We Tried Sous Vide Cooking: Here’s What We Thought

by Candice Currie | Jan 31, 2018 | All, Home, Nutrition

We Tried Sous Vide Cooking: Here’s What We Thought

Written By:

Candice Currie

Bienvenue dans le monde merveilleux de la cuisine sous vide!

That’s French for, ‘Welcome to the wonderful world of sous vide cooking!’ Never heard of it? Well, you wouldn’t be the first. For a while, sous vide cooking was primarily a staple of fine dining establishments, and it was almost unheard of to use this method of cooking at home. However, over the years, sous vide cooking products have become more accessible and more budget-friendly, so this fancy style of cooking can be done from almost anywhere – including at home!

What is Sous Vide cooking?

Sous vide, translated from French, means “under vacuum.”

An immersion circulator is set to the proper cooking temperature for the product you’re planning to cook. There are multiple sous vide products on the market, varying in price, depending on what you’re looking for.

Besides the immersion circulator, the following items may make cooking sous vide style easier on you:

A vacuum sealer
A large polycarbonate container
A cast iron skillet

*Various sous vide temperature and cooking guides can be found online.

How It Works

Still unsure of how the sous vide process actually works? Let’s break it down.

Cooking sous vide style is almost liking boiling; except using a sous vide immersion cooker allows you to maintain a constant temperature for longer periods of time. This makes it easier to get perfect results without undercooking, or overcooking, the meat (or any other item you cook this way).

Simply take your cut of meat and place it in an airtight sealed bag. A vacuum sealer works great for this, but store-bought food-grade plastic bags work fine too, just make sure you get out as much air as possible.

The sous vide immersion machine helps keep the water at a steady temperature to ensure bacteria are safely destroyed.

You can choose to seal in the meat with a marinade, or let it cook as is and season after, if preferred.

Once the product is done cooking, toss it on a cast iron skill it at the end for a nice seared finish. You could also opt for finishing it off on the barbecue, or eat as is.

After the product finishes cooking and is removed from the water, it should be ready to eat. The presentation is up to you.

“It was my first time trying anything prepared sous vide and it surprised me how pink the well-done hamburger appeared to be. Fortunately, it tasted perfectly cooked and was by far the juiciest hamburger I have ever eaten. Every bite was succulent and the texture was exquisitely soft, that along with a little char from the torch for taste made it a very unforgettable burger. I’m excited to see what Chef Tony prepares for us next time.”

- Charlie H.

The Benefits of Sous Vide Cooking

The cleanup is minimal.
The meat retains its juiciness.
It’s great for those living active lifestyles, considering it’s a set it-and-forget it cooking method.
It’s great for food prep! Prepare larger quantities of healthy meals in advance by batch cooking.
It’s healthy! Sous vide foods are able to retain more of their nutrients and vitamins by remaining sealed in their protective bags.

Sous Vide Hamburger

Photograph by Penny Schroeder.

Behind The Scenes

The more research our team did on sous vide cooking, the more we had to try it out for ourselves. With all the great reviews online about how tender the meat was, it left us pining for some mouthwatering French-style cooking.

We didn’t know what to expect, but we were forever changed. It was delicious.

To further prove the point of how simple sous vide style cooking is, we did this from the convenience of our office space. Our cooking host, Tony F., decided to cook our team grass-fed hamburgers: sous vide-style.

The easy step-by-step process can be seen below.

Step 1: Immerse packaged meat into water and set proper cooking time and temperature.

Step 2: Un-package patties and sear for taste and visual presentation.

Step 3: Enjoy with friends!

Pictured from left to right, Charlie H., Tony F., Kham N.

This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your doctor.

Snacks to Keep You Feeling Full | Q+A

by DebbieJ MS RDN | Jan 18, 2018 | All, Ask Our Dietitian, Home, Nutrition

Question:

Hello, I am a 25-year-old female who is a full-time student. I work out 3 times per week. I enjoy munching and crunching while I study, and always seem to be hungry. I was wondering what kinds of healthy snacks I can buy at the store? I must say that I have a hard time with portion control and am looking for something low in calories. I was eating a lot of nuts but seemed to gain weight with them.

– Tanya

Answer:

Frequent hunger may be a sign of either too few calories or, in your case, not enough volume. Filling the stomach triggers the vagus nerve that tells your brain you’ve eaten enough. A handful of nuts doesn’t provide the same amount of bulk that the following items do. Good low-calorie crunchy foods will fill you up better. Some examples include celery, carrots, jicama, radish, cucumber, sugar snap peas, bell pepper, apples, freeze dried fruit, air-popped popcorn, and rice cakes. Adding a little dense energy (such as hummus, guacamole or cottage cheese) for satiety may be ideal. These combinations may provide a longer-lasting feeling of fullness.

