The little-known ingredient that will boost your brain health - The Telegraph

Getting enough omega 3? Tick. Plenty of antioxidants from fruit and veg? Tick. But what about choline? 

This little-known compound is often referred to as the “brain-building” nutrient. It is neither vitamin nor mineral, but a key chemical needed by the brain and nervous system to regulate memory, mood and muscle control. 

According to the British Medical Journal, most Western populations are not getting enough and it’s a problem exacerbated by the trend towards plant-based diets, since the best sources are meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

As choline is water-soluble, the body cannot store it, and although some is made in the liver you need to get most of it from food. There are currently no NHS guidelines for choline intake, but nutritionists think there should be given its important role in brain health. 

The European Food Safety Authority has set a daily adequate intake of 400mg for adults. For reference, one egg contains 147mg of choline, 100g chicken breast has 117mg and 100g of salmon contains 113mg. Good plant sources include shiitake mushrooms, which  contain 80mg per 100g, the same weight of butter beans has 44mg, broccoli 40mg and peas 30mg

Here are three easy ways to include more choline in your daily diet.

Kick-start your day with some scrambled eggs and salmon Credit: Image Professionals GmbH/Getty Images

A cracking start

With two of the best sources of choline being eggs and fish, there is no better way to start the day than with the classic breakfast combination of smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. Whole grains also contribute a little to your daily choline tally. In fact, this breakfast tortilla contains more than half the EU recommended daily intake.

In a bowl, whisk together an egg, add a sliced spring onion, a handful of defrosted garden peas, 25g of smoked salmon cut into strips and a grind of black pepper. Place the mixture in a large frying pan on a medium heat, and when the eggs are nearly cooked place a whole grain tortilla on the top and press down gently. 

Loosen with a spatula and flip the whole thing over, letting the tortilla toast for a minute or two underneath. Fold in half and eat while hot. 

A choline one-pot meal

One-pot meals are all the rage these days; easy to prepare and light on the washing up, too. Chicken is the perfect one-pot ingredient. It’s not just packed with choline, but it’s also one of the best sources of lean protein with around half your daily requirement coming from 100g. You can pair it with broccoli and cheese, two more choline-rich foods, to make this delicious, family-friendly meal for four.

Preheat the oven to 190C. Place one head of broccoli florets in a large baking dish. In a bowl, mix 4 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 6 tbsp of creme fraiche, two grated garlic cloves and 100ml water. 

Add the mixture to the baking dish and stir well, then nestle four chicken breasts, skin side up, among the broccoli. Season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle over 100g grated cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, until the chicken is golden-brown and cooked through.

Shiitake mushrooms are the best plant-based sources of choline Credit: Studio Grand Web/iStockphoto

And if you’re plant-based…

It can be harder to up your choline if you don’t eat animal products. But two of the best plant sources are shiitake mushrooms and butter beans which you can combine in a hearty stew. This recipe serves two generously, with one serving containing over 100mg of choline.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Dice a small onion, one carrot and two celery sticks and gently saute for five minutes. Add two cloves of crushed garlic, 150g halved shiitake mushrooms, season and saute for five more minutes. 

Add one can of drained butter beans, 500ml of vegetable stock, 3 tbsp creme fraiche, 2 tsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tsp dried herbs and 1 tsp cider vinegar. Mix well to combine. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

---

Have you heard of choline? Have you tried other recipes to boost your brain health? Share your thoughts below

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Cottage Cheese Is The Star Ingredient You Need For Edible Cookie Dough - Tasting Table

If you've decided to dip your toe into the waters of cottage cheese cookie dough, here's how to make it: Combine cottage cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a blender, then stir almond flour and vanilla protein powder into the mixture in a bowl. Finally, fold in chocolate chips, just like you would with regular cookie dough. It's important to fully blend the first three ingredients together — if not, you may end up with a few lumps still in your cottage cheese, which doesn't lend to the most satisfying cookie dough. 

@jakecohen

COTTAGE CHEESE EDIBLE COOKIE DOUGH. I'm unwell, I know, but I need a steady stream of sweets throughout the day and lots of protein so I'm actually vvvvvvvv into a few spoons of this magic whenever my sweet tooth is acting up!! Very easy! Don't try to bake it! Hope y'all are getting swole!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰 Cottage Cheese Edible Cookie Dough 1 pound low-fat cottage cheese 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups almond flour 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder 1 cup dark chocolate chips In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla, then purée until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the almond flour and protein powder until well incorporated, then fold in the chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

♬ original sound – Jake Cohen

If you're not a maple syrup fan, you could sub it out with honey. And while almond flour seems to be a staple ingredient here, some report that the texture is a little grainy — so to counteract this, you can blend everything up except the chocolate chips. The vanilla protein powder will give you the most classic cookie dough taste and smell, but you could also use a chocolate one for darker dough. And feel free to throw in any mix-ins you'd like, including peanut butter, chopped nuts, chocolate chunks, and M&M's — whatever will give you the most delicious spoonfuls in the end.

