Wednesday, August 27, 2014

My Refrigerator/Freezer Staples

There are several things that I almost always have in my fridge and freezer. It's important to find your own personal staples so that you are always prepared for when you're in a rush. Also, by having healthy staples in your house you won't be tempted by foods that may not be as nutritious.

What's Almost ALWAYS In My....

Refrigerator:

Unsweetened almond milk (Silk): Almond milk is a necessity in my opinion. Because I don't eat dairy, almond milk is my favorite milk alternative. I like to buy the Silk brand because it doesn't have carrageenan like the other brands (Almond Breeze) do. Carrageenan is a seaweed extract that can cause many digestive problems, so avoiding it is important. I use almond milk in almost everything; oatmeal, poured over frozen fruit, smoothies, and different desserts.







Leafy Greens: Greens are one of my favorite vegetables, and something I try to eat every day do keeping them in my fridge is a really great reminder for me to eat my daily greens! My favorites to have are spinach and kale because they go great with every dish, especially salads.



Raw Apple Cider Vinegar: ACV is the only non-acidic vinegar, which makes it a gentle vinegar on your digestive track. I love using raw ACV in everything, from salad dressing to drinking little sips of it every now and then. It's an amazing health booster to add to your diet, and having some in my refrigerator always reminds me to use a little everyday.






Tofu/Tempeh: Two of my favorite protein sources are organic tofu and tempeh. Both products are made from soybeans, and are good sources of plant based protein. Tempeh is my favorite because it is not as processed as tofu and it's fermented which makes digesting it a lot easier.





Hummus: Hummus is one of my favorite foods to have on hand because not only is a great source of fat, but it makes eating veggies even better. I wish I was cool enough to always make my own, but I usually just end up buying it which is fine, just make sure you're always reading that ingredient list! My favorites are roasted garlic and roasted red pepper, yum!





Raw Veggies: Just like leafy greens, veggies are another thing I make sure I eat daily. Having some sort of raw vegetable in the fridge always helps me to remember to eat them. Some that I always have on hand are carrots, celery and cucumbers.




Freezer:

Frozen fruit: To me, frozen fruit is one of the best things you can have in your freezer. Often times people don't buy fresh fruit because they're scared it's going to go bad, but if you buy it frozen then it'll never go bad!



Don't be scared of frozen fruit, just make sure there isn't any added sugar or preservatives (most frozen fruit doesn't). Often times frozen fruit has more nutrients than fresh fruit, because the fruit is picked and immediately frozen (which is preserving nutrients) unlike "fresh" fruit that is often times picked and then shipped thousands of miles to then sit on the grocery store shelve, allowing the amount of nutrients to decrease.


I could talk about frozen fruit all day, but it is definitely my most important staple item. Some of my favorite fruits to have on hand are blueberries, bananas (just freeze any bananas that are going bad), blackberries, and mango. Frozen fruit is very versatile, I use it as a key ingredient in smoothies, a great sweet treat to snack on, also I love pouring some almond milk over it and eating it like "cereal."

Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: I recently became obsessed with coconut, and love putting it in everything. It's such a good source of fat, and extremely delicious. I like to buy the unsweetened coconut shreds in bulk and just stick the bag in the freezer. I use it in oatmeal, over frozen fruit, in smoothies, and in many different desserts. It's also great to just snack on every now and then.



Flaxseeds: I honestly don't know what I would do without my flaxseeds. They are inexpensive, packed with fiber, omega-3s and can be used in almost everything. Also, they last for a very long time in the freezer, so you never have to worry about them going bad. I buy the milled flaxseeds, and love throwing them in oatmeal, smoothies, and any baked goods I may be making. They don't have a strong flavor, so they can really be used in anything! So instead of taking those stinky fish oil supplements, just throw some flaxseed in you morning cereal/oatmeal, or in a smoothie for some omega-3s!

Frozen peas: This is another food that I just couldn't live without. They are so delicious, and SO SO SO good for you! Frozen peas are pretty inexpensive, and they are a great source of iron and plant-based protein. Another reason why I love them is that they are very versatile; they can be steamed, roasted, thrown into salads, used as a base for a salad, and if you're super weird like me you can just snack on them frozen, right out of the bag!

Friday, August 22, 2014

My Experience Going to Natural Chef School

This summer I attended Central Carolina Community College's Natural Chef certification program in Pittsboro, NC. For a while I've been wanting to attend culinary school to gain a deeper knowledge and experience in cooking. But I knew that I didn't really want to spend an entire two years going to culinary school to get an associates degree.


When I found out that I could become not only a certified Chef, but a certified Natural Chef in just one summer I knew that this was an amazing opportunity for me and my career. The program offered by CCCC is a certificate program, that is one of just three in the country. Also, it is available at a super affordable price.



I began the program the week after my college classes ended, and completed the program the week before I moved into my apartment; so I definitely dedicated my summer to cooking.


The first week we were introduced to the kitchen, and the cafe that we would be running for the summer. We also learned proper etiquette when waiting tables, and working as a hostess. Once the second week came around we began planning menus and cooking/serving in the Natural Chef Cafe. Every week we had different daily themes that determined the meal we would prepare. Some examples were gluten-free day, vegan day, baking day, raw food day, local foods day, the list goes on and on.

  


Along with running the cafe, we also learned how to work in the kitchen. Working line, doing prep work, washing dishes, preserving food, etc. Throughout the program, we learned how to cook a variety of many different foods, from de-boning locally raised chickens to making quinoa salads to homemade dehydrated kale chips. We also got several opportunities to interact with the public by helping with catering events and even did a few days demonstrating simple cooking skills/recipes to the public.

