Mava Foods - Mava In The Fridge

Chef's secrets and food facts

Whole melons will last for a couple weeks if kept cold. Cut melons wrapped in plastic wrap will keep for a few days
Don’t wash berries until you need them
Strawberries will last longer if stored in the refrigerator in a container that allows air to circulate
Blueberries are an antioxidant and are higher in Vitamin C
Never leave a moldy piece of fruit or berry lying next to a good one, it will cause the mold to spread quickly
Cook cranberries only until they pop as any longer will make them taste bitter
When cooking fruit, always add a tablespoon of butter and it will eliminate over boiling and excess foam
Shredded grapefruit is a great addition to any fish salad or dish
Adding salt to any melon will make it taste sweeter
Kiwi may be used to tenderize meat. Also papaya
If you sprinkle lemons or limes with water and then refrigerate, they will last for months
Submerge a lemon or lime in hot water for 15 minutes before squeezing and you will get 90 percent more juice

Brown spots on oranges, indicate a good quality orange.
by soaking an orange in hot water for 15 minutes before pealing, all the white will be removed from the meat with the peal
peaches ripen quickly by placing them in a box covered with newspaper
If you put oranges in a hot oven before peeling them, no white fibers will be left on them
Ripen pears quickly by placing them in a brown paper bag along with a ripe apple.
to ripen a pineapple, cut off the top, remove skin and slice. Place into a pot with simple syrup and broil for five minutes, cool and refrigerate
to prevent soggy salads, place an inverted saucer in the bottom of the salad bowl. The excess liquid drains off under the saucer and the salad stays fresh
never use fresh pineapple for salads where you want the gelatin to set, pineapple contains an enzyme, that causes gelatin not to set-up
eating a lot of parsley makes your skin sensitive to light
wash all fruits in cold water but do not store in water as they will loose a lot of their nutrients
to crisp up a green salad, place it in the freezer in a metal bowl for 5-10 minutes
if you sprinkle salt in the water when you are washing vegetables, it will draw out insects

If you sprinkle salt in the water when washing lettuces, it will drawn out any sand
Always line your refrigerator drawers with a double piece of paper towel to absorb moisture
To make crisp pickles, cut off ¼ inch from each end. This is where an enzyme is stored that may make your pickle limp
Add a small piece of fresh horseradish to your pickles. It will keep them crisp and slightly spicy
Spinach should be washed in warm water quickly
Coleslaw will taste better if you use sweet pickle juice instead of vinegar
Parsley will cure bad breath
Do not buy asparagus if they are soaking in water
The water that you cook vegetables in is rich in vitamins and should be used for soup
If asparagus is tough, peal the stems and it will be soft
Always leave the pit in guacamole dip as it will keep the dip from turning black
Avocados will not ripen if placed in the refrigerator

If avocados are ripe, store in refrigerator and they will last longer
do not soak fresh beans in water as this will make them turn
Soy beans have all the essential amino acids that the body needs
Beans contain 22% protein, beef has 18% and eggs 13%
When making cabbage rolls, freeze the whole cabbage first and the leaves will come apart easily
to curl carrots, peel slices first and then drop them in a bowl of ice water
the tops of carrots should be removed before storing in the refridgerator as the tops drain the moisture of the carrot and make them go limp
Frozen vegetables are already cooked and only need to be re-heated
For cauliflower to remain white while cooking, add lemon to the water
Prior to cooking cauliflower, soak in water haed down for 30 minutes to remove insects and dirt
When you boil cauliflower, add a piece of bread to water to eliminate odor
Celery leaves can be dried and put through a sieve. These dried flakes add flavor to soups

