero to sixty in no time. Of course there is the sweet yet infamous chocolate strawberry duo, and even honey itself is an aphrodisiac but lets remix the usage. For example, who said the chocolate had to be on the strawberry? Chocolate body painting anyone? Other sexy foods include oysters, walnuts, oranges, steak, the list goes on and on. So turn on the music, light the candles, make a meal that will make his mouth water and his heart melt… naughty tip- let him know what each aphrodisiac he samples is supposed to do to him as you feed it to him. Half the price of V-day, twice the intimacy, and zero hassle … sounds sexy to me already.

For aphrodisiac recipes, tips, and/or a list of sexy side effects, email info@chefameera.com