Perfect Brown Rice Every Time

This is going to be one of those practical posts where we get back to the basics of cooking. When I was first learning how to cook, I cooked my rice in the microwave because it was the way my mom always did it, and predictably my rice boiled over into a starchy puddle of goop. Other people swore by their rice cookers as the secret to creating perfect rice, but truthfully no one really needs yet another unitasker appliance taking up precious real estate in their cupboards. In an interesting turn of events, my husband taught me the secret to cooking perfectly tender, fluffy brown rice every single time.  

Fresh Mango Salsa

Salsa is a food with a ton of secret advantages. It tastes indulgent when it's actually low fat, low calorie, and high in fiber and other nutrients. It's cheap, especially when you take advantage of seasonal ingredients. It's surprisingly versatile - you can use any combination of vegetables, fruits, and spices you like to create the perfect blend of freshness, acidity, salt and spice. And even though it is shockingly easy to make, it never fails to impress families and guests. One of the most impressive and simple salsas that every home cook should have in their repertoire is fresh mango salsa.

Avocado Pear and Gorgonzola Salad

I know I've said this before, and I'm sure I will say it again about a different recipe, but this salad is absolutely amazing and I don't think I'm overstating my point. My go-to bag lunch is a salad, because it's easy to pull the ingredients together in my lunch bag, quickly chop toppings just before serving, and it helps me get in my veggie servings early in the day. And I could eat this salad every single day.

Bechamel Sauce

Generally I'm not one to get overly excited about French cooking, but this sauce is a delicious winner! Despite it's fancy name, bechamel is a simple sauce made by whisking scalded milk into a roux and then seasoned with nutmeg. It's one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine, and is often used as a base for other dishes like mac and cheese, casseroles, and creamy soups. After researching the origins of a true bechamel I learned that this is actually a Mornay sauce because of the Parmesan cheese, but I'll be true to the original spirit of the recipe and call it a bechamel.

Four Bean Chili

If you think chili needs meat, then you don't know beans! Unlike meats, beans are naturally low in fat, they're saturated and trans fat free, and are a cholesterol-free source of protein. They're an excellent source of fiber and complex carbohydrates giving them a low glycemic index which is perfect for anyone managing their blood sugar. Beans are also loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals including folate, potassium, iron, copper and magnesium. A purely bean chili makes a protein-packed meal without the added fat and cholesterol that gives a good recipe a bad nutritional reputation.

Wisdom Bread

My recipe for Wisdom Bread came after a long conversation with a trusted classmate in the medical student lounge last spring.  I was feeling very unsure of myself (ok, maybe it was a bit of a pity party) and she shared some wonderful advice that really helped me shift back to my usual attitude of gratitude.  That afternoon I felt very inspired to do some baking, something that was earthy, nurturing, and comforting - something that tasted good for the soul.  The final result was exactly that, a crusty, dense loaf with earthy flavors of whole wheat, yeast and rosemary.  It's the perfect base for a veggie sandwich, paired with a plate of pasta, or even a bowl of homemade soup.  I like to gift this loaf to my preceptors (a physician instructor who gives practical training to medical students on clinical rotations) as a way of thanking them for sharing their time and knowledge with me.  And I never ever forget to bring an extra loaf for their nurse!

Basted Eggs

I love fried eggs in the morning but I have an aversion to runny yolks, so I generally have to cook the snot out of my egg whites to get a fully cooked yolk.  I hate the resulting stringy, crispy, egg whites that are left and don't get me started on the amount of butter I added to the pan to keep the eggs from sticking.  This morning, I want to tell you about a better way to cook your eggs.

Reviving Celery

This morning when I went to grab my celery and peanut butter for breakfast my bunch of celery was completely wilted.  So frustrating!  I learned this trick from a friend, and  it's something every home cook should know.

Reviving Celery
Cut the bottom core (3") off the celery bunch and place it into a tall glass.  Add water and stand in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning you'll have a bunch of celery as crisp as the day you bought it.  Since you have some fresh crisp celery in your fridge, try slicing up a few stalks and enjoy it with some peanut butter for a fast, portable breakfast.  It's a well balanced meal, you can check off one of your veggie servings for the day and it's delicious.  Enjoy!

Homemade Croutons

Anytime I make a side salad with the dinner, the hubs asks if I'm making homemade croutons to go with it.  Making homemade croutons is a skill every cook should have because it's simple, inexpensive, delicious, and never fails to impress.

Pressing Tofu

When I first became a vegetarian it was really difficult.  My meals always felt like they were lacking something, because my primary sources of proteins were beans, dairy products, and peanut butter.  I refused to eat anything made with tofu because I couldn't stand the texture.  Every time I tried preparing tofu I ended up with a mushy, scrambled-eggy mess.  In one of my cookbooks I ran across instructions for pressing tofu to get rid of the excess water.  I already hated the stuff so this couldn't make it any worse, right?  What I learned is how my favorite restaurants serve crisp, pan-seared, firm tofu in stir fry - you just need to press the water out.

Honey Lime Vinaigrette

I dare you to read the ingredients on your favorite vinaigrette.  Kinda gross, isn't it.  Vinaigrettes are so simple - oil and vinegar, and if you're really trying to impress someone special you can add some fresh herbs.  That's it!  Yet we insist on having a special bottle of salad dressing to suit every taste and flavor combination imaginable.  I am embarrassed to admit how many bottles of salad dressing I currently have in my refrigerator, usually because it sounded great in the store only to be a disappointment at the dinner table.  So I propose a better solution: just make your own.

Steaming Vegetables

The entire purpose of using fresh vegetables in any recipe is to preserve the flavor and nutritional content mother nature intended.  As usual, we ruin the health benefits of vegetables during preparation.  Boiling vegetables leeches out nutirents, including vitamin C, folate, and flavonoids.  Frying vegetables is great in theory until you account for the oil you need to add to the pan and the amount of time it can take to fully saute an entire batch of vegetables.  Steaming is a fast, simple, and foolproof way to cook your favorite veggies with minimal fuss and virtually no mess, and it protects their nutrient content.