Food Archives - Haute-Cocktail

Experience the #FitTeaDetox

by Carla Ortiz

Have you heard about the #FitTeaDetox? FitTea is an all-natural tea that can help you lead a more healthy and energetic lifestyle, while helping you lose weight and cleanse your body. Its flavor is amazing and, if you ask me, this couldn’t be a more perfect time to try it out. Keep reading to learn more about this fabulous addition to your diet.

It’s the middle of the winter season, and everyone seems to be getting sick. Have some FitTea! You are determined to lose weight without experiencing a life filled with hunger. Pour yourself a cup of FitTea! Need a pick-me-up in the mornings or before a workout? You guessed it… Have some FitTea! This multi-tasking and delicious tasting tea is made of Organic Green Tea, Oolong Wu Yi, Organic Rooibos, Ginger, Pomegranate and other natural ingredients that will aid you in a fast-working and natural detox. These also help in boosting your immune system, suppressing your appetite, increasing your metabolism and increasing your energy levels.

Have a cup with a sensible breakfast in the morning or before a workout to fill you with energy and enhance its already fat-burning quality during your workout. Even though the tea is tasty and sweet, I need to add an extra dose of sweetness to it. I use natural sweeteners, or better yet, natural honey. (It tastes amazing!) Plus, who doesn’t love to enjoy a hot beverage during the colder months? Seriously, you have nothing to lose (except for toxins and pounds), and everything to gain (except toxins and pounds, of course!). FitTea really wants to make a difference in your life and well being, so they want you to hear them out. “Give us a few weeks, and we’ll give you a new waistline.” – FitTea

Ready to make your life healthier and fill it with more all-natural energy? Celebrities like Vanessa Hudgens and Sarah Hyland have already said yes to FitTea. Now is your turn to try it and enjoy all of its fabulous benefits. Learn more on FitTea’s website and enter to win free FitTea. Also, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more updates and fitspiration.
*Thank you to FitTea for sponsoring today’s healthy discussion.*

Food

A Tea-Nog Toddy with Maker’s Mark

by Carla Ortiz

I was super excited when Maker’s Mark reached out inviting me to join a Blogger challenge to create a delicious and unique Hot Toddy recipe using their smooth and delicious Bourbon. As the fan of Bourbon that I am, I had to say yes without skipping a beat. Aside from using their Maker’s Mark in the recipe, we were required to use our choice of four different teas from Harney & Sons. After a bit of reading, I got inspired by Maker’s Mark’s notes of caramel and vanilla, plus the festive holiday season to come up with this twist on a Hot Toddy… The Tea-Nog Toddy. Keep reading for the recipe.

Maker’s Mark Hot Toddy #MakeItTealicious | Haute CocktailDid you know that the first 19 barrels of whiskey were made in 1954 by Bill Samuels Sr. in a Victorian distillery in Loretto, Kentucky? This were the first steps of what we now know as Maker’s Mark and the Bourbon era. In 1980, the distillery was designated a National Historic Landmark, becoming the first distillery in the United States to be recognized as such. It would be an honor and dream come true to travel to Kentucky to see the facility and the way one of my favorite Bourbons is created. That can all happen with your help! Follow me and Maker’s Mark on Instagram, so you stay in-the-know about this challenge, vote for my recipe, and pick up a cocktail recipe or two in the process.

Moving on with the Hot Toddy recipe… First things first! A classic Hot Toddy is a combination of whiskey, sugar, lemon juice, and hot water garnished with a lemon wedge, cinnamon stick, or star anise. These ingredients will treat you to a classic and comforting Hot Toddy. My challenge consisted in using tea instead of just hot water and make it my own. As someone who was born and raised in Puerto Rico, I was never about drinking hot tea (or hot anything, for that matter!) and when I did start drinking tea after moving to New York, my next breakthrough was adding a splash of milk to it. That’s when inspiration hit! Taking it a bit further and giving it a more festive spin, I decided to switch the milk for non-alcoholic Eggnog. The recipe came out super! Sprinkle some Ground Cinnamon on top and you have a warm, festive, and smile-inducing cocktail to drink and to share. Next time, I’ll make it with some Puerto Rican Coquito!

Tea-Nog Toddy

Ingredients:

1 oz. Maker’s Mark Bourbon

.5 oz. Vanilla Schnapps

2.5 oz of Harney & Sons Cinnamon Spice Tea

1 oz. Non-Alcoholic Eggnog

1 packet of Natural Sweetener

Ground Cinnamon for garnish

Directions:

Brew Harney & Sons Cinnamon Spice Tea. Add all ingredients in a mug. Mix. Heat in a microwave for 30 seconds. Garnish with Ground Cinnamon and enjoy!

