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  • in Recipes

    An Encouraging Guide to Eating Less Meat

    You don’t have to go full-on vegetarian to reap the benefits of a plant-based diet. Here are a few tips to help you eat a little less meat overall, from daily habits to easy ingredient swaps.

    When I was growing up, my dad didn’t consider dinner to be complete if there wasn’t meat on the table.
    My own diet has evolved quite a bit since then. As a registered dietitian, I’ve learned the benefits of a plant-rich plate. Plus, two of my children are now vegetarians, which has pushed me to explore the culinary riches of meatless meals. I still eat meat and poultry, just a whole lot less than my parents did.
    If you’re new to the idea, here are a few reasons why a more plant-based diet might be a wise move, and tips to get you started!

    Why Eat Less Meat
    Lowering your intake of meat and poultry leaves more room for vegetables, beans, legumes, and other fiber-rich plant foods, which is not only better for your health but also an exciting entry into a whole new world of flavor and textures!
    Let’s look at all the benefits of eating less meat.
    The health benefits: If you look at populations across the globe that live the longest with the lowest incidence of chronic disease, those populations tend to eat a lot less animal protein than the typical Western diet. Eating less meat means scaling back on a big source of artery-clogging saturated fat.
    Along with more vegetables, beans, legumes, and other fiber-rich plant food, this collectively can add up to a decreased risk for heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and other diet-related diseases.
    The environmental benefits: Another good reason to cut back on meat and poultry are the environmental benefits. Growing plants demands less water and emits less carbon than raising animals. And of course, there’s the impact on animal welfare when you choose, say, a black bean burger rather than a ground beef one.
    The budget benefits: Eating less meat may be easier on your wallet, too. A study in the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition comparing a diet with and without meat found the former to cost nearly $750 more per year and delivered fewer servings of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
    The ‘new flavors and textures’ benefits: When you take meat off the plate, with practice you’ll develop an appreciation for the many ways vegetables, beans, legumes, and meat substitutes like tofu rise to the occasion and create exciting meals that are delicious and filling—no meat required!

    Will I Get Enough Protein If I Reduce My Meat Consumption?
    The truth is that we Americans eat far more protein than we actually need and not enough of the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals that are a natural part of plants. So, for most folks, the protein concern isn’t really a concern at all.
    Plus, plant foods provide protein all on their own! For example, a three-ounce serving of whole-wheat pasta or half cup of cooked lentils delivers 12 grams of protein.
    And don’t forget you can still enjoy the likes of eggs and dairy foods, which are also good sources of protein.
    It’s Okay to Be Flexible!
    Experimenting with a more plant-heavy diet doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. You’ll gain many of the benefits from eating less meat even if you don’t shift to an entirely vegetarian lifestyle.
    It’s called being a flexitarian, which is effectively a mashup of vegetarian and flexible. The idea is to eat a mostly meatless diet, with room for a burger or roast chicken dinner when the mood strikes.

    How to Eat Less Meat: 7 Helpful Tips
    If you’re interested in exploring a more plant-centric diet, consider any or all of the following strategies:
    Take it one meal at a time. Go meatless for one or two dinners a week. Meatless Monday is an excellent place to start. Allow your tastebuds to adjust and then build from there.
    Find vegetarian swaps for favorite dishes. You won’t miss the meat if you land on great recipes like Mushroom Bolognese, Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie, Vegetarian Lasagna, or Vegan Sloppy Joes.
    Go meatless before dinner. This is a concept popularized by cookbook author Mark Bittman, which he calls Vegan Before 6, or VB6. The idea is that breakfast and lunch are entirely plant-based, but come dinnertime, anything goes. You can read more about this philosophy in his book.
    Cut the amount of meat. Meals don’t have to be entirely meatless to make a difference. Replace some of the ground beef or turkey with other ingredients. Chopped sautéed mushrooms make a fine substitute for one-third of the beef in burgers; black beans can take the place of half the meat in chili and tacos, and cooked grains can be swapped for some of the meat in casseroles.
    Embrace tofu. If you’re slow to the tofu train, now might be the time to get to know this nutritious and versatile food. These Black Rice Bowls with Tofu and Veggies are a good place to start, as is this Vegetarian Pad Thai.
    Look for flavor makers. You may miss the umami that meat offers (like the lip-smacking quality of grilled pork), but you can get that same effect by relying on meatless sources of umami. You might be surprised what a hit of soy sauce, tomato paste, or miso can do for flavor. Add a Parmesan rind to a pot of soup for a savory kick. Try olives, capers, and Calabrian chiles to brighten vegetarian dishes.

