Not A Single Fork Not A Single Fork

Let’s face it, the world of vegetables is daunting. I mean, there is just so.much.produce in the groceries, farmers markets, wholesale clubs. Where do you even start? This vegetable mountain of choice was never a problem for our grandparents or even parents. There were carrots, green beans, peas, iceberg lettuce (also known as just lettuce back then), spinach and that was about it. Now, carrots come in a rainbow, lettuce can be bitter, leafy, Romaine, butter, and more. Then, there are all the beans out there and we’re not talking just pinto and navy, those are so yesterday. The new beans are heirloom as are tomatoes. And, we can’t forget the whole legume issue. What are they or it and how does it/they fit into this whole balanced diet thing. We have so many questions. Lucky for you, we have A LOT of answers, too! We’ll be sorting through this confusing topic of bean or legume or vegetable, we'll share everything we know (or found out) about this super important part of your diet and even play a game! It’s all coming up! So, play along, learn a few new things (and in such a fun way, right?) and join us and get the ins and outs of beans, legumes and, oh yeah, vegetables. And don’t forget, there are even more Rants and Raves (or Tips and Tricks) as we go crazy talking about what we love or DON’T. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review our podcast wherever you prefer to listen.

CARBS! Most of us have a love/hate relationship with them. If you’re one of those people, let us enlighten you. Carbs can and should be your friend. Here we are! Still keeping it real for you and now we’re breaking down the carb story. We’ve wrapped up all the proteins (at least, the animal variety) and it’s on to the other parts of your plate. Remember, we did that balancing act episode where we talked to you about how easy it is to put a meal together. Here’s the next part of your plate program, then. Carbohydrates are getting a bad rap these days what with all the paleo and keto diets our there. But here’s why we think that’s happening: YOU EAT TOO MANY and slather them with butter and sour cream and cheese! It’s not the carb’s fault! It’s all the stuff you put on them. They’re actually low in calorie and high in fiber and vitamins and we’re going to tell you all about that, along with how to cook them. So, hang on to your pasta, kids, Candace and Natalia are here to help you through this maze of variety called CARBS...from potatoes to pasta to grains, we’ve got it going on. Don’t forget, we’ve got more Rants and Raves (or Tips and Tricks) for you. Always a surprise, I guess everything we say is a surprise, even to us. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review our podcast wherever you prefer to listen..

We're in Oklahoma but you've probably figured that out by now.Not only are we insulated from the Coasts in our red state but we are severely land-locked. Being in the middle of the country makes it hard to keep up with the latest goings on (my NYC daughter keeps me updated) and it also makes it difficult for us to convince people in this part of the world that fish are delish! Can’t control myself when rhymes just fall into my lap…So, FISH! In general, one of the best proteins out there. Lots of omega-3 fatty acids and health benefits so why don’t we eat more of it? I can’t speak for everyone but around here, people just think they don’t like it. We can’t even begin to fill a cooking class for fish. They don’t want to try it or have anything to do with it mostly because it smells/tastes “fishy”. Well, there’s a difference between fish smell and fish stink so we’re going to tackle the PR problem for this misunderstood protein. We’re going to give you all kinds of suggestions for easing into the whole fish eating mind space. Where to buy it, how to buy it and cook it but most of all, if it STINKS, DON’T BUY IT! Only old fish stink, sorry old fish but you know it’s true.We’ll even throw in some info on their bivalve-y brothers and sisters, like mussels, oysters and clams as well as the guys with the claws and shells, like crab and shrimp. So, get ready, as we tell you ALL about the FISH. Because yes, we have an opinion…or five.There’s also a new Rants and Raves (or Tips and Tricks) as we once more. go crazy talking about what we love or DON’T. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review our podcast wherever you prefer to listen.

