How to: Blanch Vegetables

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve purchased fresh vegetables in hopes of eating healthier, only to have them quickly wilt away in the back of my refrigerator. Thanks to the quick, easy process of blanching, this no longer happens. Blanching vegetables is an effective way of preparing fresh vegetables to be stored long term while preserving their nutritional content. It works by cooking the veggies slightly and then “shocking” the enzymes which allows the preservation of texture, taste, and color. When stored at temperatures below zero, the vegetables will last for 12-18 months. The following is a practical instruction guide for those interested in saving money and saving those forgotten veggies!

Set Up: You will need a stove and fridge/freezer
Tools: large bowl, ice, slotted spoon, plate, cloth or paper towel, large pot of water, vegetable of choice,
knife, cutting board, salt, Ziploc bags

Vegetable	Time	Size and Type of Cut
Artichoke hearts	6 minutes	Trim the leaf tips by either cutting the top 1/3 of the artichoke or by using kitchen shears to cut the tips off of the leaves and cutting into quarters lengthwise, removing the tough stems and the chokes
Asparagus	2-4 minutes	Discard tough bottom ends, leave as spears or cut into 1- to 2- inch pieces, cook longer for thicker asparagus
Bean, green or wax	3 minutes	Whole, Halved, 1-inch pieces
Broccoli	2 minutes	1-inch pieces, Florets
Brussel sprouts	3-5 minutes	Whole. Time depends on size (Large 5 minutes, small 3 minutes)
Cauliflower	3 minutes	1-inch pieces, Florets
Kohlrabi	1 minute	Whole, 1/2-inch cubes
Leafy greens	1-2 minutes	Individual leafs
Okra	2-3 minutes	Sliced, Whole (with stem removed)
Peas (in the pod)	2-3 minutes	Full pod
Peas (shelled)	1.5 minutes	Whole
Squash (chayote)	2 minutes	1-inch cubes
Squash (summer)	3 minutes	Sliced, Cubed
Carrots	2-3 minutes	Matchsticks, Whole Baby Carrots

Even perfectly blanched and frozen vegetables lose some of their nutritional content over time, so it is important
to label your frozen foods with the date they were frozen. Blanched frozen vegetables will maintain high quality
for 8-12 months when stored at zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

1.     Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice, leaving about 2-3 inches between

ice and rim of bowl. Set this aside.

2.     Set aside plate lined with a cloth or paper towel

3.     Bring a large pot of water (2/3 full) to boil over high heat.

4.     Cut vegetable of choice into uniform pieces (refer to table for suggested size and cuts)

5.     Optional: Add a couple tablespoons of salt to the boiling water

6.     Warning: If blanching multiple veggies, complete the process with the lightest colored
vegetables and end with darker colors as they will color the water.

Add vegetables to the pot in small batches every 5 seconds, allowing the water to
continue boiling
        
        (If you add too many vegetables at once, just wait for the        
        water to come back to a boil, 30 seconds-1 minute, and then  
        begin cooking time)

7.     Refer to table to determine specific cooking time. Allow to boil for allotted time.

8.     Test vegetable for doneness by removing a piece and tasting, or by observing a vivid
color (bright green, yellow, etc.)

9.     When the vegetables are done, remove quickly from boiling water with slotted spoon
and place them in prepared ice bath

10.  Once completely cooled, approximately 4 minutes, remove veggies from ice bath and
place on towel-lined plate

11.  Gently pat any remaining water off of the vegetables and place the them in Ziploc bags
to store in freezer or refrigerator.

Your delicious vegetables are now properly blanched and can be used in soups, stir fry, on
their own or in a variety of other ways!
Heat them up on the stovetop, in the oven, or even in the microwave.

Problems? Try This:

• Not cooked enough: Throw the veggies back in the boiling water for a minute or two
• Overcooked: Let them cool, place in fridge, roast in the oven within 3 days
• Unevenly cooked: This can occur when foods are not uniform in cut. When reheating, cook larger pieces longer

Did you try this out? Tell us about your experience at https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/n3Cstd

Plan and Prep

Why do people typically give up their nutrition goals after only a couple weeks?
We've all seen it, 3 weeks into the new year and everyone's back to their good ol' soda sippin', candy eatin', Big Mac lovin' selves. And it comes with a whole lot of excuses. "It's just too hard" "I didn't have the time" "My sweet tooth just got the best of me" "I just want to enjoy myself"... the list goes on. But they seemed so determined just last week! What happened??

