Summer grilling tips "101" with Chef Cristian Feher

Summer Grilling Tips
By: Chef Cristian Feher
www.tampabaychef.com

The temperature is rising, the sun is shining, and the grass is growing like, well... grass. It’s summer. For most people this means firing up the grill, sticking meat on it, and walking away. And for some, it means burnt pucks, rusty grills and a boring repertoire of tiresome menu ideas. In this article I will give you some tips that should improve your grilling skills, help you maintain your grill, and give you some new ideas to expand your summer menu.

Does your grill get rusty? Does food tend to stick and hold on for dear life? A grill, much like your car, could use some maintenance every now and then. And you may not be aware of it.  Rust and sticking might just be an issue of maintenance. The first thing you should do before you even turn on your grill is to take some spray vegetable oil and spray all of the inside surfaces; the grill, the inside of the lid, the sides and the bottom under the burners. Once you turn on your grill, the oil will burn onto the surfaces protecting them from rust. This is called “curing” your grill. Another good thing that burnt oil does, is it makes your grill surface non-stick over time. The more oil you can burn onto your grilling surface, the less food will stick to it. This practice will eventually turn your grill into a seasoned “classic” instead of a rusty “junker”. So, throw that heavy steel brush away and clean your grill gently with a Brillo pad just to get the big chunks of burnt food off. If you use a steel brush, you’re really just removing that burnt oil and ruining the non-stick property of the grill - not to mention that you’re creating the perfect surface for rust to form. If there is some grease on your grill and it grosses you out, just preheat the grill with your lid closed to 400 or 500 degrees for a few minutes and it will sterilize the surface, making is completely safe to cook on. And remember that your grill must be really hot before you put food on it, otherwise you can bet that it will always stick - burnt oil or not.

Do you start with a perfectly good steak, and end up with a mysterious lump of charred coal? Unless you’re a meat alchemist (an alchemist was a medieval “scientist” that tried to turn metals into gold by using magic, potions and so forth) you could probably benefit from what I’m about to share with you. Stop looking as your grill as a grill, and start looking at it as an outdoor oven. The whole idea of the grill is not to apply fire directly to your meat, but to surround it in heat. When I grill, I only turn on half of the heating elements, leaving the other half of my grill off. I put the meat on the “cold” side of the grill and close the lid. The temperature goes up to 400 or 500 anyways, and since there is no fire directly under my meats, they cook evenly and they don’t burn. And since it’s so hot in there, they still get perfect grill marks. You can also do this with a charcoal grill by moving the hot coals over to one half of the grill, or you can lower the coal so that the fire is not in actual contact with the meat. The idea is to use your grill as an oven, and not an incinerator. Would you cook your meat with a blow torch? I didn’t think so. If your grill doesn’t have a lid, or doesn’t give you a choice of lighting up only half the grill, then you should consider buying a new grill that has these functions. There is no sense keeping a piece of equipment around if it doesn’t do the job.

Use your grill as an oven. As stated above, a grill with a lid is really just an outdoor oven. And if you have the capability of turning off half of your grill, you can use the other half as an oven. I actually bake in my oven during the summer months when it makes no sense to heat up my kitchen (Here in Florida, that’s about 10 months out of the year). I put my baking and roasting foods such as salmon, whole fish, roasting potatoes, marinated turkey breasts, meat loaf, whole chickens, etc, on a non stick baking sheet, as I would for a regular oven, and put them in the “cold” side of the grill. Lid closed, temperature regulated by thermometer on the lid. It becomes a really efficient outdoor oven. And since I never really roast anything under 400 degrees anyways (most Chefs don’t) the grill works perfectly for me. I even bake puff pastry appetizers in the grill and am able to add a nice, smoky flavor to foods by adding some wood chips in there, or using my charcoal grill as an oven. It really beats my indoor oven hands-down for most recipes.  If your grill has a stove top, try grilling your meatballs while preparing a fresh tomato sauce on the stove. I guarantee you won’t go back in your kitchen for a while!

I always enjoy reading emails from my readers. Have you prepared something interesting on your grill? Do you have tips of your own to share? Please email me at tampabaychef@gmail.com. You can also visit our website at www.tampabaychef.com. Grill on!

