by ffadmin | May 12, 2014 | Tips & Tricks
Everyone knows that fresh fruits and veggies are an imperative part of a well-rounded diet for weight loss and exceptional overall health. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health reveals that people who ate at least 7 helpings of produce a day increased cardiovascular health and reduced risk of cancer.
So, how can you pack all those fresh foods into your day? Try a few of these ideas!
Blended
Let’s start slow— smoothies are the obvious go-to for incorporating fruits and veggies into your daily diet. They’re easy to make and easy to take, plus the yummy combinations are endless. When you think of making a smoothie, you probably automatically think of fruits like berries and melon. But don’t discount veggies! Smoothies are an excellent way to get a healthy helping of vegetables like spinach, kale, cucumber, carrots, squash…and more!
Hidden
Adding fruits and veggies to foods you already eat is a simple way to get an extra helping or two. Add a handful of fresh berries to your morning yogurt, some sliced veggies to the wrap you’re having for lunch, or saute them with meat for the Lettuce Wraps you’re making for dinner. Scrambled eggs are also a great way to incorporate some vegetables to your morning routine!
Juiced
Smoothies are one way to drink your vitamins, and juice is another. Whether you make your own juice or buy juice from the grocery store, this is a refreshing—easy— way to get those vitamins. Just be sure to read labels carefully when shopping for juice at the store. It is quite common for juices to have added sugar, fillers, and artificial ingredients. Fat Flush Water calls for 100% unsweetened cranberry juice, and it is important to read the ingredients to make sure that’s what you’re getting.
Swapped
Instead of eating a plate full of pasta, use zucchini ribbon or spaghetti squash instead. Pair those with your favorite sauce and lean protein, and you won’t even miss the pasta! If you’re craving a crunchy treat, bake some Kale Chips instead of reaching for calorie-laden potato chips. Need to satisfy a sweet tooth? Substitute a handful of sweet berries for a piece of sugar-packed candy. This technique might take a bit more planning and creativity than the other methods, but once you get the idea, it will become second nature. (Get more ideas for Healthy Recipe Substitutions here.)
Mixed
This is the perfect idea for when you just need a bit of excitement, something varied and interesting— because sliced cucumber is yummy, but sometimes you just need something different. Mix and match your vegetables in 1 bowl, tossed with a touch of apple cider vinegar and flaxseed oil for a light dressing. (You could even toss some herbs in the bowl, if you have some on-hand.) Tomatoes, peppers, carrots, zucchini, olives…the list goes on and they’re all delicious when you put them together. You could do the same with fruit— although we suggest leaving out the vinegar and flaxseed oil dressing. Mixed berries, apples, orange slices, cherries— whatever fruit you have in the fridge can make a beautifully fresh fruit salad.
What are some of the ways you get a good helping of fresh fruits and vegetables in your day?
by ffadmin | Mar 14, 2014 | Tips & Tricks
Food Network Magazine released their 100 Greatest Cooking Tips (of all time!) list with tips from top chefs across the country. Here is an excerpt from that list, for Fat Flush-friendly kitchens everywhere!
1. Remember, y’all, it’s all about the prep. Take away the stress by doing the prep the night or day before. You’ll look like a star.
Paula Deen
2. Store spices in a cool, dark place, not above your stove. Humidity, light and heat will cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor.
Rick Tramonto
3. Always make stock in a large quantity and freeze it in plastic bags. That way, when you want to make a nice soup or boil veggies, you can simply pull the bag out of the freezer.
Charlie Trotter
4. After working with garlic, rub your hands vigorously on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds before washing them. It will remove the odor.
Gerard Craft
5. For rich, creamy dressings made healthy, substitute half the mayo with Greek-style yogurt.
Ellie Krieger
6. When chopping herbs, toss a little salt onto the cutting board; it will keep the herbs from flying around.
Joanne Chang
7. If you keep it simple and buy ingredients at farmers’ markets, the food can pretty much take care of itself. Do as little as possible to the food; consider leaving out an ingredient and relying on instinct.
Tony Mantuano
8. Homemade vinaigrettes have fewer ingredients and taste better than bottled ones. No need to whisk them: Just put all the ingredients in a sealed container and shake.
Bill Telepan
9. When making meatballs or meatloaf, you need to know how the mixture tastes before you cook it. Make a little patty and fry it in a pan like a mini hamburger. Then you can taste it and adjust the seasoning.
Isaac Becker
10. Instead of placing a chicken on a roasting rack, cut thick slices of onion, put them in an oiled pan, then place the chicken on top. The onion will absorb the chicken juices. After roasting, let the chicken rest while you make a sauce with the onions by adding a little stock or water to the pan and cooking it for about 3 minutes on high heat.
