Learn With Me

Mediterranean Diet Breakfast Ideas

You may have heard about it on the news. The Mediterranean Diet has numerous health benefits. The best part of all is that it isn’t a restrictive plan, just simple guidelines to live a healthier lifestyle.

Most people think of feta cheese and tomatoes when they think of Mediterranean food. And it’s true, a lot of the recipes include these ingredients. I’ve found breakfast to be the hardest meal to prepare throughout my time on the Mediterranean diet. Most of the ideas are omelets, and that’s just not feasible for most mornings. But I have found some alternative recipes, including ones that work for busy mornings or when you are on the go.

Want some Mediterranean diet breakfast ideas?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

…

Are Organic Spices Worth It?

by Kristen 1 Comment

The American appetite for spices has tripled since 1960, according to a 2015 USDA report entitled, “The Spice Market in the United States: Recent Developments and Prospects.

The study didn’t directly address consumption, only availability. However, the USDA analyst that created the document insisted that availability represents consumption in this case. We are enjoying more spices than ever!

Another interesting takeaway from the report was that spices fall in and out of favor. While caraway seeds used to be widespread, interest has declined. On the other hand, chile peppers have seen a boom. If we are increasing our consumption of spices, should we be buying the organic versions?

Want to learn what the benefits of organic spices are and if they are worth the additional cost?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

…

How Do I Organize My Recipes Electronically?

by Kristen Leave a Comment

Nothing is more frustrating than when you are about to make dinner, and you can’t find the recipe. You try searching for it but can’t remember the name. Getting food on the table is a priority, and now it’s delayed. It has happened to me more times than I can count. Then I started thinking about how do I organize my recipes electronically.

My first foray into creating a digital cookbook was making a folder on my computer and bookmark the recipe. This method is excellent in its simplicity. It falls down a bit when you are looking for a recipe, and you have no idea its name. You have to be online to access the website and rely on it still being in the same location it was when you found it. Over time, I found sites shut down, or recipes were placed behind a paywall making it challenging to access.

Then I moved to a digital cookbook and haven’t had an issue since. All of my recipes are stored offline in one place and easy to access. It is the ultimate time-saver.

There are so many options out there. A quick search in the app store produces countless results. If you want to learn how do I store my recipes electronically, I’m here to help!

I tried several different methods and apps, including Cook’N, Paprika Recipe Manager, Pepperplate, Pocket, Recipe Sage, and Pinterest. There are pros and cons to each one, but a few stand out from the crowd.

Want to make your digital cookbook?

Let’s go to the Chalkboard.

…

Oktoberfest Menu

by Kristen Leave a Comment

Are you looking for a simple Oktoberfest menu? You’ve come to the right place!

There is no better way to celebrate the fall than to host an Oktoberfest party. Jubilant in nature and focused around Munich’s flavorful food and drink, this is the perfect theme. Not familiar with German cuisine? An Oktoberfest celebration is a great way to introduce yourself and your guests.

Many would argue that German food doesn’t get enough attention in the U.S. However, one food authority believes it should. According to Mimi Sheraton, the author of The German Cookbook, “German cooking has more appeal to the average American palate then the cuisine of any other foreign country.” She states that meat and potatoes are staples of the German diet, just like America’s. The fats are similar, too, as both often use butter, lard, and bacon. The cuisine also includes a significant sweet and sour component that rivals the Americans. You can usually find ham and pineapple or turkey and cranberries together on a dinner table.

The Germans even have the motto gut essen, gut tinken, which means good eating and good drinking. You can’t go wrong with that!

Now is the time to celebrate the fall and host a party. So here is your Oktoberfest menu.

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

…

Which Cooking Oil To Use When?

by Kristen 1 Comment

Let’s chat about cooking oil.

I am almost embarrassed to admit it, but I love to fry things. I don’t know why. Perhaps it is the delicious food that it creates or the fact that it reminds me of my childhood. My mom made chicken cutlets all the time, and it is still the ultimate comfort food for me. No worries, I like to counter my fried food obsession with lots of salads. Recently, I have been making dressings from scratch.

