Seven Fun and Interesting Food and Kitchen Facts

           Would you pay $3,000 for a microwave oven?  That was the cost of The Radarange, the first microwave oven.  The year was 1947.  So much for things being cheaper in the olden days.

          We can credit Clarence Birdseye for starting the decline in home cooking.  In 1924, he developed quick-freezing technology.  Frozen dinners were born. 

          Did you think snack foods were relatively new?  I did until I learned that two brothers from Chicago started selling the first mass-produced packaged snack food in 1895.  It was molasses-covered peanuts and popcorn and they named it Cracker Jack.    

         The idea of organic is also older than you think.  It was 1942 when Jerome Rodale codified the fundamental principles of organic farming in his magazine Organic Gardening. 

         It wasn’t until 1896, upon the completion of the transcontinental railroad, that the east coast got its first taste of California produce. 

        Speaking of produce, do you like bananas?  They were introduced at a tropical-plant exhibit in 1876 in Philadelphia.  They were ten cents apiece which sounds like a lot of money for 1876.  My husband’s uncle was born in Italy.  He saw a banana for the first time when he arrived in America as an immigrant.  He didn’t know he was supposed to peel the fruit so the first time he tried it he ate it with its peel! 

        The gold rush of 1848 brought more than gold to Americans.  It also brought a wave of Chinese immigrants.  With that wave came the first Chinese restaurants.  But dining out had already become popular.  In 1827, the Delmonico brothers opened a café in New York City and for a time is was the most famous eatery in the country. 

       I guess everything new really is old. 

       All of these fun facts came from Saveur Magazine issue #124.  The editors got their information from Andrew Smith’s book Eating History: 30 Turning Points in the Making of American Cuisine.  Colombia University Press, August 2009.         

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Eating Shouldn't be a Reading and Memory Exam.

          MSG is believed to aggravate allergies.  Many people avoid this additive for this reason.  The problem occurs because MSG is used widely in processed foods.  Reading the labels won’t help you unless you know all of the names for MSG.  


             In his newsletter on July 23, 2010, Supermarket Expert® Phil Lempert listed quite a few of them: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein, hydrolyzed yeast extract, autolyzed yeast extract, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured whey protein, textured soy protein, monopotassium glutamate, and gelatin. 


            Eating is a delightful daily necessity and one that can bring a lot of sensual pleasure and satisfaction.  Deciding what to eat doesn’t have to be a reading and memory exam.  If you're under a doctor’s care then follow his advice.  If you're healthy and you want to eat for pleasure and continued health all you need to do is follow one simple rule.  Buy real, colorful foods and cook them yourself.  Real foods do not come with a list of ingredients to avoid and when you cook them yourself you retain 100% control over what you add to the finished dish. 

              You can do this.  You can cook tonight---real food with real flavor and it is real easy.

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

 Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Gummy Bears Are Now Taking Steroids.

             Imagine a gummy bear.  Now imagine a gummy bear that looks like a Sumo wrestler.  Gummy bears are now taking steroids.  They are bulking up, but their muscles are all made of sugar!  
            
            The new gummy bear weighs an incredible half a pound---the equivalent of 88 regular bears!  The gummy bear is sold on a stick and is 90 times larger than a regular gummy.
           
            I admit this is novel, but I’m thinking that it’s going to lead to a major sugar over dose.  I’ll bet you could eat this giant bear in one sitting, but I’m not so sure you’d eat 88 bears all at once.  I’m asking all gummy bear lovers out there---is this a good thing or is it an example of “super size” being taken to an unnecessary extreme?                        
            What do you think?  

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Do You Eat in Black and White?

            Do you ever watch old black and white movies?  They’re a lot of fun and without the color stimulation you're forced to pay more attention to the acting and words.  However, imagine for a moment that the only two colors we could see were black and white.  I suppose if that was all we knew it wouldn’t make any difference.  However, the thought of a black and white world is a bit sad because we know the pleasures of color. 


