New stories keep creeping up and everyone seems to love bashing almond milk and other nut-based beverages. So what's the deal? Why all the haters?
There's a huge misunderstanding in the public's nutritional education. We grew up being told that milk "does a body good". We were told to wean our babies off of breastmilk and onto cow milk, and that dairy is required for calcium for our bones. Well, we know they weren't exactly correct about this one. But this isn't a "dairy-bashing" blog either.
What is (any) milk good for? Remember, we grew up putting milk in our cereal. It was a rule in my house to "drink milk with your meals", and a "double-double" at Timmy's trained me to always drink my coffee with milk it in. But since my early 20's I've been lactose-intolerant. Out goes all my dairy, and now what's a girl to think?
With enough vitamin D, weight-bearing exercise and a healthy diet (lots of veggies for vitamin and mineral support), my bones will be just fine. But it always helps to have beverages that are fortified with extra calcium and vitamin D just in case we don't meet our quotas for the day.
Almond milk isn't a "health food" necessarily. It's a substitute for those of us who want something with that "creamy/milky"-type of consistency and flavour. I drink my coffee black now, but every once in a while whisking in a little coconut milk makes for a nice creamy treat. And almond milk? It's a nice alternative to plain water (or cow milk) for making my smoothies and post-workout shakes.
What almond milk is not:
1) A good source of protein:
Seriously, to make almond milk you soak the almonds, drain them, combine with water in a blender, strain them and press out the "milk" from the almond paste and that's about it. I read a crazy article in which the company Almond Breeze was being sued for how few almonds were in their almond milk. Well... duh. What did you think you were drinking? It's not a liquid trail-mix.
2) A substitute for breastmilk or any infant formula.
I hope this is common sense, but according to an article on IFLS a doctor in Spain told their patient to use almond milk as a formula. This parent had never breastfed their infant and instead had given her baby cow's milk for the first 2.5 months. The problem here is a lack in education for new mothers. This story also came out of Spain so I can't comment on the availability of education for new parents as I really don't know. Either way, the whole thing is ridiculous - IFLS commented "... this latest report highlights the need for parents to take into consideration the nutritional content when choosing a diet for their infants", but seriously? Choosing a diet for your infant: Breastmilk or formula (breast is best, but there are some circumstances that may prevent this). At 6-8 months, or when your kid hints that they're ready, you can slowly introduce solid foods in the form of mashed up veggies (baby food). What isn't an option is choosing a "milk-substitute" as an infant formula. And most companies will actually print on the carton "NOT TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR INFANT FORMULA".
Almond milk isn't the bad-guy here, and sorry IFLS (I really do effing love science!), but it also doesn't cause scurvy as your article title implies. It's a lack of education and really bad advice from a doctor.
What almond milk is:
1) A substitute for milk for those who can't drink it but like to use it in stuff like: coffee, tea, granola/cereal, baking, smoothies/shakes.
Haters, please don't hate on the almond milk. You're just not using it correctly. Please leave it for us lactose-intolerants (or dairy-sensitives) who just want something creamier than water in our smoothies and a splash of something white in our coffee.
Showing posts with label kitchen adventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitchen adventures. Show all posts
Friday, January 22, 2016
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Farmer's Market meals
One of my favourite things about June is the start of the Farmer's Market. I've been helping with our clinic's booth at Fairmount park in Toronto (details HERE) and it has easily become the best day of the week!
The fresh fruit and vegetables are always enticing, especially when the farmers cut the grown sprouts right in front of you. Many vendors have gluten-free and vegan food options ranging from cookies and nanaimo bars to spinach lentil curry with rice. The coordinators and other vendors are some of the nicest people I've met and there's a true sense of community all around.
So how do you make a meal using farm fresh ingredients? Or how do you improvise a meal with very few ingredients? Well, knowing I'd be starving after a long day and a nice evening run, I grabbed a few items totaling $20:
Bag of arugula
Bag of sunflower sprouts
6 Hot Turkey pepperettes
and a bundle of multi-coloured tomatoes
When I got home I rinsed the greens and put them in a bowl. On top I added:
one ripe yellow tomato, chopped
1.5 turkey pepperettes, chopped
Some fresh basil and a few blueberries
The dressing:
About 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
a splash of orange juice
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste
The salad turned out great! Light enough for the end of the night, but filling enough that my tummy is happy. The only thing I'd change would be blueberries. The other flavours went great together. And the best part is that I still have so much left over. I guess we'll see what next week brings and what new combo I'll put together :)
The fresh fruit and vegetables are always enticing, especially when the farmers cut the grown sprouts right in front of you. Many vendors have gluten-free and vegan food options ranging from cookies and nanaimo bars to spinach lentil curry with rice. The coordinators and other vendors are some of the nicest people I've met and there's a true sense of community all around.
So how do you make a meal using farm fresh ingredients? Or how do you improvise a meal with very few ingredients? Well, knowing I'd be starving after a long day and a nice evening run, I grabbed a few items totaling $20:
Bag of sunflower sprouts
6 Hot Turkey pepperettes
and a bundle of multi-coloured tomatoes
When I got home I rinsed the greens and put them in a bowl. On top I added:
one ripe yellow tomato, chopped
1.5 turkey pepperettes, chopped
Some fresh basil and a few blueberries
The dressing:
About 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
a splash of orange juice
1 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste
Monday, May 4, 2015
10 things you should have in your kitchen to make cooking enjoyable
Cooking is like meditation. When in the kitchen I sometimes imagine I'm on my own cooking show. When you have the right tools for the job it makes it that much more enjoyable. I believe that about many things. With the right running shoes, walking and running is awesome! With the right tunes, a long car ride just turned into a sweet playlist marathon. The same is true about cooking.
1) A good cutting board. I love my bamboo board. It was free from a pharmacy convention a few years ago and it has stood up to the task of handling my veggie cutting needs. It's easy to clean, is durable and is a good large size so it stays put on my counter
2) One really great chef's knife. A chef's knife is the broad one used for many chopping needs (well, obviously). Mine is from the Pampered Chef and is my ultimate chopping tool. A dull knife is like a cooking mood killer. You'll work harder than you need to, it'll take longer to make dinner and can be very frustrating. Invest in one really great sharp chopping knife.
