Oftentimes, you will hear the criticism that a recipe is “one note.” Have you ever wondered what that means? Or, have you ever wondered why nearly every chocolate recipe calls for a tablespoon of coffee?

It has to do with flavor. There are actually 6 different flavors that we can perceive:

Salt
Umami
Spice
Sweet
Bitter
Sour 

What we’re really saying when we say that a recipe that tastes “one note, ” is that the recipe is fundamentally unbalanced – this means that one of the above flavors is dominant, and others are either non-existent, or overpowered.

A dish that is unbalanced can be good, but it is ultimately forgettable. A dish that is balanced with many flavors all working together is complex, and exciting to eat.

Let’s look at the different flavors in more detail:

 

Salt
Enhances: general flavor, sweet
Balances: bitter

Common Foods: soy sauce, fish sauce, anchovy paste, parmesan cheese, bacon/cured meats

Salt enhances the flavor of any food. The best cooks salt each ingredient in a dish to taste before adding it to a dish, with the exception of pasta, rice, lentils, and beans, which needs the water to be salted before cooking. There is a fine line between perfectly seasoned, and over-salted – this is why it is best to salt each ingredient along the way, not all at once at the end.

There are many different kinds of salts out there, and each has a unique flavor and texture. To use with cooking, chefs prefer a kosher salt, since it has the “cleanest”” flavor and no color. Finishing salts can be used to impart additional needed salinity at the end of cooking, as well as texture – Maldon salt, which is flaky, is particularly good as an all-purpose finishing salt. Flavored or infused salts can also be used to bring additional balance to a dish before serving as well.

 

Umami
Enhances: sweetness
Balances: bitter

Common Foods: seafood, meat, aged cheese, seaweed, soy, mushrooms, tomatoes, kimchi, green tea, asparagus, miso, pickled vegetables, fish sauce 

Umami is often described as the “6^th flavor.” It is difficult to describe, and a relatively new concept in the food world. It is translated from Japanese as a “pleasant, savory taste,” and the definition has expanded to include descriptors like, “full-bodied,” and “meaty.”

The umami taste is a product of the amino acid L-glutamate, and as free glutamate (not an amino acid). Both occur naturally in foods, and in the food additive MSG – mono sodium glutamate. Glutamate is also increased via the fermented process, which gives fermented and pickled foods that earthy “funk.”

 

Sweet
Enhances: salt
Balances: sour, bitter, and spice

Common Foods: sugar, sugar substitutes, maple syrup, honey, jam, molasses, bbq sauce, carrots, sweet potatoes, corn, beets, fall/winter squash, peas, snap peas, fennel, parsnip, fruit

Sweet is not just for dessert! Sweet flavors exist in what we consider “savory” foods as well. Vegetables like carrots, corn, and beets, because they have a higher internal sugar content, are naturally sweet, and add that sweetness to dishes they are included in.

Dishes, either sweet or savory, can quickly become overly sweet without another flavor, or combination of flavors, to balance it.

 

Sour
Enhances: salt
Balances: spice, sweet, bitter 

Common Foods: lemon, lime, orange, vinegar, tomato, yogurt, sour cream, pickled vegetables

Often referred to as “acidity,” sour flavors prevent a dish from becoming to sweet, spicy, or bitter. It is also described as being able to “brighten” a dish, particularly higher-fat dishes. Acidity can change the color of vegetables, so it is best added late in the cooking process.

 

Bitter
Balances: sweetness, saltiness

Common Foods: coffee, cocoa (unsweetened), grapefruit, beer, dandelion greens, endive, broccoli, spinach, kale, okra, bitter melon, radicchio 

We rarely center bitter flavors in recipes, because they tend to be overpowering and unpleasant to our tastebuds. However, bitter ingredients (like coffee) are used to prevent a dessert from becoming too sweet, or a dish from becoming too salty. Additionally, some veggies are naturally bitter, like broccoli, and understanding how to manipulate that flavor is important for taking cookie to that next level.

 

Spice
Balances: sweet 

Common Foods: Hot sauce, wasabi, horseradish, Dijon, harissa, siracha, gochujang, hot peppers, chili oil, augala, raw radish, pepper, watercress

Spice, or heat, comes from capsaicin, and is traditionally measured by the Scoville Heat Index (which is essentially a taste test in which an extract of dried pepper is diluted until heat is no longer detectable), though there are other, arguably more scientific ways of determining heat.

From mildest to hottest on the Scoville scale, here is a list of commonly used hot peppers:

Jalapeno
Cayenne
Habnero
Ghost Pepper
Pepper Spray
Pure Capsaicin 

Capsaicin levels in hot peppers are not enough to be harmful, but capsaicin is acutally a toxic compound (lethal dose is 47.2 mg/kg). It binds to a receptor in the mucous of the mouth associated with heat and abrasion, which is why it produces a burning sensation in your mouth. There is no physical/tissue damage eating peppers, and you can build up a tolerance by frequently eating spicy food (as the receptors become depleted). The pain from capsaicin ingestion releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers, and also can produce a feeling of euphoria, which is why chile eating competitions have become so popular.

So, there you have it. The different flavors and combinations that can bring your cooking from “good” to “great.” Having a number of different flavors in a dish, and balancing those flavors correctly, can go a long way to creating complex, exciting recipes.

So, what can you do with this information? Why is it important?

This is going to be a controversial opinion. And maybe an unpopular one.

I have a theory. My theory is that part of the reason people don’t like to cook/meal prep is that the way we’re taught to do it just isn’t that interesting.

We’ve gotten caught up in the convenience crutch of batch roasting food on a tray in the oven, and dumping an all-purpose seasoning on it without a) understanding why that seasoning works, and b) truly creating a food experience that we can connect to and get excited about. And we call that cooking. Frequently.

Except for in most parts of the world known for their cooking, what we do doesn’t really qualify. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, meal prepping and batch-cooking food is a great habit, and there is nothing wrong with convenience, but the more and more I think about it, and the more and more I study food and cooking, the more I feel that convenience can rob us of a true connection to food and flavor. With convenience comes detachment in the many processes and techniques of cooking, and limits us to nothing but the very basics, which over time results in boredom. When we get bored with our own cooking, we view even average restaurant meals as food that we can’t possibly get at home. What does that do for our confidence in the kitchen, and our willingness to try new things? What impact does this have on our relationship with food?

We’re turning meals into an obligation, into nothing but fuel so that we can keep working/training/taking care of the kids. We forget that eating involves ALL of our senses – it is an experience, and one that should be savored and enjoyed. 

We’re not settling for mediocrity in our professional/personal/athletic lives. Why should we settle for mediocrity in our food?

What if we could make great, interesting food (at most budgets) right in our own homes? Yes, even if we meal prep. Yes, even if we’re are on a limited budget (I recognize there is a certain amount of privilege in these statements, though one could make the argument that some of the most delicious, complex dishes in world cuisine are made by those with the very least resources).

We just have to understand food on more than just a basic level. We don’t have to go to culinary school. We don’t have to become world class chefs. We simply have to stop and ask why before we put that TJ’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning on everything (yes, yes, it’s delicious). We have to start thinking about each individual ingredient we put on a plate, and why it’s there. We have to start really tasting our food, and seeing how the different tastes interact with each other, and what effect that has on our eating experience.

THINKING = UNDERSTANDING. UNDERSTANDING = APPRECIATION. APPRECIATION = CONNECTION.

Think about what we could do with our relationship with food with more thoughtful preparation.

There are a few ways to begin our re-connection journeys with food:

Cookbooks, Cooking Shows, Online Food Blogs and Recipes

This is a great place to start if you are a beginner, and still very new to food. Remember, cooking is a creative process (yes, process), and as you practice more and more you will start to see patterns, understand how ingredients go together, and feel more comfortable with experimenting and changing recipes. THAT’S where the magic happens. The first steps in connection are thinking and understanding – you have to think about and understand ingredients and flavors, and that comes from exposure and experience. When I was starting to cook, I read cookbooks for HOURS, and watched Food Network daily. Even now, when I am at my computer, I always have a cooking program on in the background.

That being said, even as you start to understand food and flavor, you never want to stop learning. Fill your social media with chefs and blogs that cook the food that you want to master. Subscribe to email lists. Experiment with new cuisines. Take risks in the kitchen. Some may not turn out (I am reminded of the time I made a 5-spice mushroom sauce for a steak. Did not work), but that’s okay, as long as you learn from it.

The Rule of 3 Flavors

Once you are more familiar with foods, flavors, and recipes, you can begin to experiment a little more with flavors. This method also works with meal prepping, and can be as simple or complex as you want to make it!

Here’s an example: you want to prep chicken, rice, and spinach. 

The base flavors that you have there are earthy, umami (ish), and bitter. That’s not a particularly exciting or pleasant combination of flavors on their own.

But, before you reach for your obligatory all-purpose seasoning blend, try adding 3 flavors (+salt) to your dish instead:

Salt each component of your meal prep well (hint: probably more than you think)

Just before baking, coat chicken in a mix of hot sauce and honey (to suit your palate) – this also can be a marinade (marinade for 30 minutes). This adds spice (heat), and sweetness to balance it and the bitterness from the spinach.

Cook, covered, at 350 degrees in the oven until cooked through. A pan on the stove runs a greater risk of burning the sugars in the honey.

Just before serving, sprinkle with lime juice, a sour flavor, to further balance the heat and to brighten your dish. (HINT: cooking citrus tends to make it bitter, so wait until just before serving)

Elevate your rice – cook in vegetable broth/stock for more flavor, and melt in butter before serving, for richness (and because casein dulls the pain from the heat. Non-dairy works as well, for richness, not for pain-relief). As the rice is steaming after the water is boiled away, add the spinach to cook, and mix into the rice.

