Impress Your Dinner Guests With Color!

Written Sunday, August 21st, 2011 by Theresa H Hall

Discovering these unusually beautiful vegetables has been a tremendous find. Imagine them placed next to a succulent main dish of medium-rare filet mignon, or a grilled glazed pork loin, or a pair of perfectly grilled lamb chops. To please the eye is the first duty of a well-seasoned cook or chef. At first glance, food has to be appealing, well-plated, and impressive. These purple and blue vegetables taste the same as their more traditionally-colored counterparts, and they lend an immediate air of mystery to tempt us to try them. We sit down, pick up our silverware and gently cut a small portion to taste. Just knowing we are eating a vegetable so pretty makes us appreciate it more.

Beautiful Purple Pole Beans

Delicate Blue-Foot Chantrelle Mushrooms

Royal Purple Cauliflower

Deep Purple Potatoes

... and potatoes plated

Pair one of these vegetables with a sumptuous main course. Balance it with a bright crisp green salad so your family and guests will feel you have gone out of your way in order to make their meal even more spectacular. Sharing an inspired supper is a sure way to get the conversation flowing. And remember ... even though these veggies are purple and blue, enjoying them will never give you The Blues!

More Uses for Too-Ripe Bananas: "Banana Cubes"

Written Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 by Penny Hawkins

I am always on the lookout for new ways to use up food rather than throwing it away, and it makes me feel great when I can avoid waste. One of the foods I have the hardest time with is bananas. It seems I am always fighting against them for some reason...those suckers just get ripe faster than I can use them and I hate throwing them out! But, as you may recall from my last post about using "too-ripe" bananas, there is only so much banana bread one family can stand!

Not buying them is not an option for us...my hubby, the triathlete, has one almost daily in his smoothies, and my youngest grandson will eat them until you make him stop (or until he...well...you know). I have tried estimating how many we need for the week and purchasing accordingly, but most weeks I either run out or get stuck with 2 or 3 "too ripe" bananas!

So, what can I do with those darn overly-ripe bananas? Some people say to stick them in the freezer whole and use them for banana bread in the future. Now maybe it's just me, but there is something about seeing those lifeless, blackened bananas in my freezer that just creeps me out! However, I really like the idea of freezing them for later, so I came up with this solution....banana cubes!!

As I mentioned before, my hubby has a protein smoothie almost every day, and I always put a banana in it.  So, I decided to see if I could mash the ripe bananas into a kind of puree and freeze them in ice-cube trays. Well, I tried it and it worked beautifully! Just put the bananas in a dish, mash them up with your potato masher, spoon them into an ice-cube tray and freeze! I freeze them in sets of two per baggie and just pop them into the blender with my other ingredients. They work like a charm, don't turn brown, and help make his smoothie cold, thick and delicious!

 

 

So next time you wonder what to do with those pesky "too-ripe" bananas, try making some banana cubes and using them in a cool, refreshing smoothie! Here is my smoothie recipe:

Daryl's After Workout Smoothie

8 oz. cold soy milk (or regular milk)

1 (4 oz.) container soy yogurt (or your favorite yogurt)

3-4 whole frozen or fresh strawberries

2 banana cubes (or 1 whole banana)

1 scoop vanilla-flavored protein powder

Add all ingredients to blender and pulse on puree setting until blended. Enjoy!

Food Volume and Weight Equivalents Part 4

Written Friday, January 29th, 2010 by Penny Hawkins

Just like we've seen with vegetable weight and volume equivalents, some recipes make the same assumptions when it comes to fruit. They take for granted that you know how many bananas you need for “1 cup mashed bananas”, or how many strawberries it takes to get “2 cups sliced strawberries”. Now I don’t know about you, but when I’m in the middle of making jam, the last thing I want to do is stop and try to figure that out! It interrupts my rhythm and it’s just plain frustrating! I have strawberry juice and sugar all over my hands for goodness sake! (Takes deep, calming breath) So… in an effort to reduce my frustration and keep a grip on my sanity, I found myself making a list of volumes and weights for foods I use frequently. I printed it out and keep it in a protective plastic sleeve in a 3-ring notebook that lives on my cookbook shelf in the kitchen. I can promise you that I refer to it quite often!

If you have ever experienced this same frustration, I hope you print and save these posts on weight and volume equivalents, and I hope that you find the information as helpful as I do. And please, if you have food volume and weight equivalent questions I have not answered, please send me a shout and I’ll do my best to get it answered for you!

P.S. The real moral of this story is that when you are writing a recipe, don’t assume what your readers do or don’t know. Don’t talk down to them, but provide all the information necessary so that anyone can take your recipe and execute it perfectly! This includes information about weight and volume equivalents, pan sizes, and explanations of techniques your readers might not be familiar with like “chiffonade” or “deglaze”.

