recipe-card-creator

name	recipe-card-creator
description	Formatted digital recipe card generation with ingredient scaling, nutritional information, and organized collections. Use when creating recipe cards, meal plans, grocery lists, or recipe collections.

Recipe Card Creator

Comprehensive frameworks for structured recipe creation, ingredient management, meal planning, and recipe collection organization.

Recipe Card Format Standards

Standard Recipe Card Template

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  [RECIPE TITLE]
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Prep Time: XX min | Cook Time: XX min | Total: XX min
Servings: X       | Difficulty: [1-5 stars]
Cuisine: [Type]   | Course: [Meal type]

DIETARY: [Vegan] [GF] [DF] [NF] [Vegetarian] [Keto] [Paleo]

━━ INGREDIENTS ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

[Group Name (if applicable)]
  [ ] 2 cups     all-purpose flour
  [ ] 1 tsp      baking powder
  [ ] 1/2 tsp    salt

[Group Name]
  [ ] 3 large    eggs, room temperature
  [ ] 1 cup      whole milk
  [ ] 2 tbsp     unsalted butter, melted

━━ INSTRUCTIONS ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

1. [Action verb] [what to do] [how to do it].
   Tip: [Optional helpful note]

2. [Action verb] [what to do] [until what result].
   ⏱ [Time indicator if applicable]

3. [Action verb] [what to do].

━━ NOTES ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Storage: [How to store and for how long]
Make Ahead: [What can be prepped in advance]
Variations: [Alternative versions or substitutions]
Source: [Original recipe attribution]
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Instruction Writing Guidelines

Principle	Example Good	Example Bad
Start with verb	"Whisk the flour and salt"	"The flour and salt should be whisked"
Specify doneness	"Saute until golden, about 5 min"	"Saute the onions"
Include visual cues	"Stir until thick enough to coat a spoon"	"Stir until thick"
Group by station	"Dry ingredients, then wet ingredients"	Random order
Note timing	"Bake 25-30 min until top springs back"	"Bake until done"

Difficulty Rating System

Rating	Label	Description
1	Beginner	No special skills, simple techniques, common ingredients
2	Easy	Basic cooking skills, straightforward timing
3	Intermediate	Some technique required, multi-step, timing-sensitive
4	Advanced	Technical skills, precision required, complex assembly
5	Expert	Professional techniques, specialty equipment, extensive prep

Ingredient Scaling

Scaling Calculation Rules

SCALING FORMULA:
  Scaled amount = Original amount x (Target servings / Original servings)

SCALING FACTOR TABLE:
  Half (0.5x):    Divide all by 2
  Double (2x):    Multiply all by 2
  Triple (3x):    Multiply all by 3
  Custom (Nx):    Multiply all by (target / original)

SPECIAL SCALING RULES:
  Eggs: Round to nearest whole (1.5 → 2 eggs)
  Yeast: Scale by 75% of factor (doubling? use 1.75x yeast, not 2x)
  Salt: Scale by 80-90% of factor (taste and adjust)
  Baking powder/soda: Scale by 90% of factor for >2x
  Spices: Scale by 75% of factor for >2x (intensify gradually)
  Cooking oil (for frying): Do not scale — use enough to cover
  Pan sauces/glazes: Scale by 50-75% when doubling

Common Scaling Conversions

Original	Half	Double	Triple
1/4 cup	2 tbsp	1/2 cup	3/4 cup
1/3 cup	2 tbsp + 2 tsp	2/3 cup	1 cup
1/2 cup	1/4 cup	1 cup	1-1/2 cups
3/4 cup	6 tbsp	1-1/2 cups	2-1/4 cups
1 cup	1/2 cup	2 cups	3 cups
1 tbsp	1-1/2 tsp	2 tbsp	3 tbsp
1 tsp	1/2 tsp	2 tsp	1 tbsp

Pan Size Adjustment for Scaling

Original Pan	For 1.5x	For 2x
8" round	9" round	10" round or 2x 8"
9x13" baking dish	—	Sheet pan (18x13")
8x8" square	9x9" square	9x13"
9" pie plate	10" pie plate	2x 9"
12-muffin tin	18-muffin	2x 12-muffin

Measurement Conversions

Volume Conversions

US Customary	Metric	Tablespoons	Teaspoons
1 cup	240 ml	16 tbsp	48 tsp
3/4 cup	180 ml	12 tbsp	36 tsp
2/3 cup	160 ml	10 tbsp + 2 tsp	32 tsp
1/2 cup	120 ml	8 tbsp	24 tsp
1/3 cup	80 ml	5 tbsp + 1 tsp	16 tsp
1/4 cup	60 ml	4 tbsp	12 tsp
1 tbsp	15 ml	1 tbsp	3 tsp
1 tsp	5 ml	1/3 tbsp	1 tsp

Weight Conversions

US	Metric
1 oz	28 g
4 oz (1/4 lb)	113 g
8 oz (1/2 lb)	227 g
12 oz (3/4 lb)	340 g
16 oz (1 lb)	454 g

