I first had panna cotta when I was in Florence, Italy over a decade ago. How I miss those decadent Italian desserts! Panna cotta is traditionally made with a sweetened cream combined with gelatin. Use a high quality gelatin made from pasture raised beef for the best …
Why, hello you handsome plate of braised venison! Old Nordic recipes like this one remind me of growing up on the farm, especially in the winter when the Minnesota wind whips your face and it’s so cold that hell may have actually frozen over. The …
Over the holidays, I allow a bit more lenient indulgence in my diet. Caprese bean dip happened to be that perfect blend of indulgent creamy warmth and healthful ingredient additions for an appetizer that’s fit for any gathering or game day! My awesome neighbor friend enjoys cooking healthy fun meals as well so she and I chat about food quite often. It was she who introduced me to this particularly delicious dish at a neighborhood ladies night and I ran with the idea making an update to add pureed white beans. This addition of the pureed beans enhances its creaminess and blends perfectly with the Tuscan themed tanginess of traditional caprese flavors.
Basil pesto, a touch of parmesan and garlic are blended with cream cheese and pureed white beans for this creamy crowd pleaser! Top it with slices of cherry tomatoes and bake until bubbly. I’ve also made this bean dip by substituting plain Greek yogurt for part of the cream cheese resulting in a bold bite that’s super awesome with veggie dippers.
Delicata satay as a title is a bit misleading since satay technically refers to “meat on a skewer” if you go with the Indonesian roots to this dish. So, now I’m a rebel and breaking all the satay rules by a) using delicata squash and …
Snow falling on my pine trees equates to cravings of all things warm, cozy and filled with goodness. The most recent cozy goodness came in the form of quinoa chili which is packed with a mix of black and pinto beans and veggies which was …
Oh man, are you all in for a treat! Cold weather makes me crave hot food… as in spicy hot! Gotta get that metabolism moving to stay motivated right? Ha! If you prefer less intense heat, you can adjust the spice level to however hot you desire but as written, this recipe for Szechuan chicken has a lot of authentic kick with equal amounts of flavor.
Szechuan (or Sichuan) chicken is abundant with authentic Sichuanese flavors like sesame, garlic and ginger. I used Sichuan peppercorns paired with dried hot chilies that I found at a local Asian market for the true flavor punch that is familiar in that region of China but you can totally use ground black pepper in place of the peppercorns as well and still achieve tasty results. Using chicken thighs will give this meal added fat and a deeper flavor profile which is common among Sichuan cooking but feel free to use chicken breast if you prefer. The results will be divine either way when combined with the spicy sesame sauce. Serve this crazy good Szechuan chicken as is for a keto friendly, low carb meal or pair it with a side of rice or riced cauliflower!
Simple and savory kale dip stuffed chicken is a dish that shines equally well on your weeknight table or for guests you want to impress with your kitchen prowess. For the filling, a traditional kale dip is modified into a healthier stuffing mixture by combining fresh …
Spicy, zesty, sweet, whole grain mustard goodness is simply a gift of the gods. I even named one of my new chickens Dijon since mustard has become my new favorite condiment. This spring, I learned to make mustard completely from scratch! There are so many …
Article by Amanda Wilks, Guest Contributor
Contrary to popular belief, there are countless methods of cooking delicious meals without resorting to tons of extras. The way we prepare our food plays a big role when it comes to the amount of nutrients we actually put in our bodies. For this reason, we have compiled a small guide to how to cook food without ruining its nutritional value. Here are 5 healthy cooking tips for preserving nutrients in foods.
Boiling is the quickest and easiest way to prepare your food without ruining its nutritional value. It requires just a pot of boiling water, a pinch of salt, and the food you are about to cook. Induction cookware can enhance the nutritional value of food because comes with a higher temperature control and water retention rate than traditional cookware. To find out more about induction cookware, its many benefits as compared to regular pots and pans, along with a up-to-date buying guide check the linked article posted by The Kitchen Advisor experts.
On the other hand, boiling food has a major drawback. According to a 2009 study, boiling vegetables such as peas, zucchini, and cauliflower can lead to a 50% loss in their antioxidant content. Experts recommned maintaining a balanced ratio between the volume of water and the number of vegetables to prevent this issue.
The only vegetable that is not affected negatively by the boiling process regardless of the quantity of water is the carrot. A 2000 study conducted by a group of researchers at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, in Arkansas, shows that boiling and steaming (more on that later) carrots increase the root vegetables’ levels of beta carotene.
So, the bottom line is: while boiling is not the ideal way to preserve nutrients, it is much better than outright frying them. As long as you preserve an adequate ratio between the quantity of food and the volume of water, you should be fine.
Another good method of cooking in terms of nutrient preservation is grilling. By grilling the foods, you get the maximum nutritional value without ruining the flavor. Just like boiling, it requires minimum effort, which makes the cooking method more popular than sautéing. Furthermore, grilling requires a low amount of added fats and gives the food a smoky flavor, while keeping the vegetables and the meats juicy and tender.
Even though this method requires some oil or other fats, the quantity is not large enough to lead to nutritional loss. Unlike deep-fat frying, sautéing does not allow the fat to dehydrate and deprive the food of all its nutrients.
Sautéing in a small amount of cooking oil (preferably extra-virgin olive oil) will maximize the food’s flavor, while also increasing the antioxidative capabilities of food. Also, olive oil can boost the absorption of phytonutrients such as carotenes and phenols since many nutrients in vegetables are fat soluble, i.e. they are dissolved and stored in fat by our bodies.
Similar to boiling, broiling involves cooking food directly at high temperatures in short bursts. While this method is especially recommended for preparing tender cuts of meat, it is not ideal for cooking vegetables because it dries them out to the point that they lose all their beneficial nutrients. So, if you plan to cook an all-vegetable meal, you would be better off boiling instead of broiling the veggies.
Steaming is another great way of cooking fresh vegetables and fish as this process allows the foods to sit in their own juice preserving all their natural nutrients. Like boiling, this method does not involve any extra fatty additions – a tiny sprinkle of salt, a small amount of lemon juice, and some seasonings is all you need to add.
Furthermore, steaming is an especially effective method of cooking broccoli, as it preserves glucosinolates, which are beneficial nutrients, highly appreciated for their cancer-fighting properties. Upon entering the body, glucosinolates are turned into isothiocyanates. These, according to some studies, have the potential of inhibiting the growth and development of cancer cells.
Cooking is one of those activities that is very easy to learn, but hard to master. This skill involves some special techniques like boiling, broiling, and steaming if you want to preserve all the food’s nutrients. But you can do this easily, especially if you apply the healthy cooking tips and methods highlighted in this article.
Whoa. I just need life to slow down right now. My hubby has been home nursing a back injury for a few weeks and all my kids have been home being actively involved in summer activities like swimming lessons, building forts in the woods, and …
