Chef Suzan “Z” Gray
Healthy food artfully presented…
afterall, without our health little else matters.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
I'd like to be the "Dear Abby" of YOUR culinary world......
This section is reserved for those inquiring minds who just NEED TO KNOW!
PLEASE email your question to me below, and I will post both your question and my answer....assuming I have one! And remember, no question is too silly or too small for me to answer!
Q: Chef Z, what do I do with too much soup if I don't intend to eat it all before it goes bad? Maggie, Charlottesville, VA
A: I like to freeze food that can easily be portioned out into individual portions, then frozen for later use. For example, you can freeze portions of soup in an icecube tray, then when it's frozen, transfer into small ziplock bags in portion sizes of 3 or 4 cubes in each bag. Defrost as needed. The same can be done with excess pesto or sauces.
Q: "Chef Z, where and when can I purchase those delicious ENER-Z-BARS you make? Daria, Charlottesvillle, VA
A: ENER-Z-BARS are currently available by mail order through Chef Z. Please submit your order by using the information on the ENER-Z-BAR tab on this site!
Q: "Chef Z, why is wheat so bad for us? It seems that a lot of people are wheat intolerant. Can you suggest other grains as a good substiture to wheat? Nida, Charlottesvillle, VA
A: "Great question, Nida. Wheat intolerance is one of the BIG 7 food allergens, and is directly related to the overprocessing of this grain. The inherent nourishment is eliminated from the grain due to the processing method, even with whole wheat. Unless it's organically grown and stone ground, wheat has little to zero nutrition and has become such an allergen because we eat so much of it in our American diet. Hence, people become allergic to it.
Good alternative grains are some of the oldest grains known to mankind, such as amaranth, quinoa, and millet and spelt. There are lots of new products arriving on the scene that contain these grains. Pasta is an especially large group of products that are now being made of Quinoa (pronounced "kin-wa"). They are very delicious, surprisingly so, and they won't fill you up and make you feel bloated like the wheat variations. Also, I suggest a product called HEIDI'S GRAINY DAY Pancake Mix. It is just fabulous. I add chopped nuts, organic oat milk, a little grapeseed oil or coconut oil, a ripe mashed banana and powdered Green Vibrance (found in health food stores) to make green pancakes. These are now my alltime favorite pancakes, especially when served with loads of freshly sliced fruit macerated with Raw Organic Blue Agave Syrup (healthy and vitamin beneficial natural sweetener that does not cause a sugar spike and can be eaten by diabetics) and cinnamon. Wow, what an absolutely dynamite breakfast! So healthy and full of protein and you won't get tired after eating them or feel bloated either." Chef Z
Q: "Chef Z, please help me. Now that I'm single again and have to cook for myself, I've been doing a lot of steamed vegetables. Can you make a suggestion as to something else to do with veggies so I'm not bored with what I'm eating all the time?" Dave, Charlottesville, VA
A: "Thanks, Dave, sure! I love to roast vegetables. It's easy, non-laborious, and the high heat adds a sweet taste to vegetables that you won't experience through steaming. The reason for this is that the high heat allows the natural sugars in the veggies to mature. It is a nutritious way to cook your veggies. You can roast almost any veggie, so it's a great way to experiement as well. Try roasting root veggies (washed, peeled, seeded) and cut into big chunks in a roasting pan with a little grapeseed oil drizzled over the top.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 450F oven for about 30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to roast until knife tender, about 15 additional minutes depending on the veggies you are roasting and how small you have cut them. I love to do this with carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, jerusalem artichokes, brussells sprouts, apples, pears, onions, bell peppers, and acorn squash. Then, use a blender to make the veggies into soup, or cut the cooled veggies into large chunks and throw over pasta or into cooked rice, or slice them and slather on some nice bread for a sandwich. You won't believe how sweet they are when roasted!" Chef Z
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Please type "CHEF Z Q&A" in the subject line below, thank you! Please include your phone number in case I need to ask you for details so I can offer a complete answer. thank you.
Your information will NEVER be shared with any one for any reason!