Temperature Conversions

Fahrenheit	Celsius	Gas Mark	Description
250 F	120 C	1/2	Very low
300 F	150 C	2	Low
325 F	165 C	3	Moderate low
350 F	175 C	4	Moderate
375 F	190 C	5	Moderate high
400 F	200 C	6	Hot
425 F	220 C	7	Hot
450 F	230 C	8	Very hot
475 F	245 C	9	Very hot
500 F	260 C	10	Extremely hot

Nutritional Information Estimation

Macro Estimation Framework

NUTRITIONAL ESTIMATION APPROACH:

1. List each ingredient with its weight/volume
2. Look up per-100g nutritional values (USDA FoodData Central)
3. Calculate based on actual amount used
4. Sum all ingredients for total recipe nutrition
5. Divide by number of servings

PER-SERVING LABEL FORMAT:
  Calories:      XXX kcal
  Total Fat:     XX g
    Saturated:   XX g
  Cholesterol:   XX mg
  Sodium:        XXX mg
  Total Carbs:   XX g
    Dietary Fiber: XX g
    Sugars:      XX g
  Protein:       XX g

ESTIMATION RULES:
  - Round to nearest 5 for calories
  - Round to nearest 0.5g for macros
  - Always note "approximate" — not lab-tested
  - Exclude cooking oil absorbed during frying (estimate ~15% absorption)

Common Ingredient Quick Reference (per 100g)

Ingredient	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
Chicken breast (cooked)	165	31g	0g	3.6g
White rice (cooked)	130	2.7g	28g	0.3g
Pasta (cooked)	131	5g	25g	1.1g
Whole egg	155	13g	1.1g	11g
All-purpose flour	364	10g	76g	1g
Butter	717	0.9g	0.1g	81g
Olive oil	884	0g	0g	100g
Whole milk	61	3.2g	4.8g	3.3g
Cheddar cheese	403	25g	1.3g	33g
Broccoli	34	2.8g	7g	0.4g

Dietary Restriction Labels

Standard Dietary Labels

Label	Code	Excludes
Vegan	VG	All animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, honey)
Vegetarian	V	Meat, poultry, fish, seafood
Gluten-Free	GF	Wheat, barley, rye, triticale, and derivatives
Dairy-Free	DF	Milk, cheese, butter, cream, yogurt
Nut-Free	NF	Tree nuts and peanuts
Egg-Free	EF	Eggs and egg-derived ingredients
Soy-Free	SF	Soy, soy sauce, tofu, edamame
Keto	K	High-carb ingredients (>20g net carbs/day)
Paleo	P	Grains, dairy, legumes, refined sugar
Low-FODMAP	LF	High-FODMAP foods (garlic, onion, wheat, etc.)
Whole30	W30	Sugar, alcohol, grains, dairy, legumes

Labeling Rules

RECIPE LABELING PROTOCOL:
  1. Check EVERY ingredient against each diet's exclusion list
  2. Include hidden ingredients (broths, sauces, seasonings)
  3. Mark only if recipe is FULLY compliant (not "almost")
  4. Note "easily adaptable" if 1 substitution makes it compliant
  5. Cross-contamination note for allergy-critical diets

LABEL FORMAT:
  Primary labels:  [VG] [GF] [DF]
  Adaptable:       "Easily made GF — substitute GF flour 1:1"
  Contains:        "Contains: wheat, dairy, eggs"

Meal Planning Integration

Weekly Meal Plan Template

WEEKLY MEAL PLAN: Week of [Date]
Serves: [N] people

         | Breakfast      | Lunch          | Dinner         | Snack
---------|----------------|----------------|----------------|--------
MON      | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Item]
TUE      | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Item]
WED      | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Item]
THU      | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Item]
FRI      | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Item]
SAT      | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Item]
SUN      | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Recipe/Ref]   | [Item]

PREP DAY (Sunday):
  - Batch cook: [Grains, proteins]
  - Wash and chop: [Vegetables]
  - Make ahead: [Sauces, dressings]
  - Portion: [Snacks, lunches]

ESTIMATED WEEKLY GROCERY COST: $___
ESTIMATED DAILY CALORIES: ___ kcal/person

Grocery List Generation

GROCERY LIST: Week of [Date]

PRODUCE:
  [ ] __________ — Qty: ____ — Est: $____
  [ ] __________ — Qty: ____ — Est: $____

PROTEINS:
  [ ] __________ — Qty: ____ — Est: $____
  [ ] __________ — Qty: ____ — Est: $____

DAIRY & EGGS:
  [ ] __________ — Qty: ____ — Est: $____

GRAINS & BREAD:
  [ ] __________ — Qty: ____ — Est: $____

CANNED & DRY GOODS:
  [ ] __________ — Qty: ____ — Est: $____

FROZEN:
  [ ] __________ — Qty: ____ — Est: $____

CONDIMENTS & SPICES (check pantry first):
  [ ] __________ — Qty: ____ — Est: $____

