Kitchen Tips [therecipebox 125.8]

Discussions - Kitchen Tips (1875 views)

From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 11:50 AM
To:	All	(8 of 159)

125.8 in reply to 125.2

Summer Snacks for People on the Move

Don’t let the bright days lead to dim-witted eating patterns. Keep up the pace with these easy snack ideas.

By Nutricise nutrition expert Sheila Kelly, M.S., R.D.

(Nutricise) — If you’re like most people, summer is your busiest time of the year. Between all the parties, trips to the pool and weekend getaways, it can be difficult to eat well (or at all!). However, don’t let your hectic schedule throw your good nutrition intentions off track. With just a little planning, you can ensure great taste, nutrition and convenience. The trick? Smart snacking.

Snacks were long dismissed as diet wreckers—fat-laden, guilt-inducing substances with a sinister quotient almost akin to dessert. Lucky for you, snacks have gained recent fame for their beneficial effects on weight control and energy levels. The key is learning to discern a “worthy” snack from its nutritional-wasteland counterpart.

Evaluating snacks
The first element to seek in sizing up a snack is that it contains some carbohydrate, protein and, yes, fat. Carbohydrate assures energy, protein will help stabilize your energy levels, and a little bit of fat will keep you full. Another helpful element is fiber, which is found in carbohydrate-containing foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fiber also helps stabilize energy levels; its slow digestibility can keep you from reaching for more calories before your next meal.

Another item to consider is the calorie content of the snack. Ideally, it should contain between 150 and 250 calories—any more than that and it almost qualifies as a meal; any less and you may not make it to your next meal! Roughly 50 to 60 percent of the snack should come from carbohydrate, 20 to 30 percent from protein, and the balance from fat.

Good snack sources of carbohydrate: Include fresh fruits and raw vegetables that can be easily transported and eaten. Also look for complex carbohydrates, such as popcorn, whole wheat pretzels or dry sugar-free cereal.

Good snack sources of protein: Consist of lean slices of cold cuts, low-fat cheese and cottage cheese. Using a protein source that contains some fat will ensure that you get this important nutrient as well.

Easy ways to get them all: Include combination foods, such as hummus, low-fat yogurt, and reduced-fat peanut butter.

So, you’ve completed your crash course in snack nutrition. Now, you’re wondering how to package it up into an on-the-go lifestyle. Here are some easy, portable snack ideas:

Popcorn Cheeseballs
2 1/2 quarts popped popcorn
3 T. light butter
1/2 cup fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

Melt butter in saucepan. Add cheddar cheese. Stir until melted. Pour mixture over popcorn. Shape into 6 balls.

Nutrition information per 2 balls:
225 calories
30 g carbohydrate
15 g protein
5 g fat
5 g fiber

Yogurt Smoothie
Tastes great by the pool!

1 cup frozen peaches, strawberries or raspberries
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup low-fat fruited yogurt

...[Message truncated]

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From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 11:51 AM
To:	All	(9 of 159)

125.9 in reply to 125.8

ARE THERE ANY GOOD BREADS?

Diana Mirkin

Diabetics and people who are trying to lose weight or control cholesterol should

avoid all forms of ground-up grains, and that includes bread. For everyone else,

bread is a perfectly satisfactory food.

Breads have been made for thousands of years, in virtually every culture, to wrap,

sandwich, or accompany other foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When

ground-up grains were used shortly after milling, there was no need to remove

anything or to add ingredients to keep them fresh. Only in our recent history have

we turned bread into junk food by removing the germ and fiber from the grains.

Even worse, some bread manufacturers add partially hydrogenated fats to their

breads to prolong their shelf life.

The best way to assure that you are getting a bread that is made from whole

grains, with nothing removed, is to bake your own bread made from flour you

grind yourself, or buy from local bakers who grind their flour fresh every few days

(these are hard to find.) Not many people are going to be able to do that. So here

are my rules for picking the best of the commercial breads:

1. Avoid any bread that is made with partially hydrogenated oils. Read the list of

ingredients and if it contains the words partially hydrogenated, put it back on the

shelf. Partially hydrogenated oils are totally unnecessary for making

good-tasting bread, and we should boycott the companies that use them in

their products until they get rid of them. The prime offenders are Pepperidge

Farm, Arnold and Brown berry brands.

2. Get as much whole grain flour as possible. This isn't easy to tell, because

regulations allow bread makers to use the words whole wheat even if portions

...[Message truncated]

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From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 11:52 AM
To:	All	(10 of 159)

125.10 in reply to 125.8

C R O C K P O T H I N T S & T I P S
----------------------------------------------------------------
Adapt your favorite recipes for crockpot use by reducing the
amount of liquid required in the recipe by approximately half
(except for soups).

If the recipes cooking 15-30 minutes in oven or on stove top,
set crockpot on HIGH setting for 2-3 hours or LOW setting for
4-8 hours.

