Food For Thought

February 23, 2010

More Uses for Too-Ripe Bananas: “Banana Cubes”

Filed under: How To, Quick Meal Tips, Trying Something New, Uncategorized — Tags: , , , — Penny Hawkins @ 2:09 pm

I am always on the lookout for new ways to use up food rather than throwing it away, and it makes me feel great when I can avoid waste. One of the foods I have the hardest time with is bananas. It seems I am always fighting against them for some reason…those suckers just get ripe faster than I can use them and I hate throwing them out! But, as you may recall from my last post about using “too-ripe” bananas, there is only so much banana bread one family can stand!

Not buying them is not an option for us…my hubby, the triathlete, has one almost daily in his smoothies, and my youngest grandson will eat them until you make him stop (or until he…well…you know). I have tried estimating how many we need for the week and purchasing accordingly, but most weeks I either run out or get stuck with 2 or 3 “too ripe” bananas!

So, what can I do with those darn overly-ripe bananas? Some people say to stick them in the freezer whole and use them for banana bread in the future. Now maybe it’s just me, but there is something about seeing those lifeless, blackened bananas in my freezer that just creeps me out! However, I really like the idea of freezing them for later, so I came up with this solution….banana cubes!!

As I mentioned before, my hubby has a protein smoothie almost every day, and I always put a banana in it.  So, I decided to see if I could mash the ripe bananas into a kind of puree and freeze them in ice-cube trays. Well, I tried it and it worked beautifully! Just put the bananas in a dish, mash them up with your potato masher, spoon them into an ice-cube tray and freeze! I freeze them in sets of two per baggie and just pop them into the blender with my other ingredients. They work like a charm, don’t turn brown, and help make his smoothie cold, thick and delicious!

 

 

So next time you wonder what to do with those pesky “too-ripe” bananas, try making some banana cubes and using them in a cool, refreshing smoothie! Here is my smoothie recipe:

Daryl’s After Workout Smoothie

8 oz. cold soy milk (or regular milk)
1 (4 oz.) container soy yogurt (or your favorite yogurt)
3-4 whole frozen or fresh strawberries
2 banana cubes (or 1 whole banana)
1 scoop vanilla-flavored protein powder

Add all ingredients to blender and pulse on puree setting until blended. Enjoy!

October 8, 2009

Get it Together!

Filed under: Food Storage Tips, Grocery Shopping, How To, Quick Meal Tips — Tags: , , , , — Anne Coleman @ 8:00 am

foodstorageBeyond having a good amount of 30 minute meals on-hand, like the ones you’ll find here at Half Hour Meals, the key to getting dinner done in a flash is preparation. Once you have a few prepped ingredients in your aresenal, your meals will go from time-consuming to ready-in-no-time.

I used to do O.A.M.C. (Once a Month Cooking), but rarely have time for a full cooking day to get it all ready for the month. Now I save time by prepping what I can as I purchase it. The best and most budget-friendly way to go about this is to set aside time after your weekly shopping trip to get a few essentials put away properly for quick use later on.

Chicken: I love IQF (individually quick frozen) chicken breasts for their ease of use. I currently am able to purchase them cheaper than fresh, but when I can’t get them, I separate fresh chicken breasts and set them on a baking sheet. Pop the whole sheet in the freezer and when the breasts are frozen solid, pack them away in resealable freezer bags to grab at a moment’s notice. This also works for any cut of chicken.

Ground Meats: I buy this in bulk packages of at least 5 pounds and freeze in bags containing a pound each. Even if you need more than a pound for a recipe, it’s still smart to freeze in one pound increments as the thawing will be far faster than in a larger package.

Meatballs: When I don’t have time to make a bunch of my own, I buy meatballs in 2 pound resealable packages. If I am making my own, I freeze them exactly the way I freeze the chicken breasts; on a baking sheet in the freezer until solid. Bag them up and they are great to have on-hand for soups, stews, subs and everyone’s favorite – spaghetti and meatballs.

Produce: Chop peppers, onions, carrots, celery and other veggies and freeze on a tray before slipping into small sandwich-sized bags of 1 to 2 cups each. You’ll always have them there for stocks, soups and sauces. I also keep bags of frozen vegetables at the ready to add to casseroles or soups and they’re a great way to soothe boo-boos, as well!

Homemade Stocks and Sauces: Made ahead of time, these can be easily frozen in containers of different sizes. Keep 1 and 2 cups sizes available as well as quarts for any size recipe. Meat sauce is perfect for more than pasta, it can also be used as an excellent soup base and for quick chili.

