New Asian supermarket, H Mart in Urbana set to open tomorrow

New H Mart at 220 N. Broadway in Urbana set to open on Thursday at 10 a.m.

Photo: oursentinel.com

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URBANA - H Mart, America's largest Asian supermarket chain, will open its first downstate Illinois location Wednesday in downtown Urbana, marking a significant expansion beyond its Chicago-area presence.

The 32,000-square-foot store at 220 N. Broadway Ave. will celebrate its grand opening with traditional festivities beginning at 9:50 a.m., including a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Korean dance performance and Lion Dance.

The store represents H Mart's sixth location in Illinois and brings authentic Asian grocery options to the diverse Champaign-Urbana community. The new location occupies a renovated former Save-A-Lot building, demonstrating the company's commitment to adaptive reuse.

"H Mart is excited to bring an authentic taste of Asia to your neighborhood," said H Mart President Brian Kwon in a statement. "Our market is all about celebrating the richness and variety of Asian cuisine, making it easier than ever to find the flavors you love, right here at home."

The store features the "Market Eatery" food court, offering various Asian cuisines in a sit-down dining environment. Shoppers will find extensive selections of packaged good, Asian produce, seafood, meats and Asian specialty items.

Opening day shoppers can participate in several promotions, including free gifts for purchases over $50 and complimentary reusable shopping bags with $30 purchases. New members joining the H Mart Smart Rewards Card program will receive a free thermos mug cup and 2025 calendar.

Urbana Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin welcomed the investment, noting the store's potential impact on downtown vitality and job creation.

"Our diverse community is excited to shop the full line of Asian and American groceries, meats, seafood, produce, housewares and ready-made meals," Marlin said.

The store will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., including holidays. Opening day promotions include free gifts for purchases over $50 and reusable shopping bags for purchases exceeding $30, while supplies last.

Founded in 1982 in Queens, New York, H-Mart as grown to more than 100 stores across 18 states. The Urbana location marks the chain's sixth Illinois store and its first venture outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

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Recipe: Chipotle Chicken Flatbread fest

Family Features -- When dining outside with your loved ones, there are few things better than a tasty dish the whole family can enjoy. This Chipotle Chicken Flatbread makes for a perfect al fresco meal.

Photo provided

Prepared along with a fresh salad or simply enjoyed by itself, this flatbread is simple to make and even kids will love adding the toppings and sauce. It’s colorful and fresh, making it a perfect addition to get-togethers on the patio.

Plus, the cooking time is only 16 minutes, which makes this a quick and delicious solution to defeat.

For more al fresco recipe ideas, visit Culinary.net.

Chipotle Chicken Flatbread

Adapted from butteryourbiscuit.com

2 flatbreads
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic, diced
4 chicken tenders, cooked and cubed
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning
2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped

Here's how you put it together for your next meal:

Start by preheating your oven to 375 F.

Place parchment paper on baking sheet and add flatbreads. Sprinkle cheese on flatbreads. Top with garlic, chicken and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake 16 minutes until cheese is melted.

In small bowl, mix ranch and chipotle seasoning.

Drizzle ranch dressing on flatbread and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

Food | A tasty traditional steak taco recipe you will want to try

Photo provided

(NAPSI) -— Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States—about 655,000 Americans die from heart disease each year, according to the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention — but you can protect yourself 3 ways.

Three Steps To A Healthier Heart

1. Don’t smoke. If you do smoke, quit. See your doctor, the can help.

We all know smoking can cause cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lung diseases. It has also been known to also increase the risk for tuberculosis and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

2. Get regular exercise. The Surgeon General recommends 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise week.

Start with walking and work your way up to fun social sports like golf, doubles tennis, or pickleball. Lap swimming and biking are great low, impact activities that can help you lead a healthy life.

3. Eat right. Choose plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and foods high in fiber and low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol. Avoid eating large snacks before bedtime and avoid sugary snacks, too.

To help, Mazola® Corn Oil has come up with a number of recipes that are delicious and support heart health. The all-purpose cooking oil is a heart-healthy choice for baking, grilling, sautéing, stir frying or mixing up a marinade.

Very limited and preliminary scientific evidence suggests that eating about 1 tbsp (16 grams) of corn oil daily may reduce the risk of heart disease due to the unsaturated fat content in corn oil. FDA concludes there is little scientific evidence supporting this claim. To achieve this possible benefit, corn oil is to replace a similar amount of saturated fat and not increase the total number of calories you eat in a day.

Mazola is known to have a high smoke point of 450° F. All cooking oils have a smoke point that, once exceeded, negatively affects the way food taste.

Here’s a heart-healthy recipe, popular with Latinx cooks, that’s delicious for everyone:

Steak Tacos

Ingredients

1 pound flank or skirt steak, frozen for 30 minutes
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) Mazola® Corn Oil, divided
3 tablespoons tamari or reduced sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
8 taco-sized flour tortillas heated on skillet lightly coated with Mazola® Corn Oil until lightly charred.

Toppings:

Cotija cheese
Chopped cilantro
Pickled jalapeno
Lime wedges

In large bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice, 2 tablespoon Mazola® Corn Oil, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano.

Remove steak from freezer and slice thinly across the grain. Place in bowl with marinade. Stir to cover. Marinate 45 minutes to 2 hours.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in large skillet over high heat. Add steak to hot oil. Sear on both sides for about 1 minute. Immediately reduce heat to medium high.

Add reserved marinade. Cook, stirring often, until marinade has reduced to half, about 3-4 minutes. Divide steak among warmed tortillas.

Top with a sprinkling of chopped cilantro, crumbles of cotija cheese and pickled jalapeño. Enjoy the feast by immediately with a squirt or two from lime wedges.