          What does this have to do with food?  The easiest way to be certain you’re getting enough fruits and vegetables is to eat in color, not black and white.  A plate of chicken breast, mashed potatoes, corn, and a white roll could have come right out of a 1930s movie.  Make your plate a 2010 movie extravaganza.  Fill it with vibrant color and add sweet potatoes, broccoli and a whole-wheat roll to the chicken breast. 


            I picked up a free magazine from my grocery store the other day.  It sited a study that compared older adults’ cognitive abilities.  The group that ate a lot of fruits and vegetables did better in the testing than those that ate few fruits and vegetables.  Studies like this are never perfect because there are so many things to consider such as heredity and eating patterns through out the subjects’ lives, but the point still has validity.  Fruits and vegetables are good for your health and well-being.          


           Nutrition is easy.  If your plate is in black and white, you won’t pass your tests.  If your plate is in full Technicolor, you’ll pass with flying colors.  No pun intended! 

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Sugar is Making us Fatter than Fat.

            Why must sugar be added to non-sweet foods like breads and sauces?  Read the labels of the foods you buy.  Sugar, or a form of sugar, is added to everything.  When fat is eliminated from foods sugar is added to provide flavor.  I’m definitely not anti-sugar.  I love desserts and candy, but my sandwich bread doesn’t have to be sweet.   

            On Friday my blog was about the food 6 centenarians said they ate daily almost all of their lives.  These foods were cheese, beer, steak, apples, oatmeal, salad, whole milk, and vegetables.  I thought this information was cool because none of those foods were processed or manufactured.  They were all real foods, with full fat and without a label.

          What was missing from their list (I realize the list was not comprehensive) were any products with sugar.  Think about it for the moment.  Cheese, steak and whole milk are full of fat, but don’t contain any sugar.  If you have a health condition that requires you to control your fat intake than please do so.  Follow your doctor’s advice. But if you are a healthy person and you just want to eat for health and well-being you don’t have to eliminate every bit of fat from your plate.  Fat adds taste, satisfaction, and satiety--the feeling of being full.

           Before the industrial revolution, Americans ate lots of butter, whole milk, meat, and cheese.  In the 1970s, a study related fat to heart attacks.  Since then people have run from fats.  Yet as a nation, we have gotten fatter and sicker through the years.  I’m not a scientist, dietitian, doctor, or researcher. I’m just a regular person trying to stay healthy, energetic, and thin.  I read a lot and I think a lot.  Common sense leads to the conclusion that the elimination of fat is not working.

           Pay attention to the amount of sugar you are consuming.  Do you realize that sugar has many names?   In an About.com article on April 26, 2010 Laura Dolson writes about the many names for sugar.  Here is her list: Agave Nectar, Corn sweetener, Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids, Dehydrated Cane Juice, Dextrin, Dextrose, Fructose, Fruit juice concentrate, Glucose, High-fructose corn syrup, Honey, Invert sugar, Lactose, Maltodextrin, Malt syrup, Maltose, Maple syrup, Molasses, Raw sugar, Rice Syrup, Saccharose, Sorghum or sorghum syrup, Sucrose, Syrup, Treacle, Turbinado Sugar, Xylose.  I’m sure this is not an exhaustive list. 

            Sugar, not fat, is everywhere.  Again, common sense leads to the conclusion that sugar is making us fatter than fat.   

 Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Eat Cheese and Beer and You'll Live to be 100

           Here are the secrets to living to 100 years of age: eat Limburger cheese and any beer you can get your hands on, eat steak as often as you can, eat two apples and a bowl of oatmeal everyday, eat a salad everyday, eat vegetables instead of dessert, drink a big glass of whole milk three times a day.  These secrets came from six centenarians that were interviewed by Arianne Cohen for the Food Network Magazine.   If you don’t believe me, you can find the article on page 46 in the November 2009 issue.

           You know what’s fun about this information?  It’s in perfect alignment with everything I have been saying about food for almost a year now.  None of the food listed above comes with a label and none of it is processed or manufactured.  The fruit and vegetables they chose were fresh, the oatmeal wasn’t instant, the cheese and milk were full fat, and the meat was meat, not something pre-made, dehydrate and put into a container.  It’s all real food.

