The biggest problem with cheap cuts of meat is that they are riddled with tough sinewy strands of fat and tendon. This type of meat might be cheap, but unless you find a way of cooking it properly, you will not enjoy the resultant dish. Common examples of cheap cuts of meat include lamb shank, beef brisket and rump, and neck joints.

Cheap joints of lamb and beef are far less expensive than fine fillet steak or lamb cutlets, but as long as you adopt the correct cooking process, they can be just as tasty, which is why more and more people are choosing to save money by buying cheap cuts of meat. Indeed, fifty years ago, cheap cuts would have been the norm, not the exception, as the majority of people could not afford to splash out on a piece of fillet steak or a rack of lamb. Instead they opted for the cheapest joints of meat they could find and looked at ways of making the meat tasty instead of tough like old boots.

How does braising tenderize meat?

Cooking any meat long and slow over a low heat helps to break down the collagen fibers in the meat. When meat is roasted over a high heat, moisture is released and eventually the meat dries out, but when meat is braised, the meat fibers slowly reabsorb the moisture and the end result is a tender piece of meat that falls off the bone. Braising works in a similar way on vegetables as well—cellulose fibers are broken down and the vegetables softens.

Braising is a classic technique for cooking meat. Rather than roasting a joint of meat in the oven for a relatively short period of time, to braise a piece of meat you sear it in hot oil and then cook it slowly for several hours over a low heat in a sealed pan. Only a small amount of liquid is needed and the end result is the most amazing and tender piece of meat you will ever taste.

What are the advantages of braising meat?

Braising meat offers cooks a number of distinct advantages. As we have already discussed, braising is the best way to cook a cheaper cut of meat because it makes tough meat considerably more palatable, which saves you money on your grocery bill because you no longer need to spend extra cash on better quality meat.

Braising food also saves you time. Instead of slaving over a hot stove, once the meat is in the pot, you can leave it to cook and get on with other tasks. Braised dishes can be started in the morning and left alone, cooking gently, until the end of the day, which makes them perfect for busy cooks out at work all day. Braised dishes are also very useful if you are entertaining guests—instead of spending more time in the kitchen cooking than talking to your guests, you can forget about the food until it is time to dish it up.

Braising is ideal for cooks who hate clearing up since it is a one-pot dish with very little preparation required. Once dinner has been eaten, aside from the plates and cutlery, there will be very little washing up to do, so you can chill out in front of the TV instead of spending the next two hours up to your elbows in hot soapy water.

How do I braise meat?

Braising meat is really very easy when you understand how the process works. Any kind of meat can be used, although the process is more effective on tough meat joints. You can also braise fish and vegetables—braised cabbage is a popular winter warmer.

The first step in the meat braising process is to seal the juices into the meat by sautéing it in hot oil. Heat up some oil in a shallow pan and once the oil is smoking hot, add the meat and brown it on oil sides. This helps to seal the flavor in as the meat cooks.

Next place the meat in a pan, slow cooker, or crock pot and add a selection of vegetables of your choice—these will depend on the type of meat you are braising, but popular choices for traditional lamb and beef braised dishes include potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and other root vegetables.

Finally, you need to add some liquid and flavorings. Use stock or wine to add liquid, or even beer or cider if you prefer, but be careful not to add too much as a braised dish does not require too much liquid to cook the meat. You should also add your seasonings, herbs, and spices at this stage, which is your opportunity to be creative.

Place a tightly fitting lid on the pan or pot and place in the oven on a low heat, or if you are using a slow cooker, switch it on to the low setting. Leave the pan to slowly cook for several hours. The exact cooking time will depend on what you are cooking—large joints of meat can take up to nine hours to cook, whereas fish and chicken will only take an hour or so.

Once the meat is nice and tender, remove it from the pot, place on a warm dish, and cover while you make the sauce or gravy. Scoop off any fat from the remaining liquid in the pan and discard, and then turn up the heat and reduce the liquid down until it thickens. Alternatively, add some sauce flour and butter and whisk until the gravy begins to thicken.

What equipment do I need for braising?

All you need to produce perfect braised dishes is a pan with a tight fitting lid, a crock pot, or a slow cooker.

Apparently yes, since at least some of the finalists over the years have won the grand prize with recipes containing sixteen ingredients or less, so it just goes to prove that when it comes to creating a truly mouth watering burger, simplicity is sometimes the best way forward.

Why bother making my own burgers?

Burgers are a staple food for outdoor grills and barbecues. It is easy enough to buy a ready made pack of burgers from the local grocery store and they come in all different sizes and flavors, from plain beef hamburgers to low fat chicken burgers. You can choose from fresh burgers or frozen burgers, and in most cases the end result will be tasty, but if you want a burger with a better flavor, the best approach is to create your own home made burger.

How do I make my own burger?

To make a truly memorable burger, you need to employ lots of creativity. You might get lucky first time around and produce a burger so delicious that everyone who tastes it is blown away, but this is unlikely, and besides, unless you write down every stage in the recipe, you will probably be unable to recreate it for the Build a Better Burger Competition anyway!

So before you start experimenting with ingredients, have a pen and paper to hand and write down exactly what you do at each stage in the process. You should also make a note of the exact quantities you use of each of the ingredients because even a slight fluctuation could make a big difference to the end flavor of your burger.

