WEEKLY MENU 07.23.23
We have a happy (and HUGE) celebration coming up during the Weekly Menu 07.23.23 – it’s so exciting!
What is the big celebration during the Weekly Menu 07.23.23? Drum roll, please…
Monday is National Tequila Day!
I told you it was huge! I’m just going to say it one more time: I love tequila. And I am really not alone:
According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the US, agave-based liquors like tequila and mezcal were the fastest-growing spirits category of 2022, and are now poised to overtake vodka as the best-selling liquor in the United States this year, after knocking whiskey into third place last year.
Time May 5, 2023
And I’m not being a band wagon jumper here – I have been a huge fan since college. Hell, I played dimes with tequila when we were snowed in and ran out of beer. That might not have been my best idea, but I made it through. I don’t usually drink tequila straight anymore, but that was the only casualty.
I’ve extolled the virtues of tequila before – this stuff is actually good for you.
7 Health Benefits of Tequila That Are Worth Another Shot
1. Diabetics can drink it. The agavins, natural sugars in agave, are non-digestible so blood sugar levels won’t spike. In fact, it can lower glucose levels and increase insulin production.
2. It cleanses the colon. Tequila is made from the blue agave plant. This plant contains fructans which aren’t digestible. This is good news for fighting colon disease. Researchers have used fructans to help deliver drugs to the colon to fight diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and irritable bowel syndrome.
3. It can aid in weight loss. A report, which was part of the 247th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, found that the same agavins that help diabetes are also good for obesity. The reason is those agavins act like dietary fiber, which if you have ever tried to slim down your waistline know that fiber promotes weight loss. Get your metabolism right!
4. It helps fight dementia. Studies have shown that drinking alcohol like tequila in moderation may aid in the fight against dementia. Too much though, and you’ll be back on stage next Friday night singing who knows what.
5. It aids digesti on. A drink before a meal has been known to stimulate the appetite. And a drink after can help digest said meal.
6. It’s probiotic. Probiotics found in foods like yogurt and kimchi are praised for restoring good bacteria in the digestive system. And like yogurt and kimchi, tequila contains probiotics thanks to its fructans. But remember, in order to benefit from these probiotics, you will have to drink in moderation.
7. It’s a cold-buster. Tequila was prescribed by doctors in Mexico as a cure for the common cold during the 30s. While their version didn’t include Emergen-C, it did include tequila blanco, agave nectar, and lime. Voila, a great immune system. The idea here is that the agave would soothe a sore throat, the lime would add vitamin C, and the tequila, well, alcohol kills bacteria right?
Wide Open Country Health Benefits of Tequila
Okay. The last one might be a little bit of a stretch – but you have to admit it’s worth a shot. (LOL)
Tequila is a little problematic for the environment.
To make tequila and mezcal, brewers harvest the whole agave plant once it reaches maturity (usually seven to 12 years, though some varieties can be harvested earlier), strip off the sword-like leaves and steam or roast the pina, or heart, until it releases a sugar-rich nectar that is then fermented and distilled. That processing generates a lot of waste: for every liter of tequila produced, about 5 kg (or 11 lbs.) of pulp and 10-15 liters of vinasse, an acidic liquid, are left behind. If disposed of improperly, the vinasse contaminates both soil and water supplies, leading to ecological dead zones.
Time
Lord. I hope somebody figures this out! Meanwhile, I’m going to continue drinking my Palomas, Margaritas and Tequila & Sodas. (Try this last one with white Casamigos Tequila. It’s pricy but so worth it. And we’re drinking it in moderation, so it will last and last.)
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One other note: part of the reason I like tequila so much is probably because of the glassware that it is often presented in. Margarita glasses, especially, are so versatile. Ice cream doesn’t ever look better than in a Marg glass. Try some lemon sorbet (lime, if you could find it) with a shot of tequila over it in one of these:
How are we incorporating tequila into the Weekly Menu 07.23.23?
We’re having Palomas and Margarita Pork Chops. Yippee!
Well, we’re starting off the Weekly Menu 07.23.23 with a nice grilled steak dinner on Sunday, topped with a beautiful Ice Cream Pie for dessert. We’re going old school for the appetizer – port wine cheese always has a place at our table.
We’ve got the old grill going again Tuesday – for easy chicken breasts on top of a fabulous Caesar Salad. (Which is not actually a Caesar salad – no anchovies. But the Creamy Parmesan Dressing Recipe is fabulous. Ask anyone at my house.)
Have I told you that I use leftover hot dog and/or burger buns to make the croutons? I cut them into chunks, then sprinkle with a little olive oil, garlic salt and Italian seasonings before popping them into the oven to toast. It’s a little dicey currently, because the only thing I can depend on with our stove right now (see the Weekly Menu 07.16.23 for that debacle) is broil. The broil works really, really fast. And I am very, very easily distracted. It’s not unusual for me to have to rustle up a second batch of croutons. Oops. The best thing about the croutons (besides the fabulous taste) is that you don’t have to worry about chipping a tooth like you can with the store bought variety.
Italian Night ROCKS this week.
I’ve never made the Million Dollar Spaghetti before, but if it’s half as good as the pictures look, we are going to be very happy on Wednesday night. Any time we can add some cheese to spaghetti and bake it, we will. I’m sure it will be pretty much gone that night, but it would probably make a hella leftover lunch the next day.
WEEKLY MENU 07.23.23