            So what’s the secret to living to be 100?  Eat real food---the kind that doesn’t come with a label.  It really is that simple.   

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Let Your Taste Buds Decide

            You’re in the grocery store and you have to decide between the $2.29 box of store brand cereal and the $4.99 name brand. Which one do you go for? With the store brand, you’ll save $2.70, but it might not taste as good. The name brand costs more, but you know what it tastes like and you know you won’t be disappointed. What’s the solution? Buy both and do a taste test.

           When you get home put a small amount of one cereal in a bowl with a slip of paper under it with the letter A.  In a second bowl put the second cereal and label it B.  Put both boxes out of sight and be certain to remember which cereal is which.  Then call the person to the table that eats this all the time.  Ask him to taste both and choose his favorite A or B.  Do not give any hints.  In fact, do not even tell him what type of cereal it is.  Most likely he will not be able to taste a difference.  If that happens, buy the store brand and save money.  If he balks when he sees a no name brand box, remind him that he could not taste the difference.  If he prefers the name brand, you won’t mind buying it because the taste justifies the cost.

            Is this a big to do about nothing?  Perhaps, but if you have a strict food budget and your family eats a lot of cereal then saving $2.70 on a few boxes every week is significant.  You can do this with any food, snack or beverage.  You'll be amazed how often the cheaper store brand tastes just as good as the name brand you have been buying for years.  The advertising sold you not the taste. 

           The next time you’re in the store deciding between brands, buy both and let your taste buds decide for you.

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cooking Doesn’t Have to Be This Hard

            Is it necessary to test eight gadgets to juice a lemon?   I recently read an article in an online cooking newsletter that discussed the pros and cons of eight varieties of lemon juicers.  The chef tested the eight lemon juicers to determine which “extracted maximum juice from a lemon with a minimum of mess.”  I understand that the author was trying to be helpful to his readers in order to make the buying decision easier.  But why do you have to buy a lemon juicer when you already have a fork in your kitchen? 

           It is articles like this that make non-cooks shy away from cooking.  People that don’t like to cook or don’t know how believe that cooking is hard and time consuming.  It’s no wonder they feel this way.  If I have to analyze lemon juicers before I can cook a recipe calling for lemon juice then I’ll avoid cooking forever. 

          I should tell you that the juicer they recommended cost $149.95.  I’m sorry, but that is over the edge.  If I’m going to spend that much money on an appliance it had better do a lot more than just juice a lemon.  All of this makes cooking complicated and gives another reason to avoid it.

         Cooking is easier than you think and you do not have to spend any money on expensive gadgets. The only tools you need are a great Chef’s knife, a cutting board, measuring cups and measuring spoons.  To get the most juice from a lemon, cut it in half, insert a fork into the cut end, and squeeze and twist the lemon half around the fork.  You already have a fork, it is easy to clean and store, and while it is out you can also use it to taste the food as you are cooking and to mix other ingredients. 

          Imagine a tool that is cheap and does more than one thing.  Cooking really isn’t hard.

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

You’re Too Tired to Cook and You Have No Time to Cook. I Got It!

             Imagine this.  You arrive home from work late and you’re tired.  The last thing you want to do is muster up the energy to make dinner.  You’re hungry and the troops are hungry; your son needs to be at practice in 30 minutes and your daughter needs help with her math homework.  Can you relate to that?

            Even a saint could not cook under those stressful conditions and I don’t blame you for ordering a pizza, or going to the drive-thru.  Those options do not require you to make any decisions, or ask anything more from your already worn-out body.  But you’ve committed to taking better care of yourself and your family by eating better.  So how can you solve the problem of no time or energy to cook?        

            The answer is very simple.  You need to plan.  Healthy food choices will not appear in your refrigerator unless you put them there.  Pick a time when you’re not tired, rushed, stressed or hungry.  Sit down with your schedule and decide what days you can be home to cook and what days the family will be in for the evening.  Put cooking dinner in your schedule just as you would your doctor’s appointment.