Overly complicated is not what the judges of the Build a Better Burger are looking for, so try and stick to the rule “simple is better”. The judges are looking for recipes made from organic and sustainable ingredients and although you are free to use whatever you like, this will be the benchmark they look at when awarding prizes.

Help – I have no idea where to begin!

Get your thinking cap on and those creative juices flowing. Inspiration can come from any number of different places—perhaps your family comes from a specific ethnic background or you enjoy traveling to a particular place every year? Maybe you can use these ideas as a starting point for creating a new burger recipe?

In the past, winning contestants have produced all kinds of inspired burger recipes using ingredients that were locally sourced or highlighted the area of the country they lived in, but the world is your oyster, so if you have a fondness for Chinese food for example, use the flavors you love to produce an exciting and memorable burger.

Once you have an idea, gather some ingredients together and try combining them into a meat pattie. Make a note of what works and what doesn’t and keep going until you end up with a recipe you feel might be worthy of an entry to the contest. And since you can enter as many times as you like, keep trying!

What are the categories I can enter?

The main category of the contest is the beef burger, although there is now a separate contest for those who wish to create an alternative burger. The main ingredient must be beef (or ground alternatives), but this can be mixed with other ingredients, including ketchups, pickles, sauces, cheeses, and any combination of condiments, before being placed on or in a bread of your choice. The ingredients used must be readily available in grocery stores, specialty stores and/or farmer’s markets and it should be possible for other people to be able to recreate your recipe.

Since you will have to submit your recipe as a list of ingredients followed by step by step instructions, you must be very careful to ensure the recipe is not overly complicated, which is why it is a good idea to try and stick to sixteen ingredients or less. You will also need to include the cooking method and time required to cook the burger, plus what type of grill you used.

In the past, winning burger recipes have had all kinds of flavors from around the world, but it is not necessary to go looking for the most exotic ingredients you can find if you want to win—sometimes home-grown flavors are just as agreeable, so do not be afraid to try making a prize winning burger using local ingredients from the stores in your area. The winning burger will wow the judges with its flavor, not how many ingredients it contains, and because the judges prefer recipes that are simple to make, less is definitely more.

Do I need to be an experienced cook to stand a chance of winning the contest?

No, you do not. Lots of previous winners of the Build a Better Burger Contest have been aspiring amateur cooks who simply loved food and wanted to share their recipes with the wider world. The only quality you need to win the top prize is a passion for good food and a willingness to experiment with innovative ingredients and new flavors.

So get your apron on and start creating a prize winning burger. It might take a lot of practice before you produce a burger recipe you are proud of, but in the meantime, you can have plenty of fun experimenting with new ingredients and recipes, and your friends and family can enjoy eating all of your exciting burgers!

How can I become a skilled gourmet cook?

The quickest way of learning how to cook like a professional chef is to attend catering school and study the art of food. However, whilst this is a perfectly acceptable route to food heaven, further education in the art of culinary magic might not be high on your list of things to do any time soon. So how else can you learn to conjure up wonderful dishes for your friends and family?

Cooking is like any other skill—you have to practice lots before you become perfect; or at least reasonably good at it. But being a good cook is not necessarily the same as being a wonderful cook. Great cooks differ from mediocre cooks by their talent for improvisation and artistic endeavor. A great cook will be able to do much more than follow a recipe—a great cook will be able to master the ingredients and write their own recipes.

How do I learn the skills required to be a skilled gourmet cook?

In order to master the skill of cooking great food, you have to truly enjoy food. Great cooks are passionate about good food, which is why you can tune into a television show to watch your favorite celebrity cook creating some tasty food and immediately become inspired by their enthusiasm. So it is hardly surprising that every Christmas millions of celebrity cook books fly off the shelves based purely on the television spectacle of charismatic people cooking fabulous food.

You can learn a lot from the celebrity chefs you admire. You might not ever be able to achieve their level of success in the kitchen, but by watching how they experiment with ingredients and have fun doing so, be inspired into having a go yourself and seeing just how easy it is to create amazing dishes from relatively simple ingredients.

To be a great cook, you have to learn to walk before you can run. Start off by mastering the basics and get a good grounding in how the different ingredients work together. Once you understand what happens when you pair one food with another, you can begin to experiment and change things around to create new and exciting flavors.

Food science

Creative cooking is a cross between science and art, and even though a lab coat is probably unnecessary, an apron might be a good idea. On the one hand you have to understand how the chemical properties of each ingredient can cause different reactions when exposed to heat, acids and alkalis. But on the other, how a dish looks and tastes is just as important.

When you are first learning how to cook the basics, you will need to measure out your ingredients very carefully in order to make sure the dish works, but once you gain a greater level of skill, you will probably be able to judge by sight whether you have enough of one particular ingredient. When this happens, the time has come to start experimenting with different ingredients and proportions of herbs, spices, and flavorings.

Most people judge the quality of food by how it looks and tastes. A skilled cook can also judge whether a dish is ready by its scent and how it looks and sounds. For example, you can tell whether a sponge is cooked by the sounds it makes when you remove it from the oven—if the sponge is still crackling gently, it needs a few more minutes in the oven, but if it is silent, it is cooked (and if it’s black and crispy, it most definitely is beyond cooked!).