3) Speaking of knives, I also really love a good pairing knife. But mostly because of how much I hate eating apple skins, so having a knife that's the perfect size for peeling off apple skins just makes me so happy. Really that's it. I just can't stand the peel of an apple. If there's something you really dislike, get a kitchen tool for that exact purpose and it'll make life much better.
4) Magic Bullet. This thing is so versatile that it should be in every home. The extra blade (the flat one) is so worth it, you'll ground flax seeds and coffee beans as if they are being crushed by the Hulk. Not only can you "bullet" practically anything, but this truly "magical" appliance will give you latte/cappuccino foam WITHOUT A CAPPUCCINO MAKER.
Brewed coffee + 1 tsp coconut oil + magic bullet (and sprinkle with cinnamon) = a foam-topped coffee treat
5) A slow cooker. Not only will this miracle-maker cause even the toughest cuts meats to slide apart like butter, but it only requires you to throw a bunch of stuff in it when you're groggy in the morning and then you come home to a delicious-smelling house and DINNER. It's ready! You don't have to do anything other than put it on a plate, and even that's debatable. A word of caution though - you cannot be so groggy that you forget to turn it on. One of the most disappointing things in the world is to come home anticipating the smell of cooked roast and finding it raw and cold.
6) A silicone flipper. There's nothing more heartbreaking then trying to flip over an egg in a pan, it getting stuck on some half-melted jagged edge of your plastic flipper and it breaking the egg like a hyena ripping apart its prey. I think that's all I need to say. Get a non-stick silicone flipper... it's like a whole new world of egg-flipping.
7) Parchment paper. You can use it for anything and everything that goes in your oven. I line baking sheets and baking pans with it. Basically anything that I don't want to scrub clean for an hour afterwards. There's no need to worry about ingesting or absorbing aluminum. There's no wax-paper-melting-in-your-oven-because-you-didn't-know-wax-paper-would-melt-in-your-oven. But it works the same way that wax paper would - making everything not stick. Cookies bake nicer, chicken doesn't char to your pan, brownie bits aren't clinging to the walls of your pan. It's a win-win-win: it's compostable, makes cleaning up easier and leaves you with more brownie bits to eat.
8) An immersion blender. You will make soups if you have an immersion blender. And they're really fun to use. And easy to clean. Basically soften your veggies in vegetable or chicken broth (this is great for squash soups) then immersion blend it and you have perfect soup. No need to "transfer half the contents of your pot to a blender and work in batches". This old-school method will lead to the lid blowing off your blender, soup on your ceiling and burn marks on your face. An immersion blender is the easy way out. Blend in the pot, push a button and the blade end comes off for easy cleaning.
9) A radio or music dock in your kitchen (less practical for cooking, but makes it more fun).
10) A sous-chef. My boyfriend and I take turns being each others' sous chef. One of us will take charge while the other one assists. We start yelling things out like they do on TV like "Yes Chef!", "Five minutes for the mushrooms!" and "BEHIND!" when we're walking behind each other with hot or sharp things. A sous-chef makes cooking more enjoyable because you have help and it's something fun to do together. Then you get to sit and enjoy this amazing dish you both created.
1) A good cutting board. I love my bamboo board. It was free from a pharmacy convention a few years ago and it has stood up to the task of handling my veggie cutting needs. It's easy to clean, is durable and is a good large size so it stays put on my counter
2) One really great chef's knife. A chef's knife is the broad one used for many chopping needs (well, obviously). Mine is from the Pampered Chef and is my ultimate chopping tool. A dull knife is like a cooking mood killer. You'll work harder than you need to, it'll take longer to make dinner and can be very frustrating. Invest in one really great sharp chopping knife.
3) Speaking of knives, I also really love a good pairing knife. But mostly because of how much I hate eating apple skins, so having a knife that's the perfect size for peeling off apple skins just makes me so happy. Really that's it. I just can't stand the peel of an apple. If there's something you really dislike, get a kitchen tool for that exact purpose and it'll make life much better.4) Magic Bullet. This thing is so versatile that it should be in every home. The extra blade (the flat one) is so worth it, you'll ground flax seeds and coffee beans as if they are being crushed by the Hulk. Not only can you "bullet" practically anything, but this truly "magical" appliance will give you latte/cappuccino foam WITHOUT A CAPPUCCINO MAKER.
Brewed coffee + 1 tsp coconut oil + magic bullet (and sprinkle with cinnamon) = a foam-topped coffee treat
5) A slow cooker. Not only will this miracle-maker cause even the toughest cuts meats to slide apart like butter, but it only requires you to throw a bunch of stuff in it when you're groggy in the morning and then you come home to a delicious-smelling house and DINNER. It's ready! You don't have to do anything other than put it on a plate, and even that's debatable. A word of caution though - you cannot be so groggy that you forget to turn it on. One of the most disappointing things in the world is to come home anticipating the smell of cooked roast and finding it raw and cold.
6) A silicone flipper. There's nothing more heartbreaking then trying to flip over an egg in a pan, it getting stuck on some half-melted jagged edge of your plastic flipper and it breaking the egg like a hyena ripping apart its prey. I think that's all I need to say. Get a non-stick silicone flipper... it's like a whole new world of egg-flipping.
7) Parchment paper. You can use it for anything and everything that goes in your oven. I line baking sheets and baking pans with it. Basically anything that I don't want to scrub clean for an hour afterwards. There's no need to worry about ingesting or absorbing aluminum. There's no wax-paper-melting-in-your-oven-because-you-didn't-know-wax-paper-would-melt-in-your-oven. But it works the same way that wax paper would - making everything not stick. Cookies bake nicer, chicken doesn't char to your pan, brownie bits aren't clinging to the walls of your pan. It's a win-win-win: it's compostable, makes cleaning up easier and leaves you with more brownie bits to eat.
