I am a Chef who is into Nutrition and Fitness. Ask me anything...

sixxpoint

Ice + cold water is crucial to immediately halt cooking. Using cold water just isn't the same. The same advice goes for the big pot blanching method I mentioned earlier in this thread. When shocking anything coming from a boil, you want to use an ice water bath.

I actually feel what you're saying about the eggs. Take a look at this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUP7U5vTMM0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9r-CxnCXkg

^Basically, whip the eggs thoroughly to combine whites w/yolks, use a hot pan, get the fat hot, use enough fat, season properly, keep stirring, use ALL of your senses, and don't overcook.

For fried eggs, you can avoid the flipping process by using a broiler or salamander to cook the top of the egg after the bottom cooks on the stovetop.

SophiaSerrao

sixxpoint wrote: »

Ice + cold water is crucial to immediately halt cooking. Using cold water just isn't the same. The same advice goes for the big pot blanching method I mentioned earlier in this thread. When shocking anything coming from a boil, you want to use an ice water bath.

I actually feel what you're saying about the eggs. Take a look at this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUP7U5vTMM0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9r-CxnCXkg

^Basically, whip the eggs thoroughly to combine whites w/yolks, use a hot pan, get the fat hot, use enough fat, season properly, keep stirring, use ALL of your senses, and don't overcook.

For fried eggs, you can avoid the flipping process by using a broiler or salamander to cook the top of the egg after the bottom cooks on the stovetop.

Heeeey, good links!

I'd seen Ramsay's one (with his sexy scrambled eggs, ha), but the other link I hadn't. English style, French style and American style scrambled eggs . Quick and fun watch and they all looked so good. So simple too, just a bit of technique, butter and salt. That's their beauty ♥

I must say, of the three, I think I prefered the american style.

sixxpoint

SophiaSerrao wrote: »

I must say, of the three, I think I prefered the american style.

Ahh, you like all of the chunks...I like the English version best. It's mostly a texture thing. French omelettes are great, but their scrambled eggs are like toothpaste texture.

SophiaSerrao

sixxpoint wrote: »

SophiaSerrao wrote: »

I must say, of the three, I think I prefered the american style.

Ahh, you like all of the chunks...I like the English version best. It's mostly a texture thing. French omelettes are great, but their scrambled eggs are like toothpaste texture.

Oh, I don't call 'em chunks, I call 'em velvety, blankety, heavenly morning folds, ha. (And yeah, the French version looked like a whole bunch of work for a blah texture.)


FYI, for anyone interested, I researched to see if I've been logging my eggs right (they're pretty big, so I've been logging as large), and - ¡of course! - I was underestimating. I found that:

In the United States the USDA has guidelines for egg weights, and all eggs are sorted at the processing facility by grade and weight. Here are the the U.S. parameters for egg weight.

Note that these are weights per dozen; there will always be variation between individual eggs so weighing by the dozen averages out these small differences.

Small: 18 ounces (about 1.5 ounce per egg)
Medium: 21 ounces (about 1.75 ounce per egg)
Large: 24 ounces (about 2 ounces per egg)
Extra-Large: 27 ounces (about 2.25 ounces per egg)
Jumbo: 30 ounces (about 2.5 ounces per egg)

I weighed the eggs I use and they're 2.6 oz each. Huh. I didn't even consider them to be THAT big... and it turns out they're larger than large, extra large and technically larger than jumbo! Oh well, more proteins

Meticulous food scalers are probably way ahead of me on this, but maybe it will help someone who doesn't weigh every darned thing. You can weigh a standard egg you use once... and use the correct category from there on after

Link: http://www.thekitchn.com/medium-large-jumbo-how-egg-sizes-actually-measure-up-ingredient-intelligence-200891

ejbronte

Thanks for the egg videos - very interesting! I commit sacrilege and say that none of Jamie Oliver's eggs looked "cooked" enough for me. Ramsay came closer, but I've been infected by my father's preference for a crispy egg base and no less-than-solid shine in evidence. That's why I prefer an omelet to scrambled eggs. Even with sunny side up, we like a crispy boundary at the edges of the white, along with the runny yolk. Maybe it's a genetic tendency toward the paella and its socarrat whenever possible...