Cheap Meat Cookery "101"

Cheap Meat Cookery "101"
By: Chef Cristian Feher
www.tampabaychef.com

Cheap grocery store meat. Before you even asked, "What is this?" You had it in your cart, slammed it on the belt, and paraded it across your living room and into the kitchen like a proud hunter - a bargain hunter. But now you're like, "What is this and how the heck do I cook it?" 

There are two reasons why meat would be cheap. One, it's about to expire (or has expired already). Or two, it's usually a less popular and tough cut of meat requiring more skill and longer cooking time to prepare. In this article I will give you the "101" on cheap meat cookery so that you can be a proud bargain hunter and a proud cook as well.

Should I buy it? At that price, you’d be stupid not to, right? Wrong. First you must ascertain whether it’s cheap because it’s bad or cheap because it’s less popular. Your nose was put on your face for this purpose. So tear the plastic wrapping and smell the meat. If it smells really sour, bad, or it smells like excrement, put it back. Chicken and pork should be pretty much odorless, and beef should smell like blood - you can expect a slightly metallic smell. Although it's acceptable for beef to have a slight metallic smell, it should not make you do the I-just-smelled-something-really-bad-face. If it “stinks”, it’s bad. Your nose never lies. Now that it’s passed the smell test, we can continue.

Beef, it’s what’s for dinner. The softer and fattier the cut, the more expensive. Reversely, the leaner and tougher the cut, the cheaper it is. You will probably find cuts of beef like bottom round, chuck steak, sirloin tip, brisket and shanks on sale. And while they may not be things you stick on the grill, you can prepare really delicious dishes with a little more time and effort. You can take chuck steak, put it into a pressure cooker or slow cooker and make a flavourful, tender stew. Beef shanks are culinary gold if you prepare them Osso Bucco style - just find the recipe online or email me. And you can tenderize tougher cuts like bottom round, sirloin tip, and brisket with some meat tenderizer (like papain or papaya enzyme) added to your favorite marinade over night.  Corn starch and egg whites are used by Chinese chefs to tenderize meats.

Chicken. For dark meat lovers like myself, I’m glad that I can always find cheap chicken leg quarters, drumsticks, and boneless chicken thighs. Dark meat has a slightly higher fat content than breast meat which makes it softer and juicier. For really good grilled chicken legs, you can soak your chicken legs in salted water with lemon juice for 1 hour, then pat dry and dust them with adobo seasoning or all-purpose Spanish seasoning. Turn half of your BBQ grill on high and leave the other half off. Put the chicken pieces over the side that is off, close the lid and wait 45 minutes to an hour for perfectly roasted, crispy chicken. Cook the boneless chicken thighs in BBQ sauce and flake the meat when it’s done. Put this on a potato bread hamburger roll with cheese and coleslaw and you have an award winning, Southern style, chicken sandwich. Remember, chicken breasts are for suckers.

Pork (the other white meat) is probably the lowest priced and most readily available meat around. This is due to the pig's natural ability to convert food into meat more efficiently and faster than any other livestock animal. You can always find whole pork shoulders, Boston butt roasts and hams on sale. If done right, a nice pork shoulder or butt roast is sublime. You can stab the pork with a knife, twist, and then fill the hole with garlic, herbs and spices. Do this throughout the whole piece. Try different combinations of spices. Rub the outside of the pork with plenty of all purpose seasoning, oil and herbs and marinate in the fridge over night. Roast it at 325-350 over a few hours and you should end up with a delicious pork roast that will make you wonder why you ever spent all that money roasting expensive beef. The trick to perfecting your pork is to experiment with lots of herbs and spices.

