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THE RESOURCE LIST

The Best Knives To Keep In Your Kitchen

12/11/2017

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​It’s the early 2000s, I had a candy bar cell phone, still printed maps before driving, and two beautiful towers still stood in New York City. It was a simpler time compared to the woes of our current ecosystem. It was a time of bunny ears on your tv, written checks, and the world’s best infomercials at 3am.
If you were up at 3am, you’d have the pleasure of seeing Cleo the psychic, Suzanne Somers with her ThighMaster, SoloFlex, and my personal favorite, Chef Tony and the Miracle Blade kitchen knife wondershow (ok, maybe I made that last bit up…). 
I never called Cleo or her friends, but I do believe my mother bought a ThighMaster and let me tell you, that contraption will pull your groin muscle out before it ever tightens your thighs. We can’t all be Suzanne.

But Chef Tony was a man of his own making, the world’s best salesman and watching him do anything made you want it. Purposefully I would watch his show Sunday mornings, running to the kitchen to try and slice bread with my knife. I’d simultaneously be disappointed with my own useless blade and wowed by his.
He could throw pineapples in the air and slice them in half (a feat I've never been able to replicate), then cut an exhaust pipe from a car, and after wiping off the blade, smoothly cut a tomato or sliced bread. 
I was hooked and too broke to actually call the 1-800 number and order myself a set. But I watched every weekend like an old lady watches her soap opera shows. Maybe it was because I was a cook at the time, maybe it was the enthusiasm of Chef Tony’s cutting, slicing, and dicing skills. Whatever the reason, I fantasized about owning my own set of Miracle Blades. Oh, all the things I would cut, slice and dice…I’d have to start buying more pineapple and uncut bread. But wait, if I acted now, I could get a genuine wooden knife holder perfect for displaying these gleaming sharp beauties.

So I know you’re asking yourself, if I’m this excited about those knives nearly 20 years later, then I surely must of bought them, right?
No, my dearest reader, I did not. Some things are just better left as fantasies, like staying in Disney’s castle, owning your own pony, or yes, slicing pineapples in half like a ninja.
Alas, the days of spray on hair, Encyclopedia Britannica, and Chef Tony’s knives are past, as are my dreams of owning my own Pony named Bubblegum (what? I named her!).
So since we can’t sit down at 7am on a Sunday and be wowed by a man cutting a leather shoe in half​....
​

Here are the 3 knives everyone needs in their kitchen


8-inch Chef Knife

This is a cook’s primary knife
Tip: Grip whatever you’re cutting with your fingers curled under. This is called “bear claw.”
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Paring Knife 

Smaller knife used to peel, trim and/or slice smaller produce or score meat.
Tip: Create a flat surface so  your food (or your fingers) don’t get away from you. 
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Bread Knife

It does what it says it does.
​ Tip: A bread knife is also good for cutting thin skinned produce like tomatoes or eggplant.
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Even if you’ll never get to experience the glory of sawing an exhaust pipe in half, if you have these three knives- you’ll be a pro in the kitchen in no time.

Just like Chef Tony, make sure you have an organized work space and clean as you go (but don’t throw all the cut produce in the sink, why’d he do that?).
Never put your knives in the dishwasher, and instead, wash right after use and dry them! If you take care of them, your knives can last a lifetime, even if it’s not a lifetime guarantee by the Miracle Blade Master himself.
​If you take care of them, your knives can last a lifetime, even if it’s not a lifetime guarantee by the Miracle Blade Master himself.
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Foods To Add To Your Pantry

12/11/2017

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Besides the boxed dinners and jars of pickled beets, what’s in your pantry?
Most of us have some canola oil, salt, a bag of sugar and maybe a spray can of Pam. But right when you feel enthused about starting a recipe or trying to eat better, you realize that your pantry is woefully unprepared for your cooking expedition.
This article is going to cover the basics, while also teaching some old dogs as new tricks in the kitchen.  

Cooking Oils 

​You need more than just Canola to get through. Everyone should have at least 2 types of oils on hand for various recipes. 

