If you are a person like me, you know that cooking your own food is better for you, less expensive, and healthier, and yet we don't do it. I'm in my fifties and venturing into the kitchen to start cooking. If you want to learn along with me, come along for the ride as I talk techniques, recipes, strategies to create great food without losing my mind.
I decided to try something that didn't have meat. I'm exploring eating a more plant-based diet. This is partly due to reading The Vegucation of Robin: How Real Food Saved My Life (https://amzn.to/3skDW7x).
THE RECIPE:
Ingredients
2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and soaked overnight in plenty of water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup brown rice
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
Directions
Step 1
Drain beans. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add rice; cook and stir for 3–5 minutes or until rice is fragrant. Combine in 4–5 quart slow cooker along with beans, onion, garlic, and vegetable broth. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, stirring every two hours.
Step 2
Then add tomatoes, cumin, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours longer until rice and beans are tender. Add cilantro and mix. Serve hot.
What I Learned
You can ask Alexa (https://amzn.to/3BUd8OD)"how many cups is one medium chopped onion." That was very cool.
I needed that as instead of buying the onion and using my food processor, I just bought it pre-chopped. This also goes for cilantro.
You also want to take the time to read the directions. I skimmed them and ended up putting everything into my Instant Pot hours before it was supposed to (this turned everything black)
When a recipe says to soak the beans overnight DO IT. I was BLOWN AWAY by how much water they soaked up. I needed up putting my two cups of beans into a giant mixing bowl (after singing them off). Do not skip that step.
Also, be sure to run water in your slow cooker (Instant pot (https://amzn.to/3BUd8OD) for me) when you're done.
How it Tasted
There are different scales I need to come up with. I guess these are:
Uneditable
I ate it but won't make it again
This was good, and I'll make it again
I want to make some more now.
This recipe has a bit of zip (enough to clear your sinuses, but not enough to make a dash for a glass of milk). It doesn't taste like anything else I've made because I've never eaten this before.
I was also amazed at how full I was with one bowl (about three servings spoons).
I put the recipe into my Cronomiter software and it was 168 calories for a bowl. (The recipe serves six).
Also Mentioned In This Episode
I bought a Tavola Smart Oven. Get $100 of the oven (https://supportthisshow.com/tovala)
Check out the video (https://www.loom.com/share/132e3f2123b9433ab3cf3b102b7fc275)
Like the Show?
Tell a friend to go to https://www.newtocookingshow.com/follow/ (https://www.newtocookingshow.com/follow/)
and never miss an episode. You can also buy me a coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/davejackson)
11 Feb 2022
Boneless Chicken Thighs in an Instapot
I bought an instantpot (https://amzn.to/3gCmgh0)last year and didn't really use it. I got distracted by smart ovens (you can now control them with your Amazon Alexa). I remembered i had the Instapot with a smartphone app.
I also had a family pack of chicken thighs with no bones or skin. This should be easy and it was.
I just opened my cupboard and whatever was there I added so this included:
Onion flakes
Garlic powder
Mrs Dash for Chicken (https://amzn.to/3sqVNbK)
Liquid smoke (see episode on Liquid smoke)
Salt and Pepper.
I dumped in one cup of water into the instapot. Put the steam rack in the bottom and add the chicken on top. Add your spices and cook 10-12 minutes (I did 12).
The chicken was amazing. I had some thighs that were pretty thick and they came out wonderful. I put the chicken into a spaghetti strainer to let the grease get off the chicken. As I pick the chicken off after it had cooled, it just fell apart it was so tender.
Tomorrow I will eat one of the thighs that had the same spices listed about but I put a dab of KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce (https://amzn.to/3swmmwf)
I Might Attempt Going Plant-Based
I'm reading the book The Vegucation of Robin: How Real Food Saved My Life (https://amzn.to/3LqM3Hu) by Robin Quivers (from the Howard Stern show) Robin had cancer and beat it. According to her doctor had she not previously changed her diet, she wouldn't be here.