I would say that the flavor you must add to (almost) every dish after salting, which goes without saying, would be acid. From there, choose the two flavors that you feel would best compliment the ingredients that you are prepping.

Again, experimentation is key here, and with experimentation, both successful and unsuccessful, you learn and grow!

Build Dishes from Ingredients

The most experienced cooks and chefs build dishes from a single ingredient, or group of ingredients. Inspiration can come from what looks particularly nice at a store or market, or based on idea/concepts that you saw in a cookbook, or online. Figure out the primary flavor from your starting ingredient, and build in more balancing flavors from there! 

Everything said and done, the most important thing you can do is to learn about each ingredient – where it comes from, the season in which it tastes the best, how it tastes raw vs cooked (or even if it can be eaten raw), what the predominant flavor is, what foods and flavors balance it, what foods and flavors enhance it, etc. Once you begin to understand food as almost a blank canvas, as see all of its possibilities, you will inevitably be more connected to it in a positive way. And that is nothing but positive for our relationships with food.

A diet is a way of eating (at least for the purposes of this post). Diets are not religions. A particular diet is not going to save you, nor flip a switch in your body and make you perfectly healthy forever. Nutrition is important, sure, but it’s not a religion.

This is just some basic information to demystify some popular diets.

The Ketogenic Diet 

WHAT IT IS: The Ketogenic diet (Keto for short) is a variant of a low-carb-high-fat diet. Carbs are kept to an absolute minimum (5% of intake), protein at a moderate amount (20% of intake), and the primary source of calories comes from fat intake (75% of intake).

Things allowed on the Keto diet:
Meat
Seafood
Low Carb Vegetables
Dairy
Nuts (some)
Avocado

Things NOT allowed on the Keto diet:
Carbs (Sugar, Starches, Starchy Vegetables)

WHY MIGHT SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS? Some people find the amount of fat in this diet very satiating, which means that a caloric deficit is easier to adhere to and sustain.

The Ketogenic is also considered medical nutrition therapy for both adults/children with epilepsy whose seizures are not controlled despite medication.

OTHER TYPES OF KETOGENIC DIETS:
Cyclical Keto: Allows for periodic high-carb days

Targeted Keto: Allows for carbohydrates to be added around workouts 

High Protein Keto: Allows for protein to be set at 35% of total intake

RELATED DIETS
Carnivore – an even more restrictive diet than keto, involving cutting out everything except meat and animal products

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
Proponents of the ketogenic diet state that once switching to the diet, “your energy will come from fat not carbs!” This is commonly thought to mean body fat, as the ketogenic diet is commonly used for weight loss. However, what is actually being referred to is the use of dietary fat (ie the fat you eat) as the body’s fuel, after it is converted into ketones. The rule of calorie balance still applies.

Higher-protein/Cyclical Keto diets aren’t “technically” keto – as the name suggests, Ketogenic diets force the body into a state called “ketosis,” which is where you use ketones for fuel instead of glucose/glycogen (which comes from carbs). It can take days to weeks to get fully into ketosis for some people, and an excess of protein can also be converted into glucose/glycogen, which can keep a person from ketosis. 

PROS
The Ketogenic diet is considered an beneficial medical nutrition therapy for those with epilepsy.

For some, a high-fat-low-carb approach can cause increased satiety, which can lead to better adherence to a caloric deficit.

There is evidence that a ketogenic diet can improve glucose control for those with impairment, but the appropriateness of the diet itself (sustainability, safety, long-term efficacy) as a treatment is still controversial.

The Ketogenic diet almost requires reliance on nutrient dense foods, which, via increased intake of protein and micronutrients, can make people “feel better,” and improve health markers. This, however, is not exclusive to the ketogenic diet.

CONS
The “Keto Flu” is a real phenomenon – upon your transition to a ketogenic diet, your body will transition from using glucose and stored glycogen to create ATP (energy) to creating “ketones” to be used for energy. This can cause intense and unpleasant side effects, mimicking the flu, and can last from a few days to a few weeks (or longer) – everyone is different.

With the limited amount of vegetables that can be eaten on the ketogenic diet (to keep carbs at 5% of total intake and to induce ketosis), it is difficult to get the necessary amount of dietary fiber in your diet. Fiber is important to feed your gut microbiome, and also for things like remaining regular.

Keto is INCREDIBLY restrictive. Such restrictive diets can harm a person’s relationship to food, or inadvertently promote a cycle of both “falling on and off the wagon,” which can be harmful to both psychological and physical health.

Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred form of energy – it is what it is designed to be primarily fueled by. Our brains need approximately 120g of carbs a day just to function. Ketosis is a survival mechanism that is designed to keep us alive in times of food scarcity (ie, winter or famine). It’s kinda like a car that requires premium fuel – will it run if you put regular gas into it? Yes. Will it run at its best? That’s debatable.

Cooking Keto can present a number of challenges.

Texture
The same issue that you run into cooking Paleo dishes are also problematic in Keto dishes – without grains or some starch, you tend to run into problems of soft on soft textures (which can be unpleasant to the palate). This is even more true with keto, as things like nuts and seeds should only be used in incredibly small quantities. Starchier vegetables (the ones that have the most texture) are also usually avoided on this diet as well. This does open the door to playing with the textures of meats and fish (via a sear on the outside, for example, or via a crispy skin). It’s not a total substitute, but it is an option that must be carefully considered.

Choice of Fat
All that fat creates a rather heavy-feeling meal. It is important to consider multiple sources of fat – saturated from animal fat, for example, should be used sparingly, due to potential links to coronary heart disease.

And, each different type of fat has a different flavor profile, and will make the end dish taste differently. Coconut oil, a common cooking fat for those on the ketogenic diet, will give a dish a coconut aroma and flavor. Olive oil, on the other hand, has a lower smoke point, and will burn at lower temperatures. So, there are many choices in terms of which fats to use that must be carefully considered when cooking keto. 

Since the ketogenic diet does not allow for a great deal of carbohydrates, alternate flours must be used in baking. For most recipes, that will call for almond and coconut flour. Both flours are lower in carbs, but can create very dense and dry baked goods.

The other issue with ketogenic baking is the issue of sweetener. Since sugar cannot be used, alternative low-calorie sweeteners must be used instead: stevia, erythritol, allulose. This changes the texture and the cooking process for each baked good, which needs to be adjusted for when attempting recipes. Each sweetener is also used in a different measurement than cane sugar, for example, which can also disrupt the ratios of ingredients in a baked good. Finally, many sugar substitutions do solicit unpleasant aftertastes in some people, which can lead to an unpleasant eating experience.

Anyone here cook keto? Have any tips and tricks for us? Share them below!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT ADVOCATE FOR A PARTICULAR WAY OF EATING. THIS IS NOT ADVICE. PLEASE DO NOT SHARE THIS AS A MEANS TO PROVE THAT KETO WILL SAVE US ALL.

 

A diet is a way of eating (at least for the purposes of this post). Not a means to lose weight. It’s an important distinction, and one that often gets lost. 

PSA: Diets are not religions. A particular diet is not going to save you, nor flip a switch in your body and make you perfectly healthy forever. Nutrition is important, sure, but it’s not a religion. 

This is just some basic information to demystify some popular diets. 

The Paleo Diet 

WHAT IT IS: The Paleo diet is based on foods similar to what our ancestors in the Paleolithic era would have eaten. The Paleolithic era ended about 10,000 years ago with the advent of agricultural cultivation (farming). So, permitted foods are generally those in-line with diets of hunter-gatherers as opposed to farmers.

Things allowed on the Paleo diet:

Meats
Fish
Fruits
Vegetables
Nuts
Seeds

Things NOT allowed on the Paleo diet:

Dairy
Legumes
Grains
Sugar 

WHY MIGHT SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS? There are still some cultures in the world that are hunter-gatherer societies, so someone might choose to continue this style of eating, either within the community, or if they move away from the community as a means to connect more to their culture.

Outside of that, the Paleo diet is marketed as a means by which humans can achieve optimal health and longevity while maintaining an “ideal” body composition.

TYPES OF PALEO
Standard Paleo: This is your standard Paleo diet as described above

Autoimmune Paleo Diet: This is Paleo’s “Whole 30.” It is an elimination protocol where the staple foods are basically meat and vegetables, but the macronutrient ratios are less restrictive than the Keto diet. It is largely marketed as a “fix” a condition called leaky gut. 

RELATED DIETS
Keto – low-carb/high fat diet with moderate protein
Carnivore – virtually no carb diet 

RELIGIONS THAT ARE LINKED WITH PALEO
CrossFit

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
The purported health benefits of the Paleo diet are not necessarily exclusive to the Paleo diet. The Paleo diet’s emphasis on whole, unprocessed foods likely leads to an increase in micronutrient ingestion, which may account for a better sense of well-being

Paleo is not all bacon all the time – in fact, lean meat should still be prioritized due to the potential issues arising from a diet high in saturated fat intake

Paleo is not particularly conducive to resistance training and other exercising methods that use carbs as a preferred fuel source, since it tends to err on the lower end of the cab spectrum 

Now that we’ve discussed what the Paleo diet is (and is not), let’s talk about the pros and cons of this particular way of eating.

As always, how you eat is your business, and I am not here to tell you what is right – rather, give you (as much as possible, because we’re all biased in the end), a balanced perspective:

PROS

The Paleo diet has a strong emphasis in the eating of whole and nutrient-dense foods. No one ever got hurt from eating more vegetables. You do not even have to “eat Paleo” to do this, and reap the benefits. 

