HEALTH BENEFITS OF PLANTAINS…The FuegoMundo Experience

Grilled Natural Chicken Skewers w/ The Health-Nut Sides:

Baked Plantains, Organic Quinoa & Vegan Black Beans

DID YOU KNOW?…One medium plantain is low in sodium, low in calories, zero fat, high in potassium and has 2 grams of protein.  It also meets 40% of the RDA for vitamin A, 50% RDA for vitamin C  and 15% for magnesium. Plantains are a good source of fiber (4 g).  Plantains resemble bananas but they are longer in length, thicker skinned, and starchier in flavor.  In South America plantains are used more like a vegetable than a fruit, and are eaten with rice at almost every meal. They are not suitable for eating raw unless very ripe, where the color has turned almost completely black.

This versatile fruit has three unique stages of ripeness:  GREEN PLANTAINS…Taste more like a potato with a starchy texture. At this stage, the interior is yellowish or slightly pink. The fruit is firm and is often used as side dishes like Tostones, Patacones, and Plantain Chips.  At FuegoMundo the famous “Fuego Chip” are made from green plantains. YELLOW PLANTAINS…are the middle stage of the fruit. These plantains can have some brownish-black spots. Their role now is both vegetable and fruit and is used in dishes that request for a slightly sweet taste and firm texture, like the Sweet Plantains. BLACK PLANTAINS…are very ripe and are typically found in sweeter recipes. These plantains are all black or spotty black and are soft. Black plantains can be eaten without being cooked.  Plantains are found in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia, and are often called cooking bananas.

At FuegoMundo you can enjoy Plantains in 7 different ways…as Sweet Plantains in The Latin Sides, Baked Plantains in the Health-Nut Sides,  Fuego Plantains Chips & Salsa as a Tapas, also in Tostones, Latin Vegetable Soup (Sancocho),  the Non-dairy Creamy Plantain Soup, and as a Dessert: Sweet Plantain S’mores.  Enjoy guilt-free!

FuegoMundo, meaning a World of Fire, is the first of its kind restaurant in the United States, offering healthy South American cuisine that’s authentic, natural and Kosher, with Fast Casual Service at lunch & Full-Service for Dinners. The restaurant now offers Daily Chef Specials to go along with their extensive Lunch & Dinner menus.  Located at the Prado Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia, a northern suburb of Atlanta.  This weeks Chef’s Specials include:

Daily Specials.050812

Learn about the mysteries of the Sea & what Kosher fish teaches us about who we are, what drives us, and what our purpose really is.  Includes a  lunch &  lecture by Rabbi Ari Sollish from Chabad Intown and the Intown Jewish Academy.

Tuesday, Oct. 25  11:30 AM – 12:30 PM  RSVP: masha@fuegomundo.com · 404-256-4330  Cost $18

Get away to the tropics of Colombia…enjoy The Cartegana Dish every Monday at FuegoMundo…Fresh Wild Caught Fish, homemade Coconut Rice, Susie’s Tostones, and House Salad for only $17.95, only on Mondays at FuegoMundo…right here at The Prado Center in Sandy Springs, GA. Today’s Catch of the Day:  Wild Caught Tilapia:

 Hi Kids, I’m a friendly New World Monkey from Panama!    

A White-Headed Capuchin… I met Masha & Udi in 2008 when they were touring the Rainforests of the Panama Canal. I climbed in their tour boat & ate fresh fruits from Masha’s hand.  Masha took this up-close picture of me, I didn’t mind at all.  Did you know the Panama Canal Rainforest is one of the most accessible & nature-rich rainforests in the world? It has over 50,000 acres of pristine rainforest, 105 species of mammals, 525 species of birds & 124 reptiles & amphibians.  My job is to help spread seeds and pollen and look cute.  KIDS:  you can help save the rainforests of Todo-el-Mundo (The World) by using recycled products, helping endangered species, and avoiding waste.

