Learn How to Cook Dried Beans at home so you’ll always have some on hand. Use this easy stovetop method for a variety of beans and add them to salads, soups, stews, and more!

If I am not cooking beans on the stove, I love to make Instant Pot black beans, Instant Pot chickpeas or kidney beans in Instant Pot.

Here is everything you need to know about how to cook dried beans! It is super easy. I can guarantee you have all tools on hand already.

All you need is a large pot, small mesh strainer or a perforated spoon, and any storage containers. And a little bit of time!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Saves money: If you are paying $3-4 for a can of organic BPA free beans, I have a solution for you – buy dried beans, cook them and freeze them for later. It is 3 times cheaper! A 3 pound bag of organic dried beans costs $14, which yields about 14 cans of beans x $3 = $42.
• Avoid BPA: Majority of cans are lined with BPA, which leaches into food and is harmful for humans. That’s why there are now BPA free baby bottles, food containers and cans.
• Healthier: Can be organic, lower in sodium or no salt at all.
• Delicious beans: Freshly cooked beans are more fresh, tasty and buttery than canned beans. Once you taste them, you will know what I mean.
• Perfect for meal prep: If you cook a few kinds of beans at a time, you will be set for a few months. I usually cook 3 pounds of each kind of beans: chickpeas, black beans and kidney beans. They last me about 6 months.

What Dried Beans Can I Cook?

Small, medium, or large, my simple method for how to cook dry beans works for all sizes.

• Chickpeas aka garbanzo beans
• Black beans
• Black eyed-peas
• Pinto beans
• Kidney beans
• Navy beans
• Great Northern beans
• Cannellini beans
• Lima beans
• Cranberry beans

Do Dried Beans Have to Be Soaked Before Cooking?

There is a lot of debate whether dried beans need to be soaked or not.

The answer is no, dried beans do not have to be soaked before cooking. It really boils down to personal preference and how much time you have.

In all my tests, I found that soaked beans cook more even and better on the stove, which is important if you are making recipes like white bean salad or black bean quinoa casserole. No one likes mushy beans there!

And I did not see any difference with digesting the beans whether they have been soaked or not.

However, I prefer to soak the beans overnight for stovetop method and cook from dried in my Instant Pot because it saves time and is convenient.

If you would like to cook dried beans without soaking, please see more info a few paragraphs down.

How to Make Dried Beans after Soaking

You’ll need a couple of hours but cooking dried beans is easy!

Here’s a quick overview of how to make beans after soaking, there is a full recipe card below.

• Sort through beans: There may be small stones or debris mixed in with the beans, remove those along with any damaged beans.
• Soak the beans: Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with 2 or 3 inches of cold water. Let them soak for 8 hours or overnight.
• Rinse: Drain and rinse the soaked beans under cold water. Transfer them to a large pot, add cold water up to 3 inches above the beans and cover with a lid.

• Cook the beans: Bring to a boil on high heat, reduce to low and simmer at a gentle boil. Use a mesh strainer to remove any foam that rises.
• Add salt and continue cooking: The total cooking time depends on the beans’ size and age, please refer to my chart below. After 40-60 minutes of cooking, add salt to the pot. Continue cooking until the beans are soft inside but still hold their shape. I recommend tasting every 20 minutes.
• Remove cooked beans: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a bowl. Alternatively, you can drain the beans through a mesh strainer. I like to save the broth for soups and stews, yum!
• Cool: Let them cool and use right away or store for later.

How Long Do Beans Take to Cook?

The total time needed for cooking dried beans depends on a couple of factors. For example, the size and whether or not you soaked them.

The most important thing to remember is that cooking time mostly depends on how old your beans are!

There’s no way to pin point the exact cook time, but here’s a guideline for pre-soaked beans to help you.

Tips for Best Results

Here are my top tips on how to cook dried beans with better taste and texture than canned beans.

• Don’t let beans boil vigorously: As soon as the water boils reduce the heat, make sure they still simmer gently. Too low heat will not boil them, be careful and watch.
• Cover the pot: Cook with the lid on. Otherwise your kitchen and house will be full of steam, unless you don’t mind. It also makes beans cook faster!
• Don’t overcook the beans: When beans have simmered for too long, they become very soft and mushy. This also happens if they are left in the hot broth after cooking. It’s best to taste test beans periodically and drain as soon as they are cooked to your liking.
• Cooking time depends on the age of your beans: As beans age their moisture content evaporates causing them to have a harder skin, which takes longer to soften.
• Don’t salt the beans at the start: Adding salt at the beginning will slow down the cooking and cause your beans to have a firmer texture. For evenly cooked, fully seasoned, perfectly creamy beans, add the salt in the middle of the cooking process.

Seasoning the Beans

Honestly, I usually cook beans for soups, stew and chili and do not season beans unless I’m making Instant Pot baked beans or refried beans in Instant Pot. But here are a few ideas to season a pot of beans:

• Aromatics: Add chopped onion or shallots and smashed garlic cloves to the pot.
• Herbs: Toss in bay leaves or a sprig of parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, or cilantro.
• Spices: Add warming or spicy flavors with cumin, chili powder, paprika, black pepper, dried chilies, or peppercorns.
• Vegetables: Create a rich broth and make the beans more flavorful by adding carrots, celery, leeks, or ginger at the start of cooking.
• Liquids: Add a splash of fresh lime juice or lemon juice after beans have been cooked and drained. Or drizzle them with red wine vinegar or some olive oil.

How to Store Cooked Beans

Store: Beans will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can store them drained or in the cooking liquid in an airtight container.

Freeze: Transfer drained beans or beans in their cooking liquid to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 6 months.

I like to freeze beans in can portions, which is 1 3/4 cups of drained beans. I also reuse my Ziploc bags. Simply wash them, dry and reuse.

FAQs

Save and Use Bean Broth in These Recipes

• Mushroom bean soup
• Vegetarian pasta fagioli
• Vegetarian borscht
• Ukrainian borscht
• Minestrone soup

Recipes to Use Cooked Beans In

• Instant Pot chili
• Instant Pot turkey chili
• Healthy turkey chili
• Mango black bean salad
• Instant Pot white chicken chili
• Healthy white chicken chili
• Turkey taco soup
• Mexican bean salad

Print

How to Cook Dried Beans

Learn How to Cook Dried Beans at home so you'll always have some on hand. Use this easy stovetop method for a variety of beans and add them to salads, soups, stews, and more!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 cups

Calories 328kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Large pot
• Mesh strainer

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried beans cannellini beans, chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, navy beans or kidney beans
• Cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Sort through beans to remove any damaged beans and debris. Place dried beans in a large bowl and cover with 2-3 inches of cold water. Soak for 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a large pot, fill with cold water 3 inches above and cover the pot.
• Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce heat to low so beans are boiling just gently, and simmer. Just before and as beans start boiling, you will see a lot of foam. Remove it with a mesh strainer.
• Cooking time depends on beans' size and age. General rule of thumb is to cook small beans (black, black-eyed peas and navy beans) for 45-90 minutes, medium beans (kidney, Great Northern, pinto and garbanzo beans) for 60-120 minutes, and large beans (lima and cannellini beans) for 80-180 minutes.
• When beans are still firm but a bit tender, about 40-60 minutes into cooking process, add salt to the pot. Keep cooking the beans until the beans are soft inside but still intact on the outside. Best way is to taste test the bean every 20 minutes or so!
• When beans are cooked to your liking, remove them into a bowl with a slotted spoon and save the broth for making soups and stews, or drain the beans through a mesh strainer. Leaving beans in the hot liquid will keep cooking them, which is fine only for soups.
• Let beans cool and use them as per recipe, store in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

• Store: Store drained beans or in the cooking liquid in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
• Freeze: I like to pack drained beans about 1 3/4 cups into each resealable Ziploc bag, which is equivalent to one 14-15 ounces can of drained beans. You can also freeze beans in their cooking liquid. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.67cups | Calories: 328kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 2g

The post How to Cook Dried Beans appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Here’s a look at How to Freeze Muffins so they stay fresh for 3 months. I’ll also share some helpful tips on thawing and reheating, so they remain fluffy.