A diet heavy in whole, unprocessed foods can help to mitigate hunger during times of a deficit, which can make the experience of being in a deficit less painful, which can increase adherence, which in turn may help you reach your goals. This, again, is not a thing that is exclusive to the Paleo way of eating.

Paleo diets tend to be significantly higher in fact, and lower in carbohydrates. High fat can slow digestion, which leads to increased satiety while on the diet, again, potentially making it easier to adhere to a calorie deficit. Not shockingly, this is also not exclusive to a Paleo way of eating.

Some clinical trials have compared paleo to regular diets and found improvements in weight loss, glucose tolerance, blood pressure, triglycerides, and appetite management. Though, enough (if any) controlled long-term trials have not been done to assess long-term outcomes/risks of this diet. 

CONS

Not sure this needs to be said, but just in case, the Paleo diet is EXTREMELY restrictive. Like, we’re cutting out multiple food groups restrictive. Before you jump on the Paleo bandwagon, ask yourself if this is a way of eating that you can sustain, both mentally and physically, for the long-term. If not, know that there are other options out there that are not as restrictive and have many of the same benefits that might be a better choice for you

Contrary to popular belief, you can still eat “processed” food while following a Paleo diet. Paleo “treat” recipes abound, and while food isn’t inherently good or bad, if you goal is to limit sugar, know that following a Paleo diet does not necessarily guarantee that will happen. Coconut sugar is still sugar, after all.

The Paleo diet places high emphasis on organic fruits and vegetables, and grass-fed/pasture-raised meats. This can be expensive, sometimes prohibitively so, for some. Not to mention that organic/grass-fed being inherently healthier for us has been largely debunked in the scientific community. The diet itself, because of these things, and because of the gurus that tend to perpetuate it, is steeped in this aura of privilege and elitism.

Eating out is virtually impossible within the confines of the Paleo diet. Many restaurants have entrees that can be made grain-free upon request, however, note that most restaurants cook using soybean and/or canola oil, both of which are not allowed within the confines of the diet. While you don’t necessarily have to go out to eat, even periodically, to live a full and happy life, I would say that missing out on social situations because of the cooking oil used may be detrimental.

All that being said, it is worth noting as well that the entirety of the “paleo hypothesis” may be factually incorrect. Paleo-ism is steeped in the belief that we can replicate the diets of our ancestors before the first cultivation practices were born. It is worth noting that the diet does not mention or consider differences in ingredient availability due to climate differences and climate changes through the age, which is an important consideration if one wishes to replicate a diet. Furthermore, there is archeological evidence that our Paleolithic ancestors, in fact, did eat wild grains (where they were available) as early as 30,000 years ago, or before intentional cultivation began. And even then, genetic research itself has shown us our own genetic adaptation to farming practices, by turning on multiple genes related to the ability to break down grains and legumes.

COOKING PALEO

Paleo cooking is, all things considered, relatively straightforward. With a focus on meat and vegetables, it’s not difficult to build layers and diversity in flavors, since they all exist in baking.

It is important to note that many paleo recipes call for fattier cuts of meat – which is great for flavor – but it is an important consideration when deciding how much additional sources of fat to use in the dish (butter, olive oil, etc), even if they are for cooking a different component. Since fat slows digestion, fat-laden meals can often feel “heavy,” and for some are not pleasant to eat. If fattier cuts of meat are used, it is important to add an acidic component to a dish cut cut the richness and lighten the dish some.

The only component that may consistently be missing from a paleo plate is texture. A prevalence of cooked foods is a prevalence of soft foods, and, sometimes adding a raw element doesn’t really work. That’s where grains can be useful, as they can add texture to a dish without making it seem disjointed, and, in fact, round out and complete a dish’s flavor profile. 

Other considerations for paleo cooking include choosing spices and other flavoring ingredients that are aligned with paleo eating practices. This is harder than it looks – many widely available spice blends are made with sugar, which is not allowed under paleo guidelines. The same holds true with bacon and other cured meats – many contain sugar as a part of the curing process.

For that reason, it is important to read nutrition labels carefully should you chose to follow a Paleo diet, and to find spice purveyors are “paleo-friendly” (cough, cough @thefigandtheknife – I know, I’m shameless. She’s a good friend, and an awesome chef).

The other sneaky ingredient to note in paleo cooking is soy – technically, as soy is a legume, it is not permitted in a strict paleo diet. And, soy is in nearly every prepared food in the grocery store. Recently, more and more “paleo-friendly” prepared foods (spice blends, sauces, salad dressings) have been surfacing in mainstream grocery stores and online, and while convenient, note that these ingredients often come with a significantly higher price tag.

This all being said – if eating Paleo works for you, you’re getting your necessary fiber and micronutrients, and you can sustain it, that’s awesome! If you are considering going Paleo, just be sure to go in with all the information, and for the right reasons. 

 

A diet is a way of eating (at least for the purposes of this post). Not a means to lose weight. It’s an important distinction, and one that often gets lost.

PSA: Diets are not religions. A particular diet is not going to save you, nor flip a switch in your body and make you perfectly healthy forever. Nutrition is important, sure, but it’s not a religion.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT ADVOCATE FOR A PARTICULAR WAY OF EATING. THIS IS NOT ADVICE. PLEASE DO NOT SHARE THIS AS A MEANS TO PROVE THAT VEGANISM WILL SAVE US ALL.

This is just some basic information to demystify some popular diets.

First up? Vegetarian Diets 

WHAT IT IS: Following a vegetarian diet means that you choose to exclude meat and meat products from your diet.

WHY MIGHT SOMEONE CHOOSE THIS? If a vegetarian diet aligns with your individual ethics or religion, then it might be an appropriate diet for you. It also is probably better for the environment to consume less animal products (though this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to go entirely vegetarian).

TYPES OF VEGETARIANS:
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: Foregoes meat, but still eats eggs and dairy products
Lacto: Foregoes meat and eggs, but still eats dairy products0
Ovo: Foregoes meat and dairy, but still eats eggs
Vegan: Eats no animal products, including honey (for some) 

RELATED:
Pescetarian: Foregoes meat, but still eats fish, (and for some) eggs and dairy products
Flexitarian: Foregoes meat the majority of the time, but still eats it occasionally

RELIGIONS THAT ARE LINKED WITH VEGETARIANISM:
Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS:
“Plant-Based Diets” are not necessarily vegetarian, and not all vegetarians follow a plant-based diet
Vegetarian/Vegan diets do not alkalize or detox the body
Becoming a vegetarian will not necessarily lead to weight loss, nor is it necessarily healthier
You can get enough protein following a vegetarian diet, though it is inherently more difficult
The purported benefits of vegetarianism are not exclusive to vegetarianism 

Now that we have firmly established what a Vegetarian diet is (and is not), let’s talk about some pros and cons:

PROS
A well-planned vegetarian diet can be high in fruits and vegetables – which is definitely a good thing (note that this is not a condition specific to being a vegetarian. We should all be eating vegetables). 

A well-planned vegetarian diet can be rich in unprocessed foods, which can result in a caloric deficit without a great deal of hunger, making fat loss less unpleasant to achieve (again, not mutually exclusive to a vegetarian diet, but worth mentioning).

A vegetarian diet can be better for the environment (though, again, eating less meat is also good for the environment, so this is not exclusive to strict vegetarianism).

A vegetarian diet can allow a person to eat more closely to their ethical beliefs.

A vegetarian diet can allow a person to connect more closely with their religious and cultural heritage. 

CONS
In a vegetarian diet, it is more difficult to ingest an adequate quantity of protein (though, not impossible). Remember the RDA (.8g/kg bodyweight) is a bare minimum, and most people need .8-1+g/lb bodyweight.

Since vegetarians cut out part, if not the entirety of a food group, this can lead to nutrient deficiencies, specifically protein, calcium, iron, iodine, and vitamin B12, if proper planning is not done.

Ultimately, how you choose to eat comes down to you – your resources, palate, culture/religion, ethics, and what makes you feel the best. It just makes sense, however, that if you are ever interested in making a change, you do so with all the information that is available.

If you are interested in making the transition to a meatless diet, here are some things to consider as you are cooking:

If you are going to cook vegetarian, your food should still taste amazing, and be interesting to eat. This poses some interesting considerations in terms of creating deep flavor in a dish.

First, how do we incorporate umami into a vegetarian dish? Remember umami is the savory, salty-ish taste (directly translated, “pleasant savory taste”) that is in direct proportion to the amount of the amino acid L-glutamine in an ingredient. The biggest source of umami in recipes tends to be meat. So how do we add umami with no meat?

The following vegetarian foods are natural sources of umami:

Fermented foods (kimchi, etc)
Mushrooms
Tomato
Sea vegetables
Nutritional yeast
Green tea
Toasted nuts

Second, how do you build layers of flavor without the convenience and speed of the Maillard reaction? The Maillard reaction happens when the proteins and sugars in meat are exposed to high enough temperatures – we more commonly refer to it as char, sear, or caramelization. This process adds an important dimension of flavor and texture to a dish without needing a long time to happen. It is why, for example, meat on the grill tastes so. Dang. Good. 

The best way around this problem is to create a trade-off of sorts – instead of relying on the protein and sugars in a piece of meat to caramelize and create a new depth to the flavors present, vegetarians must rely on time to build strong and interesting flavors.

For example, roasting the vegetables you plan on using in a stock takes ordinary vegetable stock and elevates it to a new level. 

Fermenting cabbage with spices over long periods of time takes it from something that has to have big flavors added to it to be delicious and turns it into kimchi, an incredibly flavorful Korean staple.