– Debbie J., MS, RD

Some questions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Ask our Dietitian

Have a nutrition question? Our registered dietitian is ready to help!

Email nutrition@lafitness.com or submit your question below and it may be featured in an upcoming article!

Experience Truthfully Honest Cooking at True Food Kitchen

by Candice Currie | Jan 1, 2018 | All, Home, Nutrition, Recipes

Nathan Coulon, Manager of Culinary Standards for True Food Kitchen, helps us explore what sets True Food Kitchen apart from other culinary dining establishments. In order to ensure guests receive only the freshest ingredients possible, TFK changes its menu seasonally to use what’s currently in season. Meat-lovers, vegetarians and vegans alike, can be sure to find something that will satisfy their cravings for a good meal, while still being healthy. As a guest of True Food Kitchen, you can be certain you’ll be receiving true-quality ingredients, from a team that is passionate about healthy foods.

Q: Since True Food Kitchen offers seasonal fare, about how long does it typically take to build out each seasonal menu?

Nathan Coulon: We are typically planning one season ahead. We always need to test menu ideas and it can get difficult to test too many seasons ahead, since we cannot get the products we want as they are not in season. Also, when you are buying something, strawberries for example, in winter they taste completely different than when they are in season. It makes it hard to get a true taste for a new dish when none of the ingredients taste like they should. Having said that, the creative process is always ongoing and so something may inspire you now that ends up on a menu a couple of seasons from now.

Q: Do you have a favorite season that brings ingredients you most enjoy working with? What is your favorite ingredient to work with? How does it complement the dishes?

NC: My favorite season is spring. There are so many incredible vegetables that are only available in spring: English peas, perfect strawberries, spring garlic. It’s so amazing to go to the farmer’s markets and see all of the colors as spring turns into summer. I really don’t think I can say I have a favorite ingredient, there are too many amazing flavors, but I really love tomatoes when they are perfectly ripe. Most people haven’t had a great tomato. They’ve only had flavorless, mealy, hard tomatoes that you see at the grocery store.

Q: What is an often underrated dish True Food offers that you would like more guests to try?

NC: The Spaghetti Casserole. It’s a classic True Food Kitchen menu item, and I can’t say it’s underrated, because we do sell a lot, but I think to the average guest that doesn’t know too much about Dr. Weil*, or True Food Kitchen, they might glance over it. It seems simple, and it is, but it’s so good. It really exemplifies True Food kitchen and what we do. Fresh ingredients, simple preparation, great tasting, and healthy.

*Andrew Weil, MD is an American celebrity doctor who is a physician, author, spokesperson, and broadly described “guru” of the alternative medical brands.

Q: For the meat-lovers, what dish is an absolute must-have? What about for the veggie-lovers? Vegans?

NC: When we are talking beef, I love the Grass-fed Burger. It’s grass-fed from start to finish, most grass-fed beef is finished on corn, and ours is completely grass-fed. It’s ground in-house fresh each day. The combination with the cheese, mushrooms, and Umami sauce is amazing. All of those flavors compliment the beef so well. For the veggie-lover, I would recommend the Spaghetti Squash Casserole, or, my favorite salad, the Mediterranean Chopped Salad. Both of those dishes can be vegan if you remove the cheese. The Roasted Squash Pizza on our menu right now is vegan, and with the Almond Ricotta, that we make in-house, you’d never know. I think that’s something we do very well here at True Food Kitchen, we don’t try to make a dish something it’s not, and we make great tasting dishes that also happen to be vegetarian or vegan. I am not vegan, but I would be happy eating the Roasted Squash Pizza and not miss the “meat”.

Q: What can a guest of True Food Kitchen expect to experience when visiting one of your multiple locations?

NC: We strive to make the experience consistent between all of the stores. The menus are the same across the country and the service standards are also the same. We have a lot of guests that eat at different locations across the country.

Q: If you could offer our Living Healthy readers one piece of nutritional advice, what would that be?

NC: Eat more vegetables, and make sure they are fresh vegetables. Many times even “fresh” vegetables are a week or two old before the consumer gets them. You should be trying to go to farmer’s markets and buying vegetables that have just been picked.

