Follow these general guidelines to make sure you achieve accurate and consistent results when following the recipes on this site:
-Use dry measuring cups for measuring all non-liquid ingredients. Examples include nuts, beans (dry and cooked), fruit, flours, starches, etc. Jams, applesauce, canned pumpkin, and other fruit purees should also be measured using dry measuring cups.
-Use a wet measuring cup to measure any liquid ingredients. Examples include oils, liquid sweeteners (agave, maple syrup, etc.) milks, and juices.
-Use a rubber spatula to fully scrape out your measured ingredients or mixtures – no sense leaving all that goodness in a measuring cup or pan! (And if you do, it could affect the ratio in the recipe.)
-Please keep in mind that the salt quantities I specify in my recipes may need to be adjusted depending on the type of salt you use. In general, I use Celtic Sea Salt which is less salty than regular table salt. As such, if you are using regular table salt, you will probably need LESS of it than is called for in the recipe. I occasionally use Kosher Salt in my recipes which is also less salty than regular table salt; the brand I use (Diamond Crystal) is actually less salty than even other brands of Kosher salt. If you are not using the type of salt specified in the recipe, use less than the recipe calls for and then taste and adjust. It’s much easier to add salt than to subtract it!
Cutting Onions
There are numerous ways to cut an onion, but did you know that how you cut it will actually affect the way it cooks? In many of my recipes, I’ll specify that the onions should be “sauté-sliced.” This means thinly slicing with the grain – Method 1 in this handy Wiki page! This cut is particularly important whenever you want the onions to caramelize and brown – it’s a cut that releases less moisture and thus promotes more browning and more flavor development. That’s why they call it sauté slice!
When you don’t want your onions to brown (ex. if you are sweating them for a soup or stew), it’s better to go with a nice dice. Diced onions are more watery than sliced onions, and will brown more slowly.
Cooking Quinoa
Place 1 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse very well, until there are no longer soapy bubbles. If quinoa is not rinsed well, it can taste bitter. Next, place the quinoa in a saucepan and toast, over medium heat, until all the excess water from rinsing has evaporated. Add 1¾ cups boiling water to the saucepan along with a couple pinches of salt. Once the quinoa begins to boil (this should happen fairly immediately), cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and set your timer for 18 minutes. Walk away – don’t stir or check the quinoa during the cooking time. After 18 minutes, the quinoa normally needs another 2-3 minutes covered on low before it is perfectly dry and fluffy, but you can check it at 18 – just don’t stir it around too much!