How Do I Use It? Oats Part IV: Special Concerns

Here are some special concerns for having oats in your storage.

• Which type? For long term storage you want old-fashioned, quick, or steel-cut oats, not instant. Most instant oatmeals have some sort of mix-in or other ingredients that can make the shelf-life shorter.
• Liquid- Unless you are making cookies or other baked goads, you'll need some liquid.

That's really all there are for special concerns. Oats are a pretty awesome thing to store.

Oats Part I, II, III

How Do I Use It? Oats Part III: Cooking

When it comes to oats, cooking is relatively simple. You may not even need too, depending on what you are making. I'm going to assume (correct me if I'm wrong) you know how to cook instant oats (the ones that come in the packets) and focus on old-fashioned and quick oats.

First we are going to focus on using them for oatmeal:

• Old-fashioned: The first thing to remember is a 2-1 ratio of liquid to oats. To cook boil liquid (milk or water) and a dash of salt. Stir in oats. Cook for 5 minute over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Quick Oats: The only difference for quick oat is you only cook for 1 minute instead of 5.

When it comes to baking Quick and Old-Fashioned can be used interchangeably. Some people prefer to toast the oats before use, but you don't have to. It's really a personal preference.

If using steel-cut oats, remember it will take longer to cook them.

Cooking with oats is so versatile, and simple!

How Do I Use It? Oats Part II: Types and Uses

I bet a lot of people only know of two kinds of oats instant and regular! But there are actually a few different kinds (that mainly have to do with processing), read on for more info on oats.

• Whole Oats- Whole oats have a hard outer hull that needs to be removed. If you are going to buy whole oats, the hull needs to be removed before eating.
• Oat Groats- The whole grain oat with the outer hull removed. They look like a lot like brown rice. They can be eaten at this stage, but generally people eat one of the more processed stages.
• Steel-cut Oats- A rougher cut of oats made by passing the groat through steel cutters that chop them into 3-4 pieces. Because the oat bran is still intact steel-cut oats are some of the most nutritious.
• Rolled Oats- Made by steaming and flattening groats. There are two varieties: old-fashioned and quick-cooking. The former is made by passing whole groat through steam partially cooking it and then flattening it, the latter is usually steel-cut oats that have been steamed and flattened.
• Instant Oats- These are just the next level in processing, they are made by steaming and flattening the oats more. These are the least nutritious form of oats.
• Oat Flour- Basically oats ground into a powder.

All of these types can usually be found in both white and red oats. Red and White refer to the color of the oat, and there main difference is where they are grown.

All types of oats (except the whole oat and oat flour) can be used pretty much interchangeably, it mainly depends on the texture you desire and the time you have to cook them. You obviously won't use instant oatmeal for baking, but you could use it for a quick breakfast. It's mainly a matter of preference in most situations, and they all pretty much have the same flavor.

How Do I Use It? Oats Part I: Background

Oats are a great food. We're not talking about the instant kind, we're talking about the old fashioned and/or quick oats. They taste good, and they are good for you! Let's look at the background of oats:

• Wild oats were eaten as early as the Neolithic and Bronze Ages
• Romans cultivated it.
• Often is weed-like
• Loves coled climates
• Has a short growing season.
• High prevelance in Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia, and Germany
• In U.S. oats were originally thought of only as horse feed.
• Oatmeal became popular in U.S. because poorer immigrants needed a breakfast they could afford.
• Oats also have use to day medicinaly and in beauty treatments.

Why Should You Store It?

• Great source of dietary fiber.
• Lowers cholesterol/ heart healthy.
• Has lots of antioxidants
• Helps keep blood sugar in check.
• Lowers blood pressure.
• Helps with Bowel Function
• Makes you feel fuller for a long period
• Great for breastfeeding mom's to help with milk supply.
• Great source of protein!
• Great source of many vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
• Versatile. Great for breakfast with many options to mix in, but also can be used as a part of baking, and other meals. Can also be ground up into a flour.

How Do I Use it? Sugar Part IV: Special Concerns

My usual Special Concerns of "fuel" and "water" don't really apply with sugar because as I said before you don't technically have to do anything to sugar to eat it. That being said, there still our some special concerns.

