I found this article through MSN and thought it would be a great article to share with you guys and speak a bit about. Throughout my years of cooking and learning, I've learned the hard way about some very basic tips and techniques in the kitchen. You can bet that I've burnt it, overcooked it, undercooked it, or just flat out messed it up at least once. That's why I wanted to share this article (although some of the tips are meat focused, ignore that) and speak on the importance of some of the tips shared! 1. HEAVILY SALTING PASTA WATER There are a million different salt to water ratios out there if you look hard enough but what it boils down to is the importance of heavily salting your pasta water. This is the very best way to ensure your pasta comes out with some flavour but also gives that pasta water some much needed salty flavour in case you're going to scoop some out for a pan sauce. When you taste your pasta water, it should be salt ater ocean style salty. TAKEAWAY - Always, always, always salt your pasta water.
3. PREP & MEASURE ALL INGREDIENTS FIRST This is such a good tip, one that I myself have spoken out about in the past. Every recipe I test, I have my ingredients prepped and set out before me. This helps the flow of the recipe from start to finish and helps to prevent recipe mistakes. Prepping as you go distracts you and results in food being burnt, overcooked, or timing of recipes to be way off. TAKEAWAY - Prep everything in advance of a recipe for a smooth process. 4. CLEAN AS YOU GO It took me many messy kitchens and being overwhelmed with my surroundings before I smartened up and kept things tidy. I try to keep a sink of hot, soapy water available so that I can toss dishes in there as I go to avoid clutter. When things get cluttered and messy, it's very easy to get overwhelmed which results in many a kitchen mistake. TAKEAWAY - Keep things clean, period.
6. USE UNSALTED STOCKS & BUTTERS FOR RECIPES Have you ever oversalted your food? It's probably one of the worst outcomes in the kitchen because once you've drastically over salted, everything seems rather hopeless. That's why it's super important to purchase salt-free additions like vegetable stock and butter. This way, you can have full control over the salt in your dish. TAKEAWAY - Minimize the opportunity for oversalting by purchasing salt free items like vegetable stock and butter. 7. DON'T OPEN THE OVEN WHILE COOKING Believe it or not, a significant amount of heat escapes the when you open the oven to take a peek at whatever masterpiece is in the oven. Every time you open the oven and that heat escapes, your food will take longer to cook and may cook unevenly. TAKEAWAY - Patience is a virtue. 9. HOMEMADE VINAIGRETTE IS THE WAY TO GO
Often times, store bought vinaigrette seems harmless enough but a peek at the ingredients label tells an entirely different story. What should be as simple as oil, vinegar, and some seasonings, turns into a 30 ingredient nightmare. Whip up your own at home, it's easy and will save you tons of chemicals. TAKEAWAY - Homemade is always best. 10. DON'T PEEL EVERYTHING Too often, we peel our veggies before adding them to soups, stews, stir fries etc., but a lot of nutritional value hides in the peels. In almost every case, the peels will cook down just fine so don't be so quick to peel them off. TAKEAWAY - Use ALL of the veggies.
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Fresh or frozen berries are a wonderful snack to have on hand at all times. They're delicious and incredibly nutritious. There are also so many different varieties of berries available to us, each with their own statistics and health benefits which is why it is always suggested to eat a varied diet to get all of these wonderful benefits. Let's investigate some of the most prominent benefits of eating the following berries. Everything is compared on a 100g serving to make things equal when comparing stats.
All berries are not created equally but they all provide us a variety of vitamins, nutrients, and body benefits. Eating a variety of berries will ensure that we get all of these wonderful benefits. In almost every case, they are low in calories and high in fiber making them an ideal snack choice. Plus, they're delicious, how can you beat that?
HAPPY VEG Information gathered from: https://nutritiondata.self.com/ https://www.healthline.com/ There never seems to be enough time in the day to get our recommended servings of fruits and veggies. We're too busy because we're constantly on the go all day or there's no time to prep all of these veggies when we're home looking after our young children etc., there are a million reasons or excuses as to why we're just not getting enough but there are some super simple ways to make sure we're adding in extra fruit and veg throughout the day.
These are just a few of the ways that I try to get more fruits and veggies into my every day routine. What tips and tricks do you use at home?
HAPPY VEG I'm always on the hunt for products that I can add into my daily routine to give myself some additional nutrients, antioxidants, and other health benefits. I am a big supporter of freeze dried powders because they can be easily added into smoothies, teas, yogurts, oatmeals, and cereals. Essentially, anything I can add into my routine without needing to go the extra mile is a benefit in my opinion. I recently ordered some new products from Healthy Planet Canada and I wanted to tell you guys about them and their benefits so that you too may consider adding them into your routines. Let's take a look at two of the freeze dried powders I recently ordered and what they can do for our overall health!