ESTIMATED TOTAL: $____

SHOPPING NOTES:
  - Buy [ingredient] in bulk for multiple recipes
  - Substitute [A] for [B] if unavailable
  - Check pantry for: [staples likely already owned]

Recipe Organization and Categorization

Collection Taxonomy

RECIPE ORGANIZATION SYSTEM:

BY COURSE:
  Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Appetizer | Dessert | Snack | Beverage

BY CUISINE:
  Italian | Mexican | Asian | Mediterranean | American | Indian | French

BY METHOD:
  Baking | Grilling | Stovetop | Slow Cooker | Instant Pot | No-Cook | Air Fryer

BY TIME:
  Under 15 min | Under 30 min | Under 60 min | Meal Prep | Weekend Project

BY DIETARY:
  Vegan | Vegetarian | Gluten-Free | Keto | Paleo | Dairy-Free

BY SEASON:
  Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter | Holiday | Year-Round

BY PROTEIN:
  Chicken | Beef | Pork | Fish | Tofu | Beans | Eggs

Recipe Metadata Schema

Field	Type	Required	Purpose
title	String	Yes	Recipe name
source	String	Yes	Attribution
servings	Number	Yes	Yield
prep_time	Minutes	Yes	Active prep
cook_time	Minutes	Yes	Cooking/baking
total_time	Minutes	Yes	End to end
difficulty	1-5	Yes	Skill level
cuisine	String	Yes	Cuisine type
course	String	Yes	Meal category
dietary	String[]	Yes	Diet labels
tags	String[]	No	Custom tags
rating	1-5	No	Personal rating
notes	String	No	Personal notes
last_made	Date	No	Tracking

Cooking Technique Reference

Essential Techniques

Technique	Temperature	Medium	Best For
Saute	Medium-high	Small amount of fat	Vegetables, thin proteins
Sear	High	Thin layer of oil	Steaks, chops, fish
Braise	Low (300F)	Liquid (partial)	Tough cuts, root vegetables
Roast	375-450F	Dry heat, oven	Whole proteins, vegetables
Broil	500F+	Radiant top heat	Finishing, melting, charring
Simmer	180-200F	Full liquid	Soups, sauces, stews
Boil	212F	Full liquid	Pasta, blanching vegetables
Steam	212F	Water vapor	Vegetables, dumplings, fish
Poach	160-180F	Full liquid, gentle	Eggs, delicate fish, fruit

Internal Temperature Guide

Protein	Minimum Safe Temp	Ideal (Quality)	Rest Time
Chicken/Turkey	165F / 74C	165F	5-10 min
Ground beef	160F / 71C	160F	3-5 min
Beef steak (medium-rare)	145F / 63C	130F (carryover to 135F)	5-10 min
Beef steak (medium)	145F / 63C	140F (carryover to 145F)	5-10 min
Pork chop	145F / 63C	145F	5 min
Fish	145F / 63C	125-140F (varies)	3-5 min

Substitution Guide

Common Allergen Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitution	Ratio	Notes
All-purpose flour	GF flour blend (1:1)	1:1	Add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if not included
Butter	Coconut oil	1:1	Solid at room temp, slight coconut flavor
Butter	Vegan butter (Earth Balance)	1:1	Best for baking
Milk	Oat milk	1:1	Best for baking, creamiest
Milk	Almond milk	1:1	Lighter, good for savory
Heavy cream	Full-fat coconut cream	1:1	Chill can, use solids
Eggs (binding)	Flax egg (1 tbsp ground + 3 tbsp water)	1 egg	Let sit 5 min to gel
Eggs (leavening)	1/4 cup applesauce	1 egg	Adds moisture and sweetness
Eggs (moisture)	1/4 cup mashed banana	1 egg	Adds banana flavor
Soy sauce	Coconut aminos	1:1	Less sodium, slightly sweeter
Cheese	Nutritional yeast (for flavor)	2 tbsp per 1/4 cup cheese	Not a texture substitute
Breadcrumbs	Crushed GF crackers or almond meal	1:1	Almond meal adds richness

Emergency Pantry Substitutions

Missing	Substitute	Ratio
Buttermilk (1 cup)	1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice	Sit 5 min
Self-rising flour (1 cup)	1 cup AP flour + 1.5 tsp BP + 1/4 tsp salt	Mix well
Brown sugar (1 cup)	1 cup white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses	Mix well
Honey	Maple syrup	1:1
Fresh herbs	Dried herbs	1 tsp dried = 1 tbsp fresh
Shallot	Red onion (smaller amount)	1/2 onion per shallot
Wine (cooking)	Broth + 1 tsp vinegar	Same volume
Cornstarch (thickener)	2x all-purpose flour	Cooks out floury taste

See Also

• Health & Wellness
• Travel Planner