Celery and lettuce crisp up[ quicly by placing them into a pan of cold water and adding a few slices of raw potato
For a similar taste to cooked cabbage, use a combination of celery and lettuce
To make corn sweet, add a bit of milk and sugar to the water while boiling
to remove silk from corn, use a food brush
to lighten the colour of corn, add a few drops of vinegar to the water
do not store cucumbers near fruits as the ethylene gas will make the seeds harden
romaine lettuce has six times as much vitamin C as iceberg lettuce
the outside greener leaves of the lettuce contain more nutrients than the inner leaves
to store mushrooms, place a piece of paper towel into the paper bag or container to absorb moisture
If you want to maintain the whiteness of mushrooms while cooking, add a few drops of lemon juice
To insure that you are not eating poisonous mushrooms, sprinkle a bit of salt on the gill side of the mushroom. If they turn yellow they are poisonous, if they turn black, they are safe to eat
If you only need half an onion, use the top half. The root will stay fresher longer in the refrigerator

When you place dried peas in the water, the good ones will sink top the bottom and the bad ones will float on top
When making stuffed peppers, coat the outside of the pepper with vegetable oil and it will retain its colour
You may cook peppers in muffin tins to retain their shape
Soft skinned squashed should be stored in the refrigerator while hard skin squash should be stored in a cool dark place
Squash is a good source of beta-carotene which is one of the best antioxidants
store tomatoes with the vine stems down
ripen tomatoes on a counter out of direct sunlight as the sunlight removes their vitamin C
to make the perfect French Fry, cook at 325 F heat first to blanch. Remove and cool. When ready to eat, cook at 360F heat
To make a delicious French fry, coat with flour first
to make a potato salad quickly, cut the raw potatoes into bit size pieces and boil
TO keep peeled potatoes white, store in cold water with a few drops of vinegar
Baked potatoes should be pricked with a fork first as this releases the steam and potato will not become soggy

To store potatoes, place an apple with them and they will not sprout
There are few nutrients in a potato skin, most are just under it
Do not eat green potatoes
Leave the skin on potatoes while cooking and they will retain most of their nutrients
potato chips are 61 percent fat
potatoes have 10 time more fat than popcorn
to lesson the effects of alcohol, take a vitamin and mineral supplement while drinking
Chocolate contains oxalates and theobromine which effects how the body utilizes protein
Tea and red wine contain tannins which help the body utilize iron, thiamine and B12
When your body is under stress, it is suggested that Vitamin C is needed in large amounts up to 100 times your daily intake
Adding one teaspoon of pure crystalline vitamin C when you get up in the morning will result in a bowel movement in around 30 minutes
Vitamins keep their potency longer if kept in the refrigerator

Antacids consume a lot of vitamin D
stress and oral contraceptives rob your body of vitamin B12
smoking, stress, alcohol, antihistamines consume a lot of vitamin C
the lowest quality of meat and poultry is used for canned goods, frozen TV dinners and foods
when boiling eggs, if the shell cracks while boiling, remove from water and apply a generous amount of salt over the crack, this will seal the egg and keep the white within
Store cooked eggs in aluminum foil and twist the ends as this will keep the product fresher
to clean egg off plates and utensils, use cold water as it will come off easier
to tell how old an egg is, place into a pot of cold water. If it lies on its side, its fresh, if it floats to the top, it is old
by adding salt to the water when boiling an egg, it makes them easier to peel
use a glass , enamel or stainless-steel bowl when beating egg whites to retain their colour
When using eggs to bake, let them warm up to room temperature
When beating eggs, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes as this will increase their volume

if you are one egg short when baking, add two tablespoons of mayonnaise as a substitute
By adding some food coloring to boiled eggs, you will be able to tell the difference between fresh ones in your refrigerator
the slightest trace of egg yolk in your egg whites will cause you difficulties in beating the whites. Remove all traces with a Q-tip
If your omletes stick to your pan, try rubbing the bottom of the pan with a piece of paper towel dipped in table salt
Nutritionally, there is no difference between white and brown eggs
To reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol in recipes, use more egg whites than yolk. You will not be able to tell the difference
If an egg has a crack, do not use it as it might be contaminated
Frozen foods tend to be more nutritious than canned foods
by refreezing food, you lower the quality
Freezing food absorbs the moisture out of the product
Bakers yeast will keep in the freezer for years without going bad
When freezing meat, it will keep better in butchers paper that has wax coating