Make a big batch of healthy muffins last longer by knowing how to freeze muffins correctly. My method is super easy, so you can enjoy your favorite healthy breakfast or healthy snack for months to come!

No more eating soggy or dry leftover muffins, although I share lots of tips how to store muffins for days so they stay fresh.

And in this post is everything you need to know about freezing muffins!

How Long to Store Muffins Before Freezing?

If you’re not planning on freezing your muffins right away, here’s how to best store them for the first few days.

• First 24 hours: After baking, let your muffins cool for 5-10 minutes in the muffin pan before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store them at room temperature on the counter covered with a clean kitchen towel.
• Up to 4 days: After the first 24 hours add a layer of paper towel to a large airtight container and place muffins inside in a single layer. Then add another layer of paper towel, seal with lid, and keep them on your counter for 4 days.

Supplies You Will Need

First and foremost, you’ll need Ziploc bags. I love them because they expand well and I usually wash them with warm soapy water, dry and reuse.

I do not love silicone reusable bags because they are very narrow and don’t expand, meaning you can’t fit many muffins in them. I also find they break along the seams eventually.

You’ll also need straws if you decide to suck air out of the bag, which I highly recommend!

How to Freeze Muffins

Here’s a quick overview of how to freeze muffins, this method works with any healthy muffin recipe.

• Bake and cool: Bake your batch of muffins as per recipe and let them cool, first in the muffin tin for 10 minutes, then on a wire rack.
• Transfer to freezer bag: Without overlapping, place as many muffins as you can into a gallon size Ziploc bag. You can also wrap each muffin in plastic wrap individually and then in a bag.
• Remove air: Seal the bag, leaving a small opening and suck out air as much as possible. A straw really helps for this step!
• Freeze: Pop them in your freezer, making sure they are laying flat.

How Long Do Muffins Last in the Freezer?

You can store muffins in your freezer for 3 months. Technically could be for up to 6 months but I do not love the stale smell and taste they get after 3 months.

How to Thaw and Reheat Muffins

Remove frozen muffins from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Or thaw in the fridge overnight and warm in the microwave.

If you’re not thawing the whole bag remember to remove air and reseal the bag before placing them back in the freezer.

If you have a sudden muffin craving place an unwrapped muffin on a paper towel or microwave-safe plate and reheat in the microwave. I find 15-20 seconds is perfect but may need a bit longer depending on muffin size.

You can also wrap your muffin in foil, place on a baking sheet, and reheat in the oven for 10-15 minutes on 350 degrees F.

5 Tips for Best Results

• Cool muffins completely: If the muffins are even a tiny bit warm when transferred to a container or bag the condensation will collect and you’ll end up with soggy muffins.
• Remove as much air as possible: Excess air in the bag allows ice crystals to form around the muffins which causes freezer burn and increased moisture when thawed. Get as much air out as possible, so your muffins don’t turn soggy once thawed.
• Don’t freeze too long: Maximum recommended freezing time is 3 months. Any longer and the smell, texture, and flavor will be off.
• You can thaw at room temperature: It is safe to thaw little quick breads at room temperature and should only take 2-3 hours.
• Reheat after thawing: I find muffins taste freshly baked when I reheat them after thawing instead of from frozen.

How to Freeze Store-Bought Muffins

Can you freeze muffins from the bakery or store? Yes! They are most likely already cool, so you can go straight to transferring them in a bag, removing air with a straw, and placing them in the freezer.

Storing Other Breads and Muffins

This storing method is foolproof and works great with your favorite quick breads, gluten free muffins, mini muffins, protein bagels, or scones.

So get baking, have fun, and stock your freezer!

FAQs

Reader Favorite Muffin Recipes to Try

• Almond flour banana muffins
• Healthy banana muffins
• Healthy carrot muffins
• Healthy zucchini muffins
• Healthy blueberry muffins
• Healthy banana zucchini muffins

Easy Muffins for Beginners

• Lemon muffins
• Healthy chocolate chip muffins
• Healthy banana chocolate chip muffins
• Almond flour yogurt muffins
• Chocolate zucchini muffins
• Oat flour banana muffins

Print

How to Freeze Muffins

Here's a look at How to Freeze Muffins so they stay fresh for 3 months. Plus tips on thawing and reheating, so they remain fluffy.

Course Muffins and Quick Bread

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Freezing Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 11kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Ziploc bags
• Wire rack
• Large plastic container
• Straws

Ingredients

• 1-12 muffins

Instructions

• Bake muffins as per recipe and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
• Place muffins in a gallon size Ziploc bag, as many as you can fit comfortably.
• Seal almost shut, leaving a small opening. Insert straw in it, suck out as much air as possible, remove straw and seal immediately.
• Lay muffins flat in a freezer and freeze for up to 3 months. Muffins should be frozen solid after 4 hours.

Notes

Thaw: Defrost muffins in the fridge overnight or on a countertop for 1-2 hours.

Reheat: Reheat muffins from frozen or thawed in a microwave in 30 seconds increments. Air fryer is also great for that!

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.1g

The post How to Freeze Muffins appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Learn How to Store Muffins the right way! Here’s everything you need to know about keeping your homemade muffins fresh for days, weeks, or months.

To save time and money I’ll almost always make a double batch of healthy muffins, that way we can enjoy some fresh and store the rest for later because we all know they make the easiest breakfast or on-the-go snack!

But how long do muffins last? If stored correctly they’ll stay moist and flavorful for up to 3 months.

How to Store Muffins First 24 Hours

If you know the entire batch of muffins will be gobbled up in the first 24 hours, then storing muffins is easy.

Bake and let them cool completely on a wire rack. Then all you’ll need to do is cover them with a clean kitchen towel, that’s it! They’ll keep fresh at room temperature without drying out, even overnight.

How to Store Muffins for Up to 4 Days

Here’s a quick overview of how to store muffins for up to 4 days. Want a hint? The secret is paper towel.

• Cool: Let your muffins cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. Storing them when they have even a little bit of warmth will result in soggy muffins.
• Line an airtight container: Grab a large plastic container and layer the bottom with paper towel, I find one large paper towel folded in half works great.
• Add muffins: Place muffins on top the paper towel in a single layer, then add another layer of paper towel on top. Don’t skip the additional layer! This will help absorb moisture from all sides.
• Store: Seal with airtight lid and store on a counter at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Why Do You Use Paper Towels?

The best way to store muffins is at room temperature, and paper towel is the key to peak freshness.

As muffins age, any moisture that forms will travel to the surface making them unpleasantly soggy. The paper towel acts like a sponge to soak up that moisture.

Another neat trick for removing moisture is using saltine crackers, just stick a few in the container.