Skilled food gourmets operate very much on instinct. They know their ingredients so well that they can easily tell when a dish is cooked or if it requires a little extra ingredient or flavor to transform it from the ordinary into the extraordinary. Skilled gourmet cooks use ALL of their senses when cooking. They test the weight of food with their hands, sample the flavor at various times during the cooking process, listen to the sounds the food makes as it cooks, and smell the aroma; they also look at the finished product to see if it lives up to their expectation.

Mastering different cooking styles

Great cooks are always versatile and although it is perfectly acceptable to specialize in one particular culinary genre, it is better to experiment in many different genres and become master of more than one style of cooking. This can help you experiment with different styles and create interesting fusions across many cooking genres.

Watching how other people cook is a great way to learn new ideas and be inspired into trying different things with your own cooking. Spend as much time as possible watching master chefs at work, whether they are on the TV, or cooking in your favorite restaurant. Most chefs are so passionate about their food that they will be delighted to preach to the converted about the wonders of great food, so ask questions and feed your knowledge.

Trying new dishes when you travel to exotic places is another way to find inspiration for your cooking. Experiment with different flavors and seek out new recipes. If you sample something new and incredibly delicious in a small tavern somewhere, ask the cook how he made the dish and take notes so you can try it once you are home again.

Buy as many cook books as possible. Cookery books should become your bible when you love food. Pour over the recipes and make them your own. Write your own notes and keep a recipe scrapbook where you can write ideas down and keep a note of what you did and why something worked (or didn’t). Eventually you can pass your recipe notebook on to your children or grandchildren, so treat it like a diary and use it to record your journey from amateur cook to food gourmet.

Where are whole grains found?

Whole grains are exactly what they say on the packet: they are grains in their entire form as opposed to grains that have been refined during the manufacturing process. Whole grains include corn, rice, barley, rye, wheat, quinoa, oats, spelt and sorghum. If you are eating a reasonably good diet, you might already have whole grains in your diet, but many of us do not eat nearly enough and have a tendency to eschew whole grains in favor of refined products instead.

What are the health benefits of whole grains?

Like fruits and vegetables, whole grains are full of nutrients. They contain high levels of antioxidants and phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals, and in many cases are a far better source of these important nutrients than your favorite fruits and vegetables! So rather than adding an extra portion of vegetables to your diet, you can eat more whole grains and enjoy a greater health benefit.

Because whole grains are packed full of essential nutrients, they help the body to fight disease and reduce inflammation. Research has shown that increasing your consumption of whole grains reduces your risk of developing serious and potentially life threatening health problems such as coronary heart disease, cancer, strokes, and type 2 diabetes. People who eat higher levels of whole grains are also less likely to be obese, which is a major cause of health problems in the US.

How much whole grains should I eat?

Most of us do not eat enough whole grains and some of us eat no whole grains at all, so we have a long way to go before we meet the recommended guidelines of between three and five portions of whole grains per day. Even children should be eating two or three portions of whole grains per day, so take a good look at your family’s diet and see where you can make improvements.

How can I improve my intake of whole grains?

It is very easy to add whole grains to every meal, which will substantially improve your intake of essential whole grains. For example, you could have a whole grain bread roll with your evening meal or have a serving of porridge oats at breakfast—it is much easier than you realize once you start thinking more about the food you eat.

Whole grain flours can easily be substituted for white flour in any number of recipes. Instead of using white flour for your pancakes, muffins and cookies, try adding half whole grain flour instead. You can also add some extra oats to dessert dishes and yoghurt smoothies or even into your ground meat when you make burgers or meatloaf. It is also a good idea to substitute whole grain pasta for traditional pasta made from 100% white flour and brown rice for white rice.

In many cases, an improvement can be made by substituting whole grain bread for traditional white bread. Not only will you notice a dramatic improvement in taste, but you will also enjoy the health benefits of extra fiber in your diet. Whole grain flour is a far tastier alternative to white flour and whole grain breads are much nicer than the tasteless and bland white bread we see stacked on supermarket shelves. Thanks to modern manufacturing processes, there is very little in the way of nutrition left in white bread, so choosing whole grain bread is a much better choice as whole grain bread contains far more nutrients and essential dietary fiber.

Whole grain bread usually has a richer, nuttier flavor. If you are used to eating white bread, this can come as a bit of a shock, so start off small and build up your consumption slowly. Children are often the most resistant to eating whole grain bread as they prefer their old favorite, white bread, but you can introduce whole grains gradually by mixing and matching different grains and varying the types of bread you experiment with.

Make your own whole grain breads!

Modern bread makers have turned bread making from a chore into a five minute task and thanks to the wonders of technology, having a bread making machine in the kitchen means you no longer have to spend ages kneading dough and waiting for it to rise. Instead you can pop the ingredients into the pan and leave your bread making machine to work its magic, before removing a perfect loaf, fresh and warm and ready to eat.

There are lots of whole grain flours and associated bread recipes available in books and on the internet, so experiment with your bread making machine and see what tasty and healthy breads you can make. You can even stick to your basic white loaf recipe, but substitute a third of the white flour for some whole grain flour—this will help to increase your consumption of whole grains without changing the flavor of the bread too radically.