Game meats, like wild duck, elk, buffalo, boar, venison, and other game are not usually under the category of "cheap meats". But it's worth a mention that you may find it on sale at your local market depending on where you live. Here in Florida I'm actually able to find buffalo meat on sale quite often. And if you live in the Northwest, you should have no problems finding game like elk, venison, and caribou. Wherever you find them, game meats, in general, tend to be tougher than conventional livestock like pigs, chickens and cows, for the simple reason that livestock animals are tenderized through their feed, breeding and lack of physical activity. Wild animals, because of their naturally active lifestyles, tend to build tougher muscle and have less fat. However, this should not deter you from buying it and cooking it. With the right techniques, a tough buffalo steak, or a wild duck breast can melt in your mouth! Slow cooking methods such as braising, simmering and low heat charcoal grilling are excellent ways to prepare game meats. I plan to write a more dedicated article for game meats in my blog.

Now take this article and tear through your neighborhood market with a big grin, for you are the great white bargain hunter, and cheap meat is your game.

Save the Whales, Kill the Veggies - A substitution guide for vegetarians

Save the Whales, Kill the Veggies - A substitution guide for vegetarians
By: Chef Cristian Feher

You had a sudden epiphany and realized that your true calling in life is to save the animals and be one with the Earth. You’re sort of a born again vegan-Jesus,  walking the countryside to spread the good word of peace, love and kindness to animals. Or maybe you’re in college, everyone else is doing it, and it would match your new leather sandals and woolly socks. Whatever your reason, you’ve decided to go vegetarian and here are some substitutions that you can make to vanquish animal products from your diet.

Butter. For many new vegetarians, this one might be a hard one to do without. But do not fear, for there are perfectly suitable replacements for butter in the market nowadays. Kelapo virgin coconut oil is a great substitution for butter. You can fry with it, spread it on toast, use it to bake cookies and pastries and incorporate it into any recipe that would call for butter. It even imparts a really nice coco-nutty aroma to whatever you’re cooking.

Mayonnaise. If you plan on eating sandwiches or wraps, you’re really going to miss mayonnaise since it’s made with eggs. But the good people at Follow Your Heart have come up with and excellent substitute which is dairy and egg free and also tastes great! You can use it on your sandwiches, wraps and salads as a base for many dressings such as veggie-ranch and veggie-Caesar. This product is called vegenaise and is made by several different companies.

Bacon. Sorry, there is no good substitute. But when you’re ready to come back to the dark side, I have some really good recipes for you.

Burgers, Meats and Sausage. There are many tofu and soy-based meat substitutes out there and a many of them are actually quite good. Morningstar Farms makes a great portobello mushroom veggie burger that will stand up for itself after being pushed into a high school locker by a gang of Angus beef burgers. They also have a great ground “meat” substitute that makes excellent tacos and chili.

These substitutions should get you started on your path to veggie enlightenment. May the wind carry you forward and the sun shine brightly on your face. And remember, vegetables can’t be trusted. Eat them before they eat you!

How to make french crepes recipe video

Basic Crepe Recipe
By: Chef Cristian Feher
www.tampabaychef.com

Crepes are very versatile and stylish. You can cook them ahead, or you can prepare them fresh in front of your guests. You can even freeze them. You can serve them with sweet or savory fillings. They can be a breakfast, brunch, or even a dinner item. Whichever way you like them, this is the easiest way to make them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

This recipe yields aprox 15 crepes.


Ingredients:
- 4 whole eggs
- 1.5 cups of milk
- 1 cup of water
- 2 cups of flour
- 1/4 cup of melted butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla concentrate

Instructions:


1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until the mixture has no lumps and is very smooth. This shouldn't take much longer than a minute.

2. Pour the batter into a pitcher or empty plastic bottle and store in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This step is important because you want the air bubbles to rise to the top of the mixture. If there are too many bubbles in the batter, your crepes will split and break while you're trying to flip them in the pan.

3. Heat a non-stick skillet on medium high heat. When it's hot enough to evaporate drops of water quickly, pour in a little bit of batter (about 2 to 4 oz depending on the size of crepe you want) and swirl around once to spread the batter. Cook for for about 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove the crepe onto a plate.

NOTE: You can store crepes by stacking them, putting them in a freezer bag or sealable container and storing them in the fridge. They will hold up in the fridge for a few days and in the freezer for a couple of weeks.