Freeze fish in discarded milk containers full of water
left over whipped cream can be frozen by placing first dollops onto a sheet, freezing and then putting into a plastic bag
brown sugar will not harden if kept in the freezer
Coffee remains fresher if wrapped tightly and frozen
when freezing casserole, cook for a shorter period of time, cool quickly and freeze. When you want to use, thaw and bake. Casserole will have that just baked look
potatoes will become mushy when frozen in soups or stews
waffles and pancakes may be frozen, then thawed and cooked in the toaster for breakfast
to freeze pies or pastry, do not bake first. They can be baked from frozen state and turn out fresh
olive oils do not need refrigeration and will keep longer than other types of oils
to remove fat from a liquid, simply pour into a container, cool and then skim off the top
When making oil and vinegar dressings, add two lecithin capsules and the dressing will not separate
to keep cooking wine from going sour, add a teaspoon of oil to it.

when baking cookies, brown the outside edges only and cool on cookie sheet before removing.
to remove fat from a sauce, place an ice cube on the top. The fat will click to the ice cube and then remove quickly
never allow oil to heat to a smoking state as it might ignite. A good oil to use is canola or corn
olive oils are the best fats to use in salads or in a wok.
re-using bacon fats contain the highest percent of trans-acids which are bad for you
if the oil in your food is listed as Hydrogenated, the product is high in saturated fats
always purchase oils dark in colour of in tin cans
young turkeys and chickens have less fat
75% of the calories in bacon come form fat, the same amount that comes from cheddar cheese
most butters and margarines contain about the same amount of saturated fats
to keep cheese moist, wrap it in a soft cloth wrung out of vinegar and wrapped with saran wrap. Store in the bottom of your refrigerator up to three months
most cheese are naturally white, colour is added

the chemicals that are used to alter cheeses are used for making cement, bleaching clothes and producing cosmetics
the wax coating on cheese will protect it. If there is an exposed edge, try covering it with butter
cottage cheese will remain fresher for a longer period of time if you store it upside down in the refrigerator
Another way to prevent mold from appearing on cheese ius to store it in a sealed container with two lumps of sugar
dishes with cheese should be cooked slower to avoid curdling and stringiness
to cut cheese, cut it with a warm knife and it will be like butter
dried out cheese that is free of mold can be grated and used in cooking
soft ripened means that the curing process occurs from the outside or rind of the cheese. Bacteria which grow on the surface of the cheese assist in the characteristic flavor.
unripened cheese, like cottage cheese, is consumed shortly after manufacture
semi soft ripened cheeses ripen from the inside as well as from the surface and contain higher moisture than firm cheese
firm ripened cheese utilize a bacteria culture throughout the whole cheese. Low in moisture
very hard ripened cheese are cured with the aid of a bacterial culture that contains enzmes.

fall is the best time to find lower beef prices
meat turns grey while cooking caused by excessive steam
when cooking a dry piece of meat like a wild duck, cook a goose with it and use the fat from the goose to baste the meat
hamburgers cook faster if you make a few puncture in them before cooking
to slice meat thinly, try partially freezing it first
tomatoes added to roasts will help tenderize them naturally
in choosing your bacon, choose the one with more meat as the fat contains nitrates
pork sausage and breakfast sausage may contain up to 50% fat
hotdogs labeled all meat or all beef contain at least 85% meat
lean veal contains as little as 1/10 fat as regular lean beef
lean ground beef may contain as much as 22% fat
one pound of barbecued steak contains as much carcinogens (cancer forming agent) as the smoke from 15 cigarettes. The dripping fat on the charcoals caused a chemical substance to be released – used foil

