Sweet potato and black bean sauce
So, I've known for a while that sweet potatoes and black beans are a thing in the veg*n community, but I just never found a recipe that grabbed me.
Well, today, I'm down to bare bones pantry supplies plus a pureed chili-spiced black bean soup I whipped up the other day. I decided to spoon it over some steamed sweet potato chunks ,and it turned out great! I started out with my own Dimo's Mexican spice mix plus some black beans and onion and that's it:
2 cups of dried black beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbs of Dimo's Mexican spice mix.
Soak the beans overnight, drain, rinse, and put in a pot with enough water to cover to your second knuckle. In another pan, dry saute the onion (add a splash of water when things start to stick) until translucent. Add the spice mix and the garlic and saute till the onion is coated with the spices. Toss into the pot with the beans, and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so or until the beans are very soft. Puree with a stick blender, or else in a stand blender in batches.
Peel and cut a 1 lb sweet potato into medium sized chunks and put in a steamer basket and steam till tender. Transfer to a bowl, or soup plate, and pour the soup over the sweet potato chunks and chow down!
Monday, February 25, 2019
Friday, February 22, 2019
Barley Vegetable Soup
Here's a very basic (and of course, very cheap) vegetable soup. You can use whatever vegetables you can get on sale but I usually stick with the same ones, sale or not; they're usually cheap enough they won't break the bank at any rate.
I usually go with one extravagance when I make brothy soup: prepared veggie broth. The brand I get is available at Aldi's for 1.89 per 1 qt carton and I use 2, and this is the most expensive ingredient at 3.80. The reason I go with prepped broth is consistency. For just about everything else I usually just use my broth made from veg prep scraps, recipe available here. The scrap version can be very oniony, or carroty, or celery-y, depending on what trimmings I have in the freezer, so for brothy soups, I go with prepared. The scraps from the prep for this soup will also go into the freezer for future stock, unlike my Cucalenco soup. Also I save the salting of the soup for when it's done. Usually salt will lose some of its "presence" when you add it at the beginning, so when you save it for the end, you don't have to use quite as much to the get the same saltiness.
1 cup barley, hull-less is preferred but pearled or scotch (better) is fine if that's all you can get..
2 quarts of commercial vegetable broth (3.60)
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
3 small or 2 medium carrots, sliced in 1/4 inch slices; any slices bigger than a nickel I usually cut in half moons. (0.25)
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced. ).25)
2 cloves minced garlic (.10)
2 ribs of celery diced. (.25)
1/2 to 1 pound of fresh green beans, topped and tailed and snapped into 2 inch pieces (You can use a bag of frozen if you wish to save money) (0.99)
1 medium large turnip, cut in small dice (0.90)
1/2 small to medium head of cabbage, chopped very thin.
1 can of petite cut diced tomatoes, fire-roasted if you can get them. The soup won't be ruined if you can't but in that case, maybe add a drop or two of liquid smoke.
1 teaspoon each of thyme, savory, basil, and dill.
3/4 cup of finely diced seitan (optional if you have concerns about protein content; if you can't get seitan, use a cup of pureed white, pinto, or black beans)
Salt and pepper to taste.
First things first: Rinse the barley and place it in a medium saucepan and add 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer till tender and kind of fluffy looking (about a half hour). You'll probably have to skim some "scum" from the surface (don't worry; it's just some surface starch)
In the meantime, put the onions, carrot, celery, and green beans (if using fresh) into a pot (or your Instant Pot) and dry saute over medium heat (hit the saute button on the I-Pot), till the onions are translucent. Add a splash of water any time things start to stick. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add in the broth, soy sauce, turnip, cabbage, diced tomatoes, the barley (with it's cooking water) and the herbs except the dill (and the green beans if using frozen). At this point add the seitan or or pureed beans if using. On the stove-top, bring to a boil and lower heat and simmer until all the vegetables are soft to your liking. If you wish, you may add another diced rib of celery about 5 minutes before you take the soup off the heat, if you like some crunch. On the I-Pot, hit the "manual/pressure cook" button and set for 12 minutes and NPR for 5 minutes (while in warm-up mode) and then quick release the rest.
Add the dill and season to your liking with salt and pepper, and maybe some hot sauce. I usually add a pinch of turmeric at this point as well, both for a little color and the anti-inflammatory properties of the turmeric.
If you're following the McDougall Starch Solution program (or even if you're not!), feel free to add a cup of frozen corn, frozen peas, or a diced potato.
