Master the art of home cooking: tips and tricks for every kitchen

You can choose from hundreds of kitchen tools, but only a few will be your daily staple.

Setting up the kitchen with the right tools can make cooking at home more fun and stressful! With some essential items to prepare, cook and store your homemade meals, you can prepare to solve any recipe and feel like a comprehensive professional in your own kitchen.

As a nutritionist, this is my must-have tool list to make cooking easier, faster, and more fun.

Preparation tools

• The chef’s knife: The 8-inch chef’s knife is an excellent universal choice. If you are looking for a few knives, the smaller paring knife is another kitchen staple.
• Cutting board: Get a sturdy non-slip plastic plate for safe and effective meal preparation. Choose a big versatility.
• Measuring cup and spoon: These are essential for accurate ingredient measurements in cooking and baking.
• Mixing bowl: Find a set of various sizes for mixing, marinades and edible ingredients.
• Peeled vegetables: This is your easy tool to peel fruits, vegetables and potatoes.

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Cooking Tools

• 12-inch non-stick or cast iron frying pan: Great for cooking eggs and scrambled food.
• Reserve pot: A 6 quart pot for boiling pasta, soups and stews,
• clamp: Used to flip meat, throw salads and handle popular items safely.
• spatula: Great for stirring seasonings and soups without scratching the cookware.
• Big Baking tray: Very suitable for grilled vegetables, pot meals, grilled chicken and more. Plus, it can double as a cookie paper for dessert!

Storage tools

• Food storage container: Various sealed containers for meals and leftovers. Glass or plastic containers work here and make sure to choose a variety of sizes.
• Plastic film and aluminum foil: Conveniently cover dishes and packaged food for storage.
• Spoon or bucket: Large spoons help to store food and clean up faster. If you are planning to prepare a meal, you may even want to find options for a specific amount, such as 1 cup ladle, so that you can get the same portion of each serving of the food in the stored container.
• Zipper bag:Marinate or prepare chopped ingredients in the refrigerator or refrigerator, useful.
• Mason jar: Great for storing homemade seasonings, seasonings or food pantry.

About the Expert

Caroline Thomason, RD LDN, CDCES Is a dietitian and diabetes educator who combines her love of nutrition with the ability to make health easy to understand. She has been in the industry for 12 years and she has published in over 40 publications, CPG consultants and consultants, speakers, broadcast spokespersons and recipe developers.

Stephanie Nelson He is a nutritionist, an in-house nutrition expert and nutrition scientist at MyFitnesspal. Stephanie, who is passionate about promoting a healthy lifestyle, graduated from San Diego State University with a focus on preventing research and disease.

Basic cooking techniques that everyone should know

If you’ve ever been lost in the kitchen, you’re not alone. Many people grow up without learning basic cooking skills, which can scare the starter. But cooking doesn’t have to be complicated – using just a few simple techniques can make a big difference.

By learning basic skills such as chopping, sautéing and baking, you will have the confidence to prepare meals without stress. With a little practice, cooking at home can be easier and more enjoyable and can also be a great way to support your health.

You can practice some essential kitchen techniques to boost your confidence and provide preparations for delicious, nutritious meals.

Chopped

Whether you’re chopped onions, sliced ​​or condensed chicken breasts, knowing how to chop is a basic skill that you’ll use over and over again. Good knife skills make cooking faster and safer.

Our tip? Push your fingertips underneath (also known as the “claw grip”) and let the knife do the job. Start slowly and practice regularly – Picking a bunch of vegetables is a great way to build muscle memory!

saute

This technology is perfect for adding flavor to the glitter. Heat a little oil in the pan, throw away its ingredients, and keep it moving. Think of it as making your vegetables or protein brown quickly in the pan for the best flavor. The stir-fry is perfect when you want to make a little caramel in the dish. Whether you are cooking onions or browning proteins, such as steak or chicken, stir-fry is a great choice for flavor and quick cooking.

boiling

Boiling is your preferred technique for cooking pasta, beans, potatoes, cereals or light vegetables. If you want to chop or add more seasoning later, you can also boil protein, such as boiled eggs or chicken breasts.

bake

Baking can be a science, but it doesn’t have to be daunting. The simple pot dinner is baked, you simply toss everything onto a large baking sheet and bake until finished.