8) An immersion blender. You will make soups if you have an immersion blender. And they're really fun to use. And easy to clean. Basically soften your veggies in vegetable or chicken broth (this is great for squash soups) then immersion blend it and you have perfect soup. No need to "transfer half the contents of your pot to a blender and work in batches". This old-school method will lead to the lid blowing off your blender, soup on your ceiling and burn marks on your face. An immersion blender is the easy way out. Blend in the pot, push a button and the blade end comes off for easy cleaning.
9) A radio or music dock in your kitchen (less practical for cooking, but makes it more fun).
10) A sous-chef. My boyfriend and I take turns being each others' sous chef. One of us will take charge while the other one assists. We start yelling things out like they do on TV like "Yes Chef!", "Five minutes for the mushrooms!" and "BEHIND!" when we're walking behind each other with hot or sharp things. A sous-chef makes cooking more enjoyable because you have help and it's something fun to do together. Then you get to sit and enjoy this amazing dish you both created.
Friday, December 6, 2013
I'm back! And with a new Hot and Sour Soup recipe
After vacationing in BC, it's taken a while for me to get back to ... well... being me I guess. Lack of sleep is NOT my friend. I'll post more about my adventures on the West coast a bit later, but for now, it's time to cozy up with a warm cuppa soup, and here's today's "cooking experiment gone amazing!"
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This was a recipe I just made up on the fly. I was going for a mushroom/vegetable soup, but then I got hit with the inspiration of garlic... and then I thought I should spice it up a bit with some chilli flakes, and before I knew it, I was adding apple cider vinegar and it was a Hot and Sour Soup - the best I've ever made! I never actually measure anything, so everything listed is an estimate.
Mushroom Hot and Sour Soup
(this might seem like a lot of ingredients, but half of these items are staples in my kitchen, and the others are extra veggies I picked up and had in my fridge... and I was craving bacon)
1 tsp butter
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 a small/medium sweet onion, chopped
1 slice uncooked bacon, chopped
2 baby Portabello mushrooms, sliced and chopped
1 package Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/3-1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
2-3 stalks/"leaves" of Kale, with center vein removed and kale chopped
1 tetrapak (900mL/4 cups) chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flakes (depending on how hot you like it)
1 tbsp honey
1/2 to 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (depending on how sour you like it)
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, as desired to taste
Add oil and butter to large/wide soup pot and heat on medium-high heat. Add onions and let cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally until they begin to soften.
Add bacon and mushrooms. Stir and let cook another 5 minutes.
Add remaining veggies and let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add chicken broth to pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes. Add minced garlic, chili flakes and honey and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. Add apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Then serve!
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This was a recipe I just made up on the fly. I was going for a mushroom/vegetable soup, but then I got hit with the inspiration of garlic... and then I thought I should spice it up a bit with some chilli flakes, and before I knew it, I was adding apple cider vinegar and it was a Hot and Sour Soup - the best I've ever made! I never actually measure anything, so everything listed is an estimate.
Mushroom Hot and Sour Soup
(this might seem like a lot of ingredients, but half of these items are staples in my kitchen, and the others are extra veggies I picked up and had in my fridge... and I was craving bacon)
1 tsp butter
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 a small/medium sweet onion, chopped
1 slice uncooked bacon, chopped
2 baby Portabello mushrooms, sliced and chopped
1 package Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 medium turnip, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/3-1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
2-3 stalks/"leaves" of Kale, with center vein removed and kale chopped
1 tetrapak (900mL/4 cups) chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili flakes (depending on how hot you like it)
1 tbsp honey
1/2 to 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (depending on how sour you like it)
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, as desired to taste
Add oil and butter to large/wide soup pot and heat on medium-high heat. Add onions and let cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally until they begin to soften.
Add bacon and mushrooms. Stir and let cook another 5 minutes.
Add remaining veggies and let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add chicken broth to pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes. Add minced garlic, chili flakes and honey and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. Add apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Then serve!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Power snack muffins!
I've had a request to post this recipe for a good "portable" snack that's full of nutrients (vegetables and nuts and healthy fats). It's a great snack for on-the-go as well as a post-workout boost when you've just depleted your energies.
Today was one of those amazing fall days, perfect for running in shorts. The trails that I run on were ridiculously busy today and I usually get super annoyed with people who take up the whole entire path and who ignore my running footsteps, but today I saw it as a pretty awesome obstacle course.
I was zipping past people like my legs just couldn't be stopped. What? There's a mountain up ahead? That's not going to stop me. Watch me run up it while you leisurely stroll along with your entire extended family and your individual walking sticks. Today I was unstoppable. I got to the top of that hill and just kept going. It's days like this that give me the motivation to run as often as my legs will let me.
I think we all need that. That success of working out and feeling amazing afterwards. It doesn't matter what you do to get that feeling. Maybe you get it after an hour of hot yoga when you're laying on your mat at the very end of class; All sweaty and your muscles are buzzing with happy vibes. Find it. Find that happy post-workout bliss and remember it!
Now after you have that amazing blissful feeling, it's time to recharge and give back to those muscles that just worked so hard for you. Here's my post-workout portable snack, full of deliciousness.
Veggie power paleo muffins
Makes 6 muffins (for 12 muffins, double all ingredients, but use 3 extra large eggs instead of 2 large ones)
1 1/4 cup almond flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated carrots (peeled)
1 large apple, peeled, cored and grated (OR substitute for 1/2 cup diced strawberries)
2 large eggs
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or avocado oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: 1 scoop protein powder - add a splash of almond milk to the mix to make up for the extra powder/dry ingredient
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with muffin cups.
In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Add zucchini, carrot, apple/strawberries and combine well.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, honey and vanilla.
Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.
Spoon into muffin cups (right to the top) and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. The tops will be nice and toasted brown.
Remove from pan and let cool.
The muffins can be stored in the fridge (the muffin cups peel off nicer when they're kept in the fridge, but the muffins themselves stay softer and more moist at room temperature).
As pictured, I like cutting them in half or thirds and smearing almond butter on top. Delicious!!
Today was one of those amazing fall days, perfect for running in shorts. The trails that I run on were ridiculously busy today and I usually get super annoyed with people who take up the whole entire path and who ignore my running footsteps, but today I saw it as a pretty awesome obstacle course.
