Let’s Talk About Whole Grains

This month, we’re featuring superfoods in each of our recipes, and each week, we’ll deep dive into one category and learn more about these ingredients. So, what makes whole grains such a super food?  Well first of all, our body uses carbohydrates as a primary source of fuel; therefore, eating whole grains is an important part of creating natural long-lasting energy so that we can dance, work, exercise and, of course, cook!  Whole grains are well known for their high fiber content which contributes to maintaining healthy digestion; we’d rather skip the Metamucil, and stick to whole grains.  Moreover, research has found that eating whole grains (as opposed to refined and processed grains) substantially lowers total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and insulin levels. Lastly, it’s been found that whole grains help lower the risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes – all diseases that have become much more prevalent in recent years.

FALL COOKING WITH KIDS – Some insights from Rebecca, our HelloFresh Dietician

Take your kids to the Farmers Market so they understand where their food is coming from! Photo from eatright.org

As the golden days of summer nestle away for a slow slumber, and the cool of autumn begins to settle in – nothing reflects the changing season better than the produce we find in our local supermarkets or farmers markets.  I get excited thinking about all the new flavors and recipes I will cook – healthy comfort foods that invite me to turn on my oven and turn up my taste-buds.

Ingredient Spotlight: Sweet Potatoes

The humble potato, how we love thee. Today the spotlight is on one of our favorite potatoes, the sweet potato! We love it not only for its vibrant hue and sweetness (duh!), but also for its added health benefits and versatility.

Sweet Potato Coconut Curry

This power carb is loaded with Vitamins A and C  and antioxidants. You’d be hard pressed to find another root vegetable that translates so seamlessly from breakfast, dinner and dessert (sweet potato pie!).

Sweet Potato and Fish Cakes

Our chefs love incorporating sweet potatoes into their recipes in a whole host of ways: as baked fries, as the “meat” in vegetarian curries, or even as a binder in our fish cakes. As we transition into fall, expect to see lots of these orange beauties popping up in your meal boxes!

Beef & Cabbage Wraps with Sweet Potato Fries

A Cut Above: Kitchen Essentials

Welcome back to our column A Cut Above where we share important cooking techniques and tips to help you get the most out of your HelloFresh cooking experience and become a master in the kitchen! Today we’re talking kitchen essentials. You really only need a few staple items to pull together a well crafted meal, so get rid of all that clutter and read on for our must-have kitchen tools!

Chef’s Knife – Your knife is the starting point to nearly every meal you will prepare – from chopping vegetables to slicing meats or carving a turkey, so make sure it’s a good one! And be sure to keep it nice and sharp – a dull knife is a hazard to your fingers!

Paring Knife – The paring knife is key to more detailed cutting work, like peeling fruit or segmenting citrus.

Wooden Spoon – A hearty wooden spoon will become your old friend in the kitchen. They last forever and you’ll use it in everything from sautéing to baking.

Microplane Grater – A Microplane Grater works like magic. Really. It makes zesting citrus, grating cheese, garlic or nutmeg a total breeze. Seriously, it’s a game changer!

Photo credits: Crate & Barrel , Chef’s Catalog, Target, Crate & Barrel 

What’s in a Grain?

Turn on the TV or flip through a health magazine and you will be bombarded with stories about the importance of incorporating whole grains into your diet. With so many new options popping up on store shelves, it can be a bit overwhelming to sort through the jumble. So today, we’re breaking down what you need to know about some of our favorite healthy grains at HelloFresh.

Couscous – Not only do we love couscous because it cooks up so quickly, but also for its health factor: 1 cooked cup contains about 175 calories and 6 grams of protein! Made from semolina, couscous takes on a light, fluffy texture and nicely absorbs the flavors of whatever sauces, herbs, and spices it’s cooked with. Try it in our Sesame Crusted Swordfish with Couscous and Grape Tomato Salsa next week!