Adding more time to the preparation of a dish can also mean cooking for longer over a lower heat to allow more time for spices to develop and impart their flavor, marinating your main ingredients to infuse your desired flavors, or even soaking the spices in oil before cooking to bring out their flavors better.

Third, how do you add protein? This has to be the singular most frequently asked question when I hear people talking about vegetarianism.

Non-meat sources of protein can include beans, nuts, seeds, tofu, some grains, meat substitutes, and dairy   products – all of which have different levels of protein, and all of which have different (and most often incomplete) amino acid profiles.

The good news? If a diet is sufficiently varied, the lack of complete proteins are not as much of a concern, especially for cooking. It is sound practice, however, to include at least one protein source at each meal.

Hopefully, this is a good starting point for those that are interested in eating less meat, or transitioning to a vegetarian diet. Happy cooking!

 

Grocery stores are either a wonderland of amazing ingredients and products, or they are an aggravating maze of carts and people, and far too many choices. 

I could spend hours in a grocery store, browsing up and down the isles. However, I know that grocery stores are not everyone’s favorite places to be on a Saturday or Sunday, not just because they are crowded and hard to navigate at that time, but also because you shouldn’t have to spend your precious weekend cooped up in a store. You need to enjoy your life. 

Here are some different ways to make your shopping experience a little more pleasant and better on your budget.

Research recipes ahead of time, and go with a list
Going with a list means going with a plan and an end goal in mind, which keeps you from wandering around the isles of a store aimlessly and getting frustrated. When you get to know your preferred market, organize your list by the area of the store in which the food is situated in order to save even more time, and aimless wandering.

Shop in the middle of the week
We tend to have more time on the weekends, but stores tend to be less busy on weekdays, AND many stores have more items on sale during the middle of the week (Wednesdays in particular), as sometimes weekly specials overlap.

Don’t go shopping hungry
Going shopping hungry is a surefire way to leave with more groceries than you know what to do with (leading to food waste), to spend longer in the store, and to overspend your grocery budget.

Use a grocery delivery service
Yes, services like Instacart can be more expensive; however, if you have the ability, it can actually be a way to stay within your grocery budget. If you are shopping from a list, and can’t peruse the isles, you are less likely to overspend and order extra food that might go to waste. 

Having a budget and sticking with it are worthy habits to cultivate. A more pleasant and efficient grocery store experience? A bonus for everyone. And, while this is by no means an exhaustive list, hopefully at least it will give you a place to start.

Now that we’re relatively comfortable walking down the isles of a supermarket without violence or aggravation, let’s focus on the next step – choosing the freshest fruits and/or vegetables. Just how do we dig through a mountain of produce and pick out the best ones?

For the most part, choosing the best produce of the pile is a matter for your senses. Feel, smell, and sight will all be your friends at the grocery store (as will taste, if it is allowed – some stores). Here’s a handy guide to help figure out which senses to use when:

FRUITS:
Apples: deeply colored, firm, shiny, heavy for size
Bananas: bright yellow, no bruises or splits
Blueberries: firm, dry, blue – white sheen is natural
Cantaloupes: fragrant, not green, no soft spots
Cherries: plump, shiny, darker in color. Stems elongate shelf life
Grapefruits: smooth, thin skins, heavy for size
Grapes: plump, heavy for size, no wrinkles or brown spots
Lemons/Limes: fragrant, heaviest for size
Peaches: fragrant, firm but slightly soft to touch
Pears: free of bruises, firm
Pineapples: sweet smell at stem end, heavy for size
Strawberries: fragrant, uniformly red
Watermelons: Firm, heavy, sound hollow when tapped 

VEGETABLES:
Asparagus: firm, smooth, brightly colored
Avocados: slightly soft to touch
Beets: fresh stems, crisp leaves, small taproot
Broccoli: firm stalks, tight florets, crisp leaves
Brussels Sprouts: firm, compact, bright green heads – tight, not wilted leaves
Cabbage: compact heads, heavy for size
Carrots: firm, smooth, no rootlets
Cauliflower: tightly packed florets, no spots or yellowing
Cucumbers: no yellow
Kale and Lettuce: crisp, dry leaves with no slime
Onions/Shallots: dry, firm, heavy for size
Peppers: firm, naturally shiny, heavy for size
Potatoes: firm, smooth, no bruises, green spots, or sprouts
Summer Squash: shiny, tight, unblemished skin with no soft spots
Tomatoes: fragrant, heavy for size with firm skin
Winter Squash: stems intact, heavy for size

There are a lot of old wives’ tips to find the “perfect” fruit/vegetable, but, for the most part, you want to look for produce that is firm, with taught skin, vibrant in color, and pleasantly fragrant (or not fragrant at all).

Now you have a whole arsenal of tips and tricks to help you in your grocery shopping experience!

Let’s talk sauce.

Sauces serve many functions within a recipe/dish – they can enhance flavors of different ingredients by providing a complimentary or a counterpoint flavor; they can add moisture to naturally lean foods, or when a particular cooking method is known to be drying (such as grilling/sautéing); they can even add visual or textural interest to a dish.

Before we go on, disclaimer – there is nothing wrong with sauce from a bottle. There is nothing inherently unhealthy about it, and bottled sauces are incredibly convenient for those with busy lifestyles.

However, if you are interested and have the time to make your own sauces, the benefit lies clearly in the taste department – a homemade sauce can be used to echo flavors found in the ingredients, our complimentary flavors you use in a meal and really make the meal sing.

In other words, a well-executed, recipe-specific sauce can take a dish from good to amazing. And life’s too short for mediocre food.

The other advantage of making your own sauce is that it can be surprisingly affordable, as most sauces are comprised of pan drippings, leftover ingredient scraps, and pantry staples.

The basic formula for a successful sauce is:

Liquid + Thickener + Flavorings + Finishers

 There are a number of “mother sauces” in classic French cuisine that form the basis of most of the conventional sauces we see. We’re not going to discuss them all here (for the sake of time and, quite frankly, usefulness in a home kitchen), but 4 are worth mentioning:

Bechamel
Velouté
Espagnole
Tomato
[Hollandaise] 

Yes, I realize there are 5 on the above list. I’m not really going to deep-dive into hollandaise, because I can’t have eggs, and a vegan Hollandaise doesn’t follow quite the same rules.

All of the remaining sauces on the above list begin with a roux – a mix of flour and fat, to which a liquid is added and then cooked until thick. 

 

There are two parts to a roux – fat (in the form of butter, oil, or animal fat), and flour. Basically, you heat the fat, and then add an equal amount of flour. The mixture should be whisked constantly, until it has reached the desired color:

White roux: lightly browned but still very pale
Blonde roux: a little darker, nutty smell
Brown roux: dark, nutty smell and flavor.

As a roux darkens, its ability to thicken lessens. The darker the roux you use, the more you will need. 

To start a roux, the first step is to choose a fat. Choosing the right fat is pivotal for the success of the dish, and choosing a roux is largely dependent on the other flavors in your dish. The default fat is usually butter. Those of us who cannot have dairy should note that you can make a roux with non-dairy butter and gluten-free flour, but it is significantly more difficult to darken the roux, mostly due to the lack of protein both in the flour (gluten) and the butter (casein). White roux is, however, definitely doable, and is made using the same method.

Once your desired roux is made, you simply add the liquid specific to your sauce, and any finishing herbs/vegetables/liquids, heating and reducing until your sauce reaches the desired thickness:

Bechamel: White Roux + dairy (milk or heavy cream)
Velouté: White Roux + White Stock (typically chicken, but also vegetable or fish)
Espagnole: Brown Roux + Brown Stock (veal or beef)
Tomato: Roux + Tomatoes – it is important to note that traditional Italian tomato sauces are, in contrast, made without the roux, but by reducing tomatoes over medium heat until thick. 

Ingredients can be added to each of the basic mother sauces to compliment the particular flavors found in a dish. Let’s go over each below:

Bechamel
A Bechamel is most notably the base of most traditional macaroni and cheese dishes (with the obvious addition of cheese), bechamel also serves as the base of mustard sauces (by, not shockingly, adding mustard), and mushroom sauces (be sure to only add the mushrooms toward the end of cooking, so moisture doesn’t leech out and thin your sauce).

Note that sometimes, because of the lack of gluten and dairy proteins in non-dairy butter and gluten-free flour, gf/vegan bechamel recipes call for a different thickener (cornstarch, potato starch, arrowroot powder) that is added instead of a roux – in using an alternate method such as this, you do run the risk of losing out on the depth of flavor in your sauces (which comes from cooking the flour), though it could arguably be added in elsewhere.

Note that any white sauces (both velouté and béchamel) should not be made in an aluminum pot, as they can turn grey during cooking.

Veloute
Veloute is technically not a finished sauce, but rather simply a white roux mixed with fish, chicken, or veal stock. It is instead seen as a starting place for the making of gravies, mushroom sauces, and bisques. We tend to see it commonly as the sauce used for chicken pot pie, the gravy for Sweedish Meatballs, and bisques (like shrimp bisque).

Fortunately, velouté can easily be made with vegetable stock as a vegan/vegetarian-friendly option. We see this commonly during Thanksgiving time, in vegan mushroom gravy.

Common derivative sauces of velouté, used primarily for fish and/or poultry are:

• Chivry, used for poultry: a velouté with white wine, chervil, parsley, tarragon, shallots, and chives added
• Supreme, used for poultry: a velouté with additions of mushrooms, cream, and butter
• Vin Blanc, used for fish: a velouté with fish trim, egg yolks, and butter added

Espagnole
Where a velouté tends to be more pale in color, sauce Espagnole is darker, and used primarily with beef and game (and less commonly with fish and poultry). It is also commonly made with mirepoix (carrots and onions, and sometimes celery), to which flour is added to make the roux. From there, tomato paste is also added for both color and flavor. The liquid used is primarily beef and/or beef stock. In some variations, thickening sources other than a roux are used, such as pureed vegetables, thickening via reduction, and corn/potato/arrowroot starch.

