Personal Chef Here! Ask Me Anything!

MistressPi

Thanks so much for answering my question about the gelatin.

Gingergal12

Thanks for answering our questions, Derek. I will be cooking Easter dinner for my husband's family. I never really know how many will come or when they will arrive, until they get here. Can you suggest a potato recipe I can make ahead and cook in the crockpot. I am cooking ham as my entree from experience I know that is pretty forgiving given my circumstances. Thanks for any advise.:happy:

drocknoel

Looking for a good recipe for Ground Chicken.

What are you looking to do with it? Chicken burgers, chicken chili, chicken meatloaf?

Oh my, this sounds delicious! Do you ever use eryrithritol in recipes?

I do not. I try and stay away from sugar substitutes whenever possible, with Stevia being the only exception. Every sugar substitute BESIDES Stevia is man-made using a whole bunch of chemicals and I’m not a huge fan of pumping that stuff into my body. I’d rather use things with sugar naturally in them like fruits or honey, since they also have added benefits.

Drocknoel, I just want to say this is a VERY wonderful offer!

I am trying to incorporate more flavor into the things I cook. I am rather 'texture phobic' and so don't eat many sauces, gravy's or the like. I would rather taste the 'food' than what it is covered up with. I like trying to experiment with using fresh spices.

I am intrigued by Indian cusine (have never tried it), but do not like things too spicy or hot, and once again... so many of the dishes have gravy-like coverings.

I don't eat meat with bones, sausage or ham (pork loin & bacon are fine), or potatoes. Beef is fine, chicken, shellfish and a few fish. Most veggies are good.

Any gentle & flavorful suggestions for a fussy eater?

Try out this recipe for Grilled Apache-Style Pork!

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (tsp) Chili Powder
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin, ground
¼ tsp Cayenne (this won’t be enough to make the dish super spicy. If you’re worried, just throw a pinch of cayenne in)
1 tsp salt
8 pork cutlets (I recommend using a 6oz boneless pork chop, but you can just as easily cut and portion out pork tenderloins and then just save the rub for later)
Vegetable/olive oil as needed

Combine all the ingredients for the spice mix and mash into a smooth paste.
Rub pork with the spice mix and let marinate for 15-20 minutes.
Brush lightly with oil and grill.

There is almost no added calories cooking the pork this way and the paste has almost no texture to it. You can brush off the excess before you grill it just in case, but it really just seeps into the pork and packs it full of flavor.

If you’re looking for more specific Indian cuisine that doesn’t look like mush, unfortunately there aren’t *too* many things. I’ll look into it for you though!

My boyfriend recently discovered kale chips, but they're so expensive! Do you know how to make them at home? We unfortunately don't have a dehydrator.
And while I'm at it, do you have any recipes for kale in general? I've never cooked the stuff before.
And lastly, how the heck do you cut onions without crying? I have overly sensitive eyes and I've tried every trick I've heard of. Nothing works.

Looks like someone already beat me to the kale chip response, but the ONLY practical way I’ve found to cut onions without crying is by leaving the root on until the very end. You can also let the onion soak in water for a bit after peeling it, which lets it mellow out. OR you can go to the extreme and marinate them in buttermilk and then rinse them off.

I like sautéing off garlic in some olive oil and then cooking kale in it. It gets rid of the bitter aftertaste and infuses a little bit of the garlic flavor into the kale.

my 4 yr old daughter's allergic to chickpeas, lentils, some kinds of wholegrain wheat (fine with weetabix but some brands of bread and pasta are problematic; white bread and white pasta are usually okay) and her paediatrician advised us not to give her nuts either.

Any ideas for nutritionally balanced quick and easy meals and snacks?

Seeing as she’s only 4, there’s no need to worry too much about what you’re giving her. I don’t mean “load her with candy!” but I’ve found that fruits and veggies can be lifesavers as snacks. Quinoa *might* be her best friend as far as carbs go, but I’d check with the pediatrician first since I’m no doctor and I don’t know if a lentil allergy equals a quinoa allergy too.

Basically, I’d give her fruits for snacks and then just let her eat stuff she’s not allergic to for meals. Baked chicken nuggets with a mixed green salad would work pretty well, since she’d be getting her carbs and vitamins from the fruits, and then proteins and minerals from the mixed greens. That’s just my take on it though, I don’t really consider myself an expert on pediatric cuisine =\.