I was zipping past people like my legs just couldn't be stopped. What? There's a mountain up ahead? That's not going to stop me. Watch me run up it while you leisurely stroll along with your entire extended family and your individual walking sticks. Today I was unstoppable. I got to the top of that hill and just kept going. It's days like this that give me the motivation to run as often as my legs will let me.
I think we all need that. That success of working out and feeling amazing afterwards. It doesn't matter what you do to get that feeling. Maybe you get it after an hour of hot yoga when you're laying on your mat at the very end of class; All sweaty and your muscles are buzzing with happy vibes. Find it. Find that happy post-workout bliss and remember it!
Now after you have that amazing blissful feeling, it's time to recharge and give back to those muscles that just worked so hard for you. Here's my post-workout portable snack, full of deliciousness.
Veggie power paleo muffins
Makes 6 muffins (for 12 muffins, double all ingredients, but use 3 extra large eggs instead of 2 large ones)
1 1/4 cup almond flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated carrots (peeled)
1 large apple, peeled, cored and grated (OR substitute for 1/2 cup diced strawberries)
2 large eggs
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or avocado oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: 1 scoop protein powder - add a splash of almond milk to the mix to make up for the extra powder/dry ingredient
Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with muffin cups.
In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Add zucchini, carrot, apple/strawberries and combine well.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, honey and vanilla.
Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.
Spoon into muffin cups (right to the top) and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. The tops will be nice and toasted brown.
Remove from pan and let cool.
The muffins can be stored in the fridge (the muffin cups peel off nicer when they're kept in the fridge, but the muffins themselves stay softer and more moist at room temperature).
As pictured, I like cutting them in half or thirds and smearing almond butter on top. Delicious!!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Favourite Paleo Salad
Today's post is a recipe. This salad tends to be a favourite of mine, as we often make it
while on vacation. That's because it's super easy to make and it's inexpensive.
Salad is NOT just
lettuce. Anyone who thinks that salad is rabbit food is just crazy... or perhaps I'm half rabbit... if rabbits ate garlic and avocado.
Avocados are full of healthy oils- great for your skin too! And garlic is totally antimicrobial - a lifesaver when colds and flus are still going around.
I also love the difference in textures: the mixture of crisp Asian pear with the mushier ripe avocado. Sometimes a bowl of raw veggies just doesn't cut it. Especially when some restaurants drench your salad in disgusting canola or soy-based dressings with all of their sneaky milk ingredients, sugar and preservatives.
The great part is that if you want it as a meal, just add some chopped grilled chicken or salmon.
What you need for 2 servings:
1 bunch of Red leaf lettuce, washed and chopped
1 avocado, scooped out of the rind and "chopped"
1 Asian pear, peeled and chopped
1 Asian pear, peeled and chopped
2-3 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice from 1/2 lemon
few globs of olive oil
few globs of olive oil
about 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
salt and pepper
salt and pepper
Toss everything together and enjoy. Oh! you could also add a small handful of sunflower seeds or hemp seeds for some extra protein, which would make it even better! And if you're really more partial to sweeter dressings, you can add a small drizzle of honey.
That's all for today fox friends. Happy Wednesday!
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Paleo cooking adventures: Okra and more recipes
I was in a kitchen adventure mood yesterday and decided to try okra for the first time. There are about four okra recipes in my Paleo Comfort Foods cookbook and as I happened to see it at the grocery store, I thought it's time to try something new.
So I modified the recipe in the cookbook (because my instincts are usually better) and made delicious okra. Surprisingly, it was a very mellow greeny vegetable seeing as how it looks a little... let's say "rough". I expected it to be tough and tarte but was pleasantly surprised with how those things turned out. Even more surprising, they're filled with these cool little pods which tasted just as delicious! Total score on the dinner front!
I apologize for the bad presentation on the plate, but honestly, it was so good that I started eating and completely forgot to take a picture of it before I starting cutting into my pork rib eye.
Today's paleo dinner in 30 minutes:
Spiced pork rib eye steak and okra with sauteed zucchini, kale chips and a tomato basil salad
Preheat oven to 400 C
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat with about a tbsp coconut oil. Add a couple chopped shallots and a chopped zucchini. Cook for a few minutes until shallots begin to soften.
Meanwhile, make your spice blend (and make enough for both the pork and the okra):
In a small bowl toss together some paprika, dry mustard, cumin, a pinch of curry powder, a bit of powdered ginger, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne if you like.
Sprinkle over pork steaks and massage it in a little, making sure to get both sides. Once your zucchini and onions are starting to soften, add the pork to the skillet and sear nicely on all sides. Then just pop the cast iron skillet (with the pork and veg) right into the oven for about 10-14 minutes depending on the thickness of the pork and how long you seared it.
Okra: Wash okra, pat dry and place in a mixing bowl pour about 1/2 cup or so of olive oil over the okra and toss to coat. Lay out on a baking sheet with parchment paper in a single layer and sprinkle with the remaining spice blend.
Cook in oven for about 10 minutes - flipping them after 5 minutes.
Tomato basil salad:
Take one package of grape tomatoes and slice each tomato in half. Add to bowl. Take a nice handful of fresh basil, chop and add to bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (I used a fig balsamic which is so ridiculously delicious). Season with salt and pepper, then gently toss to mix, and serve!
This was an extremely satisfying meal and somehow the meat gods smiled on me and allowed the pork to come out of the oven cooked perfectly! Hence why there's already a bite out of it on the plate in the picture. I will definitely be experimenting more with okra in the future!
So I modified the recipe in the cookbook (because my instincts are usually better) and made delicious okra. Surprisingly, it was a very mellow greeny vegetable seeing as how it looks a little... let's say "rough". I expected it to be tough and tarte but was pleasantly surprised with how those things turned out. Even more surprising, they're filled with these cool little pods which tasted just as delicious! Total score on the dinner front!