Apples: 1 pound (3 medium apples) = 2 ¾ cups sliced; 2 to 2 ½ cups chopped

Bananas: 1 pound (3 medium) = 1 1/3 cups mashed; 1 ½ to 2 cups sliced

Cranberries: 12 ounces = 3 cups whole; 2 ½ cups chopped

Grapefruit: 1 medium = 1 cup juice; 1 ½ cups segments

Grapes: 1 pound = 3 cups

Lemons: 1 medium = 3 tbsp. juice; 2 tsp. grated peel

Limes: 1 medium = 2 tbsp. juice; 1 ½ tsp. grated peel

Oranges: 1 medium = 1/3 to ½ cups juice; 4 tsp. grated peel

Peaches: 1 pound (4 medium) = 2 ¾ cups sliced; 2 ¼ cups chopped

Pumpkin: 5 pounds = 4 ½ cups cooked and mashed

Strawberries: 1 pint = 2 cups hulled and sliced

FRESH FOR THE FALL

Written Saturday, October 3rd, 2009 by TrishB

I love the fall.  I love everything about it.  The changing foliage, the cooler weather after a long, hot summer, and most of all fall food.  It's one of the reasons I love to host Thanksgiving dinner at my house.

Here's just a few of my fall favorite ingredients:

APPLES

I live in an area surrounded by apple orchards. Fall apple picking is one of my favorite things to do with my kids. Even though they are teenagers I can still get them to humor me every once in a while and come along for the "ride". They are never sorry they did. There are over 7,000 different apple varieties. A bit about a few of my favorites:

History:

* First apple - Eve's, Garden of Eden

* Ancient Romans and Greeks grew and loved the fruit

* Apple remnants traced back to Stone Age

Health Benefits:

* Aids in prevention of Alzheimer's and cancer (antioxidant properties)

* Shown to decrease wheezing in children with asthma

* Helps in management of diabetes

* Helps with weight loss

* Lowers cholesterol

* An apple a day...

Storing:

* Bruise easily so need to handle gently

* Store in crisper section of your fridge to maintain juiciness and crispness

* Store away from foods with strong odors such as onions

* Never store next to cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, pears, kiwi, peaches, plums and spinach. That's because apples give off an odorless (& harmless) gas called ethylene. This gas accelerates the decay of these vegetables. Melons and tomatoes also emit this gas.

Types:

Gala: Has a distinctive red and yellow stripe and is heart shaped. Originated from New Zealand and is a cross between Golden Delicious and Kidd's Orange Red variety. They are usually small in size, very sweet and mellow in flavor. Their skin is thinner than most apples. Excellent for eating and baking.

Fuji: Developed in Japan and is very sweet and crisp. They are a combination of Red Delicious and Genet varieties. Great for eating, salads and they are the best applesauce apples.

Rome (Red Rome or Rome Beauty): Is firm, glossy, red and thick skinned. Not a great eating apple but is delicious in baked goods.

Eating:

*Salads, desserts, pies, applesauce, eating

POMEGRANATES

If you happen to be in the New York area this time of year, I hate to tell you, but there is a shortage of pomegranates. That's because my 11 year old son has eaten virtually all of them. He is beginning to turn red, just as Violet did in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

History:

* Originated in a region spanning from Iran to the Himalayas

* One of the oldest fruits known to man

* Grown in warmer climates

Health Benefits:

* Low in sodium and calories

* Beneficial in fighting different cancers (antioxidant properties)

* Improves cardiovascular health

* Has anti-inflammatory properties

* Helps keep me sane by keeping my 11 year old busy

Storing:

* Like apples, they have a very long storage life. In fact, they become juicier and more flavorful when stored at 32 to 42 degrees F range.

* Are good for up to 6 months if kept this temperature

Eating:

* Eating pomegranates is hard work but is well worth the effort. They are best eaten at room temperature

* Can eat as is

* Add to a salad with spinach, walnuts and feta with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing

* Pomegranate seeds or juice are great with roasted chicken

* Add to a martini (pomegranate martinis are very popular)

FIGS

There's nothing better than a fresh fig in the early fall.

History:

* Grown for thousands of years on ficus trees. Were cultivated in ancient Greece and Egypt. Came to the U.S. in the 1500's

Health Benefits:

* High in fiber, minerals, natural and simple sugars

* Contain Vitamins A, B, and C

* Contain good levels of magnesium, iron and potassium (regulates blood pressure)

* Good source of antioxidants so helps fight cancer

* Help fight heart disease and diabetes

Storage:

* Deteriorate rapidly and are very delicate so need to be handled with care

* Will last in fridge for about 2-3 days. Store in tupperware lined with paper towels and cover with plastic wrap

* Do not store in plastic bags. If you do you might as well throw them out

* Best eaten at room temperature within a day or 2 of purchase

* Keep away from direct sunlight

Types:

Smyrna/Calimyrna: Have a golden skin and nutty flavor. They are larger than most figs. They are among the best figs to eat fresh but are also often dried and used in pastries.