Can I eat whole grains if I am gluten intolerant?

Millions of people are gluten intolerant, which means that they cannot eat wheat, barley, rye, and other wheat related grains. This makes it harder to consume enough whole grains in the daily diet. Nevertheless, there are many whole grains that are not derived from wheat, so it is possible to improve your whole grain intake by choosing gluten free whole grains.

Examples of whole grains for gluten intolerant people

Good examples of gluten free whole grains include oats, corn, millet, rice, wild rice, quinoa, sorghum, buckwheat, and teff, although it is worth noting that oats are often contaminated by wheat during the growing and harvesting process, so you must be careful to only buy oats guaranteed as “pure”.

For centuries, olive oil has been a major constituent of Mediterranean cooking, and since people living in that part of the world enjoy some of the lowest levels of heart disease anywhere, there is clearly a link between olive oil and good health.

On the face of it, olive oil is full of fat, so surely it is bad for us? But no, despite the fact that olive oil contains lots of fat, unlike some other types of oil, olive oil contains good fats—fats known as monounsaturated fatty acids. MUFAs are the opposite of unhealthy trans fats and saturated fats and can help to lower your risk of developing coronary heart disease.

How can using olive oil lower my risk of heart disease?

Olive oil helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels, which in turn reduces your risk of developing heart disease and strokes. The monounsaturated fatty acids in olive oil can also help those with type 2 diabetes because they stabilize insulin and blood sugar levels. Scientific studies have indicated that regular consumption of olive oil can also help to prevent colon cancer.

Does the quality of olive oil make a difference?

There are lots of different grades of olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the most expensive and the best quality. Extra virgin olive oil contains the most nutrients as it is less refined than lighter oils; light olive oils are a lesser grade of oil made by mixing extra virgin olive oil with refined olive oil. Sometimes cheaper types of olive oil are blended from olive oil and vegetable oil, so always make sure you read the label carefully to ensure you are buying pure olive oil and not a substitute.

How can I use olive oil in my cooking?

Olive oil can be used for many different types of cooking, but you may wish to vary which oil you use according to what you are doing. Extra virgin olive oil is typically used neat or for making salad dressings. Extra virgin oil has a stronger and more defined flavor, which makes it perfect for using plain on pasta or as a dressing for meat, vegetables, or salad.

More refined types of olive oil are great for frying, although olive oil is not suitable for deep frying because high heat alters the chemical composition of the oil and taints the flavor. However, as long as you avoid turning up the heat too high, olive oil is perfect for shallow frying vegetables or meat, whether for a pasta dish or some other kind of Mediterranean flavored meal.

Olive oil is great for adding some flavor to plain vegetables. Chop up a selection of different vegetables, including potatoes, sweet potatoes, onion, carrots and parsnips, heat up some olive oil in an oven proof dish, and then add the vegetables. Baste them in the hot oil, season to taste, and cook until soft.

Any kind of vegetables are delicious when sautéed in olive oil. Dip them in hot oil and quickly fry them with some seasoning and then serve up warm with a bit of cooked chicken or bacon. Olive oil greatly enhances the flavor of most foods, so if you wish to improve the flavor of a bit of wilting salad toss it in olive oil, season, add a bit of lemon or lime, and serve immediately.

Make salad dressings with olive oil

Olive oil is incredibly versatile and is often used to make tasty salad dressings, and unlike dressings containing mayonnaise, olive oil salad dressings are actually good for you. To make a simple olive oil dressing, mix olive oil with balsamic vinegar and seasoning. This is the perfect light salad dressing, but if you wish to add some extra spicy flavor, you can throw in some chili pepper or mustard seeds.

Flavored olive oil is very popular and a quick glance around kitchen stores will soon show you how pretty jars of olive oil filled with extra herbs and spices can look. It is easy to make your own flavored olive oil. All you need are some small jars you can seal. Sterilize them and then fill them up with fresh extra virgin olive oil, add some flavorings such as chili peppers, basil, oregano, garlic, and anything else you think will enhance the flavor of the oil. The longer you leave the oil, the stronger the flavor will be.

Create authentic Italian flavors using olive oil

Olive oil is traditionally used in many Italian dishes, from pizza to pasta, so if you want an authentic Italian flavor to your food, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on your pizza. Or make authentic Italian bruschetta by toasting olive oil soaked bread under the grill. For extra flavor, spread some tomato puree on bread, drizzle olive oil and melt some mozzarella cheese on to it.

Focaccia bread is another Italian favorite that utilizes the flavor of olive oil. Instead of incorporating butter or margarine into your bread recipes, use olive oil instead and take advantage of a delicious flavor combined with lots of great health benefits.

How should I store olive oil?

Olive oil will keep for a long time, but only if you store it correctly. Never place bottles of olive oil where they will get too warm or be affected by sunlight. Like all other types of cooking oil, olive oil will quickly turn rancid if kept in a warm, light place, so in order to keep your olive oil in an optimum condition it is best kept in a dark, cool place such as a pantry or cupboard.

Some food products make all kinds of dubious claims about their ingredients, or lack thereof. Prawn crackers are a good example—you would be surprised at how few “prawns” are in the average prawn cracker. Yes, you guessed it, no prawns whatsoever most of the time. So how can you spot the foods that are not what they claim to be, or more importantly, which foods commonly available at your local grocery store are deceptively non healthy, even though they are claiming to be very healthy?

