Breaking
FoodNerdy Recipes Management System
Tag

should

Browsing
Cooking Tips

Can Ice Cream Go Bad? You Should Pay Attention to That

Can ice cream go bad? This question is important both the next time you visit the ice cream parlor and for ice cream in your own freezer. We explain how you can extend the shelf life of ice cream and what you should pay attention to before consuming it.

Whether as a ball of ice cream in a cone, as a bar or on a stick: ice cream is particularly popular in summer. But can ice cream go bad? Here you can find out when you should stop eating the popular candy and what role the cold chain and best-before date play in this.

What role does the cold chain play?

Maybe you know it: You just bought an ice cream in the supermarket and were stopped on the way home. Suddenly you realize you’ve been carrying the fresh ice cream around with you for an hour in the heat. Can ice go bad if the cold chain has been broken for so long?

If you transported the ice in a cooler or in a special cooler bag, you may be lucky. But: Just to be on the safe side, check whether your ice cream is still good. If ice crystals have formed on the surface, this is a clear indication of an interrupted cold chain. In this case, you should not refreeze the ice cream. This is because germs can easily develop that can cause food poisoning.

Even if you have stored the ice cream in the freezer at home, you should still pay attention to the cold chain. It is best to fill smaller portions of ice cream into a bowl instead of leaving the whole pack out for a long time. Make sure to use a clean spoon or ice cream scoop for this.

Can ice go bad in the freezer?

If the cold chain is maintained throughout, you don’t have to worry. In this case, ice will last for many months. Of course, there is also a best-before date for ice cream. But you don’t necessarily have to stick to it. As a rule, you can still eat ice cream after a week has passed.

It’s best to do a little “taste test”: If your ice cream tastes fresh, it’s still edible. On the other hand, if it tastes slightly sour or has a different consistency, you should better dispose of it.

Tips for the ice cream parlor on the shelf life of ice cream

You can also easily recognize good ice cream in the ice cream parlor with a few tips. If you like to get vanilla ice cream at the ice cream parlor around the corner, next time you should take a closer look at the ice cream parlor. Is the water in the scoop clear or stale? Are the ice tubs clean? Does the ice cream itself look smooth and creamy? These indicators already tell you whether the ice cream is good or whether it could be contaminated.

A clear red flag that indicates “bad” ice is a friable surface. Then you can be sure that the ice has definitely been thawed before. The risk is great if you ingest germs and pathogens with the ice cream.

Make ice cream yourself

If you want to be on the safe side, you can of course prepare the frozen candy yourself. Then you can also be sure that there are no additives (such as flavor enhancers or preservatives and colorings) in the ice cream. However, even with the homemade varieties, make sure to use up the dessert quickly after the cold chain has been broken. Put ice cream that you don’t need back in the freezer as quickly as possible and use clean utensils to serve.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Acrylamide in Coffee: Everything You Should Know

You have probably heard of acrylamide before. The substance is formed, for example, when fries are fried, but also when coffee is roasted. But don’t worry: you can continue to enjoy your favorite drink without worrying. Also several cups a day. You can find out here why this is the case and which types of coffee have the acrylamide content reduced to a minimum.

Why acrylamide in coffee is unavoidable

Enjoying coffee is a feast for the senses: that scent of freshly ground beans. The development of the taste on the tongue after the first sip. The delicious aromas are only made possible by the roasting of the coffee beans, more precisely: the so-called Maillard reaction. Amino acids and sugars are converted into new chemical compounds under the influence of heat. They determine the color and aroma of the roasted coffee beans. However, the process also produces acrylamide; a substance that is considered potentially hazardous to health.

If you’re wondering whether you have to do without your beloved coffee now, we can reassure you: no, you don’t have to. Because even if coffee cannot be completely acrylamide-free, the substance is only contained in very small quantities.

What is acrylamide?