papaya, pineapple or lemon are natural meat tenderizers
to prevent the fat from splattering when frying sausage, try flouring them lightly
chilled ground meat makes it easier to make hamburgers
a quick way of flouring meats is to shake them in a brown paper bag with the flour and seasonings
by adding rosemary to ham, you bring our the flavor
always cook a roast with the fat side up as this will increase the flavor of the meat
to increase the flavor of lamb, rub rock salt, garlic, rosemary and olive oil onto it four hours before cooking
when frying meat, sprinkle paprika over it and it will turn golden brown
when cooking a roast, place cut carrots, onions, celery and garlic on the bottom of the pan. After cooking is completed, drain off liquid and make a flavorful gravy
liver will be more tender and flavor full if you soak in milk for 1 hour before cooking
to eliminate the gamey flavor of wild meat, soak overnight in a cola beverage
if you wish your ham to be less salty, sprinkle a can of ginger ale over it and cook

to make individual meat loaf servings, cook it in a muffin tin. This will save at least 30 minutes cooking time
a substitute for bread crumbs is quick rolled oats
when cooking venison, try adding a few grapes to the bottom of the pan for a unique flavor
to thaw meats quickly, place under cold running water, not hot
thaw meats out in the refrigerator, not your counter top, when time permits
to keep meatballs from falling apart when cooking, place them into the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cooking
a 3 pound chicken will yield only 2 and 1/2 cups of cut up meat
a lower of moderate cooking temperature will produce a juicer chicken as more moisture will be retained
when stuffing a turkey, try putting a cheesecloth inside the cavity. Makes for easy removal
the larger the chicken, the older the bird and cooking temperatures should be slower so as not to get tough
only use old hens for making chicken stock as the flavor will be in the bones
don't buy birds that are injected with a basting solution. You are only paying for extra fat.

always remove all stuffing from your fowl before refrigerating as bacteria will have a chance to grow until
when making sandwiches for your lunch bag, don't let your lunch become soggy. Rather, wrap separately the tomato, pickles or any product that you are adding to your protein.
store raw meats below cooked meats in your refrigerator to insure no contamination occurs
wash your cutting board with a mild bleach or all vinegar after cutting raw meats as this will sanitize it
never eat foods directly from a jar or can, saliva may contaminate the contents
peanut butter should be stored in the refrigerator after opening to keep the fats form becoming rancid.
your can opener should be washed after each use. Food left behind may be contaminated after a few days and cause food poisoning
peanut butter will remove gum from a person's hair
research indicated that people who eat more vegetables are less likely to gain weight
refrigerate apples as they ripen ten times as fast at room temperature
all vegetables are low in fat except avocadoes and olives
poultry will keep longer in your refrigerator if wrapped in wax paper versus saran wrap

to remove the odor from chicken, rub the bird with juice of ½ lemon and ¼ tsp. salt
always cook fish at a moderate temperature never over 350F
if you doubt the freshness of a fish, place it in cold water, if it floats it has been caught recently
thaw frozen fish out in milk as this will draw out the frozen flavor and provide a fresh taste
if you soak oysters in soda for five minutes, they are easy to take out of the shell
a 3 and ½ ounce serving of sardines is higher in calcium and phosphorus than a glass of whole milk
all shellfish are high in sodium
fresh seafood has no smell, bacteria start breaking down seafood almost immediately after they are caught
the safest fish to eat are halibut, sole, tuna and commercially raised trout
when choosing your fish, the eyes whould be bright and cleat and somewhat bulging
never eat any clams or mussels that when cooked, do not open their shell
by washing your hands in cold water before handling fish, they will not smell fishy

if you are planning on BBQing fish, select a high fat one so that it will not dry out while cooking
lemon juice rubbed on fish before cooking will enhance the flavor and help maintain a good color
when frying fish, sprinkle alittle bit of salt on the bottom and the fish will not stick
when cooking shellfish, use a heavily salted water to draw the sea salt out
after boiling potatoes, use the water to polish silver. Just put the silver into the warm water
tomato juice will remove ink stains on clothing
orange juice can be used to clean chrome
banana skins, buried just below the surface of potted plants, provide an excellent source of plant nutrients
egg white sponged on leather will revive its luster
half a lemon dipped in salt will clean copper or brass, then rinse in warm water and polish with a soft cloth
a few drops of vanilla extract placed in a bottle top in the refrigerator will remove odors
dry mustard will remove onion odors from your hands or cutting board

