Back to Basics

I made a facebook page today, so thank you so so so so much to everyone who has already liked it. And those of you who have not... 

http://www.facebook.com/naturallyhealthyplease

do it please!!! :)

Eating and cooking more naturally means making simple dishes with quality ingredients. Combining these ingredients with flavorful spices is what makes food fun and interesting. It can be really easy if you learn a few basic methods. I realize that my recipes are a little vague sometimes, and I assume that most people can understand them, but for a lot of people reading, you may just be starting to explore cooking and glossing over specific steps can make following my recipes confusing (I guess not everyone watches the Food Network or reads recipes as much as me). So I'll tell you now what I mean when I say "julienne" or instruct you to make a roux. Plus, I'll tell you a couple simple methods that you can use for pretty much anything to make a complete meal.

Prepping for your dishes:
I don't like to waste food and throw stuff away unnecessarily so I don't generally peel my veggies unless I have to. A good scrub under running water usually does the trick.
"Julienne" is a term I use mostly for fresh basil, although it can refer to anything cut in small, thin strips. Basil just looks so pretty this way and leaves ribbons of flavor running through your food (technically it's called a chiffonade, but who's being technical??).
"Mince" means chop it up as tiny as you can. I do this for garlic, onions sometimes, or peppers.
Anything else can just be sliced or chopped to a uniform size. When chopping, I usually try to make about 1 inch cubes so everything cooks evenly.

Actually cooking:
To boil something, turn the heat up to high and wait until you get big, rolling bubbles through the pot.
To simmer means to make little tiny bubbles.
When heating oil, always start with cold oil in a cold pan and then turn the heat on. If the oil starts to smoke, it's too hot. It should just start to ripple and become less viscous and more liquidy when you move the pan around. Be careful when you add things to hot oil. Adding water makes the oil pop and sends little drops of hot oil shooting from the pan and onto you. Ouch.
Sauteeing just means adding the food to a little hot oil and cooking it to your desired doneness. It's important that the oil is hot so it's just used to keep the food from sticking and not to be absorbed by the food. Always keep an eye out when you're cooking, it's easy for stuff to burn at this stage. If you're going to add salt, this is a good time to do it so the moisture is released from the food (don't do this with mushrooms or eggplant, they'll get tough).

How to cook rice, and other grains, perfectly every time:
I just learned how to do this. I used to burn the rice every time I tried to make it, but when I actually had a little patience and took the time to read instructions, I figured out that cooking rice is the easiest thing ever. Add 2 1/2 parts water (or other cooking liquid) to a big pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 part rice (or other grain like barley, oatmeal, or quinoa) and immediately bring down to a simmer by turning the heat down to medium low. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed and your grain is tender. For brown rice, this is about 30-40 minutes. For oatmeal, it's only about 5 minutes. If you use this method, you will never have burned rice!

How to cook pasta:
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a little salt to the boiling water. Drop your pasta in the water and cook according to package instructions. Check to see if it's done by tasting it (not by throwing it against the wall).

The cheater's way to steam veggies:
I get a little lazy when it comes to steaming veggies. It's a real hassle to boil a pot of water and precariously perch your veggies above it without them touching the water. So I often use this method. Just put your veggies in a pan and add a few tablespoons of water. Turn the heat to medium and cover the pan with a lid. Stir the veggies often so they don't stick, and make sure there's always a little water in the bottom of the pan. Cook until tender.

How to roast anything:
This method works for everything: veggies, potatoes, chicken, whatever. You can leave the food whole or chop it into bite sized pieces (I chop my veggies and potatoes, but leave chicken, fish and tofu whole). Turn your oven on to 400 degrees. Put whatever you're going to cook in a big bowl. Add a couple tablespoons of oil, just barely enough to coat your food. Add salt and pepper and whatever other seasonings you choose. Fresh herbs for veggies, cayenne and cumin for potatoes, mustard and basil for chicken, lemon and dill for fish, for example. Get creative and mix and match flavors. Spread your food out in a baking dish in a shallow, even layer. Baking until cooked through. I would start checking after about 20 minutes for most things.

How to cook dried beans:
Cooking beans yourself can save you a lot of money but it can be a daunting task. The first time I bought beans in bulk, I had to do a lot of research to figure out how to cook them. I cook mine in 1 cup batches now to last me about a week. Put the dry beans in a large pot. Cover them with water and let them soak overnight. The next day, drain the beans. In the pot, make a layer of cut vegetables. Keep them in big chunks so you can fish them out later. I use onions, garlic, bell pepper, carrots, celery, and a sheet of seaweed. Then add any other spices you want to use. Add the beans to the pot in an even layer. Add just enough water to cover. Put the lid on and turn the heat on high. Bring to a boil, then immediately turn down to a simmer. Cook until the beans are tender, about 40 minutes.

Basic vinaigrette:
Add 1/2 cup of acid (either vinegar or citrus juice), 1 tbsp mustard or honey (to emulsify the dressing), add any other seasonings you want to include. While whisking, slowly pour in 1/3 cup olive oil.

Combining a couple of these methods tonight, I made a yummy dinner. I brought 1 1/4 cups water to a boil and added 1/2 cup brown rice. About 10 minutes before it was done, I added a chopped sweet potato to the pot with 1/2 cup cooked pinto beans. When it was done, I stirred in 1/2 cup salsa. This made about 3 servings. I had this with some faux steamed baby kale. 2 cups of baby kale cheater steamed like I described above. I finished it with a little red wine vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil.  Yummmm :)

nomnomnom

That's all I can think of to clarify now, but let me know if I'm missing anything!