Acrylamide is always formed when we bake, roast, fry or roast something, for example when making French fries, crisps, biscuits or crispbread. It is formed from a reaction between sugar and the protein building block asparagine at temperatures of 120 degrees Celsius. Above 180 degrees Celsius, the formation of acrylamide in food increases dramatically. In contrast to roasting and frying, according to the current state of research, little or no acrylamide is produced during cooking and steaming.

In animal experiments, the substance proved to be carcinogenic and mutagenic. However, there is still no reliable knowledge about the effect on humans. Irrespective of this, minimizing exposure to acrylamide is considered preventative health protection.

Enjoying roasted coffee is harmless with regard to acrylamid

According to a spokesman for the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), drinking several cups of coffee a day is “not a concern”. And apart from the notorious acrylamide, coffee also has a lot of properties that make it a healthy drink in many ways.

To be on the safe side and to protect consumers preventively, the EU set stricter production guidelines and new limit values ​​for acrylamide in food as early as 2018. These are the current EU limits for acrylamide in coffee:

Roasted coffee: 400 micrograms per kilogram

Instant coffee: 850 micrograms/kg

Substitute coffee made from grain: 500 micrograms/kg

Substitute coffee made from chicory: 4000 micrograms/kg

These values ​​are regularly checked by the EU and adjusted if necessary.

Also good to know: The guide value for roasted coffee only applies to roasted beans. The acrylamide content of the extract brewed from it, which we drink, is, therefore, to be classified as significantly lower.

Which coffee is low in acrylamide?

You may be wondering if there is any coffee that is completely free of acrylamide. The answer is: no. Due to the roasting process, all roasted coffee always contains acrylamide, and the substance can also be found in organic coffee. Instant coffee and coffee substitutes such as grain coffee contain even more acrylamide than conventional coffee beans because they are processed in a complex manner.

However, there are ways in which coffee manufacturers can influence the formation of acrylamide during roasting. The secret is: long-term roasting at relatively low temperatures.

Long-term roasting not only has the advantage that less acrylamide is produced than when the coffee beans are roasted at high heat and only briefly. It also brings the following benefits:

The aromas in the coffee are more diverse and finer than with a quick, very hot roast.

Unwanted acids can evaporate particularly well.

Accordingly, the coffee is very digestible.

Apart from that, according to a study by the University of Porto, dark roasts have particularly little acrylamide, which is typical for Italian espresso, for example. And the type of bean also plays a role: roasted Arabica beans generally contain less of the substance than Robusta beans.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Brussels Sprouts Raw: You Should Pay Attention to This

Eating Brussels sprouts raw is possible in principle, but can put your digestion to the test. Here you can find out how to prepare the small cabbage florets as easily digestible as raw food.

Brussels sprouts are in season in Germany between September and March. It is therefore a popular ingredient, especially in autumn and winter cuisine. It is usually served boiled, fried or gratinated – for example as a Brussels sprouts casserole, Brussels sprouts in a pan or Brussels sprouts stew. Recipes with uncooked Brussels sprouts are rarer.

In principle, it is possible to eat brussels sprouts raw – the uncooked kale florets are not poisonous or otherwise harmful. However, they can be difficult to digest. You can prevent this by preparing them as gently as possible on the stomach.

Eat brussels sprouts raw – this is the most digestible way

Brussels sprouts have a slight bitter note both cooked and uncooked. For this reason, the prejudice persists that the raw leaves are poisonous. In fact, a bitter taste in some types of vegetables is a warning signal: in zucchini or pumpkins, for example, it can indicate that the toxic substance cucurbitacin has formed. With Brussels sprouts, on the other hand, the slightly bitter aroma is normal and therefore not a cause for concern.

Cooked Brussels sprouts are one of the more digestible types of cabbage. However, it is harder to digest raw and can lead to flatulence and other digestive problems. This is mainly due to its high fiber content. If raw cabbage always causes problems for your stomach, you should also be careful with Brussels sprouts. Then try a smaller amount first to see how your body reacts to the uncooked Brussels sprouts.