The whole recipe is about 9 dollars; however 40% of that 9 dollars is the commercial broth. If you make your own broth from veggie scraps, or even use one of those bouillon pastes that come in a jar, it's probably around 6.50 or 7 dollars for the pot, which brings the cost down to under a dollar per serving.
Here's a very basic (and of course, very cheap) vegetable soup. You can use whatever vegetables you can get on sale but I usually stick with the same ones, sale or not; they're usually cheap enough they won't break the bank at any rate.
I usually go with one extravagance when I make brothy soup: prepared veggie broth. The brand I get is available at Aldi's for 1.89 per 1 qt carton and I use 2, and this is the most expensive ingredient at 3.80. The reason I go with prepped broth is consistency. For just about everything else I usually just use my broth made from veg prep scraps, recipe available here. The scrap version can be very oniony, or carroty, or celery-y, depending on what trimmings I have in the freezer, so for brothy soups, I go with prepared. The scraps from the prep for this soup will also go into the freezer for future stock, unlike my Cucalenco soup. Also I save the salting of the soup for when it's done. Usually salt will lose some of its "presence" when you add it at the beginning, so when you save it for the end, you don't have to use quite as much to the get the same saltiness.
1 cup barley, hull-less is preferred but pearled or scotch (better) is fine if that's all you can get..
2 quarts of commercial vegetable broth (3.60)
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
3 small or 2 medium carrots, sliced in 1/4 inch slices; any slices bigger than a nickel I usually cut in half moons. (0.25)
1 medium yellow or white onion, diced. ).25)
2 cloves minced garlic (.10)
2 ribs of celery diced. (.25)
1/2 to 1 pound of fresh green beans, topped and tailed and snapped into 2 inch pieces (You can use a bag of frozen if you wish to save money) (0.99)
1 medium large turnip, cut in small dice (0.90)
1/2 small to medium head of cabbage, chopped very thin.
1 can of petite cut diced tomatoes, fire-roasted if you can get them. The soup won't be ruined if you can't but in that case, maybe add a drop or two of liquid smoke.
1 teaspoon each of thyme, savory, basil, and dill.
3/4 cup of finely diced seitan (optional if you have concerns about protein content; if you can't get seitan, use a cup of pureed white, pinto, or black beans)
Salt and pepper to taste.
First things first: Rinse the barley and place it in a medium saucepan and add 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer till tender and kind of fluffy looking (about a half hour). You'll probably have to skim some "scum" from the surface (don't worry; it's just some surface starch)
In the meantime, put the onions, carrot, celery, and green beans (if using fresh) into a pot (or your Instant Pot) and dry saute over medium heat (hit the saute button on the I-Pot), till the onions are translucent. Add a splash of water any time things start to stick. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add in the broth, soy sauce, turnip, cabbage, diced tomatoes, the barley (with it's cooking water) and the herbs except the dill (and the green beans if using frozen). At this point add the seitan or or pureed beans if using. On the stove-top, bring to a boil and lower heat and simmer until all the vegetables are soft to your liking. If you wish, you may add another diced rib of celery about 5 minutes before you take the soup off the heat, if you like some crunch. On the I-Pot, hit the "manual/pressure cook" button and set for 12 minutes and NPR for 5 minutes (while in warm-up mode) and then quick release the rest.
Add the dill and season to your liking with salt and pepper, and maybe some hot sauce. I usually add a pinch of turmeric at this point as well, both for a little color and the anti-inflammatory properties of the turmeric.
If you're following the McDougall Starch Solution program (or even if you're not!), feel free to add a cup of frozen corn, frozen peas, or a diced potato.
The whole recipe is about 9 dollars; however 40% of that 9 dollars is the commercial broth. If you make your own broth from veggie scraps, or even use one of those bouillon pastes that come in a jar, it's probably around 6.50 or 7 dollars for the pot, which brings the cost down to under a dollar per serving.
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Vegan Douglas Chili
I can't believe I have yet to post my famous chili recipe! So, here it is.
Years ago we had a chili cook-off in my office and I brought the meat version of this chili and one of my co-workers called it "The Douglas Chili." Every time we had a potluck after that, he'd ask me if I'd bring it.
First thing you have to do is make Dimo's Mexican spice mix:
The amounts are huge, but it makes a batch that will do for multiple pots of chile.
