Cooking with more consciousness.

The person whose job it is to prepare the food for the household (or group) has a very important duty to the health of the family or group.
It is not merely a situation of cooking for compliments, but the cook is the family (group) pharmacist behind the scene.
Food maketh the man.
The person who cooks for his/her family can do much to relieve stress, obesity and other ailments. If you love your family, you will love to see them healthy and happy.
A conscious chef will not only cook the food that his/her family (or group) likes, but will prepare it in such a way that it is not only pleasing to the eye but feeds body mind and spirit.
Food preparation is a science and not merely plonking food on a plate to fill tummies.

growing healthy sprouts

Growing sprouts is an inexpensive way to grow a fresh and nutritious salad vegetable, and you do not even have to have a garden. It can be done on your kitchen table or on top of your fridge.




Ingredients:

• One clean glass jar
• alfalfa or other sprouting seeds
• tap water

METHOD Day 1:

• Place seeds into your jar (about a tablespoon full)
• Add worm water from the tap
• Replace lid and stand for 24 hours (keep out of direct sunlight)

Day 2

• Remove the lid and drain the fluid by holding the underneath side of a strainer or a teacloth over the opening of the jar.
• Pour cool water into the jar and drain again completely, leaving the sprouts (seeds) behind. The seeds must not stand in water.
• Replace the lid of the jar.
  

Day 3 to 7 (and thereafter)

• remove the lid and smell the contents of the jar. It must not smell sour.
• rinse with cool water again.
• drain completely, leaving the sprouts behind, it must not stand in water.
  
• Replace the lid of the jar.
• When the little plants have green leaves rinse them, under a tap of running water, to remove seed husks and then place them into a plastic bag or container and keep them in the fridge.

They are great to eat as they are
In salads,
in sandwich fillings.
Use them with any dish containing raw lettuce, parsley or tomato.



Sprouts are one of the healthiest food you can eat.

I would start a new batch every three days so that I have a continuous supply.






Read more at this blog:
http://www.sproutpeople.com/index.html

How to cook rice ( beginner )

The cop-out way to cook rice is to place rice into a saucepan with a lot of water and a teaspoon of salt and boil it rapidly until soft. Then drain, add a blop of butter and extra salt - if needed and serve.
A lot of vitamins are lost cooking it this way and the rice needs to be watched closely so that it does not burn.

Here are the methods described on the Tastic rice wrapper

COOKING METHODS

Follow the recommended cookinq method for perfect rice every time:

• 250 ml Tastic Rice, uncooked 1 cup)

• 625 ml Water (2 1/2 cups)

• 3-5 ml Salt (1/2 -1 tsp)

Serves 4-6

STOVE

• • Place the Tastic Rice, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

• • Cover with lid and reduce heat.

• • Allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender, separate, fluffy and white

MICROWAVE

• • Place Tastic Rice, water and salt in a microwaveable dish.

• • Microwave on a medium/high setting for 20 - 25 minutes.

• • Remove from the microwave and allow to stand until all the water has been absorbed.

FOR SOFTER OR FIRMER RICE

• • For SOFTER rice, increase water by 125 ml (1/2 cup) and simmer for an additional five minutes.

• • For FIRMER rice, use less water and simmer for a shorter time.

Visit the "Home of Rice"

All about Cooking with Turkey

Since I do not believe in trying to re-invent the wheel, I decided to just post links to how to cook the turkey.

Here in South Africa we never used to cooked turkey for Christmas in the old days. We used to eat meat during the week, because meat was cheap and chicken on Sundays and special occasions. The first time I got into the turkey for Christmas spirit, was when I lived in England in the seventies. We had turkey for Christmas and turkey and ham sandwiches until New Year.

That was then

This year I stuffed my turkey using (fried onion, chicken livers, bacon, salt to taste, mixed herbs and rice par boiled with canned tomatoes. I first cooked the rice with the canned tomatoes then I added the other ingredients prior to stuffing the bird.

It tasted quite nice)

Here are a few ways with Turkey.

Roast Turkey

Roast Turkey 2

Roasting a turkey 3

Classic Turkey Roast 4

preparing a turkey in the webber

Roasting times for whole turkeys

Turkey Tips and Cooking Times

How to Cook A Thanksgiving Turkey On A Charcoal Grill

How to make the stuffing

Different ways to cook turkey

More Hints?

What to do with Turkey Leftovers

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(Recipe adapted from Cook and Enjoy)

Economical fruitcake

• 2¼ c flour

• ¾ c brown sugar

• ¼ c butter or margarine

• 2 eggs

• ½ c golden syrup or molasses

• ½ t bicarbonate of soda

• ¼ t salt

• 1t mixed spice

• 1t ground cinnamon

• ¼ c brandy

• ¼ c raisins

• ¼ c currants

• ½ c candied orange peel

• ¼ c almonds

METHOD

• 1. See recipes for Christmas Fruit Cake for preparation of fruit and cake tin.

• 2. Beat the butter, adding the sugar gradually. Beat till creamy.

• 3. Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.

• 4. Add the syrup and mix thoroughly.

• 5. Sift together all the dry ingredients and fold it into the mixture.

• 6. Add the prepared fruit and the brandy and lastly the nuts.

• 7. Turn the mixture into a greased cake tin, lined with 3 layers of greased paper, and tie on a cover made of 2 layers of paper.

• 8. Bake in a slow oven at 150 ° C (300 ° F) for 3 hours.

This cake may be steamed for 2 hours and then baked for I hour. (See recipes on steamed puddings.)

South African Recipe:

Teaspoon measure (t) = 5 ml

Cup Measure (c) = 250 ml

Tablespoon (T) = 12,5 ml

Preparing for Christmas fruitcake Baking day (absolute beginners)

The day before:

• Finding the recipe

• Buying the ingredients

• Finding or borrowing the baking pans

• Soaking the fruit

Baking day:

• I photocopy my recipe in big print and stick it on the fridge for easy referral

• Dress Comfortable. Use an apron if you have it. Flour has a way of getting onto ones clothes

• Clean the kitchen and clear the sink and working surfaces.

It is best to wash the dirty utensils immediately. One can get oneself tied in knots when one allow the dishes to pile up.

Preparing the work space

• Make sure your workspace is big enough.

• A plastic sheet over an ironing board can increase the work surface if you live in a caravan or small flat.

Oven and Pans

• Turn oven on take butter from freezer

• Prepare the baking pans and line them with wax paper or tin foil.

If you inherited old pans from granny, it is better to line them with tinfoil to cover rust spots or to prevent them from rusting.

• Get extra baking utensils and edible ingredients for little Mary or Johnny and space for them to make a mess where they will not bother you too much.

Final touches

• Measure out all the ingredients and group them in order of need.

• Put on your favorite relaxing music if you do not have a little Mary or Johnny,

• Make a cup of coffee or pour some of that fruit-soaking alcohol that is left over into a glass and have a sip now and again.

Follow the recipe.