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This Secret Salad Ingredient Could Be The Cause Of Your Abdominal Fat, According To Nutritionists - Yahoo Life

In the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle, salads have emerged as a popular choice for their nutrient-rich content and low-calorie appeal. A vibrant medley of fresh vegetables, fruits, and sometimes proteins, salads offer a canvas for culinary creativity while providing essential vitamins and minerals. However, beneath their seemingly innocent facade, salads can harbor hidden culprits that threaten to derail weight management efforts.

We spoke with Lisa Richards, a nutritionist at The Candida Diet, to find out the one salad ingredient that could be the cause of abdominal fat. Richards shared that avocados are sadly the secret salad item that could lead to potential belly fat. Read on to learn more.

Avocado

Avocados, often heralded as a nutritional powerhouse, have gained popularity as a staple ingredient in salads due to their creamy texture and rich flavor. Packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, avocados offer a satisfying and satiating element to salads. While these fats are generally considered beneficial for overall health, it's essential to be mindful of portion sizes when incorporating avocados into salads. Their caloric density can contribute to excess calorie intake, potentially leading to weight gain, particularly around the abdominal area.

"Avocado is rich in healthy fats, which are nutrient-dense but calorie-dense as well. Consuming large amounts can substantially increase the overall calorie content of your salad. While avocados offer numerous health benefits, such as heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamins, moderation is crucial to avoid unintended calorie surplus," Richards states.

The Bottom Line

This doesn't mean you should cut out avocados from your weight loss diet plan. Balancing the inclusion of avocados with other nutrient-dense ingredients and practicing portion control is crucial to reap their health benefits without inadvertently promoting belly fat accumulation. Richards gives some helpful tips on how we can incorporate this creamy superfood into a balanced diet.

"To strike a balance, consider using about a quarter to half of a medium-sized avocado for your salad. This portion provides the nutritional benefits of avocado without overwhelming the calorie content. Complement the avocado with an assortment of nutrient-packed vegetables, lean proteins, and a light dressing to create a satisfying and well-rounded salad that supports your health and weight management goals."

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The Budget-Friendly 5-Ingredient Pasta Bake My Family Asks Me For All the Time - Yahoo Life

Even after all these years, it's still our favorite weeknight dinner.

Many of the early dates with my husband involved a trip to the grocery store. It wasn’t like a romantic movie where the stars leave the store with a wrinkle-free brown bag full of the best food and a bottle of fancy cabernet sauvignon. We were broke college grads buying generic foods on sale and maybe a fresh tomato. We managed to make some decent meals.

One of the biggest successes of the time was this simple pasta bake. It was loosely based on a recipe I found on a random internet search.

The ingredients—pasta, sauce, ground beef, cheese, and cottage cheese—were readily available at any grocery store and the bill was substantially lower than going to an Italian restaurant. It was also simple to make: Parboil the pasta, then toss with the sauce and the cooked ground beef. Layer the pasta in a casserole with dollops of cottage cheese—the recipe called for ricotta, but cottage cheese was easier to find and more affordable—and mozzarella. Then we baked it until bubbly. It was reliable, affordable, and so delicious.

My husband loves pasta, so this baked pasta has always been a winner. Even today, it's the one dish my family asks me to make for them all the time. It's our favorite.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

How To Make My Favorite Pasta Bake

This will serve six. You'll need:

• 1 pound rigatoni or penne pasta

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 1 (24-ounce) jar tomato sauce

• 1 (16-ounce) container 2% or whole milk cottage cheese

• 1 (8-ounce) bag shredded Italian blend cheese

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Fill a large pot with water, add salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta for about 10 minutes or 1 to 2 minutes before the cooking time recommended on the package. The pasta will still be firm. Drain the pasta into a colander set in the sink.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook it, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. If you'd like, drain the excess fat.

Stir in pasta sauce and cook until warm, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine.

Pour half of the mixture into a 13x9-inch casserole. Make dollops of cottage cheese on top, then cover with half of the shredded cheese. Spread the remaining pasta on top and finish with the remaining shredded cheese evenly scattered on top.

Bake until bubbly and cheese is melted and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

5 Tips for Making My Pasta Bake

1. Add some vegetables. If I don’t feel like meat, I’ll leave it out and add cooked vegetables. Add up to 2 cups of chopped, cooked vegetables to the sauce. Frozen vegetables can be used too, but thaw and drain before using.

2. How much salt to add to the water. I use the rule of thumb of 4 quarts water to 1 tablespoon salt for boiling 1 pound of pasta.

3. Swap the cheeses. Other cheeses work well for this pasta bake. Swap ricotta for the cottage cheese. Use half mozzarella and half Monterey Jack instead of the Italian blend. It’s delicious with a sprinkle of feta or a few slices of provolone cheese. Try adding some freshly grated Parmesan too!

4. Undercook your pasta a bit. Since the pasta will be cooked twice, it’s better to slightly undercook it during its initial boil. Check it two minutes before you expect it to be done to determine texture. It should still be a little hard.

5. Experiment. Try the recipe with a different sauce—Alfredo, pesto, etc.—to see what you like best. Add spices like dried oregano, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, or fresh basil or parsley. For a nourishing twist, use ground turkey instead of ground beef and go with whole wheat pasta.

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Just Add Sugar: The Surprising Ingredient To Supercharge a Common Antioxidant - SciTechDaily

Researchers have found a way to enhance the health benefits of polyphenolic compounds by making them water-soluble through glycosylation, paving the way for potentially life-saving drugs.

