Monthly Newsletter

This Month’s Topic:
Handling Kitchen Knives Safely

Knife Safety Tips

Handling kitchen knives safely has to become your first priority and second nature for you in your kitchen. If you plan to engage in a healthy eating lifestyle, then the odds are pretty good that you’ll be doing more of the cooking and prep work at home yourself. Knife accidents are common in household kitchens, but can be avoided if you use some good habits. I would be lacking in my duties as a teacher if I didn’t (at least briefly) touch on knife safety.

Knives are essential tools in any kitchen, but they can be dangerous if not used properly. To prevent injury and keep your kitchen running smoothly, it’s crucial to practice proper training and knife handling. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned cook in need of a refresher, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind for safe knife handling.

Keep Your Knife Sharp:

A dull knife requires more force to cut through food, which increases the risk of injury. To maintain a knife’s precision, use a sharpening stone or knife sharpener. Between thorough sharpenings, use a sharpening steel to touch up your knife.

When it comes to actually sharpening your knives, it will depend greatly on frequency of use but I recommend every 3-4 months for low to average use. When you make knife sharpening a more regular part of your kitchen routine, you’ll also start to get a much better sense of when they start to dull.

Choose the Right Knife for Each Task:

Different knives are designed for specific purposes, so it’s essential to select the right knife for the job. Consider blade size, flexibility, and edge type when choosing a knife for a cutting chore.

Most cutting tasks in the kitchen are achievable with a good chef’s knife. With that thought in mind, a blade that’s designed specifically for a purpose can bring more ease and precision to the cut. Using the right knives will encourage you to prep food with accuracy and confidence.  I’m free of worries about how best to approach a cut when I use the right tool for the task at hand.

Choosing the right knives for your kitchen may seem like a daunting task when you consider how many knives exist on the market. If you have spent years buying the cheapest bargain basement knives that you could find, and are tired of crushing things instead of slicing them…STOP!  Do yourself a favor and begin to accumulate the best knives available. You’ll thank me for it when you see what a difference a quality blade will make!

Always Keep Your Knives Clean:

Proper cleaning and sanitation are critical to prevent contamination and maintain your knife’s durability. Immediately clean your knife after use and inspect it for any food debris that may have collected. Don’t toss a knife in with the utensils to soak it clean! When it comes to handling kitchen knives safely, that’s a recipe for disaster if you like your hands!

NEVER wash your expensive kitchen knives in the dishwasher!

Your knives deserve the best care possible, and that means avoiding the dishwasher. Here are a few reasons why:

Heat and humidity can cause serious damage to both the steel and handle of your knife. Turbulence from the water jets can cause your knife to knock into other items in the dishwasher, damaging the blade’s edge. Detergents used in the dishwasher can dull or discolor your knife. Knives can scratch other items in the dishwasher, your fingers, and even the machine itself.

So what’s the best way to clean your knives? For most knives, hand-washing in hot, soapy water is the way to go. Just make sure to use hot tap water, not boiling water, to avoid any damage.

Store Your Knives Properly

The Benefits of Using a Knife Block for Your Knives.

Knife blocks are a popular and convenient way to store your knife collection. They come equipped with various sized slots to fit your chef knife, serrated knife, and other common blades. A knife block serves as an accessible and practical storage method, and also allows for an attractive way to display your collection.

Traditional knife blocks, however, have their downsides.

The slots on these blocks can harbor bacteria and cause your knife to dull over time. That’s why we recommend using a magnetic knife block for countertop storage. This type of knife block showcases your knives while preventing them from dulling or collecting bacteria.

While knife blocks work well for many people, they may not be the best option for everyone. They can take up valuable counter space, and the limited number of slots may not accommodate a growing knife collection.

Other Options:

For those with smaller kitchens or larger collections, a magnetic knife strip or in-drawer knife organizer might be more practical. When not in use, store your knives in a designated storage space such as a knife block or roll to prevent mishaps and increase their longevity.

Secure Your Cutting Board

When it comes to handling kitchen knives safely, the knife is only as steady as the surface you cut on! I use a perforated rubber shelf liner cut to match the size of my cutting boards. The rubberized shelf liners are machine washable, so they can stay clean like the rest of my kitchen. In a pinch, a dampened kitchen towel folded to fit the cutting board and placed underneath can stop the slide. Don’t forget, a dull knife causes you to use more pressure to make a cut which, in turn, can make your cutting board move when cutting!

Know The Correct Cutting Techniques

Some of these suggestions may seem redundant, but they’re worth repeating. Proper handling and cutting techniques are crucial for safe knife handling. Here are some safety guidelines to consider when you use hand-held knives:

Keep knives sharp: A sharp knife makes cutting easier and reduces the risk of unsafe pressure and angles while cutting.

Wear a cutting glove: Don’t be ashamed to wear a cutting glove. Hurting your pride hurts far less than hurting your body. A cutting glove will keep your hand safe from cuts.

Always cut away from yourself: This will prevent injury in case the knife slips.

Use the right knife for the job: Different cutting jobs require different knives. The wrong knife will make cutting difficult and increase the risk of injury.

Cut on a stable cutting board: A loose or wobbly cutting surface can easily cause knives to slip and injure employees.

Never grab a falling knife: This is important to remember, as it can cause severe injury.

Keep your eyes on the blade: This will enable you to notice if the knife starts to slip or is coming dangerously close to causing injury.