            Then look over the grocery store sales papers.  See what is on sale and plan to buy and cook those foods on those days.  If asparagus are a great price, that means they are in season and they will taste the best.  Find a few recipes for asparagus and plan your dinner around that vegetable.  What meat is on sale this week?  If it’s chicken, then buy a few and make a chicken dish to go with the asparagus.  You get the idea.  What else is on sale that can be easy snacks---strawberries, blueberries, deli ham (that you can cut up and have ready) or eggs (that you can hard-boil)? 

           I understand how hard you work and how limited your time is, but with a bit of planning you can fool your schedule.  You don’t have to make yourself cook under stressful conditions you just have to be a good planner. 

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Sugar Sugar Everywhere

            Do you have an opinion about sugar?  Is it good for you or bad for you?  Do you favor some sugars (honey, agave, stevia) over others (high fructose corn syrup, white sugar)?  Would you be happy if you never ate anything with sugar again?  Is there anything you would miss? 

           Human beings are extreme.  We want either all or nothing.  Moderation is not our strong suit.  The problem with sweeteners is not which one we choose, but the fact that we don’t eat a moderate amount.  Too much of anything is not good for us.  If we eat too many carrots, we will turn orange.

           I read an article in the July 3 issue of Dr. Joseph Mercola’s newsletter that described the problems of agave syrup.  A product commonly believed to be better for you than high fructose corn syrup.  I’m not here to argue the pros or cons of any sweetener.  All of them, including fruit, have good and bad points.  I’m here to be the voice of reason.

           Eat whichever sugar you prefer in moderate amounts.  Buy as few products with labels as possible and be certain you read those labels.  Manufacturers put sugar in products you don’t expect to have sugar to enhance the taste.  Sugar is added to dinner rolls.  You can no longer taste the sugar in those rolls because you have gotten used to it so read the label.  Even a tiny amount of sugar in your dinner roll is not necessary.  Buy another brand or go to a bakery that makes its rolls on the premises without adding sugar.

          You don’t have to figure out which sweetener is the least bad.  All you have to do is eat sweet foods in reasonable amounts.  You also need to cut back on processed and manufactured foods.  When someone else determines the ingredients, you lose all control over what you are eating.  There is no reason for you to never eat sugar again, just don’t put it in everything you eat. 

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

A Glass of Wine Makes a Big Difference---I Meant in Cooking!

            It’s easy to take your food from everyday to gourmet flavor without any fancy techniques or ingredients.  You just need to know a few secret ingredients that give incredible flavor.  Canned chicken broth is one and wine is another. 

           I was testing a chicken and rice dish.  The first time I made it, I used only chicken broth for the liquid.  It was very good, but not exceptional.  I made it again with the same exact vegetables and seasoning I just replace a ½ cup of broth with a ½ cup of white wine.  The dish went from very good to extraordinary.  Wine imparts a flavor that vinegar, tomatoes, or chicken broth can’t. It adds a delicious complexity to your food and can make the difference between mediocre and gourmet flavor.

          I believe in making your life as easy as possible in the kitchen.  I don’t want you to have to stock a lot of ingredients or search for hours in a grocery store so I suggest and cook only with white wine.  This will prevent any frustration and will avoid overwhelming you with too many choices. I prefer Bella Sera® Pinot Grigio for all my cooking. It has a nice flavor, it’s readily available, and it’s not expensive.

          If you can’t find this wine, or want to find your own for cooking, buy a few bottles and taste them. If you like the taste straight from the bottle, it will be perfect for cooking. Find one you like and use it all the time.  If you don’t want to experiment you will not be disappointed with Bella Sera®.  It was the one I used to test all my recipes.

   

         If you don’t finish the bottle with your meal, store the leftover wine in a glass jar (not plastic) in the refrigerator. The less air in the bottle, the longer it will keep. Don’t freeze wine.

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

  

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Cooking Takes Time and Effort and You are Worth it.

            The August issue of Real Simple magazine has an article on simple cooking by using only three ingredients.  I’m all for using as few ingredients as you can get away with and still maintain great flavor and nutrition.  I also like easy and basic.  Anything to get you in the kitchen to cook for your family is a good thing.