For 35-45 minutes, crockpot on HIGH setting for 3-4 hours or on
LOW setting for 6-10 hours.

For more than 45 minutes and up to 3 hours, crockpot on HIGH
setting for 4-6 hours or on LOW setting for 8-10 hours.

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From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 11:53 AM
To:	All	(11 of 159)

125.11 in reply to 125.8

**==> K i t c h e n ~ T i p s <==**

_______________________________________________________________

=> To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with

the potatoes!

=> To prevent egg shells from cracking, add a pinch of salt to

the water before hard-boiling!

=> Use a pastry blender to cut ground beef into small pieces

after browning!

=> Sweeten whipped cream with confectioners' sugar instead of

granulated sugar. It will stay fluffy & hold its shape better!

=> For easy "meatloaf mixing", combine the ingredients with a

potato masher!

=> If you don't have enough batter to fill all cupcake tins, pour

1 tablespoon of water into the unfilled spots. This helps

preserve the life of your pans!

=> To easily remove honey from a measuring spoon, first coat the

spoon with nonstick cooking spray!

=> Run your hands under cold water before pressing Rice Krispies

treats in the pan. The marshmallow won't stick to your fingers!

=> Mash and freeze ripe bananas, in one-cup portions, for use in

later baking. No wasted bananas (or you can freeze them whole,

peeled, in plastic baggies.)

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From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 11:54 AM
To:	All	(12 of 159)

125.12 in reply to 125.8

Trimming the Fat from Your Cooking

Stock up on these tools and tips for flavorful low-fat cuisine

— Trimming the fat from your favorite recipes doesn't mean you have to short-change your taste buds. In fact, most low-fat cooking methods are packed with flavor--not to mention good nutrition.

Still, you don't want to banish all fat from your diet. You need some for your body to function at its finest. Fat aids in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, protects organs from trauma, helps prevent heat loss and can be used as a source of fuel for the body. What's more, fat plays an essential role in many recipes by carrying flavor, tenderizing foods, adding moisture, and conducting heat. So, as you can see, it doesn't make culinary sense or health sense to trim all the fat, but cutting back does. After all, a high-fat diet has been linked to a whole host of health problems, including obesity, heart disease and cancer.

Before you get started, however, you need the right stuff--cooking tools, that is. Get a good quality set of nonstick sauce pans, skillets, and baking pans so you can cook just about anything without using any extra fat. Once you've stocked your kitchen with this low-fat cooking arsenal, you're ready to get cooking. Here are some simple tips:

Familiarize yourself with low-fat cooking techniques: Bake, broil, steam, grill, stir-fry or microwave foods.
Add herbs and spices: They add a lot of taste with practically no calories. Whether you use fresh or dried herbs, always crush them before adding to any recipe to release their full aroma.
Marinate: Whether it's vegetables, meat, poultry or fish, marinating adds enormous amounts of flavor. Make sure to marinate tofu--otherwise it has no taste.
Use an alternative to oil: You can use nonstick cooking spray or one to two tablespoons of defatted broth, water, juice, or wine to replace cooking oil. If you use nonstick sprays, choose those without hydrogenated oils.
Make healthier choices: If you need to use fat for a recipe, select a healthier one. That means replacing butter or shortening with heart-healthy oils, such as canola, olive, safflower or sunflower. Remember, it only takes a couple drops of flavorful oil, such as extra virgin olive oil, to go a long way, so use it sparingly.
Choose lean cuts of meat: Round, sirloin, and loin cuts are good picks. Even though they're lean, trim all visible fat before preparing them.
Remove skin from poultry before you eat: Cooking with the skin on will retain moisture and keep poultry tender; however, remove it before you eat--the fat content will be cut in half.
Skim your soups, stews and chili: This is a great way to get rid of some extra fat. Make it even easier by refrigerating them and then skimming off the solid fat that forms on the top.
Replace some of the fat in baked goods with applesauce, mashed bananas, or pureed prunes, pears, peaches or apricots: Fruit purees mimic many of the functions fat performs in baking, but not all. For this reason use a combination of fruit and fat. Halve the fat in the recipe and replace the other half with a fruit puree, which you can either make yourself or buy at the grocery store.
Substitute lower-fat ingredients for high-fat ones:
Use evaporated skim milk or low-fat yogurt in place of heavy cream.
Use 2 egg whites or ¼ cup of a liquid egg substitute in the place of 1 whole egg.
Use 3 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon oil instead of baking chocolate.
Use low-fat ricotta cheese or 1% cottage cheese instead of whole milk cream cheese or ricotta cheese.
Use nonfat plain yogurt instead of sour cream.
Use 1% milk instead of whole milk.
Use nonfat yogurt or reduced fat mayonnaise instead of regular mayonnaise.
Use diet margarine instead of regular.

