June 11, 2007

Chef Tim Says...

This is another in a series I have been writing about the healthiest choices for you to make at the grocery store. So far I have discussed different ideas for proteins like meat, poultry and fish and last week got to the pantry, listing items you should keep on hand for baking (also useful for a lot of other recipes).

This week I get to talk a little about fats. I like to keep this simple. There’s a lot of choices, and you could fill your house with bottles of different oils, but the following are the basic items that you should always have on hand and ones that you will use regularly for healthy cooking. In Your Pantry: Fats

Featured Recipe

Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Savory Peach Marmalade
I love the flavor of peaches with pork. They seem so right together. The addition of the sage and onions makes this simple topping for pork just a bit savory. This is a good example of using fats that are good for you, like the olive oil, with just a little butter to enhance the flavor and texture of the cooked peaches. It doesn’t take much -- just a bit to finish off the sauce.

Ask Dr. Gourmet

I have recently been diagnosed with CHF and have been placed on a 2000 mg low sodium diet. Your recipes sound wonderful, but I am cooking for ONE. Would you find some recipes for single people, please?

Dr. Gourmet Says....

I do realize the challenge in cooking for one person. For breakfast the pancake recipes can be divided to make only one serving and all of the muffin and quick bread recipes keep well.

Most of the Dr. Gourmet entree recipes are now designed for two servings. In most cases these recipes can be easily divided to serve one person. A good example is pizza. The Whole Wheat Pizza Dough can easily be divided to make only one serving. In all cases information about leftovers is included. Many Dr. Gourmet recipes are designed to keep well for lunch or dinner the next day.

Featured Ingredient: Onions

There are two main categories of onion. Green onions and dry onions. Both types are the underground bulb of a plant related to the lily.

Dry onions include the yellow onion as well as white and red onions. Look for firm onions with no green sprouts and no soft spots or darkening of the skin.

There are two types of dry onions. Onions that are harvested in spring/summer have a higher moisture content and are known as "fresh onions." They have thin, light skins and are milder. Because of the amount of moisture they don't keep well. Fresh onions are also known as "long-day" onions. Onions

Did You Know?

Great ingredients make for great meals. Whenever you can, use the highest quality supplies for your recipes. The flavor difference will always come through in your finished dish.

If there is an ingredient that you are not familiar with, check the Ingredients area on the Dr. Gourmet website. There are pages and pages of information about the ingredients used in my recipes.

Browse the Ingredients.

Hand on Heart

Dr. Harlan's latest cookbook, Hand on Heart, includes several of the recipes from drgourmet.com, plus a few that were developed specifically for the book, like Banoffee Pie! More on what's inside.

Cooking to Reduce the Burn

Cooking to Reduce the Burn was created specifically for those suffering from GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease). With Tummy Tips and easy recipes to help you eat well and eat healthy without painful acid reflux. Download it for FREE!