8 tablespoons of chipotle chili powder (or how much ever your container has plus regular chili powder to make up 8 tablespoons) (1 T for single recipe)
4 tablespoons cumin (1/2 T for single recipe)
4 teaspoons of coriander (1/2 tsp for single recipe)
6 teaspoons of cocoa (cocoa, NOT chocolate milk powder!) (1/2 tsp for single recipe
2 teaspoons of cinnamon. (1/4 tsp for single recipe)
Just put it all in a jar and shake well till everything is blended. This mix is also good as a seasoning for plain black or pinto beans (If you can't find chipotle chili powder, or it's too expensive for you, use regular and add some liquid smoke at the end, say, 1/4 teaspoon)
Now for the chili:
3/4 cup dried French green or black lentils if you can find them. Otherwise brown are fine.
1 large (like between softball and baseball size) onion or 2 small to medium onions, diced
1.5 Tablespoons of Dimo's Mexican spice mix
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can low sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
1 15 oz can white hominy
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 7 oz can of La Costeña Mexican salsa (just leave it out if you can't find it; you can add some chopped jalapenos plain)
1/4 cup dry red lentils
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes with chilis (I try to get the Rotel brand cilantro and lime flavor)
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
Put the green or black lentils in a sauce pan with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil and simmer till tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes. If using brown lentils, just add them in, dry, with the other beans.
Meanwhile, place diced onion in a pot, and dry saute till soft and translucent, adding a splash of water or vegetable broth when things start to stick.
Add spice mix and the garlic and saute until onions are coated with the spice mix, about a minute.
Add all the beans, hominy, tomato sauce, salsa, and both types of lentils (with the cooking water if using green or black ones)
Puree the diced tomatoes with the peanut butter and add to the pot.
Add enough water to thin out to your liking and simmer until the hominy turns orange.
Alternative cooking methods:
After sauteeing the onions and pureeing the diced tomatoes and peanut butter, toss everything into the slow cooker and cook on low till the hominy turns orange, usually at least 6 hours. This method is good if you're going to be out all day and you don't want to have to do anything when you get home but ladle up and eat :).
If you're using an Instant Pot, do the onion/garlic sautee and then add everything else and cook at (high) pressure for 10 minutes (it will actually take more than 10 before you can open the pot, what with heating up and dissipating the pressure). NPR for 10 minutes then quick release the rest.
It goes without saying, that this goes excellent with corn bread. It can also be stretched by serving with elbow macaroni/mac-n-cheese for chili mac (about half the amount of chili as in a single serving plus the same amount of macaroni; just don't mix them until serving time).
Serves 8 with 13g protein and 21g fiber. (the meat version gains 1.5g protein but loses 7.3g fiber)
I can't believe I have yet to post my famous chili recipe! So, here it is.
Years ago we had a chili cook-off in my office and I brought the meat version of this chili and one of my co-workers called it "The Douglas Chili." Every time we had a potluck after that, he'd ask me if I'd bring it.
First thing you have to do is make Dimo's Mexican spice mix:
The amounts are huge, but it makes a batch that will do for multiple pots of chile.
8 tablespoons of chipotle chili powder (or how much ever your container has plus regular chili powder to make up 8 tablespoons) (1 T for single recipe)
4 tablespoons cumin (1/2 T for single recipe)
4 teaspoons of coriander (1/2 tsp for single recipe)
6 teaspoons of cocoa (cocoa, NOT chocolate milk powder!) (1/2 tsp for single recipe
2 teaspoons of cinnamon. (1/4 tsp for single recipe)
Just put it all in a jar and shake well till everything is blended. This mix is also good as a seasoning for plain black or pinto beans (If you can't find chipotle chili powder, or it's too expensive for you, use regular and add some liquid smoke at the end, say, 1/4 teaspoon)
Now for the chili:
3/4 cup dried French green or black lentils if you can find them. Otherwise brown are fine.
1 large (like between softball and baseball size) onion or 2 small to medium onions, diced
1.5 Tablespoons of Dimo's Mexican spice mix
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can low sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
1 15 oz can white hominy
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 7 oz can of La Costeña Mexican salsa (just leave it out if you can't find it; you can add some chopped jalapenos plain)
1/4 cup dry red lentils
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes with chilis (I try to get the Rotel brand cilantro and lime flavor)
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
Put the green or black lentils in a sauce pan with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil and simmer till tender but not mushy, about 10 minutes. If using brown lentils, just add them in, dry, with the other beans.
Meanwhile, place diced onion in a pot, and dry saute till soft and translucent, adding a splash of water or vegetable broth when things start to stick.
Add spice mix and the garlic and saute until onions are coated with the spice mix, about a minute.
