Eating phat is all about ingredients!
The easiest way to take your food from ordinary to extraordinary is the addition of simple, fresh ingredients. Adding fresh produce or herbs to a recipe not only adds a pop of flavor, they also add much needed nutrients with little calories. Buying fresh, seasonal ingredients can save you money while allowing you live healthier. You don't have to spend a ton of money on brand name items to eat well. Buying fresh ingredients allows you to play with flavors and experiment with recipes.
You'll see many of these blogs entries will be about ingredients. Along the way I'll show you an ingredient, how to look for quality, and a couple ways to use it.
The addition of just one fresh ingredient to a recipe can take it from dated to undeniably delicious.
Add a fresh chopped tomato and a couple leaves of basil to a canned tomato sauce to make it taste garden fresh.
Line the bottom of your stock based bowl of soup with fresh baby spinach for a pop of green flavor and added vitamins.
Add a chopped fresh jalapeño to anything for a kick of spice and green, crisp flavor.
Fresh herbs really make a dish taste sophisticated, but they can be expensive. You can pick up fresh herbs at your local garden center for relatively cheap and keep them in a window all year around. A small starting investment to boost your recipes and save you money in the long run! Fresh herbs pack a lot more flavor than their freeze dried, bottled counterparts.
Not a particularly a green thumb or you prefer to buy your fresh herbs? When you get home from the grocery store, cut a bit off the bottom of the stems, put the herbs in the refrigerator in some water (like you would fresh flowers). Make sure you change the water every couple of days. This will make your fresh herbs last up to 2, maybe even 3 weeks!
Using your leftover fresh ingredients
At the end of the week, I find I have a few leftover fresh ingredients I have to use before they go bad. I try to develop recipes to use them all in one go. The best way to do this is with a soup or stir fry. Alternatively, you can add some your leftover fresh ingredients to a store bought soup or curry. Don't be afraid to experiment. This is your chance to figure out what flavor profiles you prefer!
Chop all your leftover veggies and throw them in a pan with a splash of soy sauce and a little oil. You can add in any left over herbs you like as well. Add chicken, beef, or tofu if you like and sauté. Once your veggies are tender and your meats are cooked (if you added them), pour over rice!
Add your leftover chopped veggies, a little oil, and a protein (if you wish) to a pot. Salt, pepper, and any fresh herbs you may like to your taste. Stir regularly until your veggies are almost tender and your protein is cooked, if you added one. Dump in a can or two of any stock. Add a handful of small cut pasta, like stars, fuisilli, or macaroni. Bring to a boil until pasta is cooked. Freeze any leftovers and eat them later!
All those leftover store bought herbs? Don't throw them out! Chop them all into a fine confetti. Blend together a package of cream cheese, a half a stick of butter, salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Blend until smooth. Stir in your herb confetti to make a delicious homemade boursin cheese spread! Delicious on crackers, sandwiches, baked potatoes; even a dollop in some soup! Just spoon into an air tight container and refrigerate. Homemade boursin cheese spread is a great way to get rid of those extra herbs you have on hand and impress some guests!
