Self Care

In an earlier post on nutrition, I recommended that you eat a lot of vegies and protein. One ‘go-to’ meal base we use a lot is this basic salad. Its made with 3 simple ingredients we keep in the house all the time, so we can make it regularly. There are tons of things you can do with it so it doesn’t get boring.

Basic Salad

Tools

Large cutting board
I like this set because you get varied colors and sizes, they fold and roll, are easy to use, dishwasher safe (though i hand wash my larger ones) and store. The large one is great for chopping lettuce.

Chef’s knife
You only really need 3 or 4 basic knives, plus steak knives if you want. Use good knives. Here is a good starter Henkels set. If your have more limited budget, this is a set you can start with.
Be sure your knives are sharp- I prefer a 2 stage sharpener over a sharpening steel.

Veg peeler
I love my OXO veg peeler, easy to use, hold and clean.

Gallon zip locking bag
This is what I put the salad in when all chopped up. You can mix it all up in the bag, add dressing if desired to get it evenly coated over the salad- tends to use less and save calories. Of course, If you plan to eat it all right away, then put it in a large bowl.

Ingredients

This will make about 3 servings- try it first. You can always add more or less of anything.
Rinse the vegies under cool water and shake off excess water.
1 head Romaine lettuce
(Romaine lettuce has more vitamins and nutrients than iceberg and a more robust flavor. The greener the veg, the more nutrients)
Cut off the end and discard, then, holding the whole head with your non-dominant hand, slice the lettuce into 1/2 inch slices from the bottom to the top. Put the lettuce into the zip-locking bag.

3 green onions
Trim off the ‘hairy’ ends, line up the three onions and cut all three together. Slice the white part into slices about 1/4 inch. Most Asian cooking also uses the green part, and I like it too. Use your own taste preferences. Add the slides onions to the bag.

1/3 cucumber
Peel with the peeler- if desired. Then chop into small bits and add to the bag.

Seal the bag and gently toss/shake the bag to mix up all the ingredients.

That’s it- that is your base salad. Keep in mind that once lettuce is cut it starts to oxidize and brown, so plan to eat the salad with a day or two.
Fine. Now what?

Et tu, Caesar?

This salad started as a base for Chicken Caesar Salad but works just as well for Salmon Caesar Salad or Steak Caesar Salad.

• Put about 1/3 of the Basic Salad mix into a pasta plate or onto a dinner plate.
• Top with 4oz grilled chicken breast, roasted chicken, grilled Salmon or grilled steak
• Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese over the top . We use the fresh or cheese aisle shredded or grated Parmesan. Because it tends to mold quickly, we keep a bag of it in the freezer. Don’t worry that its frozen, it will warm quickly, especially if you are sprinkling it on warm meat or fish. Just use what you need, reseal and put back in the freezer.
• If you didn’t dress the salad in the bag, add dressing. I am partial to Marie’s Caesar which is found refrigerated in the produce department.

Eh taco!

The basic salad is great used on tacos along with seasoned ground beef (see the post on preparing ground beef), tomatoes (if desired), grated cheese and salsa. Yum. Also works as the basis for a great taco salad with all the same ingredients and some tortilla chips.

Chopped Salad

Use the basic salad recipe as a basis for a chopped salad. Top it with whatever you like (just b e sure you get plenty of protein).
Suggestions:

• olives
• sliced hard cooked eggs
• chick (garbanzo) beans
• kidney beans
• grated cheese- cheddar or whatever you like
• peas
• beets
• vegies- (uncooked) zucchini, spinach, carrots, celery
• tuna fish (drained and straight from the can)
• tuna or egg salad

Come up with other great combos? Let us know about them. Bon appetit!

Apart from the egg cooked in the shell, here are recipes for other basic eggs: basted, scrambled and omelet.

I didn’t know what a basted egg was until well into my 20s. This recipe for a basted egg is a terrific replacement for traditional basted eggs, fried over easy or medium, and even poached eggs since it uses water rather than fat to baste.

I use an 8 inch non-stick fry pan for 2-3 eggs and the lid from one of my saucepans that is not too tight fitting. Its best if its slightly smaller than the widest diameter of the fry pan.

Basted Eggs

• Place pan over medium heat (tend toward the low side of medium rather than the high side of medium).
• Melt a little butter in the pan. ( Optional if using a non-stick pan. Mandatory if not.)I run the unwrapped end of a stick of butter around the slightly heated pan just to coat the bottom.
• Break eggs into the pan. The thing to keep in mind when breaking an egg is that “it’s all in wrist”. Pivot from the wrist and try to make a swift clean crack with one stroke which can then be opened with the shell in two parts.  Practice this even when you don’t need whole yolks, like when you are making scrambled eggs or omelets. The idea is to do this without breaking the yolk. If you aren’t good at this and really want the yolks unbroken, break them gently into a small dish then ease into the pan one at a time.
• Cover the pan with a lid and wait until you hear a quiet sizzle (if you used butter) or 2-3 minutes.
• Pour about a tablespoon of cold water onto the lid so it can run into the pan. If the lid is tight fitting, lift the lid, pour the water into the pan and quickly recover the pan. The water will heat quickly and steam the eggs.
• Wait another 2-3 minutes and lift the lid to check the eggs.
  • If the eggs are done, turn off the burner and slide the eggs out onto plate.
  • If the eggs are not done
    • Put the lid back on
    • If the top of the eggs need more cooking, add a teaspoon or two more water and recover.
    • Check again in a minute or two and repeat until done.
• Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Use more water for more poached like eggs.
Cook longer for eggs more like fried.