Sauce Espagnole serves as a base for a number of well-known derivative sauces:

• Demi-glace, used for red meat and added to soups/stews: 1 part espagnole, 1 part beef stock, reduced by half
• Bordelaise, used for grilled red meat/fish: Espagnole with added red wine, shallots, peppercorns, thyme, and bey leaves, and finished with lemon juice and bone marrow
• Bourguignonne, used for eggs and beef: Espagnole with added red wine, shallots, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and mushrooms, finished with butter and cayenne pepper.
• Cherry, used for both duck and venison: Espagnole with added port wine, pate spice, orange zest and juice, red currant jam, and cherries.
• Financiere, used for beef: Espagnole with added Madeira wine and truffle essence
• Mushroom, used for beef, veal: Espagnole with added mushrooms and butter

Tomato
Perhaps the most widely-recognized sauce, tomato sauce is traditionally (in French cuisine) made with a roux. In Italian cuisine, however, the thickness of a tomato sauce comes from the reduction of tomatoes with the sauces other ingredients: onions and garlic. We most commonly see tomato sauces on pizza, pasta, or in the recently trendy shakshuka.

Related to tomato sauce is the coulis – essentially a sauce comprised of pureed vegetables, herbs, spices, and stock. A coulis usually focuses on one vegetable as the star flavor, with other vegetables used to enhance that flavor.

Gastrique
Another sauce that is worth noting (though, not one of the mother sauces) is called a gastrique. Gatriques are generally not served on their own, but with another sauce, and their purpose is to add another layer of depth and complexity to a sauce. Gastriques are made by combining and reducing by half equal parts of sugar (in the form of sugar, honey, or jelly) and acid (vinegar, citrus, etc). They can be directly added to a sauce, or plated individually on top of another dish.

If you are adding the gastrique to your sauce, you can add it at the beginning or the end of cooking. If you are adding at the beginning, add your sugar after your aromatics (mirepoix), and caramelize it. Then add your liquids and reduce.

There you have it – a pretty comprehensive guide to all the different possibilities of sauces. Still confused? Remember the basic formula: liquid + thickener + flavor, and experiment for yourself – there are endless possibilities!

Cooking meat is an art form.

In its essence, it’s actually simple: apply heat to a cut of meat until desired doneness is met.

There are, however, many different cuts of meat and many different ways of applying said heat, and, let’s face it, some methods of cooking work better than others for different cuts.

That is, if you want your meat to taste good, and not have the consistency of old shoe leather. Maybe you like old shoe leather. Hey, I don’t judge.

So, now that we’ve established that cooking meat is a little more complicated than it appears, let’s go over so basic techniques for cooking different cuts of different meats. I am just going to go over the most basic – there are other ways, but they either require specialized equipment or significantly more attention than they’re worth for everyday cooking.

But first, some overall tips and tricks:

1 – Salting your meat before cooking (and, I mean, at least 30 minutes before cooking) is essential. Not only does this start to break down the connective tissue in your meat (thus tenderizing it), but it also brings out the best flavor in your meat. Seasoning just before cooking won’t do too much, as much of the seasoning will simply fall off during the cooking process. Likewise, seasoning after cooking can quickly overpower a dish. Be sure to apply an even coat!

 

2 – You can add flavor to the meat by applying a dry rub before cooking or marinating your meat in a wet mixture.

A dry rub usually consists of dried herbs and spices, breadcrumbs, cheese, oil, and mustard. Make sure to toast your spices (and grind your own where you can) in a dry pan just until you smell it, and refrigerate your meat for a minimum of 30 minutes after evenly applying your rub. This allows the meat to absorb the flavors, which often fall off in the cooking process – which, as a side note, help to make an excellent pan sauce.

A marinade, on the other hand, is a blend of herbs and spices that is combined with oil, and sometimes acid. The oil protects food from intense heat, in addition to acting like a glue to hold the other flavors on the meat while cooking. The acid gives another layer of flavor to your meat, as well as changing the texture (like the firming that occurs from the citrus juice in a ceviche). With tender or delicate meats, less time is needed to impart flavor with a marinade – and, if your marinade is highly acidic, your meat should be marinated for no more than 15-20 minutes. You can also brush your marinade onto meats during cooking for additional flavor – this is particularly useful for marinades that have sugar in them (you don’t want the sugar to burn). Sauces/Marinades with high quantities of sugar should be delayed in their application to avoid burning. Leftover marinade can be made into a sauce, just be sure that it is boiled for a few minutes to kill off any lingering bacteria.

3 – If you are stuffing meat (let’s say a chicken breast), keep in mind that the stuffing must itself be brought to 165 degrees to kill off any bacteria that may have leeched from the raw meat. Naturally, at times the meat you are cooking will overcook as a result – many restaurants will avoid stuffing altogether, in favor of making each component separately, in which case the stuffing would be called a dressing.

Determining Doneness in Meat
Often when cooking at home, the biggest issue people face is determining when a piece of meat is properly cooked. While using a meat thermometer is the most precise way of cooking meat to temperature, as you cook more and more you will find different ways to help you determine when a piece of meat is properly cooked – all using your different senses. This can be very valuable if you don’t want to (or can’t) cut into a piece of meat.

Meat that is cooked well:

• Will have an easy-to-identify smell (ie, will smell like beek/chicken/pork, etc)
• Will be easy to cut/chew
• Will be firm (the more firm the more “well done” it is – see chart below)
• The juices will run clearer the more cooked the meat is (redder = rarer, more clear = cooked through)

If you want to go by (internal) temperature, remember that the temperature must be taken for the middle of the thickest part of your piece of meat. Taking meat off of the heat slightly prior to doneness helps keep it from being overcooked (as cooking will continue after it is removed from the heat source). Here is a temperature guide to help:

As you experiment, it is best to find the “doneness” that suits your tastes the best, and learn what that looks, smells, and feels like, so that you can replicate it easily and quickly. 

Now, let’s discuss some of the easiest (and most flavorful) ways to cook meat:

Roasting
Works Best With: Primary Cuts (Breast, Tenderloin)

Equipment Needed: Oven-safe pan

Method:

1. Pat meat dry with paper towel
2. Sear meat on medium heat (heat to medium before placing meat in pan – oil should sizzle, but not pop/sputter) – this moves juices toward center of the meat, resulting in less juices lost
3. Three-fourths of the way through the cooking process, add fat to pan. The fat will mix with the juices and create a basting sauce. You can now transfer meat to the oven to finish (baste often), or continue to cook on stovetop until meat is cooked (also basting often)
4. Let food rest before cutting/serving

Braising
Works Best With: Tougher cuts with more connective tissue (secondary cuts) – the long/slow cooking time breaks down the collagen and sinew, resulting in a tender meat

Equipment needed: Oven-safe pan (deep enough to fit cut of meet)

Method:

1. Sear meat on medium heat until brown on all sides
2. Add liquid, bring liquid to simmer
3. Cook uncovered in 250-350 degree oven with liquid at constant simmer, basting periodically
4. Meat should be cooked long/slow, until it is falling off the bone
5. Allow meat to cool in liquid (meat will re-absorb some of the cooking liquid)
6. Pour liquid into saucepan, straining, and reduce for sauce 

Shallow Poaching
Works Best With: Naturally Tender/Quick Cooking Foods, Small Foods (Fish, Shellfish, Chicken Breasts) 

Equipment needed: Oven-safe saucepan

Method:

1. Sweat Vegetables (usually onions, carrots, celery)
2. Add liquid (stock, wine, vinegar, citrus juice, etc) no higher than 1/3-halfway up food
3. Cook on stovetop/oven – do NOT boil, or cook until poaching liquid is 160-180 degrees, and then transfer to oven, covered, until meat is done
4. The leftover poaching liquid can be reduced and combined with additional acid or butter to form a pan sauce for serving.

As always, the more that you experiment with each cooking method, the easier it will become. I’ll be featuring a meat recipe (or 2), as well as a vegan option later this week to help you practice!

The majority of my culinary experimentation in my 20s consisted of taking vegetables from my CSA box, and combining them with olive oil, rice and salt.

I appreciated the CSA box so much because one, vegetables and fruit were delivered to my door, and two, much of which was provided were vegetables that were not readily available in grocery stores. I was making Romanesco before Romanesco was trendy.

Oooh, did I think I was creative. It was easy and provided me enough food for an entire week at work where I didn’t have to leave my desk (if you have ever taught, you know how much of a necessity that is).

I wish I knew then what I knew now, so that I could do some of those ingredients more justice.

At their core, grains and legumes are dried, and rehydrated by soaking and cooking in a liquid. But, there is so much more to grains and legumes – so many options. So many techniques. There is even nuance in their preparations – for each, there is an optimal time to add the grain/legume to the cooking liquid, and when to add salt.

And they are not really difficult to work with AND make interesting. And, they are great for batch cooking, as you can make a great deal of volume with only a few ingredients.

Cooking Legumes
Let’s start with legumes – beans, lentils, or peas. I have a secret love of beans – not only are they packed with fiber and plant-based protein, but they just freaking taste amazing (legitimately, the BEST thing I have ever eaten was a black bean soup that I made a few weeks ago).