           If making recipes with only three ingredients will do that great.  However, not everything that is nutritious and delicious has only three ingredients.  I can’t sugar coat or hide the fact that cooking from scratch takes time and effort.  Sometimes that dinner will take an hour, sometimes 90 minutes, and other times only 35 minutes. The point is to cook for all of the benefits cooking at home provides. 

           When you cook dinner at home, you can improve your health, create quality family time, and save money. Those are significant benefits and if your family isn’t worth your time and effort to gain those benefits than who is?   

           Yes, cooking does take time, but it is time you can plan.  The most important thing to understand is that cooking is easier than you think it is.  You don’t have to be in agony for those 35 or 60 minutes.  You don’t have to approach the kitchen with apprehension because there is no one you have to impress.  There is no right way to cook.  You just need to be able to cook a meal that your family will eat.  Recipes don't have to be written with difficult terms or require complex techniques. You can make a delicious, nutritious meal even if you hate to cook or don’t know how to cook.  In Let’s Cook Tonight, America’s Cooking Cheerleader will show you how.

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Dinnertime is an Investment in Your Mental Health.

            I’ve heard it said that at the end of our lives the thing we will regret is not spending more time with our family.  No one says from their deathbed that they regret they didn’t put more time in at the office.  Spending time with the people we cherish brings us joy.  We need that joy to recharge our batteries and to stay mentally healthy.

          In order to stay mentally healthy we also need the chance to achieve something quantifiable.  Our work can lead to those achievements.  I have been self-employed for 22 years.  I intimately know the work and effort that is required to create an income from nothing.  I also understand the pleasure that performing a job well can bring. 

          It amounts to that elusive word balance.  We need to figure out how to spend enough time in all areas of our lives to stay mentally happy and healthy.  Balance doesn’t just occur it must be planned.  Sometimes our family has to take second billing to our work.  There are other times when our family is all that matters. 

         It is easy to neglect the family side of the balance equation because we assume our families are more forgiving.  After all, they aren’t going to fire us and they aren’t going anywhere.  (Now that’s a dangerous assumption.)  If you don’t want to neglect your family then you must schedule specific time to spend with them.  I realize this might sound a bit contrived, but planning family time ensures that it occurs.

        Dinnertime is the perfect time to spend together as a family.  Everyone has to eat and at the end of the day there are many stories to share.  Select a few evenings a week that you know your entire family will be at home and plan to cook those nights.  Select a meal that you can all prep and cook together.  Then eat slowly savoring the home-cooked food and each other.  You’re investing in your own and your family’s physical and mental health.  You are also ensuring that that on your deathbed you won’t be regretting all of that time spent at the office.     

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Your Freezer is Good for More Than Just Ice Cream.

            The freezer is a wonderful appliance that can save you money and time.  You can use your freezer as a wonderful tool to make your life easier in the kitchen.  

           Whenever you have parts of canned goods leftover I’ll bet you do one of two things with them.  You throw them out immediately or you put them in a container in your refrigerator and then throw them out later.  Do you realize that the half a can of beans, or ¼ cup of leftover chicken broth can be frozen?  Put the remaining contents in a container, label it with its name and quantity then place it in the freezer.  You can do that with jarred tomato sauce too---in fact almost everything that comes from a can can be frozen because it has already been cooked.  You can even freeze and refreeze butter.  You can take anything you have frozen and put it in the microwave on high power for a few minutes and it will thaw quickly. 

            When you have tomato paste remaining, measure it in tablespoon amounts and put it on wax paper.  Put the wax paper in the freezer.  When it is frozen roll up the wax paper and put it in a plastic bag.  Whenever you need tomato paste, you have it ready to go.  There isn’t any need to defrost it because it will melt into the hot dish.  

            It might not seem worth the effort to save a few pennies of broth or half a can of beans, but if you always throw these items out that adds up significantly throughout the year.  In addition to saving money, you’ll also save time because you won’t find yourself having to restock these items constantly.  Many times all a recipe calls for is a small amount.  If you look, it will be in your freezer so that makes one less item to find in the grocery store.   