glue or gum from labels can be removed by using vegetable oil
if you burn your tongue, try sprinkling a few grains of sugar on it for instant relief
to polishing brass by using a small amount of Worcestershire sauce, clean off, then polish with olive oil
if a grease fire starts in your kitchen, put it out with flour, salt or baking soda
to remove grease stains on your carpet, try placing corn starch on the area, overnight and then vacuum up
butter milk can be used to soften dry cheese
plain yogurt can be used to relieve vaginal itching
cold tea is a good cleaning agent for woodwork of any kind
by adding a bottle of coke to a load of greasy work clothes, it will help loosen the serious dirt
lemon extract will remove black scuff marks from luggage
stains from ball point pens can be removed by sponging the area with milk until it disappears
when making lemonade, put the lemons through a meat grinder to get more juice and richer flavor

to slow down the speed of alcohol metabolism, eat fatty foods
to make an excellent dessert with left over rice, add whipped cream and fresh fruit to it
if you run out of chopped nuts, try using a course bran, you will hardly notice the difference
to cook pasta ahead of time of when you want it, simple cook till almost done, remove from heat and run cold water over pasta. Then drain and coat with oil. When you need to use it, simple reheat in boiling water and serve
Lasagna noodles do not have to be cooked. Simply make lasagna like you would normally but with dry noodles and add one can of tomato sauce and bake normally.
never add salt to rice during cooking, it will toughen the rice
to keep the rice white during cooking, add a few drops of lemon juice to the water
always add salt and oil to your water when cooking pasta as it will enhance the flavor and keep pasta from sticking together
when cooking rice, add enough water to make the level, three inches above the top of the rice
wheat durum pasta will never become mushy no matter how long you cook or hold it
when heating buns in the oven, place into a brown paper bag with a few drops of water and heat at low temperature
always bake biscuits on pans without sides, the heat circulates more evenly

for a hard to knead doughs, try oiling your hands before working it'
if you wish to keep bread crusts soft while baking, place a small pan of water in oven while baking
if you serve warm rolls for dinner, place a piece of tin foil under the cloth in the basket. The rolls will stay warmer longer
freshly baked breads should be cooled on a rack so that air can circulate. Otherwise, the bread will become soggy
to make cutouts from bread slices, try freezing the bread first. This will give your clean sharp edges
to keep bread fresh when freezing, place a paper towel in the bad to absorb moisture
dripped coffee has almost twice the caffeine as espresso or instant coffee
beverages that contain caffeine may cause your skin to premature aging as it dehydrates your skin
caffeine takes approximately 30 minutes to affect your brain and lasts for 2-6 hours
a dash of salt added to your ground coffee will enhance the flavor
opened coffee cans should be stored in the refrigerator as it will remain fresher
withdrawal symptoms will appear if caffeine is discontinued., This usually starts with headaches

to eliminate weeping meringue,. Try leaving the meringue in the oven until it cools
to eliminate fruit juices from soaking into your crust, brush first with egg whites
adding a teaspoon of vinegar to pie dough will guarantee a flaky crust
always serve a soufflé on a warm plate. This will ensure it stays puffed up longer
to keep waffles from sticking to a waffle maker, brush first with paraffin wax while skillet if hot
when making pie dough, it is better to use lard than butter as your crust will be flakier
to keep fruit cakes moist, wrap in cheese cloth soaked in brandy or similar liquor
the best way to cut angle food cake is with an electric knife
always bake an angle food cake on the bottom rake as it will contain more moisture
sugar cookies will not get stiff or tough if you roll them out in sugar instead of flour
always add a couple tablespoons of flour, corn starch and butter to a berry pie so that the liquids will become solid after the pie cools
if you must cut a cake while it is still not, use unwaxed dental floss instead of a knife

