• 15Apr

    What is your Style of Grocery Shopping?

    Have you evaluated your grocery shopping routine lately? I recently relocated to a new city which forced me to evaluate mine.

    While living in Atlanta, I used to shop for food at the grocery store and farmers market once weekly. Transportation and storage was carefree. I had a car and plenty of space in the refrigerator and pantry for food.

    Sure the old routine had benefits, but it also had some downfalls:

    • Fresh produce has a short shelf life and because I only purchased it once per week, I would either run out of it by the end of the week or it would spoil before I could enjoy it.
    • I often bought items that I didn’t have a plan to use or I would use a small portion for a particular recipe and not use the food again. Sometimes these foods were left forgotten in the back of the pantry or freezer – sauces, cereals, grains, frozen vegetables and frozen berries.
    • The trip to both farmers market and grocery store took almost 2 hours which is a large chunk of my weekend time.

    I’ve had to totally rethink things since moving to New York City for culinary school. I don’t have a car, so I must carry everything I buy. That means I can only fill a few bags, which I have to carry several blocks, sometimes on the subway, AND up 3 flights of stairs. The storage space is very limited which also greatly reduces the quantity that I can buy. This means that I end up going on very short trips to the grocery store and farmers market about 3-4 times/week.

    This shift in mind-set is not necessarily a negative thing. The benefits of the new routine include:

    • Purchasing small quantities – this means all around fresher ingredients. I found that very small quantities are easy to access at stores that have self-service bulk food bins! This section is great for items like rice, nuts, cereal, dry beans, and dried fruit. This allows me to fill a bag with a small amount of product that weighs less then pre-packed foods and is easier to transport and store.
    • AND foods from the self-service bulk food bins tend to be less expensive! They are cheaper to package and market which saves the grocery and manufacturer money. This savings translates to the consumer.
    • I’m eating more variety and quantity of fresh produce all week long – which is healthier and much more satisfying!
    • I’m wasting much less food.
    • I look forward to the short trips to the store – it only takes about 30 minutes to grab what I need for a few days and go.

    I’m happy to have had this new found perspective on my food routine. We shouldn’t have to be forced to evaluate our grocery routine. I challenge you to evaluate yours now. Are you purchasing foods that you don’t really need? Does food often spoil before you can eat it? What behaviors can you shift to save money and reduce waste? Let us know!

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  • 10Mar

    The Most Important Tool in your Kitchen

    photo compliments of TheDarkThing via flickr.com

    What is one tool that is used nearly every time you enter the kitchen?

    Answer: The KNIFE. It is used to slice, dice, peel, core, carve, segment, divide, and cut many different foods used in cooking. This is why I believe it is the most important tool in the kitchen.

    I have been using my knives A LOT in the first week of chef’s training at The Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts. I’m learning French knife skills, Japanese knife skills and I’m using my knives for several hours in every other class too. I’ve found that one week of intense practice and instruction has really improved my confidence. I’m really growing to love my knives!

    Knife skills are a must for chefs, but these skills are also essential for the home cook. Trust me, you can learn to love your knives too!

    Consider these 3 things before you chop another onion:

    1. Start with a sharp knife. Before you start to slice and dice, make sure that you have a well-made knife that is sharp and fits nicely in your hand. If your knife is dull, then you probably dread prepping ingredients. I would too! A sharp, well-made knife is well worth the investment. Remember, this is a tool that you will use nearly every time you enter the kitchen.  I promise that this will make a huge difference in your experience. Most retail cooking stores will let you test knives before you purchase them and offer professional sharpening service. The staff in these stores are usually very knowledgeable and will help guide you in your decision. I highly recommend trying several knives and chopping a few different foods with each knife you test. You’ll want  to see how the knife feels in your hand before making the purchase. A favorite knife for one person may not be a favorite knife for the next person.
    2. Practice by taking a basic knife skills class. Taking a class is well worth the investment of time and money. Learning to use a knife is like learning to do any new skill – practice will make perfect. Learning a few basic cuts will really improve your experience and may even take your food to the next level.  The Cooks Warehouse offers knife skills courses on a regular basis. I also like the book Knife Skills Illustrated by Peter Hertzmann. This book offers a lot of visual aids and gives specific advice for a wide variety of produce, poultry, fish and meats. Another idea is to watch YouTube videos. Learning from these sources will get you thinking in the right direction.
    3. Check your cutting board. The best surfaces on which to chop are wood and plastic. These surfaces are forgiving on the blade of a knife and are easy to sanitize. A wooden board should be hand-washed, whereas a plastic cutting board can be put in the dishwasher. Avoid cutting boards made from glass or hard surfaces. It is also best to avoid cutting directly on granite or other solid-surface countertops. Cutting on such hard surfaces will quickly dull your knife, and the food will slip around making it hard to control. One final tip: Place a damp paper towel or a small non-stick square under your board to ensure that it stays in place while chopping.

    If you have specific questions about knife skills please leave a comment or email me at aritchie@goodmeasuremeals.com

    Happy Chopping!

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  • 26Jan

    Video Interview with GMM’s Executive Chef

    Have you been wondering how Good Measure Meals are developed? Who comes up with the ideas? And how does GMM make sure that the menus meet those high nutrition standards? Here’s your chance to meet our executive chef and learn more about his extensive culinary background and how he partners with GMM’s dietitians to create healthy, delicious menus. Please watch the video to find out more!

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  • 14Apr

    A Closer Look at Pad Thai

    Pad Thai is one of Thailand’s national dishes. It is made with a combination of rice noodles, scrambled eggs, green onion, soy sauce, mung bean sprouts, cilantro, and garlic. Pictured in the slideshow below are some of the steps and ingredients used to make Good Measure Meals vegetarian version of this recipe. The final plating of the meal includes the Pad Thai noodles topped with baby corn ears, cubes of roasted tofu and an Asian peanut sauce. We also serve it with a side of stir fried Basil Sugar Snap Peas.

    First our chef, Kim, weights and measures out all of the ingredients for the recipe. This is an important step because I have carefully balanced the nutrition content for all of the recipes to ensure that they fit within our nutritional targets. Then production begins. Check out the slideshow to get an idea of how this recipe is prepared.

    The non-vegetarian version is a new recipe for the spring summer menu. It is made in a similar way as the vegetarian version, but topped with shrimp instead of tofu.

    This recipe is loaded with healthy ingredients that pack A LOT of flavor when they are all combined. Rice noodles have zero grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber/2oz serving. Scrambled eggs add protein to the dish and are also a good source of Choline, a vitamin that keeps your cell membranes working properly, allows your nerves to communicate with your muscles and reduces chronic inflammation. Onions and garlic are members of the Allium family, and both are rich in powerful sulfur-containing compounds that are responsible for their pungent odors and for many of their health-promoting effects. In addition, onions are very rich in chromium, a trace mineral that helps cells respond to insulin, plus vitamin C, and numerous flavonoids, most notably, quercitin.

    Do you like Good Measure Meal’s version of Pad Thai? Let us know what you think by posting a comment on the blog.

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