Cooking Strategies Archives - Eat Mainly Greens https://eatmainlygreens.com/category/strategies/ Your place for healthy cooking info Sun, 11 Dec 2022 19:14:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7 https://eatmainlygreens.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/EMP-favicon.png Cooking Strategies Archives - Eat Mainly Greens https://eatmainlygreens.com/category/strategies/ 32 32 202468496 Carrot Dogs https://eatmainlygreens.com/2022/11/23/carrot-dogs/ Wed, 23 Nov 2022 02:49:35 +0000 https://eatmainlygreens.com/?p=1636 The post Carrot Dogs appeared first on Eat Mainly Greens.

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  1. Select carrots about the with of a hot dog.
  2. Cut carrots to about the length of a hot dog. (Optional – Save carrot scraps for vegetable stock.)
  3. Steam carrots in a shallow pan for 10-15 minutes with water half covering the carrots.
  4. When carrots are soft enough to be pierced with a fork or knife they are done.
  5. Pour any BBQ sauce over carrots and marinate for 15 minutes to overnight.
  6. Cook in a pan or on the grill and top with favorite hot dog fixings.  Enjoy!

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]]> 1636 Freezing grains for batch cooking. https://eatmainlygreens.com/2022/11/23/freezing-grains-for-batch-cooking/ Wed, 23 Nov 2022 02:44:48 +0000 https://eatmainlygreens.com/?p=1578 The post Freezing grains for batch cooking. appeared first on Eat Mainly Greens.

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When making grains like faro, barley, brown rice, or other whole grains; batch cook the entire package and freeze the rest for later.

  1. Cook grains per instructions on package.
  2. Take left over grains and place in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
  3. Place baking sheet(s) in the freezer for 1 hour to overnight to freeze the grains.
  4. Scoop the frozen grains into a freezer safe storage bag. It will last in the freezer for several months.
  5. Now you have cooked frozen grains to pull out of the freezer and use for 1 meal or as many servings as you need.

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]]> 1578 How to cut a pineapple. https://eatmainlygreens.com/2022/11/23/how-to-cut-a-pineapple/ Wed, 23 Nov 2022 02:41:31 +0000 https://eatmainlygreens.com/?p=1631 The post How to cut a pineapple. appeared first on Eat Mainly Greens.

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Do you love pineapple and have no idea how to cut a fresh one into bite-sized pieces? This video will show you how to do it simple steps.

  1. Cut both ends off the pineapple so you have a flat surface.
  2. Place flat end on your cutting board.
  3. Keeping your fingers out of the way, take your knife and cut the peel off the outside of the fruit and discard the peel.
  4. Cut peeled pineapple into four pieces the long way.
  5. Cut down the fruit to take the core out and discard.
  6. Chop the peeled and cored fruit into bite-sized pieces.

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]]> 1631 Breaking down a butternut squash https://eatmainlygreens.com/2022/11/23/breaking-down-a-butternut-squash/ Wed, 23 Nov 2022 02:31:51 +0000 https://eatmainlygreens.com/?p=1626 The post Breaking down a butternut squash appeared first on Eat Mainly Greens.

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You have a butternut squash.  Now what?  In a few easy steps you can peel and seed almost any autumn squash using this method.

  1. Cut the top and bottom ends of the squash off to make a flat surface.
  2. Place the flat end of squash on a cutting board.
  3. Keeping your fingers out of the way, cut the peel off the squash and discard.
  4. Cut the squash in half the long way.
  5. Take a heavy spoon and scrape out the seeds and discard. (You can also make snacks from the seeds. Send me a note in the “contact page” if you want a recipe.)
  6. Take the peeled and seeded squash and cut into strips then into chucks.

 

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]]> 1626 Baked French Fries https://eatmainlygreens.com/2022/11/23/baked-french-fries/ Wed, 23 Nov 2022 02:25:52 +0000 https://eatmainlygreens.com/?p=1622 The post Baked French Fries appeared first on Eat Mainly Greens.

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Baked french fries are easy to make in just a few easy steps.