Carry the knife pointed down or in a scabbard: This will prevent you from falling onto sharp knife blades.

Never cover a knife: A knife that can’t be seen is a dangerous knife. Always keep it where it can be seen.

Don’t put a knife in a sink full of soapy water: Someone might stick their hand in the water and cut themselves. It’s best to wash the knife off immediately.

Keep the cutting area clean: Any liquids or byproducts on the floor create a slip risk, which is dangerous when handling knives.

Stay Focused: Always give cutting tasks your full attention and avoid distractions. Ignoring knife safety basics could turn one of your most-used kitchen tools into a hazard. If I had to rank any of the previous tips first for handling kitchen knives safely, I’d have to say…

(((STAY FOCUSED)))

Wellness Academy

Are you enrolled in our Wellness Academy?

Introduction to the Wellness Academy

My Wellness Academy was created with better Health in mind. Your Health! With my guidance, your journey to a healthy lifestyle can be attained through continually learning about the many healthy choices that are available to you that you might not be aware of. If you can follow the tips that I provide in this course, success can be yours by forming new, healthier habits that could soon become a part of your daily life.

Learn More

Cooking With Debbie

November 4 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Please join Debbie Romano, Founder of Fountain Hills Healthy Heartbeats and The Wellness Academy, for Cooking With Debbie at The Fountain Hills Community Garden.  Debbie will share health info on Healing Foods in this Cooking With Debbie Class.The Fountain Hills Community Garden is a gathering place for resident gardeners. They can learn to garden, grow healthy produce, connect with nature, stay physically active and build social interactions.First of all, the garden is a place of inter-generational relationships! Master Gardeners can share their wisdom about progressive gardening techniques, composting and water conservation to young children and adults. As a result, that atmosphere makes it the perfect place for the Cooking With Debbie Class.Secondly, the Garden offers a quiet and restful setting for the enjoyment of nature.  It offers a wide variety of plants, birds, insects and soil. Young students learn about service and giving back to the community. Seniors can find a place to belong and a sense of purpose.Most importantly, the Garden is located in the Heart of Fountain Hills adjacent to the Town Library, Community Center and Town Hall. This central location makes it convenient for residents to enjoy and participate in Garden activities. Don’t miss the upcoming Cooking With Debbie Segment on November 4th at 11.00 am where she will cover Healing Foods!

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Details

Date:

November 4

Time:

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Event Categories:

Presentations, Workshops

Event Tags:

Cooking With Debbie, Healing Foods

Website:

FHHealthyHeartbeats.com

Organizers

Debbie Romano

Joy Hubbard

Venue

Fountain Hills Community Garden

12901 N La Montana DrFountain Hills,
AZ
85268
United States
+ Google Map

Phone:

(602) 692-1183

View Venue Website

Clean Eating For Beautiful Skin.

Skin benefits from clean eating can be achieved by eating more fruits and veggies along with an increased water intake. These habits are not only beneficial for beautiful looking skin, they are critical to healthy skin. Vitamins and minerals are a perfect and natural way to keep your skin healthy and hydrated allowing it to glow!!!

When looking for natural makeup, body lotions and sunscreen, stay away from listed ingredients such as: phthalates, parabens, xylene, mercury, lead, triclosan.

Look for:

Moisturizer – olive, almond, coconut or natural oils.

Soap – made from plants, water and pure essential oils

Makeup – consult with a professional

Unsure if a product you use is safe?

EWG Is A Very Useful Resource!

Consult Environmental Working Group’s Website:

www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Vegan Mac & Cheese

Aging Out of Mac and Cheese? Think Again.

Enter the Vegan Mac and Cheese as the newest ideation in this culinary evolution. As we grow older, our taste buds evolve and our palates become more sophisticated, as do our dietary needs. Fortunately that doesn’t mean we have to abandon our love for mac and cheese. While chefs often elevate the classic childhood dish with truffle oil or vegan bacon, the fact that this comforting pasta can be enjoyed in both high and low forms speaks to its universal appeal.

Vegan Mac and Cheese: How to Make It

Traditional mac and cheese dishes rely heavily on dairy, but there are many vegan versions that use plant-based ingredients. Store-bought vegan butter and cheese shreds are simple substitutes, but making your own vegan cheese sauce can be easy and delicious. Cashews, potatoes, squash, carrots, plant milk, vegetable stock, and/or nutritional yeast can be blended together to create a creamy and velvety cheese sauce. Whether you prefer stovetop or casserole-style, elbow or rotini-shaped, there’s a recipe out there for you.

Macaroni Options: Beyond Wheat Pasta

Macaroni noodles come in all shapes and sizes and can be made from a variety of substances. In addition to common wheat pasta, there are gluten-free options, as well as pasta made from lentils, tofu, kelp, brown rice, black beans, spaghetti squash, spiralized vegetables, chickpeas, and hearts of palm. All of these varieties can be used to create the Fountain Hills Healthy Heartbeats Vegan Mac and Cheese.

Convenience and Creativity

While homemade mac and cheese is great, boxed mac and cheese can be the ultimate convenience food. With only a few ingredients and basic culinary skills, you can enjoy this humble comfort food in no time. To add some nutrition, throw in broccoli florets while the pasta is cooking or frozen veggies with the cheese sauce. For a fancier twist, top with vegan bacon, truffle oil, and your favorite garnish.