Can I Store Muffins in the Fridge?

Most muffins no, because it alters their taste and texture. Regular whole grain muffins and banana muffins do well at room temperature.

However, some muffins are more wet than others like almond flour strawberry muffins and strawberry muffins.

Also many muffins made with almond flour, or any other nut flour, gluten free muffins have a lot of moisture. So do heavy on pumpkin puree muffins like healthy pumpkin muffins with cream cheese or any other heavy loaded fruit muffins like healthy apple muffins.

So I would say these types of muffins would benefit from refrigeration for 2 more days after initial 24 hour storage on a countertop. Then freeze after that.

Can I Freeze Muffins?

Yes! Here’s how to store muffins in the freezer and lock in flavor for up to 3 months. Also be sure to check out our full post how to freeze muffins for more tips and tricks.

Storing in a Ziploc bag is the easiest method.

In a single layer, set your muffins inside and suck out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn, I find using a straw helps. Seal the bag and set flat in the freezer.

You can also wrap each muffin in plastic wrap individually and then place in a bag.

How to Defrost Muffins

When you’re ready to enjoy a healthy treat grab a frozen muffin and let it thaw at room temperature.

Alternatively, place unwrapped muffin on paper towel and microwave, 20-30 seconds is perfect.

Top 7 Tips for Storing Muffins

• Cool in a muffin tin for 5-10 minutes: That initial 5-10 minutes in the pan allows them to cool slightly and keep their structure, but any longer in the hot pan and you run the risk of overbaked, dry muffins.
• Cool them completely: Make sure to cool muffins completely on a wire rack before storing in a container, the condensation will collect if they aren’t fully cooled.
• First 24 hours: Most muffins keep well covered with a kitchen towel on the counter for the first day.
• All muffins differ: Read your healthy muffin recipe carefully, some muffins need refrigeration after 24 hours or they get moldy fast.
• Humidity where you live matters: By the ocean, at sea level is less dry for me. If you live in the mountains or prairies, it is more dry. Any moisture from the air can make your muffins soggy but storing them in an airtight container will help.
• Replace paper towels: Check on the paper towels, if they get soggy after a day or two replace them for optimal freshness.
• Summer vs. winter: In the summer it’s more hot and more humid in most places, therefore you might have to freeze muffins sooner. Keep an eye on your muffins and watch out for signs of mold.

FAQs

Reader Favorite Muffin Recipes to Try

• Almond flour banana muffins
• Healthy banana muffins
• Healthy carrot muffins
• Healthy zucchini muffins
• Healthy blueberry muffins
• Healthy banana zucchini muffins

Easy Muffins for Beginners

• Lemon muffins
• Healthy chocolate chip muffins
• Healthy banana chocolate chip muffins
• Almond flour yogurt muffins
• Chocolate zucchini muffins
• Oat flour banana muffins

Print

How to Store Muffins

Here's everything you need to know how to store muffins fresh for days, weeks, or months the right way!

Course Muffins and Quick Bread

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 11kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Wire rack
• Large plastic container

Ingredients

• 1-12 muffins

Instructions

• Bake muffins as per recipe and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the first 24 hours, just cover them with clean kitchen towel and store on a counter.
• To store muffins for another 2-3 days, line large container with a lid with double folded paper towel. Place as many muffins on top as you can fit comfortably covering with another double folded paper towel sheet.
• Place lid on top and store on a counter for 2-3 more days.
• After transfer any leftover muffins into the freezer.

Notes

Reheat: Reheat muffins in a microwave in 15 seconds increments. Air fryer is also great for that!

Freeze: See our post on how to freeze muffins.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 11kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.1g

The post How to Store Muffins appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Learn How to Cut a Whole Chicken into pieces in 10 minutes. Not only will you save money, but you’ll have enough chicken pieces for 2 dinners and the most delicious chicken broth.

With over 160 healthy chicken recipes on iFoodReal, I can confidently say chicken is our favorite protein to have on hand for easy meals. Whether it be healthy chicken salad at lunch or chicken burrito skillet at dinner, I never run out of ways to use a whole chicken after cutting it up!

Growing up in Ukraine, my grandma always made 3 meals from a whole chicken. Money was tight and grocery stores did not sell chicken pieces. Whole chicken, often from your own chicken coop, was the way to survive. Until this day, I believe it makes the most sense!

Why Learn How to Cut a Whole Chicken?

• Save money: On average, whole chicken costs $2.49/lb vs. chicken breasts at $5.99/lb – that’s twice the savings!
• Stretch the meat: Once you cut up a whole chicken, you can make Instant Pot chicken and potatoes and curry chicken salad with it. Plus bones are good for chicken broth. That’s 3 meals from 1 chicken!
• You automatically get different cuts of meat which is great to have a variety.
• Make homemade chicken stock: Often you have to buy chicken pieces and chicken bones separately if you want to make chicken stock. When you cut up a whole chicken, you get those as a bonus.
• Because it’s so easy: This easy step-by-step tutorial will guide you every step of the way, with tips for best practices along the way.

How to Cut a Whole Chicken

It’s worth the extra bit of effort to learn how to properly cut a whole chicken. All you need is a sharp knife and a clean flat cutting board, and you’re on your way.

• Lay chicken on its back chicken breast side up. Remove bag with giblets, if any.
• Trim fat and skin on both sides of the opening.
• Remove the tail or I like to call it “butt”. Sharp kitchen shears are great for this step.
• Cut each chicken leg at the joint where the leg meets the body. It helps to start cutting through the chicken skin and then snap the leg. You will hear a crack, so cut the muscle between 2 joints.
• Cut chicken wings the same way as chicken legs. You’ll notice there is a ball joint where the wing mets the breast (kind of like an armpit). It helps to wiggle it away from the body at first to get a sense of where you’ll start cutting.

• Pull chicken skin from the breasts using your hands and help it separate from meat with the knife along the way. It should come off very easily. This step is only necessary if you want skinless chicken breasts, otherwise leave it on.
• Flip the chicken and trim skin the same way on the back. There will be more fat attached to the chicken carcass under the skin. Trim it as well.
• Flip chicken on its back again and remove the breasts. Cut each chicken breast in the middle close to the center bone and along the ribs. The closer you get to the bone, the more bang for your buck (ie. more meat).
• That’s it. Cut up whole chicken a couple more times and you’ll soon become a pro!

Tips for Best Results

• Sharp quality knife: If you don’t yet have one, consider it a lifetime investment. I like to cut up whole chicken with sharp utility knife but you can also use a chef’s knife.
• Sharp kitchen shears are also very helpful for cutting excess fat quickly and efficiently.
• Make sure your chicken is not frozen. You can cut up only fresh whole chicken or thawed chicken.
• Pat your bird down with paper towel to make sure it’s dry, so you can properly grip it. You may need to pat dry it again later on.
• Have a sturdy, flat cutting board to work on. Make sure it’s secure and not slipping and sliding everywhere. This is my favorite sturdy, dishwasher safe cutting board.
• Clean up thoroughly when you’re done. You don’t want to leave any raw meat bacteria (salmonella) hanging around. Always wash utensils used for handling raw meat and the sink with hot soapy water.

