Tag: Cooking basics

Over 85% of the lycopene in the average diet is derived from tomatoes and tomato products. So, what does tomato sauce contain beyond just the red fruit? While the core ingredient is always the tomato, the full list can differ significantly depending on whether it’s a homemade or store-bought product.

According to cooking experts, nearly any vegetable can make a tasty soup, but a classic recipe relies on a few key components. So, what's usually in vegetable soup? The base ingredients typically include a mix of aromatic vegetables, a sturdy root vegetable, a leafy green, and a flavorful broth. This guide explores the essential and common additions that make up a satisfying and nutritious bowl.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, protein is a vital macronutrient that plays a key role in building muscle, supporting the immune system, and increasing satiety. Understanding this, the most effective strategy for meal planning is to anchor your meal around a protein source first. This ensures nutritional balance and helps structure the rest of your plate, from vegetables to carbohydrates.

Stock is made with bones, while broth is made primarily from meat and vegetables. This fundamental difference impacts their flavor, texture, and nutritional profile. So, what's better for you, stock or broth, and which should you be using in your kitchen?

Did you know that most commercial pasta is made with just two simple ingredients: semolina flour and water? This fundamental recipe leads many people to ask the common question: is pasta a yeast product?

Evaporated milk has been a reliable, shelf-stable pantry staple since its commercial production began in 1885. For those who find themselves without fresh milk on hand, the question often arises: can you drink evaporated milk without cooking it?

While many consider them identical, the term plain flour is actually used in the UK and Australia for what Americans call all-purpose flour. This regional difference hides subtle but important variations in protein content that make answering the question, is all-purpose flour pure plain flour, more complex than it appears.

Originating in the Indian subcontinent, white aval is a beloved breakfast and snack food known for its quick-cooking properties and ease of digestion. The English name for this versatile ingredient is flattened rice, also widely referred to as white poha or beaten rice.

According to the NOVA food classification system, which is widely used globally, foods are categorized into four groups based on their level of processing, from minimally to ultra-processed. So, when it comes to the Sunday roast classic, is gravy a processed food?

Fact: Bone broth is often simmered for 12-48 hours, a process that extracts significantly more collagen and minerals from bones than the shorter cooking time used for chicken stock. This raises the question: is chicken stock as beneficial as bone broth, or is one a clear winner for health-conscious consumers?