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Kitchen Skills, Using a Chef's Knife, Pizza Dough & More (with videos!)

Updated: 3 days ago


 

by Kate Sweeney

Video taping: Dr. Sami Osman


A few months ago, I posted on LinkedIn and it got a lot more attention than I had anticipated. Usually, my posts get a few likes. This post garnered a significant amount of likes and 16 comments.


My post was about cooking with clients as a dietitian in the ED space- or really, any space- and helping people build skills in the kitchen. 


I have always felt that cooking skills never get enough attention in education as kids grow or in even how we learn to ‘adult’. There are, if any, very little cooking skills instruction in primary and high school and even less in college, except within nutrition and food departments.


Why Learn to Cook?


Learning how to cook is an important skill. It saves time and money and we do need to eat at least 3 times per day. Plus, traditions and customs of your past can be expressed through food.


Unless we have a significant amount of money and can use a private chef, most of us will need to put together or figure out meals or snacks for ourselves or others most days of the week.


Cooking is not something we are born knowing how to do! We do have to practice and try things.


It also does not need to be complicated!


Spending the time learning a few basics- how to use a chef's knife, how to roast a chicken, how to sauté and brown tofu, make a dressing, put together a pizza dough and more - can help us build so much confidence around food.


I did not spend that much time in the kitchen as a kid. I learned how to cook through friends, family and on my own- after college. I am home trained. Some days, cooking is a chore. Some days, I love it.


I am saying this just to illustrate that you do not need to spend money on a course or even, go to a cooking class (although they can be fun and yummy). You can figure things out, with trial and error, on your own at home.


Today, I hope to share some tools with you that you can take with you and try:

  • Using a chef’s knife to slice and dice an onion

  • Using a serrated knife to segment an orange

  • Making homemade pizza dough

  • Making homemade lemon vinaigrette



 

First up, we will explore kitchen skills using a chef’s knife to dice and slice an onion!



Next up, we will explore how to segment an orange with a serrated knife.


You can segment an orange to put in salads, drinks or on top of cakes and other desserts.


Using a serrated knife is also useful with tomatoes, strawberries and other vegetables and fruits with thin skins.


Larger serrated knifes are used to cut bread.



Making pizza dough


This is one of my most favorite recipes to make because it is super simple, can be done in one bowl and does not take much time to put together.


Full disclosure- I forgot to add the olive oil at the beginning! Oh well, still turned out fine :) We all make mistakes in the kitchen.




Making Lemon Vinaigrette


This lemon vinaigrette is my go-to dressing. It can be used to dress a salad, a grain salad, a rice bowl, meat, tofu, white beans and more. It is very versatile.




Closing Thoughts


No matter your challenges around food, preparing your own food is something that can be so helpful for building confidence and recovery from disordered eating. This can be done within the context of navigating safe foods, managing OCD compulsions in the kitchen and more.


My hope is these videos show you that cooking and prepping food is possible with some practice and a few kitchen items!


With hope,

Kate

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