place a layer of marshmallows on the bottom of a pumpkin pie before baking . After it cooks, the marshmallows will have risen to the top and made a crust
icing will remain where you put it if you sprinkle the cake first with powdered sugar
cutting a pie with a soft filling is best done with a buttered knife
to soften up hard sugar, place a half of an apple in it for a few days
to keep wax paper on your counter when rolling dough, wet the counter first
make chocolate slivers by using a potato peeler on a candy bar
when baking any pie or dish with a graham cracker crust, dip the pan in warm water for 10 seconds and it will be easier to remove the crust in one piece
coat fry fruit and nuts in flour first when using in a batter as they will not fall to the bottom of the pan
always place crisp cookies into a container with a loose fitting top so cookie will remain crisp. Soft cookies should be stored into a container with a tight lid
if you use Corning Ware dishes in the oven, you can reduce the heat by 25F for cooking
when cooking vegetables in the oven, use only vegetables with a high water content so they will not dry out. If you leave the skin on, most of the nutritional value will be saved
when cooking potatoes in the oven, it is best to pierce the skin with a fork to allow the steam to escape

No More need for starter fluid on your BBQ. Simply place enough briquettes into a grocery bag for one BBQ and light. The bag and the charcoal will catch very quickly
window cleaner sprayed on a warm grill will make it easier to clean
spices should never be stored near a microwave exhaust or range. The heat will make your spices become unusable
if you are making a gravy and it is lumpy, use a blender to smooth it out
if you have a problem with your gravy not browning properly, try adding a small amount of coffee. The gravy will not have a coffee flavor
soups are always better if they get a chance to sit overnight. Also, the fat will rise to the top and can be taken off easily
when making a soup with pasta or rice that has to be added, only put the starch in close to the end as the pasta will absorb the liquid and become mushy
if there is too much garlic flavor to your sauce, place some dry parsley into a tea ball and place into mixture. The garlic flavor will be absorbed by the parsley.
when making a sauce that calls for wine, add 1 tbsp. of wine per one cup of sauce or soup
to make a lower calorie whipped cream try subsitituting one half with stiffly beaten egg whites
by adding water to your omelets instead of milk, they will be lighter
to open a stubborn screw top lid, hit it hard in the center with a spoon and then turn

When you cook peas, add a few pods to the water and this will increase the flavor and color
to save about 15 minutes from the cooking time of a baked potato, insert a nail into the center
Alcohol and excess sunlight rob your body of Riboflavin B2
When beating egg whites, add a teaspoon of cold water and this will give you almost twice the volume
Unsalted butter will keep in the freezer indefinitely whereas salted butter is best used in six months
to test the doneness of cakes or baked goods, put a toothpick into the middle and pull out. If cake sticks to toothpick, bake longer. If toothpick pulls out smoothly and clean, cake is finished
it takes eight pounds of milk to produce one pound of cheese so one ounce of cheese equals the fat and protein of one cup of milk
blue-vein ripened cheese cure with the aid of a mold bacteria and it will grow throughout the inside and produces a unique flavor
rotisserie cooked meats and poultry contain less fat
when cooking meat in the oven, place a piece of bread under the roast to prevent sticking
dark meat in turkeys is higher in fat than white meat
frozen fish is easier to skin and fillet than fresh ones

for a brighter shoe shine, place a few drops of lemon juice on your shoes when you are polishing them
to improve the taste of tomato juice, add cut up piece of green onion and celery, stir occasionally for a few minutes to release flavors
to remove rolls or muffins more easily, try placing directly from the oven on a wet towel for 30 seconds first
to make a delicate cake, use half unbleached white flout and half whole wheat flour
add a tablespoon of maple syrup to pancake batter to improve the taste
after you cook a custard, place either a piece of wax paper over the top or a thin layer of butter to avoid a skin from forming
the best way to BBQ fish in with the original skin but that is not available, try wrapping it with lettuce leaves
when BBQ shisk-a-bobs, use a wooden schewer soaked in water and place meat on one and vegetables on another as they both require different cooking times