Let's face it, anyone who looks at me knows that I enjoy food and maybe have enjoyed the good things in life a bit too much. I've never been a healthy guy, but the past couple of years living in Toledo, not traveling, stressed out because of finances, taking care of my father-in-law, and not being in a part of the country that makes me happy to wake up every day has led to some bad things. That's why I'm working hard to turn my life around - especially with a focus on healthy eating. That's why I love working with partners like Made In to make cooking easier and a bit more fun!
So yeah, I love to cook. My life though often leads me to eat quick, make bad decisions, and choose the easy solutions such as picking up a packaged meal instead of making it myself. I'm not going to claim that I'm turning into the next fitness guru but what I can say is that after a month of avoiding (most) packaged foods and taking a lunch with me on a road trip instead of running through the drive-thru, I've lost 30 pounds.
At home, as I've increased my consumption of high-quality meat and fresh vegetables it became clear that while I had the right "go to" frying pan ( CeramiClad Non Stick, purchased earlier from Made In) my cutting game was off. While my father-in-law had a drawer full of knives and I'd bought a new "cheap" Nakiri knife from Walmart, slicing, dicing, chopping etc. just wasn't easy ... and it wasn't fun.
Thankfully the folks over at Made In offered to help out and they sent me a selection of three knives including: Pairing, Nakiri, and an 8-inch Chef's Knife.
You can buy these on Amazon as well as through their website as a set for $349 right now that also includes a Bread Knife.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE KNIVES!
That's why I created this recipe for a low-sodium, low-glycemic index (low GI) lunch that has been one of my go-to dishes recently.
Pork, Sweet Potato and Napa Cabbage Stir Fry
This recipe is so easy you just need to chop stuff up and throw it in a wok or frying pan.
Ingredients:
- 1 Medium Sweet Potato
- 1 Napa Cabbage
- 1 Pound of Cubed Pork
- (seasonings to taste: Red Pepper Flakes, Low Sodium Soy Sauce, Minced Garlic)
- Avocado Oil
Preparation:
Chop the sweet potatoes into cubes and slice the cabbage into thin strips. The cabbage will cook down considerably so don't worry if you think you have too much (you won't).
Next, place the pork in a pan to brown and do the same in a separate pan for the sweet potatoes. If you don't have a separate pan, you can also roast them in the oven or an air fryer to get them soft on the inside but a bit browned / carmelized on the outside. This will provide a great flavor that is sweet but also a bit nutty.
Once the pork is ready, I take it off the pan for a moment and throw the cabbage in till it cooks down a bit. Leave the meat juices and oil in the pan and season the cabbage with the low sodium soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic to taste. You can switch things up here with the seasonings - ginger also works great and so does just plain old black pepper. There are probably some other options too so have fun and experiment!
Once the cabbage is ready, toss everything back into the pan and stir things up so the flavors have a chance to come together.
Recipes like this are far quicker to make now that I have some great knives to support my creativity. I love the Made In brand because of that. These are professional quality knives but made for home cooks like myself who just want great tools that are easy to use and make you feel good!
About Made In
Made In’s journey began in 1929 with a family-owned kitchen supply business, leading to the launch of their first Stainless Clad Frying Pan in 2017. This fourth-generation heritage brand draws on decades of experience, working closely with over 2,000 restaurants worldwide to design kitchenware that meets professional standards. With products crafted in the USA and Europe, Made In prioritizes the finest raw materials and exceptional craftsmanship, ensuring each piece is built to withstand the demands of the world’s top kitchens.
I LOVE These Knives!
From a bullet-point perspective, they are made in France from one of the world's top knife crafting towns, they have a Rockwell Hardness of 58+, and it's made of "X50CrMoV15 NITRO+ metal". While I'm really not sure what most of that means, the practical result is that they have great quality knives.
The Made In Cookware Knife Set brings together the heritage and craftsmanship of Thiers, France - widely recognized as the world’s knife capital. Each knife in this set is masterfully forged by a fifth-generation bladesmith, using nitrogen-hardening for unmatched durability. This versatile set includes a Chef Knife, Bread Knife, Paring Knife, and a Nakiri Knife that features a unique blunt-nosed blade that is ideal for quick and precise chopping tasks. Combining the rugged durability of German blades with the refined sharpness of Japanese knives, this set is designed to elevate your culinary experience.
Unlike cheaper alternatives, these knives are full tang and fully forged from a single rod of stainless steel, offering superior balance and edge retention. The comfortable, hand-finished polymer handles are slip-resistant and stain-proof, ensuring a secure grip and long-lasting performance for both amateur and professional chefs.
From a personal perspective, they just feel natural in my hand!
While I chose the Pomme Red handles, they also offer Truffle Black, Olive Wood, and Harbor Blue. That blue color would probably have matched the ceramic pans I bought from them last year, but I just love the pop of color that the red handles give.
Why You Shouldn't Cheap Out When Buying Knives
For some folks, cooking is a chore ... something that they need to do to feed their family. In my case though, cooking is something that I do to make my life better. It's a privilege to have the time and talent to craft memorable meals in a creative way. After using these knives for a month or so, I gotta say ... I "get it" now.
Knives are a very personal tool that you begin to build a relationship with over time. These ones from Made In clearly fall into that category and when you consider the price of roughly ~$100 per knife, that's a small price to pay for something that when maintained properly, should last a lifetime.
Plus, from a practical standpoint, if you are going to be using these on a daily basis to chop veggies, slice cabbage, and de-seed jalapenos, safety and comfort are essential parts of the experience. Cheap knives with plastic handles tend to slip in your hand, ones with blades that dull quickly can force you to make unsafe slicing motions, and it can get expensive buying new crappy knives every couple of years too.
So, whether you are looking at getting knives like this as a treat for yourself or a gift for someone else ..., you really can't go wrong here.