Edited May 19, 2023 5:38 pm by Margie (ILovePhotos)

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From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 11:57 AM
To:	All	(13 of 159)

125.13 in reply to 125.11

By Lori Thibideau

Turkey

Don't stuff the turkey with the dressing, as it absorbs much of the fat. Bake it in a covered casserole instead.
Saute onions and celery in a small amount of butter/margarine, i.e., 1 tablespoon. Use chicken or turkey broth for additional moisture.
Roast the turkey on a rack so the fat drips away from the bird.
Use a fat separator for the roasting pan juices and skim off all fat before making the gravy.
I use a dry package of turkey gravy mix for added flavor and thickening.

Pumpkin Pie

Make pumpkin pies with canned, evaporated, skimmed milk.
Use half the amount of sugar in the recipe - SUBSTITUTE BROWN SUGAR FOR THE WHITE, as it's more flavorful.
Use more spices than the recipe suggests. I double the amount.
Use light or fat free whipped topping.
If more than one choice of pie is offered after the meal, choose ONE, not a bit of each - always choose the one that "rings your bell" (a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10).
Eat the filling of the pie and just a bit or none of the high fat crust. Cover the crust with a napkin so you won't nibble on the crust.

Potatoes

Mash the potatoes with chicken broth and canned, evaporated, skimmed milk. HOLD THE BUTTER - NO ONE WILL NOTICE!
Use pineapple and/or orange juice thickened with corn starch as a glaze for carrots or sweet potatoes. (I add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to the glaze.)

Miscellaneous

Sprinkle hot vegetables with dill for flavor instead of butter.
Use low fat canned cream soup in the traditional green bean casserole.
Use all fruit spreads on rolls vs butter or margarine OR, SKIP THE ROLLS due to so many other "bread" items, i.e., stuffing, sweet potatoes, whipped potatoes, etc.
Use the 1-10 rating system during Thanksgiving dinner. Rate each food that is passed on a 1-10 scale - 1, not appealing - 10, WOW, my favorite! Eat only 9's and 10's. Pass up the rest!
Don't skip meals before the big meal that day. You'll be too hungry and may overeat. Treat it as a regular day - 3 meals and fruit snacks.
Begin the meal with a salad. You'll eat less during dinner.
After dinner, go for a long walk!

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From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 11:58 AM
To:	All	(14 of 159)

125.14 in reply to 125.11

KITCHEN TIPS

To clean stovetop, glass, or percolator coffeepots, fill with cold water, add a little baking soda, boil for a minute or so, and rinse clean.
Rinse food products off knives immediately after use, especially mayonnaise, which is a highly corrosive substance. If staining should occur, use a non-abrasive polishing compound to remove it.
Cleaning a skillet after use is simplified by adding a couple of drops of liquid dish soap and a little water to cover the pan. Then bring the liquid to a boil on the top of the stove and wash.
Your blender or food processor can actually help clean themselves. After emptying, fill it about half with hot water, add a little detergent and turn it on. Rinse and clean (you may need to a bit more work, depending on what you were cooking).
Nothing cleans plastic like baking soda and it doesn't scratch the surface -sprinkle on a sponge or rag and use as you would cleanser.
A general mixture of 5 tablespoons baking soda to 1 quart water makes a good all-purpose cleaning solution for glass, plastics, Formica, etc.
Remove grease from a stovetop by cleaning with a solution of baking soda and white vinegar. Remove stubborn cooked on food from dishes by sprinkling pan with a half cup or so of baking soda and an equal amount of white vinegar -- let soak for a few hours before cleaning.

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From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 12:03 PM
To:	All	(15 of 159)

125.15 in reply to 125.11

HEALTHY HOLIDAY EATING TIPS
Fabulous Foods reader and Wellness Consultant Lori Thibideau wrote in with some terrific tips to help get your through the upcoming bacchanalia of holidays feasts.

Lori has been teaching the secrets of healthy living for more than 20 years. After struggling with her weight from age 10, she finally decided to get off the diet rollercoaster. She stopped dieting and learned to eat three balanced meals a day plus snacks when hungry. With 40 excess pounds permanently gone, her weight is no longer the focus of her life. With a background in Human Behavior, Counseling, and Nutrition, Lori now finds joy in helping other people make the simple lifestyle changes that result in long-term weight loss and a healthier approach to daily living. Thank you so much Lori for taking the time to share these terrific healthy eating tips with all the Fabulous Foodies.

Turkey:
1. Don't stuff the turkey with the dressing, as it absorbs much of the fat. Bake it in a covered casserole instead.

2. Sauté onions and celery in a small amount of butter/margarine, i.e., 1 tablespoon. Use chicken or turkey broth for additional moisture.