Eating Brussels sprouts raw: Preparation and recipe ideas

The florets harvested from November are best suited for recipes with raw Brussels sprouts. They have usually been exposed to freezing temperatures and taste milder and sweeter as a result. When cleaning Brussels sprouts, it is also best to remove the outer, dark green leaves. They are usually dry, fibrous and taste less pleasant than the light green inner leaves, especially when raw.

You can eat Brussels sprouts raw, for example, by preparing them as a salad. Some recipes for Brussels sprouts salad use pre-steamed Brussels sprouts—the florets are usually cut in half. If you use raw Brussels sprouts for salad, you should chop them up as finely as possible. This makes it easier to digest and easier to digest. For example, cut the florets into thin slices, grate them or pluck off the leaves individually.

You can dress the raw Brussels sprouts salad with a classic vinaigrette, a honey-mustard dressing or a lemon dressing, for example. Walnuts are particularly suitable as a topping because they harmonize with the slightly bitter note of the cabbage. You can add other ingredients to taste. A few Brussels sprouts also add an interesting touch to a classic mixed salad.

Tip: It is best to buy your groceries seasonally and regionally and, if possible, pay attention to organic quality. We can recommend the organic seals from Demeter, Bioland and Naturland, as they follow stricter criteria than the EU organic seal. In this way you contribute to biodiversity and soil protection.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Kale Raw: You Should Know That

Eating kale raw provides you with more nutrients than the cooked version. In this way, kale lives up to its reputation as a power vegetable.

Properties of Kale

Kale is healthy and one of the winter vegetables with the highest nutrient content. Eating kale raw is worthwhile because it preserves more of its valuable ingredients. Per 100 grams, kale contains 210 milligrams of calcium, 450 milligrams of potassium, 30 milligrams of magnesium, 1.9 milligrams of iron, 35 milligrams of sodium and many vitamins, such as 105 milligrams of vitamin C.

The dietary fibers it contains ensure that you feel full for a long time. In addition, kale is low in calories because it is mostly water. Furthermore, the cabbage variety is said to have a blood-forming, water-flushing and cancer-preventing effect.

However, kale can cause flatulence and abdominal pain due to the fibers it contains. However, you can counteract this with a few home remedies:

Spices such as fennel, coriander, cumin, cardamom or ginger relieve flatulence and go well with cabbage.
A fennel-anise-cumin tea after a meal also reduces abdominal pain and flatulence.
Exercise ensures that your bowel activity increases. A walk after eating also ensures less unpleasant flatulence.
A hot water bottle can also help.

Simply enjoy kale raw

In northern Germany, kale is traditionally prepared in winter with pinkel, boiled sausage and smoked pork loin. But it can also be served vegetarian in a variety of ways, more about this here: Kale: vegetarian recipe ideas for cooking at home. However, some nutrients are lost during cooking.

Like other types of cabbage, you can also eat kale raw. In this way, more of the healthy ingredients are retained. To make it a little easier to digest, you can blanch it for five minutes before eating it.

Here are a few ways you can eat kale raw:

in winter salads
as a smoothie
as raw kale soup
as kale chips for in between
raw leaves marinated in oil as a side dish

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Eating Leeks Raw: What You Should Consider with Winter Varieties

Wondering if you can safely eat leeks raw? We have the answer and will show you what to look out for when eating raw vegetables.

Leeks – also known as leeks – contain many healthy ingredients, such as iron and magnesium as well as vitamin C and vitamin K. You can buy them from regional cultivation almost all year round (from July to April).

A distinction is made between summer leeks, which grow in the summer months, and winter leeks, which are grown in the winter months. The difference between the two varieties lies in the taste: the winter leek is much hotter and more bitter.
So you can use leeks in the kitchen almost all year round. But you can not only cook or fry leeks, you can also eat them raw. The advantage of this is that the many nutrients and vitamins are retained and, unlike with cooking or frying, are not lost. In another article, you will learn more about why you should eat vegetables raw.

