Oats
- an important and versatile product for today's healthy kitchens. Oats are high in nutrients and are a great
form of fiber. Avoid the instant form of
oats, instead use old fashioned or quick oats.
Store in cool, dry location. (I love oats for breakfast and the Old Fashioned are my
favorite. I cook them about 1/2 the time
the instructions call for giving them a wonderful texture. I do have to add a little sugar and butter,
actually more than I probably should, but I could eat oat meal every day. I also prefer the Old Fashioned for my
cookies to give them the extra chew.)
Oils
- One of the biggest goals of health focused cooking, is to reduce the amount
of fat we ingest. Oils are a fat and
should be used sparingly. In order to
get the most benefit out of your oils, use monounsaturated oils, such as olive,
canola or peanut. Monounsaturated oils
appear to be the most positive of all oils and fats. Although the calories are basically the same,
monounsaturated oils help enhance the levels of the good, high density
lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and control the bad, low density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol found in your body. What's
more, monounsaturated oils have wonderful flavors and aromas. Olive oils are available from mild to pungent
and can really enhance the flavors in your dishes. Peanut oil is ideal for any recipe that calls
for high temperature cooking. Most
importantly, is that goal and focus to cut back and limit the amounts of fats
and oils ingested. Avoid cottonseed and
coconut oils, as they are high in saturated fats. These oils are often times found in hydrogenated
oils and fats which you also want to avoid.
Hydrogenation is when a liquid oil is processed with an additional
hydrogen molecule and the resulting product is turned into a solid fat. Research has indicated that consuming
hydrogenated products might be the biggest concern when discussing consumption
of any type of fat or oil. Anything
labeled vegetable oil may contain one or both of these oils, and avoid all fats
and oils that have been hydrogenated. (I normally use olive oil for cooking and canola in my
baking. I'll also use canola oil for
frying, which I seldom do. I've always
heard these were the best but never really understood why. Now I do.)
Pasta
- universally loved by young and old alike, pasta is one of the most versatile
and limitless sources for menu ideas.
Have many varieties on hand, vermicelli, rotini, fettuccine, rigatoni
and try a new kind weekly. Try whole
wheat and other flavored varieties, like spinach or tomato. Store in a dry, cool location. Pre-cooking pasta will store in your
refrigerator, for up to 5 days in a tightly sealed container. (I don't think I
could live without pasta! I love all
shapes and sizes. The one think I have
trouble doing is switching to the whole wheat and flavored style. I'm doing better with the whole wheat but not
so well with the spinach and tomato.
It's pretty but it just doesn't seem 'normal.' Maybe one day.)
Pepper
- is the most common of all spices known.
Have a combination of white and black pepper for grinding over your
foods. You can also use peppercorns in
your dishes to add flavor. Store pepper
in a cool, dry location. (I have always used black pepper for seasoning until one day
I found myself out. I had a bottle of
white pepper and used that instead. I
couldn't believe the difference between the 2.
The white pepper seemed to be a bit hotter but also a different taste. I now use it in my stews and soups instead of
the black.)
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