Rethink Juicer Pulp: It's Fuel Your Body

The grocery store knows what the beginning of the year is all about. The carefully placed green juice displays. Gallons of apple cider vinegar on sale. Recipes for vegetarian dinners next to the coupon circulars. Inspiration is strong to fill up your shopping cart with a rainbow of vegetables for juicing. Nothing quite as satisfying as making your own cold pressed juice at home.

Kale, spinach, you name it, down the shoot they go to extract those fortifying raw juices. Cleaning up I wonder, “shouldn’t I be doing something with this vegetable pulp?” Something seems wrong about putting it all down the garbage disposal. The juice may be gone, but all the fiber and nutrition still remains after you extract all the juice goodness. 

We’ve learned vegetable skin can sometimes be the most nutritious part of our foods. Yet, we’re throwing away all those vitamins and minerals because they’ve moved over into the waste bin after juicing. It’s a mater of changing the way we think about juice pulp. We don’t throw away leftovers from a homemade dinner. We end up adding them to our salad bowls the next day. Let’s do the same with vegetable pulp.

Yes, I know, there’s something about these mushy mounds of colors. Scooping them out they’re just a little “wet,” is the only way to describe them. Repeat to yourself, “Vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals.” Throw your leftover vegetable pulp into storage container, and into the fridge, if you feel a culinary adventure happening soon. If the weekends are more your speed, you can also freeze it to make some creations later on.

Now the fun part, what to do this pulp? There’s actually an infinity of options when you start thinking of your vegetable pulp as an ingredient for healthy cooking and baking. You’ll also be saving money when you realize you have the food base to make those non processed, non refined snacks in your own kitchen like, 

Juice Pulp Crackers

Ingredients

• 3 cups Pulp
• 1/2 cup Flax Meal
• 1/2 cup Almond Flour
• 1 cup Water

Stir all of the ingredients together then spread the mixture evenly on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. Cut the crackers apart and enjoy.

Juice Pulp Fruit Leather

Spread your juicer pulp out evenly on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with any type of spices you wish. Bake at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 hours, or until the fruit leather is completely dried and pliable. Cut the finished product into strips and enjoy.

Yum, right? All you have to do is save and separate your pulp from the days you made those fruit juices and vegetable heavy concoctions. Your juicer pulp can also become the base for cooking your quinoa or couscous because you can also make your own vegetable broth. No msg, no chemicals. Just the simple, nutritious, and ingredients you can pronounce ready to go with,

Juice Pulp Veggie Broth

• 2 cups Vegetable Pulp
• 8 cups Water
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 stalk Celery, chopped
• 2 teaspoon Pepper
• 2 teaspoon Salt 

Bring all of the ingredients to a boil, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the broth through a colander. Store in air tight containers in your refrigerator or freezer.

So simple, flavorful, and the best part, good for you. We juice fresh fruits and vegetables because they are full of vitamins and minerals. We might not have time to juice everyday, but we can get the same benefits everyday if we realize juicer pulp is an ingredient, not waste. The “meat and potatoes” way of life is changing with research continually showing this is not the way to a long, healthy life.

The hashtag #meatlessmonday has millions of posts because doctors, animal lovers, and environmentalist realize consuming red meat has several negative effects. Make your own contribution towards this effort, while combining your newfound love of juice pulp. Make it the center piece of your next meal. 

Juice Pulp Veggie Meatballs

• 1/2 Red Pepper, diced
• 1 Zucchini, shredded
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Parsley
• 3/4 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 cups Veggie Pulp

Sauté the veggies over medium heat until they are soft. Next, mix the veggie pulp with the sautéed vegetables, and the remaining ingredients. Form the dough into balls. Bake the veggie balls for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.   

This is a small sampling of what pulp can be. It’s not the waste to throw away. It’s an ingredient to keep you healthy. You don’t have to spend more money on buying nutritious snacks, muffins or breads. Your four legged friend can even benefit from your new found knowledge of juicer pulp. It’s a way to continue the benefits of those fruits and vegetables we need in our bodies.

