Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Easy Tips for Healthy Cooking
We all know we should be eating healthier. But it's not just changing our eating habits in restaurants that needs to be done. We can also change how we cook our food at home. Healthy cooking at home doesn't need to be bland or boring! In fact, you may find some of these tips will add more flavor to your dishes!
The first thing to do is choose leaner cuts of meat. The obvious choices for low fat cooking are chicken and fish, but other meats can be lower in fat as well. When shopping for red meat, the words 'sirloin' and 'round' are cuts which are naturally lower in fat. Check the meat and choose the one with the least amount of marbling and trim off any excess fat before cooking. Look for ground beef that is 95% lean. Pork is also another great lean meat.
The problem most people have with lean meats is that they will dry out easily when cooking. To avoid this, try a marinade. Marinades aren't just for flavor (although that is a great benefit!). Using acidic liquids will actually help break down the tougher connective tissue in the meat. Try one of the many low fat marinades available in your grocery store, or make up your own with ingredients such as balsamic or red wine vinegar, herbs and spices. Depending on the size of the meat portion, you can marinade from 20 minutes to several hours. A great marinade for chicken is yogurt. Mix fat free yogurt with some lemon juice, salt, pepper and any other spices you like and coat your chicken breasts. Yogurt marinades are best after 8 hours or overnight.
Tired of bland vegetables? Try sautéing your vegetables in a little chicken broth (or vegetable broth) instead of oil. Then sprinkle on herbs. Even just a sprinkling of chopped chives can add a zesty new taste to your vegetables. Another great option is roasting vegetables. This works wonderfully with root vegetables or other very firm ones such as cauliflower and squashes. Simply cut the vegetables into large chunks, spray with cooking spray and toss on seasoning. Curry powders, cajun blends or Italian seasonings are great. Roast in a 450 degree oven until the vegetables are tender. You can also place the vegetable pieces on a skewer and roast on your grill!
You don't have to give up dessert when eating healthily, either! Fruit makes a wonderful dessert, or even a side dish with your regular meal. Try a bowl of mixed berries topped with a low fat or fat free vanilla yogurt. Or sauté bananas in a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle on cinnamon and a touch of vanilla extract. Serve with frozen yogurt. Even kids will think they are getting an indulgent treat!
Have a favorite recipe that isn't so healthy? You can try modifying it. Remove any skin from meats, use half the amount of oil asked for in cooking. For baked goods, substitute applesauce for oil - your cakes will still be moist and flavorful! In recipes asking for cream, try using evaporated skim milk. With these substitutions, many times you won't even notice the difference.
The first thing to do is choose leaner cuts of meat. The obvious choices for low fat cooking are chicken and fish, but other meats can be lower in fat as well. When shopping for red meat, the words 'sirloin' and 'round' are cuts which are naturally lower in fat. Check the meat and choose the one with the least amount of marbling and trim off any excess fat before cooking. Look for ground beef that is 95% lean. Pork is also another great lean meat.
The problem most people have with lean meats is that they will dry out easily when cooking. To avoid this, try a marinade. Marinades aren't just for flavor (although that is a great benefit!). Using acidic liquids will actually help break down the tougher connective tissue in the meat. Try one of the many low fat marinades available in your grocery store, or make up your own with ingredients such as balsamic or red wine vinegar, herbs and spices. Depending on the size of the meat portion, you can marinade from 20 minutes to several hours. A great marinade for chicken is yogurt. Mix fat free yogurt with some lemon juice, salt, pepper and any other spices you like and coat your chicken breasts. Yogurt marinades are best after 8 hours or overnight.
Tired of bland vegetables? Try sautéing your vegetables in a little chicken broth (or vegetable broth) instead of oil. Then sprinkle on herbs. Even just a sprinkling of chopped chives can add a zesty new taste to your vegetables. Another great option is roasting vegetables. This works wonderfully with root vegetables or other very firm ones such as cauliflower and squashes. Simply cut the vegetables into large chunks, spray with cooking spray and toss on seasoning. Curry powders, cajun blends or Italian seasonings are great. Roast in a 450 degree oven until the vegetables are tender. You can also place the vegetable pieces on a skewer and roast on your grill!
You don't have to give up dessert when eating healthily, either! Fruit makes a wonderful dessert, or even a side dish with your regular meal. Try a bowl of mixed berries topped with a low fat or fat free vanilla yogurt. Or sauté bananas in a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle on cinnamon and a touch of vanilla extract. Serve with frozen yogurt. Even kids will think they are getting an indulgent treat!