The top 10 deceptively non healthy foods

#1 Muffins – muffins are often touted as a healthy snack for breakfast, lunch and any other time of the day. You probably visit your local coffee shop and rather than go for a slice of calorific chocolate cake, you opt for a healthy bran muffin instead because you mistakenly believe that a bran muffin is good for you. Well it isn’t. Muffins of any variety are loaded with fat, sugar, and hundreds of calories, so you may as well eat the chocolate cake, too.

#2 Vegetable chips – marketed as a healthy alternative to regular potato chips, crispy vegetable chips are very tasty and come in all kinds of delicious varieties, including parsnip and carrot chips, but like potato chips, vegetable chips are loaded with fat and full of calories. They also do not count as your “one a day” helping of fruit and vegetables!

#3 Canned soups – we often assume that a can of soup is a healthy lunch, particularly if it contains vegetables, but before you reach for the can opener, read the list of ingredients very closely. Many big brand name soups are packed full of salt and fat, and some varieties can easily provide half of your daily salt allowance in one can. And if you opt for a can of chicken soup, you can add high levels of saturated fat to the list of ingredients. So instead of buying ready made cans of soup, make your own! Soups are easy to make, so have fun and try making your own home made soups—they will be much more nutritious and probably tastier.

#4 Breakfast cereals – many breakfast cereals are full of sugar, particularly kid’s cereals. Some of the worst offenders are muesli and instant oatmeal cereals, both of which contain massive amounts of sugar. Muesli might seem like the healthy option, but choose a sugar free version if you really want to be healthy. Better still, opt for plain oatmeal or a sugar free bran cereal and serve it with fat-free milk.

#5 Fruit juice is supposed to be a healthy drink, but beware of fruit juice blends that contain sugar and additives. Many apparently healthy fruit juices are little more than sugared water with a small percentage of pure fruit juice, so always choose a 100% pure fruit juice that contains no added sugar or artificial colors or flavorings.

#6 Trail mix – lots of people think trail mix is a really healthy snack because it is full of nuts and dried fruit, but think again because although nuts are good for you and contain healthy fats, many trail mixes contain lots of calorific dried fruits and chocolate chips. For a healthier alternative, buy plain nuts to snack on—walnuts, brazil nuts, and hazelnuts are all full of nutrition and are good for you, but avoid salted or roasted nuts as these are not good for you.

#7 Dried banana chips – everyone loves dried banana chips, after all they are just pieces of banana, right? Well yes, they are, but unfortunately banana chips are fried in horrifically unhealthy oils which are seriously bad for you. Banana chips are normally fried in palm oil or coconut oil, which is not healthy at all, so if you want to eat banana, you should try eating an actual banana instead—it will taste better and because it contains no fat, it is much healthier for you.

#8 Fish sticks – fish is good for you, but fish sticks are definitely not the healthy option. Frozen fish sticks are full of artificial additives and fat, so avoid them at all costs if you want a healthy fish dish. Stick to fresh fish instead and grill or steam it rather than frying it.

#9 Couscous is considered to be a grain and therefore healthy, but it is in fact a processed grain and contains far less nutrition than healthier alternatives such as brown rice or brown pasta. You can still enjoy couscous, but buy a whole wheat variety of couscous instead.

#10 Apple sauce – it tastes great with roast pork, but although apple sauce has seen an apple or two at some point in the manufacturing process, it is mostly full of sugar and calories and not much else. If you really want to mix apple and pork, try making your own apple sauce minus the sugar, or buy an unsweetened version instead. Even better, eat a raw apple and enjoy the extra fiber and nutrients.

It is possible to eat healthily, but you should always take the manufacturer’s claims that their product is healthy with a pinch of salt. Read the list of ingredients and judge for yourself whether a supposedly “healthy” food is actually healthy—in many cases it contains more sugar, salt and fat than half of the dishes on the menu down at the local fast food joint. If in doubt about which foods are healthy or not so healthy, try and stick to fresh, non processed foods as these are less likely to contain extra salt and sugar and more likely to have some nutritional value.

Healthy meals require planning and in order to eat well you need to think in advance which meals you are going to cook over the coming week. Shopping in a haphazard fashion and buying groceries on an ad hoc basis might be ok when you are cooking for one, but as soon as you have a family to feed, this kind of random approach to food only leads to unhealthy eating habits.

A lack of preparation means you have no food in when the kids are hungry after a day at soccer practice, so what happens? Yes, you guessed it—everyone heads off to the local pizza joint and fills up on calorific stuffed crust with pepperoni and garlic bread with extra cheese. It might taste good, but it is pure hell on your waistline.

So how can you start making healthy recipe choices?

Tip # 1 – use as many labor saving cooking appliances as you can. Small kitchen appliances should be your best friends when you have a busy life but still want to eat healthy food. In days gone by, cooking healthy recipes meant slaving over a hot stove for hours. Thankfully times have changed and modern cooks have access to all kinds of useful kitchen appliances that save a lot of time and effort.

Slow cookers are a great example of a seriously useful gadget for busy cooks—you can prepare a one-pot meal in the morning, leave it cooking slowly throughout the day while you are busy at work, and when you get home in the evening, your healthy stew is ready to eat and all you need to do is dish it up with some whole grain bread.

