By: Amanda Lapidus, RD, BSc
The theme for nutrition month this week is Try Something New! So I’m encouraging all of you to join the journey and try something different. Here are a few kitchen hacks to test out this week:
Monday
Become a Garlic Guru
Q: Love using fresh garlic but hate that it takes so long to peel?
A: Microwave the head of garlic for about 20 seconds and the peels will slip right off.
Q: Can’t stand that your hands smell like garlic all day?
A: Try rubbing your hands on your stainless steel sink. The stainless steel molecules bind to the garlic molecules getting rid of that pesky smell. Isn’t science cool!?
Tuesday
Cooking Gingerly: Chop fresh ginger into one-inch pieces and freeze them for use at a later time! A microplane grater (like the one below from William Sonoma) is ideal for adding finely-grated ginger flavour to some of your favourite dishes!
How to Peel Ginger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9zgXSdnPGI
Wednesday
Skinning a Tomato:
- Make an X on the bottom of your tomatoes
- Throw them into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute
- Take the tomatoes out with a slotted spoon and put them into a bowl of cold water or an ice bath.
- Lift them directly back out, peel back the skin with a knife or your fingers.
- The skin will slip off like a charm.
Thursday
Trim the Fat! Have you ever noticed a thin layer of oil on the top of a soup or stew? If you drop a couple of ice cubes into a soup, stew or casserole, you’ll see easy to scoop globs of fat form. This is because the fat will begin to congeal in the colder areas.
Friday
Don’t Boil Over! Ever walk away from the stove only to hear the sizzle of water boiling over on to the burner? Place a wooden spoon across the pot or pan of boiling water and it stops it from boiling over. Problem solved!
Saturday
Freeze-in the Freshness! Use ice cube trays to save fresh herbs, sauces and stocks to use for future meals. Just pop them out and reheat as part of your next meal. This cuts down on waste and helps save money too!
Sunday
A Juicy Tip! I love when a recipe calls for lemon or lime juice but some lemons and limes are a little more difficult to juice. The trick? Pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to make juicing them much easier.
I hope you find these tips both fun and useful in your journey to eating healthier meals at home!
RELATED LINKS:
Week 3 Recap: Prioritizing Portion Size
Week 1 Recap: Meal Plan Your Way to Success!
Stocking-Up On Nutrition Month Essentials!
Following One Family’s Journey to Healthier Eating
5 Ways to Teach Kids About Nutrition
Show Your Fruits and Vegetables Some Love this Valentine’s Day