New research indicates that combining polyphenolic compounds, which are commonly found in fruits and vegetables, with sugar molecules can lead to the development of potentially life-saving medications.

Polyphenols are a class of compounds found in many plant-based foods. Polyphenols help prevent cellular damage in the body and can help prevent diseases such as cancer or heart disease. However, many of them do not dissolve in water, making it difficult to fully take advantage of their health benefits.

Biological Engineering Professor Jixun Zhan and his graduate students Jie Ren and Caleb Barton recently published a comprehensive review article on engineered production of polyphenolic O-glycosides, which allow those polyphenolic compounds to remain stable and soluble through microbial fermentation. The study was recently published in the journal Biotechnology Advances.

“Polyphenols have many different effects on the body and can be used to develop potential medicines and health supplements,” Zhan said. “They also have natural preservative properties and can protect our body tissues from damage caused by harmful substances. Unfortunately, the poor water solubility and low bioavailability have limited their health benefits, but by attaching sugar molecules, we can make them more soluble in water and stable.”

Professor Jixun Zhan. Credit: Matt Jensen/Utah State University

This process is called glycosylation. Researchers are using new methods, such as bacterial fermentation, to modify the sugar structures and glycosylation patterns of polyphenols. By studying the enzymes and processes involved in sugar biosynthesis, it is now possible to develop more effective glyco-drugs. Zhan’s article summarizes the different phenolic glycosides found in nature and the methods used to produce them.

“By exploring the mechanisms behind the production of these compounds in bacteria and providing methods for manipulating sugar biosynthesis, we can create useful medical agents and improve lives,” Zhan said.

Various methods have been developed to produce polyphenolic glycosides in the lab, but most are still at a small scale. Future research will focus on improving the efficiency of production processes, including optimizing fermentation conditions and finding better ways to transport the compounds.

“Polyphenolic glycosides are valuable compounds with diverse health benefits. Using microbes to produce these compounds in a controlled and cost-effective manner shows promise for large-scale production,” Zhan said.

Reference: “Engineered production of bioactive polyphenolic O-glycosides” by Jie Ren, Caleb Don Barton and Jixun Zhan, 5 April 2023, Biotechnology Advances.
DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108146

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Eating This Common Ingredient During Pregnancy Could Pose a Health Risk - SciTechDaily

A new study reveals that consuming emulsifiers, commonly found in ultra-processed foods, during pregnancy or breastfeeding in mice is linked to mild metabolic, cognitive, and psychological impairments in offspring. The research specifically points out that such consumption impacts the development of neural circuits in the offspring’s hypothalamus, which is crucial for metabolism.

The study indicates that there is a need for mothers to be aware of the risks associated with ultra-processed foods.

A new study in mice indicates that the consumption of emulsifiers, a common ingredient in highly processed foods for humans, when pregnant or lactating, is linked to minor health risks for the offspring. Maria Milà-Guasch of the Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) in Barcelona, Spain, and colleagues recently published the findings in the journal PLOS Biology.

Emulsifiers help to preserve the texture of many ultra-processed foods, including some ice creams, breads, cake mixes, soups, salad dressings, and more. Prior research has linked the consumption of emulsifiers to an increased risk of gut inflammation, obesity, and other health conditions. In addition, unbalanced nutritional habits by pregnant or nursing mothers have been linked to long-term health risks in offspring. However, the specific effects of maternal consumption of emulsifiers on offspring have been unclear.

To help clarify these effects, Milà-Guasch and colleagues provided laboratory mice with water containing two kinds of emulsifiers commonly found combined together in human food—carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80. From before pregnancy until the nursing offspring, female mice received the maximum concentration of each emulsifier allowed in human food products by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. For comparison, other mice received water without any emulsifiers.

Most of the ultra-processed food items consumed nowadays contain emulsifiers in their composition. Credit: Júlia Fos-Domènech & Maria Milà-Guasch (CC-BY 4.0)

The researchers found that the offspring of mice that consumed emulsifiers had a greater risk of certain health issues, including mild metabolic, cognitive, and psychological impairments. These effects were strongest in male offspring, but female offspring also showed impairments.

A combination of gene-expression testing and other lab tests suggested that maternal consumption of emulsifiers led to perturbation of the development of neural circuits in the offspring’s hypothalamus—a part of the brain that plays a central role in regulating metabolism.

Additional research will be needed to further clarify the effects on offspring of emulsifier consumption by pregnant and nursing people. Still, on the basis of their new findings, the researchers call for increased awareness of the potential risks of consumption of ultra-processed foods by mothers. They express particular concern about products perceived to be healthy, including certain vegetarian and vegan products, which nonetheless contain emulsifiers that could potentially lead to health risks for offspring.

Coauthor Marc Claret adds, “Maternal consumption of emulsifiers may affect offspring health, promoting mild metabolic disarrangements, anxiety-like states, and cognitive impairments.”