Pillsbury crescent roll recipes - The top 5 crescent roll recipes in America

Pillsbury crescent roll recipes - the top 5 crescent roll recipes in America
By: Chef Cristian Feher
www.tampabaychef.com

American convenience is the new French cuisine. Well, not really, but it's still pretty darn tasty. Here are America's top five crescent roll recipes (according to me, America). Get your oven ready 'cause you're not gonna want to miss this.

Greek Spinach Crescent Rolls:
Ever hear of "Spanakopita"? It's the Greek word for spinach pies, and it's OK if you can't pronounce it because I'm going to show you how to make spanakopita with Pillsbury crescent rolls. Sautee a diced onion and two cloves of minced garlic in a pan with a little olive oil until the onions are translucent (about 12 minutes). Then add a bag of fresh baby spinach leaves and wilt them. This will only take about five minute. Set aside and let it cool. Once the spinach mixture is cool enough to handle, wring out the water with your hands and put them into a new bowl. Fill each crescent triangle half full with some spinach mixture and a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese, then fold the other half of the triangle over and pinch the sides shut. Bake in oven until the rolls are puffy and golden brown.

Smoked Turkey, Boursin Cheese and Cranberry Crescent Rolls:
This one is a family holiday favorite way to enjoy your crescent rolls. Simply fill half of your crescent triangle with smoked turkey, a spoonful of Boursin cheese and a dollop (yes, a dollop) of cranberry sauce. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and enjoy these sweet and savory morels.

Terriyaki Tempura Shrimp Crescent Rolls:
Feeling a little fusion? I know I am. These are a great conversation piece at dinner parties. Simply purchase some ready made tempura shrimp in the frozen seafood section of your local grocery store. Roll a piece of tempura shrimp into a crescent roll, bake and drizzle with terriyaki glaze (found in the Asian food isle) and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Drizzle with Srirachia hot chili sauce or spicy chili mayo (4 parts mayo to 1 part chili paste) for a Japo-American taste sensation.

Breakfast Crescent Rolls:
Layer the following from bottom to top and bake to golden perfection: A crescent roll triangle laid flat, thick cut smoked ham, scrambled eggs, chopped scallions (or chives), a slice of Muenster cheese and another crescent roll triangle. Not a morning person? You will be after you try these.

Argentinian Empanada Crescent Rolls:
If you've ever had the pleasure of having an Argentinian beef empanada, then you know why these are at the top of the list. And if you've never had one, put on your Gaucho hat and get ready to explore the best of South American cooking.  Cook the following in a non-stick skillet: 1/2 cup of shortening, 2 onions chopped, 1 Lb lean ground beef, 2 tbsp of Paprika, 1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tbsp of white vinegar, 1/4 cup raisins, 1/2 cup of pitted green olives chopped, 2 hard boiled eggs chopped, salt and pepper to taste. If you can keep from eating this mixture out of the pan, cool it down to room temp and stuff your crescent triangle half full of the mixture, fold over empty half and pinch sides to trap the filling inside the "empanada". Bake, taste, conquer.

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Leftover ham recipes - 5 easy ways to cook leftover ham

Leftover ham recipes - 5 easy ways to cook leftover ham
By: Chef Cristian Feher
Tampa Bay Personal Chef Services

You sauntered through the refrigerated meat section and came across a deal that was too good to pass up, which is usually the way most people acquire a 10lb ham. Or maybe you have leftover holiday ham from a family get together. The point is that you would never waste such tasty, succulent meat. But you still have 8Lbs left and can't even fit anything else into your cluttered fridge. That's why I'm going to give you five ways to rescue that ham and give it new life.

Ham and Split Pea Soup:
One of my favorite soups. It's as good as it is easy to prepare. Soup pot. 1 pound of diced ham. 1 diced onion. 1 pound dried split peas. Cover with chicken stock or water just enough to cover the ingredients. Cook until the split peas disapear and you end up with a nice green liquid, you may need to add water if too much has evaporated (if you only see dry split peas and ham). Season with salt and pepper. Take the soup off the heat and let stand until it cools down a bit, it will thicken during the cool down.

