5 Smart Life Tips that Help you Feel Like a Pro in Your Kitchen

Why do I have a hard time peeling my hard boiled eggs?

Your mistake: You immerse cold eggs in cold water. When you do that, the egg white hardens slowly and sticks to the egg shell.

Smart Life tip: Boil the water first and only then immerse the eggs. Cook for 7 minutes for totally hard white and almost done yolk. Cook for 9 minutes for totally hard yolks or 4 minutes for soft boiled eggs. Are you cooking more than one egg? Make sure you have enough water – one cup per egg.

How to keep broccoli and green beans green after cooking?

Your mistake: You are cooking your greens in boiling water for too long. Green vegetables contain chloroplasts that give them their green pigment. Hot water enhances that pigment, but not above 170 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher temperatures produce an anti-enzyme called chlorophyllase.

Smart Life tip: Fill up your pot with water and a pinch of sea salt. When the water is hot, but not boiling (176 degrees Fahrenheit), immerse your greens for only 3 minutes. Pour into a sifter and rinse well in cold water. To complete your prep, heat a pan with olive oil and gently toss your greens with extra virgin olive oil for another 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately.

How to keep my green salad crisp?

Your mistake: You dress your salad too early and your salad dressing only contains oil and lemon juice.

Smart Life tip: Make a salad dressing from olive oil, lemon juice PLUS either a little mustard or raw honey. The mustard or honey will keep your oil and lemon juice mix intact, and that’s how your salad will stay crisp longer.

How to keep my tomatoes fresh?

Your mistake: You store your tomatoes without their stem and place them stem up.

Smart Life tip: store your tomatoes with the stem side down to prevent their juices from drying up. Otherwise, try to buy tomatoes on their stem. The stems will keep the tomatoes fresh for a longer period.

How to make the perfect sunny side up omelette?

Your mistake: You pour the whole egg into your frying pan at once.

Smart Life tip: Separate the egg white and yolk. Beat the egg white and a pinch of sea salt with a fork. Pour the egg white into a warm/hot frying pan and cook until almost done. Then, toss the egg yolk on top of the white and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until yolk is cooked to your liking.