FuegoMundo located at The Prado Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia, the 1st restaurant of its kind in the USA, supports efforts to preserve the rainforests of Central & South America and worldwide. Eat Healthy and Be Good to Your Earth!  www.fuegomundo.com

Experience a Healthy Taste of South America on Saturday Night.  Join the crowd on Saturday Night, 

 June 11, 2011 ~ 10 PM – 1 AM

 for late night Dining, desserts, homemade sangrias, music, great ambiance & entertainment at FuegoMundo at The Prado in Sandy Springs featuring:

“Maricio Amaya”!

 Playing the beautiful music from the Andes mountains of Peru & Bolivia!   Enjoy the wonderful, unique and haunting instruments used in this special music.  We are thrilled to have Maricio Amaya as our “featured artist” and we think you’ll enjoy his music and become a new favorite of yours! 

Hope to see you soon!

The  FuegoMundo Staff

Quinoa has been the buzzword, and the “It”  food, both for its healthy properties and as a center of the plate feature in gluten-free diets.

It is not a grain; rather, it is a chenopod, related to beets and spinach.

When NASA scientists were searching decades ago for an ideal food for long-term human space missions, they came across an Andean plant called quinoa. With an exceptional balance of amino acids, quinoa, they declared, is virtually unrivaled in the plant or animal kingdom for its life-sustaining nutrients.

And we at FuegoMundo could not be happier about the building buzz around quinoa. We feature quinoa in several combinations on our menu, including The Health-Nut, Veggie Lover’s Stir Fry, and the Quinoa Veggie Salad. Or, order it as your side to accompany any of our delicious wood-fire grilled entrees.

The Health Nut: Baked Plantains, Quinoa, and vegan Black Beans

Veggie Lover's Stir-Fry

Quinoa is the Prom Queen of the plate, to be sure. But why all of the fame and popularity?

We can give you some appealing facts…

You’ve probably heard that you should eat whole grains, but try the gluten free grain-like seed called “quinoa” instead of wheat. Quinoa provides more amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients than most other grains!

• Complete protein. Quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids that are required by the body as building blocks for muscles.
• Magnesium helps relax your muscles and blood vessels and effects blood pressure. Quinoa contains high levels of this vital nutrient.
• Fiber. Quinoa is a wonderful way to ensure that you consume valuable fiber that eases elimination and tones your colon.
• Manganese and copper. Quinoa is a good source of these minerals that act as antioxidants in your body to get rid of dangerous cancer and disease-causing substances.

Quinoa can be your superfood: regulating your blood sugar, enhancing elimination, and keeping your heart healthy. Add this “mother grain” to your diet and enjoy the health benefits of quinoa, just like the Incas did thousands of years ago.

For more information, see

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/americas/20bolivia.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&sq=quinoa&st=cse&scp=1

and, this terrific web post by our friends at Body Ecology.

http://bodyecology.com/articles/quinoa_benefits_guide.php

The Atlanta Food Bloggers visited FuegoMundo on Sunday, February 6th and had the opportunity to sample many of the gluten-free options available at the restaurant.  The meal below is based on their votes for the best Gluten-Free Meal available at FuegoMundo.  Enjoy!

Here is the recipe for the FuegoMundo Latin Vegetable Soup. This is a fabulous soup to make on a cold winter’s day.  It has a medley of flavorful and nutritious vegetables that will delight your taste buds.

Sancocho~Vegan and non-fat!

Bring to a boil:

• 8 quarts water
• 1 cup of vegetable stock (make sure your stock is gluten-free if you are concerned about GF)
• 6 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
• 5 Bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon of pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon

Add and Boil for 20 minutes:

• 2 large white onions (cut into chunks)
• 4 carrots (peeled and cut)
• 2 yellow plantains (peeled and cut)
• 1 bunch of cilantro (chopped)

Add and boil for an additional 30 minutes:

• 1 bunch of broccoli (cut up)
• 2 Yuca roots (peeled, steamed and cut into finger size)

Remove from heat and let cool for 1 hour.

Enjoy FREE COFFEE all day on Black Friday at FuegoMundo!   Take a break from the hectic holiday schedule, and get your caffein or decaf fix in a warm and friendly world class environment.   Choose from espresso, black coffee or FuegoMundo’s signature Cafe-con-leche.  While you’re in the restaurant get a $25 gift certificate for only $15!   Available only on Friday, November 26, 2010.