October 12, 2010

Fruits and Veggies and Eggs Oh My!

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

Eggs
29 comments

Last night in Food Science lab was all about fruits, veggies, and eggs!

012

Some fun facts we learned:

  • Rhubarb is actually a veggie, not a fruit
  • A cracked egg’s yolk will stand taller if it’s fresh
  • Put peeled potatoes in water to keep them from browning
  • Ethylene gas ripens fruit; it’s also released by ripe fruit, which is why placing fruit in a paper bag makes it ripen faster!

Also, canned veggies are not as tasty (or pretty) as fresh or frozen. But I think we already knew that 🙂

010

There were also brownies involved! One batch made regularly with an egg, and the other with tofu.

006

The tofu brownies came out SUPER fudgy. Yum!

014

We also practiced some knife skills! The key? A sharp knife 🙂

002

I’m ashamed to say I’ve let my knives at home get rather dull. Our professor had a cool knife sharpening kit and I might need to get one! Do you guys have any knife sharpening recommendations?

003

We had our midterm in my Maternal & Children’s Nutrition class today — whew, glad that’s over! I think (hope) it went well, but we’ll see. I’m off to power yoga and then getting together with some of the girls for wine and snacks in celebration of our midterm being over 🙂

Have a great night, friends!

- anne

join the list

Sign up for my e-newsletter and I'll send you a meal plan packed with a week's worth of healthy meals, snacks and a shopping list. Happy eating!

you might also like:

leave a comment

29 comments
    • About 1/4 C pureed silken tofu is equal to one egg :)
      Reply
  • That looks like a fun class. Agreed on canned veggies tasting horrible compared to fresh!
    Reply
  • First, it was great to see you this weekend, as usual. Second: Sarah and I have this knife sharpener and have been quite happy with it (we also have a number of Wusthof knives we've slowly aquired which we're very very happy with with). http://www.amazon.com/Wüsthof-2904-7-W-fcsthof-2-Stage-Sharpener/dp/B0009NMVRI
    Reply
  • I also just recently heard from my CSA farm not to store apples with other fruits or veggies because of the ethylene gas contained in the apples - it will make the other fruits or vegs spoil faster.
    Reply
  • The green bean photo is awesome to show comparison. We used to eat canned green beans like crazy in college - so glad I kicked that to the curb. :) I wonder if the same thing goes for apples - putting them in water so they don't brown...I might do an experiment! Have fun tonight. Drink some vino for me. :)
    Reply
    • I toss mine in lemon juice and it keeps them from turning brown. It has to do with the vitamin C I think.
      Reply
  • I never sharpen my knives either. Probably why chopping veggies is such a pain. And canned veggies are so much less appealing than fresh or frozen. We still eat canned sweet peas on occasion though.
    Reply
  • I agree with Dorry, the green bean photo really shows the comparison. Although, I am partial to the flat Italian cut green bean. When we lived in Blue Ridge, Ga. they used to call them "white half runners"(a Carolina bean.) Which brownies are the tofu ones. The both look scrumptious.
    Reply
  • Congrats on your midterm! It's the best feeling crossing one of those off the to-do in class list :)
    Reply
  • It sounds like you're having so much fun at your Food Fcience labs! I enjoyed those interesting facts, especially the one about the fruit and ethylene. I'm still trying to convince my husband that steamed veggies taste better than canned :/ Awesomesauce news on your midterm!!
    Reply
  • Okay, I am ashamed to admit that I actually like canned green beans a little more than fresh. But only green beans, the rest of the canned veggies are pretty nasty.
    Reply
  • Some cookware shops will sharpen knives for free. A Southern Season might even do it.
    Reply
    • Oooo I need to research that... !
      Reply
  • I remember learning all those fun facts in my Elementary Foods class last semester. Oh, how I wish we had classes together =] I have my Science of Food midterm tmrw - ahhh! Gotta study...
    Reply
    • Good luck on your midterm!!!
      Reply
  • We just got our knife bags in culinary school yesterday! We learned all about sharpening. The stone is key for sharpness then you finish with the steel to straighten it and strengthen. Knife skills take a bit of development right? :-) Atleast for me!
    Reply
    • Exciting! We learned on Monday that sharpening basically straightens the knife, because we naturally bend knives one way when we cut... so cool!
      Reply
  • Hey!! We have that knife!! It was my husband's one request when using our wedding gift cards :-) And yes, that was probably the most unexpected & surprising wedding gift bonus - I'm in LOVE with our knives! It makes such a difference!
    Reply
  • That class looks so fun! I never new a fresher egg yoke would stand taller, thanks for the fact. Those canned green beans look yucky to me, they are so off-color. Did the tofu and egg brownies taste any different or was it just a texture thing?
    Reply
    • The tofu ones were a little nuttier, but mostly it was just that the tofu ones were super fudgy! Yum :)
      Reply
  • I love reading about your program! It gets me considering a registered dietitian program again... Tell me: what is the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist? I Googled it awhile back, but couldn't really tell any major differences.
    Reply
    • Basically, a nutritionist is WAY less credible. Nutritionist = some sort of short (most likely online) course. Registered Dietitian = years of school, intense science courses (a specific set of coursework outlined by the American Dietetic Assoc), 3 internships (also outlined by the ADA), and taking the RD exam (basically like the bar for lawyers). Big difference :)
      Reply
  • Sounds like you are learning a lot and having fun! How do you replace tofu for an egg?
    Reply
    • One egg = 1/4 C blended silken tofu :)
      Reply
  • Hey Anne! I've been a reader for a while and I've never thought to comment before. But I'm going back to become an R.D. too and we did nearly the exact same thing in our food lab on tuesday! We added acids and bases to potatoes and cabbage (blech!) and cooked broccoli all kinda ways! Just thought I would share :)
    Reply
    • How fun! Best class ever :)
      Reply