Reference: “Maternal emulsifier consumption programs offspring metabolic and neuropsychological health in mice” by Maria Milà-Guasch, Sara Ramírez, Sergio R. Llana, Júlia Fos-Domènech, Lea Maria Dropmann, Macarena Pozo, Elena Eyre, Alicia G. Gómez-Valadés, Arnaud Obri, Roberta Haddad-Tóvolli, and Marc Claret, 24 August 2023, PLOS Biology.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002171

This study was funded by the European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 725004) and supported by: ‘la Caixa’ Foundation (ID100010434) under agreement LCF/PR/HR19/52160016 and the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya (to M.C.); Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action fellowship (H2020-MSCA-IF) NEUROPREG (grant agreement no. 891247; to R.H-T.); the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Juan de la Cierva fellowship (IJC2018-037341-I to S.R.); Miguel Servet contract (CP19/00083) from Instituto de Salud Carlos III co-financed by ERDF (to A.O.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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‘It does it all’: The active ingredient shrinking beauty routines - Sydney Morning Herald

Skincare has become a linguistic minefield. The simple task of asking for a moisturiser has been replaced by tongue-twisters such as hyaluronic acid, squalane and niacinamide.

The latest sought-after, vowel-packed ingredient is ectoin, with Google searches for the extremolyte (another Scrabble winner) increasing by 40 per cent since January, following the launch of products promoting its hydrating and protective properties. An extremolyte is a molecule that protects microorganisms from environmental stresses, UV radiation and dehydration.

Skincare entrepreneur Dr Barbara Sturm showcasing her products on stage in Hamburg, Germany.Credit: Getty

“Ectoin is a real multitasker with scientifically proven beneficial properties for our skin,” says German skincare entrepreneur Dr Barbara Sturm. “It envelops skin cells in hydration shields, helping to protect skin from external aggressors and reduce oxidative stress and cell inflammation.”

It’s the protective properties that sets ectoin apart from the hyped hyaluronic acid, which when applied to the skin only acts as a hydrator.

“It improves the resilience of the skin, reducing water loss, and boosts skin radiance, texture and elasticity,” Sturm says. “Ectoin also has additional moisturising and plumping effects. It does it all.”

With the white coat, scientific aspects covered, ectoin just needed an exotic backstory to find the same fame as hyaluronic acid. Fortunately, its discovery in 1985 in Egypt’s Wadi El Natrun desert, where it protects plants against salt-induced dehydration, fits the bill.

“It comes under the category of an adaptogen, which is used by plant life to protect its surface coating, allowing it to survive harsh temperature extremes to survive and thrive,” says US skin entrepreneur Dr Dennis Gross.

“In humans, it does something analogous, namely, protects and restores the moisture barrier of skin, which is our surface protector.”

Forty years is a long journey from the Egyptian desert to online checkouts, but Gross credits the delayed attraction to a growing exhaustion with Korean-style beauty routines that start at eight steps and can keep you in the bathroom beyond breakfast time.

“More people are looking to support their skin health in multiple ways,” Gross says. “This means looking for quality, multitasking formulations that have been clinically tested instead of embarking on a 12-step routine that overworks the skin and disrupts the moisture barrier.”

Those 12-step beauty routines were a lockdown ritual for many people, bringing visible glamour to Zoom catch-ups. Ectoin’s arrival is perfectly timed for those experiencing a delayed reaction IRL.

“A lot of products that feature ectoin have launched in the last year or two,” says cosmetic chemist Dr Michelle Wong, founder of science education platform Lab Muffin. “There’s also been a lot of interest in non-irritating actives and supporting the skin barrier because so many people started using a lot of irritating skincare in the last few years while working from home.”

Don’t expect to see ectoin jumping out at you on labels, with it predominantly found in a cocktail of formulas.

“Its benefits alone are impressive but because it works so well with other actives, it is a key ingredient in a multitasking formula, like my DermInfusions Fill + Repair Serum,” says Dr Gross.

“Ectoin should be combined with many active ingredients but works particularly well with other moisturising ingredients such as my proprietary formulation of high and low molecular weighted hyaluronic acid and vitamin E,” says Sturm, who also includes it in her Better B Niacinamide Serum.

While on its own ectoin is hailed as a non-irritant, Wong suggests proceeding with caution before packing your bathroom cabinet with multitasking products.

“Like with other humectant ingredients, it can make skin a bit more permeable to other ingredients which can lead to irritation,” Wong says. “Different people’s skin can also react to different things, so while ectoin is generally quite non-irritating it’s still a good idea to introduce it into your routine slowly and stop using it if your skin starts getting irritated.”

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Drink Powder Is The Unexpected Ingredient For Flavorful Wings - Tasting Table

Tang is a secret weapon to use with other spices and seasonings in a dry rub. When using Tang on your wings, the first order of business is to decide what other spices you'd like to pair it with. Sweet orange flavors pair wonderfully with spicy and savory seasonings like red chili flakes, cayenne, dried chilies, and crushed black pepper, along with aromatics like ginger, onion, and garlic.

You could add Tang to dried chipotle, garlic, onion, and cumin powder for sweet, spicy, and smoky Southwestern-style chicken wings. You could use Tang instead of orange juice and brown sugar to blend with cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, allspice, black pepper, onion, garlic, and red chili flakes for an efficient twist on Jerk chicken.

