All About Fresh Ginger

Fresh Ginger

The other day, I panicked as I ransacked through the refrigerator in search of the one essential ingredient I needed for the recipe I was making. I pulled all of the fresh veggies from out of the crisper, scanned the back corners of the refrigerator on all four shelves to no avail. 

I was befuddled because it’s a staple that’s always in my fridge, but it just wasn’t there that day.  

What I was looking for was a piece of knobby ginger root to prepare my yummy red lentil curry dahl I was cooking for supper.

What Are The Different Types Of Baking Chocolate?

Does chocolate make you happy?

Yep it sure does! And I don’t think I’m the only one who would agree that eating a small bit of chocolate lifts your spirits. I’m not sure why chocolate has this effect on us but I’m sure there’s a scientific explanation. Chocolate is filled with protective antioxidants, about 300 chemicals compounds and caffeine. Any or all of these could contribute to a sense of well-being and alertness.

Have you ever wondered how a cocao tree produces chocolate? It would be fantastic if real chunks of chocolate grew from the cocao evergreen tree, but that’s not the case. In fact, it’s quite complicated. Here’s a quick synopsis of how chocolate becomes chocolate.

It comes from the tropical cocao evergreen tree. The tree grows large yellow, brown or reddish ribbed football shaped pods. Each pod has 20-70 white beans, which are about the size and shape of almonds and are enclosed in a sweet buttery pulp.  

Ribbed football shaped pods

How To Ripen An Avocado

As a kid I always ate avocados. Not because they were cool, they weren’t. In fact, food back in the day was never cool. I’m not even sure why my mom bought avocados. But she did, and they were always in our salads. As a kid I went through a “green thumb” phase where I actually grew an avocado tree. I stuck three wooden toothpicks into the giant brown seed and suspended it over a cup of water with the bottom half submerged. It sprouted roots. I planted it in a pot of dirt and kept it in my bedroom. It grew into quite a big and ugly green plant with a few broad shiny laurel-like leaves. I watered it, I babied it and took care of it like a pet. But it never did grow an avocado.

10 Ways To Snack Smart

Snacking is contagious. Don’t you agree? Once you start it’s tough to stop. Especially if it’s salty potato chips, greasy french fries or anything with chocolate. Avoiding these treats is tough but doable. Here are a few tips to help you snack smart.  

1.  Just Say No And Don’t Buy The Junk Food  

How To Avoid GMO Foods For The Everyday Home Cook

GMO Food Growing In A Field

“You don’t want to buy those strawberries,” says my neighbour with authority. “They’re so perfect they’re GMO strawberries.”

“No they aren’t,” I say politely. “Strawberries are not a GMO food.”

He looks at me with a blank stare, shakes his head as if I’ve just told him that people live on Mars and grow strawberries, and then abruptly changes the subject.

I get it. GMOs are confusing for the everyday home cook and a conversation non-starter. Many food labels proudly claim to be non GMO, which sounds fantastic. But, plenty of everyday home cooks purchase these products without fully understanding what non GMO represents. So to help you make informed decisions at the grocery store here’s a simple explanation about what GMO means and how to avoid them. 

All About The Radish

Radishes at the farmers market

Radishes were never part of my upbringing. I’m not sure why. My mom served us interesting foods but radishes never made it into her repertoire. It’s too bad because they’re some really interesting and unusual varieties and they can pack a big punch. It’s surprising how a cute little red and marble-size, yet sometimes globe-shaped, veg can wake up your taste buds.

What Is Farro?

Farro is a wheat, often referred to as an ancient grain

Farro is a wheat. Sometimes it’s referred to as an ancient grain, which makes it sound kind of special, demanding extra respect like an elder statesperson. But in fact, the term ‘ancient grain’ means it hasn’t been constantly bred and changed over time like other modern-day wheat. You may think because it’s called an ancient grain that it’s not actually a wheat, and is hence gluten free. But this isn’t so. Wheat is a whole grain, so if you’re celiac or have a wheat allergy, you should pass on farro.

If you haven’t tried it, I suggest you do. It's like a cross between barley and brown rice. It has a nutty flavour and a chewy texture. Farro comes raw, polished or semi polished. Raw farro needs to be soaked ahead of time and takes longer to cook than polished or semi polished. Farro must be rinsed before using and cooked like rice. It takes 20-40 minutes to cook depending on the variety used. It should be cooked al dente which means tender on the outside but with a still slightly chewy texture.

When buying farro store it in the refrigerator or freezer. It’s good in salads, soups, casseroles and pilaf.

Looking for a recipe to try using farro?

 Try our Spinach Salad with Radish, Chickpeas, Blueberries and Farro.

What Is Skyr Yogurt?

Skyr Yogurt

The number of yogurt products available at the grocery store is growing as fast as the cereal aisle. Have you noticed? The choices are endless: Balkan style, stirred, Greek, organic, 2%, 5%, or no per cent, sweetened, unsweetened, sweetened with artificial sweeteners. You get the idea. It’s enough to throw you into a full blown existential crisis right there in the dairy aisle.

Apple Muffin Recipe

Apple Muffins

After being told my cholesterol was too high, I set out in search for alternative solutions.  My quest led me to a faded pink waiting room.  I checked in with the busy receptionist then sat and waited, watching the streams of people coming and going.

10 Ways To Reduce Food Waste And Save Money On Your Monthly Food Bill

Only buy the veggies you need to reduce food waste

There’s so much guilt around food these days. We’re bombarded every day with guilt about our eating,  I suggest it’s time to by-pass the guilt and just enjoy food.  Appreciate all the tastiness, pleasure and health benefits it gives us, guilt-free…even if it’s a chocolate bar.