It is also useful to plan ahead for the week by preparing dishes over the weekend and then microwaving them when you are at your busiest during the week. Lots of vegetable dishes can be cooked in advance and then warmed up gently in the microwave. You can also cook a meat joint at the weekend and then use the leftovers for several meals during the week.

Tip #2 – encourage the whole family to join in with your healthy eating plan. Kids in particular like to feel involved, so ask them which meals they fancy over the coming week and as long as they don’t suggest outrageously unhealthy or expensive dishes, take note of their requests and accommodate them where possible.

It is also a good idea to utilize your kid’s talents when it comes to food preparation. Too many kids end up leaving home having had no experience preparing vegetables or doing mundane tasks such as setting the table or clearing the dirty dishes away. So instead of doing everything yourself, take charge and delegate some of the workload to the rest of the family.

Let your children help you chop and prepare the vegetables while you oversee their efforts and cook the healthy meal. Then once everyone has eaten, you can sit down and put your feet up while they clear the table and wash the dishes!

Tip # 3 – always cook more than you need when preparing healthy food. Cooking in bulk just as easy as cooking enough for one meal, so instead of preparing food for one night of the week, cook enough to give you some leftovers for another meal in a few weeks time. Or if you have the freezer space, cook lots of extra portions, label them up and keep them in the freezer for when time is short or you have not got the energy to go grocery shopping.

Smart shoppers also buy in bulk when healthy food is on special offer. No matter when you go grocery shopping, there are always bargains to be had, so instead to walking past the special offers because they do not fit your menu plan for the week ahead, be creative and innovative and utilize those extra ingredients into new recipes. Alternatively, just buy the extra food and freeze it until you DO need it for a healthy recipe.

Becoming a smart shopper means you will save money on your weekly grocery bill. Instead of buying random items because you are hungry and they look tempting, you can buy only the goods you actually need. That way you avoid the temptation of filling your cart with junk foods and snacks instead of healthy foods.

Tip #4 – keep your cupboards stocked with the basics of healthy home cooking. Maintaining a well stocked pantry will ensure there are always enough ingredients to prepare a healthy meal, any day of the week. Canned goods are a good example of staple store cupboard items worth buying in bulk. For example, tinned tomatoes can be used in many dishes, from pasta sauces to chili con carne, so keep a plentiful supply at all times. Other useful canned goods to keep in the pantry include baked beans, canned vegetables and canned fruit, and canned tuna and salmon.

There are also many other staple foods you should keep on standby for when you wish to cook a healthy meal from scratch. Pasta, rice, cereals, flour and baking ingredients, plus a basic selection of herbs and spices are all worth having in your pantry. There are probably many others, but as you experiment more with healthy cooking, you can find out for yourself which ingredients are most useful to you.

The answer is easy—make a perfect low carb cheesecake!

Low carbohydrate cheesecake might seem like an oxymoron, but it is possible as long as you are very careful about the ingredients you use, and since home made cheesecakes are always delicious, it is a great idea to have a go at concocting your own low carb cheesecake: you can even share it out with the rest of the family if you choose!

What is a low carb diet?

Following a low carbohydrate diet means that you must avoid foods high in carbohydrates. It can also mean you must avoid foods that raise your blood sugar levels, otherwise known as high-glycemic foods. Lots of popular weight loss programs fall under the umbrella of a “low carb” diet, including the Atkins and South Beach Diet and the general guidelines for such diets means you reduce your carbohydrate intake to less than 45%, although this will depend on which diet you are following.

The simplest approach to a low carb diet is to eliminate all white foods, including sugar, potatoes, white rice and products made from white flour. Cheesecake falls into this category because it contains sugar, so in order to include cheesecake on your list of acceptable foods, you must reduce the sugar quotient in the ingredients.

Thankfully, being on a diet does not need to mean the end of all tasty treats. Obviously it is sensible to avoid eating too much sweet stuff and fatty foods or your diet will be sabotaged before the end of the first week, but as long as you are careful about which foods you indulge in, you can enjoy a few nice treats here and there, including a slice of delicious cheesecake.

Most cheesecakes are full of sugar. However, it is possible to make a low sugar or even sugar free cheesecake if you have a sugar substitute to hand. Recipes for such cheesecakes abound if you look on the Internet, or you can buy a low carb cookery book if you are following a low carbohydrate diet as part of a weight loss program.

What is the main ingredient of a cheesecake?

Aside from the biscuit base, cheese is the main ingredient of a cheesecake (but not the hard cheese variety). Cheesecakes are made using cream cheese; any variety will do, including full fat cream cheese, mascarpone cream cheese, low fat cream cheese, and even soymilk cream cheese. The rest of the filling can be made up of fruit, chocolate, cream, or anything else you can think of.

How do I make a perfect low carb cheesecake?

A basic low carb cheesecake can be made using cream cheese and a sugar substitute. The biscuit base is omitted, so the cheesecake filling must be cooked in a springform pan in order for the shape to be maintained. To make the cheesecake, mix cream cheese, sugar substitute, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and sour cream slowly and carefully, before adding eggs one at a time.