Eat leeks raw – you should pay attention to this

With our little hints you can safely eat not only the summer leek, but also the tart winter leek raw:

Especially if you want to eat leeks raw, you should cut leeks and wash them well to remove the soil between the leaves.
Raw leeks taste similar to onions. That’s why you’re less likely to bite into a leek than into a crunchy apple. On the other hand, it is good to chop raw leeks finely and add them as an ingredient in a salad, for example.


As already described above, the winter varieties are tart and sometimes quite hot. They differ in this from the summer varieties. Would you like to eat raw leeks in winter too? You can take the spiciness out of the winter leek by blanching it briefly in apple juice or water.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Peel Zucchini? Why the Skin Should Rather Stay On

If you don’t peel a zucchini, you not only save work and time: Read here about the advantages of peeling zucchini.

Do not peel zucchini – the skin is healthy

As with many other types of fruit and vegetables, the same applies to zucchini: the skin contains most of the vitamins. You also absorb important dietary fiber with the peel.

But it’s not just good for your health if you eat the shell. It also tastes better because the skin keeps the zucchini in shape as it heats. Without the skin, the vegetables quickly become mushy when they are boiled or fried. In addition, the pure pulp of the zucchini is not as aromatic as the skin.

So it would be a shame to throw the edible and particularly healthy part of a vegetable in the trash – especially since you have to do unnecessary extra work peeling it.

Also be careful with very bitter zucchini: If it tastes bitter, you shouldn’t eat it anymore. It’s rare, but if a zucchini tastes bitter, it contains too much curcubitacin, a toxic bitter compound. Neither cooking nor peeling helps against this substance, the zucchini is then no longer edible.

Pesticides on zucchini peel

Since the skin is eaten, you should pay particular attention to the origin of the vegetables: Zucchinis from organic farming are not treated with chemical-synthetic pesticides, but from conventional farming they are. Pesticides mostly remain on the peel. If you buy organic vegetables you ensure that the pesticides do not end up on your plate.

Also make sure that you buy zucchini seasonally and regionally. The zucchini season runs from July to October. During this time, the domestic zucchini are transported a comparatively short distance. Zucchini from distant countries, on the other hand, have long transport routes behind them, which means that significantly more greenhouse gases are emitted.

Keep Reading
By
Food

Freeze Broccoli: You Should Pay Attention to This

If you freeze broccoli, you can still enjoy the summer vegetable in the fall and winter. We’ll show you how it’s done – and tell you the best way to defrost the florets again.

Broccoli is a relative of cauliflower, grown in Europe mainly in Italy. From June to October he is also in season in Germany. The vegetable with the dark green florets is very healthy: broccoli is rich in minerals such as potassium, iron and zinc. It also contains various B vitamins and lots of vitamin C.

Freezing broccoli: How to cook it

It is best to buy the broccoli at the market during the season, where you can get it unpackaged. The florets should look fresh and green and still be connected. Avoid broccoli that is already bruised or discolored.
At home, wash the broccoli thoroughly, removing the leaves and the woody end of the stalk. Cut the florets into 1-1/2 inch pieces and the stem into 1/4 inch slices.
If you like, you can now put the broccoli pieces in a bowl with water and some lemon juice for five minutes. This is how the broccoli keeps its green color.
Tip: If you buy organic broccoli, you avoid chemical-synthetic pesticides.

Also: If you want to eat the broccoli right away, don’t worry about bruises when you go shopping – they are quickly removed and the vegetables taste just as good.

Blanch the broccoli before freezing

Before freezing, you should blanch the broccoli briefly. Otherwise it will get mushy later when defrosting. Boil a few liters of water in a large saucepan. Place the chopped broccoli in the boiling water for about 2 minutes, then scoop out the pieces with a slotted spoon. Now let the broccoli cool in a colander.