• Diabetes. Obviously if someone in your family has diabetes, some special planning may be necessary.
• Crash. While sugar does create energy, it also creates a crash of energy. So eat wisely. The best way to avoid it is to pair it with some protein and whole grains.
• Needs something with it. Most people aren't going to eat straight sugar, so you'll need some recipes and foods to use it with (like oats!) 
• Bugs. Once the food storage has been opened, you'll have to be extra careful to keep pest out. There are tons of bugs who will want your food storage as much as you do!

Sugar Part I, II, and III. 

How Do I Use It? Sugar Part III: Cooking

The best thing about sugar is there is no cooking required to use it. You could just eat it as is, but that's way too sweet for most people.

There's really two main uses of sugar in meals: to sweeten or to counteract acidity. Below are some examples of each.

To sweeten:

• Drinks- like lemonade, koolaid, etc.
• Sweet Baking- very few baked goods do not have sugar in some amount. 
• Toppings- Whipped Cream, sprinkled on fruit, on cereal, etc.

To counteract acidity:

• This is most often in homemade pasta sauces, salsas, etc. 

One other use of sugar is in yeast baking. When you use yeast you usually proof it in water with some sugar for the yeast to feed on. If you will be baking breads with your food storage, you need some sugar.

How Do I Use It? Sugar Part II: Types and Uses

Sugar! You'd actually be surprised at the different kinds of sugar out there. But the good news is most sugars can be used interchangeably. Check-out some of the types.

• Refined Sugar- plain old white sugar
• Raw Sugar- Intermediate sugar in the refining process. Often seen referred to as "sugar in the raw"
• Brown Sugar- Sugar coated with molasses
• Turbinado Sugar- sugar that has been semi-refined. Closer to refined sugar than raw sugar.
• Evaporated Cane Juice- Another type of sweetener.
• Molasses- Syrup remaining from processing sugar
• Honey- Sweetener made by bees.
• (High Fructose) Corn Syrup- Syrup made from corn. High Fructose is just processed more.
• Invert Sugar- used in baked goods to prolong shelf-life
• Confectioner's Sugar- super fine sugar.

And of course there are several sugar substitutes out there. Some of these are better than others, but it's best just to use the real thing. Here are just a few I know of:

• Splenda
• Stevia
• Nutrisweet
• Equal
• Sweet N Low

How Do I Use It? Sugar Part I: Background

Sugar. We love how it tastes, but hate what it does to us. But actually it can be a great, if not necessary, thing to have in your food storage. Let's look at it's background.

• Experts believe it originated in the South Pacific 8,000 years ago.
• First mention of it is from an officer in Alexander's army about 325 BC
• Used to be a luxury in Europe.
• Columbus brought it to the America's on his second voyage.
• Sugar is product of photosynthesis.
• Found in all plants, but highest concentration in sugar cane and sugar beet plants.

Why Should You Store It?

• If stored properly, it will last indefinitely.
• Has many different uses for a ton of different recipes.
• Provides energy to the body. 

How Do I Use It? Pasta Part IV: Special Concerns

There aren't a ton of concerns for pasta, but there are a few.

Allergies- There are a large number of people who are either allergic to wheat flour or suffer from Celiac disease. Obviously if someone in your family has these issues, pasta is not a great option for food storage. 

Water- I feel like a broken record on this one, but it's true. However, one advantage to pasta is theoretically you could use the water that the pasta was cooked in to cook other foods. Unlike beans and/or rice where the water is either absorbed by the food or must be tossed after soaking, the water is still there and usable. You could cook dehydrated veggies or use in other ways. 

Cooking Source- Again I feel like a broken record, but you need to be able to cook the pasta. (Well I guess you could eat it uncooked if you were desperate...)

Wheat Pasta- I love wheat pasta, but for long term storage it would be better to pick the white kind. Wheat products can go rancid a lot quicker. The only wheat the can be stored for long term is the hard cracked kind (the stuff you need a wheat grinder for). However feel free to choose wheat for short term storage.