Today's paleo dinner in 30 minutes:
Spiced pork rib eye steak and okra with sauteed zucchini, kale chips and a tomato basil salad
Preheat oven to 400 C
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat with about a tbsp coconut oil. Add a couple chopped shallots and a chopped zucchini. Cook for a few minutes until shallots begin to soften.
Meanwhile, make your spice blend (and make enough for both the pork and the okra):
In a small bowl toss together some paprika, dry mustard, cumin, a pinch of curry powder, a bit of powdered ginger, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne if you like.
Sprinkle over pork steaks and massage it in a little, making sure to get both sides. Once your zucchini and onions are starting to soften, add the pork to the skillet and sear nicely on all sides. Then just pop the cast iron skillet (with the pork and veg) right into the oven for about 10-14 minutes depending on the thickness of the pork and how long you seared it.
Okra: Wash okra, pat dry and place in a mixing bowl pour about 1/2 cup or so of olive oil over the okra and toss to coat. Lay out on a baking sheet with parchment paper in a single layer and sprinkle with the remaining spice blend.
Cook in oven for about 10 minutes - flipping them after 5 minutes.
Tomato basil salad:
Take one package of grape tomatoes and slice each tomato in half. Add to bowl. Take a nice handful of fresh basil, chop and add to bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (I used a fig balsamic which is so ridiculously delicious). Season with salt and pepper, then gently toss to mix, and serve!
This was an extremely satisfying meal and somehow the meat gods smiled on me and allowed the pork to come out of the oven cooked perfectly! Hence why there's already a bite out of it on the plate in the picture. I will definitely be experimenting more with okra in the future!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Smoothies and protein powders
Colleagues and friends often ask my opinion on protein powders, and many patients are always looking for smoothie recipes. I don't even understand why you would need a recipe when you're just blending a bunch of yummy stuff together. It's not like you're baking the smoothie afterwards or are serving it to your Ladies Who Lunch group. But regardless, everyone needs a starting point, so I'm today I'm teaching the basics on smoothie-making.
A smoothie is your quick protein and carb fuel after a good workout. Your muscles need that fuel to repair themselves after any damage that might have occurred from workin' them so damn hard (relative to each person's individual fitness level, of course).
First things first, you need a Magic Bullet or a blender. I love the Bullet because it's fairly inexpensive ($30 at Canadian Tire right now), and it makes a nice sized single portion. Plus, you drink out of the container that you're blending in, so that's one less glass to wash later - total bonus! (especially if you don't have a dishwasher like me).
Here is my post-workout smoothie with "variations." I'm not listing a bunch of recipes because that's stupid... you can easily swap ingredients in and out of a smoothie and it's still going to be delicious, and it's still going to do it's job to fuel your muscles.
Start with your Magic Bullet "cup".
Fill halfway with Silk True Almond milk (original or vanilla - vanilla is much sweeter if you really like your sugar)
Add in 1-2 handfuls of frozen fruit
Add 1 scoop of protein powder: I prefer either Sunwarrior Protein Powder (natural or vanilla), or Arbonne Essentials Vanilla Protein Shake Mix
Add 1 heaping tsp or 1 tbsp of almond butter
Fill remainder of cup with either water or pure (no sugar added) orange juice.
Blend for about 10-15 seconds and enjoy!
Both protein powders listed are vegan, which is great for us non-dairy/non-casein people. Some people love their lactose-free whey powder, so if you're fine with milk protein (casein) but just not lactose, then I'd opt for Provitalex by Cytomatrix.
What about if you just ran out of protein powder?! What a crazy world we live in... but you can still make a smoothie even if you don't have protein powder on hand:
3-4 ice cubes
Almond milk (chocolate, vanilla or original), or water
2 tablespoons of almond butter
2-3 handfuls of frozen fruit
top with water and blend away.
Feeling like shakin' it up a bit? Add a 1/2 banana! Have protein powder but not almond butter? Leave it out and make your smoothie anyway! Get in your kitchen and pretend you are Bill Nye! Experiment! As the Frizz would say "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!"
We need to stop being afraid of cooking and making food. We live in a world so filled with "conveniences" that sometimes we forget to actually work at something and take the easy road. I'm not saying to boycott Booster Juice for the rest of your life, but paying $10 for a smoothie that you can make at home is just not as rewarding (for you or your bank account).
A smoothie is your quick protein and carb fuel after a good workout. Your muscles need that fuel to repair themselves after any damage that might have occurred from workin' them so damn hard (relative to each person's individual fitness level, of course).
First things first, you need a Magic Bullet or a blender. I love the Bullet because it's fairly inexpensive ($30 at Canadian Tire right now), and it makes a nice sized single portion. Plus, you drink out of the container that you're blending in, so that's one less glass to wash later - total bonus! (especially if you don't have a dishwasher like me).
Here is my post-workout smoothie with "variations." I'm not listing a bunch of recipes because that's stupid... you can easily swap ingredients in and out of a smoothie and it's still going to be delicious, and it's still going to do it's job to fuel your muscles.
Start with your Magic Bullet "cup".
Fill halfway with Silk True Almond milk (original or vanilla - vanilla is much sweeter if you really like your sugar)
Add in 1-2 handfuls of frozen fruit
Add 1 scoop of protein powder: I prefer either Sunwarrior Protein Powder (natural or vanilla), or Arbonne Essentials Vanilla Protein Shake Mix
Add 1 heaping tsp or 1 tbsp of almond butter
Fill remainder of cup with either water or pure (no sugar added) orange juice.
Blend for about 10-15 seconds and enjoy!
Both protein powders listed are vegan, which is great for us non-dairy/non-casein people. Some people love their lactose-free whey powder, so if you're fine with milk protein (casein) but just not lactose, then I'd opt for Provitalex by Cytomatrix.
What about if you just ran out of protein powder?! What a crazy world we live in... but you can still make a smoothie even if you don't have protein powder on hand:
3-4 ice cubes
Almond milk (chocolate, vanilla or original), or water
2 tablespoons of almond butter
2-3 handfuls of frozen fruit
top with water and blend away.
Feeling like shakin' it up a bit? Add a 1/2 banana! Have protein powder but not almond butter? Leave it out and make your smoothie anyway! Get in your kitchen and pretend you are Bill Nye! Experiment! As the Frizz would say "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!"