Let's Talk About Dates...the small, brown, oval-shaped dates that grow on palm trees

Benefits of Dates

With Valentine’s Day nicely tucked away for another year I thought it would be a good time to talk about dates.  No, not the date who showered you with good food, chocolates and red wine on February 14th, but the small, brown, oval-shaped dates that grow on date palm trees.

What is White Canned Tuna?

Canned Albacore Tuna

Do You Buy Canned White Albacore Tuna?

When you buy canned tuna fish at the grocery store do you buy white or light?  I recommend white tuna, also called Albacore tuna.  

How To Eat Kohlrabi

Green Kohlrabi

Do you buy and eat kohlrabi?  It’s a vegetable that looks intriguing but also intimidating.  It reminds me of a remote controlled green (or purple or white) space ship with green parachute leaves.  What do you with it?  Peel it? Cook it?  Or eat it raw?

I was told years ago in one of my classes that they were easy to grow and worth growing to eat, because they were, well, worth it.  

So when I found one sitting in my CSA box last season I was pleasantly surprised because I would be forced to try it.

I’m glad I did.  I peeled off the thick green layers, chunked it up and threw it into the evening stir fry.  I also threw some smaller pieces into a salad to eat raw.  It had a pleasant radish/turnip taste which melded  nicely with all the other veggies.

So, if you’re looking to add excitement to your nightly cooking routine, I challenge you to buy a veggie that you’ve never tried before but always wondered what it tastes like, such as Kohlrabi. Buy it, bring it home, figure out what to do with it and eat it.  You too, may be 

What Are Modified Milk Ingredients?

This package of cheese has "no modified milk ingredients"

“And, it’s made with real liquid milk,” said the elderly woman in a chef’s hat and apron at the grocery store.  

She handed me a small, free sample of Monterey Jack cheese produced by a Canadian cheese company. 

 “And, it has no modified milk ingredients in it.” She added.

“Oh really?” I said. “And what exactly are modified milk ingredients?”  

“Oh, it’s kinda like a paste or a powder, but not liquid milk.” 

Hmmm….not exactly a scientific answer, but my curiosity was piqued so I headed out to discover exactly what modified milk ingredients were and if I should be eating them.

Life Span of Pasta Sauce

“I keep my pasta sauce in the refrigerator until it grows mould on it. Is this okay? How long should I keep pasta sauce?” asks my niece Meryl.

Great question, I’m always surprised when I learn the shelf life of food products. To find the answer go to the manufacturers website and look under their FAQ section. Sometimes they share this information, sometimes they don’t. If the answer is not posted, then I either phone them up on their toll-free number or I email them the question. I always get an answer.

I checked out three different pasta sauces and got three different answers:

1. Prego Pasta Sauce (a division of Campbell’s) – I phoned and was told that once opened, the sauce should not be kept for more than 14 days (2 weeks) in the refrigerator. If you purchase more than you need, they suggest you freeze the extra in plastic freezer bags. It will keep frozen for up to 6 months. 

2. Ragu – on their website it says their rich and meaty sauce will last for up to 7 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in plastic bags in the freezer. However, if it’s a cheese creation sauce, than only a few days in the refrigerator and do not freeze.

3. Classico – Maximum 3 – 5 days in the refrigerator and 2-3 months in plastic storage bags in the freezer.

Remember, once you open a jar of pasta sauce, write the date somewhere on the outside of the jar. This way, you don’t have to wait until the mould grows!

How Much Water Should You Drink?

How much water should I drink?

Do you own the perfect water bottle?  

I’m always impressed by many people come to my classes with their beloved water bottles and sit them proudly on the table like a beacon of health. 

The bottles come in all shapes, styles and colours. Some are stainless steel with wide rims and others are coloured with drinking spouts that pull up. They are multi-coloured and round. And some can even hold a whole day’s worth of  water…these always impress me. 

Baffling Tomato Sauce & Tomato Sauce With Olives and Capers

Tomato Sauce

What's Ingredients Are In Tomato Sauce

Food labels always baffle me. You think you understand them but, like a good mystery novel, the unexpected always happens. For instance, I noticed a can of Hunt’s Tomato Sauce boasting a ‘Fat Free’ Status. Funny I thought, I never knew tomatoes contained fat—unless of course there is a new hybrid tomato laden with fat. Which you never know, food scientists are doing some funky things these days, like growing ground beef in a petri dish as recently reported in the National Geographic.

I just presumed tomato sauce was simply tomatoes mushed-up with a little water, like tomato juice but thicker. But on reading the ingredient list I noticed cottonseed oil, which sounds like a fat. Right? So how can it be “fat free”?

I phoned up Hunt’s and asked. They told me the cottonseed oil is used as a preservative and as the amount is so small, they don’t list it on the Nutrition Facts Label. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website, “Fat Free” means less than .05 grams of fat per serving size which, in this case, is half a cup.

So, technically it’s fat free. However, why should tomato sauce claim to be fat free in the first place?

My tomato sauce curiosity was piqued so I purchased three other brands and, although neither contained cottonseed oil or claimed to be ‘fat free,’ they all had other self-proclaimed attributes. By the way, cottonseed oil comes from the seeds of a cotton plant, which is not a vegetable (we wear cotton, we don’t eat it). One boasted “Source of Vitamin A.” the other, “Low Sodium” and the last one was a proud “product of Italy.” All four had different ingredients and nutritional facts listed. Purchasing tomato sauce turned out to be a true puzzle. It is no wonder labels and products baffle me.

Surprising, Refreshing Watermelon Salad