Oso Sweet Onions: In this Economy, Go to Your Roots
In this Economy, Go to Your Roots
Finally some tasty good news on the rising cost of food. Just because we are stretching our food dollars doesn't mean we have to stretch on flavor. As a chef, one thing that always satisfies my appetite in any economy is comfort food. Winter was meant for favorites like luscious stews, glorious roasted chickens, succulent pot roasts, crock pot creations and more.
We may not be able to afford another steak for the table, but we can a fford luscious kitchen essentials like onions, carrots and most hearty root vegetables. My answer is to stick to the basics, save money and savor the delicious goodness. Who can resist the aroma of pot roast with succulent winter sweet onions permeating through the house on a cold and overcast day? Or the savory goodness of a crock pot full of thick & hearty beans, onions, garlic and smoked ham?
With food prices on the rise, I am even more choosey about the produce I select. It has to be farm fresh, delicious, offer great value and menu flexibility or I simply can’t afford it. One great thing that has helped us over the past twenty years is the increased awareness and availability of “super foods.”
Let’s face it, we all need and want to eat healthier, it’s just not that easy. But, there are certain foods like blueberries that contain antioxidants, burn body fat, can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer and protect against heart disease and even aid in digestion.
That’s great, but some of the “super foods” items on the list like blueberries, are wonderful but don’t work well with every day menu planning. Then I was looking at the list and low and behold, there is was like a vision of culinary happiness. I found a solution to get my family to eat better, l-o-v-e the flavor and not even know it was good for them. And you know what? It was right underneath my nose the whole time.
Forget all those expensive organic specialty foods, what we need is a kitchen hero that is easy to prepare, healthy and goes with everything you cook. Ladies & gentlemen, I give you the humble onion.
Wait, are you telling me that onions are a “super food? Yes, Virginia, there is kitchen solution and its20name is the onion. Now, hang on a second, because this only gets better and more delicious. I did some further research and found that a sweet onion is even healthier than a normal onion. And, as any chef will tell you, a sweet onion is the ultimate in savory flavor. Sweet onions won’t make you cry and have a longer shelf life. Put a large “S” on the sweet onion and a red cape because we have a hero.
“Do you mean to tell me that if I add a juicy slice of sweet onion to my sandwich, grilled cheese or hamburger, I’m eating better?” “Are you trying to tell me that if I sauté onions and add them to Mac & Cheese for my kids, that I don’t have to feel so guilty about their nutrition?” Are you trying to tell me that if I open up a can of corn, green beans, peas or any other veggie and serve it up with a sautéed sweet onion, that it will not only taste amazing, but help prevent cancer and heart disease?” Yes, yes, yes and much more. The possibilities are endless because the onion is used in more cuisines than any other vegetable in the universe.
What was usually sprouting and smelling before I could use them were those ole yellow onions. I hate to throw food away, it’s actually painful. I also can’t afford specialty foods, so I wondered if a sweet onion could replace the onions I normally used. Especially since the price was right and they last longer, I had to give them a shot. I decided to make a whole bunch of onion dishes and test them on my family.
Here’s what my family discovered during our little culinary festival. My onion rings were crunchier and less greasy. The fajitas were more sizzling and mouth-watering. We had a breakthrough with raw sweet onions in my mom’s famous chicken salad recipe. It had less of a bite and more flavor with a sweet onion. I don’t dare tell her I changed her recipe, she just tells me I’m finally getting it right! Sautéed sweet onions with a steak and mashed potatoes were luscious.
I actually never really got used to the flavor of raw onions growing up and who can blame me. It’s hard enough to get kids to eat veggies, but now there is some hope. Toss in some raw, roasted, baked or sautéed sweet onions to whatever it is they like, and I’ll bet you they eat it. Anything to get kids to eat better is a bonus and the start of good eating habits. If I could just get my kids to want more than chicken nuggets, I’d be ecstatic.
Anyone with a sensitive stomach will be happy to know that because of the low acid content, sweet onions will not upset your tummy like a regular onion. The gentle but full flavor of a sweet onion is different from any other onion you have tasted in the past. I found that an OSO Sweet Onion grown in the mineral rich mountains of Chile to be my favorite. The OSO Sweet Onion didn'tt make me cry when I cut or chopped it. In fact, an OSO aids in digestion and it loaded with fiber. That is one consistent sweet onion and the brand I look for when I am shopping. One day I was visiting my Mom and saw that she had OSO’s in her kitchen and now I know what she meant by getting it right.
It’s a new day in the culinary universe and the OSO Sweet Onion is here to make our lives better. Available from January until April, the OSO, which stands for Oh So, as in Oh so sweet is considered “the” winter sweet onion because it’s been around for 20 years now. But it’s a secret no more and every year more and more people are discovering the delicious difference. The only down side is, you’re eating healthy and as of now, OSO’s are only available from January until April.