We need to stop being afraid of cooking and making food. We live in a world so filled with "conveniences" that sometimes we forget to actually work at something and take the easy road. I'm not saying to boycott Booster Juice for the rest of your life, but paying $10 for a smoothie that you can make at home is just not as rewarding (for you or your bank account).
Monday, July 29, 2013
Paleo challenge accepted
I feel like IBS is a lifelong battle. Most days I feel great (owning to my already 90% clean diet), but that other 10% is so variable. As far as gluten-free grains go, my body can tolerate it's fair share, however, my body has been putting up a fight recently.
The worst part is that I don't actually know what I'm reacting to. Sometimes it's nightshades, and other times I can eat tomato sauce without any consequences.
So least to say I'm getting a bit frustrated. And there's only one thing to do when I get this frustrated: Go back to Paleo.
My "modified paleo" from an earlier blog post is getting an upgrade to "semi-serious paleo".
It means going back to preparing and cooking most meals. My glorious burger at Paradise Farms Beef Bistro will have to be bunless (not even the gluten free buns will suffice). My Mennonite-raised chicken plates will now have to be rice-less. My breakfasts will no longer light up my morning with brown-rice toast. I am toastless.
I'm going back to my paleo recipe books, and a grocery shopping "spree" at Ambrosia in North York has fulfilled my breakfast woes.
Paleo Rules:
1) No grains. At all. Not even rice (which is super heartbreaking... almost as heartbreaking as when a clinic colleague told me that rice is contaminated with arsenic. Not meaning to start a revolt here, but if anyone has this research info, please pass it my way.)
On the upside, just found a company that makes Grain-free cereal. I'm not kidding. Ironic since the company is named JK Gourmet. I saw the packages on the grocery store shelf and it was like I had found the holy grail of cereal. Just nuts, seeds, figs with hemp and chia... pour a little almond milk on top and I have a little bowl of protein and fiber heaven.
2) Legumes are out. That's an easy one since I really don't appreciate being really gassy and bloated. It's just not my style. I still crave hummus, but it's not worth it if I can't digest it properly. GI tract, you win this battle.
3) Eating lots more fresh veggies. I crave them daily anyway, so now it's just about committing the time to go to farmer's markets and picking up fresh produce every few days.
4) No dairy. Easy peasy. My dairy replacements have always held a special place in my heart... which is basically attached to my stomach... metaphorically of course. I'd be pretty worried if they were anatomically connected. No one wants a hiatal hernia with two fused organs. That's serious BNB (bad news bears).
My latest dairy replacement joys:
6) Be creative with eggs. I'm so used to eating eggs over-easy with toast that now it's time to switch it up. They're a great source of protein and are Gaston-approved (though I do not recommend eating 5 dozen eggs.... or raw eggs in general... that's just ridiculous.)
7) My goal is to stick to only the following oils: coconut, olive, and walnut
8) Try my best to only buy meats from one of my butchers. Or try to find someone that sells like 1/4 of a whole pasture-raised cow. If anyone knows where to get meat from happy farm animals in the greater Toronto area, let me know :)
So this is what it has come to. I'm going to commit to this challenge as much as humanly possible, but we all know that life is unpredictable. I'll post anything that I find to be ridiculously delicious, and I may blog about any failed meals - just to be fair.
It's hard when your GI tract runs your life, but really, how is the body suppose to run (figuratively and literally) properly if it's not fueled properly? Or if it's chronically damaged and doesn't get the chance to heal properly? It's not rocket science to figure out... just a tough battle with food habits.
The worst part is that I don't actually know what I'm reacting to. Sometimes it's nightshades, and other times I can eat tomato sauce without any consequences.
So least to say I'm getting a bit frustrated. And there's only one thing to do when I get this frustrated: Go back to Paleo.
My "modified paleo" from an earlier blog post is getting an upgrade to "semi-serious paleo".
It means going back to preparing and cooking most meals. My glorious burger at Paradise Farms Beef Bistro will have to be bunless (not even the gluten free buns will suffice). My Mennonite-raised chicken plates will now have to be rice-less. My breakfasts will no longer light up my morning with brown-rice toast. I am toastless.
I'm going back to my paleo recipe books, and a grocery shopping "spree" at Ambrosia in North York has fulfilled my breakfast woes.
Paleo Rules:
1) No grains. At all. Not even rice (which is super heartbreaking... almost as heartbreaking as when a clinic colleague told me that rice is contaminated with arsenic. Not meaning to start a revolt here, but if anyone has this research info, please pass it my way.)
On the upside, just found a company that makes Grain-free cereal. I'm not kidding. Ironic since the company is named JK Gourmet. I saw the packages on the grocery store shelf and it was like I had found the holy grail of cereal. Just nuts, seeds, figs with hemp and chia... pour a little almond milk on top and I have a little bowl of protein and fiber heaven.
2) Legumes are out. That's an easy one since I really don't appreciate being really gassy and bloated. It's just not my style. I still crave hummus, but it's not worth it if I can't digest it properly. GI tract, you win this battle.
3) Eating lots more fresh veggies. I crave them daily anyway, so now it's just about committing the time to go to farmer's markets and picking up fresh produce every few days.
4) No dairy. Easy peasy. My dairy replacements have always held a special place in my heart... which is basically attached to my stomach... metaphorically of course. I'd be pretty worried if they were anatomically connected. No one wants a hiatal hernia with two fused organs. That's serious BNB (bad news bears).
My latest dairy replacement joys:
- Cultured coconut milk - just like yogurt, only better.
- Silk True Almond milk - all varieties. The dark chocolate flavour is so delicious! You can even use it when making a protein shake
- Coconut Bliss chocolate coconut ice-cream bars. Dairy Queen, you can't even compare... go drown yourself in the pool. Seriously. If vanilla soft serve is Justin Bieber, then Coconut bliss bars are a genetic hybrid of Rosemary Clooney and Justin Timberlake. Bieber... you are way out of your league. Plus apparently he keeps spitting on people which I really don't understand. Perhaps he's just watched "Titanic" one too many times and is practicing how to "spit lik'a man."