Have a favorite recipe that isn't so healthy? You can try modifying it. Remove any skin from meats, use half the amount of oil asked for in cooking. For baked goods, substitute applesauce for oil - your cakes will still be moist and flavorful! In recipes asking for cream, try using evaporated skim milk. With these substitutions, many times you won't even notice the difference.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Cooking With A Gas Grill
Cooking foods with a gas grill has exploded in popularity over the years. 60%-80% of all grilling is done over a gas grill. This is due in part because there are so many advantages in cooking with a gas grill over using a charcoal grill. Let's take a closer look at why the gas grill is so popular with the backyard chef.
1. Gas grills are very convenient to use. Most all of them use propane to heat with and they are very simple to start. It's as easy as turning on the propane and pushing the starter button on the grill. This is probably the single biggest convenience of all in cooking with a gas grill.
With charcoal grilling you have to dump in a bag of charcoal, pour lighter fluid all over it and then light them. You will need to constantly check to see if they are burning and it will take 20-30 minutes before the grill is even ready to begin cooking.
2. Gas grills have built in thermometers to assist you in cooking your foods properly. You will know exactly how hot your flame is. Most all charcoal grills lack this important feature.
3. With a gas grill you can cook several different types of food at various temperatures, all at the same time. This is because most every gas grill has separate burner controls so one side of the grill can be hotter than the other side. That makes cooking meats and vegetables so convenient. Some gas grills even have a pot warmer that you can use to heat foods in a pan, such as baked beans, or soup.
4. Another huge advantage of cooking with a gas grill is the weather. You can literally cook with a gas grill year round, even in cold weather climates with snow outside.
5. Gas grills are also much easier to clean than charcoal grills. There are no messy charcoal ashes to dispose of. A gas grill will cool off much faster than charcoal. It will allow you to be able to clean after you are finished eating your meal. You can simply remove a grill section after cooking and scrub it down. It's very quick and easy, with very little mess.
6. One big safety point to keep in mind is that propane is highly flammable. You must follow all the safety instructions when handling propane tanks. Be sure to always inspect the fuel lines and look for any cracks, or leaks. A cracked line or leak could possibly lead to a fire, or even an explosion.
Gas grills are very safe to use as long as you use common sense and follow the precautions. If you see any potential problems, check them out and get them fixed. Be sure to only use propane tanks that are approved for grilling use. Never try to use a homemade tank.
1. Gas grills are very convenient to use. Most all of them use propane to heat with and they are very simple to start. It's as easy as turning on the propane and pushing the starter button on the grill. This is probably the single biggest convenience of all in cooking with a gas grill.
With charcoal grilling you have to dump in a bag of charcoal, pour lighter fluid all over it and then light them. You will need to constantly check to see if they are burning and it will take 20-30 minutes before the grill is even ready to begin cooking.
2. Gas grills have built in thermometers to assist you in cooking your foods properly. You will know exactly how hot your flame is. Most all charcoal grills lack this important feature.
3. With a gas grill you can cook several different types of food at various temperatures, all at the same time. This is because most every gas grill has separate burner controls so one side of the grill can be hotter than the other side. That makes cooking meats and vegetables so convenient. Some gas grills even have a pot warmer that you can use to heat foods in a pan, such as baked beans, or soup.
4. Another huge advantage of cooking with a gas grill is the weather. You can literally cook with a gas grill year round, even in cold weather climates with snow outside.
5. Gas grills are also much easier to clean than charcoal grills. There are no messy charcoal ashes to dispose of. A gas grill will cool off much faster than charcoal. It will allow you to be able to clean after you are finished eating your meal. You can simply remove a grill section after cooking and scrub it down. It's very quick and easy, with very little mess.
6. One big safety point to keep in mind is that propane is highly flammable. You must follow all the safety instructions when handling propane tanks. Be sure to always inspect the fuel lines and look for any cracks, or leaks. A cracked line or leak could possibly lead to a fire, or even an explosion.
Gas grills are very safe to use as long as you use common sense and follow the precautions. If you see any potential problems, check them out and get them fixed. Be sure to only use propane tanks that are approved for grilling use. Never try to use a homemade tank.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Cooking - Tips For Better Barbequing
Having a backyard barbeque with friends and family is one of life's great pleasures. Whether you own a gas grill or charcoal grill, barbequed foods taste great. To help make your cooking experience even more enjoyable, I've listed some tips that all backyard chefs should be aware of.
