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Food52Because the western diet is often way too heavy on carbohydrates, many people have started to cut down on products containing gluten, which are often carb-heavy, as a way of promoting better health and losing weight. Going completely gluten-free is something only recommended for those with celiac disease and doctor-diagnosed non-celiac gluten sensitivity. If you do not suffer from these health issues, it can actually damage your health to cut out gluten completely. Besides that, being truly gluten-free in your life can be much more difficult that a lot of marketing may suggest. According to the health blog of the Harvard Medical School, “Gluten also lurks in many other products, including frozen vegetables in sauces, soy sauce, some foods made with “natural flavorings,” vitamin and mineral supplements, some medications, and even toothpaste.” That said, cutting back on gluten is often associated with improvements to your overall health, usually because you end up eating fewer carbs and maintain a generally healthier diet as a consequence. Getting to Know Gluten Gluten is a protein that is most often found in wheat, barley, and rye. Over the last few decades, the sensitivity to this protein has increased, or at least our awareness of it has. Gluten sensitivity is a fairly common digestive problem and celiac disease is the more severe form of this. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease affecting close to 1 percent of the population, and, if dietary changes are not made, this disease can seriously damage your digestive system. Gluten sensitivity cannot be accurately diagnosed without blood tests, but there are some common signs indicating possible gluten sensitivity that you can look out for. If you notice them, or think you may have gluten sensitivity/celiac disease, speak to your doctor and get tested. The good news is that by switching to a gluten-free or gluten-reduced diet, you can live a healthier life. So knowing what to look for is a good place to start. Here are some of the symptoms: Bloating is common after eating gluten, which can make you feel miserable. While bloating can be a sign of many other issues, it is also common in cases of gluten sensitivity. Occasional diarrhea or constipation is normal with dietary changes, but when it is frequent, you may be looking at gluten sensitivity. The gluten causes inflammation throughout your digestive tract, damaging the gut lining and leading to poor nutrient absorption. The result is irregular and uncomfortable bowel movements. Abdominal pain is also common with gluten sensitivity and will be noticed directly after eating foods containing gluten. Headaches and migraines have been reported in gluten-sensitive individuals. While an occasional headache is tolerable, repeated headaches, especially after eating, could be a sign. Feeling tired could be from a lack of sleep or stress, but it is also linked to gluten sensitivity. Individuals that are sensitive to this protein are very prone to fatigue and tiredness, especially after eating. Skin problems can occur with gluten sensitivity. A condition known as herpetiformis is a skin manifestation common with celiac disease. Other skin conditions such as psoriasis, chronic urticaria (hives) and alopecia areata have been known to clear up once people changed to a gluten-free diet. Weight loss, when unexpected, is a common side effect of undiagnosed celiac disease. The weight loss is typically attributed to poor digestion and inefficient absorption of essential nutrients. Those with celiac disease are thought to also have a highly-sensitive nervous system, which means they have a lower threshold for the activation of the sensory neurons that cause pain. Individuals that are sensitive to gluten may therefore, experience frequent joint and muscle pains. It’s Easy to Go Gluten-Free Unlike some diets, going gluten-free does not mean you have to give up good food, as there are plenty of recipes to keep your palette happy. For example, a cold Soba Noodle Salad is perfect for a light lunch or side dish to accompany any dinner. It’s not your typical salad, as there is no lettuce, but it is packed full of nutrients and great for those with gluten sensitivity. Soba noodles are as common in Japanese cuisine as a carefully coiffed Zen garden and very popular in America now as well. They are made with buckwheat or brown rice and contain fewer carbohydrates than traditional noodles. The chewy noodles mixed with crunchy cabbage are a quick and convenient meal for anyone following a gluten-free diet. Gluten-Free Soba Noodle Salad Ingredients: 1 package of gluten-free soba noodles ½ small head of purple cabbage ¼ lb. washed and trimmed sugar snap peas Sunflower microgreens (to use as garnish) Dressing: ¼ cup toasted sesame oil 1/8 cup rice vinegar ½ small diced shallot ½ tablespoon black sesame ½ teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes Directions: Whisk the rice vinegar in a bowl with the toasted sesame oil; you should notice the oil and vinegar emulsify. Add in the diced shallots, garlic powder and red pepper flakes and then set aside once well mixed. Chop up the cabbage into thin slices and put in a large bowl. Slice the snap peas in thirds and add to the cabbage. Drizzle the dressing on top and mix well to make sure all the vegetables are coated. Cook the soba