6) Be creative with eggs. I'm so used to eating eggs over-easy with toast that now it's time to switch it up. They're a great source of protein and are Gaston-approved (though I do not recommend eating 5 dozen eggs.... or raw eggs in general... that's just ridiculous.)
7) My goal is to stick to only the following oils: coconut, olive, and walnut
8) Try my best to only buy meats from one of my butchers. Or try to find someone that sells like 1/4 of a whole pasture-raised cow. If anyone knows where to get meat from happy farm animals in the greater Toronto area, let me know :)
So this is what it has come to. I'm going to commit to this challenge as much as humanly possible, but we all know that life is unpredictable. I'll post anything that I find to be ridiculously delicious, and I may blog about any failed meals - just to be fair.
It's hard when your GI tract runs your life, but really, how is the body suppose to run (figuratively and literally) properly if it's not fueled properly? Or if it's chronically damaged and doesn't get the chance to heal properly? It's not rocket science to figure out... just a tough battle with food habits.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Underutilized and Unappreciated kitchen ingredients.
Are you bored with your cooking? Tired of cutting yourself while peeling carrots? Has lettuce lost its appeal? Potatoes aren't giving you the flavour you need?
We all come across those cooking slumps where you feel like you've made the same dish over and over again, and you need some new inspiration. For me, that usually that means it's time to hit Chapters/Indigo and sift through the cookbook section. Or I consult with my friend T who will always present me with the most amazing food I've ever had and gladly hand over the recipes (like the duck and bacon soup).
Most of the larger grocery stores will usually carry quite a variety of fruits and vegetables, but how often do we just walk past them and only go for the ones we've had a million times?
Feel like being risky? Or maybe you just need to spice up an old favourite? Here are my top 10 ingredients that I think are underutilized and under-appreciated:
1) Not a veggie, but a spice: Star Anise. They're like cute little wooden twinkle starts that don't twinkle. If you like licorice, the smell is almost intoxicating. T also told me that when I'm making anything with ground beef and onion, to put 1-2 stars in with it because there is some magical chemical reaction that happens with the cooking onion and star anise and it seriously makes everything taste magical.
2) Parsnips: I like to think Parsnips are carrots' cousins. they kinda look the same except that parnsips are white. But don't let the colour fool you! They aren't like potatoes where white = bland. Parsnips are sweeter than carrots. I like to julienne them and put them in with my Fish en Papillote. Drizzle with EVOO, lemon and honey before baking, and they are incredible!
3) Turnips (aka turnups). Not only used by Italian plumbers who throw them at their enemies to kill them, turnips have an amazing transformation when you cook them. Just peeled and cut raw, they smell like horseradish, but once you cook/roast them fully, they turn into this incredible sweet and soft vegetable, perfect for stews, soups and sheppard's pie.
4) Kale: Kale is like the Zac Effron of vegetables. It's becoming more trendy, with kale chips being all the rage. The best tip about sauteeing kale, steaming it or baking it into chips is to massage the kale! Drizzle with EVOO and massage it into the leaves. And really, who wouldn't want to rub oil all over Zac Effron? Want to make kale chips? Cut the kale into smaller pieces, massage with oil, sprinkle with salt and then bake in a single layer on parchment paper for about 25 minutes at 350 F - flipping once half way. Bake until crisp, but not brown.
5) Okay this one isn't quite a "new" or interesting veggie, but I think it's completely different. Remember that episode of Friends where Pheobe tries to list all the different kinds of celery and she can only come up with "Regular celery"? Well Pheobe, there is another kind of celery which is unlike Regular celery and it's called "Organic Celery". I don't know why organic celery is so different, but it's amazing. It's firmer, not as cracked or damaged; It has more flavour and is greener (like the colour... not like the saving the planet) . It's like celery that has been on a paleo diet and been doing P90X for the past 6 months. It's super celery. Incorporate more celery into your diet and make it Organic!
6) Leeks. Leeks are the basketball players of the onion world. Like a giant green onion. Although they're not a crazy vegetable, we don't use them enough. Sautee them in a pan with cut up bacon (the real smoked side bacon kind, not the stuff you buy in a package at the grocery stores... go find a butcher.) and like star anise, the smell is intoxicating. You can also mix bacon with brussel sprouts and taste the magic.
7) Cauliflower. Again, not an exotic vegetable, but it is pretty boring. And what kid really says that they love cauliflower? So here are my tips: Steam it and mash it like potatoes, except that it will be superior to potatoes because it is actually filled with real nutrients. Make it creamy with a touch of coconut milk/cream and grind fresh pepper over it. OR take the raw cauliflower, grate it with a cheese grater, then cook it with coconut oil over medium heat for "riced" cauliflower - an excellent paleo alternative to rice in any rice dish you make.
Okay, I realize that there are only 7, but I'm having brain fog. I think it's time to go eat something before I get the "Kingitis" (low blood sugar in my family).
We all come across those cooking slumps where you feel like you've made the same dish over and over again, and you need some new inspiration. For me, that usually that means it's time to hit Chapters/Indigo and sift through the cookbook section. Or I consult with my friend T who will always present me with the most amazing food I've ever had and gladly hand over the recipes (like the duck and bacon soup).
Most of the larger grocery stores will usually carry quite a variety of fruits and vegetables, but how often do we just walk past them and only go for the ones we've had a million times?
Feel like being risky? Or maybe you just need to spice up an old favourite? Here are my top 10 ingredients that I think are underutilized and under-appreciated:
1) Not a veggie, but a spice: Star Anise. They're like cute little wooden twinkle starts that don't twinkle. If you like licorice, the smell is almost intoxicating. T also told me that when I'm making anything with ground beef and onion, to put 1-2 stars in with it because there is some magical chemical reaction that happens with the cooking onion and star anise and it seriously makes everything taste magical.
 |
| Star anise (image from www.theperfectpantry.com) |
2) Parsnips: I like to think Parsnips are carrots' cousins. they kinda look the same except that parnsips are white. But don't let the colour fool you! They aren't like potatoes where white = bland. Parsnips are sweeter than carrots. I like to julienne them and put them in with my Fish en Papillote. Drizzle with EVOO, lemon and honey before baking, and they are incredible!