Moringa: The Asian Superfood You Should Be Eating.

What I find so interesting about the latest health food discoveries is they aren’t newly produced foods. Instead we’re seeing food staples, which have been around for centuries, becoming the latest finds. I had the thought when I discovered Baobab, and couldn’t wait for my local health food store to call me when my special order arrived. Moringa is giving me the same kind of tingles.

One morning when my brain was still kind of fuzzy, I heard a reporter on NPR sharing her childhood superfood story of moringa. I’d never heard of this “superfood,” and it was the first I searched for when I turned on my computer. What is moringa? More important though, where can I get some?

Moringa oleifera is a fast-growing tree native to South Asia and now found throughout the tropics. Its leaves have been used as part of traditional medicine for centuries. The Ayurvedic system of medicine; the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, and spirit; associates it with the cure or prevention of about 300 diseases.

Moringa, sometimes described as the “miracle tree,” “drumstick tree,” or “horseradish tree,” has small, rounded leaves that are packed with an incredible amount of nutrition: protein, calcium, beta carotene, vitamin C, and potassium to name a few benefits. It’s been used medicinally (and as a food source) for at least 4,000 years.

Yes, the moringa trees is seriously amazing. No wonder it’s been around for so long. So what exactly does it does it do for the human body?

Moringa leaves are loaded with vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids, and more. One hundred grams of dry moringa leaf contains:

• 9 times the protein of yogurt
• 10 times the vitamin A of carrots
• 15 times the potassium of bananas
• 17 times the calcium of milk
• 12 times the vitamin C of oranges
• 25 times the iron of spinach

Moringa leaves are rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta-carotene, quercetin, and chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid by the way, has been shown to slow cells absorption of sugar. Also, moringa appears to have anti-diabetic effects. One study found women who took seven grams of moringa leaf powder daily, for three months, reduced their fasting blood sugar levels by 13.5 percent.

Moringa is also great if you’re dealing with inflammation. The isothiocyanates, flavonoids, and phenolic acids in moringa can help reducing swelling and pain due to flare ups. Also, you can lower your cholesterol levels by making moringa part of your diet.

Your digestive system will also love moringa. It’s so high in fiber, the Epoch Times says it, “works like a mop in your intestines… to clean up any of that extra grunge left over from a greasy diet.” 

Alright so many benefits, but the big question? How do you eat this? 

Unless you have moringa tree growing in your backyard, the best way probably is in powder form. If you can make it to an asian supermarket you might be able to find moringa leaves and pods. You can use the leaves in the same way you would spinach. And pods can be used like green beans. Give them a little steam to soften them up, and viola, nutrition heaven awaits you. Here’s a simple recipe for using moringa leaves.

Moringa Leaf Loaf

• Cooked lentils, quinoa, pinto beans, garbanzo beans - about 4 cups
• Freshly picked Moringa Oleifera leaves - lots of them
• Olive oil and/or butter - 1/4 cup
• Several minced fresh garlic cloves or garlic salt
• Sea salt and/or whatever spices you like
• Wheat germ - 1/2 cup
• Chia seeds - 1/4 cup, ground in nut mill or coffee grinder
• 2 eggs 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. 

Lightly grease loaf pan with olive oil or butter. Bake 45 minutes.  

Let rest 10 minutes, slice, and serve.

Otherwise, you can go the simpler route and find moringa leaf powder. Use it in your favorite dishes. Moringa has a "pecany-spinach" taste - sort of like "nutty" greens. Sprinkle it on eggs, veggies, or maybe your favorite vegetarian chile for a little kick.

Make it part of your smoothie rotation with this simple recipe.

Moringa Green Smoothie Recipe

• 2-4 leaves of kale or chard
• 1 banana
• 1 Tbsp. almond butter
• 1 date
• ½ - ¾ cups coconut water
• 1 Tbsp. cacao powder
• ½ tsp. moringa leaf
• 1 cup ice 

Place all smoothie ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.

