fbpx

Category: Food & Nutrition

Check out all the latest food tips and more!

Posted on

How To Make Herb-Infused Oils For Culinary Use

Herbed Oil DIY Gift
Rosemary Oil DIY Gift
Photo by: Earth to Kathy

 

From homemade infused oils to enhance your culinary foods to DIY gift ideas, this step-by-step guide will show you what you need to know.

Herbs are known throughout history for their incredible health benefits. With high-quality oil and dried herbs, you can create your own DIY infused oil perfect for culinary use. They also make for a great gift. Let’s make some healthy infused oils that you can add to your daily cooking for a flavor boost.

What you’ll need

  1. Dried or fresh herbs

There are countless numbers of herbs that you can use when infusing oils, depending on your needs. Always opt for organic herbs when infusing oil and drying your herbs—wilting fresh herbs on your counter for 10-12 hours before bottling will reduce mold and your oil from going rancid. Never use herbs that show any signs of decay.

Common herbs to use:

  • Basil
  • Rosemary
  • Bay leaves
  • Tarragon
  • Savory
  • Marjoram
  • Thyme
  • Mint
  • Oregano
  • Peppermint
  • Citrus peel

Herbed Oil DIY Gift

  1. Premium grade oil

When choosing which oil to use, you should go for lighter olive oil or one of the below choices:

  1. (2) Glass containers with lids

It’s highly important to sterilize your jars before using them. You can either put them in the dishwasher using a normal rinse cycle or in your oven on a newspaper at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. This will help kill any lingering bacteria that may create unwanted mold in your oil. For storage, an amber glass can block light and may help keep your infused oil lasting longer.

  1. Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer

Two methods: quick vs. sun method

Ingredients

Dried or fresh herbs of choice

Light cooking oil of choice

Directions

  1. Remove any soil on the herbs and check for any insects. Wash your herbs by rinsing them off and drying them. For fresh herbs, wilt them for roughly 12 hours to remove excess water. Extra water will cause the oil to go rancid during the infusion.
  2. Sterilize your jars and set them aside.
  3. Take dried herbs and press slightly with a rolling pin to release oils, also known as bruising.

Quick Method

  1. Follow directions 1 to 3.
  2. In a pot on medium heat, bring oil to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Add dried herbs and allow them to infuse for 1-2 hours. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Pour oil through cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into a sterilized jar. Cover with lid and keep out of direct sunlight for storage.

Sun Method

  1. Follow directions 1 to 3.
  2. Fill jar with herbs so you have 2 inches remaining above herbs to cover with oil.
  3. Pour oil over herbs, so you have about an inch of oil covering.
  4. Set in a sunny area for 2 to 3 weeks, removing any herbs that may float to the top. Make sure herbs are fully submerged and remove any floating herbs that may cause mold.
  5. Strain oil through cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into a sterilized jar. Cover with lid and store in a cool dark place.

If you are going to give these as a gift, make sure to provide a card with the below note.

Note: Homemade infused oils will not keep as long. Once you begin using it, make sure to use it within 2-3 months. I suggest putting a “use by” date or label so you can remember the infusion date.

This DIY infused oil is a great way to enhance your daily cooking and the perfect gift idea made with love. Depending on the herbs you use, the combinations can be endless, so feel free to mix herbs and have fun with this.

Posted on

8 Effective Egg Substitutes For Cooking and Baking

Almond Cake with Vanilla Meringue Buttercream
Chocolate Tiered Cake with Ganache

Whether you have an egg allergy or are looking for ways to eat healthier, there are plenty of substitutes to try.

Eggs are a staple in every kitchen—except for us vegans. From pies and cakes to breakfast sandwiches and French toast, and everything in between, eggs are important in many recipes. Eggs are primarily used to create structure, stabilize batters and doughs, provide texture and moisture to recipes, and serve as a thickening agent for sauces and desserts.

In a world striving to live healthier, many plant-based alternatives have already made their way into our fridges and pantries. Following are eight easy-to-find and simple-to-use options.

Why do recipes call for eggs?

Typically, eggs are used to bind, leaven and add moisture to recipes. They essentially keep ingredients together and trap air pockets, which allows dough to rise.

Although learning what type of egg replacements that work best in recipes can be tricky, its always fun experimenting with new products, ingredients, or homemade alternatives! To understand what works best, having an idea of the consistency of the recipe will help determine what type of egg replacer you’ll want to use.

Coffee-Banana Marble Bread - The Vegan Rhino

  1. Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer

My favorite substitute for baking is Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer–yes, store-bought, folks! It does the trick, acting as the perfect alternative to eggs. Whether it’s for pancake batter, stuffing, cookies or cakes, this egg replacer gives any recipe the moisture and level of binding the egg would have provided. It’s perfect in recipes like potato latkes!

  1. Vinegar + baking powder

Perfect for quick breads, cakes and cupcakes, this combo will surely encourage your desserts to leaven or rise. You can use either white distilled or apple cider vinegar. I’ve noticed the apple cider vinegar tastes better, but this is entirely up to you. Check out this recipe, Easy Vegan Apple Cake, for example.

Fluffy Dinner Rolls - The Vegan Rhino

  1. Flax or chia seeds

These powerful little seeds are the perfect alternative for binding ingredients together or emulsifying. Simply use a coffee grinder to grind the seeds into a powder. Add water and set aside until it thickens. Use this method to bake brownies, pie crusts, bread or muffins. Keep in mind that flax seeds have a nutty flavor, so try to use that alternative in recipes where you’ll enjoy that flavor profile.

  1. Silken or firm tofu

Looking for an egg scramble alternative? Tofu is one of those universal ingredients that could be used for stir-fry, mousses, soups, and breakfast egg scramblers (Southwest Tofu Scramble). If you press a block of extra firm tofu, crumble it up in a pan with turmeric and other seasonings, you can mimic scrambled eggs perfectly. Another example is using soft tofu as an emulsifier in stabilizing vegan mayonnaise. It helps by giving the texture you need. A new alternative called Just Egg has hit the markets and has paved the way for vegan omelets and non-tofu scrambles.

  1. Bananas

This alternative is best for recipes that use egg for moisture, like banana bread. This is perfect for cakes and brownies also! Just take one ripe banana, mash it up, and voila, you have the equivalent of one egg. Check out this delicious looking Banana Tea Bread!

  1. Apple sauce

If bananas aren’t your thing, you can use apple sauce instead and still give your baking the moistness it needs, like in these Chocolate Cupcakes. When shopping, make sure you purchase organic and unsweetened apple sauce. This way, you can add the sugar you’d like and not make what you’re making too sweet.

French Macaron Shell

  1. Aquafaba

Aquafaba liquid is the water in which chickpeas were cooked in. When whipped for 5-10 minutes, it can mimic egg whites in cooking or baking, including meringue, mousse, icings, vegan marshmallows, or this Oven Baked Chickpea Veggie Burger. Make sure to opt for an organic and unsalted chickpea, allowing you to remove any unnecessary salt.

  1. Nut butter

Almond, peanut, or cashew butter can be great alternatives when substituting eggs. This method is excellent for cookies (Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies), pancakes, or brownies and can affect the flavor overall.

For The Vegan Rhino by Ryan Shepard