Serve with or on toast or toasted English muffins.

Scrambled Eggs

There are probably as many ways to scramble eggs as there are people to scramble them. Its really easy. All you need to remember is to keep the stove temperature to the low side of medium    and scramble the eggs from time to time, turning over the cooked side an allowing the uncooked egg to get to the pan.

• Break the number of eggs you want into a bowl and whip up with a fork.
• You can add a little water or milk. You can add chopped vegies, onions, bacon, ham or lox, too. Try adding spices like a pinch of dill.
• Heat the pan over medium (to medium-low) heat and add butter if desired.We love cream cheese scrambled eggs and melt a nice sized glob of cream cheese in the pan first, breaking it into smaller pieces with the cooking utensil and then adding the eggs.
• Pour the eggs into the skillet
• Allow to cook until they just start to set on the bottom.
• Mix the eggs by turning over the cooked side to allowing the uncooked egg to get to the pan. REMEMBER: DO not use metal in non-stick pans. Use a plastic utensil to stir the eggs in the pan. I prefer a cooking fork but they are very hard to find. Many people use a spatula for this.
• Continue until the eggs are done then transfer to a plate.

The more you mix the more crumbly they become, so if you like larger chunks, mix less often.

Basic Omelets

OK, so an omelet is basically scrambled eggs that aren’t scrambled and have stuff in them. They are traditional and staple French food. If you have eggs and a little cheese, you always have something to eat.

Ingredients like meat, onions, peppers, and some cheese can be added to the eggs before cooking or can go in the center of the omelet after cooking and before folding over. Have filling ready BEFORE you start cooking if adding it into the fold.

• Break the number of eggs you want into a bowl and whip up with a fork.
• Add a little (about 2 Tablespoons) cream or milk (water if you must) and a dash of nutmeg and mix it in.
• Add any other ingredients you want in the eggs and mix in. (NOTE: you want about a 1/3 cup of “stuff”)
• Heat the pan over low heat and add butter if desired.
• Pour the eggs into the skillet and cover.
• Cook until the eggs are completely set and a little puffy.
• Place the filling ingredients on half the omelet. Fold the other side over (if cheese, recover and give it a minute for the cheese to melt.)
• Turn off the heat
• Slide or invert the omelet onto a plate.
•  Salt and Pepper and garnish if desired.

(NOTE about Salt and Pepper:  These have a lot more oomph if added after cooking and before eating. It’s a great way to cut down on Salt intake without missing out on flavor.)

Bon Appetit!

Eggs are pivotal representations of both Passover and Easter, and are a traditional symbol of spring. They are the perfect shape, self-contained and independent.

As a food, they are a low-calorie and fat source of good protein. They are inexpensive, easy to find and easy to prepare. I consider them a necessary staple and have some in the house at all times. If hungry and tired, there are many things that can be whipped up easily with eggs.

First – egg safety.

As I mentioned in the post on poultry safety, eggs can carry Salmonella, so eggs need to be handled with the same precautions as for preparing poultry. Eggs are safest when completely cooked through. However, I know that I don’t eat my eggs cooked through, nor my beef medium well.  For liability purposes I need to tell you that cooked completely is the only totally safe way to eat eggs. For recipes calling for uncooked eggs, you can get and use either pasteurized eggs or pasteurized egg products (usually above the eggs in the refrigerated section).

The FDA has a full list of egg safety tips here.

If cholesterol is a concern, replace some or all of the eggs in your diet with products like Egg Beaters which are all or mostly yolk-free, thereby reducing the cholesterol. These products make great omelets, frittatas, scrambled eggs and work perfectly in baked goods.

Second, eggs are protein

Like all protein, do not cook eggs at too high a temperature or your will destroy the texture of the protein.  This means low to medium temperature- even when frying.

Next, let’s talk about preparation.
Since the hard cooked egg is the egg of the season, I’ll start with the cooked in the shell eggs.

Eggs cooked in the shell

(soft, medium and hard cooked eggs- or “boiled” eggs):

• To keep eggs from cracking, pierce the bottom (the fat part) of the egg shell. If you don’t have an egg machine with a piercer, you can buy an egg piercer.  You can use a clean needle or pin, but its easy to stab yourself (not recommended).
• Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat
• Cover and remove from the heat
• Set aside for
  • Soft Cooked – 4-5 minutes
  • Medium  Cooked – 6-8 minutes
  • Hard  Cooked – 8-10 minutes
• Drain the hot water
• Cool in ice water or under very cold running water. (This keeps yolks from blackening and eggs from splitting.)
• Peel (or drain and refrigerate hard cooked eggs, using within 1 week).

