Clean in ‘15: The Fridge & Freezer

The New Year is here, and whether you plan to start eating healthier, or you just want a fresh start, it’s time to clean out the kitchen!!

Let’s be realistic, you can’t afford to toss everything. Of course, you know you can toss the leftover pizza and Christmas Cookies, but let’s focus on food safety for starters.  Here are a few hints about what to keep and what to toss. Tip: Keep a notebook and pen handy to make a list of what needs to be replenished, and for dinner ideas that might pop into your head!

Let’s get started...

Toss your lurking leftovers. This one is simple, keep leftover for 4 days max. If you are like me, and not a big leftover fan, break it down into reasonable servings and throw it in the freezer as soon as it’s fully cool. I usually pick single servings because I really only like to eat food once or twice in a row, and they make perfect grab-and-go lunches for work.

Can old condiments. Your standard condiments (ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce) are typically good for about a year. If any of your bottles happen to have a “use by” date- use that as a guideline, and toss anything more than 3 months beyond that date. I’ve started using a Sharpie and putting the date on my bottles when I open them. Condiments are fairly inexpensive so if the jar is crusty or you can’t remember the last time you actually used it, toss it and start over. On the other hand, if you have just a little bit of something left, think about making a dressing or marinade right in the jar!

• Shake up the raspberry jam with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a fresh vinaigrette.
• Mix mustard, with honey and grapeseed oil for a honey mustard dressing.
• Dilute bbq sauce with beer (or water or stock) and marinade chicken

Once you are done with the fridge, move on to the freezer! Again, it’s best to empty the whole thing and start fresh. Tip: Use that notebook I mentioned earlier, and make a list of what’s in your freezer to hang on the door (or inside your cupboard) and plan some meals around that list!

Here’s what Foodsafety.gov had to say about how long to keep things frozen. Keep in mind frozen food is always “safe” it just loses nutrients and flavor after a period of time.

• Processed Meats (hot dogs, bacon, etc)- 2 months
• Ground Meat (hamburger)- 4 months
• Fresh (whole or pieced) Meat (steaks, chicken breasts)- 1 year
• Soup/Stews- 3 months
• Fruits/Veggies- 1 year

And there you have it. Your refrigerator and freezer are clean. Now it’s time to move on to the pantry, and then the spice cabinet. When you are ready to start restocking, check out the article I wrote on Re-Vamping your Kitchen.

Need help on what to make with what’s there? Comment here or on facebook with what you found in your fridge, and I will get you some ideas.

Spice it Up! A quick guide to achieving perfect flavor!

 

By now you’ve heard the news...tasty dishes are more fun to eat. Often times, healthy food gets a bad rap. You think it’s flavorless and boring. Guess what - the key to making healthy food fun is spice! If you are new to the kitchen, you need to learn about basic flavors. You know you love to dip your veggies in a ranch-style dressing, but what are the flavors in Ranch? And you know that you should stop eating chinese take-out, and try making stir-frys at home, but how do you achieve that flavor in your own sauce pan?!

Developing flavor is sort of an experiment. Sure, I could write out a bunch of different recipes for all of your culinary favorites. To really get good in the kitchen, however, you’ll need to know what herbs and spices are used in your favorite dishes. I made it easy for you by developing this chart of common dry spices in different kinds of cuisine. PRINT IT OUT and tape it to the inside of your spice cabinet. Then when you need a dinner idea at the last minute, you can open your door to this chart and use whatever spices are in your cupboard! Using your homemade recipes means you leave out added salt, preservatives and flavors that you don’t want anyway.

 

Need an example?

It’s Taco Tuesday, and you are craving a good chicken taco. You have every ingredient at home except the packet of taco seasoning. Grab your chart and see what you have! Mix up some chili, garlic and onion powder (all considered staples in my pantry), and you are good to go! You don’t need EVERY ingredient on the spice list, 2 or 3 in each category will give you a good start. And of course, remember the salt and pepper.

Ok, Ok. I know you are scared… here are a couple recipes for seasonings that I love!

Taco Seasoning:

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Mix these together and store in an airtight container! Use it to season chicken or beef while cooking on taco night!

Ranch-Style Veggie Dip

½ c plain greek yogurt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons chives

½ teaspoon paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and refrigerate for at least an hour. Voila! Happy Veggies!

You now have some ideas and a tool to help you start creating your own flavors. Stock up on the spices you use most, so you always have them on hand.

Comment below with your favorite way to combine spices!

Welcome!

Welcome to the KitchGym!

I am excited to share my new idea with you! By now, we all know, being healthy is more than just hitting the gym 5 days a week, or keeping up with the latest fad diet. Being healthy starts in your home, typically, in the kitchen. You want to try the latest fitness craze? Great! But it's important to learn how to fuel your body properly before you hit the gym. How and where do you start?! At the KitchGym, of course, where we "build stronger meals"!

It's time to flex your muscles in the kitchen! At the KitchGym, you will learn some basic cooking techniques, things to stock up on; like pantry staples, spices, and fridge/freezer items, and we will mix in some "hot topics" like what oils to use when you are cooking, and what really is the difference in all of the salt choices. You will find a few sprinkles of recipes, but mostly this is about knowledge and technique, as healthy recipes are everywhere on the internet. Your workout starts at the kitchen table.

As for the "gym" part of the KitchGym, I want to explore and share with you the diets that people keep when they are extreme athletes. I find the discipline of these folks amazing! From bodybuilding to endurance races, it's fascinating how different these diets can be. While you may never wish to be a competitive athlete, I think it's important to understand how these types of eating plans affect performance. Along the same lines, I will help you break down the different fitness programs that are so popular, like Crossfit.

The KitchGym is still under construction.

If you have questions, or need help in a certain area, feel free to contact me! I would love to use your questions as lesson topics!