Queen of the Food Age

The holidays are approaching fast now, which means that it’s time to start thinking about Christmas shopping. With Black Friday sales already happening and Cyber Monday right around the corner, too, this is the perfect time to get into holiday shopping mode and pick up a bargain or two along the way. Buying gifts for the people you care about is so much fun, but finding the perfect present can be challenging. If your friends and family members share your passion for food, then your present buying just got a whole lot easier. If you need some inspiration on what to buy the foodies in your life, you have come to the right place! Check out these awesome present ideas for foodies:

Treat Wannabe Chefs to a Cook Book

If your loved one loves to whip up a storm in the kitchen and show off their culinary genius, then how about buying them a recipe book for Christmas? The holidays are the perfect time to try out new recipes and add a whole new set of meals to their repertoire. If they have a restaurant that they love to eat at, how about seeing if there is a cook book available that features some of the recipes? They can then make their favorite meals at home.

This is the time of year when many chefs and food writers release their latest cook books, so it is worth keeping an eye on the shelves at your local bookstore to see if an appealing new book is released in the run-up to Christmas.

The Gift of Great Coffee

If your loved one enjoys a cup of coffee or two, then why not treat them to a gift that will help them to improve their coffee drinking experience? There are lots of great coffee-related gifts that you can choose from. This includes all the coffee-related gadgets available on the market right now that anyone passionate about coffee will enjoy using. Take a look at this list to find the best coffee grinders to help your loved one enjoy the freshest ground coffee every day without needing to visit a coffee shop.

Treat Them to a Meal Out (Or In!)

If your loved one loves to visit restaurants, then you have an ideal opportunity to treat them to a thoughtful gift. You could buy them a gift card to redeem at their favorite restaurant so that they can enjoy a meal out whenever they feel like it without worrying about the cost. If they have kids, and you are feeling particularly generous, you could even offer to babysit the kids so that they can go out and enjoy a date night meal without worrying about childcare.

Create a Holiday Gift Basket

Everyone loves to receive a gift basket as a gift, so choosing to buy one as a holiday gift is sure to be appreciated. You could decide to make it yourself by purchasing a wicker basket and then shopping for lots of tasty treats and surprises to go inside. 

You can buy a wide range of ready-made filled gift baskets, but if you want to make the gift extra special, then creating it yourself is a great option. You could go out shopping for all their favorite foods and then place them in the basket for the ultimate treat. Another great gift idea is to theme your gift basket to one particular type of food. Perhaps you could make it the ultimate gift basket for people that love cheese and include crackers for cheese and chutneys in your gift. You could make an indulgent gift basket filled with everything that your loved one needs to create the perfect hot chocolate. This gift could include things such as a new mug, hot chocolate spoons, marshmallows, chocolate for melting, and more. 

Gift Them a Foodie Experience 

If you need a little more gift-buying inspiration for the holidays, then how about treating your loved one to an exciting foodie experience? The foodie experience could be anything from a wine-tasting experience through to a week-long cookery course. Whatever your loved one is into, you are sure to find a foodie experience that matches.

Final Thoughts

Food brings so much joy to our lives, so choosing a gift that celebrates food and the pleasure of preparing meals to enjoy together is an excellent choice of gift for anyone that you care about. With so many great holiday gifts available, the most challenging part will be narrowing down your options to just one present!

If you’ve been bored like me during quarantine, you’ve tried regrowing scallions, leeks, and even celery to varying degrees of success. But I never even thought to try growing my own fruit at home! If you have always wanted to grow your own fruit, then you have come to the right place we’ve got three fruits you can easily grow from home.

Apples

If you have space for a tree in your garden, then we think an apple tree would be a great addition if you are a newbie, as apple trees don’t demand much attention making them one of the easiest fruit trees to grow, and we have got some tips to get you started.

When planting your tree in your garden, find a sunny spot away from frost pockets and dig a hole roughly three times the diameter of the root and no deeper than the root length. We recommend buying a young tree that’s ready for planting rather than trying to sow the pip from scratch. Once you have planted your tree, water it through dry spells and when the fruit starts to swell.