I also am a huge advocate for dried beans over canned, more than just because they are ridiculously affordable and very filling. I’m a sucker for anything that takes time and effort. I think it’s the part of me that has this real desire to be a pioneer living in an age where we grow our own food and make everything from scratch (of course also with modern medicine, hygiene, technology, and indoor plumbing – let’s be real). And, for me, I have so much more control over the cooking process with dried beans, because it is longer, and takes a smidge more effort. That being said, there is a time and place for canned beans, and they are a great option. Just my personal preference.

The first step in properly cooking flavorful legumes is to soak them (there are some legumes that do not have to be soaked: lentils, split peas, black-eyed peas). Why do we soak legumes? In soaking, the skins are softened, which makes for shorter cooking times and more even cooking, and maybe a creamier texture. It also has to do with the lectins naturally occurring in foods like beans and nightshades – they are not-so-good for us if ingested in excess (certain lectins can cause digestive distress); soaking and cooking is thought to reduce those lectins. Kidney beans in particular contain a lectin that is toxic to humans, but are completely safe when soaked and cooked properly. In fact, lectins can be all but eliminated through cooking – but, the water must be boiled (just like high heat kills bacteria in meat, high water heat eliminates lectins in legumes). It is for that reason that slow-cooking raw beans is not recommended.

There are two methods of soaking beans – a long-soak and a short-soak. As the name implies, the difference is in the length of time that the dried beans are soaked. There is no difference in flavor/texture afterwards.

Short Soak: Put legumes in pot. Add enough water to cover legumes and 2 additional inches of the pot. Heat the water to a simmer, and once at simmer, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour.

Long Soak: Put legumes in bowl with a cover. Add enough cool water to cover legumes and 2 additional inches of bowl. Cover, and soak for 4 hours to overnight.

There is some controversy over whether or not to use the soaking water for the beans as at least a portion of the cooking liquid. On one hand, during the soaking process, flavor, color, and some nutrient leech into said water, and using the cooking liquid retains those. However, soaking beans also causes oligosaccharides (the indigestible sugars in beans that make you fart) to leech into the water. Retaining the cooking liquid increases the likelihood of those olfactory consequences. In the end, however, it is a matter of your particular preference, and, well, constitution.

You want to cook legumes until completely tender and creamy, and can be easily mashed with a fork. Seasoning legumes should be done at the end of cooking (after draining).

You can cook legumes in water, or stock/broth for extra flavor. After bringing beans and liquid to a boil, the beans should be cooked covered, and should be covered in liquid at all times. Individual cooking times vary from bean to bean, and even stove to stove. Excess liquid at the end of cooking can be discarded, or used in a sauce/as a broth.

Special Note: If you plan on eating your grains at room temperature or cold, be sure to elongate the cooking time to make them softer.

Cooking Gluten Free Grains
There are a lot of different grains out there – some are common, some not so much. For the purposes of this particular piece, I am going to stick with tips and tricks for cooking gluten-free grains (since my house is gluten-free).

Each different cereal (which is the technical term for a processed – that is to say milled – grain) varies in texture, based on not only the grain itself, but the particular grind of said grain. If the grain is coarse, the cooked grain will be dense and porridge-like. If the grain is fine, the cooked result will be smooth/silky, and resemble pudding.

Grains/Cereals can be cooked in both water and stock/broth (and other liquids), and aromatic vegetables and seasonings can, much like they can in stock, also be added to enhance flavor during the cooking process. Some grains will only require the amount of liquid that they need to absorb to cook, others will need to be cooked in a greater amount of liquid, to avoid clumping. Your best guide will be the instructions on the individual package. The pot used to cook grains should have a heavy bottom to avoid burning the bottom layer during a potentially long cooking process. It is important to add salt to the cooking liquid before cooking, and then adjust seasoning at the end to taste – though, it should be said that for the best grains, you want a lot of salt – probably more than you think – the water should taste just a little salty. Grains should be cooked until tender, but not mushy – it should have some bite (al dente).

Below is a table with the most common gluten-free grains(ish) used in cooking, with some details on their uses and flavors:

Grain	Texture	Flavor	Uses	Notes
Sorghum	Chewy	Mild, Nutty, and Sweet	Replacement for barley in soups. Flour used in baked goods. Syrup used for sweetener.	1 cup = 13g fiber, 20g protein
Quinoa	Fluffy, Creamy, Crunchy, Nutty	Tastes like a mix of oatmeal and brown rice.	Replacement for rice. Flour can be used in baked goods.	Quinoa is known as a complete protein (one of the few from plant sources)
Oats	Steel Cut – Chewy and Creamy Scottish Oats – smooth texture (like flour.polenta) Rolled Oats – smooth, creamy consistency Instant Oats – smooth, creamy	Mild, Nutty, Sweet	Steel Cut – Overnight Oats. Can replace farro in dishes Scottish Oats – Porridge (like cream of wheat) Rolled Oats – Traditional Oatmeal Instant Oats – Traditional Oatmeal with extremely short cooking time	Instant Oats and Rolled Oats are the same nutritionally – the only difference is the cooking time.
Buckwheat	Chewy, Crunchy	Nutty, Earthy, Bitter, Intense	Best used with other grains (20-40% of overall mixture), either in groats or flour	Seed, not a grain. Ratio of groats to water can be anywhere from 1.5-2:1 (water:buckwheat)
Amaranth	Sticky, gelatinous (like steel cut oats, only more crunchy)	Nutty	Good replacement for rice/couscous in recipes	Contains all EAAs (including lysine)
Teff	Chewy	Mild, Nutty	Good replacement for farina Use teff flour as a replacement for whole wheat flour.	Tiny grain (1/100 size of wheat)
Millet	Rice-like	Mild, Slightly Sweet	Good alternative to rice in dishes, or in salads	Actually a seed, not a grain

Both grains and legumes provide needed texture and flavor to a dish, as well as nutrients, fiber, and necessary carbohydrates. They are each mild in flavor, and can easily be experimented with to change up your meals and provide a different and new eating experience.

I swear it sounds like I exist lately to complain about how other people do things. 

I’m not. I’m not because I used to do all the things I am complaining about. Here’s what really happened.

I got bored. I got bored with routine, with “simple foods,” with batch cooking the same foods, cooked the same way. My meal prep was good – well-seasoned, carefully-prepared, and efficient. I had everything done in an hour and a half.

I am a foodie, in every sense of the word. I watch cooking shows for fun – in fact, it’s about the only type of show I can binge-watch and not fall asleep. I honestly believe that one of the biggest things that is missing from the way we eat in America today is that we are all about convenience, and it comes at the expense of a true connection to our food.

Convenience produces decent food that is readily available. If the majority is nutrient-dense, that’s a plus. But, ultimately, it’s forgettable. It’s food that you can eat while working, or driving, or watching TV. And, that’s part of the problem – both that this has become our eating custom, and that our cuisine has evolved to reflect that. Eating is supposed to be a multi-sensory experience, and, for that matter, a social one. It is supposed to excite us, comfort us, and remind us that we are loved and taken care of, not just fed and properly fueled. Cooking delicious food takes time, effort, and knowledge – which is why the act of it has been entrenched in rules and rituals of hospitality for millennia (in fact, the act of feeding a stranger is directly present in many of the world’s religious customs, past and present). It’s also one of the reasons that food choice is often reflective of, and tied to, emotions.

This all has a more sinister side of course – emotional eating can carry with it a host of psychological components and has consequences on a person’s mental and physical health. It’s a real problem, and I am in no way trying to minimize it. I’m acknowledging it, but also acknowledging that it is far outside of my scope of practice, and I am not qualified to talk about it in that particular iteration.

That being said, outside of the point where it becomes a pathology, eating in accordance with your emotions and tastes, for comfort and happiness in addition to for nutrition, satiety, and fuel, is deeply entrenched in our universal human experience. As I said, the practice has been around for millennia. But, in 21^st Century America, there is a bit of dissonance surrounding the custom. America has no sense of a traditional cuisine (outside of holidays). We are after all, a nation of immigrants, but, over time, the traditional dishes of the first immigrants to North America were diminished, and eventually disregarded. What has replaced it is a food culture (and we’re talking specifically on a macro scale here) that can best be encapsulated by the words of Chef Michael Barber: overabundance and mediocrity. This has nothing to do with how food is cooked – it goes further in than that. We can go to a big-chain grocery store any time of year and pick up nearly any product we want, regardless of whether it’s in season or not. Which, by the way, is awesome for many reasons (not least of which is that it has allowed modern life to flourish year-round in harsh climates, like Arizona); however, here’s the less-than-awesome side: food usually doesn’t taste as good when it is out of season. It usually doesn’t taste as good after the long process of being shipped from wherever it is in-season. On the economic side, this modernity has been severely detrimental to small, independent family farms that have been passed down through the generations, in favor of large farms that can mass produce crops and ship them throughout the country. [Here’s the part where someone will start thinking of Monsanto and glyphosate, but I’m not going there. This isn’t the time or the place.] I will say, however, without much detail (as again, not my area of expertise) that modern farming practices, particularly by some large farms, can ecologically tenuous (eg, lack of crop rotation).

This kind of abundance of food product is great for so, so many reasons, but it does come with trade-offs. Does this mean we should shed all modern technology and go back to relying solely on our local farmers for food? Probably not – that would cause a whole host of other issues – but we should probably be aware of all the different ways it affects us as individuals, our country, and the world. With awareness comes more choice about how we choose to interact with our environment, and that includes our food.

For us as individuals, if food doesn’t taste as good, and we don’t have the traditional knowledge of how to work around that, and we don’t really have much time to devote to figuring it out, no wonder eating is reduced to a perfunctory task. No wonder we don’t really have connection with our food anymore.

