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Archive for the ‘How To & Tips’ Category

February 8th, 2022

Blog, Cooking Technique, How To & Tips

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Is It Safe to Cook with a Microwave Oven?

Cooking with a well working microwave oven is quick, easy and safe

Next couple posts – and many more in the future – will show how to warm easy to make pasta meals in the microwave oven. Before actually showing how to make any of those meals, I first want to address a concern some people have about microwave oven cooking safety prompted by a recent comment left on my “How to Make Microwave Cooked Broccoli” video stating that microwave cooking changes vegetable cell structure and therefore makes those microwave cooked vegetables potentially cancerous.

I’ve heard that comment before. I’m sure you have, too. It is not true. Microwave cooking does not change cell structure other than potentially bursting their cell walls as steam builds inside the cells when they are heated the same way vegetable cells can burst through stove top or oven cooking.

Here is a description explaining how microwave ovens cook food that I paraphrased from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and World Health Organization (WHO) resources listed at the end of this article: An electronic tube, called a magnetron, inside a microwave oven converts ordinary wall socket electric power into 2450 Megahertz microwaves (electromagnetic waves that are about 5 inches long) that cause molecules in water, fats and sugars in food to vibrate very quickly. That fast vibration and friction, like rapidly rubbing your hands together, causes heat which then cooks the food.

Here’s what the magnetron looks like in my microwave oven.

In order the ensure safe cooking, as detailed in your microwave oven owner’s manual,…

…make sure there are no cracks inside the microwave walls or door seal. Use only microwave safe containers or dishes when cooking food in a microwave oven and don’t cover foods with plastic wrap to prevent splatter because some of the plastic can melt and get into your food. As shown below, I use a wetted paper towel to prevent splatter, which works great!

Below are some excellent resources for more detailed information and answers to common microwave oven use questions.

Click this link or the picture below for Cooking with Microwave Ovens from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Click this link or the picture below for the US Food & Drug Administration’s Microwave Oven Radiation webpage.

Click this link or the picture below for Questions and Answers about Microwave Radiation by the World Health Organization (WHO).

July 17th, 2021

Blog, How To & Tips

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How to Sharpen a Kitchen Knife Without a Knife Sharpener

First, sorry for the delay between the last post and this one. Had to focus on other parts of life – but always made sure to make the most of putting together something good to eat for all meals. That is non-negotiable!

This is the last knife sharpening tip, but it’s a good one to deal with the most important tool in the kitchen, a sharp knife.

Now, let’s say you’re away from home, and the knife you’re given to use is dull and there’s no real knife sharpener to be found? No problem. Here’s an excellent tip I learned from a great group of Gelug Tibetan monks while making lunch together with them years ago. To sharpen a dull knife, just run the blade you want to sharpen over the hard-edged back of another knife as shown below.

It’s actually very easy and effective to sharpen a knife “on-the-fly” like this, though using a real sharpener does a better job keep the blade both sharp and true without pits and gouges that can develop on the knife edge if you use only this method.

Here’s how to use the same technique to sharpen a short-bladed knife, like a paring knife.

All right! Next posts: food!

April 18th, 2021

Blog, How To & Tips

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How to Sharpen a Kitchen Knife with an Electric Knife Sharpener Picture Book Directions

Last two posts showed how to sharpen a kitchen knife with a handheld knife sharpener and a sharpening steel. This post provides a direct link to picture book directions that show how to sharpen a kitchen knife with an electric knife sharpener.

ne thing to note: electric knife sharpeners come in many varieties. Any will sharpen your knife, though those with multiple stage slots, like the one shown below, are more efficient (and, as expected, more expensive) at taking a knife from a coarse to a finely sharpened edge. Before using an electric knife sharpener, make sure you are familiar with the sharpener manufacturer’s owner’s manual (yep, this coming from a guy who routinely avoids directions unless absolutely necessary) and then use the picture directions you can get by clicking this link or any picture on this page.

April 4th, 2021

Blog, How To & Tips

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How to Sharpen a Kitchen Knife with a Sharpening Steel Picture Book Directions

As mentioned in the last post that showed how to sharpen a kitchen knife using a handheld 1 or 2-stage knife sharpener, a dull kitchen knife is the most dangerous piece of equipment in the kitchen. This post shows how to sharpen a kitchen knife safely with a sharpening steel.

First, the key to using a sharpening steel safely is to slide the knife blade of any size across the steel and away from your body when running the knife both on top of the sharpening steel…

…and bottom of the sharpening steel.

Second, not all sharpening steels are the same. Some of the steels are cut with fine lengthwise grooves while others are diamond dust coated as shown below.

There is a difference in performance. A diamond dust coated sharpening steel can actually help you shape a freshly sharpened knife edge. A grooved sharpening steel will only true/straighten a knife edge that has become curved and bent and, therefore, stops cutting efficiently. A grooved steel will help keep a sharp edge, whereas a diamond coated steel, if used properly, will create a new edge.

Click this link or any picture above for easy-to-follow step-by-step picture book directions that show how to put it all together to sharpen a kitchen knife safely with a sharpening steel.

March 6th, 2021

Anti-inflammatory Recipes, Blog, Breakfast, Cereal, Cycling Food, Fitness Food, Grains, How To & Tips

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Stove Cooked Steel Cut Oats Picture Book Directions

Steel cut oats: great stuff – for lots of reasons!

First, taste – and tastes always rules! Steel cut oats have a rich, nutty flavor and taste great in both sweet and savory dishes – I’ll show examples in future posts.

At the same time, they are both a complete protein source and a complex carbohydrate, which makes them ideal for sustained, not spike and drop, energy, like the kind of energy you need for a good run, bike ride, hike or just to get through a long work day. They’re also rich in fiber and anti-inflammatory (next post will show how to cook steel cut oats to accommodate people on the first phase of a diet intended to relieve IBD).

