Welcome to

Austin Healthy Cooking

Choose Well, Eat Well, Live Well!

 

Austin TX
 phone 512 487 8241

Frequently Asked Questions

   

How long does it take for freshly ground wheat to spoil?

Tough question.  Very finely ground wheat that is ground in a high speed impact grinder will disperse the globules of wheat germ oil throughout the mix.  Those finer particles will begin to oxidize immediately.  Depending on the size of the particles, finer ones will combine with oxygen within a day or so.  The larger particles will clump together in a process called agglutination.  (not the reference to languages)  As the particles clump through the attraction at the molecular level, then the larger clumps are not as exposed to free oxygen as the small particles are.  There are still small amounts of oxygen present within the clumps, but not near enough for total oxidation and so rancidity begins to occur.  Generally within a couple of days or so, unrefrigerated ground wheat will begin to smell bad, rancid.  And it is usable, but the resulting baked goods will be off tasting.  Stone ground wheat is generally coarser, in the 35k to 42k angstrom size and these will oxidize less rapidly as the globules of the wheat germ are not as exposed to oxygen.  Stone ground wheat will be fresher for a week or more.   

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How can you say it is "Healthy Cooking" when most of your recipes use butter and olive oil?

Not such a tough question.  Humans evolved eating fats.  There are many types of fat, and we get them from many sources.  Nuts, seeds, whole grains, fruits, and of course, from animals.  The fact is that we need fat to live, without it, we die.  My whole concept of "Healthy Cooking" is based on eating what we need, and eliminating things that are not whole, not real, manufactured.  And of course to make those things that we eat pleasing to the palate, otherwise we won't eat them.  Butter and olive oil both are excellent sources of good healthy fats.  Yeah, I know, butter, but in reality, it is a very nice fat.  And pretty tasty as well.  I never use a whole stick of butter in anything, a bit for sauteing, a bit for flavor and enhancement, but the thing is not to overindulge.  The problems occur when we as humans get stuck on the SAD (Standard American Diet) which is rich, no, actually grotesquely bloated with unhealthy fats.  Canola oil dominates America.  The toxicity of canola is widely known and yet because it is a mega money maker for big agribusiness it will not be removed from the foods processed for us.  Again, as I always say, the government allows these things to be put in our food, but they don't yet make us eat it.  That is always up to us.  

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I see other flavored pastas in the store, or at shows.  They are brighter colored than yours.  What is the difference?

Well, without knowing the manufacturer, I would guess that they use powdered vegetables when they make their pasta.  Dried and powdered spinach, tomato, garlic, peppers and others are readily available and make the manufacture of pasta way way easier.  They also give a more consistent color.  There are also some manufacturers that use artificial coloring to get that consistent color.  To me, that is just wrong.  The taste though, and not to mention the nutrient quality of these products, well, that is up to you.  I’ve tried some of them, I understand why we sell so much of ours.  I only use real vegetables, real herbs, real 100% whole Durum wheat.  We even grind our black pepper just before making our pasta, to get the best flavor possible.  It is all at my other website, www.GourmetTexasPasta.com  

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My brother is diabetic and rather than counting 'sugar', the new method of dealing w/ juvenile diabetes is to count (and they are encouraged to decrease the carbohydrates they eat).  Can you comment on this to me and/or to others on your website?  Is your pasta any better or worse than others?

Let me just say a few things about what is going on with your brother.  I am very familiar with juvenile diabetes as my first wife, of whom I was married to for 23 years, was diagnosed at the age of 5 with it.  Carbs are carbs is the traditional way of thinking for most doctors and is the viewpoint of most standard diabetic diets.  But then Americans have been subjected to this type of tunnel vision for decades.  Only relatively recently has the SAD (Standard American Diet) been shown to be harmful to us.  But then those that have eaten and promoted whole foods and whole grains especially have known this for a very long time.  Carbs do breakdown into sugar in the system, there is no controversy there.  The way in which this happens, the speed that it occurs, and the ultimate byproducts are all that have cause for debate.  Whole grains, and this includes whole grain pasta as well, lessen the impact to the blood sugar because of their very nature.  The fiber, the germ oil, and the lower total carb content per weight are all contributors to the greater value as a constituent of a healthy diet.  White flour products, semolina, and degerminated corn products are all just basically starch, with all the nutritive value removed and then just a few, (and very few) prime minerals artificially added back in.  And in the case of white flour, known carcinogens, potassium bromides and chlorine, are added as well.  To consume basic starch with few nutrients and harmful chemicals is not advisable to a system that must deal with the adversity of juvenile diabetes to begin with.  Pasta, like so many whole and natural foods can be included in the diet, in moderation and with careful monitoring as well. 

