Tag: cooking

Making the Most of Seasonal Foods

The autumn is here, and with it nature’s bounty. All of the fresh fruits and vegetables that ripen in the fall are at their peak of freshness. Why not make the most of them with some great recipes. Eat some now, and freeze the rest?

Make ahead and freeze cooking can help you save time and money. You will waste a lot less food if your family stops doing the ‘leftover shuffle’, pushing last night’s delicious dish to the back in favor of something freshly cooked, or even worse, take away food.

Let’s face facts. We all love variety. Sadly, a lot of us are also carrying around a few extra pounds. Portion control and packaging up leftovers into ‘TV dinners’ is one way to get the range of foods we love and still stay slim. Serve with a salad and you have a complete meal for pennies on the dollar compared to takeaway.

Make and freeze recipes are also perfect if you have special diets to cater to. Color-code your container covers. Write on the lids or sides using freezer tape, and your picky eater or person will allergies can be sure that they are eating what they want and what’s safe for them.

Many people used to can or jar their produce to preserve it before it spoiled. Packing your freezer with recipes made with the freshest seasonal produce is even better, saving you time and money. Never again do you have to wonder what’s for dinner, and whether it will be delicious.

Further Reading

Make and Freeze Recipes: Great Foods You Can Cook, Freeze, and Use Quickly and Easily

More Make and Freeze Recipes: More Great Foods You Can Cook, Freeze and Use Quickly and Easily (Eat Better for Less Guides)

Even More Make and Freeze Recipes

Healthy Make Ahead and Freeze Muffins

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Microwave Your Way to More Free Time Part 2

HEAT UP YOUR CHOICES AND SAVINGS

Budget is a common word now a day, so every little bit of saving helps. Savings is just one of the many pluses of microwaving. It makes it possible for quick and painless trips to the always crowded super market. Not having to purchase multiple ingredients can help to make your wallet that much thicker.

In some cases the ready-made meals might not always be the best bet. Sometimes you might spend more on the meal opposed to buying individual ingredients. Careful planning on shopping day can help keep your budget in check when purchasing microwave meals.

There are also many options to choose from when wondering what to cook with your “high speed oven.” Full meals all packaged up with all the ingredients already mixed together ready to go. Who can beat that!

It becomes an even bigger help when you have children to feed. How often do you pre heat your oven for chicken nuggets for that afternoon snack? Microwave cooking can cut the cooking and waiting time in half, giving you more time to spend doing the things you and your family love to do.

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Make the Most of a Roast, Part II

Something else that roasting offers is it allows the meat you pick to be stuffed with your choice of veggies or spices. Many meats are knotted up using a knot called the packers knot. This keeps the meat in a tight ball keeping those hidden surprises intact and ensuring your food is getting cooked evenly all the way around.

Roasting isn’t the healthiest way to cook your foods as it does take a lot away from what you cook. When roasting meat there’s a spicier taste, so if you like your taste buds to tingle then roasting is perfect way to go.

Another cool fact about roasting is that in most instances the meat comes out of the oven before it’s all the way done. The internal meat is still cooking and gives us that slow cooked touch. It allows for all the juices to sink in and help make your mouth water

Facts for Better Roasting

There are some tricks you should know to making your roast better. Make sure to soak the meat in butter or some sort of oil. This allows for moisture to remain in the meat rather than losing all of it in the air while cooking. Another good tip is to put your meat into a plastic bag while being roasted. This allows for the cooking time to be cut in half and also helps keep juices in the meat.

If you remember that the heat in baking and roasting will dry out food if you are not careful, you can learn to work with your oven to get the most of out of to bake in nutrition and taste and be sure that no food in your house goes to waste.

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Making the Most of Your Microwave to Save Time, Part 1

The great invention called the microwave!

Suddenly dinner doesn’t seem like such a task when you can just pop a meal in and snatch it out. Microwave cooking can me a faster and easier way to cook. But is it always healthy and affordable? Let’s find out.

IS FAST ALWAYS HEALTHY?

Everybody loves those quick fixes at the end of a hectic day but is that always healthy for you and your loved ones? The answer is yes and no. There are some microwavable meals that have the vegetables and fruits included while other meals may only have the meat.

Though the fruit and veggies might not be there another plus of microwavable meals is that they are extremely easy to add sides to. Throw in a favorite fruit cup or grab a banana. The main goal of a micro waved meal is finding a healthy quick way to make that rumble in your stomach go away. Though there are meals that are healthy there are also ones you might want to watch out for. That quick little Hot Pocket probably isn’t going to give you the nutrients you might need. When out shopping, pay attention to the picture on the front of the box or container. If you see green beans, mashed potatoes and roast then chances are it’s going to be a pretty balanced meal.

Only the veggies, in their original state are the best. They have food enzymes that help your metabolism and keep you full of energy to tackle those tasks you have planned for the day. You don’t even necessarily have to microwave or cook them. Just eat them raw that’s when there in their best form and the healthiest. Add fresh vegetables or fruits to a microwave meat for a healthier addition.

Continued in Part 2.

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Making the Most of a Roast, Part 1

Making the Most of a Roast, Part 1

The delicious roast beef that comes out of the oven a deep dark brown is something most people enjoy as a special meal, but they do not eat it very often, not when there is so much takeaway and fast food to be had.

But is roast beef the only kind of roast you can enjoy? Of course not.

Is roasting difficult? No. So why don’t we do it more often?

Usually you roast large pieces of meat such as beef, pork or maybe even lamb. Yet there are so many other options and choices when roasting. You can create a colorful meal with many variables by just roasting. It enhances the flavors and brings out the best in your meat products!

Roasting 101

In order to know what foods to roast you have to understand what roasting does to the food. Roasting uses dry heat to cook food, much like the oven. When you roast meat it causes what is called caramelization or to put it simpler it makes the meat a beautiful appetizing golden brown color. Meat isn’t the only thing that you can roast. Most vegetables can be roasted. Here is a list of great ideas for healthy roasting:

*Potatoes- When roasted it is going to change the texture and taste of the potatoes skin

*Zucchini- Gives it a juicy yet crunchy taste

*Pumpkin- Boy does roasting really bring out the best in pumpkin with enhanced flavor

*Turnips- Makes for a healthy treat

*Cauliflower- Lets you add a zesty flavor to any meat

*Squash- A great side dish to that main course

*Peppers- Livens your food up and gives it a spicier taste

In the second part of this article, we will look at other ways to make the most of any roast.

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