Recipes to Use Cut Up Chicken In

Use chicken legs and chicken wings in these recipes:

• Instant Pot chicken and potatoes
• Roasted chicken thighs and potatoes
• Instant Pot chicken and rice
• Healthy fried chicken
• Air fryer chicken wings

Use chicken breasts to make these recipes:

• Baked chicken breast
• Cilantro lime chicken
• Instant Pot chicken breast
• Grilled chicken breast
• Air fried chicken breast

Use chicken thighs for these recipes:

• Grilled chicken thighs
• Oven baked chicken thighs
• Slow cooker chicken thighs

Chicken carcass is great for making soups like:

• Healthy chicken wild rice soup
• Slow cooker chicken noodle soup

How to Store

Store: Once you have cut up a whole chicken into pieces, it is ready for use in all kinds of chicken recipes. If you need to marinate the chicken, go ahead and get that started. Otherwise, refrigerate chicken parts in an airtight bag or airtight container for up to 2 days until you’re ready to use them.

Freeze: You can freeze raw chicken pieces for up to 9 months. If you’re freezing whole chicken prior to cutting it, it will keep frozen for up to 1 year. This is why buying a bunch of whole chickens when they’re on sale is a great idea!

FAQs

More How to Cut Tutorials

• How to cut an avocado
• How to cut cauliflower
• How to cut spaghetti squash
• How to peel and cut butternut squash

Whole Chicken Recipes to Try

If you don’t feel like cutting a whole chicken try it in these recipes:

• Instant Pot whole chicken
• Instant Pot whole frozen chicken
• Slow cooker whole chicken and pasta

Print

How to Cut a Whole Chicken

Learn How to Cut a Whole Chicken into pieces in 10 minutes. Easy step-by-step tutorial will guide you every step of the way.

Course How To

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Calories 819kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Sturdy cutting board
• Utility knife
• Kitchen shears

Ingredients

• Whole chicken

Instructions

• Lay chicken on its back breasts side up. Remove bag with giblets, if any.
• Trim fat and skin on both sides of the opening.
• Remove the tail or I like to call it “butt”. Sharp kitchen shears are great for this too.
• Cut each leg between the leg bone and the bone that is attached to the body. It helps to start cutting and then snap the leg. You will hear a crack, so cut the muscle between 2 joints.
• Cut the wings the same way as legs.
• Pull the skin from the breasts using your hands and help it separate from meat with the knife along the way. It should come off very easily. Or leave it on.
• Flip the chicken and trim skin the same way on the back. There will be more fat attached to the carcass under the skin. Trim it as well.
• Flip chicken on its back again and remove the breasts. Cut each breast in the middle close to the center bone and along the ribs.

Notes

• Store: Once you have cut your chicken into pieces it is ready for use in all kinds of dishes. If you need to marinate, go ahead and get that started. Keep them stored in an airtight bag or container for up to 2 days until you’re ready to use them.
• Freeze: Pieces of raw chicken can be kept frozen for up to 9 months. If you’re freezing a whole chicken prior to cutting it, it will keep frozen for up to 1 year. This is why buying them when they’re on sale is a great idea!

Nutrition

Serving: 1(half of the chicken) | Calories: 819kcal | Protein: 71g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 286mg | Sodium: 267mg

The post How to Cut a Whole Chicken appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Here is a full guide How to Freeze Bananas and use them later to make smoothies, ice cream and baked goods.

On the contrary, if you need ripe bananas for baking today, here is my full guide how to ripen bananas faster.

Why and Which Bananas are Best to Freeze?

The best bananas to freeze are yellow ripe bananas or over-ripened bananas. It helps to avoid food waste and frankly makes banana bread or banana muffins a reality anytime the mood strikes you.

I do not recommend to freeze green bananas because they lack flavor, are not sweet and will not ripen in the freezer.

So whenever you see your bananas are past their prime eating state, use this guide on how to freeze bananas and never look back.

How to Freeze Bananas in a Peel

Freezing unpeeled bananas is my go to method for saving bananas for baking. It’s so easy just to grab banana and throw it in the freezer.

Place whole unpeeled banana in the freezer. That’s it!

To thaw, place it on a plate and defrost on a counter for 2 hours. You can always speed up things by defrosting or warming it up in a microwave.

Whole frozen bananas are best for baking banana bread and banana muffins.

How to Freeze Whole and Half Bananas

Here is how to freeze bananas whole or cut in half. I recommend to freeze banana halves because they will thaw out faster and will fit into the blender or food processor easier.

• Peel and slice bananas: Peel and slice your bananas and cut them in half or leave whole. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer, leaving some space in between.
• Freeze on a baking sheet: Freeze bananas for 2 hours or until they are completely frozen.
• Transfer to a resealable bag: Transfer frozen bananas into a resealable bag, let out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Freeze Sliced Bananas

Frozen banana slices are best for making nice cream or adding to smoothies!

• Slice bananas: Peel and slice bananas into 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick rounds. Transfer onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Freeze: Place the baking sheet into the freezer and freeze banana slices for 1-2 hours.
• Transfer to a container: Transfer frozen banana slices into resealable Ziploc bag or airtight container, release out as much air as possible and freeze bananas for up to 3 months.

How to Freeze Mashed Bananas

This method is convenient for baking. Just freeze measured amount that your favorite banana recipe calls for.

• Mash bananas: In a large bowl, add peeled bananas and mash them with a fork.
• Freeze: Measure out desired amount of mashed banana and place it in a puddle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 2 hours.
• Transfer to a container: Transfer frozen mashed banana pucks into a resealable bag, let out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Thaw Frozen Bananas

If you’re using frozen bananas for baking I recommend to thaw your bananas first. You can either defrost bananas on a counter for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight. You can also defrost frozen bananas in a microwave with a defrost setting.

Simply place frozen bananas on a plate or in a bowl and let them thaw. Please note that bananas will release a lot of water and it is normal. You want to use all that liquid that is part of the banana when baking. It helps with proper structure and taste of the recipe.

Be sure to defrost only the amount you need and place the bag with frozen bananas back in the freezer right away. If you leave frozen bananas on a counter even for 10 minutes they will quickly start defrosting and clump once you place the bag back in the freezer.

More Common FAQs

Ways to Use Frozen Bananas

Frozen bananas add amazing texture to smoothies and make the best healthy ice cream with just one ingredient – frozen bananas.

Use in recipes that require no cooking like this banana chia pudding and healthy banana cream pie. And of course frozen bananas are perfect for baking banana muffins and quick breads.

More Banana Recipes to Try

• Protein cookies
• Healthy banana pancakes
• No bake peanut butter pie
• Coconut flour banana bread
• Oat flour banana bread
• Protein banana bread
• Strawberry banana smoothie
• Healthy banana oatmeal cookies

Print

How to Freeze Bananas

Here is a full guide How to Freeze Bananas and use them later to make smoothies, ice cream and baked goods.

Course How To

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Freezing Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 5 servings

Calories 105kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Silicone bags
• Glass container

Ingredients

• 5 ripe bananas or over ripen bananas or as many as you wish

Instructions

• Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Peel bananas and cut them in half or 1 inch thick round slices. Place on baking sheet in a single layer without touching or overlapping.
• Place baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until completely frozen.
• Transfer frozen bananas to a resealable bag, let out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

You can also freeze whole bananas in their peel. Just place them in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g

The post How to Freeze Bananas appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

This post explains How to Ripen Bananas Faster in the oven so you can make your favorite banana bread recipe today. No need to wait for overripe bananas for days anymore!