However you enjoy this amazing superfood make sure not to buy any powder or variations of the root. There is a neurotoxin in the root bark, which can be fatal, if taken in large enough quantities. No one appears to know the exact amount, so the best advice is - don't eat the root. 

Don’t let the disclaimer scare you from this superfood. Yes, every piece of this tree can be used, but not every piece is meant to be eaten. Other than that, enjoy discovering this amazing “new” food which has only been used for the last 4,000 years. Hey, better late than never when it comes to health.

Probiotics, Superfoods, Multivitamins, and Omega-Rich Oils: Four Daily Supplements You Need

Adding probiotics, superfoods, multivitamins, and omega-rich oils into your diet could be the four  supplement power punch to make your healthy living a reality. With so many powders, pills, and additives, I wanted to take a step back. I figure a makeover is good for the outside of your body, why not the inside of your body?

Off to the vitamin section I went. I didn’t go in with a list like I normally do, but I did go in with an open mind. I knew the question was, “What am I not getting enough off in my diet?” Probiotics, superfoods, multivitamins, and omega-rich oils the knowledgeable specialist shared. My ears perked up, like Moses receiving the 10 commandants, I guess you would call these the four commandments of health.

Probiotics, Superfoods, Multivitamins, and Omega-Rich Oils are the four basic supplements you should be incorporating into your life regularly. This power combo isn’t normally achieved through the basic American diet, but so necessary to keeps us alined and balanced internally.

So what are these four power punch elements in a little more detail? My favorite chain farmers market, Sprouts, enlightens us a little more.

• Probiotics are live beneficial microorganisms that are widely believed to support healthy digestion and immune function. These friendly bacteria are essential for gut health, as stress, low-quality foods and over-the-counter-medications can destroy probiotic activity, which leads to lower immune function, yeast overgrowth and digestive disorders.

• Red, green or blue superfoods such as salmon, broccoli, goji berries, blueberries and tart cherries are rich in protein and/or packed with phytonutrients and trace minerals that help support overall health and vitality. Their mega boosting performance nourishes your body, strengthens your immune system, and protects you against diseases.

• Vitamins are organic nutrients required by the body for growth, repair, normal metabolism and optimal health, but few of us get the right ones at the right levels. That's because no single food contains all the vitamins and minerals the body requires; moreover, the combination of eating on the run, high levels of stress and consumption of highly processed foods can lead to nutrient deficiencies. The elderly, adolescents, pregnant and lactating women and vegetarians are especially at risk. Multivitamins provide essential vitamins and minerals needed to maintain optimum health.

• Omega-rich oils are found naturally in fish and flax, among other foods. These essential oils offer valuable nutritional support for healthy skin and brain function. Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

If you caught last week’s blog on kefir, you already know it’s an excellent source of those good for you probiotics. Some other yummy ways to get probiotics into your system is with

• Goat’s Milk Yogurt
• Sauerkraut
• Dark Chocolate
• Microalgae (ocean-based plants such as spirulina, chorella, and blue-green algae)
• Miso Soup
• Pickles
• Tempeh
• Kimchi
• Kombucha Tea

You can add more superfoods into your diet with with those named above, and you can also try 

• Mulberries
• Chia Seeds
• Coconut Water
• Golden Berries

When it comes to a multivitamin, it really is a conversation you should have with a vitamin specialist. Talk to them about your stage of life. I have yet to find one advisor who isn’t passionate about what they do, and want to share their knowledge with you. One thing I would suggest, make sure you avoid synthetic multivitamins. We like our foods natural, same should be said for vitamin supplements.