Diners are here! Create a custom meal plan around you Calories and macro goals today.

Try diners

Budget Cooking: Affordable Meal

With a little planning and some clever shopping, you can create balanced, nutritious meals that are easy on your wallet.

Here are some simple tips and delicious meal ideas to get you started.

1. Baked Ziti Casserole: a comforting classic that won’t ruin the bank! This casserole combines whole wheat pasta, marinade sauce, and a mixture of ricotta and mozzarella as a hearty dish in protein packaging. Add some chopped spinach for extra nutrition and bake until blistered to enjoy the crowd.
2. Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup: This classic tortilla soup is a budget-friendly one-pot wonder. It features a blend of chicken, vegetables and spices to provide fillings and nutritious meals. Top with a pinch of Greek yogurt, Mexican cheese or sprinkle with fresh herbs for added flavor.
3. Hummpea Tuna Falafel: A delicious flavor on classic tuna salad, this version adds mashed chickpeas to add fiber and bulk. Mix with the light flavor of Greek yogurt, lemon juice and your favorite seasoning, then pair with crisp lettuce and thinly sliced ​​tomatoes on the whole wheat bread.
4. Sweet and spicy chicken meatballs: These delicious meatballs are made with lean chicken, bread crumbs and sweet and spicy glaze. They are easy to make and pair perfectly with brown rice or simple side salads.
5. Fried French Fries with Cashew and Broccoli: A quick and affordable stir-fry made with soft beef, crispy broccoli and savory sauce with a sweetness of hoisin and cashewy flavor. Serve on brown rice or quinoa and prepare a balanced high-protein dinner in 30 minutes.

Need more tips on how to cook a delicious meal without bankruptcy? We provide you with coverage of nutritionist reviewed recipes, which you weigh less than $5 per serving.

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Cook healthy, balanced meals at home

Cooking healthy food at home isn’t necessarily boring or complicated – it can be a creative adventure in fact. With some smart trading and simple tips, you can stir up meals that are both delicious and nutritious.

Here are some of my favorite tips:

• Focus on whole food ingredients: Use minimally processed foods such as whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats and vegetables to produce a balanced meal.
• Swap white for whole grain: Use brown rice instead of white rice. Try whole grain pasta instead of traditional pasta. Swap the white flour bread for 100% whole grain bread.
• Reduce it: Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and milk instead of cream if you can, rather than sacrificing the flavor of lower calorie recipes.
• Add flavor without extra calories: Use herbs, spices and citrus to add flavor to your dishes instead of relying on heavy seasonings or added oils.
• Try batch cooking: Prepare healthy ingredients such as roasted vegetables, roasted chicken or cooked cereals to make a balanced meal throughout the week a breeze.
• Add fruits and vegetables: Add spinach to smoothies, zucchini add it to pasta dishes, or extra vegetables and soups and stews. Eat cut fruit on the side of the meal to enhance fiber and nutrition.

How to find recipes on the MyFitnesspal app

Using recipe discovery in the MyFitnessPal app makes planning a week’s homemade meal quick and easy. From breakfast selection to dinners for meal preparation, the MyFitnessPal recipe series covers a wide range of recipe areas.

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you explore recipe ideas for dining:

1. Open the MyFitnessPal application: Launch the app on your phone and click the “More” menu. From there, select “Recipe Discovery”.
2. Browse the recipes: Explore categories such as breakfast, lunch or dinner to narrow your choices. You can also choose pantry-based recipes, excellent dishes after workouts, and more.
3. View recipe options: Scroll through the list of curated recipes and click on any meal to view the full recipe with ingredients, step-by-step instructions, and nutrition information.
4. Save and log recipes: Once you find your favorite recipe, click Save to add it to your favorites. You can also record meals directly into your food diary for seamless nutrition tracking.

hint: Add your most frequent recipes to the app! “MyFitnessPal really makes the most of the opportunity for home cooking for your healthy journey, as it helps you gain the ability to learn,” Nelson said.

She recommends importing recipes that you make and analyze nutrition, so you can learn whether the recipe can help you achieve goals that are critical to success like protein or fiber.

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