Ah, rice. It’s a simple, filling, economical, and healthy side item that can take on many flavors and textures. It can be sweet (rice pudding) or savory (charred corn risotto, anyone?) or both at the same time (biryani, for instance). When mixed with beans, it is a powerhouse of amino acids, fiber, protein, and overall tasty goodness. There’s a reason why it’s so prolific in so many different cultures and cuisines. Lots of reasons, actually.

Brown rice and white rice are nutritionally pretty similar, although brown rice comes in slightly ahead in what it offers without enhancement assistance. White rice is basically brown rice with a couple/three layers removed and then companies tend to “enrich” these grains to put back some of the nutrients that were lost. So you’re not experiencing a large fall-off in nutrition if you prefer white rice over brown, but it requires a proactive approach from growers/sellers to get there. People often say brown rice is not their favorite thing because it’s bland or dry, but I guarantee you this Cuban mojo-style rice will not lack for flavor and the black bean juice that the rice soaks up ensures that your end product will be anything but dry.

By now you’ve read my previous blog post about choosing the proper cookware for your kitchen and are no doubt armed with your new primary set of stainless steel cookware, a non-stick pan, and a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, right? The question we’re addressing today is how do you clean each of these effectively? All three varieties have varying characteristics and therefore cannot be cleaned the same way. We’ll go through each type of cookware and how to clean each one.

It’s a good idea to have some hot water, a paper towel, and a towel readily available. For the most part that covers the primary cleaning of all of these, but every so often you neglect the cookware or burn something and have it stick (eek!) and something more drastic is required. Don’t worry, this is fixable. Well, the pan part of that equation is fixable anyhow. You might want to consider starting over on that burnt food, however!

It came to my attention that after all the savory recipes, you were probably hoping to see a slightly sweet one pop up at some point. Well, it’s your lucky day - it’s cherry season (or the tail end of it anyhow)!

When you think of a sweet something-or-other with cherries, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Close your eyes and visualize it. What did you see? Oh, you were thinking about just plopping them in your mouth and eating them, huh? Nah, you want to do something more creative than that. How about pairing them with some chocolate? Perhaps some vanilla, cinnamon, or almonds?  Well, I’ve created a recipe with some version of all of these things which can function as a dessert OR a breakfast. Excited yet? Keep on reading!

You’ve watched all my knife sharpening videos and knife skills videos and you’ve got everything prepared for cooking, right? Now it’s all a matter of finding the best vessel to cook everything in. So what type of cookware should you use? Well, it’s not as simple as grabbing the first pan you find in the cabinet...unless of course you only have one pan in your cabinet. There are so many types available these days: stainless steel, aluminum, copper, cast iron, non-stick (which the surface is comprised of...the primary make-up is one of the other metals), and many more. All of this can be confusing to the uninitiated, so what’s the best way to choose what you should have on hand?

What you’ll need in the way of cookware depends largely on what you use your cookware for and what it is that you plan on cooking most often. Eggs and pancakes, meat and vegetables, stews and stocks? Also consider the cook top you’re using. Gas? Induction? Electric? It makes a difference. Flat-bottomed pans are necessary for a smooth top range, and if you have induction burners, it won’t work with all types of metal. Still a little confused? It’s hard to blame you, so let’s break it down a bit more.

Do you ever have a craving for Chinese takeout? Is it because of the fresh and high quality ingredients they’re using (doubtful), the mere 20-30 minutes it takes for them to have everything ready for pick-up/delivery (okay, maybe), or the fact that it seems like a relatively healthy option (okay, now you’re just deceiving yourself)...? Or perhaps it has something to do with the salt or MSG it contains that keeps you coming back for more. What if I could offer you big flavor, quick and easy preparation (prep and cooking time is under 20 minutes combined), and fresh/healthy ingredients without the excessive amounts of salt or MSG?  

Not possible, you say? If you own a wok or large-ish saucepan, a couple cutting boards, and you watch my videos below for cutting up bell peppers, onions, and pineapple...well, you could end up with something like this in a very short period of time.

Ah yes, Tom Yum...anything with the word “yum” in the name has to be good, right? This unique soup that originated in Thailand has become popular in Singapore, Malaysia, and many other countries as well. With good reason, as its distinct spicy and sour qualities and heavy usage of aromatics such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and galangal (in the ginger root family) offer an intoxicating fragrance and a punch of flavor that all starts with a simple broth or stock.

You were wondering when the “Fit” aspect of Fiscally Fit Foodie would come into play, weren’t you? Well, here is your first installment, AND you get a video (keep reading, it’s down there somewhere)...with music...and don’t act like you’re not impressed. While the fitness posts may not be as prolific as the recipe and food posts, they should be just as informative for those of you who are interested in a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle.

Picture the following scenario: you’re sitting at home, watching TV on the couch, and all of a sudden you get the feeling that you’re not maximizing your potential...you’re feeling slightly lazy, unproductive, and maybe even have a passing thought that a workout might be a good idea. Hey, it could happen. The problem is that your gym is closed or it is 10-15 minutes away from your house and it’d be inconvenient to go or maybe you don’t have a gym membership at all. One of the great things about push-ups is that you don’t need a gym to do them and they don’t cost you a thing except a little hard work. You aren’t opposed to that, are you? Great – let’s get started then!

It's grilling season! Just so happens my buddy was on his way home from a fishing trip and called me up to let me know he had some fish collars for me. Not going to lie, I was pretty excited! You may be wondering what a fish collar is, why I was excited, and what it even looks like. Behold the redfish collar in all its glory...

Hey, Everyone!

Thought for the day: a dull knife is a dangerous knife. If it’s not sharp enough to pierce whatever it is you’re cutting, it may slip off the side and cut you instead. There will be several blog posts in the next week or two that cover basic knife skills (with videos, recipes, and pictures included), but I could not in good conscience provide this information without first touching upon the great importance of using a properly sharpened knife.

You’re probably asking yourself questions such as: “There are so many sharpening options out there, so how do I choose one? What is the best way to sharpen a knife, prolong its life, and maintain that wicked sharp edge? How often should a knife blade be sharpened? How do I know if the blade is sharp? How much is this going to cost me? Would Crocodile Dundee think my knife is worthy of being called a knife?” Don’t worry, I’ve got the answers (and a couple helpful videos and links) to all those questions and more below.