Also, our CSA has been giving us some beautiful eggplants this year, and since my little guy loves eggplant parmesan, I have been making it quite often. As I stood over the stove, I looked at all of the oils I had. Vegetable, olive, canola, sunflower, and avocado oils were all in my cupboard. As I stared at them, I realized that I had no idea which one to use when. Recipes must have included them, which was why I bought them at some point.

If I knew which oils worked in similar ways and had identical flavors, I could use up what I own and have more confidence in any swaps.

Want to learn the best substitutes for oil and what the differences are between the varieties?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

…

5 Common Avocado Problems And Solutions

by Kristen Leave a Comment

I am in love with the simple avocado. You can place it on toast, salads, and everything in between. If it is in a dish, I am likely to love it and have it on a meal plan. And I am not alone. Since March, demand for the green fruit (yup, it is a fruit) has been surging, and the cost has gone along with it. Prices are up almost 63 percent. This is making an already pricy piece of produce even more expensive.

So, if we are paying a premium for the avocado, we want one that tastes great. The problem is, we are unable to tell from the outside just what we are getting. It is impossible just to see if it is problem-free. I’ve had more and more encounters with brown avocados, stringy avocados, and avocados that won’t ripen, no matter what method I employed.

So what is a consumer to do? Here are common problems with avocados and what to do about them.

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

…

Which Salt Is Right For You?

by Kristen Leave a Comment

This one simple ingredient can transform your cooking. It can make a hum hum dish sing and take your desserts to the next level. It also is something that the body craves but can’t keep. SALT! Formal name Sodium Chloride.

Despite its simplicity, the choices are seemingly endless. Just look at the grocery aisle, and you will come across many different options. Kosher, table, pink Himalayan, canning, pickling? Coarse or fine? Which do you choose and why?

Just a little bit of information, and you can learn which to use and when. It’s important because, throughout this research, I’ve learned that not all salts are the same.

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

…

Do Food Expiration Dates Matter?

by Kristen Leave a Comment

We all head to the grocery store and want to purchase the freshest products we can afford. I know that when grabbing milk, I go through all of the gallons to see if I can find one that has the latest date on it. If I am lucky, I will find one that is a day after all of the others. Score!

Recently, as I looked at the various items throughout my kitchen, I started to realize that they were all labeled differently — sell by, freeze by, use by. Which got me thinking, what the heck did it all mean? How can you tell if food is spoiled? Do food expiration dates matter?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

…

The Mediterranean Diet For Beginners

by Kristen Leave a Comment

I turned 40 this year. And I was tired. I had two little kids running around and no time to focus on my health. I was trying to survive. My birthday came about, and I thought it would be cute to try and do a backbend. I could barely get up. Thankfully my girlfriends told me AFTER the fact that their girls watch Youtube videos of gymnastics fails, which include severe injuries from backbends. I needed a change.

I was determined to get healthy. Now, I’m not the kind of drastic measure girl. I love food, so the idea of trying a traditional, restrictive diet was not in the cards for me. Not to mention that my carnivorous family would probably revolt if I made a massive immediate change. I knew that I didn’t want a diet per se, but more of a lifestyle change.

Then I remembered that my husband had mentioned the Mediterranean Diet in passing a few times. Boom! Let’s give it a go. As usual, he regretted those few words as I fully integrated the Mediterranean Diet within a few weeks. Gone were his steaks, No helper Cheeseburger Macaroni dinners and in were fish, tomatoes and feta, a whole lot of feta. You would think he would choose his words more wisely around me by now.

Want to learn about how to do the Mediterranean Diet for beginners?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

…

How to Eat More Vegetables in the Winter

by Kristen Leave a Comment

Everyone has a different feeling about winter. Some love the snow and the cold and look forward to the change of seasons; others hang on to fall with dear might, hoping that winter never comes.

No matter which camp you are in, the winter doldrums can hit hard. Flu season arrives, you haven’t opened the windows in weeks, you can’t remember what sunshine feels like, and inevitably you start to get down. You don’t feel healthy. Along with making every effort to remain active, there’s another way to feel better in the winter — eat more vegetables. Sounds so simple, right? But when you go to the grocery store and see sad-looking produce, it’s not too enticing.

Want to learn how to eat more vegetables in the winter?

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

…