Add all the beans, hominy, tomato sauce, salsa, and both types of lentils (with the cooking water if using green or black ones)
Puree the diced tomatoes with the peanut butter and add to the pot.
Add enough water to thin out to your liking and simmer until the hominy turns orange.
Alternative cooking methods:
After sauteeing the onions and pureeing the diced tomatoes and peanut butter, toss everything into the slow cooker and cook on low till the hominy turns orange, usually at least 6 hours. This method is good if you're going to be out all day and you don't want to have to do anything when you get home but ladle up and eat :).
If you're using an Instant Pot, do the onion/garlic sautee and then add everything else and cook at (high) pressure for 10 minutes (it will actually take more than 10 before you can open the pot, what with heating up and dissipating the pressure). NPR for 10 minutes then quick release the rest.
It goes without saying, that this goes excellent with corn bread. It can also be stretched by serving with elbow macaroni/mac-n-cheese for chili mac (about half the amount of chili as in a single serving plus the same amount of macaroni; just don't mix them until serving time).
Serves 8 with 13g protein and 21g fiber. (the meat version gains 1.5g protein but loses 7.3g fiber)
Monday, February 4, 2019
Smoothies
I've never really been a big fan of the smoothie. I have tried various recipes, but for a long time, the only ones I could find were made with either banana or yogurt. I didn't like the tang of the yogurt smoothies and the banana ones.....well, the banana came screaming through any other taste that was in the smoothie and bananas are not my favorite thing to eat in the first place.
But, oh, Eureka and Hallelujah! I found one that ends up nice and thick with no bananas or yogurt!! The only drawback was that it called for a "handful" of spinach. Blech! Now, smoothie enthusiast friends of mine always say the same thing: "you can't taste it!" All I can assume is that their taste buds are dead, because they say the same thing about the banana, and, as I've said above, I can indeed taste it! So, I just left out the spinach. Now, In the interests of nutrition, in the future, I may slowly introduce spinach into my smoothie, like a couple leaves every day, until the point that I can taste it. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Anyway, here is the recipe (I tweaked a recipe I found here):
1.5 cups unsweetened plant milk (can contain vanilla or not)
1.25 cups frozen mixed berries (I used 1 cup raspberries and blackberries, and the quarter cup blueberries; you can mix-n-match to your taste but they have to be frozen)
1/2 cup of quick cooking rolled oats (these are one processing step further than old fashioned oats, still whole grain,though).
1 tablespoon of cashew or almond butter (you can use peanut butter for a little more "earthy" taste)
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
1/4 t cinnamon
up to 4 ice cubes (optional; the less you use, the thicker the end result)
Just chuck everything in the blender in the order given, and blend until smooth.
As I said above, I used a 4:1 ratio of blackberries/raspberries to blueberries, but a local grocery chain has a cherry berry blend I want to try, and I may just do all blackberries or all cherries one of these times I'll be doing some experimenting. Also, since there's no yogurt, I may try the pumpkin spice smoothie again and if it's any less gag-inducing than the last time I tried it, that'll be another taste in my smoothie repertoire, lol.
As for nutrition, it's a bit of a calorie bomb at around 440 and 14.7 g of fat but that's still only 30% of the calories from fat, and if the rest of your day has no more than 5 grams of fat you'll still be under the 10% recommended by the McDougall plan. Good news is that it's got 13.5 grams of protein and 15.5 grams of fiber. Pretty good for what amounts to a milkshake for breakfast!
I've never really been a big fan of the smoothie. I have tried various recipes, but for a long time, the only ones I could find were made with either banana or yogurt. I didn't like the tang of the yogurt smoothies and the banana ones.....well, the banana came screaming through any other taste that was in the smoothie and bananas are not my favorite thing to eat in the first place.
But, oh, Eureka and Hallelujah! I found one that ends up nice and thick with no bananas or yogurt!! The only drawback was that it called for a "handful" of spinach. Blech! Now, smoothie enthusiast friends of mine always say the same thing: "you can't taste it!" All I can assume is that their taste buds are dead, because they say the same thing about the banana, and, as I've said above, I can indeed taste it! So, I just left out the spinach. Now, In the interests of nutrition, in the future, I may slowly introduce spinach into my smoothie, like a couple leaves every day, until the point that I can taste it. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Anyway, here is the recipe (I tweaked a recipe I found here):
1.5 cups unsweetened plant milk (can contain vanilla or not)
1.25 cups frozen mixed berries (I used 1 cup raspberries and blackberries, and the quarter cup blueberries; you can mix-n-match to your taste but they have to be frozen)
1/2 cup of quick cooking rolled oats (these are one processing step further than old fashioned oats, still whole grain,though).