Pasta Part I, II, III

How Do I Use It? Pasta Part III: Cooking

Pasta is probably one of the easiest things to cook, but many people over or undercook it. Actually a study by Barilla found that more than half of Americans cook their pasta incorrectly. Here's the keys to cooking pasta correctly.

• Use the right size pan and enough water. Crowding the pasta can cause it to stick to the sides and get an overall "sticky" taste. You need about four quarts for every lb of pasta, and a pot to accommodate it all.
• Use salt. Adding salt to cooking pasta is not for the taste of the pasta. Pasta does not absorb salt while cooking. Salt actually helps pasta cook evenly and keeps it from feeling "slimy." A good rule is about a teaspoon of salt for each quart of water.
• Do not add oil to the pot. Most people do this to keep the pasta from sticking, but then sauces will not stick to the pasta either. To keep pasta from sticking, simply stir the pasta occasionally while cooking.
• Add the pasta after the water is boiling. Pasta does not cook properly unless the water is boiling when you add it. If the water stops boiling when you add the pasta, get it boiling as quickly as possible.
• Stir the pasta. Pasta is not a set it and forget it food. It keeps it from sticking and makes sure all pasta cooks evenly.
• Don't overcook. Perfect pasta should be al dente, which is slightly firm. If it's really limp it's overcooked. On the other side if it is crunchy, it's under done. To get it just right, you need to check the pasta about a minute before the box instructions. To test it: taste it! When it's done turn off the heat and drain it. Pasta will continue cooking even after it's been drained. The cooking time depends on the pasta, 7-12 minutes being average. Tasting is your best bet.
• Don't rinse. By rinsing, you rinse of the starches that will absorb the sauce you will put on it. 
• Serve immediately. Remember pasta will keep cooking even after it has been drained, so the longer you wait the more likely it will be overcooked by time it is served

How Do I Use It? Pasta Part II: Types and Uses

There really are a ton of pastas out there! Normally I compile my information from books, websites, and personal experience, but I found this great website that explains all of it pretty well with pictures.

It has a great list of many types of pasta including pictures, and lists how it is often used with the best sauces, etc. to serve it with.

Check it out!

How Do I Use it? Pasta Part I: Background

Mmm... Pasta. I do love pasta. I think that's probably because of my Italian roots. Let's look at some of the information on pasta.

• Origin is a but of mystery. Ideas include China, Africa, Greece, Italy, and Israel.
• Italy actually has laws as to how pasta can be made. 
• Traditionally cooked al dente meaning firm to the bite. 
• Tons of varieties. In fact there are over 600 worldwide.
• Source of complex carbs.

Why Should it be in Your Food Storage?

• Relatively inexpensive
• Great for use as a main dish or a side dish.
• Filling
• Good source of fiber and other minerals
• Great comfort food. Seems silly now, but in times of great stress you might be happy to eat spaghetti or mac and cheese.

As usual join me in two weeks to learn more about the most common varieties.

How Do I Use it? Beans Part IV: Special Concerns

Water- One of the biggest concerns with beans is that it uses a lot of water. You need water to soak and then water to cook them in. If water is scarce this could be a major problem.

Indigestion- Beans are known for there ability to give you bloating and gas. The best way to avoid this is to use fresh water after soaking. However, given the previous statement, you may have weigh which is worse. 

Fermentation- Beans can ferment, especially during the soaking phase. To avoid this, beans should not soak in warm weather. This could be a problem should you not have electricity in a hotter climate. If you have a electricity, soak them in the fridge.

Cooking Source- Almost all beans need to be cooked in order to be digested properly. If you are going to store beans, make sure to have a source to cook them.

Dried Beans- For long term storage, it must be dried beans, not the precooked beans found in cans at the store. 

Beans Part I, II, III

How Do I Use it? Beans Part III: Cooking

Beans are a relatively common food, however many of us use the already prepared canned variety. Here is how to work with beans from a dried state.

