Learning to Cook
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I grew up on the three basic food groups: canned, frozen, or take-out. I was raised by a single mother that worked full time, so cooking was not a fixture in my youth. I only recently learned how to cook thanks to the pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, I was deemed a “not so good” cook…
Once the pandemic hit, I enrolled in Hello Fresh and while the meals I cooked were delicious, more than anything, I learned key techniques to now be able to cook without being confined to a recipe. I highly recommend Hello Fresh to anyone learning how to cook without any dietary limitations. Even tacos… I thought I knew how to make tacos and then I tried a few Hello Fresh recipes and now my Taco Tuesday game is out of this world. Just try it and don’t be afraid to choose simple recipes because you will learn a thing or two. Please do not pay full price. Take advantage of a special discount when you try it out.
Another key to my increased cooking skills was a book: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. While many may know of this because of Netflix’s documentary with the same name, the book is hands down a game changer. I highly recommend reading the book because the book itself tries to free you from recipes and encouraged free hand cooking. Salt is the single most important ingredient for any chef and its importance extends beyond just taste for individuals on the ketogenic diet. This book teaches you how to use salt, fat, acid, and heat properly.
I love gadgets. Without being able to leave the house too much due to the pandemic, I had a few items that I used nonstop. My favorite item is an Instant Pot Duo due to its ability to break down leaner, cheaper cuts of meat in a fraction of the time. It also has many other uses like replacing a skillet or slow cooker but the pressurized cooking is a much used function in my house. There is also an Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid attachment that can also turn your Instant Pot into an air fryer. When I need multiple air fryers, this is convenient to have available.
The Ninja Foodi XL is a mammoth but for someone that only eats meats and vegetables, I am a huge fan. I can grill meats in a flash and it really makes it easy for me to cook without devoting all of my time to the craft.
I am also a big fan of a sous vide. It’s not as fast as using a Ninja Foodi Grill XL because of the vacuum preparation, but it is my favorite way to cook a steak. It should also be noted that the person I cook for does not like perfectly tender steak (I know… I know…), so I use the sous vide less than I would like. The Breville (formerly ChefSteps) Joule is an easy way to dive into utilizing the sous vide due to its beautiful iOS app. One benefit is that the sous vide does not require a lot of space, so it is great for a small apartment. The first sous vide I purchased was an Anova and it is also pretty good. If you decide to go with a sous vide, just keep in mind that you will need a vacuum sealer. Some will argue that you do not need one, but it’s not a bad idea - especially if you cook, prepare, and eat a lot of meat like I do since I am on the ketogenic diet. I own a FoodSaver.
I already touched on the importance of salt, but the other key to cooking is proper seasoning. True chefs will make their own blend but who has time for that - even during a pandemic that shifted our time to home? Preparing sustainable foods can be difficult without seasonings. Two seasoning brands are NGD’s “go-to” choices: Penzey’s and Flavor God.
These are just a few of the kitchen staples that I utilize and I will use when I blog more. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to comment below!
