Thoughts
Whoever invented the slow cooker was one smart person. Used two thin sliced medium onions, a cup of chicken broth, and a cinnamon & cumin rub. Ten hours later cooked on low, my pork shoulder steaks were tender to perfection.
The next invention just needs to be a contraption that keeps the aroma IN the slow cooker so I do not have to smell it in my sleep…
Dinner solution to long or lazy days: throw meat and veggies in the oven with lots of fresh spices and herbs. Always works like a charm!
Bitter Melon is a vegetable that requires an acquired taste. It’s kind of like what an IPA is to beers, and in fact, in Asia, there are beers that replace hops with bitter melon. The vegetable is super healthy (some people attribute it with medicinal properties), and also very easy to prepare.
Prep
Like a squash, the bitter melon has seeds that needs to be scooped out. Halve melon, remove seeds, and cut into slices.
Cooking
It can be cooked multiple ways - in an omelette, in a vegetable stir fry, etc. but if you’ve never had it before, I would ease your taste buds into it by adding sugar. The sugar will off-balance the bitterness along with other sauces you may use. Tofu is also a great add because it has a neutral taste and soaks up the flavors that you cook the bitter melon in.
It takes a while getting used to, but once you’ve developed that acquired taste (and tapered down the sugar), it’s very enjoyable AND you reap all the health benefits.
FOOD ACTION PLAN #1
Use new ingredients at least once every two weeks.
Every holiday season, I make the one baked good I’m best at - classic chocolate chip cookies. In 2012, I set a new record: 172 cookies. All personally kneaded and baked with love.
TIP If your cookies come out a bit hard, leave it in an air-tight container with a piece of bread overnight. Bread has this amazing power of osmosis that keeps cookies moist. If you are storing/mailing cookies, the bread will help it stay moist for weeks!
When working 40+ hour weeks, sometimes we can’t help but resort to quick/pre-prepped meals…
TIP: If you are having one of those weeks, one way of making easy meals taste better than pre-packaged “blah” is throwing in some fresh ingredients to give it some flare!
Made boxed mac-and-cheese, but ripped up some pastrami and mixed it in - it was delicious! Get creative, and you’ll find that those extra minutes spent will be well worth it.