This summer, my 14-year-old nephew came to stay with me and my family. I have missed the bulk of his childhood being that he is in a military family and they move around frequently. Thankfully we …
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This summer, my 14-year-old nephew came to stay with me and my family. I have missed the bulk of his childhood being that he is in a military family and they move around frequently. Thankfully we have a lot in common. We share a love of playing guitar and the Beatles, as well as some food sensitivities.
His body cannot tolerate gluten of any kind. He suffers from migraines and body inflammation if he eats poorly, so it is in his best interest to closely watch what he eats. As he arrived at my house I got to see firsthand what he has to go through in order to feed himself. This reminded me of my own childhood as I was a kid with pretty severe food sensitivities. Thankfully, my mom went with the natural foods approach versus the Ritalin that doctors wanted to prescribe as I was a very hyperactive child.
Very quickly I realized that my own background in food could help make what he was doing easier and more delicious. He was receptive to the help so I explained to him some basics that really work. I began with mise en place – the practice of having all of your ingredients prepared and ready to go before you begin cooking – and described how organization and preparation can help any cook become more efficient. Next, I showed him a couple of techniques on how to use an ingredient to its fullest potential.
I took him to our neighborhood grocery store and purchased one of their deli’s rotisserie chickens. This has been a family favorite of ours and anyone that is busy can appreciate such a luxury. The first thing I showed him was how to remove all of the skin and meat from the bones. A pulled chicken is a versatile ingredient that can be used for sandwiches, salad, soups and the list goes on.
Next, I showed him a basic stock. Take the bones and carcass and place it in a heavy bottomed pot with a lid, add enough water to cover the bones and bring it to a boil. Once the water has reached a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, stir it, place the lid on it and lower the heat to a gentle simmer for 25 minutes and up to an hour. When it is done, you cool the liquid, strain out the solids and you have a delicious and nutritious chicken soup ready to go. I like to take this broth and make my rice or quinoa with it.
I enjoyed our time together and I really hope he was able to gain a better understanding around the kitchen. To me, nothing is more powerful than using your knowledge and experience in order to help and empower others. The fact that my nephew is so close to me is just a bonus.