As an aside, the other interesting part about all this is that coupled with this abundance, there is still RAMPANT food insecurity. I brought up in my last post that judgements about eating seasonal/not seasonal, organic/conventional, grass-fed/grain-fed all come from a place of privilege. Yes, seasonal, local can produce tastes better, and can have a higher nutrient content (but not necessarily either)  – HOWEVER, and here’s the big caveat, judging people who for whatever reason, choose not to or can’t eat that way wreaks of snobbery.

And, to make matters even more complicated, enter the health and wellness industry to tell us that carbs, fat, sugar, fruit, conventional meat, vegetables, GMOs, plastic, aluminum, and even tap water will make us sick and eventually kill us. And, to cook “delicious food” all we need to do is slather meat and veggies in pre-made sauces and pre-blended dry rubs without thinking, because “ain’t no one got time for that”- but, shame on you if you don’t cook at all, cause “everyone should have time for that.”

I bring all this up to highlight the myriad of very complicated, and inter-connected reasons why our relationship with food, as a collective United States, is, to put it bluntly, messed up. At every level.

I started thinking about all of this late last year when I was trying to figure out what my direction was going to be in 2020. I gotta say, I have about had it with the utter hypocritical crap that comes out of the majority of the loudest mouths in the industry. It’s privileged, contradictory, and most of the time, way out of scope of practice. I started thinking about where all of this crap is even coming from – where is it that we’ve so “lost our collective way” that we’re looking toward voices on the internet to bring us something that we are lacking? Needless to say, I spent a lot of December rather disillusioned.

I also realized that I fell equally into this trap as well. I was doing everything “right:” I had my workout routine that didn’t burn me out, I had meal prepping on Sundays for both me and my husband down to a 1.5 hour SCIENCE, I was getting enough steps, and enough sleep.

But something was missing. I normally love cooking. Toward the end of the year, I found myself not really caring about it. I found myself gravitating to easy, convenience foods because the food I was making just didn’t interest me. Even though it was fresh, and nutrient-dense. It took me the better part of a month to realize it was because the foodie in me became almost dormant. I stopped feeding my creative side, because I wasn’t really cooking or even really eating any more. I was just going through the motions to fuel my body.

And it finally hit me on the head. I needed to get back to my creativity, my bliss, my joy – the thing that started this crazy run in the first place – cooking. Recipe development. Creating.

But this time was going to be different. I vowed to stretch and push myself, to experiment with new flavors, and to truly create.

Which means I had to unlearn everything I knew. And relearn everything again. 

That was the thought that re-sparked my creativity again. Because, at my core, I will always love learning.

I love knowing nothing (cue Jon Snow joke).

I happened on someone’s Instagram story one day talking about the book What French Kids Eat. I was hooked in the first few pages. The book described the French love, rather, obsession, with food. They spend what we would call indecent amounts of time planning their main meal of the day, discussing it, and being excited about it. They practice delayed gratification (thus not snacking a lot) in order to be able to truly savor this meal. This stuck me as beautiful – what a celebration of the ingredients, the time and effort it took to create them, and the eating process. THAT’S what was truly missing, that pure joy of the food experience – from preparation to eating. 

This all led me to my intention for 2020 – connection. I wanted to be connected to the food I was eating and preparing again. I wanted to reteach myself to truly experience, and thus respect in a deeper and more profound way.

A big part of learning to experience things on that deeper level, is, well, learning. Learning about cooking in a way that I never have before. Learning about the whys and the hows – why different flavors work together, how different methods of cooking change flavors – teaches you a respect for not only people who have mastered the art and science of cooking, but also a respect for the ingredients themselves.

In other words, at its core, learning connects you to what you are studying. And, that connection leads to understanding, which then leads to respect.

I want to give you an example of how all of my learning has affected me: I had a bowl of black bean soup the other day. I love beans, and I freaking love black bean soup. It’s a little mushy, a little mealy, and can have such great flavor, depending on what you add to it.

I sort of followed a recipe while I was making it. Sort of. I mean, I intended to, but then I got distracted, and the recipe was all the way over on the other cabinet, and there were a lot of words…. So, long story short I got the amounts of some of the ingredients wrong – mostly the heat (chipotle powder), being that I dumped about twice as much as I should have, and the acid (sherry vinegar), again, dumped about twice the amount that I should have in there. 

Oops. Drinking vinegar with spicy beans in it? Not appetizing. Not remotely. 

Having studied and learned how the different flavors interact and balance each other, instead of trashing the soup, I set out to save it.

I balanced the spice and the acid with some sweetness – honey. Much tasting later (between both me and my husband), we had determined it was in balance, and it went into the refrigerator (and half went into the freezer for later).

Awhile later, I was eating a bowl of this soup as I was working. The most amazing thing happened. There was so much going on in that bowl – it started off sweet, from the honey, and all of a sudden there was the acid from the vinegar, followed by the smoke and spice from the chipotle. I stopped what I was doing, just so I could concentrate on how the flavors changed in my mouth as I was eating. I looked forward to each bite. It was interesting, and enjoyable to eat. I was even smiling as I ate it.

Somewhere in there, I had stopped just eating food – I started to experience it.

That’s the power of great cooking. Great cooking is intentional in its creation, and is interesting in the eating. It makes you put down your work and your phone, turn off the TV, just so you can taste each flavor in each bite.

And, you don’t have to be a chef to cook great food. I’m not a chef. I’m actually just a nerd who likes to eat (and knows a little bit about nutrition and exercise), and loves to experiment and grow. And so I am passing along what I learn to you.

Today (at very long last), we’re going to talk about vegetables. Vegetables are such a critical component of our diet nutritionally, because they contain fiber (to help regulate digestion and to feed our gut microbiome) and micronutrients (which are important for, well, lot of things that go on in our bodies). 

But, lots of people hate vegetables. For some, it’s a texture issue – vegetables can have horrible textures when overcooked, or even when cooked the wrong way. For others, it’s about taste – many vegetables have bitter or very earthy undertones that just don’t taste very nice on their own.

Cooking vegetables in a conventional American kitchen usually boils down (pun intended) to the choosing one of six different methods: boiling, steaming, grilling/broiling, roasting, sautéing, and stewing/braising. 

Note that you can also pan fry, deep fry, or stir-fry your veggies, but since you need specialized equipment (a wok) for the latter, and more temperature control for the oil (a gas stove) than I currently have for the former, I am going to leave them out. I may revisit them. Possibly in a different post. Once I convince my husband that we have enough room in our kitchen for an induction burner (we don’t).

Moving on.

Some vegetables work better than others with each of these cooking methods. So, for each, I’ll talk about the types of veggies that the method is appropriate for, how and when to season, what to do for maximum flavor, and things to watch out for/avoid (if any). I’ll also feature some of these techniques in a recipe to come out later this week. 

Boiling
Boiling vegetables is simultaneously one of the worst things you can do to a vegetable, and one of the most under-rated cooking methods because of it.

Bear with me.

Everyone in America has that one memory of trying a boiled [INSERT NAME OF VEGETABLE HERE], and thinking that it was the worst substance in the world. For me, it was brussels sprouts. Though, in retrospect, they may have been steamed. I’m not sure – let’s go with boiled though, for continuity’s sake. These are the veggies that were SO bland and mushy you fed them to your dog when your mom wasn’t looking – that you refused to touch ever again because the memory was so strong (score one more for food is memory, though, right?).

Boiling vegetables is awful when you don’t do it right, ie when you overcook your vegetables, and turn them into bland baby food mush.

Boiling veggies can also be a useful tool to par-cook a vegetable, so that it can finish cooking using another method and cook evenly (and not burn on the outside while being raw in the middle).

It’s also coincidentally, the best way to cook frozen peas (and since peas are incredibly delicate with a very short season, they are usually only widely available frozen). 

Dunking vegetables in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, called blanching, is also a great skill for reducing a strong odor and/or flavor in a vegetable, or helping to remove a thick skin (like a tomato). 

The BIG trick with boiling veggies so they’re actually good? Don’t overcook them. You want to cook them so they are al dente, just like pasta – so they have a little bit of bite (like a raw vegetable would).

How do you ensure that your veggies will stay al dente, you ask? Cook your veggies to the desired texture (which can only be determined by taste), and then IMMEDIATELY transfer veggies from the boiling water to ice water – this stops the cooking process, which would otherwise continue, even if the veggies were removed from the water. Also, make sure that you salt the cold water too (because salt = flavor. And also salt balances bitterness.)

How about another big trick? Boil veggies in small batches (so they have room to move around), and salt the water before you add the veggies (2 oz salt for every gallon of water). You water should never stop boiling, which means, after the first batch of veggies is done, you need to give that water time to return to boiling before you add more veggies in.

You can also add flavor to the cooking water by adding stock, juice, or acid to your water (or replacing the water with it). Here are some basic recipes for most types of vegetables (formulas are for 2.5 lbs of veggies each):

Green Vegetables
Enough COLD water to generously cover vegetables (6:1 ratio water to veg is best)
2 oz salt per gallon of water

Root Vegetables
Enough COLD water to generously cover vegetables
2 oz salt per gallon of water 

Red/White Vegetables
Enough water to hold vegetables without crowding
4 oz vinegar/lemon juice per gallon of water – At the end. Cooking acid makes it bitter.

FORMULA:
1 boil base liquid (stock/water)
2 salt water
3 add vegetables
4 cook until vegetables have reached desired texture
5 add acid for last 5-10 minutes
6 if not serving right away, place vegetables in salted ice bath
7 drain

Steaming
Steaming cooks food via direct contact with hot steam, versus submersion in liquid. Generally, steaming makes vegetables less soggy (particularly vegetables that absorb a lot of liquid, which aren’t suited to boiling).

