Kitchen Tips

Who doesn’t know this feeling?! You’re enthusiastically working in the kitchen with an exciting recipe, and then you realize you don’t have a clean blender jar left… You run out of flour at just the wrong moment… The eggs are past their expiration date… You’re struggling with a mortar and pestle (because the recipe says so)… Everything sticks to your hands when you’re trying to shape it into nice forms… Etc…

In this article, I’m sharing some handy kitchen tips that I wish I had known earlier!
Table of Contents:

• The Blender Tip
• Oops, Out of Flour!
• Need a Mortar and Pestle?
• Need Only Egg Whites or Yolks?
• Separating an Egg
• Testing Egg Freshness
• Sticky Dough
• Make Your Own Keto Powdered Sugar for Less
• Ensure Proper Proportions
• Cutting Out Shapes Easily
• Stabilize Baking Pans
• Filling a Piping Bag Without Mess
• Meat Is Still Frozen…
• Splatter-Free Crispy Bacon
• The Skewer Test
• Easy Peasy Avocado Prep
• No Broccoli Waste
• Don’t Toss the Cauliflower Leaves!
• The Fastest Way to Bread
• Evenly Distribute Dressing on Salad
• Homemade Nut Milk in a Snap
• The Perfect Keto Nut Mix, Even Cheaper!

The Blender Tip

Is the blender jar dirty, but you really need it? With this tip, it’ll be clean and ready to use in no time!

First, rinse the blender jar thoroughly with hot water to remove the worst dirt.
Then, fill the jar one-third full with warm (or hot) water and a small squirt of dishwashing liquid. Place the jar on the base and let the blender run for 30 seconds to a minute. Don’t forget to put the lid on before starting the blender, of course 😉, or your whole kitchen will be covered in suds.

The warm soapy water will reach all the nooks and crannies where food residues might be.
Turn off the blender and rinse the jar thoroughly with hot water. It’s now clean and ready for the next use!

The same trick works for hand mixers and immersion blenders
For hand mixers and immersion blenders, the same idea applies. Fill a measuring cup (or something similar) with warm water and add a small drop of dishwashing liquid. Place the beaters or immersion blender in the water and turn on the device. Then, rinse it thoroughly with warm water, and you’re good to go!

Oops… Out of Flour!

You want to make something that requires flour, but it turns out to be out of stock… No worries, this is easily solvable!

In a keto lifestyle, you don’t use regular flours or wheat flour since they are not low in carbohydrates. There are alternative flours available in the supermarket, but they are often quite expensive and typically high in carbs. Waiting for your new online order to arrive can be frustrating when you were just about to start baking, right? I have the perfect tip for you, making your own flour is easy and fast!

How do you do it?
Take the nut or seed you want to turn into flour, such as walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, etc… Put them in a blender or food processor and grind until you have a flour-like consistency, THAT’S IT!
Just be careful not to grind for too long, or you’ll end up with a paste because of the oils in them 😉
But… this way, you can also make your own nut butter; just let it run a bit longer, perfect!

If you want to know more about the products you can turn into your flour and the ratios for doing so, you can read about it in this article.

Need a Mortar and Pestle?

A mortar and pestle were used in the past to grind products finely. Although it’s a cute decorative item for the kitchen, it’s not very efficient when you need to grind larger quantities of something. Sometimes it can still be handy if you really only need to crush or grind a tiny amount of something, but most of the time, it involves larger quantities where using a regular mortar and pestle would take a lot of time and effort… Fortunately, there’s a great tip for that too!

Almost anything you want to grind can be done in a minute! That sounds good, right? Almost everyone has a blender, food processor, mini-chopper, or a coffee grinder at home, and that’s precisely what you’ll use for this task. Put the ingredients in the device of your choice, and grind away. Within a few seconds, everything will be finely ground and mixed.

Need Only Egg Whites or Yolks?

Sometimes, you want to make a recipe that requires only the yolk or only the egg white. But it’s a waste to throw away half of the egg… With these tips, you won’t have to waste any part of the egg!