If you want to get the J. Lo glow without a steady diet of fish, you can also try these foods rich in Omega-3’s

• Grass-Fed Beef
• Edamame
• Flaxseed Oil
• Enriched Eggs
• Walnuts 
• Spinach
• Hemp

These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to probiotics, superfoods, multivitamins, and omega-rich oils foods. You can also do a little multi tasking, which is my favorite-smoothies. They are quick, easy, and great to go anywhere. This is my current favorite kefir based smoothie, that has everything in it, but the kitchen sink. Create your own, but make sure not to cut out the elements of the four power supplement combo. 

Kitchen Sink Kefir Smoothie

8 oz Lifeway Lowfat Kefir (Flavor Varies)

4 tbsp Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Pro Fiber

1 oz Genesis Today Organic Power4

2 tbsp Lily Of The Desert Aloe Herbal Detox Formula

1 tsp Carlson Super D Omega 3

2 tsp Health Force Spirulina Manna

1 tbsp Golden Flax Seeds

1 tbsp Chia Seeds

Fill to capacity with frozen fruit like blueberries, raspberries, or other high water based fruits.  

Seems like a lot of ingredients, but trust, it tastes great with the kefir base. Hemp powder has a nice, nutty taste, and you won’t believe how much daily goodness you’re putting into your body with one drink. Let me know what you thinks. Happy four power supplement punching.

Dextox Supefood Kefir. Drink Your Way To Health

Oh the grocery store, where some days you have it down to a science, and can get in and out the building like a ninja. Other days, you wonder how you spent two hours reading labels for almost every product you’d been curious about. It’s how I ended up with kefir in my cart one day, and now this probiotic superfood is part of my daily life. 

I’d always thought of kefir as a “drinkable yogurt,” and wasn’t exactly sure what the difference was between the two. I thought consistency was the only real difference, but I was way off base. Kefir has been through a fermenting process. After this 24 hour process, kefir now has 10 to 20 strains of probiotics [in kefir], which is three times what you would find in yogurt. 

Why should you care about probiotics? Simply put, probiotics help keep everything moving. When we eat clean, exercise, and hydrate our goal is to keep everything in balance and release the toxins. It’s why we love a good sweat during our workout, your body is detoxing, and you can feel it happening.

Our guts or digestive system also need to be taken care with the same thinking in mind. You think it’s just the kidneys processing toxins, but it’s everything starting from our mouth, all the way to our gall bladder. 75% of your immune system is housed in your digestive system, and with the help of kefier, you can help it work properly with it’s good bacterias and vitamins. 

Kefir is right up there with the other superfoods like kale, chia seeds, and blueberries for the multitude of health benefits you’ll receive. Drink it regularly and you’ll

• Boost your immunity

• Heal inflammatory bowel disease

• Build bone density

• Fight allergies

• Improve lactose digestion

• Kill candida

• Support detoxification

If you’re lactose intolerant or trying to reduce the amount of dairy you consume, don’t worry, through the fermentation process kefir loses much of it’s sugar or ‘lactose’ as it’s more commonly known, and you end up with lactic acid instead. How?

Fermented foods go through a process of lactofermentation in which natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food creating lactic acid. This process preserves the food, and creates beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of probiotics. All the good stuff our body wants and needs.

People have been drinking kefir for centuries. Before refrigeration and all these modern conveniences, people did a lot of canning, preserving, and pickling. Without knowing it, people created superfoods, and have been reaping the benefits for centuries. 

Its unique name comes from the Turkish word “keif”, which means “good feeling.” Maybe because tryptophan, an amino acid, is also found in kefir, which we all know is found in turkey. It’s what puts you in the ‘let’s sit on the couch’ and lounge mode. Now you can have the same feeling of relaxation without eating a monster holiday meal.

Kefir is a great way to get extra protein in your diet without extra calories. A single serving of plain, non-fat kefir has less than 100 calories, but provides 10.5 grams of protein, which can help you feel fuller without extra fat. Great for late night when you’re craving a snack or some ice cream. Why not add this healthy alternative into your diet? Just watch out for added calories and sugar if you purchase flavored kefir.