If there are a few apples on the ground around the tree, that is a good sign that the apples are ready to harvest. To pick an apple from the tree cup it and lift softly with a gentle twist, the apple should break away easily with the stalk, if that doesn’t happen the apples are not ready for picking.

Strawberries

You should plant your strawberry bush in early spring, by first digging in garden compost and applying general fertilizer. Don’t plant the roots too deep as this will cause rotting. Once planted give them liquid potash feed every 7 – 14 days. When the strawberries are bright red, you can start to pick them. A top tip is to pick them at the warmest part of the day as this is when they are at their most tasty. Now you’ve grown your strawberries why not make some strawberry jam.

Jalapenos

You might be thinking we’ve made a mistake by adding jalapenos to the list, but we can assure you we haven’t. Jalapenos are a forgotten fruit, so we thought we’d give them the recognition they deserve. Out of all the peppers jalapenos are the modest favoured. You can start by growing your jalapenos indoors by sowing the seeds in small containers with holes in the bottom. Mix some organic compost into the soil and keep damp. Place in front of a window that allows plenty of sunlight. Once the reach is roughly 2 inches tall, replant your jalapenos into a bigger pot. Once the plants are strong enough, you can transfer them to an outside space. From now it should take approximately three months for the jalapenos to make an entrance. Ideally, you should keep the plants in temperatures between 75 – 85 degrees Fahrenheit. You can choose to harvest your jalapenos when they are green ot red. There are many ways to eat your jalapenos and we think the pickled jalapenos recipe from Boulder Locavore is excellent.

For more ideas on how to eat your new homegrown fruit, check out Easy Ways to Eat More Fruits and Veggies.

Just like in any other specialty, cooking has specific rules to help you get things done in the right way. Cooking can be fun, but again can be absolute hell. To come up with a successful meal, you need to understand the basic rules you have to abide by in the kitchen. If you’re new in the world of pots, pans, spatulas, peelers, strainers, and paring knives, you only need to master some amateur cooking skills, and then you can expand your culinary prowess by trying out recipes and dishes that excite you.

Here are a few things you need to know to upgrade your culinary skills at home.

Meal Planning      

Planning a meal is a critical part of cooking that every chef should take note of. It would be best if you distinguished which foods compliment each other at the planning stage, which food combinations are good for your health and why, and finally, how you will prepare each dish to perfection. You need to consider the dishes’ color, texture, and flavors to come up with a lovely, cohesive, and visually appealing meal.

Understanding a Recipe

Reading is easy, and almost everyone can read well, but what matters to a cook is how you understand and interpret the recipe. Before you begin cooking, you must understand the recipe right from the ingredients to the main process. You need to carefully interpret how you can manipulate ingredients to suit your meal.

Starting with easy-to-follow recipes and practicing them regularly is an excellent way to build up a repertoire of go-to tasty meals that you can put together quickly. Mastering a simple recipe such as an easy chili is a great way to build your confidence in the kitchen and develop the skills and techniques needed to create a whole range of meals. Once you understand the recipe thoroughly, you will be able to make adjustments to suit your tastes and start to have fun with the balance of flavors.

Understand Terms

Baking and cooking have unique vocabularies that are only associated with the skill. As a cook, you need to master the language and terms associated with cooking to get you started. You can use a cooking glossary to learn terms like basting, folding, and cutting in, among many other terms.

Correct Measurements

Did you know that measuring is the key to cooking well, especially in baking? Your ingredients’ measurements have to be precise to produce a chemical reaction that you need to for that perfect and consistent result. You will need to measure both wet and dry ingredients using separate measuring cups or spoons.

Basic Knife Rules

Knives are one of the best tools in the kitchen, and you can never avoid using them. Learning how to use a knife, maintain it, and different cuts are critical to taking your culinary skills to the next level. It would be best if you start by learning the different types of knives and the various cutting styles (dice, chop, paysanne, julienne, and, among others.). Extensive knowledge of how to use a knife can significantly reduce your meals’ prep time in the kitchen. 