• Before firing up the grill and cooking on it, be sure to spray the grill with a non-stick spray. The last thing you want to have happen is for your chicken to stick to the grill and tear all apart when attempting to turn it over. Another benefit of using a non-stick spray is that it makes clean up so much easier.
• Before you cook your foods on the grill, make sure the grill is properly heated. You want your food cooked throughout. If you are going to be cooking on a gas grill, let it heat up for at least 5 minutes before putting the food on it. For charcoal grills, wait until all of the coals have turned gray before cooking. This usually takes approximately 20-30 minutes.
• Set out your meats on the kitchen counter for 15-20 minutes prior to putting them on the grill. You want the meat to be at room temperature. This allows the meat to cook evenly throughout. One important note though, never leave the meat sitting out for 45 minutes or longer. It can easily spoil.
• When turning your meats over on the grill, never use a fork. Why? If you stick a fork in the meat you're barbequing, you will be letting all the juices run out. Be sure to use a spatula, or a pair of barbeque tongs. You may also want to wear a glove to keep from getting your hand burned.
• If you are going to be basting your foods with a favorite barbeque sauce, wait until the food is nearly cooked before applying. Never apply a sauce when first cooking your meats on the grill. It can make your food dry out completely. You may want to baste your meats an hour or so before cooking them on the grill. This will help seal in the flavors during grilling.
• Are you cooking kabobs on the grill? Make sure you leave some space between each food item on the kabob. This will help everything cook evenly. Another tip is to evenly space out a piece of meat, then a vegetable, etc. This allows the different flavors to spread throughout the kabob. Before removing your kabob from the grill, cut open a piece of meat to be sure it has cooked completely. You sure don't want to be eating any uncooked meat.
• After your cooking is complete on the grill, you're going to want to clean it up. The best way is to use a grill scraper. Clean up the grilling surface and wipe everything down. Be careful that you don't burn yourself while cleaning up.
Backyard barbequing is a lot of fun. After using some of these tips and experimenting on your own, you'll discover how to cook some great tasting foods on your grill. Before you know it you're going to be a barbeque king!
• Before firing up the grill and cooking on it, be sure to spray the grill with a non-stick spray. The last thing you want to have happen is for your chicken to stick to the grill and tear all apart when attempting to turn it over. Another benefit of using a non-stick spray is that it makes clean up so much easier.
• Before you cook your foods on the grill, make sure the grill is properly heated. You want your food cooked throughout. If you are going to be cooking on a gas grill, let it heat up for at least 5 minutes before putting the food on it. For charcoal grills, wait until all of the coals have turned gray before cooking. This usually takes approximately 20-30 minutes.
• Set out your meats on the kitchen counter for 15-20 minutes prior to putting them on the grill. You want the meat to be at room temperature. This allows the meat to cook evenly throughout. One important note though, never leave the meat sitting out for 45 minutes or longer. It can easily spoil.
• When turning your meats over on the grill, never use a fork. Why? If you stick a fork in the meat you're barbequing, you will be letting all the juices run out. Be sure to use a spatula, or a pair of barbeque tongs. You may also want to wear a glove to keep from getting your hand burned.
• If you are going to be basting your foods with a favorite barbeque sauce, wait until the food is nearly cooked before applying. Never apply a sauce when first cooking your meats on the grill. It can make your food dry out completely. You may want to baste your meats an hour or so before cooking them on the grill. This will help seal in the flavors during grilling.
• Are you cooking kabobs on the grill? Make sure you leave some space between each food item on the kabob. This will help everything cook evenly. Another tip is to evenly space out a piece of meat, then a vegetable, etc. This allows the different flavors to spread throughout the kabob. Before removing your kabob from the grill, cut open a piece of meat to be sure it has cooked completely. You sure don't want to be eating any uncooked meat.
• After your cooking is complete on the grill, you're going to want to clean it up. The best way is to use a grill scraper. Clean up the grilling surface and wipe everything down. Be careful that you don't burn yourself while cleaning up.
Backyard barbequing is a lot of fun. After using some of these tips and experimenting on your own, you'll discover how to cook some great tasting foods on your grill. Before you know it you're going to be a barbeque king!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
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