Healthy Recipes to Share

@unk-p

? ? "noodle wad" ? 

Unk, yesterday-my kid asks me if we have any ramen. I said no because I hate the stuff and never buy it.  Apparently, he *discovered*, probably at school, that if you snap the dry noodles up and add the seasoning packet, it makes a great snack.

I told him it's not happening on my dime, lol.

WARNING: Not So Healthy Recipes to follow!
To those who struggle with addiction, leave now, you have my admiration.

For those who don't, I think it's a good time to post a few home cocktail recipes. Some of them maybe actually be somewhat beneficial (in moderation, of course). And since we won't be driving around much, what the hell.

1. Moscow Mule - 1 shot* (or 2) of vodka (I do like Tito's for these btw) + dash bitters (optional) + fill glass (or copper cup if you have) with Reed's or other ginger beer + squeeze lime wedge.

2. Blackberry Mojito - In glass, muddle (smash with a wooden spoon) 5-6 blackberries, mint leaves, 2 lime wedges. Add 1 shot (or 2) Rum and a squirt of agave syrup or teaspoon of sugar, muddle a bit more. Add ice cubes and seltzer and/or 7up. Garnish with a whole blackberry.

3. Skinny-ish Margarita - You can salt the glass rim, and/or put Tajin seasoning on it. 1 shot (or 2) of tequila (I like reposado) + Splash limeade (I like the Ginger Limeade from Evolution for this) + any citrus flavored seltzer.Garnish with squeezed lime wedge.

4. Bloody Mary - what I do is take a quart of Knudsen's Organic tomato juice, pour out about 2-3 ounces (into a glass, you can either drink it or add it back in later). I add to the bottle: 10 dashes worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish, 4 dashes tabasco hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Shake well. You can adjust any of these to your personal taste. Simply pour 1 shot (or 2) of vodka over ice in a tall glass, pour in some of this mixer, garnish with lemon wedge squeeze and a cut stick of celery. I don't like meat products in my cocktails, but if that's your jam, go for it.

*1 shot of alcohol = 1 ounce (or 30mL) - If you don't have a way to measure it, well, there is a way to count-pour it, but you need the bottle pour cap like they have in bars. Or not. ? 

Bottoms up, y'all.

Cin-Cin

Slainte

Salud

Skol

@jeanne-mayell   @bluebelle   @deetoo  @michele-b @journeywithme2

Bumping this thread!!!

Now that we're all cooking at home, THIS is the place to be, my friends.

I will start with a new recipe:

RAW TOMATO SAUCE

I'm not finding jars of sauce in the store, but fresh produce is always in stock. I recommend washing all unwrapped fresh produce in warm water with non-toxic soap or vinegar. I learned how to make this when I lived in Rome, it's especially good for warm days. Works with any pasta, you can also make a smaller amount for homemade pizza sauce.

@laura-f omg I can taste it. 

@elaineg @grace

I was vegetarian (ovo lacto) for a long time, but my autoimmune diseases limited so much of what I need to eat to be well due to severe allergies, that on doctor recommendations I had to go back to meat. I eat fish maybe once or twice a month - too much mercury and other heavy metals, more allergies and also why deplete the oceans more? So since 2007 I have only ever gotten locally sourced, organic, humane meats. Around here in restaurants most chicken is organic, so that's typically what I order, unless they have yummy veg options that I can indulge in without triggering an adverse reaction (truffle risotto? don't mind if I do!).

@jeanne-mayell

I avoid coconut products for 2 reasons: 1) mild allergy and 2) no guarantee of sustainability/proof of source/fair trade. This applies to both topical and ingested. For palm oil no. 2 applies. It's very hard to find products that are cruelty free and have neither.

For recipes that use coconut milk, I sub hemp milk, almond milk or rice milk depending. For curries, rice milk works amazingly well.

If you have no allergy, tofu is good (it's one of my worst allergies, I get violently ill), although if you are sensitive to beans, soy beans might not be a great idea.

There are a lot of seitan products you can find in farmers markets and health food stores (again, if you're not allergic - most of them are based on wheat gluten, so I can't eat that either).  A farmer here had started making sunflower seed based seitan right before the pandemic, it was yummy... who knows if their business will survive.

My favorite protein is eggs and cheese, so if you can tolerate those I have lots of recipes. Here in CA egg producing chickens have to be cage free by law, and again, I'm only getting my eggs from local farmers and sometimes from friends who have backyard chickens. (Yes, in the city of San Diego you can have hens, but you can't have roosters.) I can see why many would avoid cheese, humane issues do persist in that arena, but eggs that are truly local and organic are not cruel. The hens lay them and walk away, and as long as the hens are well cared for it's not really an issue for them. And people around here who have hens tell me the hens keep the mouse population at bay - apparently they gobble them live/whole.

And that's it for the Circle of Life for now. I'll check in tomorrow - post here if you want recipes.

Hi Everyone! I'd like to share a few simple and tasty plant-based recipes with you ? 

My hope is that these will give you an idea of what's possible and help you get started with planning and preparing plant-based meals.

Brown Rice Stir-Fry With Vegetables, https://simpleveganblog.com/brown-rice-stir-fry-with-vegetables/

Easy Vegan Pasta, https://detoxinista.com/vegan-pasta/

Vegan Potato Soup, https://easyhealthyrecipes.com/vegan-potato-soup/

You can also take your favorite recipes and modify them to make them plant-based. Instead of dairy milk, use oat, rice, soy, almond, or cashew milk. Instead of chicken or beef soup base, use vegetable broth or bouillon (an especially delicious one is Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base).

My husband has taken a fish taco recipe and removed the fish and added fried zucchini instead. You can keep the vast majority of your recipes and just do some simple swaps.

If it's okay with everyone, I'll post more from time to time. Blessings to all!

Response to @triciact, from the “If you see a hit prediction…” thread:

triciact, the Lydia Bastianich meatless pasta recipe you posted sounds great:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STjPZR5nUQQ

I would assume that the super greens spaghetti you use is still high in carbs?  I'd love to find a nutritious, low carb "pasta".  Right now I use spiralized zucchini, but that's getting old.

@deetoo

Funny I have tried every kind of pasta known to mankind lol. Tried the zucchini too. My husband is a die hard Italian and likes what he calls "real pasta" so yes it's regular semolina based pasta but it's mixed with spinach, broccoli and kale powders.  It's also my way of making sure he eats more veggies since he's also a "Meat and potatoes" kind of guy. I have used spaghetti squash to make faux pasta type dishes, but with this particular recipe of Lydia's I like the supergreens pasta or a regular spaghetti.

Also, Everytime I make something lately that has a sauce I throw in baby spinach in it and he grumbles...LOL

@triciact, I miss real pasta, but I can't risk the big blood sugar spike.  My husband is also a meat and potatoes guy and he likes real pasta, but surprisingly likes the spiralized zucchini squash.  Hubby isn't keen for vegetables, unless they're roasted or stir-fried w/tons of sauce.  He does like salads, thank God.  I, on the other hand, could eat a plate of steamed asparagus or broccoli with a little butter and parmesan for dinner, and be totally satisfied.  

@deetoo    konjac noodles, also called shirataki noodle, have zero carbs.  Just got some the other day, but i haven't tried them yet.  Will let you know, when i do