    Photography credit: Erin Alderson

    15 Terrific Meat-Free Meals 
    Ready to try a few delicious and filling meat-free meals? Here are 15 we love:
    Recipes with a * next to them have photos in this post. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Drink

    MBC LIVE – Themed Tasting 1 – Jamaican Rum

    What’s shakin, cocktail fans? Welcome to Modern Bar Cart LIVE!
    This is one of our live stream episodes where we taste through a number of themed bottles to try and get a better understanding of one of the world’s most fascinating spirits categories. Tto kick off the New Year in style, we’re going to crack open a few historic bottles of Jamaican-style rum and compare them to a couple of the more widely available Jamaican expressions on the market. This is my co-founder, Ethan Hall’s area of growing expertise so he is the guide on this particular flavor tour. 
    The bottles we taste, in order, are:
    I know those last two are a mouthful, and believe me, they’re each delicious mouthfuls in their own way, so definitely stick around to hear about how those two offerings from Habitation Velier are pretty different from the stuff you can find on most liquor store shelves.
    No need for a whole lot of preamble on this episode – so grab a Glencairn glass and join us for this delightful four-bottle tasting of Jamaican rum. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Fancy Chocolate Covered Strawberries

     Who doesn’t love dipped strawberries? Here are five easy ways to make them fancy.

    Dipped strawberries are so simple to make yet they feel like an extra-special treat. I’m not sure why I don’t make them more often, and this year I’m making it a point to enjoy them whenever I can find good berries. They can be quite pricey to buy ready-made from a chocolatier, and especially if you buy them for a Valentine’s Day gift. I’ve put together an easy how-to so you can make your own version at home. 

    I wrote and photographed this tutorial a while back for HGTV.com, but I never got around to sharing it here. Now feels like the right time with January’s days already passing quickly, but really there’s never a wrong time to eat dipped strawberries!  

    If variety is the spice of life, then these strawberries are zesty indeed. My assortment is marbled, sprinkled, piped, gilded, and glittered. The diverse group is quite beautiful nestled in candy papers and presented together, but you can tailor your own assortment to the ingredients you have on hand or to what you like best.

    Perhaps my favorite of the group is this pink-dipped version partially covered with white nonpareils. They have an extra sugary crunch that I find quite additive. I used pink candy melting wafers, but you could also experiment with ruby chocolate, which would be lovely with strawberries.

    Marbled chocolate berries are so beautiful and tasty, and the technique just involves swirling the two melted candies together in a bowl. Easy and deeee-lish! And I love how each berry is unique.

    Gilded berries can be made with gold luster dust, which is a cake decorator’s/confectioner’s best friend when it comes to getting fancy. I piped on a simple chocolate scroll using melted semisweet chips and a disposable piping bag.

    If you’re a fan of blingy sweets, then cake decorator’s glitter is a quick way to achieve lots of sparkle. I covered a few berries completely with burgundy glitter, and other berries were kissed with gold glitter on their pointed ends. 

    If you ask me, any party can be improved with a batch of dipped strawberries on the desserts table. They’re great for weddings and baby showers, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and even Easter holiday. But as I said earlier, you really need no special occasion to enjoy them!

    The entire recipe with clear instructions and loads of how-to photos can be found HERE on HGTV.com. 

    5 Easy Ways to Make Fancy Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

    link Fancy Chocolate Covered Strawberries By Heather Baird Published: Thursday, January 07, 2021Thursday, January 07, 20215 Ways to Make Fancy Chocolate-Covered Strawberries LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    Easy Overnight Oats

    Overnight oats are the easiest breakfast ever. Just combine oats and water in a jar, then microwave the next day. Make a whole week of breakfast in about five minutes.

    There is a certain beauty in discovering a shortcut that is both convenient and just as good — if not better — than the real thing.
    Steel-cut oats normally require a good ten to twenty minutes of stovetop simmering to render them creamy and soft. This is worth the effort for a fantastic bowl of oatmeal, but let’s be real here: not many of us have that kind of time in the morning.
    Overnight oats, on the other hand, only require you to mix the oats with water and let them hang out together in the fridge overnight. A minute or two in the microwave the next morning, and you’re good to go. For a not-at-all-morning person such as myself, this is game-changing.

