I was talking with a friend the other day who was wondering if expensive means better in the kitchen. My answer - sometimes. Hobart and KitchenAid mixers are great, but a small Sunbeam hand-held has served me well for years. Here are a few of my favorite things to use in the kitchen:
Stainless steel knives. I am currently using a 5-knife set from Ikea for $12.00 that I got on vacation. (They are on the web and ship to you, in case you’re interested…) I like the ones that have some texture at the blade so that what you are cutting doesn’t stick to the blade.
A cutting board that is dishwasher safe. I use a heavy plastic one that has a lip to retain juices. They say plastic and wood do not dull knives as much as glass or marble. But most wood ones can’t go in the dishwasher - a very easy way to kill bacteria.
Walmart or Old Time Pottery non-stick pans. I buy one of the cheaper non-stick pans and then only use plastic or wooden utensils for cooking and serving and a soft cloth for washing and drying. I replace it every 4-5 years when it begins to let foods stick. For me it works just as well as a pan that costs twice as much and may or may not last twice as long.
Flexible rubber type muffin cups. Easy, nonstick, dishwasher safe - worth the investment.
Pampered Chef Baking Stones. I use mine all the time to bake bread, pizzas, biscuits, cookies, or anything you would use a baking sheet for. It keeps food from sticking or burning, keeps it hot when brought to the table (down to the last slice of pizza), and is simple to clean.
A good, heavy stock pot. I use a Revere Ware copper-bottomed one. Mine was a wedding gift, but you can find them at yard sales or estate sales.
My great-grandmothers cast iron dutch oven and cornbread skillet. A winter stew or chicken noodle soup simmered all day in an iron pot with a side of healthy cornbread is amazing. Ask your grandma if she still uses hers, or watch yard sales or estate sales for iron cookware. To avoid rust, wash by hand with soap and water immediately after use and towel dry.
Gadgets like a panini maker, waffle iron, crock pot, roasting pan, programmable coffee maker, food processor, etc. I usually research online customer reviews and prices of different brands and then ask for the one I want for a Christmas or birthday gift.
Stainless steel kitchen scissors from Walmart or Big Lots. I snip things like green onions over top of a salad or tomatoes still in their can to better disguise them before dumping them into a soup. I also use them to trim things like stew beef. I can take it straight from the package, snip it into a pot as I trim any fat, and then stick the scissors straight into the dishwasher - no mess. I also snip boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders the same way - straight from package to crockpot in perfect bite-sized pieces.
Stainless steel box grater. I grate hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, cheese, cinnamon or nutmeg, chocolate, etc. I think it even works better than most of the fancy hand held parmesan graters.
Rectangular baking dish. I use a glass one that comes with a snap on rubber lid, an insulated bag with handles, and hot and cold packs that slide under or over the dish. To me, it fits every occasion and cleans up easily in the dishwasher and never rusts.
I’m sure I’ll think of more things later and be surprised that I didn’t mention them. Maybe I’ll add them later. Or maybe you’ll tell me your favorites and why.
If you’ve ever had a swimming pool, you understand the importance of the proper pH balance. There a similar delicate balance needed in your body’s pH levels. Certain foods, once digested, leave an acid residue and others leave behind alkaline. For optimum health, experts suggest eating 60% alkaline producing foods and 40% acid producing.
Here are just a few benefits of keeping our body in a pH balanced state:
increases ability to process vitamins, minerals, and nutrients
improves restful sleep and energy levels
improves hydration and oxygen to cells
provides a highly unwelcome environment for cancer cells
improves immune system and ability to repair damaged cells
Here are two websites that provide a wealth of information and charts to understand this concept and detail which foods are acid producing and which are alkaline producing, because they are not necessarily what you think. In general vegetables, fruits, beans, herbs, and nuts are alkaline producing. And meats, eggs, grains, coffee, sugar, highly processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and stress are acid producing.
Now that its bathing suit and shorts weather, we are all noticing a few extra bumps and bulges that we’d like to lose. And we all want the quickest way to get there. The long way is to intake less calories and burn more calories - boring and slow. The short way is the new fad diet pill or berry drink - exciting and quick, but expensive, not long-lasting, and not healthy. So is there some way to quickly get in shape for summer and do it in a healthy way?
Here are a few tips to cut out calories and creative ways to burn more:
eliminate empty calories like bread in restaurants, sodas, candy, Starbucks, drive-thru food, etc.
don’t use artificial sweeteners because they make you crave more calories
eliminate meat from either lunch or dinner each day and focus on vegetables and whole grains
eat breakfast every day - eggs or oats are long lasting
eat apples as snacks between meals (only 70 calories, natural sugar boost, good fiber)
park farther from the office or store and walk quickly to get there
walk after dinner each evening, gradually increasing speed and difficulty (hills, stairs, etc.)
drink water all day (add lemon if you want)
drink a cup of green tea with lemon and honey each day (I like it mid-afternoon)
take a multi-vitamin supplement
do leg lifts or partial sit-ups on the couch during commercial breaks when watching tv
meet a friend to walk and talk instead of for coffee and sitting to talk
never skip meals, eat smaller meals with small snacks between all day
just try to make the healthiest choice each time you eat
There is never a magic answer to a problem that took a long time to create. Consistently eating healthy food and daily exercise will show results quicker than you think. Just look for ways to eat balanced smaller meals and find ways to be more active every day.
We made taco’s the other night and it was so interesting how differently each person “builds” theirs. I found myself comparing the taco I was building to others around me to see who’s was healthier. (I can’t help it, this is just how I am…) I won, of course - and here’s why. I focus on adding lots healthy ingredients first and use less of higher calorie or higher fat items. This trick works at the salad bar, when determining the proportions of items in a casserole, or even in making a banana split. (Yes, a healthy banana split is not hard to make.)
On the table, I had set out all of the typical taco toppings along with a mixture of lean ground beef and ground turkey breast browned together with onions and peppers, seasonings and beans.
Here’s how my neighbors taco went - soft taco, lots of meat, lots of cheese, some tomatoes, and a dab of sour cream. (That is how their next one went too.)
Here’s how my taco went - whole grain soft taco, lots of spinach leaves, lots of tomatoes, some meat, some dots of Daisy light sour cream, and a sprinkle of cheese. (I normally use romaine leaves with tacos, but spinach was what I had.)
This is the same theory used in a catered buffet line - they start with salads, pastas, and vegetables before you get to the meat, so you will have filled up your plate with cheaper foods and eat less expensive foods. I just fill up my plate with all the vegetables that are good for me and lower calorie, and that leaves a lot less room (on my plate and in my belly) for the foods that aren’t.
