To Steam or Not to Steam That's The Question!

Should You Steam Your Food?

Health experts claim that steaming food is far healthier than conventional cooking methods.  Steaming uses boiling water, which gives off steam and cooks the food.  There are definitely benefits to steaming. You are going to want to throw away your frying pan and baking tray and have a healthy lifestyle

NO OIL

When you steam your food there is no need for oil.  The means that there is immediately a lower fat content than food that has been cooked in oil or butter.  

OVER-COOKING and  BURNING are AVOIDED

When food is fried, boiled, grilled or oven cooked the chance is greater that it will burned or overcooked.  Steamers usually allow you to set a timer so the food doeskin overcook.

NO CROSS FLAVORS

Several types of food can be steam at the same time.  This also reduces time and the amount of pot and pans used.

LESS VITAMINS LOST IN THE PROCESS

When vitamins come in contact with boiling water they are damaged.  Several studies have  shown that  steaming leaves your food with a higher vitamin content.  

CANCER FIGHTERS ARE LEFT TO FIGHT!

Many foods have glucosinolates,  a component that fights cancer.  Glucosinolates are destroyed when he food is over cooked.  Boiling your food damages 60% of the nutrients and glocosinolates.  Your food now has hardly any nutritional value.  

4 TIPS TO FOR PROPERLY STEAMING YOUR FOOD

      * Place food so there is space around each item so the steam can circulate effectively. 

         If you overload or stack food it will not evenly cook. 

      * You only need a small amount of water in the base of the steamer, you dont want it to

          close to your food.  

       * Close the lid tightly and do not open once the process has started, opening lid will 

          hinder process.  

       * Parboil all grains first before finishing off the cooking process by steaming.

THIS TUPPERWARE SMART MULTI-COOKER IS GREAT FOR STEAMING

Shirlie's E-Store click here

PRODUCT DETAILS

One space-saving design does it all: steam, cook pasta, potatoes, rice and other grains or multi-cook up to three foods at once. Multi-cook a full meal by cooking pasta, potatoes or other veggies in water inside the base, while foods in the shielded and shallow colanders stacked above are cooked with the rising steam. Prepare up to eight cups of cooked rice and up to six cups of pasta, depending on shape.

• Includes Shielded Cover, Grains Seal, Grains Insert, Shallow Colander, Shielded Colander and Base/Water Reservoir
• In Indigo/Snow White/Tokyo Blue
• Dishwasher safe
• Limited Lifetime Warranty

HERE IS A VIDEO SHOWING HOW TO STEAM IN THE MICROWAVE

(I would add seasoning to the food)  I have this cooker and it does steam food to perfection)

Please shop my e-store for this and many other great products

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Are You Skilled Using a Chef's Knife?


Are you new to cooking  or  maybe you know your way around the kitchen?  Either way SHARPING your knife skills is oh so important.  This skill is important for maintaining a safe kitchen.  Your recipes will be so much better as well.  When your ingredients are cut uniformly they will cook at the same rate resulting in a dish that is cooked evenly throughout.  Your dish will also have a nice presentation, because each piece of  food is cut in the same fashion.


This blog will cover the correct way to hold a chef's knife as well as how to grip the food with your hand and avoid cutting yourself.

How to Properly Grip A Chef's Knife

The photo above shows the proper way to grip a blade of a Chef's knife.  Look at how the index finger is wrapped fully around the blade.  The index finger and thumb should be opposite each other on either side of the blade at the same time the remaining  three fingers are loosely curled around the handle.  Your grip should be focused with the thumb and forefinger.  It is important to relax and maintain a loose grip.  You don't want to grip the knife with to tight of a grip. This grip takes practice and soon any other grip will feel unnatural.

The Claw Grip To Secure The Food

Now that you cam grip the knife correctly, what should your other hand do when using a chef knife?  Your non knife hand is called the the guiding hand.  This hand is used to hold the food so it does not move around on the cutting board.  This hand is in a dangerous position.  Since the knife is moving in a quick up and down motion it is important that your fingers are safely tucked away.  You must be able to do this and still firmly hold the food in place.  

The grip shown here is called  the claw grip.   Your fingers are curled inward and gripping the \food with fingernails, this keeps fingers out of harms way.  The side of the knife blade should rest against the first knuckle this keeps the knife perpendicular to cutting board.  You may may want to start off with chopping a carrot to practice and become comfortable with how to use the chef's knife.

Watch Now:  The correct way to Use a Chef's Knife

Check out my online store for lots of kitchen tools including this Chef's Knife CLICK HERE

PRODUCT DETAILS

Safe, non-slip and colorful, these blades offer quality performance without breaking the bank. Protective sheath included with each knife.The Chef's Knife aids in heavy-duty prep like dicing, carving and cutting meat.

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