Our Top Ten Cooking Tips
Happy National Nutrition Month!
March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is Savor the Flavor of Eating Right so in the spirit, all month long we’ll be sharing tips and tricks to inspire healthy cooking, starting with our Top Ten Cooking Tips featured here.
1. Prep in advance. Most of the time involved in cooking is in the prep work. Cutting vegetables and herb, portioning out seasonings and other ingredients the night before will cut down on time and stress when you’re cooking.
2. Cook pasta for one less minute than it says on the box. Then, cook it the rest of the way in the sauce. Also, give quinoa pasta a try for some extra fiber and protein and many like it better!
3. Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor
4. Removing garlic odor from your hands. After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
5. Lighten up your cream dressings. For rich, creamy dressings made healthy, substitute half the mayo with Greek-style yogurt.
6. Chopping herbs. When chopping herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board; it will keep the herbs from flying around.
7. Save time by making more. For an easy weeknight meal, save and freeze leftover sauces from previous meals in ice cube trays. The cubes can be reheated in a sauté pan when you need a quick sauce. This works great for soups and casseroles too – double up your recipes and keep them in your freezer until you need them.
8. Avoid burning garlic. Nothing ruins the flavor of garlic like over-cooking or burning it — yet it’s so easy to do. Not if you use this simple tip though. Place olive oil in a cold pan and garlic in a cold pan. Sautee just until the oil sizzles, then add other ingredients. This will prevent garlic from burning. Slicing rather than mincing makes it less likely to burn as well.
9. Use a cast iron pan. A cast-iron pan is a valuable kitchen ally. It offers an even cooking surface and is a breeze to clean. And, it’s a great way to get some extra iron in your diet – food cooked in cast iron pans, especially applesauce and tomato sauce, absorb iron during the cooking process.
10. Prolong the life of greens by wrapping them loosely in a damp paper towel and placing in a resealable plastic bag. That local arugula will last about four days longer.
For more tips and help navigating your course towards wellbeing, contact Metrowest Nutrition at 617-332-2282 or info@metrowestnutrition.com. Our offices are located in Newton Centre, Framingham and Northborough.