1 tablespoon of cashew or almond butter (you can use peanut butter for a little more "earthy" taste)
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
1/4 t cinnamon
up to 4 ice cubes (optional; the less you use, the thicker the end result)
Just chuck everything in the blender in the order given, and blend until smooth.
As I said above, I used a 4:1 ratio of blackberries/raspberries to blueberries, but a local grocery chain has a cherry berry blend I want to try, and I may just do all blackberries or all cherries one of these times I'll be doing some experimenting. Also, since there's no yogurt, I may try the pumpkin spice smoothie again and if it's any less gag-inducing than the last time I tried it, that'll be another taste in my smoothie repertoire, lol.
As for nutrition, it's a bit of a calorie bomb at around 440 and 14.7 g of fat but that's still only 30% of the calories from fat, and if the rest of your day has no more than 5 grams of fat you'll still be under the 10% recommended by the McDougall plan. Good news is that it's got 13.5 grams of protein and 15.5 grams of fiber. Pretty good for what amounts to a milkshake for breakfast!
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Greetings cheap eaters!
Today's recipe is based on a potato corn chowder from the Clean Food, Dirty Girls food blog. Molly's recipe calls for non-dairy milk for thickness and the whole "chowder" vibe; to cut down on price (non-dairy milk is usually twice the price of dairy milk where I live, and making homemade is pretty up there as well), for you lacto-ovo cheap eaters, you can use regular whole milk. This one depends on barley and to an extent, red lentils. The lentils are a bit pricey compared to regular brown ones but they're totally worth it. With the lentils and barley and either the corn or quinoa, all 8 essential amino acids are in one recipe!
I use an Instant Pot for this recipe. Stove-top instructions are at the end.
Spice mix:
Today's recipe is based on a potato corn chowder from the Clean Food, Dirty Girls food blog. Molly's recipe calls for non-dairy milk for thickness and the whole "chowder" vibe; to cut down on price (non-dairy milk is usually twice the price of dairy milk where I live, and making homemade is pretty up there as well), for you lacto-ovo cheap eaters, you can use regular whole milk. This one depends on barley and to an extent, red lentils. The lentils are a bit pricey compared to regular brown ones but they're totally worth it. With the lentils and barley and either the corn or quinoa, all 8 essential amino acids are in one recipe!
I use an Instant Pot for this recipe. Stove-top instructions are at the end.
Smoky red lentil and barley stew
Spice mix:
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp hickory smoked salt (or 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp liquid smoke)*
Veggies:
Veggies:
1 small white onion, diced.
3 cloves garlic pressed
3 med potatoes, cut in 1” dice.
1 cup diced (1” dice) turnip or rutabaga
1/2 lb green beans, topped and tailed, snapped in 2" pieces
3 large carrots, trimmed and chopped
1/2 lb green beans, topped and tailed, snapped in 2" pieces
3 large carrots, trimmed and chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes, fire roasted if you can get/afford them
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup of quinoa, rinsed
1/3 cup barley flakes*
1 cup frozen corn (optional)
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 Tbs nutritional yeast
black pepper to taste
Measure out all the spices (including the salt if using salt and liquid smoke) in a small prep bowl and set aside. Prep and measure out the vegetables. (Use trimmings for your next batch of broth, though hold off on the turnip/rutabaga trimmings.)
Press the saute button on the Instant Pot and let the pot heat up for a minute. Add the onion, saute for 3 minutes, add garlic and saute for 1 minute more, stirring frequently and adding a bit of water when needed to keep the vegetables from sticking.
Turn off the IP and add the spices set aside earlier and stir. Add the next 9 ingredients (potatoes through broth plus liquid smoke if using). Lock the IP lid in place, making sure the nozzle is set to seal. Set the timer for 5 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn off the pot and NPR for 15 minutes then QR the rest of the pressure.
When all the pressure is out, take off the lid and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Add the frozen corn if used, parsley, yeast and black pepper and stir until well combined.
*if you can't find barley flakes, use 1/3 cup of hulled barley, precooked.
Stovetop instructions:
If using hulled barley, cook in 2 cups of water for an hour and drain before adding to the stew. (use the cooking water for your next batch of broth; store in freezer along with veg trimmings). Proceed with measuring spices and veggies. Saute as above, add the spices and the next 9 ingredients to a soup pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Add the rest of the ingredients (the "to finish" list) and stir until well combined.