I like the book because it's not preachy. She explains why plats are good for you, how you can get protein, and how processed food is horrible. I'm looking forward to trying some of her recipes.
The Rabbit Hole of Smart Ovens
I've been watching demos of "Smart Ovens" such as the June (https://amzn.to/3LqHoVF), Tovala Gen 2 (https://amzn.to/3rHuBqd), and even Amazon has an over controlledd by Alexa (https://amzn.to/35V64W6).
Chime In and Be On The Show
Got a recipe or cooking tip? Favorite Gadget? Click the microphone in the bottom right-hand corner at www.newtocookingshow.com (https://www.newtocookingshow.com)
10 Mar 2021
Souper Cubes: Great When You Cook For One
I just got done watching Shark Tank and there was this cool resource that looks like a giant ice cube tray for four giant cubes. The difference is the tray is made out of silicone. You can freeze your soup, chilli, pasta, etc and then push the item out of the cube.
For me (living alone) I often make pasta or soup, and then end up eating the same thing all week. Not any more. Now I can cook up a giant batch and FREEZE the rest. Then when I want a quick meal, I pop out a cube, and microwave a great meal in a few minutes.
I ordered mine from Amazon (https://amzn.to/2Oa86cI). (aff link)
New Recipe Episode Coming
I'm going to try Bruschetta Pasta
Instructions
Cook pasta according to instruction.
Drain water.
Toss pasta and all ingredients in a large bowl.
Ingredients
1/2 box spaghetti
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped basil
1.5 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 green onion
Serving Size
2-3
Prep Time
20 minutes
source: https://www.happycow.net/recipes/bruschetta-pasta (https://www.happycow.net/recipes/bruschetta-pasta)
12 Jan 2021
Power XL Smokeless Grill Review
In Ohio, you can't grill outside in the winter months, so I needed a way to grill indoors.
29 Nov 2020
Quick, Yummy Friend Egg Sandwhiches
How to make an Egg McMuffin at home for a fraction of the cost, and avoid the "Hash Browns" and coke.
22 Nov 2020
Beef Veggie "Stuff"
Aimed at Stew and Ended up with Soup. Ended up with a cheap meal, and a lesson on reading the directions.
11 Nov 2020
Colgin Liquid Smoke Makes Things Tasty
I made the wrong purchase when I bought an indoor grill, and I found a new flavor in liquid form that makes everything tasty
11 Aug 2020
The Grill of Oz
I took cooking outside and ended up with an inferno.
29 Jul 2020
Shrimp Fried Cauliflower Rice
A great dish that is healthy, and easy to create.
18 Jul 2020
Alexa in the Kitchen
Today I talk about how useful an Amazon Show can be in your kitchen as Amazon gives away one year free to the food network.
27 Jun 2020
NOT Chipotle
Today I share some trial and error with my instant pot, and explain my thought behind "Not Chipotle."
20 Jun 2020
Garden Pasta
Today I found some cool spice organizers and I share an old recipe for Garden Pasta that is yummy.
13 Jun 2020
Turkey Meatloaves and the "New to Cooking" Attitude
Turkey Meatloaf that's fun to "Play In." A lesson in turning on the oven, and why you appreciate good food when you start out.
7 Jun 2020
How Cool is the Instant Pot? (or is it Instapot ?)
Smart pressure cookers that scratch my inner geek and make cooking a breeze. We also learn how to saute.
30 May 2020
Getting and Storing Spices
What do you need to get started in the kitchen? You don't want to be in the middle of cooking and say, "Oh wait, I need a ______."
24 May 2020
What Am I Doing In the Kitchen?
My life with tarts, boxes, pudding, and bricks. What am I doing in the kitchen?
23 May 2020
New to Cooking Trailer
You think you have reasons not to cook, but it turns out its just excuses
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Contact New to Cooking
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of New to Cooking?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