How to freeze broccoli

To freeze the broccoli, fill a freezer container, such as a glass one, and place it in the freezer. The broccoli can be kept for up to a year.

If you later want to thaw the broccoli pieces individually, you should prefreeze them before freezing. Place the broccoli florets a little apart on a board or tray and place in the freezer for half an hour. This will prevent the broccoli pieces from sticking together when you freeze them. You can then freeze them as described above.

Thaw frozen broccoli

There are several ways you can defrost the broccoli:

You can thaw the broccoli at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Depending on the ambient temperature, this can take a few hours.
Broccoli can be thawed much faster in a large pot: Bring water to a boil and blanch the frozen broccoli in it for a maximum of 90 seconds. This also keeps the vegetables nice and crunchy. Attention: For this method you need a large pot with a lot of water so that the liquid does not cool down too much due to the cold broccoli. Caution: Consider whether you can still use the broccoli water after cooking. If not, another method might be more water-efficient.
In the oven, you can defrost and roast the broccoli at the same time. To do this, place the broccoli pieces in a mold, drizzle them with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Then place the mold in the 200 degree oven for 15 minutes.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Freezing Bread: What You Should Pay Attention to

Buying too much bread or you want to stock up? Then you can also freeze the bread. You can find out how this works without plastic in our practical tips.

The right container for freezing

Plastic containers are not recommended for storing bread. In the worst case, plastic cans contain harmful plasticizers and are difficult to dispose of in an environmentally friendly manner. Instead, it’s better if you freeze bread and other foods in glass or stainless steel containers.

You can easily freeze sliced bread in it for a few weeks and then only take out as many slices as you need. The fresher the bread is when frozen, the longer it will keep in the freezer. However, it also loses its freshness and flavor over time, which is why you should generally not freeze baked goods for longer than a month or two.

Freeze bread in a cloth bag

In addition to plastic cans, plastic freezer bags can still be found in many households. You can use them several times, but sooner or later they end up in the trash. A good alternative to this are, for example, simple cloth bags. You can freeze the bread whole loaf or in slices. A cotton bag also works well to absorb excess liquid when you thaw the bread in it.

Tip: If you are only freezing your bread for a few days, for example over the weekend, you can even leave it in the paper bag. Well wrapped, the bread can also be frozen in it without any problems. You should only take it out of the paper bag to thaw it.

After freezing – thaw the bread properly

Give the frozen bread some time to thaw. One to three hours at room temperature is usually sufficient for this.
You can also let your bread thaw overnight, covered in a cotton bag or under a clean cloth.
If you defrost the bread in the oven, you should not heat it up for too long. This can make it hard and dry. However, it is possible to briefly bake the defrosted bread again in the oven. Then it tastes fresh again after the time in the freezer.
If you have frozen your bread in slices, you can also defrost it in the toaster. Simply toast the frozen slice a few seconds longer than fresh bread.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Can You Eat Rose Petals? You Should Know That

Eating rose petals is a great way to use the decorative flowers for culinary purposes. In this article you will find out what you should consider when eating.

Above all, roses are an expression of love. But the flowers are not only a popular decoration: You can also use their petals in the kitchen.

However, you have to pay attention to a few pointers. There are now up to 250 different varieties and new varieties are constantly being added through breeding. Only a few of them are actually suitable for consumption.

Eating rose petals: You should pay attention to that

To eat rose petals, you should always use wild and cultivated roses. In addition, they must belong to the genus Rosa. Other types of roses, such as peonies, Christmas roses or hollyhocks are not suitable for consumption. They are mostly poisonous because, despite their name rose, they belong to other plant genera.

You should also avoid eating bouquets of roses or potted roses that you have bought, as they can be heavily contaminated with pesticides. Also read: “Blooming business”: the global trade in flowers.

You can, for example, eat the rose petals of the following varieties without hesitation:

Gallica
Centifolia
damescena
All three species are fragrant roses. That’s why they taste particularly intense.