Like boiling, to make steamed vegetables more flavorful, you can manipulate the liquid that is boiled to create the steam. You can substitute some (or all) of the water with stock or juice, or add mirepoix (carrots, onions, celery) and/or herbs (like bay leaves, garlic, parsley, thyme, coriander, pepper, cumin, ginger, or citrus zest) to scent the broth, thus the steam, and thus your food, adding to the eating experience.

Steam also brings out the most vibrant colors in vegetables, which visually adds to the eating experience (remember, we eat with all of our senses).

Watch out for the liquid levels during the entire cooking process – since steam is evaporated liquid, there needs to be 2-3” of liquid in the bottom of your pot to make said steam, so always have a reserve of liquid available. 

To truly steam, you do need a steaming basket so that the vegetables are above the water, though, in a technique called pan-steaming, you can place the vegetables directly into the liquid (you just use less liquid) – essentially, you are half-boiling, half-steaming your vegetables. Since you are using less liquid, be sure to watch it more closely and add more as needed, so the liquid doesn’t completely evaporate. In pan-steaming, the leftover liquid can be reduced (boiled down) and used as a pan sauce (we’ll talk more about sauces later).

Keep in mind that you cannot season raw vegetables (the salt falls right off). Season with salt and pepper to taste after cooking and before serving.

FORMULA
1 heat liquid
2 add steamer basket
3 cover and cook to desired doneness
4 season
5 serve

Grilling/Broiling
Grilling or broiling vegetables produces a browned outside (from the natural sugars and proteins caramelizing), and a tender inside with an intensified flavor.

This is my favorite way to eat vegetables. It makes sense, I’m pretty intense, grilled veggies are intense. It just fits.

High-moisture/tender vegetables (like eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and mushrooms) can be grilled/broiled from raw, but dense/starchy vegetables (like fennel, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets) need to be par cooked before grilling (so they cook all the way through).

You can marinade your vegetables briefly in oil/spices, or salsa, soy sauce, vinaigrettes, butter, or a butter sauce – but no more than 15-30 minutes (or the veggies will take on too much liquid). Your marinade can also be brushed on during the cooking, if desired (though be careful not to drip into the flames if you are grilling, as it can cause flare ups).

If you don’t want to use a marinade, lightly coat your vegetables with olive oil before cooking, and dust with salt/pepper and other desired spices after cooking (the salt will not cling to the raw vegetable). 

If you are grilling delicate vegetables (ie ones that will fall through the grill), you can use a grill plate (or aluminum foil) to support them. You can also add a wonderful smoky flavor by adding woodchips, or herb stems to the grill fire.

FORMULA
1 marinade vegetables
2 heat grill/broiler
3 add veggies
4 cook to desired doneness
5 taste and season (fresh herbs, salt, etc)

Roasting
This is perhaps the easiest way to cook vegetables in larger quantities (for example, for meal prepping), and the way that the majority of people do.

The formula is easy:
FORMULA:
1 preheat oven
2 coat vegetables in oil or marinade (season with salt and pepper)
3 cook to desired doneness, adding aromatics at the end
4 season to taste (fresh herbs, salt, etc), add sauce

Roasting is best for thick-skinned vegetables, like root vegetables, winter squash, and eggplant (so, you know, not for everything), as well as vegetables that are hard to peel. It’s also great for halved, cut, sliced, and diced vegetable pieces – roasted vegetables need to be cut into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking (so all of your pieces are cooked to the same doneness).

Before placing in the oven, vegetable pieces need to be coated evenly with oil, which promotes more browning, and prevents the vegetables from drying out. Marinades can also be used, but remember that vinegar turns bitter after prolonged cooking. You can add aromatics toward the end of the cooking process (like garlic, and onions/shallots) so that they don’t burn (they will most likely be much smaller pieces than your main vegetables. If they are the same, you can add earlier). 

When you remove your vegetables from the oven, that’s the time to add chopped fresh herbs, more strongly flavored oils (or infused oils), butter/compound butter, or a sauce. Add this in after cooking, as cooking can change the flavor of these ingredients.

The biggest mistake I see with people roasting vegetables is trying to cram everything into one pan. Easier for clean up, yes, but terrible for roasting. If you have more than one layer of vegetables in a pan, or one layer that is too crowded, the moisture in the vegetables cannot escape, and you end up steaming the vegetables instead of roasting them (and missing that delicious roasted flavor) – which is fine, but not what you are going for. Remember, it’s all about being intentional. Likewise, if you pan is too open, the juices that come out of the vegetables will burn, and that’s not a great aroma or flavor.

Remember to also rotate your pans as you are cooking so that your food cooks evenly – everyone’s oven has a blind spot (where food will not cook)!

Sautéing
Any vegetable can really be sautéed (or, cooked in a hot pan with fat). However, some must be par-cooked before they hit the pan (thick, dense, big vegetables – squash, beets, etc), since the outside will cook faster than the inside. 

The most important part of a sauté is choosing the right cooking fat. The more delicate/thinner the piece of vegetable, the quick it will cook, but the higher the temperature can be. Choosing a fat with a higher smoke point (which we will talk about a little later) would be an appropriate choice. If you are sautéing a vegetable that takes a longer time to cook, or is in a bigger piece and not par-cooked, than you will want to cook at a lower (but not low) temperature, and so a different oil might be more appropriate. You’ll also want to consider the flavor of your oil, and how it goes with the flavors of the food you are cooking. Coconut oil is delightful, and has a high smoke point, but remember it has a pretty distinct coconut flavor, and it may not be appropriate for every dish you are making. Experiment with different oils, and diversify.

Here are some common oils that are used in sautéing: 

Olive
Peanut
Canola
Corn
Safflower
Butter
Ghee
Animal fat (lard, duck, tallow) 

Season your vegetables with salt and pepper at the end of cooking (remember, it will not stick to raw vegetables, and adding salt too early will bring too much moisture out of the vegetable and the vegetables will not sauté). You can also add lemon juice at the end of cooking for a hint of acid (again. Acid at the end, otherwise bitter-town). Fresh herbs can also be added, but again, add them at the end of cooking, because cooking changes the flavor (and not for the better).

You can also glaze your sautéed vegetables at the end of cooking – basically adding a small amount of butter, and some sweetened (sugar/honey/maple syrup) and allowing the sugars to liquify and caramelize, coating the vegetables evenly. This helps the vegetables have a nice golden color, a little extra sweetness, and a beautiful sheen. It, however, is not appropriate for all vegetables (because adding sugar to some vegetables might not end well – use judgement).

The size of the pan is super important when sautéing. You want your pan to be large enough to avoid having vegetables in more than one layer, but not so large as there is too much space in between the pieces, which causes the juices to burn. The pam material you choose will also play a part – remember some pans have more consistent heat (cast iron), but are harder to control, some are more sensitive to changes in position (copper), but can get too hot very easily. Use what you are comfortable with.

 Another form of sautéing is sweating, where you cook vegetables in just enough liquid (cream, stock , broth, water) to coat the vegetables. This is great when you want to add flavor to a dish.

As your vegetables sauté, remember their color will intensify, and they most likely will eventually wilt (which is not good for some vegetables). If you are cooking  more than one vegetable at a time, add them in batches, with the one that takes the longest to cook first, so that none of your vegetables will burn/wilt/ruin your dish.

Oh, and watch your pans closely. Some vegetables need contestant attention and movement in the pan, or they burn, others, on the other hand, need to be left alone.

FORMULA:
1 heat pan
2 add fat
3 add vegetables
4 cook until desired doneness
5 glaze (if desired)
6 season with salt, pepper, fresh herbs to taste
7 serve

Stewing/Braising
Braising, or cooking in liquid, is a great way to retain all the flavor and nutrients of the vegetables during the cooking process. Before adding to the liquid, blanch the vegetables to remove any bitterness. Remember also to add aromatics to your liquid (which, again, can be water, stock, or juice) – and, you can even add browned bacon or an acid (at the… wait for it… end of cooking) for some umami and/or acid. 

Stews can be easily thickened with arrowroot, cornstarch, or potato starch, and you can also add cream or reduced cream (or non-dairy alternative) at the end to enhance the richness of your stew. You can also choose to blend your stew for creaminess, or keep it more “rustic.”

Stews can be finished in the oven or on the stove. If you want to finish in the oven, try adding bread crumbs and cheese to make a gratin.

In conclusion, and if you have stuck with me thus far, first, I’m impressed, and second, thank you, remember that a large part of cooking is really up to your own tastes. With each cooking method, the flavor of different vegetables changes slightly, and you just have to experiment with different methods to find the ones you like the best. Also, play around with the vegetables themselves – cucumbers are great raw, for example, but they also can be steamed, sautéed, or stewed and can be equally delicious. 

FORMULA
1 heat liquid
2 add veggies (bonus points if they are pre-sautéed just until a little brown)
3 cook until desired doneness
4 taste and adjust seasoning

The right cooking method will enhance the flavors of your vegetables, but be wary of when you are going to serve them. Methods like sautéing and stir-frying, don’t particularly keep well, whereas stewing, braising, or even pureeing keep well, and can even improve flavor over time.

The last thing I want to mention is deciding on the doneness of vegetables. A lot of this is really up to your individual tastebuds. My husband likes his vegetables nice and tender (which you can totally read as mushy – bleh – and yes, he is protesting, but I’m keeping this in because, if nothing else, its funny. And they’re mushy to me. And I have his permission.), I like mine on the raw side of done (ie nice and crispy and barely cooked). Some vegetables are “better” when more tender – broccoli and green beans, for example. Others do better barely cooked – snow peas and sugar snap peas – but, in the end, it really depends on what tastes good to you.

Go experiment. Try something new. Connect with your food and cooking.