Food Safety

When working in the kitchen and explicitly dealing with food, you need to understand the right way to keep food safe. Just slight improper handling of food can lead to severe food- borne illnesses, which could be lifelong in some cases. Knowing how long food can stay out, the right internal temperatures for certain foods, and avoiding cross-contamination is the right step to keeping your foods safe from contamination.

Understand When Food is Ready

In most cases, you can tell that food is sufficiently cooked by how it appears on the inside. But it can be hard to tell if some foods are well cooked or not, and that’s why you need to learn how to perform a doneness test. Different foods like cakes and pies have different doneness tests that will help your cooking be a success.

Kitchen Safety

Apart from proper knowledge of handling food safely, you also need to know how to handle kitchen equipment, yourself, and any emergencies that may occur while cooking. For instance, you should know how to put off the fire and use safe clothing like oven gloves to avoid accidents such as burns. A safe kitchen means that you can comfortably cook and produce a well-made meal.

Recipe Substitution

What makes cooking fun is the fact that you can substitute some ingredients to create something unique that interests you. But you have to be careful while at this because different ingredients react differently and need different measurements. You need to learn how to make suitable substitutes for different things readily available in the kitchen for a perfect meal.

Understand Food Science

Cooking is much more of a science than it is of an art. Different ingredients play different roles in a recipe, and that’s why different techniques are used when adding ingredients. You need to understand salt’s function in recipes, how various fats react in baking, and why alternating dry and wet ingredients in some batters are essential. Proper understanding of some of these things will help you confidently improvise substitutions.

Healthy Cooking Methods You Should Stick to

Many people don’t know that different cooking methods can alter the nutritional makeup of an entire meal. There are numerous simple ways to prepare juicy food while maintaining its nutritional value. Heat can typically destroy up to 20% of vitamins, folate, and potassium in some vegetables. Some nutritionists even suggest that you eat raw or uncooked food to benefit from all its nutrients. But in essence, some foods like spinach, carrots, and tomatoes need to be cooked since heat helps eliminate antioxidants giving way to nutritional components into the body.

Steaming

Steaming foods like fresh veggies allows them to cook in their juices, thus retaining all the natural goodness. The food also retains most of its moisture without the addition of fat-laden. While steaming, it’s advisable that you add seasoning, whether it’s salt or lemon juice, to improve the meal’s taste.

Broiling

Broiling involves cooking meals, especially tender chunks of meat, under direct and high heat for a short time. It might not be suitable for cooking veggies and other foods since they will quickly dry out.

Boiling

Boiling is one of the easiest and quickest ways to cook food. You only need to add water and salt to taste, then place your meal on heat. Be careful about high temperatures and water volume since they can dissolve some vitamins and minerals in certain foods. It is the safest way to retain nutrients in zucchini, broccoli, and carrots, among other foods.

Poaching

Almost similar to steaming, poaching involves cooking your food in a little amount of hot water. Although this method takes longer, it’s an excellent way to retain nutrients in delicate foods such as eggs, fish, and fruits.

Microwaving

Microwaving involves heating of food by the use of radio waves within a short time, thus very low nutrient destruction. To avoid food drying out while heating using this method, you can sprinkle a little water on the food before you begin heating. The best thing is that you can cook any meal using this method, right from rice and meat to veggies and eggs. Be sure to use a safe container for the microwave.

Stir-frying

In this cooking method, you only need a moderate amount of oil in your cooking pan to give your vegetables and meat a nice sear. This cooking method is best for small pieces of meat, quinoa, rice grains, and veggies like snow peas, carrots, and bell pepper.

Grilling

Grilling is one of the best options to help you achieve a tantalizing meal of maximum nutrition while retaining its flavor. It adds a smoky flavor to your meats and vegetables and keeps them tender with just a little added fat. Excessive grilling is not good since the reaction between protein and fat in high heat can create toxins, leading to inflammation in the body and other related illnesses. This method of cooking should, therefore, be done on specific meals and rare occasions. For BBQs, use lean meat, which can cook within a short time.