SophiaSerrao

ejbronte wrote: »

Thanks for the egg videos - very interesting! I commit sacrilege and say that none of Jamie Oliver's eggs looked "cooked" enough for me. Ramsay came closer, but I've been infected by my father's preference for a crispy egg base and no less-than-solid shine in evidence. That's why I prefer an omelet to scrambled eggs. Even with sunny side up, we like a crispy boundary at the edges of the white, along with the runny yolk. Maybe it's a genetic tendency toward the paella and its socarrat whenever possible...

"Infected", lol.

I like scrambeled eggs to be creamy and moist, but I DEFINITELY enjoy a crispy-bordered fried egg = )

rdlhuskers

I would like to know how do you use spices better when cooking I'm on a very low sodium plan and high protein but it's just tough to know what spices go with what I would like to know

ejbronte

SophiaSerrao wrote: »

"Infected", lol.

I like scrambeled eggs to be creamy and moist, but I DEFINITELY enjoy a crispy-bordered fried egg = )

Hi Sophia - long live the crispy border! I was going to have one for breakfast this morning, but I got lazy and did frozen pancake and banana instead. But, it's a long, holiday weekend, so we'll see how I feel tomorrow or Monday.

ejbronte

rdlhuskers wrote: »

I would like to know how do you use spices better when cooking I'm on a very low sodium plan and high protein but it's just tough to know what spices go with what I would like to know

I'm far from chef or expert level, but I did learn how to cook when my parents both got sick and went on low-sodium diets.

On steak, I use lots of black pepper, and ground onion and garlic powder, on both sides. This goes into a hot pan, cooked on both sides, then comes out to rest. In the pan, there's what professionals call "fond", and what we at home call "shmutz" - particles of the meat and seasoning. I toss in fine-chopped onion and garlic, and move them around on the hot pan. Then I briefly turn off the heat, and throw in maybe 1/4 cup or so of dry wine (red for beef). Big sizzle! Start dancing the onion, garlic and loosened bits around while you turn on the heat again, and cook this down so a sauce to pour over the beef. Sometimes, I'll replace the steak and let it lay in the sauce. Depends how I feel. For tough cuts, this basic formula of wine with these seasonings does me well as a braising base.

For white meat chicken (I don't like dark meat), I add ground ginger and cinnamon or herbes de Provence to the mix and it's dry white wine instead of red for the pan sauce. I've also used lemon juice and water for the deglaze for both chicken and salmon.

I don't like most shellfish or other seafood; never been a fan of pork - to which it looks like I've developed a sensitivity anyway, but when I watch cooking shows and they start playing with shrimp, I grimace and then pretend they're playing with chicken, so I *imagine* that what works for chicken will probably work for shrimp.

Hope this helps!

SophiaSerrao

ejbronte wrote: »

SophiaSerrao wrote: »

"Infected", lol.

I like scrambeled eggs to be creamy and moist, but I DEFINITELY enjoy a crispy-bordered fried egg = )

Hi Sophia - long live the crispy border! I was going to have one for breakfast this morning, but I got lazy and did frozen pancake and banana instead. But, it's a long, holiday weekend, so we'll see how I feel tomorrow or Monday.

Well, look at that. I'm from a land far, far away and we're on a long, holiday weekend too! Tomorrow's breakfast shall be a beautiful thing, lol.

lulucitron

First off, your friend requests must blow up your computer.
Second, I need to take your home so you can cook for me.
Third you're hilarious and your advice is given in a straight forward manner.

My question: Recipe for a tasty balsamic salad dressing? Currently I'm soaking garlic in olive oil, then adding in some dijon, salt & pepper, and balsamic vinegar but would like a new one to try.

Anyway to make brussel sprouts taste decent without dive bombing them in bacon fat etc?

PeachyCarol

@sixxpoint, thanks for posting all of that information on hard boiling eggs. I had always done a cold water start and had difficulties with peeling.

Tried the hot water method today. No problems with peeling. Awesome.

ejbronte

SophiaSerrao wrote: »

Well, look at that. I'm from a land far, far away and we're on a long, holiday weekend too! Tomorrow's breakfast shall be a beautiful thing, lol.

