Mastering the kitchen involves understanding healthy fat profiles, variety-specific grain preparation, and safe food handling techniques.
Celery got its reputation as the ideal diet food from its low calorie content: A single cup of raw celery has just 16 calories. It is also cholesterol-free, contains only a trace amount of fat and has a high concentration of essential nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin A and fluoride.
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Knackwurst, also known as knockwurst, is a preboiled, fully cooked German sausage typically made from ground beef, pork or a combination and heavily seasoned with garlic. When heated, the outer casing of knackwurst becomes crispy, giving it a texture different from other sausages such as bratwurst.
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Developed in 1940, the Rice Krispies treat traditionally consisted of three ingredients: butter, marshmallows and Rice Krispies cereal. Marshmallow Fluff, a commercial brand of marshmallow crème, is often substituted for the marshmallows in the typical Rice Krispies treats recipe.
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Collard greens are packed with dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, calcium and iron. A staple in Southern cooking, collard greens can be used in place of other leafy green vegetables like spinach, Swiss chard, kale or mustard greens.
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Approximately 34 percent of Americans make a special meal on St. Patrick's Day, and by far the most popular choice -- although it isn't authentically Irish -- is corned beef. Traditional corned beef recipes call for boiling the meat in a large stock pot along with vegetables like carrots, potatoes and cabbage.
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Biscuits are not complicated to make, says "New York Times" writer Sam Sifton. According to Sifton, a basic biscuit recipe calls for baking powder, flour, a liquid like water or milk and a source of fat, such as butter.
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Edamame is the name given to young, immature green soybeans. They're quick-cooking, nutritious and versatile, notes "The New York Times" food columnist Mark Bittman. Edamame is available fresh or frozen, either shelled or still in the pod.
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If you have a home-grown supply of wax beans, consider yourself lucky. Wax beans -- which are commonly yellow but can also be purple or green -- are low in fat, high in dietary fiber and rich in nutrients like vitamin A.
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If beans and legumes like black-eyed peas aren't a regular part of your diet, they should be, says the Harvard School of Public Health. Unlike animal-based foods, beans and legumes are naturally low in fat, have no cholesterol and contain enough nutrients for the U.S.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that at least half of the grains you consume each day should be whole grains like brown rice.
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Chilean sea bass, also known as the Patagonian toothfish, is a large, white-fleshed fish primarily found in the deep water between Antarctica and the tip of South America. Although it shares the name, this fish does not belong to the bass family and is not the same as sea bass fished in the United States.
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Andouille sausage is a smoked meat typically prepared from seasoned pork and fat. Cajun andouille sausage, one of the two main andouille varieties, is a common ingredient in Louisiana Cajun specialty dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya.
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Canned pink salmon is economical, long-lasting and versatile. A 3-ounce serving contains only 4.2 grams of total fat, less than 1 gram of saturated fat and is an excellent source of vitamin B-12, vitamin D, selenium and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
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Chicken and rice is a classic pairing -- nearly every cuisine in the world combines the two in one form or another, from arroz con pollo to fried rice to creamed soup casserole.
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Chicken is modern America's favorite meat: The average American consumes over 20 pounds more chicken than beef per year, reports Business Insider. Much of this chicken is boneless, skinless breasts, but you'll save money and get juicier meat if you choose chicken thighs.
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Grilling spare ribs can take up to six hours, says AmazingRibs.com, while baby back ribs may take as long as four hours to grill. To cut down on the grilling time, you can steam ribs up to two days in advance. Pre-steamed ribs can be grilled in approximately 15 minutes, according to Good Housekeeping.
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Quinoa is an ideal side dish: It cooks quickly, is gluten-free, has a mild flavor that lends itself to endless variations and is dense with essential nutrients like fiber and potassium.
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Chicken is replacing beef as America's go-to meat: According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes about 82 pounds of chicken per year compared to 54 pounds of beef.
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Making hot dogs for a large group or buffet can be challenging: Whether hot dogs are grilled, broiled, boiled or microwaved, it's tough to keep them warm long enough for everyone to be served without a lot of effort from the cook. One solution is to use a slow cooker.
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When you're making sushi, risotto or rice pudding, rice that is moist and slightly sticky is your goal. If you're making pilaf, paella or are using rice as a bed for braises, thick stews, stir-fries or in a salad, however, gummy rice is your enemy.
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