When you need overripe bananas quickly to make your favorite healthy dessert, just bake it in the oven for 30 minutes and voila. Not only this is my-go to trick for baking with bananas any time, I also freeze bananas whenever I see one too ready to eat.

All banana recipes like banana muffins, banana pancakes and banana bread usually call for overripe bananas. The bananas you bring from grocery store are usually just ready to eat or too green.

Use this trick!

How to Ripen Bananas in the Oven

Here is a quick overview how to ripen bananas in the oven. It is so easy in 2 simple steps!!!

• Bake bananas: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place yellow unpeeled bananas in a single layer on large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes or until banana skin is brown and some liquid is oozing.
• Cool and peel: Remove baked bananas from the oven, let cool for about 15 minutes or until safe to handle, peel, mash and use in your favorite banana recipes.

Other Methods to Ripen Bananas Faster

If you have more time or do not have the oven, check out these methods how to ripen bananas faster.

• Brown paper bag method – 24-36 hours: Place yellow bananas in brown lunch bag along with high-ethylene producing fruit like ripe banana, apple, avocado or pear and close tightly. This ripening process isn’t super fast but faster than leaving bananas in the open.
• In a bunch – 24-48 hours: Leaven unripe bananas in a bunch instead of separating them. It means more ethylene emitted in one area and faster ripening.
• In a warm spot – 24-48 hours: Place a bunch of bananas in a warm spot like sunny window, near a heater or above your refrigerator.
• In air fryer – 8-10 minutes: Bake in preheated air fryer at 300 F for about 8-10 minutes. Overripe bananas should be dark brown just like with an oven method.
• In a microwave 30 seconds-2 minutes: Poke bananas with a fork to allow steam to escape. Microwave in 30 seconds increments until bananas look over ripen, are soft and fragrant.

Our Favorite Recipes Using Overripe Bananas

Our top and reader favorite recipe with over ripen bananas is this almond flour banana bread! But I have so many more because my kids love anything banana muffins, bread, pancakes and cookies.

• Oat flour banana bread
• Almond flour banana bread
• Coconut flour banana bread
• Protein banana bread
• Healthy zucchini banana bread
• Almond flour banana muffins
• Carrot banana muffins
• Pumpkin banana muffins
• Chocolate chip banana muffins
• Blueberry banana muffins
• Oatmeal banana muffins

FAQs

Storing Ripe Bananas

There is no need to throw away your ripe bananas if the yare past their prime time for eating raw. They are perfect for making baked good naturally sweet and moist.

I have put together a detailed post on how to freeze bananas. Here is a quick recap:

Throw ripe unpeeled bananas in the freezer bags in the freezer for up to 6-8 months. You can also freeze them sliced or cut in half in a resealable plastic bag.

When ready to use, just thaw your bananas on a plate on a counter first. Then peel and use it all including the liquids.

Print

How to Ripen Bananas Faster

How to Ripen Bananas Faster in the oven so you can make your favorite banana bread recipe today. No need to wait for overripe bananas for days anymore!

Course How To

Cuisine North American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 1 minute minute

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 31 minutes minutes

Servings 1 banana

Calories 105kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking sheet

Ingredients

• Yellow bananas

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Separate bananas and place on baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until banana skin is brown and oozing some liquid.
• Remove from the oven, cool for 15 minutes or until safe to handle and peel. Use in your favorite banana recipes like banana bread.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 banana | Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 1mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g

The post How to Ripen Bananas Faster appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

Learn How to Hard Boil Eggs that are easy to peel with firm whites and bright yellow yolk. This simple method will give you perfect hard boiled eggs every time!

Hard boiled eggs sprinkled with salt and pepper make a perfect snack or delicious deviled eggs and egg salad. These are my favorite ways to use them!

Today I am going to show you how to hard boil eggs on the stove however I have an honest confession to make. I prefer to make hard boiled eggs in Instant Pot because they are cooked perfectly and are easy to peel guaranteed.

My least favorite method is to cook hard boiled eggs in air fryer because it just takes so long but is an easy and convenient cooking method.

You pick how you want to make your hard boiled eggs. I just think everyone needs to have hard boiled eggs recipe in their back pocket come Easter or not.

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

Here’s how to cook hard boiled eggs in less than 30 minutes. Quick, easy and ready to add to your favorite egg recipes.

• Add eggs to the pot: Place eggs in a medium pot making sure they are in a single layer. Then add cold water filling 1 inch over the surface of the eggs.
• Bring to a boil: Cover with the lid and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Turn off heat: Once boiling, turn off heat. Keep the lid on and pot on the burner.
• Set timer: Let the eggs sit for about 12 minutes. Cooking time may vary, see notes and time chart below.

• Transfer to an ice bath: Transfer cooked eggs to a large bowl of ice water and cool for 10 minutes.
• Peel the hard boiled eggs: Crack the shell by gently tapping the large round end on a hard surface then peel.

And there you have it! A foolproof method how to hard boil eggs.

How Long to Hard Boil Eggs?

How long to cook hard boiled eggs on stove truly depends on a number of factors. For example type of cookware, size and temperature of the eggs, type of stovetop and altitude.

I hard boiled my eggs for 12 minutes and it wasn’t enough, I think because of my sea level. Then I cooked for another 3-4 minutes.

Here’s a guideline to use as a starting point but you will need to experiment in order to pin point the exact time needed for you.

Tips to Prevent Hard Boiled Eggs from Cracking

Now that you know how to make hard boiled eggs, here are some tried and true tips to prevent them from cracking.

• Don’t let eggs boil vigorously: Once the water comes to a rolling boil turn off heat right away. If the water is bubbling vigorously, the eggs will likely bounce around and crack.
• Bring eggs to room temperature: Sometimes if you start with cold eggs right from the fridge the shell will crack from the shock of the temperature change.
• Don’t overcrowd the pot: Lay your eggs in a single layer, they should not be stacked or touching. A crowded pot can also change the cook time.
• Try different brand: If your eggs still crack, I recommend trying a different brand. Sometimes the egg shell has a different thickness.
• If your raw egg is cracked: Add a bit of white vinegar to the water before cooking. It helps the egg white to stay in the shell and prevents discoloration.

Tips for Peeling Hard Boiled Eggs

There are lots of tips on how to make hard boiled eggs easy to peel. Here are my go-to tricks on how to peel hard boiled eggs perfectly.

• Use older eggs: Older eggs peel easier than fresh eggs when using this cooking method.
• Tap on hard surface: Remove an egg from the ice bath and tap on the countertop, then gently roll to crack all sides before peeling.  
• Don’t crack an egg too much: I only tap 2-3 times because it’s easier to peel larger pieces of shell.
• Peel eggs under running water: The simplest way to peel perfect hard boiled eggs is to separate the membrane from the egg. Gently squeeze the egg under cold running water. Once you see the membrane pull away, run water in that area and the shell will peel away easily.
• Start at the pocket: There’s a small air pocket in between the shell and the egg, usually at the larger round end that’s opposite the pointy end. I find that’s the best place to crack for easy peel eggs.

How Long Do Hard Boiled Eggs Last?

Hard boiled eggs are one of my favorite protein-packed snacks. They can be stored peeled or unpeeled depending on your personal preference, either way makes it quick and easy to grab and go or add into your meals.

Fresh hard boiled eggs at room temperature will last for up to 2 hours.

Store peeled cooked eggs in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Unpeeled eggs last longer and can be stored uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Recipes Using Them

There are many ways to get creative with hard boiled eggs!