    Discovering the Best Overnight Oats Ever
    I never would have tried overnight oats if I hadn’t stopped for breakfast at the Brick Oven Bakery in Northfield, Minnesota the last time I was home. Full disclosure: the bakery is owned by my dad, who is primarily invested in providing artisan loaves of sourdough to the Minnesotan masses, but was recently convinced to add a few more breakfast items to his menu.
    This bowl of oatmeal was so perfectly creamy and flavorful that I dragged my dad and his chef out of the back room to tell me how they made it. They rattled off their ingredients (steel-cut oats, water, some toppings) and basic method (simmer until done), none of which seemed to explain why my bowl of oatmeal was so darn good.
    Just as I was growing flummoxed, the chef mentioned, “Oh, and we let the oats soak overnight.” Bingo.

    Why Overnight Oats Are So Good
    Overnight soaking gives the oats time to absorb their cooking liquid, whether that’s water or milk. Since they’re already fully saturated with liquid, all you really need to do is heat them up.
    In fact, you don’t even need to heat them up if you don’t want to; after soaking, the raw grains are delightfully chewy and great as a cold breakfast on a hot day.
    I also feel that overnight soaking helps the grains cook more evenly, leading to the creamy, smooth texture that made me fall in love with my bowl of oatmeal at the Brick Oven.
    Single Serving Overnight Oats!
    One more bonus: Making oats this way allows you to make just one single-serving of oats at a time. Since it’s normally just me by myself eating breakfast and I’m not a fan of reheating oats from a big batch, I really appreciate this!
    Steel Cut Oats or Old Fashioned Oats?
    Both steel-cut oats and old fashioned rolled oats work just fine with this method (and with the same ratios of liquid to oats). Use whichever one you prefer.

    How to Make the Best Overnight Oats
    Overnight oats are nothing new on the Internet, and I’m certainly not alone in my enthusiasm for them. Do a quick search on Pinterest and you’ll find enough oatmeal inspiration to last you through a decade of breakfasts.
    To settle on the very best method, I tested the oats with a variety of different oat-to-water ratios, with different liquids in place of the water, with both steel-cut and regular old-fashioned rolled oats, and after different soaking times.
    In the end, I decided that the simplest method was also the best:
    Ratio of 1/4 cup oats (steel cut or old-fashioned) to 1/2 cup water
    Overnight soak
    About a minute in the microwave
    This has become my new standard for a good bowl of oatmeal.
    Swaps & Substitutions for Overnight Oats
    Swap in some milk: Dairy milk, almond milk, or any other milk will definitely work in place of water, but I felt that the oats remained chewier after soaking and were less delightfully creamy after cooking. Personally, I prefer to soak in water and then stir a splash of milk or a spoonful of yogurt into the oats after cooking.
    Play with the ratio of water to oats. I found that 1/2 cup of water was perfect for making a fairly thick, sturdy bowl of oats. Going up to 3/4 cup of water makes a looser, softer, more porridge-like bowl of oats. One cup of liquid felt like too much, though this might be nice if you’d like something you can easily sip one-handed on your way to work.

    How to Avoid Microwave Bubble-Ups
    The only tricky moment with this recipe comes toward the end of cooking. You need the liquid to be very hot and almost boiling in order for the oatmeal to thicken up and become creamy, but once the liquid reaches a full boil in the microwave, the oats can easily bubble up and out of whatever container you are using.
    To avoid this, particularly the first few times you make the oats, do this:
    Use a clear container that holds at least twice the volume of oats you are preparing (like a pint-sized canning jar)
    Watch with an eagle eye as you microwave the oats. If you see any sign that the oats are starting to bubble up, stop microwaving immediately.
    Once you’ve done this a few times in the same microwave, you’ll have a good idea for exactly when the oats are done and can potentially start to bubble up. In my microwave, I’ve found that 1 minute and 20 seconds in my microwave is perfect. Yours might be slightly less or slightly more.
    Just out of the microwave, the oats might still look a little loose and watery — this is fine. Let them stand for a few minutes and they will thicken up.
    Last but not least, pile on any toppings you like with your oatmeal and dig in!
    Best Toppings for Overnight Oats
    In my opinion, oatmeal is 99% about the delicious toppings stir into your bowl. Here are some favorite suggestions:
    Sweeteners: Brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, or other sweetener
    Dried fruit, like dried cherries, cranberries, or figs
    Fresh fruit, like raspberries, blue berries, bananas, apples, or pears
    Chopped nuts, like pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or almonds
    Splash of milk, cream, creme fraiche, or yogurt
    Notes on Batch Cooking:
    Making a week’s worth of breakfasts: The recipe below makes one single serving of oatmeal. I often prepare several single-serving batches in canning jars and refrigerate them for quick breakfasts through the week. The oats soaking in their liquid will keep for at least 5 days, refrigerated.
    Larger batches: Scale up the ingredients to the number of servings you’d like to make (at least 4 or more servings) and combine in a large container. Refrigerate overnight, stirring a few times whenever you remember. The next morning, transfer the oats and liquid to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until creamy and cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes.
    Stovetop Cooking: It’s difficult to cook a single serving of oatmeal on the stovetop. If you’d prefer to cook on the stovetop instead of in the microwave, I recommend preparing at least four servings at once. Follow the “Larger Batches” instructions above.
    Love Oatmeal? Try These Recipes!
    Updated January 5, 2021 : We spiffed up this post to make it sparkle! No changes to the original recipe. LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    31 Vegetarian Recipes to Go Meatless All Month Long