Fresh Herbs: I often buy herbs fresh and freeze in small batches to have available to toss into soups and stews. The flavor is better than dry counterparts and adds more color to any dish.

Cheeses: I rarely buy pre-shredded cheese because block cheese is so much cheaper. A simple run through the shredding attachment on my food processor and I’ve got mounds of cheese ready to bag and pop into the fridge and freezer.

Dry Goods: I keep a variety of canned and dried beans, pastas and rices in my pantry along with tomato sauce, canned fruits, salsa and stocks for lightning fast fixes for any meal and there’s always a box of baking mix in there to make quick dumplings, biscuits or topping for any number of casseroles.

There’s so much more to this list, the key is to figure out what you’ll need for the week and what you like to use often and have it as ready as possible before prep-time hits. Once you have your freezer and pantry stocked with partially prepared items, you’ll have dinner on the table in no time!

October 3, 2009

FRESH FOR THE FALL

Filed under: Community Discussions, Nutrition, Vegetarian — Tags: , , , , , , — TrishB @ 11:46 pm

I love the fall.  I love everything about it.  The changing foliage, the cooler weather after a long, hot summer, and most of all fall food.  It’s one of the reasons I love to host Thanksgiving dinner at my house.

Here’s just a few of my fall favorite ingredients:

APPLES

I live in an area surrounded by apple orchards. Fall apple picking is one of my favorite things to do with my kids. Even though they are teenagers I can still get them to humor me every once in a while and come along for the “ride”. They are never sorry they did. There are over 7,000 different apple varieties. A bit about a few of my favorites:

History:

* First apple – Eve’s, Garden of Eden

* Ancient Romans and Greeks grew and loved the fruit

* Apple remnants traced back to Stone Age

Health Benefits:

* Aids in prevention of Alzheimer’s and cancer (antioxidant properties)

* Shown to decrease wheezing in children with asthma

* Helps in management of diabetes

* Helps with weight loss

* Lowers cholesterol

* An apple a day…

Storing:

* Bruise easily so need to handle gently

* Store in crisper section of your fridge to maintain juiciness and crispness

* Store away from foods with strong odors such as onions

* Never store next to cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, pears, kiwi, peaches, plums and spinach. That’s because apples give off an odorless (& harmless) gas called ethylene. This gas accelerates the decay of these vegetables. Melons and tomatoes also emit this gas.

Types:

Gala: Has a distinctive red and yellow stripe and is heart shaped. Originated from New Zealand and is a cross between Golden Delicious and Kidd’s Orange Red variety. They are usually small in size, very sweet and mellow in flavor. Their skin is thinner than most apples. Excellent for eating and baking.

Fuji: Developed in Japan and is very sweet and crisp. They are a combination of Red Delicious and Genet varieties. Great for eating, salads and they are the best applesauce apples.

Rome (Red Rome or Rome Beauty): Is firm, glossy, red and thick skinned. Not a great eating apple but is delicious in baked goods.

Eating:

*Salads, desserts, pies, applesauce, eating

POMEGRANATES

If you happen to be in the New York area this time of year, I hate to tell you, but there is a shortage of pomegranates. That’s because my 11 year old son has eaten virtually all of them. He is beginning to turn red, just as Violet did in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

History:

* Originated in a region spanning from Iran to the Himalayas

* One of the oldest fruits known to man

* Grown in warmer climates

Health Benefits:

* Low in sodium and calories

* Beneficial in fighting different cancers (antioxidant properties)

* Improves cardiovascular health

* Has anti-inflammatory properties

* Helps keep me sane by keeping my 11 year old busy

Storing:

* Like apples, they have a very long storage life. In fact, they become juicier and more flavorful when stored at 32 to 42 degrees F range.

* Are good for up to 6 months if kept this temperature

Eating:

* Eating pomegranates is hard work but is well worth the effort. They are best eaten at room temperature

* Can eat as is

* Add to a salad with spinach, walnuts and feta with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing

* Pomegranate seeds or juice are great with roasted chicken

* Add to a martini (pomegranate martinis are very popular)

FIGS

There’s nothing better than a fresh fig in the early fall.

History:

* Grown for thousands of years on ficus trees. Were cultivated in ancient Greece and Egypt. Came to the U.S. in the 1500’s

Health Benefits:

* High in fiber, minerals, natural and simple sugars

* Contain Vitamins A, B, and C

* Contain good levels of magnesium, iron and potassium (regulates blood pressure)

* Good source of antioxidants so helps fight cancer

* Help fight heart disease and diabetes

Storage:

* Deteriorate rapidly and are very delicate so need to be handled with care

* Will last in fridge for about 2-3 days. Store in tupperware lined with paper towels and cover with plastic wrap

* Do not store in plastic bags. If you do you might as well throw them out

* Best eaten at room temperature within a day or 2 of purchase

* Keep away from direct sunlight

Types:

Smyrna/Calimyrna: Have a golden skin and nutty flavor. They are larger than most figs. They are among the best figs to eat fresh but are also often dried and used in pastries.

