Everyone is not a good cook and even if you are, you can get better! Healthy Cooking is a skill that involves life-long improvement. The following article will give you the skills you need. These tips provide you with a comprehensive guide to healthy cooking like a pro.
Consider freezing your meat a bit so that it will be easier to slice. This is perfect for meals that require really thin meat such as Chinese or Thai dishes. When the meat is partially frozen, cutting becomes cleaner as the meat fibers are less likely to tear or stretch. Allow the meat to thaw prior to healthy cooking though, so that it can cook evenly.
People mainly use plenty of apples in healthy cooking during the winter and fall months, but if not stored properly they quickly go bad. Warm, dry air rots apples quickly, so keep them in sealed or tied plastic bags and make sure they are stored in a refrigerator or a chilly basement. Check them frequently, since if one apple goes bad, the rest will quickly follow.
Although garlic is a great flavor booster that compliments a wide variety of foods, it can unfortunately stick to your hands. After you have finished doing your prep work with the garlic, run your hands along the stainless steel interior of your sink. This will take the scent off of you hands.
Make a lot of stock if you are going to make it ahead of time. If you prepare a large pot of stock, it can be frozen and stored for future use. A rich chicken stock makes a savory base for soups, stews and other dishes. After the liquid has cooled you can store it in heavy-duty freezer bags.
Chicken Broth
When simmering or boiling vegetables, try adding chicken broth. Using chicken broth will prevent the vegetables from sticking in the pan as well as add some tasty flavor at the same time. Chicken broth is cheap, and can be bought anywhere.
If you’re using wooden skewers to cook, try soaking them in water for half an hour first. This way, they won’t burn while healthy cooking. To ensure that your food stays on the skewers, use two skewers instead of one to hold the food firmly in place.
Tofu and beans are great sources of protein that can easily be added to your diet. You can find these ingredients easily and incorporate them to many different recipes. Seasoned tofu is a wonderful alternative to meat, and can be cooked in a variety of ways, such as pan frying. You can boil the beans with some herbs to have a flavorful protein packed meal, side or snack.
Measure the oil you use when healthy cooking! To cook with less fat, measure specific amounts of oil instead of pouring oil into the pan straight from the bottle. This lets you keep an eye on just how much oil you use.
Fresh Garlic
When making a dish that needs to contain garlic, purchase the best and most fresh garlic you can. The fresher your garlic, the sweeter a taste it will have. Fresh garlic is very firm to the touch and has an intact, taut skin. The individual cloves are also plump and firm, not shriveled and shrunken.
If serving salad, keep the dressing on the side, rather than pouring it on the salad. Everyone likes a different amount of salad dressing. It is a good idea to allow them to control the amount themselves. It is important to provide your guests with a plethora of dressings.
Before you begin to cook, you must make sure that your kitchen utensils are clean. You need to make sure there is no residue left on the utensils, it could ruin your food. This can allow harmful bacteria to spread.
Being creative is a great way to get better at healthy cooking. Sometimes its okay to deviate from following a recipe step-by-step. Change up the recipe until you perfect your own variation. That makes a person a great cook!
Shake a little salt onto your cutting board when you are chopping up fresh herbs. The salt will give the herbs more flavor and prevent them from sliding of the board as you cut. Make sure to avoid over-salting by not adding additional salt directly to what you are preparing. The salt you put on the board will stick to the herbs and add a bit of flavor.
A simple sandwich can often be a perfect one, if you pay attention to details such as covering the bread entirely with a smooth and consistent layer of mayonnaise. Often, through rushing, many people just put a smear of mayo on the bread. If you spread mayo evenly, you will be sure that your sandwiches are flavorful.
Buying quality knives is an important investment in your kitchen. In addition to the practical benefits, you will also improve your safety when cutting foods with sharp utensils. Many cuts and accidents are caused by dull utensils.
Cutting Boards
Always take good care of your wooden cutting board. Cutting boards made of wood can often warp due to climate. Never immerse the board in water, rather, sponge it off with warm, soapy water. Cutting boards should be treated regularly with specifically designed oil products. Allow it to dry completely before using.
Learning new aspects of healthy cooking is fun and exciting. It can be just as exciting as when you are eating the food that you make! The hope is that with this information you’ll want to cook more, cook better, and cook a variety. Healthy Cooking is a lifetime activity, so keep at it.