Once you've mixed your dry rub ingredients together in a bowl, place raw, patted-dry chicken wings in the mixture and fully coat the skin. Once you've achieved an even coat, place the chicken in the fridge to chill for at least four hours so the Tang can work its tenderizing magic. This is also a key step toward achieving shatteringly crispy chicken skin. You can also mix rice flour and baking powder into your dry rub to optimize crisping and browning.

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The Potent Ingredient To Intensify Au Gratin Potatoes - Tasting Table

You can incorporate two different kinds of horseradish into your gratin — a prepared paste or a freshly grated version. Think of freshly grated horseradish like grated ginger, as it has a fibrous texture and has a tendency to mellow out a bit during the cooking process. The only downside to using the fresh variety is that horseradish's pungent flavor is fleeting, fading after continued contact with the air. Prepared horseradish, on the other hand, is treated with vinegar to preserve its flavor. This means that ultimately the prepared version is about half as pungent as the fresh kind. 

When making your potatoes gratin, you'll want to incorporate your horseradish into the creamy sauce you'll pour over the potatoes. To make sure it's evenly incorporated into the cream, make sure to finely grate it — a food processor works wonders here. Add about one tablespoon of freshly grated horseradish or two tablespoons of prepared horseradish per gratin recipe. From there, you'll proceed with the recipe as called for. Once you take a bite, you'll wonder why it's taken so long for you to discover the umami-rich pleasures of horseradish-spiked potato gratin.    

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My Mom's Secret Ingredient for the Best Chicken and Noodles - Yahoo Life

If comfort food is what you’re after, then you’ll want a bowl of my mom’s chicken and noodles.

If I could transport myself back in time, it would be to the nights when my mom made her chicken and noodles for dinner. Out of all of the foods she made, this was my favorite. It isn’t a fussy or fancy meal. It's pure comfort.

It turns out her mom made a similar dish. My grandmother would place bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts in a pressure cooker—the old-school kind of the 1950s—and cook them with water, salt, and pepper. Once the family got home from Church, she would serve the chicken over noodles and that would be the meal.

My mom didn’t care for my grandmother’s version. The chicken was dry and the meal, she claims, was flavorless. So she skipped the pressure cooker and instead put the chicken in a big pot. She covered the chicken with chicken broth and a healthy smattering of butter, and let it simmer, low and slow, until the meat was tender.

She shredded the chicken and instead of discarding the flavorful broth like my grandmother did, she cooked the noodles in it. Then she added the chicken back to the pot along with more butter. The result was a bowl of creamy goodness.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

The Secret to My Mom’s Chicken and Noodles

How did my mom create my favorite dish from one of her least favorite dishes? It was a chance encounter with a bag of noodles at the Amish market. She picked up the bag thinking they looked good, but didn’t have a plan for them. One afternoon, she found them in the pantry while trying to figure out dinner. She had chicken, so she decided to re-create her mom’s chicken and noodles.

These are the Amish noodles my mom used. Especially when cooked in the chicken broth, they are what makes my mom's chicken and noodles the absolute best—the key to this recipe! If you have access to Amish noodles, use those. I have found that spaetzle noodles work well too. Find them at specialty grocery stores or farmers markets.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

How To Make My Mom’s Chicken and Noodles

I am a Registered Dietitian and trained chef, so I use the tools under my belt to make my own version of my mom's chicken and noodles. That's the recipe you'll find below—they bring back memories of my childhood. Now it’s a dish that my daughter loves and asks for, and that is what good cooking is all about.

This will serve six. You’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices

• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices

• 1/2 small white onion, diced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

• 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 8 ounces dried Amish or spaetzle noodles

• Chopped parsley for garnish, if desired

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook, stirring often until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and broth along with enough water to cover the chicken by 1 inch.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then, reduce heat, cover with a lid, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. A thermometer inserted in the thickest part should reach 165°F. Check occasionally to ensure that the chicken stays submerged. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, if needed.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board.

Skim the top of the cooking liquid to remove and discard any scum. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until soft and tender—check package directions for the exact cook time.

Meanwhile, remove the chicken skin and shred the chicken.

Once the noodles are done cooking, add the shredded chicken back into the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes uncovered, then stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Tips for Making My Mom’s Chicken and Noodles

1. Use bone-in chicken: You may be tempted to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you won’t get the same richness and depth you’ll get from using bone-in, skin-on breasts. For even more flavor, consider using a few bone-in, skin-on thighs instead of one of the breasts.

2. Eat it the next day: Of course you can eat the chicken and noodles right away, but this dish improves with time. Enjoy a bowl, then cool the rest and refrigerate. Simply reheat in the pot and you’ll enjoy it again even more!

3. Finish with some lemon: To add a touch of brightness, consider squeezing a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice into the soup. The acid adds a little punch and a hint of lightness.

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My Mom's Secret Ingredient for the Best Chicken and Noodles - Yahoo Life
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Drink Powder Is The Unexpected Ingredient For Flavorful Wings - Tasting Table

Tang is a secret weapon to use with other spices and seasonings in a dry rub. When using Tang on your wings, the first order of business is to decide what other spices you'd like to pair it with. Sweet orange flavors pair wonderfully with spicy and savory seasonings like red chili flakes, cayenne, dried chilies, and crushed black pepper, along with aromatics like ginger, onion, and garlic.