• Sort and Rinse- Spread beans out on a clean towel or pan. Remove any shriveled beans and/or pebbles. Rinse them in cold water.
• Soak- Almost all dried beans must be soaked. This is vital for them to be digested properly. To soak simply put the beans in a pot and fill with enough water to be about 3 inches above the beans. This is about 4-5 cups of water per cup of beans. In really warm weather, it may be wise to soak in the fridge to avoid fermentation.
• Short Soak/Boil method- Boil beans in water for 3 minutes (preferably a heavy bottom pot). Cover and set aside for 2-4 hours (longer does not hurt). Drain and discard water. Rinse beans and proceed to cooking.
• Long Soak Method- Soak beans for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and discard water. Rinse beans and proceed to cooking.
• Cooking- Using new water (not what you soaked it in), cook beans in a large, covered pot. Use 3-4 cups of water for each cup dried beans, which would be water about 1 inch above the top of the beans in the pot. Cooking time varies depending on the bean, but generally 1-2 hours.
• Seasoning- Do not add salt or other seasonings until the beans have been cooked. You can season 30-45 minutes before the beans will be done. The sky is really the limit on how to season the beans, and how you are going to use them.

Average Cooking Times

• Black Turtle- 1 1/2 hrs
• Black-eyed Peas- 1-1 1/4 hrs
• Garbanzo- aka chickpeas- 3 hrs
• Great Northern- 2 hrs
• Green Split Peas- 1 1/4 hrs
• Lima Bean- 1 1/2 hrs
• Navy Bean- 2 1/2 hrs
• Pinto- 2 1/2
• Red Kidney- 1 1/2
• Soy Beans- 3 hrs

*Some beans can be cooked in a pressure cooker to reduce cooking time.

How Do I Use it? Beans Part II: Types and Uses

There are a ton of beans out there in the world, so this is only a very brief sampling of the kinds that are most popular.

• Black Turtle- Your typical black beans, a staple of Latin American cooking. Great for beans and rice, quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, soups (black bean soup, yum), salads, etc.
• Black-eyed Peas- Traditionally served with rice and pork (known as the Hoppin' John)
• Garbanzo- aka chickpeas- Most known for it's use in humus, but you can add cooked chickpeas to salads, soups, and pasta dishes.
• Great Northern- Great in Italian soups and pasta dishes. Also great with cooked lamb or sausage dishes.
• Green Split Peas- most used in soups
• Lima Bean- Combine with corn and green beans for succotash, eat alone as a veggie side dish, or add to soups such as minestrone.
• Navy Bean- Mainly used in soups and chili and for baked beans.
• Pinto- used in chilis, or in Mexican cooking. Can be used to make refried beans
• Red Kidney- used in chilis, marinated salads, and soups. Can also be used to make refried beans or baked beans.
• Soy Beans- Can be used in many ways, as a meat substitute
• Cannelini Beans- great for salads and ragouts

The great things about beans is that there are many different kinds with varying flavor, and many, if not all of them, come in a dried variety that is great for food storage.

Join me next week for more on beans!

How Do I Use it? Beans Part I: Background

Beans beans the magical fruit, the more you eat.... Actually beans are quite healthy for you! Let's look at some of the facts.

• They are one of the world's oldest cultivated crops.
• May also be referred to as peas, legumes, and lentils
• Black, pinto, and kidney beans are the most commonly used beans, but there are many varieties.
• Great source of Protein
• Some beans actually contain toxins, but thorough cooking destroys it.
• Tons of fiber.
• Beans contain oligosaccharides, which is why they cause flatulence.
• Brazil is the top producer of beans.
• China is the top producer of green beans.

Why Should it be in Your Food Storage?

• Inexpensive
• Tons of Uses
• Flavorful
• High Fiber aids in digestion
• Protein and complex carbs are great as a meat alternative.
• Nutritionally Dense

Join me next week for Part II on beans.

How Do I Use it? Rice Part IV: Special Concerns

We've learned a lot about rice, but now we need to talk about some special concerns.

Brown vs White Rice- Nutritionally brown is hands down the winner, but from a food storage perspective it actually isn't so. The main reason is the essential oils in the brown rice actually can cause the rice to go rancid. While it is possible to store brown rice for several years, it takes a little bit of know how and is kind of an advance food storage technique. For a year supply of food brown rice last about 6 months, and if refrigerated, even longer. On the other hand, white rice can easily be stored for 30+ years.

