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Healthy Cooking When Living in Quarantine

Are you living shelter in place, quarantine, or lockdown (Depending on what your country calls it) and wondering how to cook healthy?  Indeed, Andrea and I have been living in quarantine and lockdown since March 9, 2020.  Since that time, we’ve been eating very healthily.  Why?  Well, in our mind, why not make the best of a difficult situation.

We created this story because, to be honest, we don’t have a lot to write about travel-wise.  At this point, we would have been preparing for our 10-day Mediterranean Cruise in the Aegean Sea. However, naturally, the cruise is canceled.  So, instead of writing about travel, we’re writing about our life as we get ready to travel.  As they say, if life gives you lemons, make lemonade!

Just as we did with our living locked down, and under quarantine story, we will turn this into a developing story where we will add our own personal healthy (and almost healthy) recipes.  To be sure, this is the food we are eating, and not something we’re just preaching.

Quarantine Cooking Diet

Some folks have been asking what diet are we following.  We’re calling it Quarantine Cooking.  Ok, let’s be honest with ourselves.  Everything we’re writing about is the diet we’ve been following for years, and it sort of resembles the Mediterranean Diet.  But, the key is that now, living shelter in place, under quarantine and lockdown, we can improve the number of days a week that we can follow it!

So, just what is the Quarantine Cooking Diet?  It is fresh fruits and vegetables.  Indeed, they make up the most significant portion of the diet.  Also, while we cook with just a little fat, it’s always unprocessed.  We use cold-pressed olive oil or fat rendered from organic meat.  For example, our Chicken stalk contains about 3-4% rendered fat, and frequently use it for cooking.

Quarantine Chicken and Stalk

The chicken stalk is a staple in our home, and most certainly a healthy food to cook with when in quarantine or lockdown.  For example, we use it for cooking with almost everything.  For healthy eating, especially when quarantined, chicken stalk makes an ideal replacement for butter or oil.  Moreover, I even use chicken stalk for cooking rice and other goodies.

My favorite tool to cook chicken and stalk is my (knockoff) Instant Pot.  It is simple to use, easy to clean and looks decent on the counter.

Recipe

  • 2 Carrots
  • 2 Celery Sticks
  • 3 Small Onions
  • One teaspoon granulated salt
  • 500gr chicken thighs (Bone-in, with skin)
  • 1.25L water

Chop the vegetables, and add everything together.

Pressure cook 25 minutes

Separate the Chicken

Filter the broth

Enjoy!

Finished Product

Notably, this chicken stalk is a healthy way to reheat meals or cook new meals when in quarantine.  Also, the chicken thighs can be broken down and stored in an airtight container for up to a week!

Healthy And Filling Lunch

Today, for lunch, we created a healthy salad while living shelter in place, locked down, and in quarantine.

Quarantine Cooking Diet Healthy Living

Ingredients

  • Deli Ham (We sliced our own, but you can buy it pre-sliced)
  • Salad (Cleaned)
  • Some vegetables (We like Preserved Egglplant, Artichokes and Peppers)
  • A Hard-Boiled Egg
  • 2 Small Pieces of Parmesean
  • Oranges

Directions

Assemble cold, family-style, as displayed below.

Quarantine Cooking Healthy Lunch

 

Soft Boiled Eggs

Soft boiled eggs are a staple in our diet.  Also, they are probably one of the hardest things to get right.  To be sure, the yolk needs to be ewwey and gooey.  And, the eggwhite needs to be firm enough to hold its shape and keep everything inside.

 

Ingredients

1 Litre Water, Boiling just a little

1 Egg (COLD, from the fridge)

Directions

  • Bring water to boil
  • Lower the temperature just a little
  • Drop 1-3 COLD eggs (from the fridge) into the lightly boiling water.  I like to use a tablespoon.
  • Set the timer for 6 minutes.
  • After the 6 minutes have run out, rinse the eggs under cold water for a few minutes.
  • Gently crack the shells, all around and remove the egg inside.

Perfect Over Easy Eggs and Bacon

Let’s face it.  Cooking healthy, living under lockdown or quarantine or not, is about using quality ingredients, and moderation.  For example, butter is okay, if you use a little.  If you use the whole package, well, that a different story.

In the video, we explain how to make perfect over-easy eggs and bacon.

To cook the best bacon, you should cook it fast in a cast iron pan.  For example, it shouldn’t take more than about a minute to cook bacon, if it’s done right.

To cook the best over-easy eggs requires just a little butter, gentle heat, and a fast hand.

 

Croque Monsieur

A Croque Monsieur is a French sandwich that it’s baked with ham and cheese.  Indeed, it’s an excellent cooking option if you are living quarantined or under lockdown.  To be sure, it’s a fancy ham and cheese sandwich.

In this video, we explain the secret to making great bechamel, which cheeses to use, the type of ham to use, and then how to cook it.  We hope you like it!

Be sure to check back for more healthy recipes you can cook when you’re locked down or in quarantine!

Perfect Brown Basmati Rice

Basmati rice is a superfood, at least I think so.  It’s filling, nutritious, and is an excellent side to just about any dish – especially if you are quarantined.  The problem, however, is getting it cooked perfectly.  Indeed, brown basmati rice is incredibly difficult to get right.

After several attempts, here is my recipe.  And to be sure, it does scale!

Ingredients

200gr Brown Basmati Rice (Or combination of lentils, brown basmati rice, or other rice)

300gr (or ml) of chicken stalk.  I use the one from earlier in this page.

1/2 teaspoon of granulated salt.

Directions for Perfect Brown Basmati Rice

  • Rinse the rice under cold water, 5 times.  Yes, 5.  Really 🙂
  • Add chicken stalk
  • Add salt
  • Pressure cook 30 Minutes

-Rick

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2 Comments

  1. Loved the recipe and in fact here in India, we are in lockdown and eating mostly vegan food
    Its a lot of Spinach, Bottle gourds and lentil soups and of course a lot of fruits(subject to availability)

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