noodles according to the package, drain and rinse. Add them into the salad and mix thoroughly. The Bottom Line Even though gluten is widespread throughout our food, there are numerous options for gluten-free alternatives available. The popularity of gluten-free and gluten-reduced diets is growing so much, that these alternatives can be easily found and make modifying your diet very easy. Remember, that if you do cut back on gluten, try to increase other nutrients and essential minerals to keep your diet balanced. Ultimately, cutting out gluten can enhance your health and improve your well-being.Yummly## What is a frittata? The frittata is the Italian cousin to quiche - basically a big, veggie-packed omelet. The traditional cooking approach often involves stirring, broiling or (eek!) flipping the eggs to make sure it's fully cooked and golden brown. This easy spinach frittata recipe skips the tricky bits: Instead, the eggs cook all the way through in the oven. The recipe is a Yummly original created by [Edwina Clark, RDN](https://www.yummly.com/dish/author/edwina-clark-rdn). ## What veggies can go into a frittata? The frittata is a very flexible dish: Making one from whatever veggies are in the fridge is a common approach. Asparagus, red bell pepper, green onions, and fresh spinach are all delicious. In this recipe, sun-dried tomatoes infuse flavor into the eggs and baby spinach rounds out the flavors. It’s a flavorful spin on the classic spinach frittata. Don't forget at least a pinch of salt and a few good grinds of black pepper. Frozen spinach works perfectly as long as you thaw it and squeeze out the extra water before adding it in. For good looks and a punch of bright flavor, you can “float” a few grape tomatoes on top of the egg mixture right before it goes into the oven. ## So...just veggies? Heavens no. Meat, cheese, and milk are all welcome additions. Parmesan cheese is the classic flavor booster, but anything you’d put in an omelet works: sausage, cheddar cheese, swiss cheese, ham, up to a 1/4 cup of cream or whole milk. If you add bacon, you can skip the salt. If you leave out meat and cheese entirely, you may need up to one teaspoon salt. Be sure to cook any meat ahead of time: A few minutes in a frying pan on medium heat will do it for bacon. Whatever your final mix, ground black pepper is a must-have. ## How to cook a frittata Remember to preheat the oven just as soon as you get into the kitchen - part of the secret to the gloriously quick cooking time (total time of 15 to 20 minutes) is high oven heat (425º F). You’ll need all of your sundried-tomato-cutting / egg-whisking time for the oven to preheat. Pan size is somewhat flexible: A 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet or non-stick frying pan is perfect for this. However, if you don’t have either, improvise: A pie pan, well coated with nonstick spray (or olive oil or butter), will also work. ## An easy make-ahead dish There are several different ways to create a make-ahead frittata. The simplest: Cook it the night before and serve it cold straight from the fridge. Frittata is one of those rare dishes that tastes good warm, cold, or at room temperature. Another make-ahead option is to combine the ingredients in a large bowl the day before. Store it sealed in the fridge, preheat oven in the morning and pour egg mixture straight into your pan to cook. If grating Parmesan before you’ve had your first (or fourth) cup of coffee is not for you, having everything prepped the night before can be a lifesaver. ## Is a frittata healthy? That depends on what “healthy” means to you - it’s gluten-free, high in protein and low carb. It’s perfect for a keto diet - and see below for a paleo frittata variation, if that’s your style. Frittata is also vegetarian (assuming you don’t add meat) and an easy way to get your veggies (if you fill it with veggies). It’s also high-fat, because it’s chock-full of eggs. But you knew that, right? A frittata can be made with egg whites (or some egg whites and some whole eggs) to reduce the fat content. ## Side dishes to serve with frittata What goes well with a frittata? Something bright and crunchy (like a salad), salty (like ham), or carby (toast or biscuits) are all good choices. Serve a frittata with bacon and crispy potatoes for a breakfast feast, or with a green salad for a classy weekend brunch. Another option is to reflect the veggies in the frittata: A Tex-Mex green chile and jack cheese frittata pairs well with sour cream, salsa, and sliced avocado. A feta frittata is perfect with a greek salad full of red onion and olives dressed with lemon and extra virgin olive oil.Food.comThis wonderful icing is used for icing cakes and cookies as well as for borders and art work on cakes. It makes a delicious filling also between the layers of cakes and under Fondant Icing. You can make roses but it takes 3 or more days to dry them depending on the humidity. There are many versions of “Buttercream” icing. Some are made with eggs and all butter. Some varieties, you have to cook your sugar to a softball stage. Others are 100% shortening or a combination of shortening and butter. Each decorator has his or her favorite. I personally think that the best taste and textured recipe is the one that has you cook your sugar, add to whipped eggs and use pounds of butter per batch. BUT…. I live in a state that can easily be a 100 degrees for