    


We spent the last week of the program focusing on a few specific topics such as fermentation and baking which I found really interesting. Another really cool thing about CCCC's program is that there is a fully functioning organic farm on campus that we were able to tour, and cook the produce from. By having the farm close by and getting it's produce, it helped us learn how to cook in-season, local dishes which was a great experience. We were also able to tour a few local farms that provided a lot of the products that we cooked with.

  

There were fourteen people in the class, and everyone was taking the course for different reasons, which made it a great mix of skill levels and life experiences. The program helped me to network, and learn different things from other people that enjoyed food like I do. By the end of the summer my views as well as knowledge on food and cooking was widened and I felt more familiar in the kitchen as well with working with people.




 I would definitely recommend this program to anyone that wants to not only gain knowledge on cooking, but also on healthy eating and using food as medicine. All of the information about the program is on the CCCC website (http://www.cccc.edu/naturalchef/ ) so definitely check it out if you're interested!

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Back To School Snack Ideas



It's that time of year... classes are starting back up and the days seem to never end. Also, it's the time where packing snacks become a necessity. This is my first year living off campus, which means I don't have a meal plan anymore. To save money, bringing my own food to campus is crucial. Here are some of my super simple, and cheap snack ideas I like to throw in my book bag before heading out the door to class.

Energy bars:

One of the easiest packaged snacks ever are energy bars. They are so convenient and delicious, but can often be filled with preservatives and unnecessary added sugars. That's why I recommend LARA bars, they only have a few simple ingredients that taste delicious, with amazing flavor combinations. Although they can be expensive, they are worth it because you are paying for good quality, wholesome ingredients. But they are usually on sale, so keep your eye out for a good sale, or buy in bulk online!









Baby food:

Okay, so you might get slightly judged for bringing this snack to class, but baby food is seriously incredible. It is super cheap, and is almost always made without preservatives, and you can usually find an organic brand on sale. These squeeze packs are so useful, and compact to take with you on the go. They don't need to be refrigerated so you can just throw them in your bag and go! I would definitely suggest sticking with the fruit flavors, unless you're super brave and want to try out the carrot or beet ones. Baby food is just like flavored applesauce and is a great way to squeeze some fruit into your diet!

Rice  Cakes:

I mentioned rice cakes in my July Favorites  (http://cookinglittle.blogspot.com/2014/08/things-i-loved-in-july.html ) because they are such an easy snack to bring. I like them plain, but you could also pack a little container of peanut butter if you want to add some flavor. Make sure you check the ingredients on your rice cakes and only get the ones with rice as the only ingredient.








Dried Snacks:

A not so guilty pleasure of mine is dried fruit, especially dates. It is just like eating candy, and it is such a great snack because they are packed full of nutrients and carbohydrates for your body to use as quick energy. I also recently discovered these Carob Spirulina Energy Squares that you can find in most health grocery stores, or online. They are so delicious to snack on, and are bursting with nutrients and flavor. Another dried fruit that I love are dates, especially the coconut rolled dates. They have the perfect combination of fat and carbohydrates which makes them the best snack ever! Dried fruit makes a great snack to pack because you don't need a lot of it to fill you up, so it doesn't take up a lot of space.


Portable Fruits/Vegetables:

Some of my favorite portable vegetables and fruits are cucumbers (don't even bother cutting them up, just take a few bites from one throughout the day to kick any cravings), apples (again, you don't need to cut these), bananas (be careful not to squish them!), and carrots. All of these are great to throw in a little bag and snack on throughout the day.


 






Monday, August 4, 2014

Things I Loved In July

Rice Cakes:

This month I haven't been able to get enough rice cakes! They are so delicious, and I love how they only have ONE ingredient: rice! I've been getting the Full Circle Organic Rice Cakes (unsalted) and have been either just eating them plain, crumbling them up to put onto of things, or smashing a banana ontop. They are such a good base for just about anything; jam, fruit, hummus, or nut butter.

Asian Food:

At the beginning of the month my mom and I took a trip to the Grand Asian Market in Cary and I fell in love! I had never really enjoyed Asian cuisine, but once I had the "proper" ingredients I've really enjoyed incorporating Asian foods into my diet. I've been making sushi (without the fish) every so often, and also made a really delicious miso soup. The Grand Asian Market also had a really good selection of teas, so I've really been enjoying those as well (especially chamomile green tea).

 

 

Frozen Grapes:

I've been loving cold treats all this month, to stay cool, and frozen green grapes have been my favorite! All I do is rinse the grapes off and de-stem them and then put them in a jar and stick them in the freezer overnight. They are the perfect sweet, cold treat to suck on and enjoy throughout the day!



French Pressed Coffee:

I don't know why it's taken me so long to realize how amazing a french press is, but this month I came to that realization. French pressed coffee is so much better than drip coffee, it is so much richer and creamier. Also, it doesn't take up as much room/energy as a bulky coffee maker does.




Master Chef:

I've always enjoyed watching Master Chef, it's so entertaining and I love trying to create recipes in my mind from the ingredients the contestants are given in the show. It's definitely been one of my favorite TV shows this summer.









"The Secrets of People Who Never Get Sick":

This was the book that I read this month, and I found it so interesting as well as useful. It's an easy read and is fascinating to read about other people's regimens of how they stay healthy. Definitely a book to check out!