Newbie Beginner's Series -"Two Easy Tips"- Starting Plant-Based Diet

What’s Inside: Saute without oil and store fresh herbs for weeks. Impress family, friends with these two easy kitchen/cooking tips I learned, even the non-cooking chef can master.

Plant-Based Living “Newbie Beginner’s Series” a step by step guide. Breaking down the transition phase to a Whole Food Plant Based Diet (Lifestyle). Avoid the overwhelm, save time, money and improve your health.

My husband loves telling the story about a bag of instant rice burning. Simple instructions: place a bag of rice in a pot of boiling water. Cook for X amount of minutes, drain the water and dinner is served.

Simple right?

Are you asking, who burned the instant rice?

Well me, of course!

I’m not a chef nor do I claim to be. I try to do the best I can each day.

But my cooking skills have improved over the years, since I transitioned to a whole foods plant-based diet.

It didn’t happen overnight. But with continuous effort and implementation I’ve improved.

Today, I’m sharing two easy kitchen techniques I learned during my journey from Julie Marie of Protective Diet.com. She teaches the techniques I use to this day.

- Saute without oil

Storing and preserving fresh herbs

Below each video is a step by step instructions for both the dry browning technique and storing fresh herbs technique. But watch the video first so the process makes sense.

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Items Needed:
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For Oil-Free Saute:

- Cooking Pan – (Any kind will do)

Water or Vegetable Broth – (I purchase Oil & Additive Free. Either Pacific or Trader Joe’s – Always check the label) (I’ve also made homemade Veggie Broth)

For Storing And preserving Fresh Herbs:

- Bowl – (for washing the herbs)

- Plastic or Glass Container with a Lid – (To store the herbs in the fridge)

- Flour Sack or Tea Towel – (That fits into the container above)

Dry Erase Marker or Masking Tape – (To label above container- Not essential but nice know what’s in the container without opening it every time.)

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1. Saute without Oil

At first, I worried the onions would burn if oil wasn’t added. But the fear of burning the onions went away the more I applied this technique.

And the easier it became.

Bonus: Download and print the Quick Step by Steps

Start your Plant Based Journey: Free Plant-Based Progress Tracker

Oil Free Dry Browning Technique by Julie Marie from Protective Diet

Quick Step by Step: Oil-Free Saute Technique

First, watch the video above.

- Use a dry stainless pan (instant pot: use saute setting)

- Turn burner to medium heat

- Add onions (diced or sliced)
  - Don’t add any liquid or oil

- Allow onions to brown (or other items. See below for suggestions)
  - Notice the natural water releasing from the item

Stir – occasionally (Approximately 3 minutes)

- - Remove from burner or lower the temperature if:
    - - The onions get too dark
    - Your worried about burning.

- Continue to stir (About another 3 minutes)

- Turn off heat

- Add a small amount of water or vegetable broth

- Stir, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan

Mix everything together

Dry Browning has become a natural part of everyday cooking. Now when I look at a recipe with oil in the ingredients, the first thing I do is see if the oil is only for browning. As long as all the other ingredients are on my okay to eat list. I’m good to go.

Use any type of onions (yellow, red, white or sweet) – diced or sliced.

I also use this technique for sauteing mushrooms. The natural water within the mushroom releases. Just like the onions.

Oil is not needed to add more flavor. The Dry Browning Technique adds all the flavor you need.

Use the same technique for sauteing in the instant pot. Click the saute button and follow the steps above.

Start with whatever pan you currently have in the kitchen.

Bonus: Download and print the Quick Step by Steps

Why no “oil” not even Olive Oil?

Dr Esselstyn says “Oil injures the endothelium, the innermost lining of the artery. And that injury is the gateway to vascular disease. All oil is empty calories”

Here are some great resources to check out:

- Why No Oil?

When Friends Ask: Why do you avoid adding vegetable oils?

2. Storing and Preserving Fresh Herbs

How long do your herbs last? Do you throw them away before using them all up?

Most of the time, I avoided buying fresh herbs. But on the occasions I dropped them into my grocery basket.

I rushed to use the herbs within a few days. That’s one way to avoid the inevitable outcome of tossing money down the drain or garbage. Otherwise they wilt or become wet and slimy.

Yuck!

My herbs never lasted long.

Once I learned Julie Marie’s technique my bad herb days were gone. Now, days turn into a couple of weeks, at least.

Quick Step by Step: Storing and Preserving herbs

First, watch the video above.

- Place herbs in a bowl

- Add cold water
  - - Gently move herbs from side to side
  - Remove any dirt

- Drain the water

- Repeat the steps of adding cold water and draining until all the water is clear

- Drain all the water from the bowl

- Shake the excess water from the herbs

- Rest herbs on the side of the bowl

- Use plastic or glass container with a lid to store the herbs

- Use a flour sack or tea towel that will fit into the container folded in half

- Lay one half of the towel inside the bottom of the container

- Add herbs

- Fold the other side of the towel over the herbs

Change the towel weekly
- - The towel will absorb the water from the herbs
- - By changing the towel weekly the herbs will last two weeks or longer.
- When changing out the towel the following week
  - If herbs are limp repeat the Cold Water Rinse steps from above.

I change out my towel every Saturday. No matter when I brought them home. It makes it easier for me to have a set date instead of remembering the day I washed them.

I’ve use this technique with celery, green onions, green (red) leaf lettuce or Kale. You can try this with most veggies.

I label the outside of the potluck size container with what’s inside. By using a dry erase marker or masking tape.

My cooking skills have greatly improved since the instant rice incident. I still don’t call myself a chef.

But, I do enjoy cooking more than when I first started my plant-based journey.

Now both of these techniques have become second nature.

What techniques have you implemented? Let me know in the comments below.

What’s Next?

Download and print both Quick Step by Steps from above.