Hope you enjoy this recipe and share it with friends and family on a cold winter night of fun and togetherness. Again, be sure to follow Maker’s Mark, Haute Cocktail, and #MakeItTealicious on Instagram to cast your votes and find more Bourbon-infused inspiration. See you on Instagram!

*I was sent a bottle of Maker’s Mark, Harney & Sons teas, and other goodies to participate in this challenge. However, I was not compensated in any other way*

Food

Haute Latin Food: Spicy Vegetarian Mexican Pizza

by Carla Ortiz

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, La Morena Products. All opinions are mine alone.

Latin food La Morena Spicy Vegetarian Mexican Pizza recipe

As you may or may not know, I’m Puerto Rican. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and after graduating college I decided to fulfill my dream of moving to New York City. One thing I always knew, but get to appreciate in a different light now, is the fact that us Latinos love to celebrate, and even commiserate, over a meal filled with all of our favorite Latin foods. I’m telling you… Everything revolves around food! My experience growing up, as well as when I go visit, is exactly like this. So, when I was approached by #CollectiveBias and La Morena products to share a recipe using authentic Mexican ingredients, I was delighted to be able to tap into my story growing up as a Latina to create something that’s very close to me, easy to make and oh-so-delish! Keep reading to learn about my inspiration behind this Spicy Vegetarian Mexican Pizza!

First, I have to mention that my mom has always, ALWAYS!, been a fan of anything Mexican. The food, the culture, the decor, the country, the Margaritas. I’m pretty sure my obsession with drinking Margaritas has something to do with that. Coincidentally we both love spicy food, so I was pleased when I went to the bodega two blocks down from my apartment, Prime Stop, and they had La Morena 13 oz. Sliced Jalapenos cans available. It was the perfect ingredient for absolutely any dish I could think of making.

That being said, my mom loves to do Burrito nights. This involves cooking ground meat and having other ingredients like cheese, lettuce, sour cream and tortillas out for us to make our own Burritos. So, I knew I had to use tortillas in my dish. Then I thought about when I started eating Jalapenos. It mostly started when I started eating the entire Jalapenos that came with my Pizza pie order. That gave me the idea of creating a Mexican Pizza for my #VivaLaMorena Latin food dish. It also happens that October is National Pizza Month, so it works out perfectly! So, combine my love for Mexican food, Pizza and anything spicy and you have a dish that definitely says a lot about me and my Hispanic roots. Here’s the recipe!

Spicy Vegetarian Mexican Pizza

Serves 1

A quick and easy to make vegetarian Mexican Pizza for your next Meatless Monday meal.
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Ingredients

Soft Tacos or Burrito Tortillas
Canned Crushed Tomatoes
Soy Protein Crumbles
Garlic
Salt & Pepper
Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese
Avocado
La Morena Sliced Jalapenos

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook around 1/6 of the soy protein crumbles’ package in a skillet covered in cooking spray with around 1/4 cup of crushed tomatoes, minced garlic and salt to taste. (The measurements are approximate as you can add more or less of all the ingredients depending on your taste.)
3. Place a tortilla on a baking sheet or piece of aluminum paper and spread around 2 tablespoons of crushed tomatoes on it.
4. Top the tortilla with the cooked soy protein crumbles and the Mexican blend shredded cheese.
5. Place in the oven for around 10 minutes.
6. Top the Mexican Pizza with slices of Avocado and the La Morena Sliced Jalapenos.

Notes

You can substitute the soy protein crumbles for ground meat.
This dish can also be eaten as is without having to put in the oven.
Leave Avocados and Jalapenos for the end as the Avocados brown in the oven, and the Jalapenos might lose their spiciness.

By Carla Ortiz
Haute Cocktail https://www.haute-cocktail.com/

This recipe is pretty easy to make. It’s all about layering the ingredients, heating in the oven and enjoying. As a Pescatarian (Vegetarian who eats seafood), I used soy crumbles instead of ground meat. However, feel free to use ground meat if you prefer. I have to say, that crumbles cook in 5 minutes, so they will help you cut time in the kitchen. You can also skip the oven part. Nevertheless, I love my crispy tortilla edges and melted cheese too much to do so. Another thing, the Avocado and Jalapeno slices were left for the end as you don’t want them turning brown and loosing their spiciness in the oven, respectively.

Now that you have the 411, I hope you make this dish at home and enjoy it as much as I did devouring it. Be sure to check your local grocery stores for La Morena products as they bring that authentic and flavorful taste of Mexico right into your kitchen. Also, follow La Morena on Facebook for lots of Mexican food inspiration. I can’t wait to add Jalapenos to everything!

Category: Food