With the benefits of kefir becoming more well, there are so many different brands and varieties of kefir available. You can choose from cow, goat, coconut or water base, and if you’re not a fan of the plain flavored tart taste. You have anything from pomegranate, mangos, or peaches blended into you kefir.

Are you curious about kefir now? I hope so. It tastes greats. Comes in so many varieties. And when you want to feel like you’re having a cheat moment, you’re really not. Kefir tastes amazing, and you’ll feel so good after you stomach is coated with some probiotic goodness. 

Why not put it your morning smoothie? You’ll be starting off the day right, and your body will treat you right the rest of the day, and everyday. 

5 Healthy Snacks To Always Have In Your Purse This Summer

Summer weather is finally in full swing. The days are getting longer, and I couldn’t be happier. Running out for errands sometimes ends up with impromptu hiking dates being made or taking the scenic view home. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as watching those purple rose skies at dusk. Not great is being hungry while you’re out having fun. This is where bad choices happen. Fast food, connivence stores, no buenos. 

Having a couple of healthy nibbles on hand, could help you pass up the candy bar at the gas station in of moment of hunger. Try some of these new products to mix it up with your usual almonds. My goal is to have them in my everyday bag without making my bag squishy at the end of the day. I’m looking at you travel mug. I got your number. I love filling up a two ounce containers full of things like, 

1. Navitas Naturals Organic Superfood Power Snacks 

In combinations like blueberry hemp, cacao goji, citrus chia, coffee cacao, or lemon goldenberry. you’ll be able to find something to please your tastebuds. They are full of tasty goodness, travel great, and offer nutrient-dense organic snacking on the go. 

My favorite is the blueberry hemp which is made with organic superfoods such as chia, maca, lucuma, camu and maqui, as well as other raw foods including sesame seeds, cashews and sunflower seeds. There are no refined sugars, preservatives, or artificial colors and flavors. You’ll also be getting protein from the hemp and chia seeds, along with healthy fats and fiber. All this goodness with the tiniest of snack bites. If you pick my blueberry favorite, you’ll also get antioxidants, vitamins including A, C and E, and minerals such as iron, potassium and calcium into your body.

2. Powbab Superfruit Chews

I talked about these tangy treats before, and cannot stop raving about baobab. One baobab chew a day gives you 100% daily antioxidant dose per chew with daily dose of Vitamins C & E. They’re a good source of Vitamin A, and when you combine them with pomegranate and acai berry, your body will thank you for eating them. All natural, organic, just giving you raw, unprocessed whole fruit & other natural ingredients. Think how good you’ll feel after having some organic baobab fruit pulp which is naturally 50% fiber.     

3. KIND Healthy Grains Bars

I was a little turned off from KIND after the controversy with the FDA, but after I discovered their newest product on the shelf, I had to admit to myself, “Come on, you know it’ll taste good.” They have over 10 varieties of Healthy Grains Bars to choose from, and with a foundation of six super grains, including sorghum, I was willing to be swayed. I throughly enjoyed my Popped Salted Caramel Bar. It was a subtle flavor, with 20g of whole grains in each bar, and fits perfectly in my purse along with my wallet and all of life’s necessities.

4. Justin’s Snack Pack

You’re already familiar with Justin’s healthy nut butter pouches, but if you visit Target starting this week you can pick up Justin’s new Snack Pack. One side has Justin’s nut butter, the other side has gluten-free pretzels, packaged in 100 percent recycled plastic. A dream made in snacking heaven when you want a little crunch with your pick up me protein. You can choose from Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter and Pretzels; Classic Almond Butter and Pretzels; or Maple Almond Butter and Pretzels. You’ll only be able to find Justin’s Snack Pack at Target, as part of their "Made to Matter" collection, which brings together 31 leading natural, organic and sustainable brands to provide better choices for all. So who knows what else you’ll discover while you’re there.