In combination with other healthy habits, these freeze dried berry powders can help promote our bodies' overall health by boosting our vitamin and antioxidant intake, fighting free radicals and preventing oxidative stress, and helping to prevent conditions like cancer. Unlike man made pills and tinctures, these all natural products are much safer to consume without many of the potential side effects that come along with man made supplements. Want to learn more? Visit these websites for information and benefits of these powders! https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/camu-camu https://food.ndtv.com/health/10-wonderful-benefits-of-amla-powder-a-powerful-superfood-1654043 Want to get your hands on these products? Visit your local natural health store or visit Healthy Planet Canada! https://www.healthyplanetcanada.com/ HAPPY VEG
Every year, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) compiles their list of the 12 most pesticide laden fruits and veggies currently on the market as well as the 15 cleanest fruits and veggies. This list is intended to not only show us the amount of pesticide residue on our foods but to help us choose which produce we might feel compelled to purchase organic if we are not already doing so. Since 2004, the group has sampled and studied our produce, sharing with us the results of their findings. Let's take a look at the dirty dozen first. THE DIRTY DOZEN The 12 fruits / veggies that were found to have the most pesticide residue per part end up on the dirty dozen list for that year. Some of the fruits and veggies on the list are repeat offenders but this year we saw a new addition to the list, kale! Along with veggies like potatoes, celery and spinach, and fruit like strawberries, nectarines, and peaches, kale was tested and found to be among the 12 top pesticide laden fruits / veg currently on the market. This is likely due to the fact that kale has recently garnered a lot of attention for its health benefits leading to increased purchasing which ultimately leads to a need to grow more and quickly. Let's look at the dirty dozen. Strawberries find themselves at the top of the list for the fourth year in a row and despite the addition of kale, most of the list is similar to previous years. As the article suggests, the list is not meant to deter us from eating fruits and veggies, simply to inform us and allow us to make the decision to choose organic in these cases. There is no way to avoid pesticides, even in the case of organic produce, but there are opportunities to consume less pesticides, and that's what the list aims to allow us to do. A safe rule of thumb when it comes to eating non-organic produce is to keep in mind that any fruit or veggie whose skin we consume, likely has a high amount of pesticide residue. Despite washing / peeling, there is nothing protecting the produce from the pesticides seeping into the flesh that we consume. That's why fruits like apples, pears, and strawberries end up on this list because their skins are thin and offer no protection from the pesticide residue. Fruits and veggies with a tough and often inedible outer skin, usually offer up less pesticide residue per part. Avocados, bananas, and pineapples for example, all have thick, inedible outer skins that protect the flesh inside much better from the pesticides being sprayed on them. Let's take a look at the clean 15 list! As you can see from the clean 15 list, almost all of these fruits / veggies have protection from pesticides thanks to an often inedible outer skin. As mentioned, this protects the edible flesh of the produce from being exposed to as much pesticides as those on the dirty dozen. This in no way means that these fruits and veg don't come into contact with pesticides, simply that they had less of the residue on the edible portions.
These lists are important for us to keep in mind if there's something on the dirty dozen list we consume quite regularly, we can at the very least look for organic options in those cases. Organic produce tends to be more expensive because there is more labour put into caring for the crops so the price can often spook us away from choosing organic. That's why having this list is handy because we can identify what we're consuming on that list quite frequently and make an effort to source cost efficient, organic options in these cases. As I said, pesticides are unavoidable in this day and age as we continue to need more and more to provide for the constantly increasing population but we can at least try to make organic choices based on our knowledge of these lists. Don't ever let a list deter you from eating enough fruits and veggies. If organic is unavailable, don't be discouraged from purchasing a product. The pros of eating fresh veggies and fruits outweigh the possible negatives. Simply make sure to thoroughly wash your non-organic produce to remove as much of the residue as possible and eat away! Are you guys familiar with the dirty dozen list? Does it impact your choices when shopping? HAPPY VEG We all remember hearing that an apple a day will keep the doctor away and we all as children probably remembering thinking that that was just something parents said to get us eating healthy treats versus the sugary, chocolatey snacks we were interested in eating. As it turns out, there is a significant amount of truth to that old saying because apples are nutritional powerhouses full of good for you vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all of which are beneficial to our overall health. Let's investigate why an apple a day is something we should all be aiming for.
Can an apple a day make you immortal? Not quite, but it can certainly help to achieve an overall well-being. With its plethora of vitamins and minerals, dietary fiber, and phytochemicals, there's no denying that an apple a day is a benefit to our health. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and grab an apple to start the day!
