Our Pro Tips
Preping
You’ve been slicing avocados wrong your whole life!
Rather than halve the avocado lengthwise, halve it crosswise, around the pit. If the avocado is ripe, at this point you can simply give the avocado a gentle squeeze and the pit will drop right out. No dangerous knife-wielding necessary! But the real magic comes once the pit is outta there. You scoop out the avocado from the peel, then slice the avocado into rings. At this point you can top your salad or sandwich with the rings or you can halve them.
Cooking
How to cook anything in a slow cooker
Before placing ingredients in the cooker:
– Sear meats, unless you want shredded texture
– Fully cook ground beef
– Brown pre-cooked meats and tofu
– Cut vegetables to the same size, so they’ll cook evenly
– Add hearty vegetables like carrots and onions first
– Never use frozen ingredients—they’ll bring the cooking temperature down
– Ingredients like rice and pasta should be added towards the end of the cooking process, to avoid turning to mush.
Handy guide for converting cooking times:
Oven/Stovetop: 15 – 30 minutes = Low: 4 – 6 hours = High: 1-1/2 – 2-1/2 hours
Oven/Stovetop: 31 – 40 minutes = Low: 6 – 8 hours = High: 3 – 4 hours
Oven/Stovetop: 41 minutes – 3+ hours = Low: 8 – 10+ hours = High: 4 – 6+ hours
Brewing
How to make a really good cup of coffee
1. Keep your machine clean, inside and out. It may sound like a no-brainer, but calcium deposits and other gunk can make for bitter, not to mention, icky brew. Once per month, it’s a good idea to deep clean your machine by running through a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water as if you were brewing a whole pot. Once brewed, run the mixture through a second time for maximum clean. Follow up with a pot of plain water to rinse.
2. Use quality coffee. As with any brewing method, raw material is essential.
3. Buy quality coffee, whole. Pre-ground is a no-no. For filter coffee, what’s important is that you wait until just before you brew to maintain the fullest flavor.
4. Measure up. Make sure not to overload or skimp—a safe rule of thumb is two healthy tablespoons of coffee per 16oz of water.
Toasting
Take time to choose your bread
Bread is, after all, the foundation of toast; choosing the right ingredient platform is crucial. See what’s available through local baking partners and sample each option—plain, toasted, and with ingredients. Just because a bread tastes great on its own doesn’t mean it will complement the ingredients you have in mind. How thick does your bread need to be to support your avocado, marinated goat cheese, and olive oil creation? Many bakeries will pre-slice bread, but be sure that whatever size you choose fits in your toaster. Keep it crispy. Toast is not toast without crunch. Hold the bread for twenty seconds after toasting. This lets the bread release steam, keeping the crispiness.
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