Flavoring Oils and Vinegars
If you got a few empty containers lying around or old olive oil bottles, why not try something fresh and new such as flavoring oils !! This can add great flavor to your cooking.
I was at a speaking engagement not so long ago and introduced this to the audience, I was surprised that many did not know this was possible. It also looks cool on your kitchen counter !
1. Rinse and dry 2cups of your favorite fresh herbs such as basil, mint, dill, rosemary..whatever tickles your fancy!
2. In a jar or a tightly closed container, place 2 cups canola/olive oil/white wine vinegar with the fresh herbs (ensure all herbs are covered in oil), close container and place in a cool non sunlight area for about 10 days.
3. After 10 days have passed, place the oil or vinegar using a coffee filter into an air tight bottle. Try and look out for clear bottles as you can see the color infused into the oil or vinegar.
4. Cap the bottle and store in the refrigerator.
5. Store oil in fridge and vinegar in cupboard
Chef Stuart
The Quick Chef
I want tell you about this awesome Tupperware product called the QUICK CHEF, as a spokesperson for Tupperware, I go through each day in the kitchen using a lot of their wonderful product collections. Every week i will choose my favorite product that i love and give you simple tips to help you on becoming a master in the kitchen.
This week’s product is called the Quick Chef
I use this in my kitchen about 5 times a week. I always have some use for it. From making awesome summer salsas/ dips to chopping onions or garlic. The best thing about this product is that it is so easy to clean, it has 3 parts that can all be rinsed in hot soapy water which makes clean up a breeze. No more of those silly choppers with 50 components to them!!
Go to
to get yours now or check out a local Tupperware Party in your area or have your own !
It’s all about the sauces!
I want to talk to you a bit about sauces for food. I am going to give you some helpful simple recipes that you can use to go with your favorite protein. I used to always find myself saying “and what will i have with this chicken breast tonight?”. You have your veggies…check! your protein…check! but you forgot about what you will drizzle over them. Take these recipes and use them as a cheat sheet and at a moments notice you will be able to whip up some awesome sauce to go with your creation. And do not worry about the butter, even butter has a place in a healthy diet, just teach yourself to balance well. Sauces that are buttery, choose to have them with steamed veggies or fish. You can always work what you want into your diet with a little compromise.
Basic White Sauce
This is a spin on a classic 19th century recipe!
2 tablepsoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
3 strips, turkey bacon
2 tablespoons all- purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
small handful parsley
fresh cracked pepper
1. Place butter in small saucepan and heat on low.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery and bacon, cook for about 10 minutes. add flour and stir
3. Add milk in four parts, stirring with a fork or whisk. add parsley, salt and pepper.
4. bring to a simmer or until the sauce begins to thicken.
5. strain sauce
This makes about 2 cups, each serving is about 2 tablspoons. This sauce goes great with Pasta, Chicken or Pork.
My favorite Chicken/Fish Sauce
It’s my favorite sauce to serve with chicken or fish, decide which way you wanna go by either choosing fish stock or chicken stock.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 cups chicken/fish stock
salt and pepper
1. melt butter in small saucepan over low heat
2. Add flour to pan and cook for 3-5 minutes.
3. Add stock in 3 parts, constantly stirring until a smooth consistency is reached
4. Bring to a simmer until it becomes thick
5. season with salt and pepper
Red Wine Reduction
Since I am the type of chef that likes to cook fast, you can buy the demi glaze at gourmet stores or buy online.
1 cup cabernet sauvignon
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
3 tablespoons demi glaze
small handful thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 stick unsalted butter
salt and pepper
1. Add red wine, shallots, demi glaze, thyme and bayleaf to a small saucepan and bring to a boil for about 10-15 minutes
2. Add butter in 3 pieces, stirring constantly until smooth consistency is achieved.
3. Season to taste.
This goes extremely well with beef, veal or even duck !
There you have it, 3 simple sauces to make in no time to take your meal to another level !
How to Choose Healthy Fats and Oils
There are many to choose from — oils, butter, margarine, and cooking sprays — and some are healthier than others. Here are some of the options.
Olive oil
Olive oil is probably the most popular oil to cook with, and it’s one of the healthiest. It is high in monounsaturated fat and antioxidants, which may help to lower cholesterol and may also lower the risk of developing certain cancers. When you’re cooking with olive oil, use the “pure” type rather than “virgin” or “extra virgin.” Pure olive oil can take high heat and won’t lose flavor. If you choose to cook with virgin or extra-virgin olive oil, make sure you set a lower temperature. I personally stick to adding a little bit of extra-virgin oil to increase the flavor of foods after I cook them. It’s also delicious on salads and in marinades.
Canola Oil
This oil is another healthy choice. Studies have shown that it helps lower the risk of coronary heart disease. It contains the lowest amount of saturated fat compared to other common oils and a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Canola oil is also high in monounsaturated fat (but not as high as olive oil). It holds up wonderfully in high-temperature cooking, such as when you’re sautéing or stir-frying.
Butter
I think we can all say that we love butter — I do! I just remember to use it in moderation. Despite being high in calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol, it does contain vitamin A and other essential fatty acids. Most important to me is that butter is made from all natural ingredients. I recommend using it only on rare occasions and to limit the amount you use. Of course, it can be used in cooking, but I still recommend sticking to olive oil.