Chicken. The go-to protein for so many people. And, let’s be honest (surprise!), it is a super versatile food. It can be prepared in so many ways and can take on flavor like no other, I mean, it’s a blank slate, really. It can also be abused in so many ways and cooked so badly! Dry, tasteless, stringy. It can be described as sawdust falling apart in your mouth. All words to suggest something terribly overcooked but there is the other side, too. Under-cooked chicken. YIKES! Salmonella, here we come! So in spite of its versatility and seemingly unassuming nature, there are A LOT of things that can go wrong and keep people away from chicken and poultry, in general. But have no fear, the Fork Girls are here to dispel more rumors and misconceptions about the humble chicken and its cousins. In this episode, we’re not only going to sing the praises of chicken, turkey, duck and more but we’re going to help you figure out how you might want to buy, cut up and then cook these little darlings. There are, of course, some caveats especially when dealing with chicken. People in our classes freak out if they have to touch raw chicken. So, congratulations, CDC and USDA, you have successfully created additional panic in the populace, at least in our neck of the woods. So, do you need to worry about the dangers of chicken and their salmonella carrying tendencies? Of course, but don’t lose your minds! Safe food handling takes care of just about everything and we’re going to tell you all about that, too. Oh, by the way, stop rinsing your chicken.We takes you through best practices in terms of cooking methods and then, there is, of course, our opinions about all that. And don’t forget, we’ve got more Rants and Raves (or Tips and Tricks) as we go crazy talking about what we love or DON’T. Thanks for listening! Please subscribe and review our podcast wherever you prefer to listen.. Changes are underway and coming soon. You don't want to miss what's up!

MOO, BAA, OINK…we got ‘em all. Now we’re going to start working our way around the plate (remember the Balancing Act episode?), beginning with proteins and in this case, animal proteins. So we’ll be giving you a rundown on everything in this episode except for poultry because it deserves an episode of its own. Once more, we are sharing probably way more than you ever wanted to know about all kinds of meat: beef, pork and lamb, mainly, but we’ll touch on their more exotic brethren, too. The cuts and why they’re fatty or muscular and the best way to cook them based on that. For instance, working parts of an animal require the longer braising or stewing times because you have to breakdown all that muscle. Makes sense, right? So, here is MOO, BAA, OINK! You’ve got this, my friends, stress-free cooking and actually having fun in the kitchen! So, join us once more, as we tell you ALL about the MEAT. Because yes, we have an opinion…or five. There’s also a new Rants and Raves (or Tips and Tricks) as we go crazy talking about what we love or DON’T. Be sure to listen, subscribe and review our podcast wherever you prefer to listen.. We want to keep doing this!

By now, you’re probably wondering when are we going to start talking about the good stuff…FOOD!?Trust me, we’re getting there but in case you didn’t know this, there’s a whole bunch of back story involved in cooking. We’re helping you with the “mise en place” of enjoying the whole cooking process and having FUN!So, we have to do some cleanup to get you prepared. If you have most of the basics, then cooking is a breeze and you won’t get stressed out by just thinking about having to cook dinner. I promise this is the last of the organizational tips and tricks and just things you need to know.Creating a balanced meal and/or plate is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3. One protein, one carb and (at least) one veggie…that’s it! We’ll go into the deets in this next podcast episode but that’s what it boils down to. Have you noticed I’ve been using a lot of cooking related references? I just can’t help it!In this episode, we walk you through an simple and basically, fool-proof method for creating a balanced plate for almost any meal. And, we have a helluva lot of fun while we’re doing it. But I guess that’s normal for us.You’re on your way to stress-free cooking, my friends. So, join us once more, as we tell you more than you probably want to know about balancing a healthy plate of food. Because yes, we have an opinion…or five.There’s also a new Rants and Raves as we go crazy talking about what we love or DON’T. We even throw in some Tips and Tricks here and there. If you have a question, leave it on our website page (https://www.thegirlcancook.com/not-a-single-fork) Be sure to listen, subscribe and review our podcast and please leave us a comment (or question)…we love that!! And, we WILL reply!