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| Conscious cooking tips |
#1
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Listen to your body - it tells you exactly what it does and doesn’t want in it. If you focus on what you can eat a whole new world opens up. This attitude really makes any health specific diet easier to stick to. |
#2
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I believe cooking and eating are daily rituals that need to be honoured. The Earth is the provider of our food and life force; when we acknowledge this we understand the necessity of conscious acts like supporting organic farmers and practices, minimizing waste and recycling. |
#3
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Buy organically grown produce – where no pesticides, herbicides or harmful chemicals are used. Make sure your food is NOT genetically modified (GM) and if you have the choice to support local produce and products, do it and help your local industry grow. Demand from your local supermarket to start stocking organic goods. |
| #4 |
Use clean products that are free of preservatives, artificial flavorings, additives, MSG, sugar, corn starch and hydrogenated fats. Read the labelling on any processed products (including fruit juice). The ingredients list goes from highest % quantity first to the least. You will be shocked. If you are reading a long list of long words that are difficult to pronounce, replace on the shelf immediately. Check for allergens if you are allergic to nuts, soy, lactose etc. |
#5
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Minimize packaging by buying whole vegetables and not ready-cut pieces that are packaged. Remember the plastic packaging rubs off onto the food and can also affect health. Think of ways to recycle the packaging. Glass bottles can be used to store grains, cereals and legumes without affecting the flavour of the stored foods. Certain plastic tubs are great extra storage containers. Wash out all recyclable packaging before storing and delivery for recycling. |
#6
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Store food bought from the fridge in the fridge. Loose veggies should be stored out of packaging in dark, airy draws, cupboards or baskets. Check that none of the food is mouldy or damaged as this can rot vegetables or fruit touching each other. Good food storage can really prolong the freshness of the food. Cover any opened package or cut vegetables or place in air tight containers. Never place an open can in the fridge always transfer contents to a sealable container. Store proteins very well and prevent any potential juices from dripping by storing the packet on a tray or plate. Meat juices spilt on other food can spoil it and cross contaminate it. |
#7
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Wash all your food to remove sand and particles and any insects by filling the sink with water, rinsing the food and lifting the food out of the water after sufficient soaking. You will see all the sediment at the bottom. 1 tablespoon of vinegar can be added to the water .A fruit and veg wash is essential for non-organically as well as organically grown food as it removes harmful chemicals. Organic farms coexist next to roads and non-organic farms that use chemical sprays, so vehicle fumes and chemicals are still a concern. |
#8
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Good kitchen practices simplify your life during and after cooking. Use a bowl for organic scraps, this is good for composting if you compost and minimizes necessary cleaning of work space. Always wash boards with hot soapy water between the preparation of various food groups ie veggies to chicken or fish or meat. This is especially important for proteins and prevents cross contamination of germs and flavours. Disinfect your work counters. Wiping just polishes and does not remove bacteria. Essential oils like rosemary and lavender are natural disinfectants that can be added to water for this purpose. |
#9 |
The kitchen needs to be a hygienic place as food is very partial to bacteria. Always wash your hands before handling the food, after going to the toilet and after handling proteins. |
#10
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The right cooking equipment and utensils are important both for health and for ease of cooking. They also last longer. Use wooden and stainless steel utensils without any coating. Stainless steel, cast iron, ceramic and copper cookware is the best. avoid any coating that has the potential to wear off and go into the food. |
#11 |
Be aware in the kitchen. Use a timer if you tend to forget things in the oven. Protect your face from steam when opening pots and the oven. Use your senses to tell if things are cooked, burning, or have gone off. |
#12
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Plan big meals, but also be spontaneous with small meals using what you have in the fridge and pantry and be creative. Stock a small or big pantry depending on your needs. Have a good selection of grains, cereals, legumes, spices, oils and vinegars as these are the non perishable essentials to healthy cooking. Buy good quality ingredients for good quality healthy meals. |
#13
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Have positive thoughts when you cook it makes a difference to how you enjoy the experience, the taste of the food and how people feel after they have eaten. Music is always a great accompaniment to food prep. Enjoy yourself, relax and make time to nourish yourself and your family. |
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