Besides classics like avocado deviled eggs and egg salad sandwiches, here are some of our favorite egg recipes we turn to again and again.

• In green salads: Healthy cobb salad, spinach salad and asparagus salad.
• Make tuna egg salad.
• In potato salads: Like healthy potato salad, Olivier salad, cauliflower potato salad and Instant Pot potato salad.
• In soup: Chopped hard boiled eggs are a must for green borscht.
• For breakfast: Sliced on avocado toast.

FAQs

Print

How to Make Hard Boiled Eggs

Learn How to Hard Boil Eggs that are easy to peel with firm whites and bright yellow yolk. Perfect hard boiled eggs every time!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 10 eggs

Calories 63kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Ingredients

• 10 large eggs
• Cold water

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• In a medium pot, add eggs and enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch.
• Cover pot with a lid and bring water to a boil on high heat.
• Turn off heat and leave the pot covered with a lid on the burner for 12 minutes.*
• After transfer cooked eggs into an ice bath for 10 minutes.
• To peel the eggs, tap a few times on hard surface and remove the shell.

Notes

• Store: Refrigerate peeled eggs in a container with a lid for up to 3 days. Unpeeled eggs can be refrigerated uncovered for up to a week.
• Freeze: Cooked eggs do not freeze well. The egg whites become rubbery. You can always use up the cooked eggs whites first and freeze the egg yolks.
• *Cooking time may vary due to the cookware, size and temperature of the eggs, stovetop and altitude. Adjust after the first try.

Nutrition

Serving: 1egg | Calories: 63kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 74mg | Sugar: 1g

The post How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

What Is Crostini?

Crostini is a fancy name for “little toasts” or “little crusts” in Italian. Slices of long and thin bread like baguette are first brushed with olive oil, then baked or grilled until crispy.

You can season them with salt but it’s completely optional. Especially, if you are using very salty toppings like marinated vegetables and cured fish and meat, I recommend you skip the salt.

Ingredients You Will Need

To make basic crostini recipe, you will need 3 simple ingredients. Or even 2! And then your favorite toppings, suggestions listed below.

• Baguette: I love to use French baguette for homemade crostini. You can also use whole wheat baguette or whole grain baguette.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Use high quality olive oil! I do not recommend to use any other oil. This crostini recipe is where you will be able to taste good olive oil.
• Salt: Just a little bit and is optional, if you are using very salty toppings. Good finishing salt like himalayan pink salt is the best but regular kosher salt will work too.

What Is the Best Bread for Crostini?

The best bread for crostinis is an elongated, thin crusty bread like baguette. It can be whole grain, whole wheat, sourdough, French or ciabatta baguette.

Having said all of the above, any Artisan bread like ciabatta, rustic Italian bread or even sandwich rolls will work. You can cut large bread into small pieces.

It is better if you use 1-2 days old bread because it is easier to slice. But with a good bread knife, you can slice fresh baguette with no issues, just take your time.

You can also use stale bread.

How to Make Crostini

Here is a quick overview how to make crostini in a few simple steps. There is also a recipe card you can print down below.

1. How to Cut Baguette for Crostini?

You can either slice baguette straight into round slices or diagonally for longer slices and larger surface area. It really depends on how much of various toppings you would like to add, and your personal preference.

I like to cut my bread straight as it looks more neat and I can fit more onto one platter.

Use serrated knife and cut baguette into 1/4 inch – 1/2 inch slices, trying not to ruin the shape of the bread as you are slicing. Make too thin slices, and your crostini won’t be able to hold the toppings. Cut thicker, and crostini toasts will become all about the bread.

2. Season It

To season crostini, arrange bread slices on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and brush with olive oil on both sides.

I recommend not to drizzle olive oil on crostini because bread will soak up a lot and you will end up using 1/2 cup of oil versus 2 tablespoons when brushing.

Optionally, season with salt and maybe even pepper.

3. How Long to Toast Bread Slices?

Then bake in preheated oven to 400 degrees F for about 10 minutes. About half way through, flip crostini on the other side.

A word of caution is not to over bake bread until golden brown because crostini will be too hard to bite politely. They should be light brown and slightly crispy on the outside and tender and soft on the inside.

You may ask “Should I bake crostini at 350 or 375 F?”. And my answer is hard No. Baking crostini at lower temperature for longer period of time will result in hard to bite but still delicious appetizer.

Tips for Success

Here are my top tips for making the absolute best crostini!

• Keep an eye on them: I recommend to watch your crostini closely during baking. The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your sliced bread and your oven.
• Add a little bit of flavor: Cut large clove of garlic in half and rub it on crusty baked crostini. It will add subtle garlic taste and additional depth of flavor. It’s my mom’s trick.
• Use serrated knife: Do not attempt to cut bread with chef’s knife as it will flatten and misshape baguette slices.
• Do not over bake: Crostini should be baked at high temperature and for a short period of time. This ensures they come out crispy outside and soft inside.
• For large crostini: Slice baguette diagonally on an angle.
• For small slices: Slice baguette straight across, perpendicular to the long edge.
• Don’t replace olive oil: Good quality olive oil truly shines in crostini recipe.

How to Make Ahead and Store

Classic crostini can be made ahead making entertaining a breeze during busy holiday season.

Make ahead: Simply bake crostini by following the recipe and make sure to cool completely. Then pop in an airtight container or resealable bag and store up to 5 days.

When stored properly they should stay crisp. Do not seal crostini while warm because they will lose their crispiness.

Freeze: You can also freeze crostini tightly sealed for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen slices at room temperature for 1 hour.

Reheat: To warm up previously stored crostini, pop them into preheated to 250 F – 300 F oven for a few minutes. Do not bake too long because they will dry out.

Crostini Toppings

Now that we’ve got ourselves a perfect base, let’s talk about what to top crostini with. When it comes to crostini appetizers toppings, sky is truly the limit. Here are a few of our favorite combinations:

• Smoked salmon crostini with cream cheese
• Goat cheese crostini with sun-dried tomatoes
• With whipped ricotta and roasted mini peppers
• Bruschetta
• Olive tapenade
• Pesto, bocconcini, balsamic glaze, salt and pepper
• Cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper
• Goat cheese, pear, walnuts and drizzle of honey
• Ricotta cheese, fresh figs, prosciutto, Parmesan, black pepper
• Sharp cheddar, apples, fresh rosemary or thyme, honey, mustard
• Hummus, olives, feta cheese

Serve Crostini With

Crostini bread also pairs well with many other party appetizers.

• Baked spinach artichoke dip
• Tomato feta dip
• Mexican bean salad
• Charcuterie board

Or pair with main dishes like:

• Chicken bruschetta

FAQs

Print

How to Make Crostini

Here's a quick tutorial How to Make Crostini from scratch with 3 simple ingredients in just 20 minutes. Easy, quick and make ahead crostini recipe.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 24 crostini

Calories 37kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Ingredients

• 1 baguette preferably 1-2 days old
• 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
• Salt to taste and optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Slice baguette into 1/4 inch-1/2 inch thick slices. For large crostini, slice diagonally on an angle. For small crostini, cut straight across, perpendicular to the long edge.
• Brush bread with oil on both sides, sprinkle with salt (optional) and bake for 10 minutes, turning once.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely before adding toppings.

Notes

Make ahead: To make ahead simply bake crostini by following the recipe and make sure to cool completely. Then pop in an airtight container or resealable bag and store up to 5 days.