Hope that helps somewhat. 

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Why doesn't the FDA take all these products off the market if they are really bad for us?

The answer is money.  Big business has money, money talks.  I recently saw a movie on the Sundance channel that was called "The World According to Monsanto"  A very powerful and scary movie.  Big money, very scary what they do with, and the proven bribery, falsification, lying, lawsuits, all very scary.  The FDA was a good idea, but the execution of that idea has failed miserably.  Ultimately, the fact is that it is up to you what food products and what additives go into our body.  The Government says that big business can put that crap in our food but so far, they don't make you eat it. 

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What's with the hair?

Well, I am not trying to look like the guy on the hundred dollar bill.  I used to have a twelve inch handlebar and that ain't on the hundred.  Actually, for most of my adult life I have grown my hair out for 3 or 4 years and then cut it and donated the hair to the American Cancer Society or the Breast Cancer people for them to make wigs for cancer victims.  A little thing, but I would otherwise just toss it out every few months or so when it got trimmed.  I have not let it grow for about 7 years and am now single (YAY, no more abusive relationship!!!) and able to do what I want for the first time in as long and so, longer hair.  Not as much up there as in my youth, but it all helps in the overall scheme of things. 

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What is the best way to start to eat whole grains?

This question is something that is dear to me.  Whole grains are not the fountain of youth, but they will help to equalize your system and provide nutrients that are missing in the Standard American Diet (yes, it is SAD).  It is best to start slow, just get some brown rice.  My favorite grain is one that feeds a major portion of the world.  It does not have to be bland and tasteless, there are so many wonderful recipes that you can try out to find something that you and your family will love and will add so many health benefits.  Come into the store and take part in one of our FREE Cooking classes and find many cool recipes.  When you eat brown rice at least three times a week you will find that dry skin is a thing of the past.  Then if you can get some real whole wheat bread (bread made from flour ground fresh) you will see a tremendous change in your overall health.  Start there, then increase your intake with different whole grains and you will find that meat dishes are not as necessary as you thought.

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How do I keep pasta from sticking if I don't put oil in the water as you recommend?

Stir it.  Every minute or so, stir it.  Oil floats on the top and won't prevent sticking.  It will help keep it from boiling over a tiny bit, but you can do that by dropping the heat level after it comes back to a boil. 

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Why do Lasagna noodles have ruffled edges?

They allow moisture, and of course your sauce, to flow between the layers and allow for a more consistent product.  If there was no flow between the layers, much of the noodle may cook more on one side than the other.  Remember, it is in the oven with limited moisture, not boiling in a pot of water.  The liquids have to flow freely between the layers for the sauce to adequately and equally cook the noodles. 

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I see all these vegetarians and they seem so skinny and sickly, are they?

I don't know.  I have seen a lot vegetarian, vegan and fruitarians that looked half dead.  I have to admit that I am only vegetarian about 95% of the time.  I think that eating meat, especially grocery store meats where the animals are feed grains that are loaded with pesticides and herbicides, fed hormones and antibiotics to get them to grow faster, raised in questionable sanitary circumstances; is not that healthy for you.  This country has the greatest supply of food on earth and yet the quality of that largesse is questionable at best.  I think that skipping a bit of meat as the main dish will help you out in the long run, and those that do, will feel better for it.  If your waistline shrinks a bit because of it, then all the better.  Hey, I don't eat steak, but a bit of bacon in my Pasta Carbonara is spectacular.  And some real organic chicken is a treat.  And I am not some skinny guy that looks like death warmed over, I am fit, full bodied (as they say) and pretty darn happy with life.  I hope that you can be the same.  There are a lot of people out there that think that being vegetarian means eating lots of salad and vegetables.  Those are the sickly skinny ones.  Knowledge and planning are the key to making vegetarianism healthy and most important, satisfying. 

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Visiting Chef Roy will teach healthy cooking techniques to you, your group, or your company.  Just call to arrange Healthy Cooking!

 

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