3. Roast the turkey on a rack so the fat drips away from the bird.

4. Use a fat separator for the roasting pan juices and skim off all fat before making the gravy. I use a dry package of turkey gravy mix for added flavor and thickening.

Pumpkin Pie
1. Make pumpkin pies with canned, evaporated, skimmed milk.

2. Use half the amount of sugar in the recipe - SUBSTITUTE BROWN SUGAR FOR THE WHITE, as it's more flavorful.

3. Use more spices than the recipe suggests. I double the amount.

4. Use light or fat free whipped topping.

5. If more than one choice of pie is offered after the meal, choose ONE, not a bit of each - always choose the one that "rings your bell" (a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10).

6. Eat the filling of the pie and just a bit or none of the high fat crust. Cover the crust with a napkin so you won't nibble on the crust.

Potatoes
1. Mash the potatoes with chicken broth and canned, evaporated, skimmed milk. HOLD THE BUTTER - NO ONE WILL NOTICE!

2. Use pineapple and/or orange juice thickened with cornstarch as a glaze for carrots or sweet potatoes. (I add a pinch of pumpkin pie spice to the glaze.)

Miscellaneous
1. Sprinkle hot vegetables with dill for flavor instead of butter.

2. Use low fat canned cream soup in the traditional green bean casserole.

3. Use all fruit spreads on rolls vs. butter or margarine OR, SKIP THE ROLLS due to so many other "bread" items, i.e., stuffing, sweet potatoes, whipped potatoes, etc.

4. Use the 1-10 rating system during Thanksgiving dinner. Rate each food that is passed on a 1-10 scale - 1, not appealing - 10, WOW, my favorite! Eat only 9's and 10's. Pass up the rest!

5. Don't skip meals before the big meal that day. You'll be too hungry and may overeat. Treat it as a regular day - 3 meals and fruit snacks.

6. Begin the meal with a salad. You'll eat less during dinner.

7. After dinner, go for a long walk!

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From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 12:05 PM
To:	All	(16 of 159)

125.16 in reply to 125.11

Bake with Olive Oil
Olive oil can be used in baking. It is a monounsaturated fat has a small fat crystal which yields even fine textured baked goods. Olive oil contains tocopherols (vitamin E) that act as emulsifiers producing a smooth homogeneous batter that results in cakes that have a moist and tender crumb. Tocopherols also have antioxidant properties which retard staling and result in a fresher product. Using olive oil in baking dramatically cuts the cholesterol and saturated fat content in baked products. Baking with olive oil produces lighter tasting baked goods and allows the flavor of the other ingredients to come through with more clarity

BAKING CONVERSIONS
Butter/Margarine Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon---------- ¾ Teaspoon
1 Tablespoon--------- 2 ¼ Teaspoons
2 Tablespoons--------- 1 ½ Tablespoons
¼ Cup ---------- 3 Tablespoons
1/3 Cup --------- ¼ Cup
½ Cup ----------¼ Cup + 2 Tablespoons
2/3 Cup ----------- ½ Cup
¾ Cup ------------- ½ Cup + 1 Tablespoon
1 Cup ------------ ¾ Cup

Health Benefits

Olive oil is the new American favorite. Sales more than tripled in the last eight years. Why you ask? Health benefits play a role but so does taste and versatility.
Olive oil is cholesterol free. Other oils such as corn, safflower and soybean have polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil has monounsaturated fats which do to raise the LDL cholesterol and leave the HDL cholesterol untouched or at a higher level. Comparative dietary studies have shown that the mortality rate in some heart diseases is distinctly lower in the people of the Mediterranean. This is not linked genetically because the study also looked at Greeks and Italians who immigrated to America. If these people adapted new eating habits, they lost the protection they enjoyed.

With these health benefits you can see why the trend to use more ad more olive oil is going to keep growing. In California they have started to pair premium olives oils with foods at dinners parties just like we do with wines.

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From:	Margie (ILovePhotos)	4/25/23 12:17 PM
To:	All	(17 of 159)

125.17 in reply to 125.16

The Benefits Crock-Pot Cooking
by Monica Resinger

A lot of us have a very efficient and time saving appliance.
sitting high on a kitchen shelf collecting dust. What is it?
It's the crock- pot! I have taken mine down from that high
shelf and have actually purchased another one because I have
found them to be so helpful. How are they helpful? Read on.

There are a lot of days that it's very hard for me to get a
meal on the table either because I lack the motivation or
because we are busy. Lacking motivation stems from being tired
at dinnertime; I have had an active day and by 5:00 p.m., I'm
just plain worn out and am not in the mood to cook. Because of
this, we end up eating fast food more often than we should or
we eat a meal that tastes like there was no effort put into it.

I have found a solution to this problem and that is the crock-
pot! In the morning when I am ambitious and creative, I prepare
the basis of our meals by adding meat, liquids, seasonings or

...[Message truncated]

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