When stored properly they should stay crisp. Do not seal crostini while warm because they will lose their crispiness.

Freeze: You can also freeze crostini tightly sealed for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour.

Reheat: To warm up previously stored crostini, pop them into preheated to 250 F – 300 F oven for a few minutes. Do not bake too long because they will dry out.

Nutrition

Calories: 37kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 64mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.5g

The post How to Make Crostini appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

If you cook with gluten-free flour on regular basis, here is quick tutorial how to make almond flour.

Today we will chat about how to make your own oat flour at home, as well as share recipes to use this versatile flour.

If you are here, chances are either you need a solution for gluten intolerance, oatmeal flour became a recent trend or you just happened to taste it and love it!

That’s what happened to me. I tested oat flour chocolate chip cookies and immediately fell in love with this whole grain flour.

What Is Oat Flour?

Oat flour is made from ground oats. That’s it, just one simple ingredient. Short and sweet.

It can be used in a variety of recipes, from sweet desserts to savory recipes. However, you need to keep in mind oatmeal flour doesn’t contain gluten, so it doesn’t behave exactly like all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour.

Types of Oats You Can Use

Now let’s look at kinds of oats you can use to make the flour:

• Old fashioned oats or rolled oats – my preferred choice
• Quick oats or quick-cooking oats or instant oats
• Steel cut oats

Any of these oats can become an oat flour depending on the appliance you use to blend them. Keep on reading.

Is Oat Flour Gluten Free?

“Is oat flour gluten-free?” is a very good question. Naturally oats are whole grain that is gluten-free. However, very often oats are processed on the same equipment as wheat, that’s why they may contain traces of gluten.

To avoid cross contamination issues, if you are cooking for someone with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance, it is best to buy Certified gluten-free oats. Just read the package carefully and look for this label.

Or maybe making oat flour at home is the way to go for you. 100% gluten-free!

How to Make Oat Flour

Making your own homemade oat flour recipe requires 1 ingredient, a small kitchen appliance and 2 minutes of your time. Before you begin, you need to make sure you have the following tools:

• Food processor or high-speed blender like Vitamix, Ninja or Blendtec (what I have)
• Medium size fine mesh sieve

Here is how to make oat flour in a food processor:

1. Add oats to a bowl of food processor with an S shape blade attachment.
2. Process on high speed until finely ground oats appear, about 2 minutes.

Here is how to make oat flour in a high-speed blender:

Before you begin, I would like to mention that regular blender will not work to make oat flour. In that case, I recommend to use a food processor.

1. Add oats to the blender jug. I am using my Blendtec.
2. Blend for 50 seconds, then shake ground oats in the jug, and blend for another 50 seconds.

You Must Sift It

Sifting your DIY oat flour is a must-do! If you do not, your cookies and pancakes will not turn out. Why? Because homemade ground oats contain small pieces of whole oats that do not absorb well. Therefore, you will end up with baked goods that are more floppy and runny, and recipes will fail.

To sift oat flour, simply place it in a medium fine mesh sieve and sift above large bowl. Sift until no more flour is falling through the mesh, and you see fine powder is in the bowl and only larger pieces of whole oats are left in a strainer.

If your hands get tired, you can also rub ground oats with small rubber spatula on a mesh, while stirring.

You can either discard larger pieces of oats leftovers or add them to your overnight oats next time.

How Much Do You Get?

A million dollar question is “How much oat flour does 1 cup of oats make?”. Before we talk whether it’s worth to make it at home, let’s talk about how much of it do you get.

Old fashioned rolled oats:

• 1 cup rolled oats weighs 3 ounces or 88 grams
• 1 cup rolled oats yields 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of flour
• 1 cup of oat flour weighs 2.8 ounces or 80 grams

Steel cut oats:

• 1 cup steel cut oats weighs 5 ounces or 145 grams
• 1 cup steel cut oats yields 1 1/2 cups of flour

Is It Cheaper to Make at Home?

So, is it worth it to make your own oatmeal flour at home vs. buying it at the grocery store or online? It depends how much do oats cost in your area or online at time of reading this post. Also depends how much free time you have to make, sift and store it.

Let do simple math with the most affordable flour and oats I found online today:

• This oat flour costs $0.30 per ounce, or $0.90 per 1 cup (3 ounces)
• These rolled oats cost $0.15 per ounce, or $0.45 per 1 cup (3 ounces).
• You will need 1 cup of oats to make 1 cup of oat flour.
• $0.90 ÷ $0.45 = 2. Therefore, it is twice cheaper to make grind your own oats into flour.

Can I Substitute Oat Flour for All-Purpose Flour?

Yes but with one rule in mind! You must substitute gluten-free oat flour for all-purpose flour by weight and not volume. It means, for example, if recipe calls for 1 cup of regular flour (scooped and leveled), you can’t use 1 cup of oatmeal flour instead.

Instead, know that 1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs 4.5 ounces or 120 grams. Get your kitchen scale out and weigh 120 grams of oat flour, which will be approximately 1 1/4 cups.

How to Store

Make a large batch of oat flour and store in an airtight container, well sealed bag or Tupperware in a cool dry place like pantry for up to 3 months. With such long shelf life it can become a pantry staple.

After that, I recommend to transfer it to a freezer and freeze for up to 6 months. Because whole grains contain natural oils, wholegrain flour doesn’t last as long as refined flour.

Favorite Recipes That Use Oat Flour

Oat flour has fluffy texture and mild flavor. I have used it in many baking recipes like cookies, waffles and quick breads with great results. Kids have never complained they can taste a difference, so I assume it passes the picky eater test.

Here are some of delicious oat flour recipes we managed to whip up so far.

• Banana oat flour bread
• Oat flour brownies
• Banana oatmeal cookies
• Protein waffles
• Healthy oatmeal muffins
• Oat flour banana muffins
• Oat flour pancakes

FAQs

Print

How to Make Oat Flour

Learn How to Make Oat Flour with oats, and a blender or food processor. Homemade oat flour recipe is 2 times cheaper than store-bought.

Course How To

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cup

Calories 311kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Blender
• Food processor
• Medium mesh sieve

Ingredients

• 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats quick oats or steel cut oats

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add 1 cup of oats into a high speed blender or food processor, close the lid and process for 2 minutes or until oat flour forms. If using a blender, pause and shake it once halfway through.
• Then transfer ground oats into a medium size fine mesh sieve and sift over a large bowl only until small pieces of whole oats are left in the strainer. Discard them.
• Transfer oat flour in an airtight container.

Notes

• Store: Store in an airtight container, well sealed bag or Tupperware in a cool dark place like pantry for up to 3 months.
• Freeze: Freeze for up to 6 months.
• Steel cut oats: For this type of oats, I recommend to use only a high speed blender.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.12cups | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 1g

The post How to Make Oat Flour appeared first on iFoodReal.com.

This post is part of my butternut squash How-To’s. Here is a quick tutorial on how to cut butternut squash or you could skip it and just cook butternut squash whole.

Golden brown roasted butternut squash cubes don’t take a lot of time or effort. But that doesn’t stop it from being a delicious side dish for a weeknight dinner or holiday table!

By the time late fall arrives, I have already made pots (and pots!) of butternut squash soup. And while that is a favorite, oven-roasted butternut squash tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper is sweet, salty and has the best buttery texture.