    Going meatless for the month of January is easy when using a variety of beans, legumes, and eggs to create quick, family friendly meals. The whole family will love Creamy Ziti Florentine, Cauliflower Chickpea Curry, and so much more! Continue reading “31 Vegetarian Recipes to Go Meatless All Month Long” » LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    3 Ingredient Butter Me Not Muffins

    Deliciously rich and intensely buttery, these muffins are made to satisfy. Just three ingredients makes a plentiful batch for snacking or they can be served with dinner.

    I had considered a lofty baking project for my first post of the New Year, but ultimately decided there will be plenty of time for that later. I’d rather ease into things with something simple and delicious, and this recipe is both. 

    I found this recipe while digging through a stack of old community cookbooks. I’d never heard of Butter-Me-Nots, and I was intrigued by the incredibly short list of ingredients. 

    Here they are – all 3 ingredients. Whenever a baking recipe has so few, you can just about bet that one of them is self-rising flour. I keep this type flour on hand because White Lily Self-Rising Flour is the absolute best flour for southern style buttermilk biscuits, and I make those weekly. 
    Whole milk ricotta is the second ingredient, and if you don’t have that on hand you can swap in full fat sour cream (see my recipe notes). Last but certainly not least, a full cup of melted butter goes right into the batter.

    The original recipe suggested baking these in mini muffin tins, and I can understand why. These little morsels are rich, and as the name implies they require nothing extra. Not a single dot more of butter.

    I was curious to see if these could be baked in a standard size muffin tin – and they can. My recipe has directions for both sizes of muffins. I had a large muffin hot from the oven, and then wasn’t very hungry for dinner. They are filling!

    Just from the oven, the muffins are incredibly tender, so you’ll need to wait a few minutes before transferring them from the pan to a wire rack. Warm, they need little coaxing to split apart in your hands. Tender and rich – it’s hard to describe them further but you’ll see exactly what I mean when you make them. 

    It’s a little too easy to eat five-ish mini muffins in one sitting. I’ve been snacking on them around 2:00 when my energy wanes. I don’t really get a carb crash with these – it must be all that ricotta!

    These will keep for a few days in a zip-top bag, and they return to their original tenderness when re-heated. I find 10-15 seconds in the microwave does the trick for one large or three mini muffins. 

    [click to print]
    3 Ingredient Butter-Me-Not Muffins
    Yields 10 muffins, or 2 1/2 dozen mini muffins2 cups (240g) self-rising flour (*see note for substitution)
    1 cup (9 oz.) whole milk ricotta cheese
    1 cup (2 sticks/226g) unsalted butter, meltedPreheat oven to 400°F.Place the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the ricotta cheese and melted butter. Use a large spatula or wooden spoon to stir the ingredients together until a thick, pale batter forms.For standard size muffins: Using a standard-size trigger ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measure, portion batter by the level scoopfuls into 10 lightly greased cavities of a muffin tin. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out with just a few small crumbs clinging to it. If muffin tops are pale, place under the broiler for 2 minutes. The muffins will be tender while warm, so let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Gently remove with a fork to a wire rack to cool.For mini muffins: Using a small trigger cookie scoop (4 teaspoon capacity) portion dough into a lghtly greased mini muffin pan (approx. 1 3/4-inch cavities), filling them full to the tops. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the muffins are lightly puffed and golden around the edges. Place under the broiler for 2 minutes if the tops are pale. Let cool slightly in the pans, then remove with a toothpick to a wire rack.Serve muffins warm. Store muffins in a plastic bag with a twist-tie (or in a zip-top bag). Reheat before serving. About 10 seconds in the microwave for 1 regular muffin or 3 mini muffins will bring them back to their original tenderness.*Notes:
    For homemade self-rising flour, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Whisk to combine. Use in this recipe as a replacement for self-rising flour.If you don’t have ricotta on hand, one 8 oz. container of full fat sour cream can be substituted for the 9 oz. of whole milk ricotta.
    link 3 Ingredient Butter Me Not Muffins By Heather Baird Published: Tuesday, January 05, 2021Tuesday, January 05, 2021Three Ingredient Butter-Me-Not Muffins Recipe LEGGI TUTTO

  • in Recipes

    How to Steam Broccoli Perfectly Every Time

    Delicious basic steamed broccoli recipe! How to steam broccoli so that it stays vibrant green. The easiest way to cook this wonderful vegetable.

    Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

    Featured in 12 Easy Recipes for New Cooks

    Steamed broccoli is the best cure for over-indulgence I know. It’s cleansing, healthful, high in vitamin C, protein (45% of the calories in broccoli are from protein), and fiber.
    How to steam broccoli so that it comes out perfectly every time?
    Video! How to Steam Broccoli

    Tips for Steaming Perfect Broccoli
    The most important thing to know about steaming broccoli is that cooking the broccoli any more than seven minutes tops risks overcooking it. After seven minutes the broccoli will turn olive green, instead of that beautiful vibrant green color we want.
    So, to make sure the broccoli is perfectly cooked, here are a couple tips:
    TIP 1: Get the steaming water hot and steamy first, before adding the broccoli to the steamer basket. A quick way to get the water hot is to use a tea kettle.
    TIP 2: Set your timer for only five to six minutes. Smaller florets of young fresh broccoli may only need five minutes to cook, larger florets of more mature broccoli made need six. I recommend starting with five and then testing the broccoli with a fork to see if it is cooked through.

    How to Serve Broccoli
    As for serving the broccoli, the easiest way to dress broccoli is to dot it with dabs of butter. My favorite way to eat broccoli is to toss it with lots of freshly ground black pepper, and sprinkle it with a little seasoned rice vinegar. (Black pepper, by the way, is one of those perfect pairings with broccoli.)
    My parents love their broccoli served with a little mayonnaise on the side, which is surprisingly good. You can also do olive oil and lemon zest (pictured above), olive oil and balsamic vinegar, etc. Good with toasted slivered almonds or toasted sesame seeds too.

    From the editors of Simply Recipes

    Why Use a Steamer Basket
    Best Toppings for Steamed Broccoli
    Want to take your side dish to the next level? Try topping or tossing the broccoli with any of these:
    Top with finely grated Parmesan, Pecorino, asiago, or any other hard cheese
    Top with warm alfredo sauce
    More Easy Vegetables to Serve on the Side

    Updated January 4, 2021 : We added a new video and spiffed up this post to help you make the best broccoli ever. Enjoy!

    How to Steam Broccoli Perfectly Every Time

    Ingredients
    1 bunch of broccoli
    Many options here:
    Olive oil, butter, or mayonnaise (use olive oil if cooking vegan)
    Freshly ground black pepper
    Lemon zest or juice, balsamic vinegar, seasoned rice vinegar
    Toasted almonds, toasted sesame seeds

    Method

    1 Prep the broccoli crowns and stems: Cut the crowns away from the large stems of the broccoli. Break the crown up into bite-sized florets. Rinse the broccoli florets thoroughly.
    Peel and discard the thick outer skin of the stems. Slice the stems or cut them into quarters lengthwise.
    2 Bring steamer water to a boil: Place 3/4 to 1 inch of water in a saucepan with a steamer and bring to a boil. (Note that is you don’t have a steamer, you can simply put the broccoli directly into an inch of boiling water.)
    3 Add broccoli, steam 5 to 6 min: Add the broccoli to the steamer and cover; reduce heat to medium and let cook for 5-6 minutes. The broccoli is done when you can pierce it with a fork. As soon as it is pierce-able, remove from heat, place in serving dish.
    Note that green vegetables like broccoli will turn from vibrant green to drab olive green at about the 7 minute mark of cooking. So, watch the time, and don’t let the broccoli overcook!
    4 Dress with your favorite topping: Dress to taste with butter, olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon zest or juice, seasoned rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, ground black pepper, toasted almonds, or sesame seeds.

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    Elise Bauer
    Elise Bauer is the founder of Simply Recipes. Elise launched Simply Recipes in 2003 as a way to keep track of her family’s recipes, and along the way grew it into one of the most popular cooking websites in the world. Elise is dedicated to helping home cooks be successful in the kitchen. Elise is a graduate of Stanford University, and lives in Sacramento, California.
    More from Elise LEGGI TUTTO