Now, having said all that, let me add that I ate soft cooked eggs every day for over 20 years and I used an egg cooker, which is much more reliable and consistent than the above method (and easier I find too).  However, whatever method you use will take some trial and error. With my egg cooker I found I needed longer cooking times to reach the doneness I prefer, so  I needed to add more water than it suggested.

OK, now you have those great cooked eggs. Here are a couple of recipes:

Devilled Eggs

• Peel the eggs. This can best be done with a teaspoon (table not measuring). Gently crack the shell all around. Pick or pry off a piece of shell and pierce the membrane under the shell. Using fingers or the spoon, try to get under the membrane and pull off the shell. This takes a little practice.
• Cut the eggs in two, either across or lengthwise. Lengthwise is easier because they sit better and are easier to fill, but I am not the egg police.
• Gently scoop out the yolk into a small mixing bowl. Place the whites onto a plate or serving dish.
• Mash the yolks with a fork.
• Add the other ingredients and mixThis always includes mayo, yellow mustard and black pepper. I prefer Miracle Whip to mayonnaise, but that is just the way my Mom made them. Everything else is optional and I never measure, I just do it by taste. Below are guidelines to get you started:For 6 eggs use about:
  • ¼ c mayonnaise
  • 1 t yellow mustard
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1 t white vinegar (optional)
• Spoon or pipe the mixture into the eggs.
• Dust Paprika over the eggs

Mom’s Comfort Eggs

(My Mom made this for us when I was a child and they are always my go-to when I am ill)

2 soft to medium cooked eggs
1 piece of white bread or a Hawaiian roll (I prefer Sweet) torn into small pieces
1 -2 teaspoon butter, melted
1-2 Tablespoons milk

Mix all together and add pepper and salt as desired.

Enjoy the holidays and enjoy your eggs!  Next post will be other ways to prepare basic eggs.

Two of the healthiest foods to eat are poultry and eggs. They are rich in protein and low in fat. Sadly, many people just never learned safe preparation of poultry and eggs. If not prepared with care and cooked properly, they can make you very, very ill. That is due to the possibility of bacteria that can be in raw eggs and poultry that can be transferred to your hands, utensils and counters when preparing these foods,  and you can get by eating them if not completely cooked.

Salmonella poisoning is very possible with poultry or eggs and can be life threatening. Imagine diarrhea so bad you can NOT get liquids in fast enough to make up for the ones you are losing.

Basic tips for safe preparation of poultry:

• Wash your hands, utensils, dishes, counters and sink surfaces they come in contact with before and after use with hot soapy water. Even if just a little. Even if just liquid.
• Do not touch a hand towel until after you have washed your hands with hot soapy water. (I have seen good cooks wipe hands on a dish towel after handling a chicken. Don’t do this! Err on the side of caution and wash your hands first!
• Use the back of your hands (where you have not gotten any egg or poultry juice) to turn on faucets or open the trash can. In case of doubt wash anything you touched with hot soapy water too. With practice, you can get good at not touching things until your hands are clean.
• Set up your sink faucet and hand soap so you can reach and use them easily.
• If you know you will have trash (egg shells, poultry wrappers or parts you don’t want), open the trash before working with them.
• Have your pans ready and in place (egg pan out and near or on the stove. Roasting pan oiled and on the counter).
• I usually have someone assist me when I am prepping a turkey because it’s a challenge with the size and weight of it to move it around and not touch anything.
• Most poultry recipes call for rinsing and/or wiping the bird with paper towels. Have them ready (torn from the roll) before you start prep.
• Another trick is to have a plastic shopping bag hooked over a drawer knob for all the trash.

Basic trips for safely cooking poultry:

• Do NOT cook a partially frozen bird! Period. My son and I got salmonella poisoning when a hostess cooked a partially defrosted turkey.  Better to give them something else than poison people.
• Properly defrost poultry – be sure there are no crystals of ice anywhere, including inside the bird. Err on the safe side.
  • In the refrigerator is the best. Depending on the size of the bird, this can be overnight to several days. Most turkey tell how long to defrost.
  • If you need it faster or it’s not completely defrosted when you need to cook it, put it in a resealable plastic bag in a cold water bath with a slow tap on so the water stays cold.
  • The third way is to defrost in the microwave- be sure to set on defrost (30% power) and for less time than you think. Check, turn, repeat.
  • Cook to an internal temperature of 165° F and use a thermometer to check
• Follow directions on the wrapper of the bird, or bake at using this roasting chart from foodsafety.gov.

Knowing the easy steps for the safe preparation of poultry can keep these healthy foods healthy for you.

Next time we will discuss cooking eggs.