This nutritious vegetable is full of seasonal flavor no matter how you serve it. It’s great for meal prep, a healthy lunch, or even as part of your Thanksgiving menu.

Learn how to roast cubed butternut squash, enjoy it all season long, and thank me later for this easy method!

Ingredients

Cubed roasted butternut squash recipe contains only 4 simple ingredients! I love it with dried thyme, too, but that’s optional. This is a very basic recipe you can make your own.

• Butternut squash: You will need a medium lo large butternut squash about 2 – 3 pounds.
• Olive oil: I prefer extra virgin olive oil but avocado oil works as well.
• Salt and pepper: To season and taste.
• Thyme (optional): Adds the right amount of earthy and fall flavor.

Spice Options

When it comes to roasting butternut squash cubes, there are so many spices that pair well with it! Mix and match your favorite, here are some I love to use:

• Rosemary and sage
• Cumin and coriander
• Curry powder
• All purpose seasoning
• Chili powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Italian seasoning

How to Bake Butternut Squash Cubes

Roasting cubed butternut squash in the oven may take a bit more prep than just baking it whole, but the cubes get way more caramelization, depth of flavor, and natural sweetness. I can’t just get enough!

To start, preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. You could also use a silpat mat but I think with paper you get more caramelized edges. Then follow these 4 simple steps.

1. Peel and cut butternut squash: You will need to peel your squash with a sharp vegetable peeler first. Then seed and cut squash using a sharp chef’s knife into 1-inch cubes to 2-inch cubes. Just make sure they are roughly the same size for even roasting. Don’t discard the seeds but rather roast them using my air fryer pumpkin seeds method.
2. Season squash cubes: In a large bowl, add cubes of butternut squash, drizzle with oil and stir with a wooden spoon to coat. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and stir or toss until well mixed. Don’t do it on a baking sheet. Tossing cubes in a bowl helps with even coating of spices and browning.
3. Place on baking sheet: Divide squash between 2 previously prepared baking sheets and arrange in a single layer. You want to make sure chunks are not overlapping and mostly not touching each other. Again, it’s all about caramelization.
4. Roast: Roast for 35-40 minutes or until your oven roasted butternut squash cubes are fork-tender inside and golden brown on the outside. Just check with a fork or small knife. Cook time will depend on your oven and in my experience, all ovens bake differently and have hot spots.

How Long To Roast Butternut Squash Cubes?

How long to roast butternut squash will really depend on the size of your butternut squash cubes and your preferred oven temperature. While I prefer a high temperature of 425 degrees F, you can bake them at a lower temperature.

Here are some times and temperatures so you can decide what works best for you! I would recommended to check your baked butternut squash at 30 minutes regardless the temperature.

• 375 degrees F roast for 45 – 60 minutes
• 400 degrees F roast for 40-50 minutes
• 425 degrees F roast for 35-40 minutes

Can You Roast Frozen Butternut Squash?

When life gets busy, save some prep time and purchase frozen butternut squash cubes. It’s a great alternative to fresh butternut squash! This easy roasted butternut squash recipe can be made with either.

Here are a few tips for cooking it from frozen:

• Break up butternut squash chunks: They might be stuck together straight out of the package, use your hands to break them up so they bake evenly.
• Preheat your sheet pan: This may seem like an extra step but it’s worth it for perfectly roasted frozen butternut squash. When the frozen squash makes contact with the hot pan, the ice on the diced squash starts to melt, jumpstarting the roasting process.
• Bake: Toss your frozen butternut squash with oil and seasonings of choice and spread the cubes carefully on the hot roasting pan in an even layer. Bake at 450 degrees F for 20 – 30 minutes.

How To Season Butternut Squash

Seasoning butternut squash cubes is probably my favorite part. There are so many delicious ways to amp up the flavor of this versatile winter squash.

And here are some of my favorite ways to do it:

• Cinnamon and maple syrup: Warm spices add such a festive holiday flair that no one can resist while it’s baking. You can use brown sugar if that suits your style.
• Fresh herbs with garlic: You knew garlic would make its way on the list! Pair minced garlic cloves, cubed butternut squash and fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, rosemary or whatever you have on hand.
• Cajun seasoning: A little spicy but some like it hot!
• Savory: Toss it with chopped cooked bacon, the sweet and salty combo is so great!
• Parmesan and pecans: Any nut or seed works here. You will love the savory taste that freshly grated parmesan adds and nuts are the perfect crunch.

Expert Tips

• Size of cubes: The times listed in this cubed butternut squash recipe are for 1-2 inch cubes. If yours are larger, the time will increase. If they are smaller, the roasting time will decrease.
• Do not overcrowd baking sheet: If you crowd the pan, your cubes will steam vs. roast.
• Spread in an even layer: This means not layered on top of each other and same as the tip above, if you do, it will steam your squash vs. roast.
• Check at 30 minutes: No matter the temperature you choose, check it at 30 minutes. You can even flip it, if you would like to caramelize your squash on both sides.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to enjoy this baked cubed butternut squash! From serving as easy side dish along with your favorite holiday mains like roasted turkey or prime rib to Sunday pot roast dinners and weeknight meals, the options are endless.

• Healthy side dish: It is the perfect pair to whole chicken or any of these chicken recipes.
• Add to a salad: Kale and quinoa salad with a cinnamon dressing would be perfect accompaniment to otherwise simple roasted butternut squash side. You can also add it on top of salad.
• Grain bowl: Simple toss with brown rice or quinoa and your favorite healthy salad dressing for simple healthy meal.
• Chili: Add it to a bowl of this ground turkey chili.
• Soup: Add to bowls of chicken noodle soup.

How to Make Ahead and Store

• Make ahead: Cut butternut squash into cubes and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Proceed with recipe as directed when you are ready to roast your squash.
• Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Up to 3 months in the freezer and thaw on a counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight.

FAQs

More Easy Butternut Squash Recipes

• Sauteed butternut squash
• Instant Pot butternut squash soup
• Thai chicken butternut squash soup
• Sausage stuffed butternut squash

If you love roasted butternut squash cubes, you may also love roasted spaghetti squash noodles.

I hope you enjoyed this quick and easy tutorial how to cook butternut squash in the oven!

Print

Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes

How to cook Roasted Butternut Squash Cubes perfectly every time! Tender, caramelized roasted squash is delicious as a simple side dish.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine North American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 147kcal

Author Olena Osipov

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash 2-3 lbs
• 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Peel and cut butternut squash into 1-2 inch cubes. Just make sure they are roughly the same size for even roasting.
• In a large bowl, add cubed butternut squash, drizzle with oil and stir with a wooden spoon to coat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and stir again until thoroughly mixed.
• Divide squash between 2 previously prepared baking sheets and spread in a single layer, making sure chunks are not overlapping and mostly not touching each other.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until squash is tender inside and golden brown on the outside. Cook time will depend on your oven. Remove and enjoy as a side dish, in salads and bowls.

Notes

• Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw on a counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat: Reheat in a microwave or in oven safe baking dish at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
• Freeze: Up to 3 months in the freezer and thaw on a counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight.
• Here are some times and temperatures so you can decide what works best for you! I would recommended to check your baked butternut squash at 30 minutes regardless the temperature.
  • 375 degrees F roast for 45 – 60 minutes
  • 400 degrees F roast for 40-50 minutes
  • 425 degrees F roast for 35-40 minutes

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 589mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g

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