5. Earthbound Farm Organics Freeze Dried Fruit

There are several brands of freeze dried fruits out there. Freeze-dried fruits are similar to dried fruits, because they’re dehydrated. This makes for a great crunchy texture, as you get your healthy snacking going. You can leave them in your bag without any spoiling. Perfect for our stash and go. I’m partial to Earthbound Farm’s. Their product lines are organic, no additives, nothing but the pure goodness of food. 

Let me know if you have any new products you love to have in your purse without having to worry about them. You never know when you’re going to spend a little more time outside having fun. No reason to go hungry or end up eating some not so good for you sustenance. Now you have some ideas for setting and forgetting your health snacking in your bag.

Baobab : More health benefits than the acai and goji berries you know

When I was younger I could spend hours in the cosmetics section of Thrifty’s learning about skin cleansers and moisturizers. Now imagine the same enthusiasm for exploring the aisle of superfoods, organic extracts, and natural health remedies at the market. It’s how you discover new things, such as the amazing South African superfruit baobab. The market employee couldn’t stop raving about all the benefits this citrus flavored superfruit. 

Into the cart it went, and after a few weeks of trying it, I was left wondering, “Why I had I not discovered this earlier?” I ventured into the world of baobab by trying out Powbab’s superfruit chews (It sounds like a tongue twister). When the label promises a 100% of my recommended daily antioxidant dosage, along with daily serving of Vitamins C, E & A, I figured why not. These bitesize nibbles combine baobab along with pomegranate and acai berries. The health benefits of the acai berry are well known, so I figured I had nothing to lose, and a whole lot to gain. It was was one of the best gambles I took. 

Among some of the most notable health benefits of the African superfruit are:

A single serving of offers 25 mg of Vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid, a naturally occurring organic compound with antioxidant properties

• Up to 7 times more Vitamin C than goji berries

• 25 times more Vitamin C than acai berries

A single serving offers 3 grams of soluble fiber and 1 gram of insoluble fiber, which reduces cholesterol levels and to reducing risk of heart disease

• 19 times the amount of fiber of goji berries

• 8.5 times the amount of fiber of acai berries

Being high in antioxidant levels means baobab reduces free radicals, the molecules you hear referenced in beauty treatments. Free radicals are responsible for damaging our body cells. The oxidative stress that oxygen-free radicals cause is held as reason why our bodies age. This superfruit fills your body naturally to fight the anti aging process.

This little African fruit contains so many health and beauty benefits, your body will love you for adding it into your diet. Foods rich in Vitamin C are a cornerstone of the anti-wrinkle diet. Vitamin C, whether derived from foods or dietary supplements, helps your body form collagen and elastin, two structural proteins that give your skin support and elasticity. 

Adding Vitamin C rich foods such as baobab to your diet might also enhance your body's fat burning capabilities during a workout. A team of scientists from Arizona State University discovered that people with low blood concentrations of Vitamin C burned 25 percent less fat during a 60-minute walk on a treadmill, compared with those who had adequate levels of Vitamin C in their blood. 

The potential weight loss effects of Vitamin C may be linked to the fact that it is needed for the production of carnitine, a compound that encourages your body to turn fat into fuel, rather than to store it as body fat. Also, Vitamin C rich foods also combat varicose veins because they help our cardiovascular system work more efficiently. Vitamin C keeps our body working smart, regenerating, and maximizing how our processes work instead of slowing down as we age. 

If you’re still not sold on the superfood benefits of baobab, what would your liver say when it heard this superfruit will help realign it’s internal cleansing. It works hard detoxifying toxic substances, including metabolic wastes, and excreting them from your body. Over time, high exposure to toxins such as cigarette smoke, chemicals, alcohol and other substances can cause damage to the liver and limit its detoxifying capabilities. 

Help your body get it’s groove back by fueling it with restorative superfoods like baobab. This superfruit comes from a tree referred to as “The Tree of Life,” which usually are over 1,000+ years old. They supply your body with a myriad of beneficial minerals including calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. 