Quinoa – Quinoa is having a celebrity moment right now. It’s on restaurant menus everywhere. Chefs love it, health food junkies love it, and our team at HelloFresh love it too! This magical seed is much heartier in texture than couscous, but also even more satiating (8 grams protein for 1 cooked cup). It’s super versatile and can be enjoyed for breakfast (an alternate to oatmeal!) or dinner (as a main, as a side, in a salad). Our chefs have featured quinoa in several of our recipes such as Superfood Quinoa Salad with Chicken and Roasted Vegetables and Flounder with Orange-Butter Sauce and Gingered Quinoa.

Bulgur Wheat – Perhaps the least well-known of the trio today, bulgur wheat is a staple in Middle Eastern dishes. This whole grain is highly nutritious with 26 grams of fiber and 17 grams of protein per 1 cooked cup! Hearty bulgur wheat is a great alternative for vegetarian dishes to make them extra filling and satisfying. Catch this gem in our Stuffed Eggplant Gratin with Arugula and Bulgur Wheat next week!

Spice It Up

Experimenting with new herbs and spices is a delicious and healthy way to add new flavor and flair to recipes. A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes heats up your regular marinara sauce, or a few saffron threads gives a luxurious yellow color to an ordinary pot of rice. The possibilities are endless!

Though playing scientist with spices in your kitchen is exciting, it’s not always cost-effective (those little jars of spices can really add up!) and hoarding a slew of obscure  spices can create quite the clutter in your pantry. Luckily, you’ve got our team of chefs at HelloFresh creating recipes that allow you to try out new flavors without the extra cost or sacrificing your pantry’s precious real estate. Since we send you just the right of amount of spices you need, there’s no wasting money on expensive spices you’ll never use again or a lazy susan overflowing every time you spin it.

This week, our Cardamom Spiked Shrimp Pilau is loaded with wonderful and colorful spices: cardamom, coriander and turmeric give the basmati rice a rich flavor and beautiful golden hue. Ginger and red chili add a spicy kick for a little extra heat. Top it off with some cilantro for a pop of green and a fresh, herby taste. The combination of spices truly elevates this recipe from any other shrimp and rice dish you’ve had. So say goodbye to your lazy susan, and give this recipe a try nice week!

A Cut Above: Proper Knife Grip

Now that the HelloFresh blog has been underway for a couple weeks, we’re excited to introduce a new reoccurring column, “A Cut Above.” Every now and then we’ll be checking in with some important cooking techniques and tips to help you get the most out of your HelloFresh cooking experience and become a master in the kitchen!

This week we’re talking proper knife grip. Correct knife grip is fundamental to being able to chop, dice, mince, and peel like a pro. Once you feel confident in your knife skills, you’ll be able to prep your food with even more efficiency, allowing you to spend that much more time savoring your HelloFresh meal!

Many people make the mistake of placing their index finger on top of the knife to stabilize (see image below), but this actually makes your grip less stable! No worries, if you fall into this camp – that’s what we’re here for!

Instead, you’ll want to wrap your index finger fully around the blade (see below), so that your thumb and forefinger do most of the gripping – similar to holding a pencil. The rest of your hand will naturally curl around the knife’s handle once you have this proper grip in place!

Try out this new technique next week when you’re dicing the zucchini in our Ginger Sesame Steak recipe or slicing the mushrooms and mincing the garlic for our Oven-Fried Chicken with sautéed garlic kale. It might take a few tries to get used to, but practice makes perfect! Once you’ve got the grip down, you’re well on your way to cooking with ease and efficiency!

photo credits: fieldandfeast.com, about.com

Every Sandwich Way

Ah, the sandwich, quite possibly one of the best meals ever invented. Easy, versatile, and universal across all cultures (arepas, panini, banh mi, the list goes on). Okay, so maybe peanut butter & jelly isn’t the ideal meal past the age of 10 (though we certainly won’t judge the occasional PB&J). But thankfully, our team of HelloFresh chefs are here to continue to reinvent the humble sandwich into gourmet and sophisticated meals.  This week, we’re thinking outside the meal box ahem box, with a few “sandwiches” that will leave you ditching the corner deli in favor of our fresh, healthful, and delicious dishes.