Margarine
I have nothing good to say about this product. I recommend staying away from it. The problem is that many margarines contain trans fats, which raise “bad” cholesterol levels and lower “good” cholesterol levels. For sautéing and stir-frying, olive or canola oil is a much better choice than margarine. The only time I’ll use margarine is if a baking recipe calls specifically calls for it. If you do use margarine, look for a brand whose packaging says “trans-fats-free.” I can’t say anything more on this product — I have to move on…my heart hurts!
Cooking Sprays
Honestly guys, spraying fat from a can does not seem natural to me, so I avoid these sprays. I admit I have tried various sprays in the past, but I always ended up using too much without even thinking about it. If you find cooking sprays convenient, be sure you use only what you need to lightly coat the pan so that you don’t add unnecessary fat and calories to your dish.
Cooking Tip: Make Your Own Infused Oils
Now that I’ve gone over different types of cooking fats, I want to tell you how to create your own flavored oils. Using infused oil is a great way of adding flavor to your food easily. This method is simple, but you do have to wait a couple of weeks for the finished product.
Here’s what you need:
Several teaspoons of your favorite fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme, or basil) and/or whole spices (such as cardamom, coriander seeds, or cloves)
One bottle of extra-virgin olive oil (or oil of your choice)
And here’s what you do:
Bruise the herbs and spices to release their flavors. You can do this by tapping down on them with the back of a knife or a rolling pin.
Empty the oil into a pan, and place the pan over low heat.
Place herbs and spices in the bottle.
When the oil is warm, pour it back into bottle over the herbs and spices.
Let the oil sit in the bottle for two weeks.
After two weeks, taste the oil. If the flavor has not taken too much, add more herbs. Infused oil can be stored in the refrigerator, where it will keep for about three months. (If it gets cloudy when it’s chilled, don’t worry. It will become clear when it comes back to room temperature.) Use the oil for cooking or drizzle it on salads or whole-wheat breads.
There you go! I hope I helped you choose the right fats to cook with.
Food Shopping the Healthy Way
Produce
As I’ve said, every time I walk into a produce department here I’m blown away by the amazing selection of fruits and veggies you guys have to choose from. Get this: I’d never eaten an avocado until I came to the States 4 and half years ago. It’s true! So don’t be afraid to try the stuff you haven’t had before — it’s a great gift to have these options at your fingertips.
Now, you don’t want to stock up on this food group, as it is perishable. I recommend buying only what you can eat within three days. In addition to that, frozen fruits and vegetables are great options, as they never spoil and you’ll have them on hand whenever you need them. Frozen fruit is great for morning smoothies, and frozen vegetables are a quick solution when you’re without a healthy side dish to go with your dinner. Broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and corn all freeze very well and retain a good amount of their nutritional value. There is also the option of dried fruit, though I can’t say I’m a huge fan of it. I prefer the fresh kind, but dried fruit can be good to have in the car, at the gym, or as an on-the-go snack to keep you satiated until the next mealtime.
Meat, Fish, and Poultry
When choosing red meat, you’ll want to have a price point in mind. If you have a lot to spend, the choice is easy: Get a lean cut with little or no fat. Funds a bit tighter this week? Look for meat that has a small amount of white fat surrounding the reddest part of the cut. With poultry, I smell it for freshness and go for the biggest skinless breast I can find (hey, I’m a big guy). If you can’t find skinless, buy the breast with the skin on it and just cut it off when you get home. When it comes to fish, I myself eat only salmon, tuna and Halibut. These are lean fish that offer maximum benefits, and honestly, I’ve just never been a big fish eater. If you are, you can also try cod, haddock, lobster, tuna, salmon, or tilapia (an easy fish to cook, and not expensive).
Bread, Rice, and Cereal
Carb it up! Don’t run away from grains — you need them in your diet, so forget all the crazy diet books you’ve been reading. The biggest grain trend at the moment is whole wheat, and for good reason! Most regular wheat products are refined, a process that causes them to lose most of their nutritional value. So look for whole grains when you’re shopping — and don’t be fooled! Read labels carefully. Look for 100% Whole Wheat.
The best whole-grain products are becoming more readily available every day, so there’s NO excuse for not opting for the whole-wheat pastas, breads, and cereals out there. Ezekiel Bread is a great whole-wheat product to try (And if you pick up a few whole-wheat pastas, pair them with tomato-based sauces rather than those high-fat creamy ones)
Dairy
This section is easy: Stick to either low-fat or nonfat products. Most companies now offer nonfat dairy products, and I can’t tell the difference most of the time. With cheeses, it’s okay to go with a hard cheese such as cheddar, Parmesan, or manchego. Even though these cheeses have a higher fat content, you can use them sparingly because they are quite strong and flavorful. When buying a softer cheese such as mozzarella, opt for the nonfat variety (nonfat mozzarella makes a great addition to cold salads). If you use low-fat cheeses on hot entrees, you’ll find they actually melt better!
Fats and Oils
I cook with canola oil and extra-virgin olive oil. Personally, I don’t like all those sprays out there — to me, it’s not natural to spray fat out of a can! Just use a small amount of the bottled stuff, and you’ll still be cooking healthily. As for the rest of this section, make sure you stick to low-fat salad dressings and go for nonfat mayo.
TIP OF THE WEEK: When I go grocery shopping, I go straight to what in Ireland we call the pasàiste glas, or the “green aisle.” That means I stick to the outside aisles of the market, where the freshest produce is found, as well as ingredients with minimal or no processing. Trust me: Do most of your shopping in these lanes — they won’t let you down. Finish up with a quick trip into the center aisles to pick up any essentials you need, but the freshest items in the store should fill up the major portion of your cart.