Human beings have been on this planet for a long time. Before there were planes, trains, and automobiles, we had to look to our backyards to feed ourselves with goodness. Let’s embrace what modern technology has given us. Now we can visit every global ‘backyard,’ and learn about their wholesome native foods. The magical African fruit, baobab, comes from a tree named after life. After trying it, my body knows why. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Sous-vide Cooking: Seals in Flavor Without Adding Fat

Want to try a new way of cooking meals that are tasty, healthy, and full of nutrients? Try the Sous-vide method, French for “under vacuum” cooking. Food is sealed inside an airtight plastic bag and placed into a water bath. Your meal is now being cooked at a low, even temperature versus an open flame. This helps retain all the health benefits of your food. In addition, your meat, chicken, or fish will come out juicy, moist, and full of flavor. Now you can bite into your carrots, and have them crunch in your mouth.

Have you noticed the green water after you boil your veggies? It’s where the vitamins and minerals from your veggies now live, instead of you biting into them. Fans of the raw food movement have been sharing this fact for a while. Cooking is a science. Heat changes the molecular structure of dishes. Some foods, unfortunately, loose their health benefits in the process.

This can also result in plates slathered in fats and oils in order to flavor them up, or hide their dryness after they’ve been near a flame for too long. 

Foods cooked “a la sous-vide” come out succulent in the case of meats or crunchy when you prepare veggies. This is because cell walls of the food do not burst. Cooking dishes at a low, even heat keeps foods close to their raw state. 

Besides keeping foods close to their natural state, Sous-vide method packs an intense flavor infusion. Instead of your foods sitting on top of a marinade, they are actually surrounded or immersed in seasoning the entire time they’re cooking. Also, because there is no air, spices and flavoring are more easily absorbed by foods. 

Ready to try some Sous-vide cooking at home. You could get a all-in-one machine like the Caso Sous Vide Center from Williams-Sonoma. It’s an enclosed-chamber system, with circulating water. You set the temperature, and forget it, like a crock pot. It also has a built-in vacuum bag sealer with bags. Retail price $499.95

Not looking for a machine to take up counter space or a hefty price tag? You could also try an immersion circulator like the Nomiku Sous Vide Immersion Circulator. It retails for $299.95, and looks like a hand held blender. Simply fill a pot with water, clip on the Nomiku to the side, and plug it in. Set the temp of the water bath by turning the knob and you’re done. Water quickly heats and circulates to temp. You can use the ‘displacement' method to vacuum seal your bags with this machine. Just put the food in a quart or gallon zip lock, seal up most of the zip, leaving just a bit at the end. Then, submerge the bag slowly in a pot of water. This will push all the air out. Just as the zip lock is getting to the water line, seal it and done.

If want to experiment without purchasing anything first, try this hack for Sous-Vide cooking from chef Christina Tosi, of New York’s Milk Bar. This is her recipe for “Bird in a Bag.” Put a butterflied chicken breast in a plastic freezer bag with your marinade. Seal the bag except for one corner. Insert a straw into the remaining hole and slowly suck out the air with your mouth. Be careful not to suck the sauce into your mouth! Seal the bag to get it as air-free as possible. Bring a pot of water nearly to a boil. Set a piece of tin foil in the pot like a hammock (with the ends crimped over the edge). Plop the bag into the pot of hot — but not boiling — water. The foil will suspend the bag above the bottom of the pot so the bag doesn't burn. If the chicken is thin, it will cook (poach, essentially), in five or 10 minutes. An intact chicken breast may take 20 minutes. You can test the chicken by looking and feeling to make sure it isn't pink inside. Final step? Sear the chicken in a pan briefly to brown it for better presentation.

Go ahead experiment.You’ve got nothing to lose, if anything you might find a new favorite method of cooking. The Sous-vide method started in the mid 70’s by top rated Michelin chefs, because they discovered food kept it’s flavor, moisture, and texture. Why not be your own 4 star celebrity chef at home.