Need Only the Yolk in a Recipe?
Use the egg white to make a delicious omelet, find another recipe to make simultaneously that requires only egg whites, or my favorite: Freeze them!
You can store the egg white in a container in the freezer for a longer period, which is ideal when you want to make a dish that only requires egg whites! Simply take the container out of the freezer a while before using it and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Zero waste!

Need Only Egg Whites in a Recipe?
If you use the freezer tip mentioned above, there’s a chance you might have an egg yolk left in the freezer, so check there first. 😉

If that’s not the case, you still don’t have to throw away the yolk. You can make a delicious omelet with the yolk, prepare a dish that only requires the yolk, like homemade mayonnaise (click here for the recipe). You can also use the yolk to thicken sauces, for example, make a delicious mushroom sauce and use it as a dip for raw vegetables.

Tip from Wilma (an enthusiastic fan)
Create a handy list for yourself with your favorite recipes that require only egg yolks or egg whites. 👌

Separating an Egg

Are you dreading the task of separating an egg? With this tip, it’s a piece of cake!

There are many ways
You can purchase special “sieves” for this purpose. From my own experience, it often happens that the yolk slips through the slots, and you have to start over. You can also choose to break the egg into your hand and let the egg white slide through your fingers, but this feels very strange and can be quite messy.

My favorite way
I find it easiest to use the eggshell. Tap the egg once with a potato peeler at about the middle of the egg and break the egg open gently. Then, pour the egg from one side to the other, allowing the egg white to run out, leaving the egg yolk in the shell.

If it didn’t work out
Sometimes, the yolk of the egg breaks during the separation process. You can either discard the egg and start over… or, you can make a delicious omelet out of it and use it as a wrap filling. No waste, and a tasty snack, side dish, or meal!

How to Test the Freshness of an Egg

Want to make something delicious, but you realize that the eggs (according to the label) are past their expiration date? Oops!

The expiration date is always an indication, especially if it says “THT,” which means “ten minste houdbaar tot” or “best before.” This means that the product should be usable and safe to eat at least until that date. Often, eggs are still good for a while after that date, so it’s a waste to throw them away without testing them first!

Here’s a tip to test the freshness of eggs.
This is how the process of this method works:
An egg has a small air pocket inside. As the egg ages, this air pocket fills with carbon dioxide, and the egg loses moisture. When more air enters the egg, it becomes buoyant, allowing you to determine its freshness by its buoyancy.

Fill a glass with water (not to the top, the egg needs to fit 😉).
Fresh as can be
If the egg lies completely flat on the bottom, it’s still very fresh.
Perfectly usable
If the egg rests on the bottom but with the pointed end slightly tilted upward, it’s about one week old. You can still use this egg very well.
Still edible, but don’t wait too long
When the bottom is on the bottom but the point of the egg points upward, it’s about 2 to 3 weeks old. The egg is still usable, but don’t wait too long.
Sorry, you’re too late
When the egg floats all the way to the top of the glass, it’s no longer safe to use. The egg is rotting, and you should avoid eating it.

Sticky Dough

When you want to make a delicious recipe for, say, bread rolls or cookies, but the dough is sticking too much to shape it nicely… This simple tip will solve the problem, allowing you to create beautiful shapes of your choice. The solution is actually too simple for words, but it works perfectly!

All you need to do is moisten your hands under the tap. Did you already know this trick? The same principle can be applied when you want to cut the dough—just wet the knife under the tap, and it will easily glide through the dough.

Make Your Own Affordable Keto Powdered Sugar

Powdered sugar can be used to create truly delicious dishes, where it brings about a completely different texture and appearance. Powdered sugar is more expensive than regular sugar, and this also applies to the keto-friendly variant Erythritol. You can buy this in granulated form or in powdered sugar form. However, the powdered sugar form is more expensive, which is a waste of money! You can easily make your own powdered sugar!

Less than a minute’s work
Making your own (keto-friendly) powdered sugar is really a simple task. Simply put the granulated Erythritol in the blender or food processor and start grinding! Within a minute, you’ll have very fine and velvety powdered sugar. You can read more about Erythritol in this article.

Pro tip: Wait a few minutes after grinding before removing the lid. Otherwise, a fine powder may fly through your kitchen. Waiting allows it to settle back into the blender, preventing it from spraying.