Let her try anything and everything she can so she can develop her taste buds early!

How do I cook the perfect medium rare steak? I usually grill it on a Weber charcoal. My favorite cut is NY strip, but sometimes I switch it up. I can get it right maybe 1 out of 6 times.

It should only take about 3-4 minutes per side, but that depends on how thick of a cut you’re trying to grill. Trial and error is the only way to get it right. Just remember, you should always pull a steak off a little bit under what you want it to be because it will still cook another 5 degrees once you pull it off the heat!

ok here ya go:
cooks in 20 minutes, or at least before the rice cooker is done.
diabetic friendly
kid friendly
peanut free, preferably nut free
uses inexpensive, conventional foods (no organic whole foods, obscure stuff. i have to get it at either aldi or a big chain)
uses cheaper cuts of meat
main dish (like the meat or whatever) under 250ish cals a serving, so i can have a side or two also.

Chicken is the cheapest meat you can get and packs a nice protein punch. Besides that, flank steak is a super good option for lean meat.

I’d go with a grilled balsamic vinegar-marinated chicken breast over a nice veggie blend to go with the rice that’s coming out of the rice cooker.

If you want to try the flank steak, marinate it for around 2 hours and then pop it in your broiler for 10 minutes, flipping it over after 6-7. That will give you a flavor-packed medium-rare flank steak that you can cut into strips and use however you like. Plus you can store it for later and have it on a sandwich or something!

Hello, just started roasting vegetables in the oven with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. What is your favorite combination. Looking for different ideas. Again, thank you so much for what you do helping others..

My favorite combination of roasted veggies is potatoes, carrots, and onions. When tossed in a little oil the potatoes get a nice crispy outside while the inside becomes nice and soft. The onions caramelize, which brings out the natural sweetness in the onion without any added calories from sugar. The carrots just get nice and soft and melt in my mouth.

Ok So I will admit for me COD was not a homerun Pleae advise on a delicious fish recipe (several if you can!)

I’ll post a few tomorrow, it’s getting pretty late here! But like I said before, I hate cod. I’d rather have salmon or trout, both of which are way better for you nutritionally. That being said, cod is cheaper so I can’t fault you there. Flounder is a nice alternative for cod.

I would like to incorporate extra lean ground turkey into our weekly rotation. Suggestions for a savory turkey burger that will hold together on the grill? I am sensitive to sodium, so flavor from other ingredients would be appreciated. I love to cook with herbs and spices.

http://www.kimshealthyeats.com/paleo-avocado-turkey-burgers/

Those should hold together quite well on the grill. The biggest reason turkey burgers fall apart on the grill is that either A.) they haven’t cooked long enough, or B.) They stuck. And problem A usually causes problem B.

I will be cooking Easter dinner for my husband's family. I never really know how many will come or when they will arrive, until they get here. Can you suggest a potato recipe I can make ahead and cook in the crockpot. I am cooking ham as my entree from experience I know that is pretty forgiving given my circumstances. Thanks for any advise.

Honestly I’d just make roasted garlic mashed potatoes ahead of time that way you can reheat and serve them.

Screw it, let’s make mashed potatoes in the crock pot!

Peel, wash, and cut your potatoes and put them in the crock pot with some peeled garlic cloves and a little water or vegetable broth. Throw a little butter in there (about as much as you’d use if you were making it the regular way) and let it cook for a few hours. Mash the potatoes and mix everything in together, adding in your cream at this time too. Season to taste with salt and pepper (white pepper if you have it!) and hold until you’re ready to serve. Not super fluffly, but super tasty!

missdibs1

Iamso making that pork this week

now about that fish.....

eileen0515

Thanks for the link on the turkey burgers, sounds great!

ThinkInOregon

Drocknoel, I just want to say this is a VERY wonderful offer!

I am trying to incorporate more flavor into the things I cook. I am rather 'texture phobic' and so don't eat many sauces, gravy's or the like. I would rather taste the 'food' than what it is covered up with. I like trying to experiment with using fresh spices.

I am intrigued by Indian cusine (have never tried it), but do not like things too spicy or hot, and once again... so many of the dishes have gravy-like coverings.

I don't eat meat with bones, sausage or ham (pork loin & bacon are fine), or potatoes. Beef is fine, chicken, shellfish and a few fish. Most veggies are good.