Deviled Ham:
I must confess that Underwood canned deviled ham is one of my secret passions. But this recipe is almost as good. You will need a food processor. Add enough diced ham to fill up about 3/4 of your food processor (about 1 lb on my food processor). Add 1/2 cup of mayo, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 1/2 chopped onion, 2 Tbsp of hot sauce or more if you like it spicy (you can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper), 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Combine all ingredients in the food processor and blend until smooth. This mixture will make amazing sandwiches, but I prefer to cook spaghetti pasta, drain it, and mix it with a cup or two of deviled ham and heat it together in a skillet with a little olive oil, fresh Parmesan cheese and fresh chopped basil leaves. Pure heaven.


Glory, glory, ham united sandwich:
I made this sandwich while watching soccer at a friend's house and it still remains his favorite sandwich to date. Get some fresh, crusty Italian of French bread and layer the following from bottom to top: A tonne of sliced ham, mayo mixed with crushed garlic and parsley, thick slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, sliced ripe tomatoes, roasted peppers, salt, pepper, olive oil, and basil leaves. You can eat it cold, or roast it in the oven open faced until the mozzarella gets warm. One bite and you'll be making inappropriate humming sounds.

Penne Alfredo w/ Ham and Peas:
A great pasta dish if you don't mind the calories, fat and carbs. But it's all about the taste, right? The Alfredo, or more accurately - cream sauce, is made by frying up a diced onion with three bay leaves, salt and some pepper until the onion becomes translucent. I like to add fresh tarragon to my cream sauce. Add 2 to 3 cups of heavy cream and bring it to a simmer. Once it simmers you will thicken it with a roux - a roux is a flour mixed with vegetable oil so that it becomes the consistency of tooth paste. Take a whisk and whisk in a little roux at a time into the cream sauce. Once it has thickened enough, cook out the sauce at low heat for 10 more minutes. Adjust the salt and pepper, set aside. Cook you pasta, chop your ham and get your peas ready. In a non-stick skillet heat up the ham and peas until hot, then add the cooked pasta of choice and cream sauce. Toss, heat, mix, serve, enjoy, then go for a 5k run to burn it off.  

Breakfast Pizza:
If you looked at this title and said, "Ewww.." you probably hate laughter, happiness and money. Stop reading this and go for a walk in traffic. The rest of you are in for a treat. Get some store-bought pizza dough, roll it and flatten it into the shape of a pizza. Sprinkle it with plenty of chopped ham, cover with a lot of soggy scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon and shredded cheese of choice. Bake until the crust is cooked and enjoy by dipping in ranch dressing or BBQ sauce. Good morning, indeed.


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Leftover chicken recipes | 5 easy ways to cook leftover chicken

Leftover chicken recipes - 5 easy ways to cook leftover chicken
By: Chef Cristian Feher
Tampa Bay Personal Chef Services

If you're like many people, you just can't help but pass the rotisserie chicken section at your local supermarket without sticking one of those juicy, crispy, perfectly machine-roasted birds in your cart. But after a couple of days it just sits in your fridge with parts missing, looking kind of like an avian amputee. Do you throw it out? No need to waste your money. Here are five easy and delicious recipes for leftover chicken.

Chicken Vegetable Soup:

This recipe works well for those of you who collect odds and ends in your kitchen pantry. Soup is an excellent way to use leftover foods and stuff you want to get rid of. Start by chopping up celery, onions, carrots, and any other green vegetable you may have laying around (asparagus, zucchini, watercress, etc). Do not use broccoli or cauliflower, as these will impart a sulfur taste to your soup that most people will find unpleasant. I always keep a jar of organic chicken bullion on my fridge, but you can also use powdered chicken bullion or packaged chicken stock, and worst case scenario, just use water and salt. Fry your veggies with a little olive oil until the onion becomes translucent. Add a couple of minced garlic cloves, and the chicken. You can put in the whole chicken, cut it in parts, or you can take the meat off by hand and just add the meat. Fill with water until it just covers the chicken and veggies. If you're adding rice, pasta or barley, make sure you add more water to compensate. Mix some chicken bullion in the water until it tastes like a nice flavorful chicken stock. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 1 hour uncovered. If the pasta, rice or barley absorbed too much water, add more water and adjust the chicken stock if the taste is too bland. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary and enjoy!

