I trained as a chef but quit half way through training so I've got both the benefit of a formal education and my own unique insights. My tips on how to cook healthily are these:
1) For chopping things you want an expensive chef's knife. Cheap ones will be poor quality and you'll end up paying for it when it takes longer to chop.
2) Get a knife sharpener. I had a knife and over time it took longer to cut through food and I began getting horrible pain in my wrists and hands. That's why you need a knife sharpener, to keep cutting easy. Sharpen once a week at least.
3) After you've cooked give everything you've cooked with a quick rinse using a cloth to wipe off bits of food stuck to make washing up easier later. If you find cleaning up after cooking difficult, it will put you off cooking.
4) Wash what you've cooked with but if possible never dry straight away. Just leave to sit on the metal rack next to the sink. This helps because when cooking a really good recipe you need lots of utensils and drying them all would be very tiring and discourage you from cooking such a good meal again.
5) If a meal you make is too large for you have some plastic food containers in to put what's left in the fridge to warm up to eat another time.
6) Don't be afraid of buying new things. Although it might seem a waste of money and space getting lots of different utensils most of them are essential for most people. Remember, too, that the best restaurants make their food so great using technology - they use a lot of utensils, and for example, to get the very smooth soups people like they use a food processor. You don't need too many gadgets though - some are just gimmicks.
12 Jan 2011, 5:07 am