            Don’t hesitate to freeze baked goods like cake, cupcakes, cookies, and candy.  In fact, if you have leftover birthday cake the best way to not be tempted to finish it is to freeze it.  Slice it and wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap then put those pieces in a gallon plastic bag.  You can do the same for roasts, turkey, ham, and deli cold cuts.  Wrap just enough for a sandwich in plastic wrap then place that into a gallon plastic.  Make sure you label everything.  A month from now you will have forgotten what you put in your freezer and once frozen it will be unrecognizable. 

          Your freezer is good for more than just ice and ice cream.  Do you use your freezer?

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t Confuse Family Night with Movie Night

            I was in the grocery store the other day and I saw a large display with the title “Make it a Family Night.”  I got excited until I looked a little closer at what foods they wanted you to serve your family on family night.  The display consisted of various types of chips, canned dips, popcorn, various types of candy and soda.  A special on a movie rental went along with the snacks.

           The display in the grocery store was actually mislabeled.  It should have read, “Make it a Movie Night” not a family night.  The purpose of a movie night is to enjoy the movie.  I love movies and the thing that relaxes me the most is watching an old movie for two hours.  I don’t know what occurs at your home, but when I talk during a movie my family gets upset.  They ask me repeatedly to be quiet because they want to follow the action on the screen.  That is a reasonable request because the purpose of the night is to enjoy the movie. 

            The purpose of a family night is to enjoy your family.  Enjoyment means talking to them, listening to them, and giving them your undivided attention to be able to pick up all of the nuances of their stories and conversation.  You can’t give your family undivided attention when you're watching a movie.  I realize there is some pleasure in just sitting next to each other on the couch, but that physical closeness doesn't take the place of conversation.  Even though you sat together, when the evening is done, you won't be able to recount the details of your family’s day, but you will be able to talk about the movie.    

          There’s a time and place for movie nights and family nights.  Just don’t confuse the two. 

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved

Your Body is Smarter Than You Think.

           Coconut water, the clear liquid that comes from fresh coconuts, is the newest fad food.  Many people are drinking it and talking about it because they believe it’s a cure all.  Americans love fads: fad diets, fad jewelry (the smiley face), fad toys, (the pet rock).  We cling on to the latest and greatest phenomenon hoping that it will solve our problems.  

           I’m not here to argue the pros or cons of coconut water.  It is a real food and it has vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are valuable.  The problem is that we want it to be a quick and easy fix to the abuse we give our bodies on a daily basis.  We want to eat whatever we want and then we want to take a pill, or in this case a liquid, that will make everything right with our bodies again.


          Health doesn’t work that way.  Your body can take a lot of abuse, but there comes a time when it says enough is enough and it starts to rebel.  This rebellion takes the form of pain and illness.  At that point, it’s usually too late for a miracle pill or liquid.  A major life style over haul is necessary to get well again. 


          So what is the answer?  Cook your food from scratch.  Choose a wide variety of colorful, real food---the kind that doesn't come with an ingredients label.  Cook the food simply and dress it lightly.  Keep fat and salt in your diet for flavor and satiety.  Enjoy sweets and salty snacks as a treat occasionally.  If you love the taste of coconut water, then drink it and enjoy it.  But don’t drink it because you believe it will reverse all of the unhealthy food you have eaten during the day.  Your body is smarter than that.          

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Garlic Adds Great Taste to Food, it’s Good for You, and it Wards Off Vampires.

            I consider garlic a staple and I use it all the time. Don’t buy the elephant variety and don’t buy garlic that’s chopped or peeled; it’s not as fresh and it’s more expensive. Never substitute garlic powder or garlic salt for the real thing. Store garlic at room temperature. The easiest way to peel it is to place a clove on the cutting board and gently bang it with the flat side of your knife. The skin will separate easily from the clove.