Chicken Salad:

This is probably the fastest thing you can do with leftover chicken. Quickly take the meat off the bones with your (clean) hands and put the meat into a bowl. Add some chopped celery and chopped scallions, fresh ground pepper, salt, a little Dijon mustard and mayo. Stir and you're done! This can be eaten in a sandwich of on the side of a salad, or even by itself (for you low carb dieters). Another variation of this salad takes the addition of a teaspoon of curry powder for an aromatic taste.  You can also add diced apples and grapes for a sweeter contrast.

Chicken Club Wrap w/ Tzatziki Yogurt Sauce:

If you like Greek food and bacon, this recipe will blow you away! You can use pre-cooked bacon, but I prefer the real deal and find that organic apple wood smoked bacon (uncured) tastes the best. But you can use your favorite bacon. The best way to cook bacon to perfection is on a non-stick cookie sheet (baking sheet) in the oven at 400 until the bacon browns. Take it out, let it cool, sop up the grease with paper towel and you have perfect sandwich bacon. Now for the tzatziki sauce. It's best to use a food processor for this, but you can do it by hand. Mince 2 garlic cloves, and 1/2 of a peeled cucumber in a food processor. Add this mixture to a cup of plain Greek yogurt (or regular yogurt) and season with a little olive oil, spritz of lemon juice, fresh cracked black pepper and plenty of salt. Mix well. On the wrap you will put a good amount of shredded chicken meat, tomato slices, lettuce, bacon and tzatziki sauce. Roll it up and get ready, 'cause it's gonna be good!

Chicken Quesadilllas:

Again, this is a very easy recipe. You will need chicken meat, tomato salsa, and shredded cheese (like cheddar, monterrey, queso blanco, gouda or even mozza would work). Lay a flour or corn tortilla flat, fill half of it with the chicken, salsa and cheese and fold the empty half over onto the food. This way you can flip it easier on the pan (versus having one tortilla flat on top of another). Cook on a non-stick skillet at med-low heat making sure not to burn the bottom of the tortilla. Wait until the cheese starts to melt and then careful (and quickly) flip the quesadilla over so the other side can crisp up too. Once the inside is hot and melted, I like to serve it with fresh guacamole and sour cream. But it will be good enough on it's own if you're looking for a quick meal and don't have a lot of time.

Chicken Coconut Curry:

This will require a can of coconut milk, chicken bullion powder or paste (not stock), chickpeas and a potato in addition to the chicken meat. These are the items you should prep: shredded chicken meat, 1 peeled and diced potato, 1 diced onion, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1 tbsp of minced ginger (optional), 1 can of chickpeas drained. Cook the onion with a little vegetable oil. When they become translucent, add the chicken, garlic, ginger, potato, chickpeas, 1 tbsp of yellow curry powder and give it a good stir. Once the curry powder is mixed in there, cook the mixture for a 5 minutes on med-high heat. Add the coconut milk and a bit of chicken bullion to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook at med-low until the potato is cooked. Stir often. I like to serve this on steamed white or basmati rice. But it can be eaten on its own if you're in a hurry.

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The Skinny on Fats - Information Everyone Should Know About Fats, Weight Loss and Nutrition

The Skinny on Fats - Information Everyone Should Know About Fats, Weight Loss and Nutrition

By: Chef Cristian Feher

It seems that most Americans only know one thing about fat - that they’re getting fat. I think that if most people knew a little more about it, maybe they could do something about it too. After all, information is power. And I’m about to fatten you up on information. This is my crash course on fat, what it is, how it affects you and what you can do about it.

I see some of you yawning. Don’t worry. I’m going to use plain English here. And I’ll cut to the chase wherever I can.

What is it? Fat is basically oil. It comes from plants and it comes from animals. Some oil is liquid at room temperature and some oil is solid at room temperature. For example, olive oil in your kitchen is liquid and butter is solid. The main purpose for oil in the animal kingdom and in humans is fuel. Oil is a fuel. Your body runs on it just like a car runs on it. There is not much difference between gasoline at the gas station and a jug of olive oil. They are both considered to be hydrocarbons (liquid carbon - liquid fuel).

