Pantry Wisdom

Surviving Tough Times: How to Prepare for the Worst

March 17, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

When panic seems to seize everyone around you, keep calm. There are plenty of other ways to prepare for surviving tough times than buying toilet paper!

Hollywood loves giving us post-apocalyptic stories, and for the first time, I feel like I’m witnessing the kind of panic I’ve only ever seen on a screen.

COVID-19 is scaring the living daylights out of people and not knowing what to do, folks went out and stockpiled on toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

Guess what?

There’s a better way to prepare!

The first step involves keeping a cool head.

Although it’s not much fun thinking about it, preparing for the worst-case scenario will put us in a much better place.

Strength and security come from self-sufficiency, but first, we need to make sure we’re ready for an emergency. We will need to…

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Understanding Eggs: Behind the Ingredients

February 25, 2020 by Sylvia Rose 1 Comment

There is a lot of freedom in knowing how key ingredients work the way they do. Leave the guesswork behind in the first of this Behind the Ingredients series where we dive into learning about the humble egg.

`Photo by Natalie Rhea Riggs on Unsplash`

THE HUMBLE, YET MIGHTY EGG

Almost all of us have eaten eggs at some point in our lives and many of us reach for the egg carton first thing in the morning. Apart from making bacon and eggs, why is it that eggs are called for in so many recipes? What is it about eggs that keep us hungry for more?

Well, for one, eggs are a complete protein checking off all the essential amino acids. Eggs also have a number of B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, minerals, and other nutrients you can easily look up online. They’re nutritious, they keep us full, and they’re relatively inexpensive.

We don’t usually think about these things when we fry, scramble, or poach these edible gems. They’re humble in that they’re depended on, yet overlooked. When’s the last time you’ve been grateful for eggs? During rationing in WWII, eggs were a precious commodity and unless folks kept their own chickens, dried egg powder took the forefront. Gross. Indeed, eggs are humble, but they’re also mighty.

RELATED: Sauerkraut and Bacon Quiche

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How do I Quarter a Chicken?

February 14, 2020 by Sylvia Rose Leave a Comment

Buying and quartering a whole chicken is a lot more economical than picking up a couple of chicken breasts. When you make the switch from purchasing pieces to a whole bird, the question needs to be asked: How do I quarter a chicken?

kefir brined chicken on carrots and onions

READY, SET, QUARTER

So you went to the grocery store and bought a whole chicken, now what?

First off, look at you, you savvy shopper! Buying a whole chicken is a much more economical option in the long run because you can get three or four meals out of it and you won’t need to buy chicken broth if you make your own.

There are so many options when you bring home a whole chicken.

One route to go is throwing it in a roaster with some veggies, herbs, and salt and pepper, like my paprika roast chicken recipe.

Another is to quarter up the bird for more meal variety and more flavourful stock. Let’s take a look at what we will need to get started.

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Easy Roasted Garlic for Big and Bold Flavour

November 12, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 3 Comments

These roasted garlic cloves are big on flavour and make a healthy condiment you don’t want to be without. The next time you fire up the oven, toss in a couple of heads of garlic for the easiest roasted garlic you will ever make.

the easiest roasted garlic tutorial ever

THE EASIEST WAY TO MAKE ROASTED GARLIC

Easiest roasted garlic, you say? Well, here’s a new flash: all roasted garlic is the easiest!

Considering the beautiful simplicity of this flavourful bulb, it doesn’t seem to be used very often except by restaurants and the consumer packaged goods industry. And why not?

If you had to choose between plain hummus and roasted garlic hummus, which would you choose? Or what about butternut squash soup and roasted garlic butternut squash soup? Unless you’re a purist, the chances are you’d be reaching for the latter in both cases. Not only is it delicious added to recipes, it even sounds good.

HOW TO MAKE ROASTED GARLIC VIDEO

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How to Make Vinaigrette from Scratch

November 5, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 12 Comments

Making salad dressing from scratch doesn’t need to be complicated. Learn the basic formula behind making great tasting vinaigrettes and never buy salad dressing from the store again!

A SHORT LESSON IN READING LABELS

Do you remember the last time you studied the label of a commercial salad dressing?

One of my favourite salad dressings when I was a kid was a zesty Italian dressing made by a major player in the consumer packaged goods industry.

Do you want to take a look at some of the ingredients?

Soybean and canola oils (ask me another day why those aren't good for you)
Xanthan gum, a thickening agent which appears safe, but may lead to digestive problems if consumed in large quantities. It is pervasive in the food and cosmetics industries, and is also a common ingredient in paints, adhesives, and pesticides.
Potassium sorbate, which "maintains quality", but may also lead to allergies if consumed in large quantities
Calcium disodium EDTA to "maintain flavour". In other words, it's a food preservative. It's also used in prescription medications and in eye drops. How appetizing!
Monoglyceridesto prevent oil separation (an emulsifier). Do you know what monoglycerides are? Trans fats. You know, the kind of fats that increase your chances of stroke and heart disease.

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Making Pumpkin Puree from Scratch and Roasting Seeds

October 4, 2019 by Sylvia Rose 2 Comments

Making pumpkin puree at home doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it’s easier than you might think. Preheat your oven, gut your pumpkins, and get ready to cozy up to fall with these minimal waste pumpkin practices…

Making pumpkin puree is one of my favourite ways to ring in autumn.

The days are cooler. Green leaves adopt the colours of fire before falling to cold concrete sidewalks and pavement, blanketing lawns with a cozy comforter for the winter season.

The nights are cold and I can see my breath in the brisk morning air, my car windows weeping with condensation.

I don’t dare go outside without a jacket anymore.

My yearnings for gallons of old-fashioned lemonade and ice cream sandwiches are now cravings for tea, spicy baked goods, and everything pumpkin.

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