True Food Kitchen is located at the following locations:

True Food - Phoenix, AZ

True Food - Scottsdale, AZ

True Food - El Segundo, CA

True Food - Newport Beach, CA

True Food - Palo Alto, CA

True Food - Pasadena, CA

True Food - San Diego, CA

True Food - Santa Monica, CA

True Food - Walnut Creek, CA

True Food - Denver, CO

True Food - Boca Raton, FL

True Food - Naples, FL

True Food - Atlanta, GA

True Food - Chicago, IL

True Food - Bethesda, MD

True Food - King of Prussia, PA

True Food - Nashville, TN

True Food - Austin, TX

True Food - Dallas, TX

True Food - Houston, TX

True Foods - Plano, TX

True Food - The Woodlands, TX

True Food - Fairfax, VA

Distance to closest LA Fitness: Varies by state.

INSIDE OUT QUINOA BURGER

Ingredients – Quinoa Patties

Method

Ingredients – Burger Toppings

Method

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Lemon Juice
0.5 tsp Red Chili Flakes
2 Whole Eggs (whipped)
4 c Red Quinoa (cooked)
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tbsp Mint Leaves (minced)
1 tbsp Oregano Leaves (minced)
1 tsp Kosher Salt
small pinch Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/4 c Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs

In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, red chili flakes, and eggs. Whisk together. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine quinoa, cumin, mint, oregano, salt and pepper.
Combine the wet ingredients with the quinoa mix. Mix together well, until evenly incorporated.
Fold the breadcrumbs into the mixture.
Press 1/3 cup of the mixture into a ring mold, gently pressing down at the edges of each, to form patties.
Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes.
Let the patties cool before using.

Note: If saving patties, they should be held at 41 degrees or below.

Shelf Life: 3 days

4 Sliced Tomatoes
4 Cucumber Slices
2 leaves torn Butter Lettuce
6 pieces Red Onion
2 tsp Feta Cheese
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 pinch Salt
0.5 tsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Hummus
2 tsp Tzatziki

In a bowl, toss tomatoes, cucumber, onion, lettuce, and feta cheese with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
On bottom quinoa patty, top with 1 tbsp of hummus.
Place tossed veggies on top of hummus spread.
Garnish the veggies with the 1 tsp of tzatziki.
Top with the other quinoa patty & enjoy!

Makes: 2 Inside Out Quinoa Burgers

Keep an eye out for some new True Food Kitchen locations COMING SOON:

Boca Raton, FL – Opening Spring 2018

Nashville, TN – Opening Spring 2018

The Woodlands, TX – Opening Summer 2018

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Holly, Jolly & Healthy

by DebbieJ MS RDN | Dec 20, 2017 | All, Home, Nutrition

A round belly that shakes like jelly may be desirable for Old Saint Nick, but not the rest of us. Did you know that holiday weight gain may be slow and subtle, but it can take up to 5 months in the new year to lose those pounds? Any gain retained can contribute to “creeping obesity” that gradually accumulates over the years. Start making changes now to your normal festive food routines to avoid an extra “gift” in your midsection after the holidays. Here are our top tips to stay slim and trim this month:

Gifts to groups

Be a role model – Don’t bring edible goodies to share, unless it’s fresh fruit or individually-wrapped mints.

Candy bowls

Limit yourself to 1 piece for each hour since your last meal.
Keep a pile of your wrappers in plain view as a visual reminder of how much you’ve eaten. You’ll be less likely to indulge again with the evidence in front of you.

Bakery trays

See a donut or brownie you want? Leave the room for at least an hour and tell yourself you can have half of that particular one the next time you pass by. Chances are it may not still be there!

Drinks

Dilute sugary fruit beverages with sparkling water.
Split deluxe coffee drinks in half and fill with plain coffee.
Alternate an alcoholic beverage with water or a virgin drink.

Celebration meals

Use an Air Fryer for those traditionally decadent fried foods like latkes.
Limit yourself to 2 starches of any kind. (Ex: a roll + scoop mashed potatoes; or a corn cob + scoop noodles)
Do most of the cooking from scratch. You have more control over the ingredients, plus you burn calories working in the kitchen!

Buffets

Make just one trip through a buffet, taking only a single entrée, side and vegetable.
Keep portion sizes small and choose items that have been baked, steamed or grilled.

Other

Focus on conversation and the festivities by playing games, dancing or taking a walk instead of eating mindlessly.

Good intentions only go so far. Write out your action plan to stay on track and keep your waistline trim. What are your ways for preventing holiday weight gain? Share them in the comment section below!

Reference:

Weight Gain over the Holidays in Three Countries. Helander EE, Wansink B, Chieh A. The New England Journal of Medicine 2016 Sep 22; 375(12): 1200-1202.