Fat as fuel. The human body can burn three different kinds of fuels. But it likes some more than others. It’s fuel of choice is sugar (carbohydrates; bread, pasta, potato, corn, candy, etc). If your body runs out of sugar to burn for fuel, it will then start to burn your fat as fuel. And if your body runs out of sugar and fat, you’re in bad shape buddy! It will start to break down your muscles (protein) and use that for fuel as a last ditch attempt to stay alive.

Is one better than the other? That is a very broad question. But since I asked it, I might as well answer it. Nobody to date has done a complete study as to the ideal and perfect diet for a human being. Probably because humans from different parts of the planet have become used to living off different types of foods. The late Adelle Davis has come close, and I would recommend her books over anyone elses.  However, it is quite clear by just looking around at most people that we fall into two main categories. Some people don’t handle sugar (carbohydrates) very well, and other people don’t handle fat very well. They get fat, overweight and unhealthy.

It’s my opinion that sugar burns you out. Much like race car fuel would burn your engine out in your car. But since this article is about fat, I will leave out a lot about sugars. All I will say is that unless you’re an athlete, or a person that can handle carbohydrates, you should not eat too much of it. However, you do need some of it. But that’s for another article.

Fat is a much better fuel for most people, since it burns slower, and is not as harmful to your body as sugar is. Your body needs fat, and you would probably find yourself in better shape and better health if you burnt more fat than sugar.

How come all these people talk smack about fat?  There are two very important things that you should know about fat. The first is that when we’re talking about calories (a calorie is how much energy a food gives you) one cup of fat will have a lot more calories than one cup of sugar. So if fat is making you fat, you’re probably just eating too much of it and not realizing it. If you were lost in a desert and were a few day’s walk from home, you would get a lot further on a piece of fat than you would on a candy bar. To give you an example: One cup of olive oil is 1910 calories, and one cup of pure sugar is only 774. The oil will provide you with more than double the energy and it will not burn you out. So you should realize this and eat fat, just less of it.

The other important factor in fat, is whether it’s solid or liquid at room temperature. Actually, the better test would be if it’s solid or liquid at body temperature - does it melt on your tongue? If you’re eating solid fat, it’s harder for your body to digest. And some of that solid fat may even end up clinging to your arteries or stored away as fat since your body can’t easily break it down. Probably one of the worst things you can do is eat solid fat with sugar at the same time. Your body will use the sugar and ignore the fat, storing it away “for later”. Sugar also neutralizes your stomach acid, so your stomach is not able to break your food down as it should. Fat does not affect your stomach acid.

Are some fats better than others? As mentioned before, you shouldn’t eat fats that stay solid when you put them on your tongue. These will most likely turn into body fat and won’t be used as fuel. And if you’re mixing that fat with sugar or carbohydrates you can be sure that it will turn into fat. So the better fats would be liquid fats, which would mostly come from vegetables such as olive oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, etc. Animal fat tends to be solid, although extremely tasty! And hydrogenated fats (like margarine and vegetable shortening) are made in a lab, and are garbage. Your body gets clogged up with them. I don’t eat them at all.

The bottom line. Refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup are not foods which are natural to Man. Whether you get fat or skinny from them, they make people unhealthy and you shouldn't’t eat them. You either have a body type that is built for carbohydrates (seeds, grains, potatoes, corn, rice), or you have a body type that is built for fat. I will write an article on the differences in the near future. So the ideal scene to maintain a healthy body and healthy weight is to only eat the amount of fuel that you can burn. If you’re a fat eater, eat liquid fats, but eat only as much as you will need. If you’re a carbohydrate eater, eat less carbohydrates and don’t combine them with fat. But you should pay attention and see which fuel your body prefers. It is my observation that most Americans would do best on a diet that has healthy fat, lean protein and no sugar.

I hope that this information has given you the know-how needed to feed your body the right way. If you have any questions you can always email me at tampabaychef@gmail.com.