Once the cheesecake batter has been mixed (and be careful not to over mix it), place it in a lined springform tin and wrap the tin up in a foil parcel before popping it in a large pan of water. Cooking the cheesecake in a water bath in the oven is a much gentler way to cook the batter. The cheesecake will take about an hour to cook in a low oven and then should be left to cool slowly.

How to add a base to a low carb cheesecake

If you prefer a base to your cheesecake, you don’t have to use the traditional ingredients of melted butter and digestive biscuits—there are alternatives that are less fattening and lower in carbohydrates. Crushed nuts can be a very acceptable alternative to a crushed biscuit cheesecake base—mix some crushed pecans with chopped walnuts, almonds and melted butter and use the mixture to line the base and sides of a springform pan. Make a low carb cheesecake filling as described above and bake in a water bath in a moderate to low oven.

What different flavorings can I use for a low carb cheesecake?

The basic low carb recipe can easily be varied using different flavorings. Ricotta cheese can be added for a distinctive cheesy flavor—just remember to soften the ricotta in a food processor before adding to the cheesecake batter. You can also try adding different spices, including a touch of ginger, nutmeg or cinnamon. The cheesecake batter can also be topped with a sugar free raspberry sauce if you enjoy a tart fruity flavor; alternatively, top with some slices strawberries or peaches for a sweet and natural taste.

Why has my low carb cheesecake cracked?

A cracked cheesecake is a very common problem, but as long as you are very careful to allow the cheesecake plenty of time to cool off slowly, it should not crack at all. The most common reason for a cheesecake to crack is opening the oven door before the cheesecake has had time to set properly. Cheesecakes will also crack if they are removed from the heat and allowed to cool down too quickly, so for best results, switch off the oven at the end of the cooking time and leave the cheesecake to cool slowly and at its own speed—even overnight if necessary.

Can I buy readymade low carb cheesecakes?

If you do not have the time or inclination to try cooking your own low carb cheesecake, it should be possible to buy low carb cheesecakes from the local grocery store—look in the diet section and see what cheesecakes are on offer.

Tips for selecting the right beef cuts for your meal and budget

If you have absolutely no idea about which cuts of beef are appropriate for which recipe, it is often helpful to ask for advice from your butcher. However, if you prefer to do your grocery shopping in a supermarket, this is not always possible, and in this instance, education is the key. The trick to selecting the right cut of beef for your meal and budget is to know which part of the animal produces which cut of beef. That way you are in the best position to make an informed choice about which cut of beef is the right one for you.

How is beef graded?

American beef is graded according its quality and the US Department of Agriculture classifies beef by its color, appearance, consistency, and the amount of marbling (fat) in the meat. There are three grades of beef: prime, choice, and select.

Prime beef is the best quality beef and is the type of beef you can expect to enjoy if you order beef tenderloin (or similar) in a top restaurant. Prime beef has less marbling than choice cuts of beef, but is very tender in consistency. Prime beef only accounts for around 2% of beef sold in the US. It is not commonly available in the local grocery store and if you are lucky enough to come across a prime cut of beef, it will cost you a fortune.

Choice quality beef has more marbling than prime cut beef, which makes it juicer. Choice beef is not as tender as prime beef, but it is considered to have more flavor; it is also a lot cheaper than prime beef.

Select beef is the lowest grade of beef you will see on the supermarket shelves. Select beef has the lowest amount of marbling, which gives it less flavor. It is also less juicy, which means it is more likely to dry out when cooked.

What are the main cuts of beef?

Beef cuts vary depending on which countries you reside in, but in the US, beef cuts are divided according to which part of the animal they originate from. Cuts of beef from the upper back of the animal are the most expensive and the best quality. Cuts of beef from the rib area include rib of beef and rib eye steak. Further back you will find tenderloin, T-bone steak, and the Porterhouse. The sirloin part of the animal produces sirloin steak and top sirloin. Further round you have the cheaper cuts of meat, including chuck steak, round and flank steak.

Which are the best cuts of beef?

To a certain extent, the best cut of beef comes down to personal choice: some people prefer a cut of beef with plenty of fat marbling in it, whereas other prefer a tender cut of beef with less marbling. And if you are making a choice primarily influenced by price, the best cut of beef will undoubtedly be the cheapest joint on the supermarket shelf!

Which cut of beef is perfect for a special dinner?

Tender cuts of beef are often the beef of choice if you are making a special meal. Filet Mignon (otherwise known as beef tenderloin) is a very expensive piece of beef, but it is mild in flavor and therefore not to everyone’s taste. However, if money is no object and you wish to impress your guests, filet mignon has a tender, almost buttery texture, and is widely considered to be the best cut of beef available.

Which cut of beef gives the best flavor?

Rib eye steak is a delicious cut of beef, mainly because it contains more fat than many of the other beef joints. When cooked to perfection, rib of beef is succulent, juicy, and extremely tasty, and because it is such a versatile piece of beef, it is one of the most popular cuts of beef available. Rib eye steak can be grilled on a BBQ, pan fried, or broiled, and as long as you do not make the cardinal sin of overcooking it, rib eye steak is always delicious.

What is a good example of an affordable cut of beef steak?