Donald Link
11. Take the time to actually read recipes through before you begin.
John Besh
12. Recipes are only a guideline, not the Bible. Feel comfortable replacing ingredients with similar ingredients that you like. If you like oregano but not thyme, use oregano.
Alex Seidel
13. Taste as you go!
Anne Burrell
14. For safety, put a wine cork on the tip of a knife before putting the knife in a drawer.
Giuseppe Tentori
15. When you’re going to sauté garlic, slice it rather than mincing it — it’s less likely to burn that way.
Aarti Sequeira
16. Smash garlic cloves inside a resealable plastic bag with the back of a knife. That way, your cutting board and knife won’t smell.
Laurent Tourondel
17. To get nice, crispy caramelization on roasted vegetables, simulate the intense heat of an industrial oven: Bring your oven up as hot as it goes, then put an empty roasting or sheet pan inside for 10 to 15 minutes. Toss the vegetables — try carrots or Brussels sprouts — with olive oil, salt and pepper, and put them on the hot pan. This method will give you the high heat you need to caramelize the sugars in the vegetables quickly.
Naomi Pomeroy
18. Marinating meat with citrus can give it a mealy texture. If you like citrus, a little squeeze of lemon or lime is always a good way to finish the dish instead.
Tim Love
19. Always use sharp knives. Not only is it safer but it will make your work much more efficient.
April Bloomfield
20. Rest, rest, rest! Always let your meat rest — especially off a hot grill!
Melissa d’Arabian
21. Plunge vegetables in ice water after blanching (boiling) them so they maintain a bright color.
Maria Hines
22. Don’t overcrowd the pan when you’re sautéing — it’ll make your food steam instead.
Ryan Poli
23. Buy fruit at its peak at a farmers’ market and freeze it in an airtight container so you can enjoy it year round.
Mindy Segal
24. Fresh basil keeps much better and longer at room temperature with the stems in water.
Elisabeth Prueitt
25. Season all of your food from start to finish. Seasoning in stages brings the most out of your ingredients and gives you the most flavor.
Jose Garces
26. Taste what you make before you serve it. I’m amazed that people will follow a recipe but not taste the dish to see if it needs more salt, pepper or spices.
Brad Farmerie
27. Season fish simply and cook it with respect. The flavor of the fish is what you want. When it comes off the grill or out of the oven or pan, finish it with a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Always. There is just something about lemon and fish that is heavenly.
Rick Moonen
28. If you’re cooking cauliflower, add a bit of milk to the water with salt to keep the cauliflower bright white. Shock it in cold water to stop the cooking and then serve.
Michael White
29. When you grill, pull your steaks out of the refrigerator one hour ahead of time so they can come to room temperature.
Geoffrey Zakarian
30. When using fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley, add whole stems to salads and sandwiches, and chop and stir leaves into salsas and guacamole.
Aarón Sánchez
31. To optimize the juice you get from a lemon or lime, roll it hard under your palm for a minute before juicing. (Or — never say I told you this — microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds.)
Patricia Yeo
73. Have your mise en place ready: Do all of your cutting of vegetables and meat and make your sauces before you start cooking.
Richard Sandoval
32. Shoes off, music on, favorite beverage in hand — enjoy your time in the kitchen.
Claire Robinson
33. Always buy the freshest garlic you can find; the fresher it is, the sweeter it will be. The best garlic has firm tissue-like skin and should not be bruised, sprouted, soft or shriveled. If you find cloves that have green shoots, discard the shoots — they will only add bitterness.
Todd English
34. Keep flavored vinegars near the stove so you won’t always reach for the salt. Acid enhances flavor.
Art Smith
35. Don’t be too hard on yourself — mistakes make some of the best recipes! Keep it simple.
Sunny Anderson
36. Prolong the lifespan 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.
Hugh Acheson
37. Cook more often. Don’t study; just cook.
Masaharu Morimoto
38. Make sure the handle of your sauté pan is turned away from you so you don’t hit it and knock it off the stove. It happens all the time.
Jonathan Waxman
39. Don’t dress the salad when having a big party. Leave it on the side and let the people do it themselves. I’ve had too many soggy salads because of this.
Marc Forgione
40. When cooking eggplant, I like to use the long, skinny, purple Japanese kind because you don’t have to salt it to pull out the bitter liquid like you do with the larger Italian variety.
Andrew Carmellini
41. Don’t be afraid to ask the butcher or fishmonger to see the products up close and to smell for freshness. Fish should never smell fishy.
Eric Ripert
See the full list of Food Network Magazine’s 100 Greatest Cooking Tips (of all time!).
