Mastering the kitchen involves understanding healthy fat profiles, variety-specific grain preparation, and safe food handling techniques.
When you order takeout Chinese food, it is almost inevitable that you'll have leftovers, as takeout portions are notoriously generous. While you can reheat your leftovers in the microwave, it seems that shrimp fried rice, General Tso's chicken and crab rangoon are just not the same.
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Butter is a starring ingredient in many mashed potato recipes, but it adds 11.5 grams of fat per tablespoon to your recipe, and 7.3 grams of that are saturated. It's possible to create a creamy and rich pot of mashed potatoes without all the butter, however.
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An unfamiliar ingredient to most home bakers, lecithin is widely used in commercial baking. It's an emulsifier, an ingredient that helps other ingredients to mix more easily and remain mixed. Bakeries add lecithin to bread and other baked goods to improve doughs and batters, or to keep them from staling.
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More than 20 varieties of sardines from the United States, France, Portugal, Norway and Spain are caught, processed and canned. They are available packed in oil, water, and mustard or tomato sauce. They are also available smoked.
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Firm, meaty, yellowfin tuna steaks can intimidate novice cooks, but this high-quality tuna is easy to prepare. The mildly sweet flesh of yellowfin tuna, also known as ahi tuna, is often served raw in Japanese sashimi.
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There is something about homemade pizza that smacks of self-sufficiency and the ability to provide for your family. Loading it with your favorite toppings makes it a culinary delight tailored to your family's specifications. When all goes well, you are likely to get rave reviews.
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Garlic flavors food and is used medicinally in fresh or supplement form. For example, it may be effective for reducing high blood pressure and for slowing development of atherosclerosis, according to Medline Plus. Garlic can cause side effects, however. Always consult a doctor before trying a new supplement.
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A simple Internet search for aspartame turns up many wild theories about the dangers of this common non-nutritive sweetener. It is everywhere: in soda, gelatins and chewing gum.
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Similar to the kidney in shape and color, kidney beans provide a variety of minerals and vitamins, and so are generally beneficial for your health. If your kidneys are healthy, kidney beans can -- when consumed as part of a balanced diet -- contribute to your kidney health.
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Pearl couscous -- also called Israeli couscous -- is good nutrition with a slightly sad twist. Each 1 cup serving is fat and cholesterol free, low in sodium and includes significant amounts of vitamin C, potassium, protein and fiber. The sad twist, however, lies in the 650 calories each 1 cup serving also contains.
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Thin or runny curry is often the result of using unthawed frozen vegetables or adding too much cooking liquid. Attempts to tone down a too-spicy taste with coconut milk can remove some of its heat, but also cause the sauce to become thin. While thin curry is undesirable, it is not a reason to panic.
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Sesame oil, also known as gingelly or til oil, is obtained from sesame seeds. It plays a prominent role in Asian cuisine and also alternative medicine. Oil is expressed from sesame seeds either by simply crushing or toasting over heat. The first method provides cold-pressed sesame oil.
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If you don't have a setup for smoking meat, a smoker and barbecue grill, you might feel you can't have homemade smoked ribs or roast. However, you can do small-scale meat smoking in your oven with just a few supplies.
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Olive oil, one of the healthiest fats, because it can help lower total cholesterol, LDL -- or bad -- cholesterol, and even help control Type II diabetes. However, it is indeed possible to get too much of a good thing.
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Similar to cooking with a microwave, infrared cooking uses electromagnetic energy, or EM, to heat your food. Infrared is a form of light energy, which is not part of the visible spectrum. With new models of infrared outdoor grills on the market, some are questioning the safety of these high-powered cooking devices.
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If you've been to a home and garden store recently, you've probably seen silicone baking sets. Available in a wide range of sizes and colors, these sets are popular due to their nonstick nature and versatility. However, that doesn't mean they are for everyone.
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Sea shell pasta, often referred to as shell pasta, gets its name from its distinct, curled shape that resembles a conch shell. Sea shell pasta is thick and commonly used in sauce-based dishes. The shell-shape allows sauce to collect in the pasta.
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When choosing which carbohydrates to eat, two factors to consider are a food’s glycemic index and glycemic load. These metrics assess how quickly and how strongly your blood sugar rises after eating a particular food.
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Dangerously high blood sugar levels cause ketoacidosis. A blood sugar level over 600 for many hours is considered extremely dangerous and should be treated at a hospital. Hyperglycemia is the medical term for elevated blood sugar levels.
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Mixing olive oil and vinegar provides health benefits in salads, marinades, sandwiches and other food preparations. While the mixing process itself does not account for oil and vinegar's health benefits, mixing the two ingredients allows you to make healthful dressings and marinades that offer health benefits.
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