Any gentle & flavorful suggestions for a fussy eater?

Try out this recipe for Grilled Apache-Style Pork!

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (tsp) Chili Powder
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin, ground
¼ tsp Cayenne (this won’t be enough to make the dish super spicy. If you’re worried, just throw a pinch of cayenne in)
1 tsp salt
8 pork cutlets (I recommend using a 6oz boneless pork chop, but you can just as easily cut and portion out pork tenderloins and then just save the rub for later)
Vegetable/olive oil as needed

Combine all the ingredients for the spice mix and mash into a smooth paste.
Rub pork with the spice mix and let marinate for 15-20 minutes.
Brush lightly with oil and grill.

There is almost no added calories cooking the pork this way and the paste has almost no texture to it. You can brush off the excess before you grill it just in case, but it really just seeps into the pork and packs it full of flavor.

If you’re looking for more specific Indian cuisine that doesn’t look like mush, unfortunately there aren’t *too* many things. I’ll look into it for you though!

I just wanted to thank you so much!! Pulled the pork out of the freezer and you must have been able to see what I have in the cupboards because I have everything I need! Making this dish tonight!!

drocknoel

Iamso making that pork this week

now about that fish.....

If you have salmon (or really any fish), here's a great way to add some awesome flavor.

Almond-crusted Salmon
1/2 cup sliced almonds, chopped
1/4 cup almond meal (optional)
8 oz. Salmon fillets (skin on or off, your choice. You can also use whatever fish you want)
1/3 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix almonds, almond meal, and parsley together.
Heat olive oil over medium heat.
Pat one side of the salmon dry with a paper towel.
Lightly press salmon into the flour and then pat off the excess.
Dip floured part of the salmon into the beaten egg, then let the egg drip off a little bit.
Press salmon lightly into almond mix.
Place salmon crusted side down into the hot oil, cooking for 2-3 minutes (until almonds are golden brown), then flip and cook until done.
Serve.

I just wanted to thank you so much!! Pulled the pork out of the freezer and you must have been able to see what I have in the cupboards because I have everything I need! Making this dish tonight!!

Let me know how it turns out for you!

missdibs1

OOOH YUMMLY tnx Ill try this soon!

TendaiMa

Bump for the great recipes. Thanks for offering your time!

neandermagnon

Thank you for your suggestions!! :drinker:

Amandawith3kids

awesomeness! thank you so much! i get SO bored, and we have so many restrictions (mostly with the budget) that it's hard to find new things that are low cal enough to make it worthwhile for me.

lovep90x

Great thread! Thanks so much!!

Dnarules

Bump for later.

psmd

Wow this is great.

My question is any recipes for homemade energy bars? So far I've tried an apricot cashew combo, which is all I used and it's very sticky and not firm though tastes good. I also tried a combo of dates/protein powder chocolate/mint essence, again also good but hard to hold.

Other things I could use are flaxseeds ground, any nuts, peanut butter or pb2, sesame seeds,and honey.

Thanks!

lorigrocks

Homemade pizza? That is the only thing I have been craving since starting my diet!

ctkimmie

Hi, I have a culinary degree, and family members who have the same "itchy" reaction, to fresh fruits, as you do. You will likely have success if you blanch the fruits in boiling water. The heat deactivates the allergen. Boil enough water to cover the fruit. Use a small knife to cut an "x" in the blossom end (that this opposite from the stem end). Put the fresh fruit into the boiling water, boil it for a minute of two, until you see the skin beginning to curl and loosen, at the "x". Remove the fruit from the water, and put it into a bowl of ice water, for a few minutes. The ice water will stop the cooking process. Don't let the fruit soak in the cold water, or it will get soggy. Drain the fruit, and peel off the skin/remove the pit. Now, it should be safe for you to eat, without having an allergic reaction. This works for peaches, plums, and tomatoes. You can eat the fruit the way it is, or freeze a bunch, for smoothies, or make desserts. Doesn't work with apples, just make homemade applesauce, to enjoy apples. Best Wishes.

