Cooking Matters Recipe Styles:
A Guide to Developing and Formatting Recipes
for Cooking Matters Courses
The information included in this document is meant to help Cooking Matters staff, partners and volunteers construct recipes in a consistent manner. Please follow these guidelines whenever creating or modifying a recipe for use in Cooking Matterscourses or activities. Italicized sections denote examples of formatting standards.
Table of Contents
Explanation of Recipe Components......
1. Recipe Title and Author
2. Yield/Portion Size...... 2
3. Ingredients...... 2
4. Optional Ingredients...... 5
5. Special Materials
6. Directions...... 5
7. Chef’s Notes...... 7
8. Nutrition Information...... 7
Appendix A: Common Measurement Abbreviations...... 7
Appendix B: Equivalent Measures...... 8
Appendix C: Common Ingredients--Yields & Equivalents
Appendix D: Common Materials List
Appendix E: Common Cooking Terms...... 12
Appendix F: Sample Standardized Recipe
Appendix G: Guidelines to Constructing a Healthy, Low-cost Recipe……………………………………..13
Explanation of Recipe Components
This section describes how to structure each of the components necessary for a recipe that adheres to Cooking Matters standards. The recommendations in this section take into account the specific needs of the Cooking Matters participant population. By following these guidelines, we ensure that all Cooking Matters recipes are appropriate, consistent, and applicable.
1. Recipe Title and Author
Each Cooking Matters recipe needs a name and will usually have a source. This is one place we can recognize the work of volunteers who develop recipes for CMcourses.
Keep the name of the recipe simple and appealing. It should include a main ingredient or method of preparation used in the recipe. Try to avoid use of any unnecessary adjectives/descriptors (e.g., Yes: “Chicken-Vegetable Soup” or “Spicy Turkey Burgers”; No: “Mom’s Chicken Soup” or “Tasty Turkey Burgers”)
Use title case when writing the title, author and source. Chicken-Vegetable Soup
Credit the chef who authored the recipe and his or her city of residence. Chef Alicia McCabe - Boston, Mass.
If the recipe is creditable to or adapted from another source, please note the recipe’s original author and origin.
2. Yield/Portion Size
By listing the yield and portion size for each recipe, participants are able to plan ahead to make enough to feed their family. The portion size also defines the single serving amount used in the nutrition information panel.
List how many people the recipe is intended to serve, followed by the portion size for a single serving. If yield or portion size is not available, please contact Leigh Ann Edwards at CM National for assistance with estimating yield/portion size. Serves 6, 1 cup per serving.
Recipes should yield at least 2 and no more than 14 servings and should be written to make it easy for participants to easily double/halve the recipe and its associated ingredients as necessary.
3. Ingredients
This is a list of all the foods you will need to make a recipe. A list of ingredients includes two types of information – food items and the amount of each item required. Follow this checklist when deciding whether the chosen ingredients are appropriate and formatted correctly for the Cooking Matters participant population.
Ingredient Choice
Review ingredients to ensure that they are low-cost, readily available, and culturally acceptable. Cooking Matters recipes should not exceed $1.50 per serving. Basic staples that participants will likely have on hand (e.g., flour, salt, sugar, etc.) do not need to be factored into the cost of the recipe.
Choose low-fat, nonfat, low-sodium, and whole grain products whenever possible.
Avoid requiring specific brands for ingredients. This allows flexibility in purchasing.
Before including, consider whether the ingredient is really necessary – especially if it’s expensive or used in a very small quantity in a recipe.
Consider whether a less expensive form of an ingredient can be used. Chicken pieces instead of chicken breasts.
Salt is to be used judiciously in Cooking Matters recipes. Most recipes do not call for more than ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon salt.
Try to use canola versus more expensive olive oil, for recipes that require oil.
Ingredient Language and Style
List all ingredients that will be used to create the recipe.
List ingredients in the order they are used in the recipe.
Specify type, size or form of product needed for the recipe. Boneless chicken pieces; whole wheat flour; medium green bell pepper; ground turkey; large egg; unsalted butter.
List ingredients in the unit most commonly found when shopping
- Uncooked meat, poultry, fish, and cheese are described by or include weight. 1 pound ground turkey. 1 whole (3-4 pound) chicken. 4 pieces (2 pounds) boneless chicken breasts.
- Boxes, cans, and packages of food items are listed in units available for purchase, using parentheses to offset the unit size from the quantity of units. Unit sizes listed within the parentheses should be written in singular form. 2 (14½ ounce) cans black beans. 1 (1pound) box whole wheat pasta.
