Cooking Well: Multiple Sclerosis (5 page)

Because you may find yourself tired, it is important for you to limit energy expenditure in the kitchen. There is no better way to do this than having the right tools to help you out. Having a food processor, electric mixer, blender, microwave, good quality knives, electric can opener, and utensils within easy reach while prepping and cooking will contribute to making your life easier. Other important tools in your kitchen are your pots and pans. A good quality pan distributes heat evenly over the entire surface and allows proper cooking. Though a heavy-gauge pan is better for cooking, it may be a problem to lift for some patients. When looking for lighter pans, it is important that the weight of the metal be on the bottom of the pan. This allows for better conductivity and consequently better, faster cooking. Different kinds of metals are available and you should be concerned with the conductivity of heat rather than appearance.

• Copper
  is the best heat conductor, but rather expensive. Copper reacts chemically with some foods, which can have poisonous results. Lining it with another metal, such as stainless steel, avoids such problems.
  

• Aluminum
  is a very good conductor and commonly used. Do not use aluminum cookware for storing strong acidic foods, since it will chemically react with the food, creating poisonous compounds.
  

• Calphalon
  , which is made of anodized aluminum, is a better choice if you are concerned about any chemical reactions.
  

• Stainless steel
  is a poor heat conductor and, therefore, not recommended.
  

• Cast iron
  is a great conductor but can be very heavy. It holds heat for a long time, but has the disadvantage of cracking easily when hit or dropped. When you scratch and wash your pan, then dry it, you will notice a black stain on your cloth. This means that a small amount of iron can leak into your food presenting a health concern. Avoid using such pans.
  

• Non-stick
  such as Teflon is ideal for low-fat cooking. Make sure the surface is always perfect. One little dent will allow the metal under the Teflon layer to come into contact with the food. This can be a serious health issue. Inspect regularly and replace immediately any pans that have even the smallest scratch.
  

• Earthenware
  and glass are easily breakable. They are not good conductors, but resist corrosion and do not have chemical reactions with acidic foods like some metal pans do. These are good for baking casseroles, though.
  

You may wonder what the difference is between seasonings and flavoring, and why this is important. It is important, particularly with low-fat cooking. Since fat provides flavor and you are going to limit fat in your cooking, you need to find other ways to compensate for it and enhance your cuisine. There is no better way than by using seasonings, herbs, and spices.

Seasoning
means enhancing and balancing the natural flavors of a dish by adding salt and pepper. You will notice that the recipes in this book use a very little amount of salt. The reason is that our foods are too salty these days, and you actually need very little to balance flavors and for your health. Various types of salt are available: table salt, granulated salt, coarse salt, sea salt, and mineral salt. I prefer sea salt because it is un-processed and contains important minerals and trace elements. It also gives a much better flavor to food in very small quantities. Peppers are available in many different forms: black, white, green, red, etc. It is best to freshly grind pepper to obtain a dish’s full flavor.

Flavoring
means adding one or more flavors to a dish without overpowering the original flavor (unless purposely done). Flavoring refers to anything other than salt and pepper, for example: lemon juice, herbs, spices, vegetables, mustard, lemon or orange peel, red or cayenne pepper (no, they do not belong to the pepper family but rather the paprika and sweet bell pepper family), low-sodium soy sauce, etc.

Herbs are the leaves of plants and spices are the buds, fruits, flowers, seeds, roots of plants and trees. Keep dried herbs and spices in a cool place, away from lights and heat (not next to the stovetop or oven) or they will spoil quickly. Keep them tightly covered. Most of the dry herbs have a shelf life of four to six months. Do not buy large quantities since you probably will not use them.
Also, buy high quality herbs—if you buy poor quality, you end up putting more in your food, and thus spending more money.

Fresh herbs with short stems should be stored in an unsealed plastic bag or wrapped in a moist paper towel. Always refrigerate herbs so they can keep up to a week. Fresh herbs with long stems should be placed in the refrigerator in an open plastic bag or at room temperature (if cool) in a small amount of water. It is best to find fresh herbs with their roots still intact since they will keep fresh and flavorful longer. Wrap the roots in a damp paper towel and cover with a plastic bag. Refrigerate, leaving the leaves out in the open. They can keep up to a week.

If you grow your own herbs, the best time to pick them is in the morning after the dew has evaporated. Do not wash until use. When using fresh herbs remember that they lose their flavor very quickly, so use them towards the end of cooking. Use dry herbs for long cooking and finish with fresh herbs for added favor.

Using herbs and spices as an enhancement to a dish is one of the most important parts of great healthy cooking. But use them carefully. It is always easy to add but impossible to remove. Remember that you may have possible sensitivities or allergies to some herbs and spices. So be careful and keep notes in your journal and cooking recipes book.

Part III
The Meals