SIMPLE HACKS FOR EVERYDAY FOODS
If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good hack that makes my life easier while simultaneously helping to keep me healthy.
There are a ton of kitchen, meal prepping and grocery shopping hacks, but below are a few of my favorite simple hacks for a few of our commonly used (read: daily) foods and products. These simple tips will make cooking a lot easier and faster, without sacrificing on taste or quality.
Avocado Oil Cooking Spray
I know spray oil is nothing new, but using a canola or other processed vegetable oil spray is not considered a healthy oil or a healthy fat. Avocado oil, on the other hand, is a great option for both cooking and eating because it’s an unsaturated fat that can withstand the heat from cooking. And spray just makes everything easier- I personally use it on everything… roasted veggies, salmon, salad, mac n cheese bites in the air frier (so good). You can use it for whatever, whenever with less mess than oil. Here’s the specific one I love: Avocado Oil Spray.
Microwaveable Brown Rice
I’m not one to usually promote the microwave, but I have to say- making delicious, organic brown rice in 3 minutes has me sold. There are various brands that offer the microwaveable option, but one of my favorites is Seeds of Change Brown Rice. I mix it with riced broccoli or cauliflower to bulk up the rice with more fiber and plants, and add in oil (or spray!), and season with sea salt and garlic powder.
Birch Benders Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
This mix only requires you to add water, and they make it fool-proof for those of us who have trouble whipping up a batch of homemade cakes (me). There are a variety of options from paleo and keto to organic and chocolate chip, but the favorite in our household is this gluten-free option. The ingredients are quality, the prep time is minimal and the pancakes cook up nice and fluffy. When you or your kid needs a quick, healthy and delicious breakfast, this is definitely a great one! You can top with any nut-butter of your choice, drizzle with pure maple syrup and/or sprinkle in chocolate chunks. You can’t go wrong here, so give them a go. As an alternative, here is my favorite waffle that only requires you to bake it in the toaster oven for approximately 4-5 minutes and then top as you please.
Peanut butter
It’s best to buy organic all natural nut butter, but as a result you’re left with a bit of a mess. Pro hack: turn your nut butter USPIDE DOWN and let it sit overnight before you open it to allow it to naturally mix together on its own. If this is new to you, it’s a game changer. Swipe some PB on rice cakes, apples, sourdough bread or chocolate chips and eat up.
Peel a hard-boiled egg with ease
I love a good hard boiled egg, and it’s a great healthy and high-protein snack or breakfast, but I used to have so much trouble peeling the egg and always ended up with little pieces of shell all over the place (just me?). But then I learned a few tricks to make the perfect hard boiled egg and not have to wrestle with the egg shell before enjoying.
Once your water has boiled (with the eggs in the pot), cover it, turn the temp to low and cook for 11 minutes,
** While the eggs are cooking, prepare a bowl with ice water (water and lots of ice cubes), which you’ll toss the eggs in as soon as they finish cooking.
When the 11 minutes are up, scoop out the eggs, put them in the ice water and pop them in the fridge to cool. The ice water helps to immediately stop the egg from cooking so that it’s prepared to perfection and also to help slip off the shell.
Once you’re ready to peel, turn the cold water on low in your kitchen and peel underneath the water. This really helps get the peel off in 1 or 2 swoops and it doesn’t do any damage to taste of the egg.