Ensure You Have the Right Proportions

In most recipes, it’s important for the ingredient ratios to be correct to achieve a successful end result. A small deviation in a particular ingredient can quickly lead to a completely different outcome, so it’s handy to use measuring spoons.

One teaspoon is not the same as another… Just go to a store like Blokker, and you’ll see that they all have different sizes. So, don’t use the spoons you have in your kitchen drawer because there’s a good chance they hold a different amount than the ones the recipe creator used!

It’s really worth it!
Both online and in physical stores, you can find standard measuring spoon sets. These all have the same capacity, so you can be sure you’re getting it right. These sets often cost only a few euros and are definitely worth it. Just think about the cost of wasted ingredients if a dish doesn’t turn out well due to incorrect proportions.

Is there a reason you still don’t want to use a set? Here are the measurements for you:

Teaspoons and tablespoons:

¼ tsp is 1.2 ml
½ tsp is 2.5 ml
1 tsp is 5 ml
1 tbsp is 15 ml

Cups:
In more and more recipes, measurements are given in cups, but how much is that?

¼ cup is 60 ml
½ cup is 125 ml
1/3 cup is 80 ml
1 cup is 250 ml

Cut the Shapes Loose

Cupcake baking molds (or other smaller molds) are always connected, but in practice, this isn’t very convenient… That’s why I always cut the molds apart because it makes everything easier! They are easier to fill, easier to clean, and it’s much easier to remove the cupcakes from the mold.

More Stability for Baking Molds

I always place the baking molds I use on top of an oven tray, instead of directly on the oven rack. This way, it’s much easier to move the mold in and out of the oven securely. This is also highly recommended for individual cupcake molds.

Filling a Piping Bag Without Any Mess

Ever experienced that messy ordeal when trying to fill a piping bag? Not anymore!

Fold the opening of the piping bag twice, place your fingers between the fold, and start filling. Alternatively, you can lay the piping bag in a tall glass and fold the edges of the opening over the glass.

Either way, the top of the piping bag stays clean, allowing you to fill and use it without any fuss.

The Meat Is Still Frozen…

I prefer to place the meat in the refrigerator well in advance so that it can thaw slowly and in a cooled manner. However, there are times when you forget to take the meat out of the freezer in time or decide to make something spontaneously without waiting for the meat to thaw properly.

Most microwaves have a special defrost setting, but this often doesn’t do justice to the texture and taste of the meat. If you partially cook it in the pan while it’s still somewhat frozen, it can quickly become tough, or you might end up with the outside being too hard while the inside remains raw.

My quickest solution (hack) is to place the meat in a large bowl of cold water. This way, it will thaw in no time without affecting the meat’s quality. Make sure the meat is in a well-sealed bag or container to prevent direct contact with the water. Alternatively, you can choose to keep the meat under cold running water (again, in a sealed bag), which is even faster than placing it in a bowl of cold water but uses a bit more water.

Cooking Crispy Bacon Without Splatters

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Making the perfect, heavenly crispy bacon without being attacked by splatters, without having to clean your entire stove afterwards, and without ending up with burnt or undercooked pieces? Here’s how I do it:

Place a large frying pan on the largest burner, but set the heat as low as possible. Add a small amount of coconut oil to the pan and place the bacon slices in it. And now? Be patient… Let the bacon simmer very slowly, turning the slices regularly for an even end result. Works every time! 👌

The Skewer Test

This is a way to test if a cake or bread is done. Insert a skewer into the center of the baked item and then remove it. If the skewer comes out clean and dry, the dish is cooked through on the inside. If not, it needs more time in the oven.

Easy Peasy Avocado Dissection

Removing the pit and skin from an avocado is something many people struggle with. There are also occasional videos circulating where people attempt to hack a knife into the pit, often resulting in many individuals ending up in the ER with nasty cuts… There’s really no need for any of that! Simply cut the avocado in half up to the pit and separate the two halves. Then…

Tip: The riper the avocado, the easier it is for the pit to come loose. If the pit doesn’t come out right away, gently use a spoon to loosen it.

Once the pit is removed, follow the steps in the photos below, and voilà, delicious avocado cubes in no time!