  1. Clean potatoes. I like russet potatoes for French fries best, but any potato will work.
  2. Cut potatoes in half inch slices the long way.
  3. Cut the slices into half inch sticks.
  4. If you have the time, a pro tip is to boil the potatoes for 5-7 minutes after you cut into French fries before you bake.
  5. Pour seasoning into a bowel. (I used 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon onion powder for a no salt version.  You could use any seasoning blend you want.  Just salt and pepper works great too.)
  6. You can bake with or without cooking oil.  If using cooking oil, add 1-2 tablespoons to the seasoning mix.
  7. Toss cut potatoes in seasoning mix and dump onto a baking sheet into a flat layer.
  8. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

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]]> 1622 https://eatmainlygreens.com/2022/02/28/1609/ Mon, 28 Feb 2022 16:25:16 +0000 https://eatmainlygreens.com/?p=1609 The post appeared first on Eat Mainly Greens.

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]]> 1609 Easy Meal Prep https://eatmainlygreens.com/2022/02/05/easy-meal-prep/ Sat, 05 Feb 2022 23:31:14 +0000 https://eatmainlygreens.com/?p=1525 The post Easy Meal Prep appeared first on Eat Mainly Greens.

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Meal Prep to Make Healthy Eating Easy

  • Always look to see what is in the refrigerator first and use your existing groceries as a guide. Think of meals in sections: ¼ whole grains, ¼ lean protein, & ½ greens/veggies.
  • Start batch cooking, meaning make enough spaghetti sauce for more than 1 meal and freeze extra for later. This will save on time during the week.
  • Cook enough pasta or rice for 5 servings when you only need 2 servings. Save the rest for other meals during the week.
  • Chop extra vegetables when preparing one dish and store extra pre-cut vegetables in the fridge to use later.
  • Don’t forget about frozen vegetables! They are cleaned, precut, and ready to go. Defrost or cook and add to any dish.

Pick a Bean, Green and Grain from each column to create a healthy meal

 

BEANS/LEAN PROTEIN GREENS/VEGGIES WHOLE GRAINS
Black beans/Pinto beans Collard Greens/ Swiss Chard/Spinach/Kale Rice (wild, brown, black, & red)
Garbanzo beans/Chickpeas Carrots/Celery/Onions/Garlic Pasta (whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, etc.)
Kidney beans/White Beans Broccoli/Cauliflower Buckwheat or Rice Noodles (brown rice or black rice)
Edamame/Soybeans/Tofu/Tempeh Cucumbers/Radishes/Sprouts Ancient grains like Faro, Spelt, Barley, Quinoa, Oats, or Millet
Peas/Lentils Summer Squash/Zucchini Bread (whole wheat, rye, or sprouted grains)
Lean Chicken, Fish, Pork, or Beef Asparagus/Green Beans Potatoes (russet, sweet, Yukon gold, fingerling, or any)
Eggs/Egg Whites Brussels Sprouts/Cabbage Tortillas (corn or whole grain flour) or Polenta

*Include a sauce to make your meal more interesting and flavorful. See the next page for a few recipes for homemade sauces. It’s OK to use pre-made sauces. Make sure the ingredients list is short. You’ll know that it is not highly processed.

Sauce Ideas

 

Easy Miso Vinaigrette 

Serves 2 at 3 tablespoons per serving

  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (sub any vinegar or lemon/lime juice)
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (sub any mustard)
  • 1 tablespoon white miso paste
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (sub honey, molasses, or just a teaspoon of sugar)

Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk/stir until smooth. This is a favorite recipe because it’s so easy to make and change.

 

Asian Peanut Sauce

Serves 4-5 at 3-4 tablespoons per serving

  • 4 tablespoons peanut butter or 6 tablespoons peanut butter powder
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or lower sodium coco aminos or tamari
  • Juice 2 limes or ¼ cup lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon sambal sauce or sriracha or any hot chili sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger fresh or 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder
  • ½ cup water

Mix all ingredients in a blender or shake well in a tightly sealed jar. Give it a good stir before using.

 

Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing

Serves 4 at 2 tablespoons per serving

  • 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (sub plain plant-based yogurt)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice (sub apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill and/or fresh chopped chives
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons water to thin dressing
  • 1 teaspoon honey (optional)

Mix all ingredients until well combined. This is great to use in Mason Jar Salads. Be sure to put the dressing in the bottom, the lettuce on top, and whatever you want in the middle. It will store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

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