You could add Tang to dried chipotle, garlic, onion, and cumin powder for sweet, spicy, and smoky Southwestern-style chicken wings. You could use Tang instead of orange juice and brown sugar to blend with cinnamon, paprika, cayenne, allspice, black pepper, onion, garlic, and red chili flakes for an efficient twist on Jerk chicken.

Once you've mixed your dry rub ingredients together in a bowl, place raw, patted-dry chicken wings in the mixture and fully coat the skin. Once you've achieved an even coat, place the chicken in the fridge to chill for at least four hours so the Tang can work its tenderizing magic. This is also a key step toward achieving shatteringly crispy chicken skin. You can also mix rice flour and baking powder into your dry rub to optimize crisping and browning.

Adblock test (Why?)

Drink Powder Is The Unexpected Ingredient For Flavorful Wings - Tasting Table
Read More

My Mom's Secret Ingredient for the Best Chicken and Noodles - Yahoo Life

If comfort food is what you’re after, then you’ll want a bowl of my mom’s chicken and noodles.

If I could transport myself back in time, it would be to the nights when my mom made her chicken and noodles for dinner. Out of all of the foods she made, this was my favorite. It isn’t a fussy or fancy meal. It's pure comfort.

It turns out her mom made a similar dish. My grandmother would place bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts in a pressure cooker—the old-school kind of the 1950s—and cook them with water, salt, and pepper. Once the family got home from Church, she would serve the chicken over noodles and that would be the meal.

My mom didn’t care for my grandmother’s version. The chicken was dry and the meal, she claims, was flavorless. So she skipped the pressure cooker and instead put the chicken in a big pot. She covered the chicken with chicken broth and a healthy smattering of butter, and let it simmer, low and slow, until the meat was tender.

She shredded the chicken and instead of discarding the flavorful broth like my grandmother did, she cooked the noodles in it. Then she added the chicken back to the pot along with more butter. The result was a bowl of creamy goodness.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

The Secret to My Mom’s Chicken and Noodles

How did my mom create my favorite dish from one of her least favorite dishes? It was a chance encounter with a bag of noodles at the Amish market. She picked up the bag thinking they looked good, but didn’t have a plan for them. One afternoon, she found them in the pantry while trying to figure out dinner. She had chicken, so she decided to re-create her mom’s chicken and noodles.

These are the Amish noodles my mom used. Especially when cooked in the chicken broth, they are what makes my mom's chicken and noodles the absolute best—the key to this recipe! If you have access to Amish noodles, use those. I have found that spaetzle noodles work well too. Find them at specialty grocery stores or farmers markets.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

How To Make My Mom’s Chicken and Noodles

I am a Registered Dietitian and trained chef, so I use the tools under my belt to make my own version of my mom's chicken and noodles. That's the recipe you'll find below—they bring back memories of my childhood. Now it’s a dish that my daughter loves and asks for, and that is what good cooking is all about.

This will serve six. You’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices

• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices

• 1/2 small white onion, diced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

• 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 8 ounces dried Amish or spaetzle noodles

• Chopped parsley for garnish, if desired

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook, stirring often until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and broth along with enough water to cover the chicken by 1 inch.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then, reduce heat, cover with a lid, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. A thermometer inserted in the thickest part should reach 165°F. Check occasionally to ensure that the chicken stays submerged. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, if needed.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board.

Skim the top of the cooking liquid to remove and discard any scum. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until soft and tender—check package directions for the exact cook time.

Meanwhile, remove the chicken skin and shred the chicken.

Once the noodles are done cooking, add the shredded chicken back into the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes uncovered, then stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Tips for Making My Mom’s Chicken and Noodles

1. Use bone-in chicken: You may be tempted to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you won’t get the same richness and depth you’ll get from using bone-in, skin-on breasts. For even more flavor, consider using a few bone-in, skin-on thighs instead of one of the breasts.

2. Eat it the next day: Of course you can eat the chicken and noodles right away, but this dish improves with time. Enjoy a bowl, then cool the rest and refrigerate. Simply reheat in the pot and you’ll enjoy it again even more!

3. Finish with some lemon: To add a touch of brightness, consider squeezing a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice into the soup. The acid adds a little punch and a hint of lightness.

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My Mom's Secret Ingredient for the Best Chicken and Noodles - Yahoo Life
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My Mom's Secret Ingredient for the Best Chicken and Noodles - Yahoo Life

If comfort food is what you’re after, then you’ll want a bowl of my mom’s chicken and noodles.

If I could transport myself back in time, it would be to the nights when my mom made her chicken and noodles for dinner. Out of all of the foods she made, this was my favorite. It isn’t a fussy or fancy meal. It's pure comfort.

It turns out her mom made a similar dish. My grandmother would place bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts in a pressure cooker—the old-school kind of the 1950s—and cook them with water, salt, and pepper. Once the family got home from Church, she would serve the chicken over noodles and that would be the meal.

My mom didn’t care for my grandmother’s version. The chicken was dry and the meal, she claims, was flavorless. So she skipped the pressure cooker and instead put the chicken in a big pot. She covered the chicken with chicken broth and a healthy smattering of butter, and let it simmer, low and slow, until the meat was tender.