- Specify when spices are “ground” or “whole.” 1 whole bay leaf. ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- In the case of egg whites, list “egg whites” in the ingredient list instead of the whole egg.
If an ingredient is used more than once in a recipe, list the total amount needed followed by the word, “divided.” Use the instructions section to indicate when each portion is to be used, and how much is to be used for each step.
Ingredient Quantities
Write out all measurements, do not abbreviate. See Appendix A.
All measurements should start with lower case with the exception of Tablespoon, which should always be capitalized.
List ingredients using standard U.S. cooking measurements. Ensure that a specified quantity can be measured with standard measuring tools - 1½ teaspoons instead of ½ Tablespoon. See Appendix A.
List ingredients in the largest possible unit of measure, except in situations where you would need two tools to obtain that measurement. ¼ cup instead of 4 Tablespoons. 4 teaspoons instead of 1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon.
List ingredients in their most basic or raw form, so as not to assume advanced preparation prior to reading the recipe. 1 medium onion instead of 1 cup diced onion.
Use fractions to specify ingredient quantities. ½ instead of 0.5
If a set of ingredients is to be used at the same time, list these ingredients in order from largest quantity to smallest quantity.
4. Optional Ingredients
Use this section to include ingredients that could enhance or vary a recipe, but are not integral to the recipe. Ingredients are considered optional when they tend to be difficult to find, are expensive to purchase, or do not add nutritional value to the recipe.
List optional ingredients as you would a standard ingredient. Indicate how much of the optional ingredient is necessary. Optional Ingredients: ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
Include directions in the instructions to indicate how and when the optional ingredient should be used. If using ground nutmeg, add now.
Optional ingredients are not taken into account in the recipe’s nutritional facts.
5. Special Materials
The Special Materials section includes materials or equipment that are necessary for making the recipe. Only list materials in the Special Materials section if they are not already included in the Common Materials list (see Appendix E).
List all of the special materials and equipment needed to complete the recipe in the order they will be used. Do not include major appliances like oven, stovetop, or microwave. Blender, 9x9-inch square pan.
Use equipment or materials that are commonly available to Cooking Matters participants. Avoid expensive or uncommon items like zesters, immersion blenders, pastry brushes, or parchment paper. Some alternatives to these pieces of equipment include: vegetable peeler, knife, or non-stick cooking spray.
Non-stick spray is considered an ingredient, not a material.
6. Directions
The instruction section needs to be written with the Cooking Matters audience in mind.
Use an “In Advance” section to indicate when certain ingredients can be prepared prior to creating the main recipe, or when a step can be taken to save time at home or in class. This is most useful for steps such as soaking beans or grains, defrosting an ingredient, letting dough rise, softening butter or steps that adults can do in advance of full recipe preparation – this section is especially helpful when working with children.
- Separate these instructions from the main section to help save time when assembling the recipe. List these steps prior to the main set of instructions.
- When advanced preparation steps are needed, continue numbering rather than restart numbering for the main set of instructions.
Recipe steps should be provided as a numbered list; this breaks the preparation into a sequenced series of tasks. 1. Peel, rinse and dice onion, 2. Sauté onion in a large skillet over medium heat, etc.
Write instructions in simple, easy to understand language. Shorter phrases are easier to read and follow than long paragraphs.
Begin each instruction with an action verb such as mix, combine, or stir.
Combine similar steps into one when they are a variation of the same procedure and do not require changing materials, or when a subsequent step is a natural outcome of the first. 1. Rinse then peel onions. 2. Dice carrot, celery, and pepper. Mince garlic.
Use a period, not a semicolon, to end phrases within instructions.
Instruct readers to “set aside” ingredients if they will be used again later. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in medium bowl, and set aside.
Specify size of cooking materials used. Small mixing bowl. Large skillet.
Include instructions to drain and rinse canned beans in a colander before using in a recipe.
Rinsing fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs should be included as steps when these ingredients are used in a recipe. Peel and rinse carrot. Rinse and chop fresh cilantro.
Do not use abbreviations for units of time or measurement. Minutes not mins.
For cooking steps, include an estimated time to completion along with an appearance indicator. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is light brown and bubbling.
When using one ingredient in multiple steps, clearly state what portion of the ingredient is necessary at the appropriate step.
- It should be noted that when preparing ingredients (e.g. chopping, dicing) that will not be divided, it is not necessary to identify the approximate yield following the preparation step unless only a certain amount of the prepared ingredient is to be used. Rinse, remove seeds and squeeze juice from lemon. Measure and add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
When altering the form of an ingredient (e.g. from block cheese to shredded) include instructions on how to alter the raw form in order to get it in the form needed for the recipe. Ingredient: 1 (8 ounce) block cheddar cheese. Instruction: Grate cheddar cheese.