           Never leave garlic cooking in oil unattended, and never turn your back on it even for a moment because it burns quickly. If your garlic does burn, throw it away with all the oil, wash your pot, and start again. Burnt garlic is bitter, and if you continue with the recipe, I promise you the unpalatable bitter flavor will permeate the entire dish and ruin it. The taste of bitter, burnt garlic can’t be masked. It’s much better to throw out a few pennies worth of garlic and a few tablespoons of oil then ruin your entire dish.

           Once the garlic has cooked a few minutes, you will add other ingredients such as onion, vegetables, or a liquid.  These additional ingredients will immediately low the temperature in the pan and you no longer have to worry about the garlic burning.

            According to the American Institute for Cancer Research eNews, July 2010, if you cut garlic into very small pieces and let it sit uncovered at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before cooking, it will activate its cancer-fighting phytochemicals.  This is cool because I always instruct my readers to cut the garlic first.  Because of this, it usually is sitting on the cutting board for 10-15 minutes while the rest of the ingredients are prepped.  Garlic adds great taste to food, it’s good for you, and it wards off vampires.  It doesn’t get any better than that.      

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Pretend the Items in the Center of the Grocery Store Haven’t Been Invented Yet.

            Do you remember learning about what American society was like before the industrial revolution?  Long before any modern conveniences and when man really did work from sun up to sun down. 

           The majority of people were farmers.  The fruits and vegetables were grown in the back yard; the hogs, beef and chickens were raised there as well.  Bread was made at home; everyone ate butter and drank whole milk.  No one ran everyday to keep their weight down and exercise gyms had not even been thought of yet.  People ate plenty of real whole foods.  They sat all together and ate three full meals a day.  . 

          Convenience foods, packaged foods, and manufactured foods had not yet been invented.  In fact, if they had grocery stores there would have been only three aisles: one for produce, one for dairy, and one for meat, fish and poultry.  Think about that for a moment.  None of the products that currently exist in the center of the grocery store had been invented yet.  Today we eat all of those manufactured foods as if they have been around forever.  We forget there was a time when people ate real food and cooked it from scratch daily. 

          It is not my wish to take us back there.  I love my dishwasher, washing machine, and the convenience of a big grocery store.  I also enjoy potato chips and store bought cookies on occasion.  However, it would serve us well to remember how Americans ate back then.   

          When you go grocery shopping, buy all of your food form the perimeter of the store.  Buy fruits and vegetables, whole dairy products and meat, fish and poultry.  If it is comes with a list of ingredients it’s a manufactured food.  Those extra ingredients were added to put back the flavor that was taken out in the processing and to keep the product on the shelf longer.  Those ingredients aren’t necessary for your health.  

           Eating healthy isn’t difficult.  Just use your common sense and pretend the items in the center of the store haven’t been invented yet.   

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Why Must We Wait for a Holiday to Spend Time With Friends and Family?

            I asked quite a few people what they were doing for the Fourth of July holiday.  Spending time with friends and family was the number one answer I received.  I’m confused.  Why must we wait for a holiday to spend time with friends and family?  Don’t we love our friends and family enough to want to spend time with them all of the time?  Admittedly, I know there are a few relatives you can live without, but why must you wait for a holiday to spend time with the ones whose company you truly do enjoy?  Why can’t every dinner be spent with friends and family?

            That’s what the Italians do.  Dinnertime, without question, is a table full of family, friends and good homemade food.  This is a daily occurrence and not dependant on a holiday.  So what do they do for a holiday?   There’s a lot more food and the food is special, oftentimes only cooked for the occasion, but spending time with loved ones is still the focus.    

            I realize the constraints of commuting and the necessity of evening activities away from the home, but why can’t we pretend that there’s a holiday a few days a week every week?  Mark these few days on your calendar, plan to cook at home, and get the family involved in selecting the menu.  Prep and cook the meal together and enjoy each other’s company.  After all, isn’t it a cause for celebration if you're spending time with the ones you love? 

Cooking is easier than you think and you and your family are worth the time and effort it takes. 

Copyright ©2010 by Let’s Cook Tonight, LLC. All Rights Reserved.