She shredded the chicken and instead of discarding the flavorful broth like my grandmother did, she cooked the noodles in it. Then she added the chicken back to the pot along with more butter. The result was a bowl of creamy goodness.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

The Secret to My Mom’s Chicken and Noodles

How did my mom create my favorite dish from one of her least favorite dishes? It was a chance encounter with a bag of noodles at the Amish market. She picked up the bag thinking they looked good, but didn’t have a plan for them. One afternoon, she found them in the pantry while trying to figure out dinner. She had chicken, so she decided to re-create her mom’s chicken and noodles.

These are the Amish noodles my mom used. Especially when cooked in the chicken broth, they are what makes my mom's chicken and noodles the absolute best—the key to this recipe! If you have access to Amish noodles, use those. I have found that spaetzle noodles work well too. Find them at specialty grocery stores or farmers markets.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

How To Make My Mom’s Chicken and Noodles

I am a Registered Dietitian and trained chef, so I use the tools under my belt to make my own version of my mom's chicken and noodles. That's the recipe you'll find below—they bring back memories of my childhood. Now it’s a dish that my daughter loves and asks for, and that is what good cooking is all about.

This will serve six. You’ll need:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices

• 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices

• 1/2 small white onion, diced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

• 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 8 ounces dried Amish or spaetzle noodles

• Chopped parsley for garnish, if desired

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onions and cook, stirring often until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and broth along with enough water to cover the chicken by 1 inch.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then, reduce heat, cover with a lid, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. A thermometer inserted in the thickest part should reach 165°F. Check occasionally to ensure that the chicken stays submerged. Add water, 1/2 cup at a time, if needed.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board.

Skim the top of the cooking liquid to remove and discard any scum. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until soft and tender—check package directions for the exact cook time.

Meanwhile, remove the chicken skin and shred the chicken.

Once the noodles are done cooking, add the shredded chicken back into the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes uncovered, then stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

Tips for Making My Mom’s Chicken and Noodles

1. Use bone-in chicken: You may be tempted to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you won’t get the same richness and depth you’ll get from using bone-in, skin-on breasts. For even more flavor, consider using a few bone-in, skin-on thighs instead of one of the breasts.

2. Eat it the next day: Of course you can eat the chicken and noodles right away, but this dish improves with time. Enjoy a bowl, then cool the rest and refrigerate. Simply reheat in the pot and you’ll enjoy it again even more!

3. Finish with some lemon: To add a touch of brightness, consider squeezing a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon juice into the soup. The acid adds a little punch and a hint of lightness.

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My Mom's Secret Ingredient for the Best Chicken and Noodles - Yahoo Life
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The Potent Ingredient To Intensify Au Gratin Potatoes - Tasting Table

You can incorporate two different kinds of horseradish into your gratin — a prepared paste or a freshly grated version. Think of freshly grated horseradish like grated ginger, as it has a fibrous texture and has a tendency to mellow out a bit during the cooking process. The only downside to using the fresh variety is that horseradish's pungent flavor is fleeting, fading after continued contact with the air. Prepared horseradish, on the other hand, is treated with vinegar to preserve its flavor. This means that ultimately the prepared version is about half as pungent as the fresh kind. 

When making your potatoes gratin, you'll want to incorporate your horseradish into the creamy sauce you'll pour over the potatoes. To make sure it's evenly incorporated into the cream, make sure to finely grate it — a food processor works wonders here. Add about one tablespoon of freshly grated horseradish or two tablespoons of prepared horseradish per gratin recipe. From there, you'll proceed with the recipe as called for. Once you take a bite, you'll wonder why it's taken so long for you to discover the umami-rich pleasures of horseradish-spiked potato gratin.    

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The Potent Ingredient To Intensify Au Gratin Potatoes - Tasting Table
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The Simple Ingredient for Better Scrambled Eggs - The Kitchn

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

Credit: Sarah Beling

Looking to break out of your boring breakfast routine? If your usual scrambled eggs always seem to be a bit dry and uninspired, we’ve come across just what you need. 

This viral egg dish, courtesy of recipe developer Yarin Shachagi (better known as Bread Bake Beyond), promises to deliver savory, creamy, and perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs.

The trick calls for adding one single egg yolk and a dollop of crème fraîche to the scrambled eggs, just before they’re finished cooking all the way, to add richness and to stop the eggs from continuing to cook and drying out. The best part? It takes just a few ingredients and minutes to prepare. To see if this method is worth it, I decided to test the recipe to find out. 

How to Make Super-Creamy, Fluffy Scrambled Eggs 

According to Yarin, you’ll need just a few pantry staples and fresh herbs to achieve great scrambled eggs: 3 large eggs and 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, and 1 tablespoon crème fraîche.

Prepare your eggs: Crack the 3 eggs into a bowl and whisk vigorously. Crack one egg and separate the yolk into a different bowl. 

Credit: Sarah Beling

Cook your eggs: Heat a tablespoon of butter in a nonstick pan on low. When the butter has melted, add the 3 whisked eggs and slowly stir using a rubber or plastic spatula. After approximately 30 seconds, add the crème fraîche and egg yolk and gently stir for another 10 to 15 seconds, or until the egg yolk is just incorporated and warmed through, but the eggs are still soft and creamy. 