raggiemom

great recipes

ctkimmie

Heat the pan first, then add the butter, then add the egg. Heating the pan first, allows the pores of the pan to open, and then you add the oil, creating an evenly heated and oiled surface. Use a heatproof plastic scraper, not a spatula. Keep the heat low-ish, let the eggs cook, before you start moving them around. Then, gently lift the edge of the omelette, tip the pan, and let the raw egg run underneath the lifted part. Preheat any vegs that you are going to add. Season the omelette with salt and pepper. Add fillings/cheese. The egg should be heated through, and sliding freely around, in the pan. Tip pan down, and let half of omelet slide on to plate. Fold the top half of the omelette, over the bottom half. Don't worry if it's not perfect, it will be delicious! I use a small, sloped sided fry pan. It is not "non-stick".

ctkimmie

I am loving this cooking thread - so interesting! Here is the key to cooking meat... Buy an instant read thermometer. They cost about ten dollars, at grocery stores, or cooking store. The face of the thermometer is about two inches across. Every once in a while, boil some water, put the thermometer in the boiling water, and make sure it reads 212 degrees. If not, you correct the calibration by using a wrench to turn the small metal nut that is just behind the thermometer gauge. Don't leave it in the meat, the plastic face will melt. Don't put it in the dishwasher, just wash it, by hand.

Cook your meat in any method... broil, grill, bake, etc. Meat has a "finished temp", that you want to achieve. However, the meat will continue to cook, and temp will rise, by ten degrees, after it is removed from the heat. This is called "carry over cooking". Also, you MUST allow the meat to rest, after you remove it, from the heat. Let it rest for five or ten minutes (longer for larger cuts). Resting allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. If you have a dry steak, and a platter full of juices, then you are not letting it rest, long enough.

Here are the basic "finished temps". Remember that you have to remove the meat TEN degrees earlier, than the finished temp, to allow for "carry over cooking", which will add ten degrees, during resting. You can leave the thermometer in the meat, while it is resting on the counter, and you will see that the temp rises.

Pork, game meats, chopped, ground (burger), flaked or minced meat or fish, must reach internal temp of 155 degrees, for fifteen seconds.

Chicken, poultry, and stuffed foods must reach an internal temp of 165 degrees, for fifteen seconds.

Eggs, fish, beef and lamb that is NOT ground (roasts/chops, etc.) must reach internal temp of 145 degrees, for fifteen seconds.

You can adjust your temps accordingly, once you get used to the system. We like steak medium rare, so we remove it at a lower temp.

Be mindful that temps are especially important with ground meats/fishes. Whole cuts have contaminants on the outside of meat (the bacteria that no one wants to think about). When the meat is ground, the "outside", gets ground in, and becomes the "inside". Therefore, thorough cooking is important. With the "intact" cuts, the contaminants get cooked off, by the heat.

I wrote these rules on a piece of paper, and taped it to the inside of my kitchen cabinets. Also, don't salt until just before cooking. You will always have a perfect steak.

ctkimmie

by the way...avoid "raw" almonds and cashews, too. They also activate the "birch" related allergy.

Amandawith3kids

by the way...avoid "raw" almonds and cashews, too. They also activate the "birch" related allergy.

this is actually called "oral allergy syndrome" i have it too, and as long as i've taken my allergy meds, i can eat whatever i want with no issues. it's not a true food allergy, but a localized, basically harmless reaction. what happens is, the body thinks the proteins in the foods (and i'm talking amino acids, not nutritional protein) are the thing that you are allergic too. it usually happens when things are "in season" together. like apples and ragweed. cooking destroys these proteins, so it eliminates the problem.

in contrast, a true food allergy will cause hives,breathing difficulty, swelling, etc. and can cause systemic (body wide) reactions, which can lead to or include an anaphlactic reaction requiring an epipen. my son has a peanut allergy. it SUCKS. i carry benadryl and 2 epi pens with me at all times (or whoever has him does anyway)

cooking does not destroy the allergens in a true food allergy.

ctkimmie

Absolutely! Family allergies are a whole 'nother story! Benedryl and epi's on hand, at all times! Husband can't even bait a hook bait that has been stored near shrimp bait (at the bait store), or he goes "full blown". Live and learn and live.

Ke11er

Any low cal, high protein crock pot recipes would be great for me. I have all the time in the world in the morning to put something together but no time in the evening except to eat it. I use the crock pot to stay away from just making it easy and getting fast food. Always stocked with chicken, beef, fish and pork.

I make a Beef Lentil Soup that is fairly high protein and is healthy and delicious.