Friday, December 7, 2018
TATERS!!!!
Have you guys heard of this gentleman? All potatoes (white and sweet), all the time, for A YEAR!
Apparently he did pretty well: 22 pounds lost in the first month without working out. After that, he added 90 minutes of activity per day and towards the mid-year mark all his numbers were down by quite a bit, like from the danger zone to normal range.
Andrew mentioned in his story, the McDougall plan, as laid out in the good doctor's book "The Starch Solution" which (via a Youtube vid of his lecture on the same subject) resonates with me quite a bit. I need to do some research on some of the points that he made (e.g. the claim that humans have 6 copies of the "amylase gene" (amylase is the enzyme that digests starch), but all lower primates have only 2 copies with the assumption that we digest starch much easier and better than the monkeys and great apes. If true, it kind of makes sense, but regardless, you can't argue with Andrew's story. So starting 2 Dec 2018, my way of eating will be based in various starches: potatoes, whole grains, and legumes with the addition of lots of salad and cruciferi, plus some fruit every day. (Edit 2/5/19: Due to denture fitting, I had to delay my start to last Monday, Jan 28)
Anyhow, my favorite way to make the spud is mashed, by far! I used to peel and boil up 3 medium russets and then add a half a stick of butter (EEK!) and a 1/4 to 1/3 cup warm milk. Now if you're doing plant-based, you can skip the butter and use the potato boiling water or else plant-based instead of the dairy milk. But if you're just doing cheap eats, then use the milk and butter (or maybe not so much butter, lol).
Besides mashed ,there's chunked and boiled (with lots of dill), and also some ways I've found perusing the 'net: croquettes, soup, scalloped, and more.
Getting back to the starch-based way of eating, I figure a starchy "main" dish of either potatoes in one or another preparation or else beans or a grain dish. Along with that, my plan is to have a green salad (this one will be my go-to, I think; at least for a while), and a couple of servings of veggies, keeping in line with my decision to go whole foods, plant based. Basically, WFPB is essentially a vegan diet only without the processed stuff (fake meats, fake cheese), in other words, no processing other than what I can do at home.
Apparently he did pretty well: 22 pounds lost in the first month without working out. After that, he added 90 minutes of activity per day and towards the mid-year mark all his numbers were down by quite a bit, like from the danger zone to normal range.
Andrew mentioned in his story, the McDougall plan, as laid out in the good doctor's book "The Starch Solution" which (via a Youtube vid of his lecture on the same subject) resonates with me quite a bit. I need to do some research on some of the points that he made (e.g. the claim that humans have 6 copies of the "amylase gene" (amylase is the enzyme that digests starch), but all lower primates have only 2 copies with the assumption that we digest starch much easier and better than the monkeys and great apes. If true, it kind of makes sense, but regardless, you can't argue with Andrew's story. So starting 2 Dec 2018, my way of eating will be based in various starches: potatoes, whole grains, and legumes with the addition of lots of salad and cruciferi, plus some fruit every day. (Edit 2/5/19: Due to denture fitting, I had to delay my start to last Monday, Jan 28)
Anyhow, my favorite way to make the spud is mashed, by far! I used to peel and boil up 3 medium russets and then add a half a stick of butter (EEK!) and a 1/4 to 1/3 cup warm milk. Now if you're doing plant-based, you can skip the butter and use the potato boiling water or else plant-based instead of the dairy milk. But if you're just doing cheap eats, then use the milk and butter (or maybe not so much butter, lol).
Besides mashed ,there's chunked and boiled (with lots of dill), and also some ways I've found perusing the 'net: croquettes, soup, scalloped, and more.
Getting back to the starch-based way of eating, I figure a starchy "main" dish of either potatoes in one or another preparation or else beans or a grain dish. Along with that, my plan is to have a green salad (this one will be my go-to, I think; at least for a while), and a couple of servings of veggies, keeping in line with my decision to go whole foods, plant based. Basically, WFPB is essentially a vegan diet only without the processed stuff (fake meats, fake cheese), in other words, no processing other than what I can do at home.
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
Lentils and dal
First, I really have to do a shout out to the Levantine cultures of Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine for their fabulous contribution to world cuisine, the spice mix called "za'atar". The blend I use has thyme, cumin, coriander, fennel, anise, lemon, toasted sesame seeds, and sumaq in it, and it is incredible on roasted veggies! It has a nice earthy background and a hint of citrus that goes perfectly with sweeter veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips, although it's fantastic on just about any vegetable. It plays a major part in my take on California Blend veggies (worry not, the recipe is below!)