days on end during the summer and you know what butter does on hot days. It melts! A greasy puddle of melted icing on a cake plate is not something I want to look at or eat. Your top notch decorators have a few options we don’t. They have huge refrigerators to store their cakes in, and refrigerated vehicles that they can use to deliver decorated cakes. I even know a few that refuse to deliver at all. If you want their cake, you come and get it and it’s your responsibility if it melts. These decorators don’t even turn on their ovens for a wedding cake for less than $2000. The following recipes for Buttercream Icing hold up pretty well in the heat and humidity, but if you know that your cake will be out in very high temperatures, then don’t use any butter and use only a high quality shortening. Shortening: Solid Shortenings definitely have their place in baking. So I’m going to talk taste tests. Crisco is the hands down winner. It has a clean taste with the melting point of 106 degrees. Butter melts somewhere between 88 and 98 degrees F. depending on the amount of fat in the brand. You can see that if you need to serve a pure buttercream decorated cake, on a hot August afternoon, you could have melted roses (and I do mean greasy puddles) on the tablecloth. This is when a good quality shortening will be a great blessing. I have been told by decorator friends that some of the warehouse brand shortenings leave a grainy consistency to the icing no matter what you do. Powdered (Confectioner's) Sugar: Regarding Powdered Sugar. Please use a Cane Sugar. I prefer C&H Powdered (confectioners) Sugar. Many of the cheaper brands use sugar beets for their base. I don’t know the chemistry behind it but you definitely get different textures to your icing that can vary from batch to batch. I spent a few months being very frustrated with the quality of my icing until a kind lady did a bit of trouble shooting for me. She recommended the cane sugar and I’ve been blessing her ever since. Top-Quality Brands: Please be safe, buy a quality brands and then stick with it for the best results. A friend of mine, who is a wonderful cook and baker, travels a lot and she often prepares treats for her hosts. She’s learned to ask the host to have her favorite shortening and flour on hand. She has even made up a little makeup type case that carries her favorite extracts and precious spices. That way she knows what she is working with, how it handles, and what tastes she can expect for the finished product. Some surprises are NOT pleasant. Storing Buttercream Icing: If you are not going to be using the icing right away, place it in a clean, sealable bowl. Store it in the refrigerator but please don’t place it next to the marinating salmon, garlic or broccoli. You do NOT want those flavors in your icing! I like to use my icing within a few days but it will hold in the cold refrigerator for a couple of weeks if necessary. I often make a double batch of icing the night before I have a baking project. That way I know that I have plenty of icing, it’s fresh and I don’t have to make it while I’m in the middle of baking the cakes. The extra can always be used for a batch of cupcakes. When you remove the icing from the refrigerator, you might notice that the icing has taken on a sponge like texture. Do yourself a favor and place the icing in a bowl and mix by hand using a back and forth, smashing motion with a spoon or icing spatula. What you want to do is to smash the bubbles out of the icing. This extra step will help to give you the smoothest icing for a pretty top and sides of the cake. I have found that you will get an even better texture of icing if it is at room temperature before you try to do your icing. Bad Buttercream Icing Days: One thing that seems very silly but is true. There are Bad Buttercream Days! I’ve asked quite a few decorators about this and every one says “Yes, there are lousy days”. I’m not sure what causes the problem. It could be that every human has bad days so they blame the buttercream. It may be the humidity or that there is a low pressure system hanging over your town. I just know why but it is a perceived fact. The way I have handled the problem is that I changed the decoration on the cake. I couldn’t get the smooth top or sides as I originally planned. Writing a greeting on a messy top would look awful so I changed the design idea and put flowers everywhere. I could have also done a basket weave technique around the sides. Just go with the flow, and don’t get frustrated. Aunt Martha won’t chuck the cake at you if you don’t write her name on the top this time. Remember that you are creating something that is to be eaten so have fun with it. Different Mixers: If you have a heavy duty counter mixer, you can prepare a whole batch at one time. If you are using a hand mixer, divide the recipe in half. If you notice the mixer getting hot, please stop and let the machine cool off. I also prefer to mix the buttercream on a low setting. It seems that the higher setting do the job faster but you also will get a spongy texture to the icing. I don’t want that quality in my final ice coating or flowers on the cake. Using Weight Scales: 1 cup of Crisco weighs 6 ounces. I put a piece of wax paper on my scale and start plopping spoons of shortening on until I get the desired weight. It really saves on the cleanup. Recipe from Peggy at WhatsCookingAmerica.net