HAPPY VEG We've heard it all our lives how important eating enough leafy greens is and despite this, we still struggle to get enough in our daily routine. Eating enough greens is a crucial contribution to our immune system's overall health and the wellness of our bodies. I personally think a lot of the reason people tend to not get enough is because they don't know how to sneak additional greens into their everyday dishes / routine. With that being said, here's 5 super simple ways to add extra greens in to some of your everyday dishes and routines.
What other easy ways do you add additional greens into your everyday routine?
HAPPY VEG We're all busy in this day and age, often times we're juggling work, school, families, friends, or a combination of all of those things so we're always looking for convenience in our day to day lives. When it comes to convenience regarding our food choices, there is often a sacrifice that we are not really thinking of. Whether we're sacrificing quality, our health, or cost efficiency, this convenience often comes at a price. Here are a few things you should try to avoid when convenience comes calling!
All it takes is a little preparedness after shopping to make sure you're all set for the week.
What do you guys think? Are you guilty of convenience choices that aren't always the best choices for us in the end? HAPPY VEG You can look anywhere on the internet and find conflicting information regarding how much vegetables and fruit you should be consuming in a day. Regardless of which one is accurate, the answer is we should be eating a lot. It might seem daunting to eat enough fruits and veggies but take my word for it as someone who didn't always get enough, it's not impossible! I started chopping up raw veg everyday to eat in between meals and eventually it became part of my routine. In fact, I eat anywhere from 2 to 4 cups of raw veggies everyday depending on the type of veg I'm consuming. This, on top of the veggies and fruit I might consume with or in other meals, has put me at 6 - 9+ servingas of vegetables per day. It seems impossible but guys, I'm telling you not only is it possible, but it's actually quite easy! WHAT IS A SERVING? (Approximates) - 1 Cup Raw Vegetables - 1 Large Bell Pepper - 2 Small Carrots / 2 Stalks Celery - 1 Piece of fruit (Banana, Apple etc.) - 1/2 C Cooked vegetables - 2 Cups (Raw) Leafy Greens These are examples of what a serving of veggies or fruit would consist of. Now, let's break down how I get my fruit and veggies each day and show you just how simple it actually is!
Meals
Not eating meat honestly makes it easier for me to eat more veggies. When it comes to meal time, I try to follow the general rule that there is always room for one more veggi9e in whatever it is I'm making. I eat a reasonable amount of tomato based pasta dishes with several cups of fresh spinach. I like to blend cooked broccolo or cauliflower into cream sauces. Not to mention, whenever I'm eating something particularly hearty, I'll try and have a salad to go along with it. Don't forget that beans constitute as veggies AND a great source of protein. I add beans and chickpeas into my pasta dishes and they are the stars of dishes like soups or chilis. Quite literally, I can easily put away 2 - 3 servings of vegetables per meal. The point I'm trying to make here is that it's totally within reach to eat anywhere from 6 - over 10 servings of veggies and fruit every day if you really make the effort. I came from someone who maybe had 3 - 4 everyday to now where I've adopted a few tricks into my routine and now I'm eating more vegetables and fruit than ever before. I would also like to point out I still manage to get my occasional junky treat in too! I enjoy my chip coated peanuts, nutella stuffed wafer sticks, pretzels etc. and although these things are NOT healthy, I feel ok eating them because I know how much good I've put into my body otherwise. How many servings of fruit and veg do you guys get everyday? What are your tips for getting more into your diet? HAPPY VEG Ahh, the humble potato, one of the vegetable world's most recognized and well received vegetables not to mention my personal favourite right next to raw celery. Potatoes are the perfect veggie in so many ways because they can adapt to pretty much any flavour and you can utilize them in any way imaginable. Mashed, roasted, boiled, smashed, fried, baked, whipped etc., the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, as health continues to take priority in today's society, people are turning away from the tater in favour of it's sweeter and more antioxidant rich cousin the sweet potato. Is it true that regular old potatoes are as bad for you as they're being regarded? The short answer is no. Often times, when someone is discussing why regular potatoes aren't as good for you, they are villifying the toppings one chooses to put on the tater.
THE FACTS
WAYS TO KEEP YOUR TATERS HEALTHY Here's a few tips for making sure your potatoes stay good for you or at the very least, aren't smothered with boatloads of extra calories!
There's no denying sweet potatoes are wonderful for you but that's not enough of a reason to shun the other varieties. Enjoy a mixed variety of taters in your life and you'll be just fine, just enjoy them for what they are without the constant need to smother them in fat and more fat.
HAPPY VEG |
Jonathan - Happy VegDedicated Foodie. Proud Vegetarian. Recipe Creator. Friend to all Animals. Archives
August 2023
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