No Cooking

Yes! You read it right. Raw food diets have become popular recently, thanks to their numerous benefits. Some studies suggest that the rainbow diet dramatically reduces the risk of getting diseases like cancer. Since most foods that can be eaten raw are plant-based, you will get more minerals, vitamins, and fiber in their natural form with no extra additives from cooking.

Nutritionists highly recommend a healthy diet since what you consume will always show from the outside of your body. One interesting fact about food is that anything that you eat has a unique effect on your body. Different foods can be used to boost various functions of the body.

For instance, if you want to improve your eyesight and keep your eyes healthy, you are advised to eat lots of carrots, green leafy vegetables, eggs, fish, nuts, and milk. You may need a nutritionist to guide you on what to add to your daily diet. The right pair of glasses will also protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. When making the big selection, go for one that blocks at least 99% of UVA and UVB rays.

Good health begins with what is on your plate, so take control of what you consume to live a happy life.

Whether we want to fit back into some old clothes, are looking to get ready for a vacation, or you just want to feel a bit more confident, losing weight is something that’s often on many of our minds. Because of that, it’s hardly a shock that the internet is filled with various diets and different ways to lose weight. The question then becomes: how effective are these things really? Well, the truth is that a lot of these diets end up being fads that really don’t have much of an impact in the long run. They often set dangerously unrealistic expectations that you will likely never be able to meet in the first place. Not only that but they can actually be pretty unpleasant, and even dangerous at times! If you really want to make a positive change to your eating habits, you can’t rely on fads. With that in mind, here are just a few things that you can do to change up your eating habits to focus on feeling better and taking control of your health.

Figure out what’s missing 

Far too often people assume that the only way to improve their eating habits is to have a total overhaul of their entire kitchen. I’ve tried this a few times, and trust me, it doesn’t last. This is a big mistake for a number of reasons. For one thing, it often doesn’t actually address what might be the real issues with your diet. For another, it can lead to further deficiencies. The truth is that if you really want to improve your eating habits, make sure that you’re actually getting the things you need in the first place. Many people find that their diets are deficient in things like water, protein, and essential fatty acids. A good diet is about giving your body what it actually needs. So instead of taking things away, consider adding what you might be lacking.

Make sure you have your facts straight

There is a whole lot of dietary advice floating around on the internet but the reality is that a lot of it is totally made up nonsense. It’s often not backed up by any real science or evidence and a lot of food advice blogs are rife with misinformation. If you’re finding yourself asking all kinds of questions like: is oatmeal healthy? Do blueberries really cure all diseases? Does cutting out fat actually help at all? Then the best thing you can do is to go and do as much research on these things as possible. And yes, I know you’re reading this on a blog and I just said don’t take advice from blogs, so if your first instinct is to say that I’m also full of shit, congrats! Now do that to everyone who isn’t a scientist.

Stop looking for shortcuts

It’s only natural that many of us would be very excited by the idea of diets that promise easy solutions but the reality is that there really are no shortcuts when it comes to your diet. If you see a diet that promises incredible results that seem too good to be true, there’s a very high chance that that’s because it is too good to be true. Those skinny teas you see a lot of influencers touting on Instagram? Total garbage. Quick fixes don’t lead to long term changes. If you want a healthier diet and lifestyle, that’s something you’re going to have to work at and commit to. And it’s not easy, trust me.

Be kind to yourself 

Being kind to myself is something I really struggle with. Far too often people treat their diets as something that they need to be doing because they are otherwise doing something wrong. As though they need to be punished for eating and enjoying life with a horrible and restrictive diet. Not only is this simply not effective but can be incredibly damaging both physically and mentally. If you’re trying to be more healthy, that’s great, just don’t spend your time beating yourself up for not being able to live a perfectly healthy life all the time. You’re human and you’re not going to be able to be 100% perfect. Congratulate yourself when you do well, and learn to forgive yourself when you struggle.