Cost- This adds another dimension to the brown vs white concern. Brown rice is most often more expensive than white rice. White rice is actually a fairly cheap food.

Water- You need water (or liquid) to cook rice. So in an actual emergency, you would not want rice to be the only grain you have because you don't want to waste all of your water on rice.

Cooking Source- Most rice needs to be heated to cook. This means one needs to have a cooking source of some kind to heat the pot. Just a consideration when storing it.

That's just a little food for thought for ya!

Previous Parts:
Rice Part I, II, III

How Do I Use it? Rice Part III: Cooking

Rice seems like such a simple thing to cook, but plenty of people have trouble with it. These are the basic steps to cooking rice, but remember there are a ton of varieties, meaning cooking can vary slightly between them.

• To rinse or not to rinse. This is a pretty big debate for rice, but let me break it down for you. Rinse and your rice will be less sticky, don't rinse and it will keep more nutrients. From a food storage stand point, I would say don't rinse because A)you need all the nutrients in it, and B)you would waste water rinsing.
• Measuring. Measuring is probably the most important part of cooking rice. The general ratio is 1 cup rice to 1.5 to 2 cups liquid. You can season the rice as well with spices and salt. You place it all in a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid. 
• Boil/Simmer. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour (this is one of those things that may vary depending on the rice).
• Don't Peek! This is very important. Lifting the lid interrupts cooking and can make the end result dry and undercooked rice.
• Let It Stand Before Serving. When the time is up, let the pot stand, covered for 10 minutes before you serve it.

Basmati, jasmine, and white texmati  rice have cooking times around 15-18 minutes. Brown and white rice are about 45 minutes and wild rice about an hour. Wild rice also generally needs a higher ratio of water, about 3 cups to every cup of rice. When you go to can your rice, make sure you label the container with whatever the instructions are for your variety of rice. 

How Do I Use it? Rice Part II: Types and Uses

Last week we talked about the benefits of rice and why it should be in our food storage, this week we will look at some of the different varieties of rice and what they are used for.

• Basmati- long-grain, can be white or brown- generally used for Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine
• Brown Rice- medium- good as a side dish
• Brown Rice- short- good for sushi, puddings, and side dishes
• Brown Rice- long- good for pilafs, stir-fries, paella, etc
• Jasmine Rice- long-grain, can be white or brown- Thai dishes, stir-fry
• Texmati- long-grain, white- uses similar to Basmati or regular rice
• Texmati- long-grain, brown- plain, curried
• Wehani Rice- long-grain, red rice- great for salads, tastes sweet
• Wild Rice- long-grain, seed of aquatic grass- great alone, in pilaf, as a side dish, or mixed with other grains.
• White Rice- can be used in the same way as it's brown rice cousin.

These are just a few of the many types of rice out there, each with it's own tastes and uses. Most of the time in food storage it's going to be either white or brown rice.

How Do I Use it? Rice Part I: Background

I decided to kick this series off with rice! Before we learn how exactly to use it, I think it would be great to learn more about rice.

• Rice is the most consumed food in the world, however not the most grown (that honor goes to corn...).
• There are more than 7000 varieties of rice.
• Most rices are either short or long grained.
• Rice is considered a cereal grain.
• Rice is a good source of protein, phosphorous, and iron. 
• Rice also contains calcium and Vitamin B.
• Most nutrients in rice are in the outer brown layers, hence brown rice is more nutritious than white rice.
• Rice contains about 345 calories in 100g. 
• However, rice is easy to digest by the body, and as such it may not make you feel full for very long.
• Rice also has quite a few health benefits including helping fight the following health problems: indigestion, diarrhea, dysentery, nausea, skin disorders, and high blood pressure.

So, why should it be in your food storage?

• It provides fast and instant energy.
• Helps with bowel movements.
• Stabilizes blood sugar levels.
• It is cholesterol free.
• Rich in vitamins.
• It's just a great energy source!

Next week we will look at some of the many varieties of rice out there and what they are good for making.