Olive Oil

​
  • Great for roasting, sauteing, and to using in salad dressings.
  • Do NOT use for frying foods.
  • Don’t buy blended oils
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  • ​Look for the IOC (International Olive Oil Counsel) Seal or the EC (European Community) Seal of approval.
  • Make sure you see a “harvested” or “vintage” date.
  • All oils taste differently depending on where they’re sourced.

High Heat Oil

  • ​Used for deep frying food
  • Types of high heat oil include canola, sunflower, safflower and grapeseed oil.
  • All high heat oils are refined oils that can create toxicity to be released into your food when it reaches “smoking point”.
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Smoking point is when the temperature reaches it’s hottest levels and literally begins to smoke. When this happens, the oil releases toxic free radicals into your food, kills the taste, and kills whatever nutritional value there was in it.

Finishing Oil 

​Not used in everyday cooking
  • Examples include hazelnut, walnut, and toasted sesame oil, more commonly used in Asian cuisine.
  • Finishing Oils need to be put in the fridge after use and stay good for about 6 months after opening.
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​All oils will get bitter as they age so toss out the old dusty bottles that’ve been there for over a year.

Salt & Spices 

Salt
  • I recommend my Members use Himalayan Sea Salt as the standard, and it’s usually wise to purchase rough grain and finer salt for various recipes.
Pepper
  • Try a new pepper and alter the taste of your same old same old dinner.
  • Start with whole black peppercorn and grind it yourself to test it out.
  • ​White pepper is used more in Asian cuisine, is stronger and has more flavor.
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  • ​White pepper is used more in Asian cuisine, is stronger and has more flavor.
Red Pepper Flakes (aka crushed red pepper)
  • Typically made from many different types of chilies.
  • If you want less of a bite, try Pimentos (Spanish for “smoked paprika”)
Cayenne Pepper
  • Cayenne is great to use in cooking and should always be kept around. It’s also incredibly healthy for you.
Aleppo Pepper
  • Love pepper? Love spicy? Then you gotta try Aleppo pepper with its sweet and hot flavor. 

SWEETENERS 

​When cooking or baking, sometimes there’s no way out of using sugar. So what’s the best thing to do when you can’t add mashed bananas or honey to everything? White sugar is bleached and processed with chemicals.
  • Opt instead for “organic”, “raw”, and “cane” sugar.
  • You can also replace sugar with maple syrup or honey in some recipes.
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Sugars you should keep around
  • Granulated sugar                          Fine sugar                              Confectioners sugar

Nuts & Seeds 

​Some great nuts and seeds to keep in your pantry are almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, black sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
  • Don’t go too nutty in your shopping because most nuts and seeds go rancid within a few months; buy what you plan on actually using.
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  • After you open them, make sure to store in the fridge in an airtight container.
  • Buy your seeds and nuts raw, unsalted, and whole in smaller amounts.
  • You can toast your nuts/seeds by putting them on a dry, hot skillet for a minute or two until the oils are released. 

Dried Fruit 

  • Although typically high in sugar, dried fruit can add a splash of flavor to an otherwise boring chicken salad.
  • Try adding in dried cherries, figs, raisins, or currants to sweeten things up a bit!
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Whole Grains 

​Most grains go bad pretty fast, so don’t waste a trip to the store buying everything. Try each out at your leisure to see if it meets your taste buds or that of those you’re cooking for!
Most grains are heavily treated with pesticides and chemicals, so this is one food option I highly recommend buying organic.
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Some grains to try:
Arborio Rice (for Risotta)
Barley (not for those with food sensitivities) Great in soups, beer, and meats, but not everyone’s body likes barley, so use with awareness.
Brown Rice
​
Millet

Quinoa (Technically a fruit, but we eat it as a grain)
Basmati Rice (More flavorful and colorful)
Whole Steel-cut oats ​

Canned Tomatoes 

So many recipes call for tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, stewed tomatoes and more that you can't ever go wrong buying a few cans of organic canned tomatoes to add to the pantry!
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Like everything we do at Eat2Live2Love, I encourage you to start small, start where you are, and try new things the next time you’re at the store! 
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