Savor every moment

The reality is that a lot of the diets that are being sold both on and offline are designed to play on your worst fears and insecurities. They treat food as though it’s something you should be afraid of. As though the idea of being even the slightest bit above or below what is “correct” in terms of size and weight is the worst thing that could ever happen. The truth is that this is, obviously, total nonsense. Food is a joyous thing! It’s something that should bring you a lot of happiness, help you feel closer to the people around you, and be something you look forward to. If a diet feels like a punishment for the sin of enjoying food, it’s not only going to be unpleasant but there’s a good chance that it’s not even going to work in the way it says it will. And also life is short, you should be enjoying and experiencing as much of life as you can. Reminder: be mindful, not militant.

A hearty, healthy breakfast is the best way to get your day off to a flying start. If you usually skip breakfast, or you tend to have the same foods every day, here are some incredible ideas to up your nutrient intake and tantalize your taste buds. 

Eggs

Eggs are one of the most versatile breakfast options, and they are packed with nutrients. You can poach, boil, fry or bake eggs and add a host of extra ingredients to create all kinds of dishes. Keep things simple with poached or boiled eggs with whole-grain toast, add smoked salmon, avocado or spinach to poached or scrambled eggs, or whip up an omelet, adding peppers, mushrooms, onions, cheese or bacon. You could also try out a recipe for Hollandaise sauce to make eggs Benedict or serve eggs sunny side up with tomatoes, toast, mushrooms and hash browns for a tasty brunch. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, iron and vitamin D, and they also contain key nutrients, including lutein, which is beneficial for eye health. 

Smoothies and Juices

If you’re in a rush, or you’re keen to kickstart the day with a serious vitamin and mineral hit, homemade smoothies and juices are an ideal addition to your breakfast menu. You can use a variety of fruits and vegetables to rustle up healthy, fresh juices and smoothies, which are likely to be better for you than shop-bought alternatives. Often, when you buy bottles of smoothies from cafes or stores, they contain a lot of added sugar, so it’s best to use a blender or juicer at home and look online for recipes like a cabbage juice recipe or a zesty citrus smoothie. Adding a cup of juice or a freshly made smoothie to your daily diet is a simple, quick way to increase your intake of fruit and vegetables.

Oatmeal

As summer draws to a close, and temperatures start to drop, it’s a great idea to consider starting the day with a comforting, warming bowl of oatmeal. Oats are a good source of fiber, they are rich in antioxidants, and they release energy slowly, which means that you won’t find yourself reaching for snacks before lunchtime. You can serve oatmeal as it comes, or add honey, fresh fruit, currants, almonds, seeds or coconut to add flavor and depth. 

Granola and Fruit Bowls

If you’re a fan of sweet foods, but you don’t want to start the day with sugary treats, granola and fruit bowls are an ideal option for you. Opt for low-sugar granola and combine with natural yoghurt and a spoonful of honey before adding a selection of nuts, seeds or fruits. Popular options include strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, peaches and bananas. 

A nutritious breakfast is the best way to increase your energy levels ready for the day ahead. If you’re bored of your usual breakfast options, or you’ve decided that it’s time to try and improve your diet and add more vitamins and minerals, hopefully, these ideas have given you inspiration. 

With fast food joints on every corner, billboard and television adverts displaying the unhealthiest of treats, and ever increasing junk food aisles popping up left, right and centre in the grocery store, eating a nutritious diet is a goal that is becoming more and more difficult to achieve. Including more fruit and vegetables in your diet can seem like an almost impossible task, as sugar cravings and fatty temptations are often too much to bear. Luckily, there are a few simple ideas that can show you exactly how to eat a nutritionally balanced diet that’s rich in the vitamins and minerals your mind and body need to thrive. So, if you would like to find out more, then read on to uncover the best top tips and tricks that you can make the most of today!