Do not include “opening,” (e.g. open the can of tomatoes), as an instruction.
When writing instructions omit “the” when referencing ingredients. Add tomatoes, instead of add the tomatoes.
Simplify instructions for cooking rice or pasta, as cooking times may vary based on type used. Including pasta or rice cooking water in the ingredients list is also unnecessary when instructions are written in this way. Cook rice according to package directions. Cook pasta according to package directions.
7. Chef’s Notes
Use the Chef’s Notes section to suggest ingredient substitutions, alternate preparations, and ways to incorporate important points from class lessons. This section is intended to promote creativity and flexibility when using the recipe and to reinforce nutrition, food safety, food budgeting, and cooking skills learned in class. Substitute brown rice for barley. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce for an extra kick. Make more rice than is needed and use it in another recipe later in the week. Substitute spinach with kale, chard or collard greens if you like. Top with mixed berries.
Suggested substitutions are not accounted for in the recipe’s nutrition facts panel.
Keep suggested variations low-cost and healthy, adhering to the same standards used when creating the main recipe.
Always list the new, suggested alternative first, listing the ingredient to be replaced second. Use whole wheat flour instead of white flour.
8. Nutrition Information
The nutrition facts panel provides information such as calories, fat, trans fat, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and sodium for a single serving of the recipe.
Recipes should be submitted to the VNA Cooking Matters office so that nutritional analysis can be completed.
Appendix A: Common Measurement Abbreviations
Here are the common abbreviations for the units of measure used in recipes. Please convert any abbreviations you use to their unabbreviated form.
t = teaspoon / Pt = pinttsp = teaspoon / Qt = quart
T = Tablespoon / gal = gallon
Tbl = Tablespoon / Lb = pound
c = cup / # = pound
C = cup / oz = ounce
Appendix B: Equivalent Measures
This is a list of both liquid and dry measures and their equivalent measures in other units of measure. This table can be used in the recipe standardization process. Measurements should be written in lower case, with the exception of “Tablespoon,” which should be capitalized. Remember to use the largest single unit of measure.
Teaspoons / Tablespoons / Cups / Fluid Ounces / Other3 teaspoons / 1 Tablespoon / 1/16 cup / ½ oz
6 teaspoons / 2 Tablespoons / ⅛ cup / 1 oz.
4 Tablespoons / ¼ cup / 2 oz.
5 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon / ⅓ cup
8 Tablespoons / ½ cup / 4 oz. / ¼ pint
10 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons / ⅔ cup
12 Tablespoons / ¾ cup / 6 oz.
16 Tablespoons / 1 cup / 8 oz. / ½ pint
2 cups / 16 oz. / 1 pint
4 cups / 32 oz. / 1 quart
8 cups / 64 oz. / 2 quarts
16 cups / 128 oz. / 4 quarts=1 gallon
Measuring Guide
16 ounces = 1 pound
Dash or pinch = ⅛ teaspoon or less
Appendix C: Common Ingredients--Yields & Equivalents
This table can offer guidance for creating ingredient lists, recipe yields, and serving sizes.
Ingredient / You will need … / To yield…Apples / 1 medium (6 ounces) / 1 cup sliced or chopped
Bananas / 1 medium or 2 small
2 medium / 1 cup sliced
1 cup mashed
Beans, dried / 1 pound dried (2 ¼ cups) / 5 to 6 cups cooked
Beans, green or wax / 1 pound / 3 cups 1-inch pieces
Broccoli / 1½ pounds
6 ounces / 1 bunch
2 cups flowerets, 1-inch pieces or chopped
Butter, margarine or spread / 1 stick / ½ cup
Carrots / 1 pound
1½ medium
2 medium / 5-6 medium
1 cup shredded
1 cup ¼-inch slices
Celery / 2 medium stalks / 1 cup thinly sliced or chopped
Cheese
Hard (such as blue,
Cheddar, feta,
mozzarella, Swiss),
shredded or crumbled /
4 ounces /
1 cup
Cheese, Cottage / 16 ounces / 2 cups
Cheese, Cream / 8 ounces / 1 cup
Corn / 2 medium ears / 1 cup kernels
Eggs, large
Whole / ¼ cup egg substitute / 1 egg
Garlic / 1 medium clove / ½ teaspoon finely chopped
Jalapeño chili / 1 medium, seeded and chopped / 1 Tablespoon
Lemons or limes / 1 medium