So, anyway............
Lentils!!
There should really be a song about lentils; they're that good and versatile.
Did you know there are many types of lentils out there? In addition to the brown lentils most people are probably familiar with, there are red lentils and green Puy lentils, and, to me mythological, black lentils. I say "mythological" because, although I've seen them mentioned in other food blogs, I have yet to find, and therefore taste them. The quest is ongoing!
A nice lentil soup can be had following the recipe in my last post for split pea soup with the optional potato and carrot upgraded to required. Some chopped raw onion sprinkled on top gives a crunch and a bite. There's a very nice recipe here, in a blog by Susan Voisin, Fat Free Vegan. She has some other lentil soup recipes on her blog that are well worth looking at, so be sure to look around a bit.
Green Puy lentils are from a specific region in France and are particularly suited for recipes that need them intact, like a nice lentil salad.
Red lentils (which are actually more of a salmon/coral color) are my favorite lentil to work with. It's the star of my second go-to soup (after my chili), Cucalenco soup. (I've posted it before but it bears repeating) It's my wonderful (if I do say so myself) combination of red lentils, carrots, and coconut milk spiced with curry spices and cilantro (For all you cilantro haters out there (shaking my head), it's not in the least overwhelming in this soup, so don't worry about it being ruined!).
Cucalenco paired with a plate of Roasted California blend a la Dimo, below, is a lunch or light supper to crow about!
My local grocery store sells packaged broccoli crowns with a half a head of cauliflower that is the perfect amount for my California blend a la Dimo. The za'atar is important for this dish but if you can't find it, any seasoning mix that you like will be fine.
1 medium to large broccoli crown
1 small or 1/2 medium large head of cauliflower
2 large or 3 medium carrots
olive oil
seasoning mix (if you can find it, get a mix called za'atar from a Middle Eastern market; it will transport you!)
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste (I also add a large pinch of dill, but I'm a dill fiend)
roasted sesame oil
Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into florets (Leave some stem on the broccoli, and cut the larger trees in half, or even quarters), large-dice the carrots, and toss together with as much olive oil as you need to coat everything. Don't overdo the oil! If you don't use it, then spray with cooking spray just before you add the seasonings. Spread out on a roasting sheet (on parchment paper for non-stick veggies) and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and seasoning mix, and roast at 400 for about 30 minutes or until the veggies are as tender as you like them. Sprinkle the sesame oil over the veggies after you take them out and enjoy!
Anyway, back to the lentils!
Other than lentil soup, what can you do with 'em?
The answer comes from India: dal (pronounced like "doll" but with more of an "ah" sound) which is basically lentils cooked with onions and spiced up with curry. Now when I say "curry" I don't mean the powder you can buy from the spice section at the local Kroger, although a lot of stores are stocking various blends nowadays, but a perfectly acceptable dal can be made with Kroger curry powder.
My favorite dal recipe is a non-fat free variant of Susan Voisin's (the author of the "Fat Free Vegan" blog). If you want the fat-free version, follow Susan's recipe, but I like it chock full of oil! so, here's my variation:
1/2 cup of split red lentils.
1/2 cup of yellow split peas
3 cups of water
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger root, minced (I use a pre-prepared paste that comes in a tube. Yeah, it's pricey but it lasts a LONG time.)
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala (find it in the spice aisle)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 large onion sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne
2 tablespoons of oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Place the lentils, peas, tomato, chopped onion, ginger, and salt into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook till the peas are soft. Stir often and add water if they get too dry.
Add the garam masala and stir vigorously (a whisk works best) so the lentils get creamy. It should be medium thick so add water if you need to. Keep this warm.
Now, while the lentils are cooking, heat up a teaspoon of oil and cook the sliced onion, and cook till they start to brown. Add the pepper flakes and cook till they're softened and touched with brown.
Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the cumin and turmeric over medium heat until the seeds start to pop and/or the mix is fragrant and then add the garlic and continue cooking till just short of turning brown (DON'T burn the garlic; it'll get bitter).
To serve, spread the browned onion slices on top of the lentils and pour the cumin seed mixture over the top. Make sure each serving gets some onion and seed oil mix!