Better health and eating habits come in small bits, not in large waves. So, using a super food that also tastes amazing is the best way I can imagine to start. We know we have to do it and this way we also save money. One jumbo OSO sweet onion can add two portions to a tuna casserole or your favorite crock pot dish. Live deliciously and listen to what your body craves. OSO Sweet Onions, it’s as easy as 1 – 2 – OSO!
We may not be able to afford another steak for the table, but we can a fford luscious kitchen essentials like onions, carrots and most hearty root vegetables. My answer is to stick to the basics, save money and savor the delicious goodness. Who can resist the aroma of pot roast with succulent winter sweet onions permeating through the house on a cold and overcast day? Or the savory goodness of a crock pot full of thick & hearty beans, onions, garlic and smoked ham?
With food prices on the rise, I am even more choosey about the produce I select. It has to be farm fresh, delicious, offer great value and menu flexibility or I simply can’t afford it. One great thing that has helped us over the past twenty years is the increased awareness and availability of “super foods.”
Let’s face it, we all need and want to eat healthier, it’s just not that easy. But, there are certain foods like blueberries that contain antioxidants, burn body fat, can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer and protect against heart disease and even aid in digestion.
That’s great, but some of the “super foods” items on the list like blueberries, are wonderful but don’t work well with every day menu planning. Then I was looking at the list and low and behold, there is was like a vision of culinary happiness. I found a solution to get my family to eat better, l-o-v-e the flavor and not even know it was good for them. And you know what? It was right underneath my nose the whole time.
Forget all those expensive organic specialty foods, what we need is a kitchen hero that is easy to prepare, healthy and goes with everything you cook. Ladies & gentlemen, I give you the humble onion.
Wait, are you telling me that onions are a “super food? Yes, Virginia, there is kitchen solution and its20name is the onion. Now, hang on a second, because this only gets better and more delicious. I did some further research and found that a sweet onion is even healthier than a normal onion. And, as any chef will tell you, a sweet onion is the ultimate in savory flavor. Sweet onions won’t make you cry and have a longer shelf life. Put a large “S” on the sweet onion and a red cape because we have a hero.
“Do you mean to tell me that if I add a juicy slice of sweet onion to my sandwich, grilled cheese or hamburger, I’m eating better?” “Are you trying to tell me that if I sauté onions and add them to Mac & Cheese for my kids, that I don’t have to feel so guilty about their nutrition?” Are you trying to tell me that if I open up a can of corn, green beans, peas or any other veggie and serve it up with a sautéed sweet onion, that it will not only taste amazing, but help prevent cancer and heart disease?” Yes, yes, yes and much more. The possibilities are endless because the onion is used in more cuisines than any other vegetable in the universe.
What was usually sprouting and smelling before I could use them were those ole yellow onions. I hate to throw food away, it’s actually painful. I also can’t afford specialty foods, so I wondered if a sweet onion could replace the onions I normally used. Especially since the price was right and they last longer, I had to give them a shot. I decided to make a whole bunch of onion dishes and test them on my family.
Here’s what my family discovered during our little culinary festival. My onion rings were crunchier and less greasy. The fajitas were more sizzling and mouth-watering. We had a breakthrough with raw sweet onions in my mom’s famous chicken salad recipe. It had less of a bite and more flavor with a sweet onion. I don’t dare tell her I changed her recipe, she just tells me I’m finally getting it right! Sautéed sweet onions with a steak and mashed potatoes were luscious.
I actually never really got used to the flavor of raw onions growing up and who can blame me. It’s hard enough to get kids to eat veggies, but now there is some hope. Toss in some raw, roasted, baked or sautéed sweet onions to whatever it is they like, and I’ll bet you they eat it. Anything to get kids to eat better is a bonus and the start of good eating habits. If I could just get my kids to want more than chicken nuggets, I’d be ecstatic.
Anyone with a sensitive stomach will be happy to know that because of the low acid content, sweet onions will not upset your tummy like a regular onion. The gentle but full flavor of a sweet onion is different from any other onion you have tasted in the past. I found that an OSO Sweet Onion grown in the mineral rich mountains of Chile to be my favorite. The OSO Sweet Onion didn'tt make me cry when I cut or chopped it. In fact, an OSO aids in digestion and it loaded with fiber. That is one consistent sweet onion and the brand I look for when I am shopping. One day I was visiting my Mom and saw that she had OSO’s in her kitchen and now I know what she meant by getting it right.
It’s a new day in the culinary universe and the OSO Sweet Onion is here to make our lives better. Available from January until April, the OSO, which stands for Oh So, as in Oh so sweet is considered “the” winter sweet onion because it’s been around for 20 years now. But it’s a secret no more and every year more and more people are discovering the delicious difference. The only down side is, you’re eating healthy and as of now, OSO’s are only available from January until April.
Better health and eating habits come in small bits, not in large waves. So, using a super food that also tastes amazing is the best way I can imagine to start. We know we have to do it and this way we also save money. One jumbo OSO sweet onion can add two portions to a tuna casserole or your favorite crock pot dish. Live deliciously and listen to what your body craves. OSO Sweet Onions, it’s as easy as 1 – 2 – OSO!