Mission: They are a deep purple color and are very sweet. These are great with cheese and yogurt.

Eating:

* Should not be washed until ready to eat

* Use in salads

* Jams

* Add to oatmeal

* Serve with cheese. Try fresh figs with goat cheese, chopped almonds and honey

* Delicious in savory and sweet dishes

* Add fresh figs to couscous, rice or quinoa

* Great in lamb dishes or served with cured meat

CHESTNUTS

Chestnuts tend to be more a winter produce, often associated with the holidays but I had to include them as winter is fast approaching and I love them. One of the reasons I love chestnuts is the memories I have of them growing up in South Africa. We had a huge chestnut tree in my backyard. It was one of my favorite places to escape, climbing high as I could to hide from my annoying older brothers.

History:

* Dates back to Roman times

* Native Americans feasted on chestnuts

* Called marrons in France

* Used as a substitute for potatoes in Europe

Health Benefits:

* Low in sodium, fat and cholesterol

* High in Vitamin C (helps body resist infection and speeds healing time of wounds)

* High in Vitamin B (promotes normal appetite benefits for vision, colon, memory, eases muscle stress and provides energy)

* High in Riboflavin (helps with metabolism of food)

* Good source of dietary fiber

* Rich in saponins which are beneficial to vascular system and connective tissue

Storing:

* Contains about 50% water so very perishable

* Cooked chestnuts can be frozen and stored in freezer for up to 8 months

* Once shelled and cooked they should be covered and kept in fridge for up to 3 days

* Dried chestnuts can be stored in airtight container for 2 months. Can also be frozen

Eating:

* To remove the shell, make an x with a sharp knife on the flat side before boiling, roasting or microwaving

* Boil – for 15 to 25 minutes, remove shell, and then can be mashed or pureed

* Roasting – Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on baking sheet for about 15 minutes. Flip halfway through cooking time. Remove shell. Serve hot.

* Roasted on open fire

* Microwaved for 3 minutes prior to removing shell

* Great in soups

* Substitute for potatoes

* Try in stuffing

* Make a chestnut cream and add to your next chocolate dessert or souffle

* Puree and use in crepes or pancakes

Try these fall seasonal ingredients the next time you entertain, with your Thanksgiving dinner or just experiment with them at family dinner. You, your guests, and your kids will all be pleased that you did. Please let me know how it goes. I love the feedback.

August 21, 2008

Foods that Do Not Freeze Well

Filed under: Did you know?, Food Storage Tips — Tags: , — Penny Hawkins @ 8:48 am

When choosing recipes to double so you can freeze half for serving later, you should carefully consider the ingredients to make sure they freeze well. Some foods do not freeze well by themselves but are fine when mixed in a recipe, and others should just be avoided. Here is a list of foods that do not freeze well (and what happens when you try):

1- Sour Cream- Can be frozen if mixed into a recipe. If frozen by itself, it becomes thin and watery.

2- Mayonnaise- Can be frozen if mixed into a recipe. If frozen by itself, it will separate and break down.

3- Cream Cheese- Becomes watery and changes texture. Ok to freeze in small quantities if mixed into a recipe like enchilada filling.

4- Cheese- Can be frozen shredded or mixed into a recipe. If frozen in a block or slices, it will crumble when thawed (but will be ok for shredding).

5- Fried Foods- Become soggy when thawed.

6- Cream Pies- Become watery and/or lumpy.

7- Cream Fillings- Change Texture.

8- Frosting- Texture changes when thawed.

9- Cooked potatoes- Can be frozen in soups and stews where you can undercook them slightly. If frozen alone, potatoes become mushy and sometimes turn black when thawed.

10- Cooked egg whites- Become rubbery when thawed.

These foods change slightly when frozen:

1- Raw vegetables- Lose their crispness. Raw vegetables should be blanched before freezing.

2- Yogurt- May change texture.

3- Heavy cream- Will not whip when thawed but may be used for cooking.

4- Pastas and Grains- Become softer after freezing and reheating. To counteract this, slightly undercook them before freezing.

5- Gravies or fat-based sauces- May separate and need to be recombined when reheating.

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