First, I really have to do a shout out to the Levantine cultures of Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine for their fabulous contribution to world cuisine, the spice mix called "za'atar". The blend I use has thyme, cumin, coriander, fennel, anise, lemon, toasted sesame seeds, and sumaq in it, and it is incredible on roasted veggies! It has a nice earthy background and a hint of citrus that goes perfectly with sweeter veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips, although it's fantastic on just about any vegetable. It plays a major part in my take on California Blend veggies (worry not, the recipe is below!)
So, anyway............
Lentils!!
There should really be a song about lentils; they're that good and versatile.
Did you know there are many types of lentils out there? In addition to the brown lentils most people are probably familiar with, there are red lentils and green Puy lentils, and, to me mythological, black lentils. I say "mythological" because, although I've seen them mentioned in other food blogs, I have yet to find, and therefore taste them. The quest is ongoing!
A nice lentil soup can be had following the recipe in my last post for split pea soup with the optional potato and carrot upgraded to required. Some chopped raw onion sprinkled on top gives a crunch and a bite. There's a very nice recipe here, in a blog by Susan Voisin, Fat Free Vegan. She has some other lentil soup recipes on her blog that are well worth looking at, so be sure to look around a bit.
Green Puy lentils are from a specific region in France and are particularly suited for recipes that need them intact, like a nice lentil salad.
Red lentils (which are actually more of a salmon/coral color) are my favorite lentil to work with. It's the star of my second go-to soup (after my chili), Cucalenco soup. (I've posted it before but it bears repeating) It's my wonderful (if I do say so myself) combination of red lentils, carrots, and coconut milk spiced with curry spices and cilantro (For all you cilantro haters out there (shaking my head)
Cucalenco paired with a plate of Roasted California blend a la Dimo, below, is a lunch or light supper to crow about!
My local grocery store sells packaged broccoli crowns with a half a head of cauliflower that is the perfect amount for my California blend a la Dimo. The za'atar is important for this dish but if you can't find it, any seasoning mix that you like will be fine.
1 medium to large broccoli crown
1 small or 1/2 medium large head of cauliflower
2 large or 3 medium carrots
olive oil
seasoning mix (if you can find it, get a mix called za'atar from a Middle Eastern market; it will transport you!)
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste (I also add a large pinch of dill, but I'm a dill fiend)
roasted sesame oil
Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into florets (Leave some stem on the broccoli, and cut the larger trees in half, or even quarters), large-dice the carrots, and toss together with as much olive oil as you need to coat everything. Don't overdo the oil! If you don't use it, then spray with cooking spray just before you add the seasonings. Spread out on a roasting sheet (on parchment paper for non-stick veggies) and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and seasoning mix, and roast at 400 for about 30 minutes or until the veggies are as tender as you like them. Sprinkle the sesame oil over the veggies after you take them out and enjoy!
Anyway, back to the lentils!
Other than lentil soup, what can you do with 'em?
The answer comes from India: dal (pronounced like "doll" but with more of an "ah" sound) which is basically lentils cooked with onions and spiced up with curry. Now when I say "curry" I don't mean the powder you can buy from the spice section at the local Kroger, although a lot of stores are stocking various blends nowadays, but a perfectly acceptable dal can be made with Kroger curry powder.
My favorite dal recipe is a non-fat free variant of Susan Voisin's (the author of the "Fat Free Vegan" blog). If you want the fat-free version, follow Susan's recipe, but I like it chock full of oil! so, here's my variation:
1/2 cup of split red lentils.
1/2 cup of yellow split peas
3 cups of water
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger root, minced (I use a pre-prepared paste that comes in a tube. Yeah, it's pricey but it lasts a LONG time.)
1/2 teaspoon of garam masala (find it in the spice aisle)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 large onion sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne
2 tablespoons of oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Place the lentils, peas, tomato, chopped onion, ginger, and salt into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook till the peas are soft. Stir often and add water if they get too dry.
Add the garam masala and stir vigorously (a whisk works best) so the lentils get creamy. It should be medium thick so add water if you need to. Keep this warm.
Now, while the lentils are cooking, heat up a teaspoon of oil and cook the sliced onion, and cook till they start to brown. Add the pepper flakes and cook till they're softened and touched with brown.
Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil and fry the cumin and turmeric over medium heat until the seeds start to pop and/or the mix is fragrant and then add the garlic and continue cooking till just short of turning brown (DON'T burn the garlic; it'll get bitter).
To serve, spread the browned onion slices on top of the lentils and pour the cumin seed mixture over the top. Make sure each serving gets some onion and seed oil mix!
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