Here’s how rolled oats (left) look compared to steel cut oats (right).

The big difference between the two is pre-processing. Unlike rolled oats, which are hulled, pre-cooked and then flattened by heavy rollers to allow for quicker home cooking, steel cut oats are not hulled or precooked, which allows the same oat grain to retain more of its nutrition and flavor.

To learn more about steel cut oats and how to cook them as easily as possible – just 25 minutes on the stove almost all hands-free, just click this link or any picture on this page for complete, easy-to-follow step-by-step picture book directions.

February 27th, 2021

Blog, Breakfast, Cooking Technique, Cycling Food, Fitness Food, How To & Tips, Nutrition, One Bowl Meals, Pancakes, Running Food

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How to Take Scrambled Pancakes From Simple to Exciting!

Last post showed how to make scrambled pancakes, which are really just modified scrambled eggs with pumped up flavor (flavor rules!) and nutrition.

This post shows how to take those scrambled pancakes from simple to exciting…

…using only “commonly” found ingredients, like those shown below. I put commonly in parentheses because ingredients that might be common to me – or anyone else in particular – might not be common to you. As always, what you see below are only suggestions to stir up your imagination and give you a sense of technique. Use any added ingredients you want to take your scrambled pancakes from simple to exciting.

With your portion of scrambled pancakes in a bowl either fresh off the stove or warmed in the microwave oven, start topping with a good spoonful of peanut, almond or any nut butter (to make your own in advance, click this link), a good spoon of jam (honey or maple syrup), and 1-2 tablespoons of yogurt (I like non-fat Greek yogurt for its flavor and potent protein content).

Add your choice of quickly rinsed fresh fruit. I’m using pitted fresh cherries (in the winter, from Chile – killer flavor and crisp crunch!) and blueberries.

Add any dried fruit – optional but something I always do. I’m using chopped dried dates, but you can substitute with raisins, dried cranberries, dried prunes – you get the idea.

Finish off with a good shot of kefir, whipped cream or anything you like.

And that is all there is to taking easy, completely improvised scrambled pancakes from simple to exciting, also by improvising to satisfy your drive for full on flavor.

As I mentioned in the last post, that you see above just as is powered me through the 40 mile bike ride shown below at a decent pace – no problem at all, except for keeping up with Josh, Greg and hammer-fast Juan.

February 4th, 2021

Anti-inflammatory Recipes, Blog, Drinks, Drinks (no alcohol), Fitness Food, How To & Tips

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Warm Antidote to Bitter Cold: Ginger Mint Tea with Picture Book Directions

Man, it’s been and is brutally cold across much of the US. So, how ’bout we turn this…

…into this…

…all in a cup. Ginger mint tea is something I make and drink everyday – warm, fully flavorful and all anti-inflammatory.

Just click this link or any picture above for Ginger Mint Tea picture book directions. Then, enjoy – and stay warm!

May 12th, 2019

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Cycling Food, Dessert, Fitness Food, How To & Tips, Nuts

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Easy Chopped Nuts Picture Directions

Last post mentioned that I’d next show how to make a mix of chopped nuts and ground flaxseed that I use with much more than the Bell Pepper with Cilantro Pesto-Hummus and Cheese I showed how to make. As a first step, though, I thought I’d show here how to chop nuts as quickly and easily as possible.

Nuts are a fantastic source of plant-based protein and healthy fats. I put them in cereal, with fruit and yogurt, in salads, with pasta or grains, and much more. The only thing to watch for with nuts is that they are packed with calories. Moderation is key.

And, that’s why I find it best to use chopped nuts exactly as needed instead of having a bag of those same nuts at my side to feed from, which I certainly have done – and paid for dearly.

There are two ways I chop nuts: with a food processor (preferred) or with a coffee grinder (fine for small amount but takes a bit of care).

Here’s how to chop nuts with a food processor. Use the S-shaped processor blade as shown in the top picture below and add as many nuts as needed to the food processor.

Close the processor top and turn on the processor for about 10 seconds until the nuts look about as shown in the bottom left picture.

To chop nuts in a coffee grinder, which works fine for small amounts, add nuts to the coffee grinder,…

…close the top, keep the top held firmly in place, and shake the grinder while keeping the grinder on for 5 or so seconds.

Make sure to unplug the grinder from the outlet, and then scoop out the chopped nuts as well as possible – without making yourself, well, nuts. Grinding your next batch of coffee with do a great job cleaning the grinder.

Store the chopped nuts in the refrigerator, where they will keep fresh for at least a few weeks – as long as the nuts you used were fresh when you chopped them.

April 3rd, 2019

Blog, Cooking Technique, Fitness Food, Grains, How To & Tips

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Microwave Cooked Quinoa Alfredo – Fast and Flavorful

Last post showed how to microwave oven cook quinoa. Like rice and pasta, quinoa, with it’s nutty flavor and snap-and-pop texture is incredibly versatile

Here’s one of my favorite fast and flavorful quinoa meals: microwave cooked quinoa Alfredo, Read more »

March 31st, 2019

Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Anti-inflammatory Recipes, Blog, Breakfast, Cycling Food, Grains, How To & Tips

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Microwave Cooked Quinoa Picture Book Directions

Quinoa (spelled as is but sounds like “Keen-Wah”) is killer excellent for nutrition, flavor, and versatility. Have it as is, add it to yogurt, use it instead of pasta or rice. Here’s how I’m having it now: combined with steel cut oats, bulgar wheat to make a multi-grain pancake covered with a fresh fruit topping, almond butter, a good shot of kefir, a squirt of honey – and a bucket of coffee (did I mention coffee?) – before rippin’ out for a gorgeous early spring Sunday road ride.