Get Blending

One of the best things that you can do to add more fruit and vegetables into your diet is to get blending. Blending fruit and vegetables together along with a few other healthy ingredients can create a whole host of tasty meals, snacks and drinks! Whether you want to make a warming winter soup or a satisfying summer sorbet, using a blender can give you the opportunity to create your own healthy alternative from scratch. You’ll be aware of every ingredient that goes into making your morning smoothie or after dinner ice cream, as all you need to do is find the best flavor combination using the freshest produce. There are so many fruit and vegetable based recipes online that encourage you to use a blender, so don’t be afraid to start your search for the perfect plate. Blending can also help to mask the flavor and texture of certain fruits and vegetables that you may not particularly enjoy, so this is a great way to get the benefits of eating nutritious food without the usual taste. 

Make It Fun!

Making mealtimes fun can allow you to eat many more fruits and vegetables, as the usual opinions associated with eating a salad or any other healthy dish are often described as bland and boring. Adding a little flavor and flare to your meals and snacks will allow your food to take centre stage, grabbing your full attention as you devour the delectable flavors (and nutrients!) that your healthy dish contains. Spices can be a great way to change the taste of any fruit or vegetable, so why not experiment and see which combinations work well for you? It’s also important that you can make the plate fun in an aesthetic sense too, as you eat a meal with your eyes before you even taste it in your mouth. Learning how to cut a cucumber and other salad items in a creative way can make it much more attractive, so let your artistic vision run wild! 

Including more fruits and vegetables in your diet has never been so simple when you are able to make the most of the top tips and tricks detailed above! 

If you’re a true foodie, your passion for food is probably one of the few things dragging you through this testing time. However, even a true enthusiast may find that their optimism has taken a hit after the past few months. It’s time to inject some fun and excitement back into cooking, and we’ve got five great ways to do it. So, don your chefs hat and prepare yourself to rediscover the recipe for success.

Learn New Asian Recipes and Techniques

We’ve all enjoyed a trip to our favorite Asian restaurant or treated ourselves to a classic takeout. Most people assume that cooking those delicious foods takes years of practice. In reality, these simple Asian recipes prove otherwise. Whether it’s a family meal, home date night, or showing off to friends doesn’t matter. Your Asian-inspired cooking will be a big hit. Moreover, it’s almost certain that those recipes will find their way into your repertoire or regular treats. They’re convenient, cheap, and versatile. Perfect.

Try A Food Meal Kit Service

The concept of food boxes getting delivered to your home is nothing new. Still, the digital age has taken it to a new level, allowing major companies to raise the bar of expectation. The idea is that they deliver the ingredients and instructions for you to create a new meal you’ve never tried before. The hardest task is finding the right service. A battle of Hello Fresh vs Home Chef is the best place to start as they are the two most recognized brands. The new customer offers mean you have very little to lose. I have also enjoyed using Martha Stewart’s Marley Spoon and Blue Apron in the past as well.

Go For a Picnic

Social interactions remain somewhat limited due to Covid-19. Thankfully, a picnic in the park (or even in your own backyard!) is something you can enjoy without any guilt or concern. The great thing about this is that you can build a picnic that’s suited to your needs. Whether it’s gluten-free foods, vegan options, or any other dietary requirement doesn’t matter. It’s a cheap and convenient meal that also allows you to get outside and spend valuable time with the best people in your life. The ability to bring people together is truly the best thing food has to offer.

Treat Yo’self To A New Kitchen Gadget

If your love of the kitchen has nosedived during the last few months, you’re not alone. Nonetheless, you need to rediscover that love of cooking, and new gadgets are a great way to do it. They’ll encourage you to try new recipes while also improving the quality of the meals you already make. This could extend to finding the best pizza ovens for the home or garden. The Ooni Koda vs Pizzacraft reviews will provide telling insight. If pizza isn’t your thing, many alternatives are available on the market.

Let Someone Else Cook

Last but not least, you need a day off. You’ve probably spent more time in the kitchen over the last few months than ever before. Whether it’s your parents, grown-up kids, partner, or friends, accept their offer. You won’t regret it – even if their cooking skills don’t match yours! Or, just order Ubereats and call it a day.