1 lb stew beef (or any lean beef) cut into small chunks
1 cup chopped Celery
1 cup Chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onions
3 cloves garlic chopped
½ - 1 cup quick barley
1 cup lentils
1 cup diced potatoes
1 or 2 containers Chicken Broth (I think I usually use 1 large container and 1 can You will want to cover everything with broth.)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can Diced tomatoes

In crockpot add all ingredients except tomatoes. (You probably could brown the beef in a little olive oil first for added flavor, but I don’t bother. Saves time and calories without the oil.) Cook on low for about 6-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. Add tomatoes for the last one or two hours of cooking time. Some chopped cabbage would probably be really good added to this as well.

According to the recipe builder (for 12 servings) this has 134 cals, 24 carbs, 3 fat, 11 protein, 3 fiber.

This is one of my family’s favorite meals. I call it “stewp” as it is thicker than a soup, but not quite a stew. This freezes well too. I take the leftovers for my lunches.

Just made this for dinner tonight, it's fabulous!! Thank you for the recipe, it's a keeper!

Michelled1919

some great ideas!

patriciapowerswilliamson

Hi Chef, thank you so much for starting this list. How about something like a nice marinara sauce for a vegetarian lazagne? ( I don't want to use canned goods, I want to cook from scratch more.)

desireecl

Hi Derek!

Thank you so much for sharing your time and expertise. My main problem was with cooking eggs, either scrambled or as an omelet, but I will look at the Gordon Ramsay and Jaime Oliver videos you recommended and give it another go before asking for more detailed advice if it is still needed. I also appreciate ctkimmie's input on the eggs and other topics. Lots of great ideas from all of the posters, so thanks to everyone!

I do have a couple of questions regarding freezing meats (beef, chicken, pork)...

First, What is the best way to package meat for freezing? I cook for one so I usually buy a normal sized package of meat and divvy it up when I get home. I've found that packing the meat in a marinade in double layered Ziploc freezer bags tends to keep the meat from getting freezer burn better than packing the meat "dry" but I would like to have the option.

Second, is there a good way to cook meat from frozen? I don't always remember to pull something to thaw in the fridge and I don't really like defrosting in the microwave b/c it tends to cook/dry the edges and it just seems to taste weird. Could do the cold water thaw, but it is more time consuming and wastes water Any tips?

Thank you again for your help!

MsBarb2013

Hi! I'm loving this thread. I love to cook and have been making healthier meals for my family. Guess we are on a health kick now. Well, I just wanted to say thanks for all the great ideas. Also, please don't think I'm stupid for asking this, but, what does it mean when people type Bump? Thanks

ThinkInOregon

I just wanted to thank you so much!! Pulled the pork out of the freezer and you must have been able to see what I have in the cupboards because I have everything I need! Making this dish tonight!!

Let me know how it turns out for you!

OH MY!!!!! HEAVENLY!!!

I ended up cooking the pork this evening, was out too late grocery shopping to do it last night. Fabulous, divine, delicious, heavenly!!! It was wonderful, and my son really liked it too! It was a perfect recipe to baptize the grill this spring, and I have plenty of leftovers too! Next I will try that same rub, but with boneless/skinless chicken breasts & thighs because I can see that would make a fantastic grilled chicken salad or sandwiches.

I just served it with some simple sauteed spinach in garlic oil. Perfect and not too much competition for the meat.

Thank you so much, it was perfect in flavor, and within my cooking abilities!!!

1stday13

Wow this is great.

My question is any recipes for homemade energy bars? So far I've tried an apricot cashew combo, which is all I used and it's very sticky and not firm though tastes good. I also tried a combo of dates/protein powder chocolate/mint essence, again also good but hard to hold.

Other things I could use are flaxseeds ground, any nuts, peanut butter or pb2, sesame seeds,and honey.

Thanks!

I am looking for a good recipe for "quest" white chocolate Raspberry protein bars and nutrition information. I am looking to make them as low calorie as the real ones. Any ideas?
You are awesome for offering to help out like this :flowerforyou:

RllyGudTweetr

I have some hot pepper jelly (Mick's Buzztail, if you're familiar) that I'd like to pair with a creamy cheese to introduce it to some friends. I'll be serving it on rye & pumpernickel Melba crackers. What sort of cheese would you suggest?