Credit: Sarah Beling

My Review of the Scrambled Eggs with Crème Fraîche

These scrambled eggs were not only relatively simple to make — the entire process took around 10 minutes. The eggs were super fluffy and creamy, thanks to the addition of the yolk and crème fraîche. If you don’t have crème fraîche, sour cream or even full-fat Greek yogurt could easily be substituted. While I wouldn’t necessarily make these scrambled eggs on mornings when I’m in a rush, I’d absolutely make them again for overnight guests or as a treat for myself on weekends. 

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Another high five for Jamie Oliver: recipes from 5 Ingredients Mediterranean - New Zealand Herald

Jamie Oliver. Photo / Samy Frikha

Jamie’s most popular cookbook goes Mediterranean in this mouth-watering follow-up to 5 Ingredients. 5 Ingredients Mediterranean is everything people loved about the first book, but with the added va-va-voom of basing it on Jamie’s lifelong travels around the Med.

Tunisian prawn spaghetti. Photo / David Loftus

Tunisian prawn spaghetti

Fragrant rose harissa, zingy lemon & fresh parsley

Serves: 2 Total time: 22 minutes

Tunisians are one of the biggest pasta eaters on the planet and they have a whole load of their own pasta shapes and techniques. Harissa really amplifies the sweetness of the prawns here – delicious!

150g dried spaghetti

8 large raw shell-on king prawns

2 tsp rose harissa

½ a bunch of flat-leaf parsley (15g)

1 lemon

1. Cook the pasta in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.

2. Meanwhile, peel the prawns, removing and reserving the heads and leaving the tails on. I like to run a small sharp knife down the back of each, discarding the vein, so they butterfly when they cook. Toss the prawns with the harissa and leave to briefly marinate.

3. Place the prawn heads in a large frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fry until golden all over, stirring regularly and gently squashing to extract amazing flavour.

4. Roughly chop and reserve the top leafy half of the parsley, then finely slice the stalks and add them to the pan with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Fry for 1 minute, then add the marinated prawns and cook for 1 minute on each side.

5. Using tongs, drag the pasta into the pan, squeeze in half the lemon juice, throw in the parsley leaves, then toss together, loosening with a splash of starchy cooking water, if needed.

6. To serve, pick out and discard the crispy prawn heads and cut the remaining lemon half into wedges for squeezing over.

ENERGY 373kcal FAT 9.3g SAT FAT 1.2g PROTEIN 19.2g CARBS 56.3g SUGARS 3.2g SALT 0.9g FIBRE 2.8g

Garlic chicken. Photo / David Loftus

Garlic chicken

Creamy chickpeas, spinach & sumac

Serves: 2 Total time: 18 minutes

Inspired by some of the wonderful flavours of Lebanon, this quick dish is perfect for an easy meal. Hunting out nice fat jarred chickpeas is game-changing when it comes to both flavour and texture.

4 cloves of garlic

2 x 150g skinless chicken breasts

½ x 700g jar of chickpeas

250g baby spinach

1 heaped tsp sumac

1. Peel the garlic cloves and slice lengthways, then place in a large non-stick frying pan on a high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, stirring regularly.

2. Slice each chicken breast lengthways into 3 strips, then toss with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Once the garlic is nicely golden, quickly remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the flavoured oil behind. Go in with the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, turning regularly.

3. Remove the chicken from the pan and tip in the chickpeas (juices and all). Add the spinach, along with most of the garlic and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, then toss over the heat until the spinach has wilted and the chickpeas are hot through.

4. Season to perfection with salt and pepper, then return the chicken to the pan and finish with the reserved garlic and a generous dusting of sumac.

ENERGY 406kcal FAT 13.3g SAT FAT 2.2g PROTEIN 48.8g CARBS 23.2g SUGARS 3.1g SALT 1.3g FIBRE 1.1g

Jools' chocolate dreams. Photo / David Loftus

Jools’ chocolate dreams

Silky-smooth chocolate, best coffee, pure happiness

Serves: 6 Total time: 40 minutes, plus cooling

Chocolate and coffee are celebrated all around the Med and they’re also my wife’s two favourite indulgent pleasures, so why wouldn’t I create possibly one of the most decadent desserts on Earth?

150g dark chocolate (70%)

125g unsalted butter

50ml good espresso

2 large eggs

125g golden caster sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 120°C. Snap the chocolate into a heatproof bowl, add the butter, espresso and a good pinch of sea salt, and place over a pan of gently simmering water to melt very slowly until smooth, stirring regularly.

2. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and doubled in size, then carefully fold in the melted chocolate mixture.

3. Boil the kettle. Divide the mixture between 6 coffee cups or ramekins and put them into a roasting tray. Place the tray in the oven, then carefully pour in enough boiling kettle water to come halfway up the side of the cups. Bake for exactly 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the oven and leave to cool in the water for 2 hours.

4. To serve, I sometimes shave over some extra chocolate, or add fresh fruit with a dollop of yoghurt or crème fraîche.

ENERGY 400kcal FAT 26.8g SAT FAT 15.9g PROTEIN 3.8g CARBS 38.6g SUGARS 38.5g SALT 0.4g FIBRE 0.0g

5 Ingredients Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Michael Joseph ©Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2023 5 Ingredients Mediterranean). Recipe photography: © David Loftus, 2023.

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