Mission: They are a deep purple color and are very sweet. These are great with cheese and yogurt.

Eating:

* Should not be washed until ready to eat

* Use in salads

* Jams

* Add to oatmeal

* Serve with cheese. Try fresh figs with goat cheese, chopped almonds and honey

* Delicious in savory and sweet dishes

* Add fresh figs to couscous, rice or quinoa

* Great in lamb dishes or served with cured meat

CHESTNUTS

Chestnuts tend to be more a winter produce, often associated with the holidays but I had to include them as winter is fast approaching and I love them. One of the reasons I love chestnuts is the memories I have of them growing up in South Africa. We had a huge chestnut tree in my backyard. It was one of my favorite places to escape, climbing high as I could to hide from my annoying older brothers.

History:

* Dates back to Roman times

* Native Americans feasted on chestnuts

* Called marrons in France

* Used as a substitute for potatoes in Europe

Health Benefits:

* Low in sodium, fat and cholesterol

* High in Vitamin C (helps body resist infection and speeds healing time of wounds)

* High in Vitamin B (promotes normal appetite benefits for vision, colon, memory, eases muscle stress and provides energy)

* High in Riboflavin (helps with metabolism of food)

* Good source of dietary fiber

* Rich in saponins which are beneficial to vascular system and connective tissue

Storing:

* Contains about 50% water so very perishable

* Cooked chestnuts can be frozen and stored in freezer for up to 8 months

* Once shelled and cooked they should be covered and kept in fridge for up to 3 days

* Dried chestnuts can be stored in airtight container for 2 months. Can also be frozen

Eating:

* To remove the shell, make an x with a sharp knife on the flat side before boiling, roasting or microwaving

* Boil - for 15 to 25 minutes, remove shell, and then can be mashed or pureed

* Roasting - Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on baking sheet for about 15 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking time. Remove shell. Serve hot.

* Roasted on open fire

* Microwaved for 3 minutes prior to removing shell

* Great in soups

* Substitute for potatoes

* Try in stuffing

* Make a chestnut cream and add to your next chocolate dessert or souffle

* Puree and use in crepes or pancakes

Try these fall seasonal ingredients the next time you entertain, with your Thanksgiving dinner or just experiment with them at family dinner. You, your guests, and your kids will all be pleased that you did. Please let me know how it goes. I love the feedback.

Storing Your Vegetables and Fruits and Keeping Them Fresh

Written Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 by Sarah Dorer

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a great addition to your diet; however, the cost can be detrimental to your pocket book, especially when they spoil before you eat them.  The key to saving money, and getting to enjoy those wonderful fruits and veggies, is learning how to store them properly.  For some reason, they never teach you which veggies you are supposed to refrigerate, which ones you are not, which ones to wrap, and which ones to let breathe (this should really be a class taught in high school).  So here is a little bit of knowledge on the subject.  I hope it will help you preserve the taste and quality of your produce.

For starters, vegetables remain fresh longest in a moist environment, such as your crisper drawer.  The setting should be set to high moisture for vegetables, and low moisture for fruits.  The crisper's function is to slow the dehydration of the vegetables.  However, there are some things you can do to help as well, such as wrapping most vegetables in plastic wrap, or storing in an airtight container.  Wrapping vegetables also helps contain odors and keep them from transferring to other foods.  There are some vegetables that should not be wrapped in plastic wrap; like mushrooms, which should be kept in a paper bag.

It is possible for vegetables to have too much moisture also, which can cause brown spots.  For lettuce and spinach, make sure they are drained well before storing, and place paper towels in the bag to soak up extra moisture.  You will need to change the cloth often.  You can also buy a special storage device made specifically for lettuce, which raises the lettuce and does not allow it to sit in accumulated moisture at the bottom of the container.

There are also some items that stay fresh longer if not refrigerated, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, hard rind squashes, eggplant, and mature onions.  These should be stored in a cool, dry area.  Tomatoes should only be refrigerated once fully ripe and only for a short time.

You fridge's temperature setting is also very important.  The fresh food compartment of your refrigerator should be kept between 34-40 degrees Fahrenheit.  You can check this by using an appliance thermometer.  Having the temperature too low can result in freezing, which will turn your veggies brown and limp.

Here is a chart to help you with storage times for some of the most popular vegetables:

Vegetable	Fridge Time	Storage Tips
Asparagus	2-3 days                    Â	store in crisper
BroccoliÂ	3-5 days                    Â	wrap and store in crisper
Celery    Â	1-2 weeks                 Â	store in crisper
Carrots     Â	2 weeks                      Â	wrap and store in crisper
LettuceÂ	1 week                       Â	wash, drain well, wrap, and store in crisper
MushroomsÂ	3-5 days                    Â	store in paper bag in crisper
Peppers Â	1 week                        Â	wrap and store in crisper
CucumbersÂ	1 week                        Â	wrap and store in crisper

Follow these guidelines and you should be enjoying fresh produce from now on!  Good luck!