Unfortunately, our societal "diet culture" has taught us that eating right is painful. You must starve yourself and eat all the nasty vegetables you hate, it should be awful or you're not doing it right. Oh, and if you mess up, it's over. You're a failure. NO. This is all wrong. Eating right is rewarding and satisfying, but so many have learned to ignore their bodies needs by trying to overpower hunger and cravings with sheer willpower. They deprive themselves, and that, my friends, is why so many set the same weight loss and nutrition goals year after year without any improvement.

All to often we allow ourselves to be placed in vulnerable situations where our will power just isn't enough. We give in, then we give up...at least that's how it usually goes. Our weaknesses are exposed most frequently when we are tired, hungry, stressed, depressed or overcome with other strong emotions. As many of us have regrettably experienced, this results in sugar binges, overeating, and ultimately guilt and self-hate. So here's the secret: keep your body satisfied and fueled with the right foods! Those Monday morning Krispy Kreme doughnuts at work are going to be so much more tempting if you skipped breakfast and already have a rumbling tummy, but if you had a filling breakfast of yogurt, fruit and eggs, it's not quite so hard to say no. (And yes, I experienced this predicament first hand yesterday). But with busy schedules and being constantly on the-go, that's easier said than done. So here are a few tricks to keep you going strong:

• Listen to your body-- just like our cars have gauges to tell you when you need to fuel up, our bodies have gauges too! When you begin to think about food, that's your body's first warning that it needs some fuel soon. Mood changes and a feeling of hunger is a sign that you're nearing empty, and a rumbling stomach is that warning light that comes on once you've entered the danger zone of running out. So listen to your instinct, and when you're hungry EAT and when you're full STOP. It's as easy as that. 
• Keep snacks on hand-- So your body is telling you that it wants food... there are options: ignore your hunger and just keep going (bad idea), grab some overly priced, sugar packed candy bar from the vending machine (also bad idea), or eat some of your pre-cut fruits and veggies you brought from home (good idea). Personally, after my weekly grocery trips, I like to immediately cut and package small snack bags that include nuts, veggies, fruits, and yogurt to carry with me throughout the day to snack on when needed. Try it and let me know how it goes!  
• Plan your meals-- the phrase "meal plan" can seem intimidating to some, but it doesn't have to be that way. A simple outline of what you are planning to eat for the week can help you stay on track. It is also a great way to avoid spontaneous, unnecessary purchases at the grocery store. Saving money and your health at the same time...doesn't get better than that.

So I guess what I'm getting at here is YOU CAN DO IT! Enjoy treating your body right, don't punish yourself with food. Give yourself a break and recognize that even if you do mess up, you can get right back on it. Health is not achieved with perfectionism, but rather consistency. 

What to Cut in 2017

Whole 30. Mediterranean. Paleo. South Beach. Atkins. There are more than enough diets out there to totally and completely confuse you, and they all seem to be competing for center stage-- especially during these first couple weeks of the new year. So which is the best? Some diets suggest cutting out whole food groups such as dairy and grain, while others emphasize cutting out processed sugars and some diets even come with a long list of "no-no's". Now, I have to admit, I myself have fallen into the intriguing promises that accompany fad diets, but this year I'm trying a new approach: macros. I find that I need some sort of quantitative direction to stay on track, numbers that help me define what I should be eating. I used to do this by counting calories, and I became obsessed with how many little calories were in every little piece of celery I ate. I felt guilty if I ever ate anything bigger than my perfectly packaged 100 calorie snacks. Every diet tells you "no this, no that", but a diet should be attainable and sustainable, and let's be real, any diet that forbids my cookies and creme ice cream is not going to last very long. 

Counting my macros allows me to set boundaries, yet find flexibility in what I can eat. Macros, short for macronutrients, consists of protein, fat and carbohydrates. These macronutrients are what make up the caloric value of food, and all three work together to make our bodies function. By finding the right balance of these three nutrients in your diet, your body can function properly because it is being fueled properly. That means I can still eat my ice cream and not feel guilty about it!

As long as you're pairing your food choices with the right amount of other nutrients needed to fuel your body, there is no reason to say bye-bye to your favorite foods. Moderation and balance is the key. So if you're tired of starting and quickly ending these fad diets, if you're tired of feeling guilt even just thinking about pizza, if you're tired of never achieving those new year's resolutions, try something different. No need to cut out any particular foods, this year's all about cutting out the guilt and disappointment that's been plaguing your relationship with food. It's time to heal your relationship with food, and find an even better version of you!

If you would like more information on how to start tracking your macros, visit: http://www.idealfit.com/blog/counting-macros/