4) Kale: Kale is like the Zac Effron of vegetables. It's becoming more trendy, with kale chips being all the rage. The best tip about sauteeing kale, steaming it or baking it into chips is to massage the kale! Drizzle with EVOO and massage it into the leaves. And really, who wouldn't want to rub oil all over Zac Effron? Want to make kale chips? Cut the kale into smaller pieces, massage with oil, sprinkle with salt and then bake in a single layer on parchment paper for about 25 minutes at 350 F - flipping once half way. Bake until crisp, but not brown.
5) Okay this one isn't quite a "new" or interesting veggie, but I think it's completely different. Remember that episode of Friends where Pheobe tries to list all the different kinds of celery and she can only come up with "Regular celery"? Well Pheobe, there is another kind of celery which is unlike Regular celery and it's called "Organic Celery". I don't know why organic celery is so different, but it's amazing. It's firmer, not as cracked or damaged; It has more flavour and is greener (like the colour... not like the saving the planet) . It's like celery that has been on a paleo diet and been doing P90X for the past 6 months. It's super celery. Incorporate more celery into your diet and make it Organic!
6) Leeks. Leeks are the basketball players of the onion world. Like a giant green onion. Although they're not a crazy vegetable, we don't use them enough. Sautee them in a pan with cut up bacon (the real smoked side bacon kind, not the stuff you buy in a package at the grocery stores... go find a butcher.) and like star anise, the smell is intoxicating. You can also mix bacon with brussel sprouts and taste the magic.
7) Cauliflower. Again, not an exotic vegetable, but it is pretty boring. And what kid really says that they love cauliflower? So here are my tips: Steam it and mash it like potatoes, except that it will be superior to potatoes because it is actually filled with real nutrients. Make it creamy with a touch of coconut milk/cream and grind fresh pepper over it. OR take the raw cauliflower, grate it with a cheese grater, then cook it with coconut oil over medium heat for "riced" cauliflower - an excellent paleo alternative to rice in any rice dish you make.
Okay, I realize that there are only 7, but I'm having brain fog. I think it's time to go eat something before I get the "Kingitis" (low blood sugar in my family).
Monday, March 25, 2013
Kitchen Adventures... what NOT to do
What's a girl to do when her boyfriend is away? Cooking and cleaning! I swear it's not as anti-feminist as it seems.
I decided to have a kitchen adventure and make a brand new and very complicated recipe. Except that it's not that complicated... it just required me going to a grocery store that I never use - which is an adventure in itself! I was all disoriented. Figs were starting to look like chestnuts. The fresh meats were nowhere to be seen. But thankfully the employees, scattered all around the store, all wore nice bright red shirts and were able to direct me when I got lost.
Then I hit the LCBO for two types of Port and really had no idea what I was even looking for. I mean, I couldn't really tell which would be good for a soup, so I based my decision on the amount of bonus Air Miles that was offered with each one.
The next part of this adventure was cooking duck. I'd never done it before and was a little scared. It's a whole other species of bird! But I have to say that I was pretty impressed with my mallard intuition. My duck soup was a success but not without a few hiccups. So to help your future kitchen endeavors, I'm giving you my "What NOT to do during a kitchen adventure" list:
1) If you have a paper cut, wear gloves when touching minced garlic. Ditto for lemon/lemon juice. The pain is so incredible that at that moment I almost wanted to amputate my entire arm.
2) If you plan on chopping up and handling jalapeno peppers, make sure to take out your contact lenses and then DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYE. If you do, you will feel like a fountain of sulfuric acid is pouring gingerly over your eyeballs.
3) Always use protection when handling hot objects. You must wear oven mitts when removing a cast iron skillet from a hot oven. If you do not, there will be much burning.
4) Just because an oven mitt doesn't technically conduct heat, you should not touch the part of the oven mitt that was in contact with the hot object only seconds ago. It's still pretty damn hot.
5) Always read the entire recipe before starting it and make sure you understand all the steps don't miss anything. Sheppard's Pie just isn't the same without the ground beef.
Numbers 1, 3 and 4 were from today. The upside is that the duck soup was a success.
I decided to have a kitchen adventure and make a brand new and very complicated recipe. Except that it's not that complicated... it just required me going to a grocery store that I never use - which is an adventure in itself! I was all disoriented. Figs were starting to look like chestnuts. The fresh meats were nowhere to be seen. But thankfully the employees, scattered all around the store, all wore nice bright red shirts and were able to direct me when I got lost.
Then I hit the LCBO for two types of Port and really had no idea what I was even looking for. I mean, I couldn't really tell which would be good for a soup, so I based my decision on the amount of bonus Air Miles that was offered with each one.
The next part of this adventure was cooking duck. I'd never done it before and was a little scared. It's a whole other species of bird! But I have to say that I was pretty impressed with my mallard intuition. My duck soup was a success but not without a few hiccups. So to help your future kitchen endeavors, I'm giving you my "What NOT to do during a kitchen adventure" list:
1) If you have a paper cut, wear gloves when touching minced garlic. Ditto for lemon/lemon juice. The pain is so incredible that at that moment I almost wanted to amputate my entire arm.
2) If you plan on chopping up and handling jalapeno peppers, make sure to take out your contact lenses and then DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYE. If you do, you will feel like a fountain of sulfuric acid is pouring gingerly over your eyeballs.
3) Always use protection when handling hot objects. You must wear oven mitts when removing a cast iron skillet from a hot oven. If you do not, there will be much burning.
4) Just because an oven mitt doesn't technically conduct heat, you should not touch the part of the oven mitt that was in contact with the hot object only seconds ago. It's still pretty damn hot.
5) Always read the entire recipe before starting it and make sure you understand all the steps don't miss anything. Sheppard's Pie just isn't the same without the ground beef.
Numbers 1, 3 and 4 were from today. The upside is that the duck soup was a success.
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