1 medium / 1½ to 3 teaspoons grated peel
2 to 3 Tablespoons juice
Lettuce, Iceberg or romaine / 1 medium head lettuce / 6 cups chopped or bite-sized pieces
Meat, cooked (beef, pork and poultry) / 6 ounces / 1 cup chopped or bite-size pieces
Mushrooms
Fresh
/ 1 pound
8 ounces / 6 cups sliced
2½ cups chopped
Nuts (without shells)
Chopped, sliced or slivered /
4 ounces /
1 cups
Nuts, Whole or halves / 1 pound / 3 to 4 cups
Onions
Green, with tops / 2 medium
3 or 4 medium / 2 Tablespoon chopped
¼ cup sliced
Onions, Yellow, white or red / 1 small
1 medium
1 large / ½ to ½ cup chopped
¾ to 1 cup chopped
1½ to 2 cups chopped
Oranges / 1 medium
1 medium / 1 to 2 Tablespoons grated peel
⅓ to ½ cup juice
Pasta
Macaroni
Noodles, egg
Spaghetti /
6-7 ounces uncooked (2 cups)
7 ounces uncooked (4-5 cups)
7-8 ounces uncooked /
4 cups cooked
4 cups cooked
4 cups cooked
Peppers, bell / 1 small
1 medium
1 large / ½ cup chopped
1 cup chopped
1 ½ cups chopped
Potatoes
New
Red, white, sweet
or yams /
1½ pounds
1 medium /
10 to 12 small
1 cup ½-inch pieces
Rice
Brown
Precooked white (instant)
Regular long grain
Wild /
1 cup uncooked
1 cup uncooked
1 cup uncooked
1 cup uncooked /
4 cups cooked
2 cups cooked
3 cups cooked
3 cups cooked
Sugar
Brown
Granulated
Powdered / 1 pound
1 pound
1 pound / 2¼ cups packed
2¼ cups
4 cups
Tomatoes / 1 small
1 medium
1 large / ½ cup chopped
¾ cup chopped
1 cup chopped
Appendix D: Common Materials List
This is a comprehensive list of the most basic materials considered necessary to make most recipes. When needed, materials outside of this group are listed as Special Materials in the actual recipe.
Bakeware
Baking sheet/Cookie sheet
Casserole dish
Bowls
Microwave safe bowls
Mixing bowls
Pots and Pans
Pots
Pot Lids
Saucepans
Sauté pans/Frying pans/Skillet
Utensils
Can opener
Cheese grater
Colander
Cutting board
Dry Measuring Cups
Liquid Measuring Cup
Measuring spoons
Mixing spoon
Rolling pin
Sharp knives
Slotted spoon
Spatula
Vegetable Peeler
Storage
Aluminum foil
Plastic wrap
Zip-top plastic bag
Appendix E: Common Cooking Terms
The following is the list of cooking terms included in the participant version of Eating Right. It is recommended to use these terms when creating Cooking Matters recipes.
Bake / To cook food in an oven with dry heatBoil / To cook food quickly in heated liquid. The liquid moves rapidly, and large bubbles keep breaking the surface. Often used for vegetables and pasta.
Broil / To cook food directly under the heat source of a gas or electric oven. Often used for fish and tender cuts of meat.
Brown / To cook quickly over high heat, usually on top of the stove, so the surface of the food turns brown and the inside stays moist.
Chop / To cut into pieces, which can vary in size.
Dice / To cut into small, even cubes, usually about ¼-inch per side.
Grill / To cook food directly on the heat source of a gas, charcoal or wood grill. Often use for fish, tender cuts of meat and vegetables.
Knead / To mix and work the ingredients that make up dough into smooth, elastic form. Can be done with hands or a heavy-duty mixer.
Mince / To cut food into even smaller pieces than diced.
Mix / To beat or stir two or more foods together until they are combined.
Poach / To cook food gently in large amounts of heated liquid. The liquid moves slightly, but no bubbles break the surface. Often used for eggs, fish and fruit.
Roast / To cook by dry heat, usually in an oven.
Sauté (pan-fry) / To cook food in a small amount of fat or oil on top of a stove. Heat the fat until hot (but no smoking), add the food, and cook to stated time or tenderness.
Simmer / To cook food slowly in heated liquid. Small bubbles should break the surface. Often used for meats and stews that benefit from slow cooking.
Slice / To cut into wide, thin pieces.
Steam / To cook food quickly in a covered pot by the moist heat made from a small amount of heated liquid. The food is held above the liquid by a basket or rack. Often used for vegetables and fish.
Whisk / To beat ingredients with a fork or a “whisk.” This adds air and increases the volume. The mixture appears light and fluffy.
Appendix F: Sample Standardized Recipe