No Broccoli Waste

Many people (including myself in the past) are not aware that you can eat almost everything from a broccoli stalk. That small piece you see in the photo above is the only thing I throw away. It’s the dried-out part at the point where the broccoli was cut. The rest of the stalk is perfectly usable. Did you know that most of the nutrients are actually in the broccoli stalk? Much more than in the florets. The stalk may require a slightly longer cooking time, or it can be tough. So, I always cut the stalk into small pieces so that they need to be cooked for the same amount of time as the florets, which is ideal!

Don’t Throw Away Cauliflower Leaves!

You’ve probably seen them, those green leaves that surround a whole cauliflower head. In most households (including my own in the past…), these leaves end up as compost, which is such a waste! Most vitamins, minerals, and fiber are actually found in these leaves. So, they’re not waste at all; in fact, they are the most nutritious part of cauliflower. But I understand that the idea of eating cauliflower leaves might not sound very appetizing. However, I can tell you that they can be absolutely delicious! So, step out of your comfort zone and give them a try!

What can you do with them?

You can prepare cauliflower leaves in various ways to create a meal. You can finely chop them and add them to a salad, make delicious soups with them, or sauté them with your choice of spices. My favorite way is to turn them into soup. The type of soup varies each time. I’m a fan of pureed soups (where everything is blended into a smooth consistency), but you can also finely chop the leaves and use them as additional soup greens. Click here for one of my favorite “leftover” soup recipes.

The quickest and easiest way to breadcrumb

Breaded meat is an absolute favorite of mine, but I always dreaded the work that goes into it… which is why I didn’t have it very often. That was until I discovered this incredibly easy, quick, and mess-free method! And it’s truly as simple as can be…

Step 1: Mix everything you want to use as the breading in a (roomy) airtight container.
Step 2: Whisk an egg with a small splash of unsweetened liquid cream.
Step 3: Cut the item you want to bread into the desired size.
Step 4: Dip it in the egg mixture (I use two forks or one fork and one spoon to do this) and place it in the container with the breading.
Step 5: Put the lid on and shake it up!

Do you want to know what you can use as keto breadcrumbs? You can read about it here!

Getting Dressing Evenly Distributed Through Salad

Do you know that feeling? A delicious salad on your plate, but with one bite, you have almost no dressing, while with another bite, it feels like you have nothing but dressing in your mouth… That’s why I always cut through my salad with two sharp knives. And it has another advantage! The salad is much easier to eat without getting dressing all over your cheeks or chin 😜

Making Your Own Nut Milk

Of course, you can buy almond milk ready-made in the supermarket, but milk made from other nuts can be a challenge to find. I’m a big fan of the Soy Milk Maker EP9100 by Espressions. With this machine, you can make your own plant-based milk from any nut you like. Besides nut milk, you can use it for many other things (like making delicious soups), making it a fantastic appliance to have in your kitchen!

Making nut milk is straightforward with this machine, as it has a special setting for it. You fill the machine with water up to the indicated mark, add the nuts to the included measuring cup, set the machine to the right mode, and then wait. After about 20 minutes, you’ll have perfect, creamy, and flavorful nut milk. Pretty cool, right?

I store the nut milk in a glass bottle with a seal in the refrigerator, and it stays good for at least a week.

The Perfect Keto Nut Mix, and Even Cheaper

A mix of various nuts is ideal because it allows you to get different nutrients in one handful (each nut contains different nutrients). Unfortunately, store-bought mixes often contain nuts that are not suitable for a ketogenic lifestyle (such as cashews or peanuts). Additionally, store-bought mixes are relatively more expensive compared to a bag of just one type of nut. That’s why I always make my own nut mix, perfect!

Usually, different types of nuts in bulk at Lidl go on sale throughout the year. These include walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, among others (click here for the best keto nuts). I keep an eye on the sales, so when one of my favorite nuts is on sale, I stock up. Then, I mix the nuts in a large bowl and fill my nut jar (as seen in the previous photo) with my favorite blend. This way, I can easily grab a handful of mixed nuts every day.

For the nuts that no longer fit in the jar, I package them in an airtight container and store them in a dark place (in my case, the cellar).