Top sirloin is a good steak for those shopping on a budget. Sirloin has plenty of flavor, but because it contains less marbling than more expensive cuts of beef, it is not as tender. However, you can get round this problem by marinating your steak or pounding it with a meat tenderizer prior to cooking it in order to break down the tough fibers in the meat.

I have very little money, so what is the most economical cut of beef?

Shank and brisket are amongst the cheapest cuts of beef you will find in the local grocery store. These joints contain more sinewy connective tissue than the better quality meat joints, but as long as you cook them nice and slowly, the meat will be very tender and full of flavor. Brisket of beef is perfect for braising slowly in a crock-pot or slow cooker. Pan-fry the meat to seal in the juices and then cook on a very low heat for several hours in a small amount of liquid until the meat is tender and succulent. You can also add vegetables and potatoes for a one-pot meal.

What is ground beef?

Ground beef is the type of beef you would use for making beef burgers, chili and Bolognese. Ground beef comes in different grades: cheap ground beef contains a lot more fat than ground steak, but cheap ground beef is more economical to buy. However, as long as you drain off the excess fat after browning the mince, it won’t make any difference.

What basic kitchen equipment do I need?

In order to create some simple dishes, you will need a few basic pieces of kitchen equipment. Firstly you will need a set of pans—three pans in different sizes will be enough, although you can add a small milk/sauce pan if you like. You will also need a frying pan or large flat bottomed pan. A casserole or oven proof dish is also useful for cooking baked dishes in the oven or microwave.

What extra kitchen equipment will be useful?

There is no end to the number of different things you can buy for your kitchen and as your experience grows you will find new and exciting pieces of equipment to add to your collection. However, in the beginning when you are first starting out, the only really useful items you should consider buying are a measuring jug, a mixing bowl, a set of kitchen scales, a sieve, a set of measuring spoons or cups, and a colander. All of these will come in very handy for making basic recipes and culinary masterpieces.

What essential kitchen utensils do I need?

Kitchen utensils are rather like pots and pans—you can never have too many. However, there are a few basic pieces that are useful to have around if you plan on spending time cooking in your kitchen.

A wooden spoon is good for stirring sauces, especially if you have non-stick pans. A flat plastic spatula is good for flipping burgers or meat; it can also be used to lift pizza and fries from the oven tray. A pair of tongs is useful for turning sausages over and a metal whisk will be necessary of you want to make sauces. Lastly, always make sure you have some heatproof oven gloves handy when handling hot pans and baking trays.

Some basic cooking terms explained

For the complete beginner, a cookery book might as well be written in a foreign language for all the sense it makes. You flick through the pages, admire the pictures, and wonder how on earth you will ever be able to produce something that looks so mouth wateringly tempting. But don’t panic—all is not lost—once you understand the terminology you will be fine.

Baking involves cooking food in an oven at the recommended temperature. In most cases an oven should be pre-heated prior to cooking, but in the case of electric fan ovens or some gas ovens you can sometimes cook from cold.

Boiling involves placing food in a pan of boiling water and maintaining the temperature at a level whereby the water stays bubbling but not overflowing.

Simmering means you need to turn down the heat under a pan of water so that it is barely bubbling.

Steaming cooks food in steam, which is one of the healthiest ways of cooking any type of food, especially vegetables and fish. You can buy a purpose designed steamer for best results.

Basic recipes

There are some basic recipes that are useful to know and if you can manage these, you will definitely not starve. They all require simple ingredients and can easily be enhanced and expanded upon if you wish to create a more complicated dish at a later stage.

Tomato sauce: a basic tomato sauce recipe can be served up with pasta for a quick and nutritious meal, or made into bolognese, lasagna, or stew. To make a simple tomato sauce, fry some chopped onion and garlic in olive oil and then add two tins of chopped tomatoes or a tub of passata. Cook through gently, season to taste, and throw in some fresh basil in the final five minutes.

White sauce: you can serve white sauce with pasta, add it to potatoes or cooked vegetables, or serve it with fish. To make cheese sauce, melt 25g of butter in a pan and stir in 25g plain flour. Add 600ml of milk slowly and stir over a medium heat until the sauce has thickened. Add grated cheese to turn it into a cheese sauce.

I don’t know how to cook – help!

Cooking is not one of the dark arts. It is pretty simple and once you understand the basics, you can expand on your knowledge and experiment using different ingredients and eventually you will be able to come up with your own variations of classic dishes.

In the early days, it is a good idea to buy a good cookbook that contains easy to follow recipes for everyday dishes you are likely to want to try at some point. These might include a basic Victoria sponge, batter for pancakes, stew, pasta bolognese, and any other personal favorite you might have.

Once you have mastered a small selection of basic but nutritious dishes, you will never starve, and as time goes on, you can branch out into more demanding territory and try your hand at using different techniques with different ingredients.

One of the biggest challenges facing newbie cooks is trying to figure out what meat to use in different recipes, but rather than take a wild guess and buy whatever you think is right, ask your butcher for advice and let him offer guidance. The same applies to fruit and vegetables—ask if you are not sure whether you are buying the appropriate ingredient and if you try an recipe and it goes wrong, don’t give up—have another go!

As your experience grows, you will become more and more confident in your culinary skills, and before you know it, a dinner party for ten will not faze you in the slightest. Learn to enjoy cooking and spending time in the kitchen—a good cook is always a good friend to know!