And it was beautiful for me too: stole the butter in the egg tip from Ramsay - thank you, Sixxpoint! It did make a difference - had a single egg hard scramble (gently-browned bottom). A cup of Fiber One. A banana. Coffee with milk and my vitamins. Good macro-meeting, tasted nice, and under 350 calories! Will be drinking my first 2 cups of water soon, then will digest for about an hour and go for a nice long walk. I have to buy wine for our Memorial Day bbq tomorrow; I'll make an expedition out of the walk back and forth.

annastasia_82

Ok, so I travel for work sometimes and am always looking for simple options that can be done with just a fridge and a microwave. I currently pick up hard boiled eggs and turkey sausage links for breakfast along with some fruit. However, lunch and dinner are where I struggle. I used to get items to make wraps, but I'd really like to cut out as many bread products as possible. Bags of salad work well also. Today I planned on picking up a rotisserie chicken and leaf spinach. Anyways, I need some ideas please.

PhysicsOnIce

Okay, here is a question. Do you measure the amount of rice or pasta per cooking or post cooking.

EvgeniZyntx

sixxpoint wrote: »

FunkyTobias wrote: »

sixxpoint wrote: »

Everyone should be getting at least 8 cups of water everyday anyways.

LOL. No.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/8-glasses-of-water-a-day-an-urban-myth-1.1196386

Thanks for your contribution and your TV News article on the topic. Here is a empirical study on the matter:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20356431

Old recommendation of 1 gallon per day was overkill. Modern studies based on urine analysis and diet suggest the following is more than enough:

3000 ml for men... 12 cups
2200 ml for women... 9 cups

At least 8 cups per day is especially important if you're taking diuretics, if your diet is high in sodium, if you use creatine, if you drink alcohol, or exercise/sweat a lot.

Good thread in general but a lot of what has been posted is half truth and conjecture.
For example. The 3000 ml recommendation is total fluid intake NOT CUPS OF WATER. So, under the assumption that about half is going to be in food - drinking 12/9 cups would be overkill.

The soy/estrogen thing is also a vast over exaggeration from the research I've seen.

But a lot of good info.

pedidiva

Great thread, Sixxpoint. Thanks for the help. How about sending a pic of some of your favorite meals that you cook for yourself to give us ideas.

very nice thread.

thanks,
pedi

sixxpoint

EvgeniZyntx wrote: »

sixxpoint wrote: »

FunkyTobias wrote: »

sixxpoint wrote: »

Everyone should be getting at least 8 cups of water everyday anyways.

LOL. No.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/8-glasses-of-water-a-day-an-urban-myth-1.1196386

Thanks for your contribution and your TV News article on the topic. Here is a empirical study on the matter:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20356431

Old recommendation of 1 gallon per day was overkill. Modern studies based on urine analysis and diet suggest the following is more than enough:

3000 ml for men... 12 cups
2200 ml for women... 9 cups

At least 8 cups per day is especially important if you're taking diuretics, if your diet is high in sodium, if you use creatine, if you drink alcohol, or exercise/sweat a lot.

Good thread in general but a lot of what has been posted is half truth and conjecture.
For example. The 3000 ml recommendation is total fluid intake NOT CUPS OF WATER. So, under the assumption that about half is going to be in food - drinking 12/9 cups would be overkill.

The soy/estrogen thing is also a vast over exaggeration from the research I've seen.

But a lot of good info.

Yes, obviously. This was covered and explained more in detail after the fact. You might have missed it. Nevertheless, it is really not rare for active individuals to consume 2-3 quarts of actual water per day. I do it regularly with extreme ease.

The soy thing was also elaborated on a bit more than you have led to believe it was in your reply. Thanks though.

kellycasey5

I've got a question maybe you can help with. I've been making my own salad dressings with balsamic vinegar, plain rice vinegar, a little bit of mustard, and a dash of splenda. I'm trying to keep the dressings oil free and low calorie. The issue I am having is that the dressing is super watery and makes a splashy drippy mess when I eat it. Any ideas on how to thicken it up a bit?

Also, if you have any ideas for low calorie low fat dressing recipes I'd love to hear them. Thank you Awesome thread!

sixxpoint

pedidiva wrote: »

Great thread, Sixxpoint. Thanks for the help. How about sending a pic of some of your favorite meals that you cook for yourself to give us ideas.

I rarely take pictures of meals I cook for myself... Some are mixed in here along with a few dishes I made at the restaurant:

I posted on page 368.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/823358/what-do-your-meals-look-like-show-me-pictures/