How to use rose petals

If you want to eat rose petals, you can use them either fresh or dried:

The leaves themselves are particularly suitable as a topping for salads, vegetable pans, but also for sweet dishes such as desserts or cakes.
If you pour hot water over them and let them steep, you can make rose tea.
The petals are also suitable as an ingredient for cold drinks such as lemonades, cocktails or punch.
Chopped rose petals add an interesting flavor to butter, spreads, cream cheese, hummus or other dips.
You can also add the edible flowers to oils or vinegar and let this mixture steep for a few days. So you can easily make rose vinegar and rose cooking oil yourself.
You can also use the rose aroma in the kitchen in the form of rose water. Originally, this comes from the Arab world and is often used in the kitchen as a condiment. Other products that contain rose petals are, for example, rose coffee, rose petal salt, rose pepper or rose syrup.

Rose Petals: Buying and Harvesting Tips

You can buy many products with rose petals ready-made. However, you also have the option of buying dried rose petals and using them yourself. If you want to use fresh petals, you can grow your own wild roses and harvest the leaves. You can find more information about growing roses here: Wild roses: important varieties, care and cultivation.

When harvesting, you should then observe the following tips:

Harvest the buds just before use. So they don’t wither.
Always choose buds that have just opened.
The morning is the best time. Then the essential oils have not yet evaporated due to the sunlight.
Carefully twist the petals off the calyx to avoid breaking them.
Wash your buds carefully.
Keep the buds fresh in a bowl of water if you decide not to use them immediately.
If you want to dry them, gently pat them dry and spread them flat on a smooth surface.

Keep Reading
By
Cooking Tips

Warming Up Potatoes: You Should Know That

You want to reheat potatoes that are left over from the day before? Then you should pay attention to a few tips. Here you can find out what is important when heating up the potatoes.

Whether jacket potatoes, boiled potatoes, fried potatoes or mashed potatoes: the earthy tubers are a popular side dish for various dishes. If there are a few potatoes left over from a meal, you can enjoy them warmed up later. Since bacteria and fungi can easily multiply in potatoes that have already been boiled, you should follow a few guidelines.

Important: When buying potatoes, make sure that they are organic if possible. You are supporting ecologically integrative agriculture that, for example, does not use chemical-synthetic pesticides.

Warming up potatoes: the right way to store them

If you want to reheat leftover potatoes, there are a few rules you should follow when storing them:

Pack the potatoes in a clean, airtight container as soon as possible after they have been prepared.
Don’t put the potatoes in the fridge right away, let them cool until they’re lukewarm. If you immediately cool hot and warm food, the entire refrigerator temperature rises. This not only wastes energy, but also ensures that other products that require refrigeration may spoil faster.
Stored in the refrigerator, you can eat the potatoes up to two days after they are prepared.

Warm up potatoes: Here’s how

Basically, you shouldn’t use the microwave to warm up potatoes. This is because they cannot be heated sufficiently in it to ensure that any possible bacteria are killed.

The following methods are more suitable:

In the saucepan: Put some oil in a saucepan and let the potatoes simmer for at least ten minutes at at least 70 degrees.
In the pan: Fry the potatoes in a little oil in a pan at at least 70 degrees for at least ten minutes.
In the oven: Place the potatoes in an ovenproof dish and mix them with a little oil. Then bake them at around 180 degrees for at least 15 minutes.
Tip: You can tell that you have heated the potatoes sufficiently by the fact that they are consistently hot after heating them up.

Possibilities for further processing

Once the potatoes have been warmed up, you can process them in different ways:

Potatoes that have already been boiled, for example, are good for preparing fried potatoes from them the following day.
You can also bake the potatoes in the oven until they are crispy.
Another option is to use them to make a potato casserole.
The advantage: Since the potatoes are already cooked, these recipes don’t take that long to prepare.

Should it go a little faster? Then simply serve the reheated potatoes with a herb dip and a simple green salad.

Keep Reading
By