Sorry, shoulda been more clear. "Just like white rice"= same grain to water ratio. For my rice cooker, it's 1:1 for white rice (or quinoa) and you toss in an extra 3/4 c. water for brown rice.
That's for unsoaked quinoa.
-Anne
TYVM
I don't like white rice, so I haven't cooked it in years.
I came home from an appointment this evening to find that my husband had picked up Veganomicon from the library and tested out a bean meat-ball recipe. He had also whipped up some spaghetti sauce and served it over whole wheat noodles along with steamed broccoli. It was really yummy! The bean-balls were a bit soft in texture, but they had good flavor.
Elaine
Comments and constructive critique always welcome!
A few weeks ago I made Stirfry's Bean Patties. And they were yummy, but I had a heck of a time with the consistency and getting them to cook all the way through. I blame this on my lack of experience in the kitchen much more than anything else.
For those like me that have problems with substitutions and figuring out how to make what you have work, I found a recipe in the above mentioned Veganomicon that makes my life SO much easier. The consistency was a lot more of what I expected. I just forgot to add the tomato paste. I'll try that next time. I want to re-iterate here that I'm not saying these are better than Stirfry's cuz those were very tasty! Just easier for me to cook.
Yay High-Speed Pano! You made me laugh remembering him doing that. I can't see Smuggy though... but my monitor is crap. Or maybe I'm just still half-asleep.
Popcorn. Ok, so not a meal... but one of my favorite night-time snacks is hot-air popped popcorn. Just toss the kernels in and two minutes later you've got a warm, voluminous and tasty snack. No salt or butter needed... I just eat it as-is!
What a simple idea. This is what I have been looking for to replace my chips and snacks. I used to eat microwave popcorn, but realized how unhealthy it is, so a quick trip to the store and I have a new air popper. I will have to try popping and bagging some to take with me on photoshoots and hopefully it will keep me from eating the chips and cookies that seem to be around and somehow get eaten. :patch
Any recommendations for some spice toppings to change it up a little?
Any recommendations for some spice toppings to change it up a little?
Hmm.. never really thought about it. I go down on it just plain and love the flavor. However, I'd think some salt-free seasoning blends would do pretty well on it though.
My local spice shop, http://www.penzeys.com, has some blends that sound enticing. Bangkok blend, for one. Dunno about dumping that on popcorn, but it's worth a shot!
Open Invite To Any Cooking Woes
I've read a decent amount of posts regarding meals not coming out due to lack of inexperience in the kitchen.
I'd like to extend an invitation to anyone that's having problems creating a dish to post in this thread. I'll be happy to help them out There really is no reason healthy food can't taste good.
What I'll need to know:
Ingredients
What is unsatisfactory about your dish.
I'll even add in techniques for extracting flavors from food and other cool tricks to help you look like a pro in the kitchen.
BONUS POINTS:
If you post the entire recipe and preparation steps. This way it can make it into the SmugMug cookbook.
MODS: If you'd like me to start up another thread. I will. But I'd rather keep it in this thread.
0
BaldyRegistered Users, Super ModeratorsPosts: 2,853moderator
edited April 9, 2008
Hey, here's a recipe for Kentucky Fried's chicken strips right off their website (but you have to dig, so I'll offer this as a public service):
Juicy, 100% all-white meat chicken breast:
Chicken Breast Strips Containing up to 43% of a Solution of: Water, Seasoning (Soy Protein Concentrate, Salt, Rice Starch, Carrageenan, Dextrose, Onion Powder, Dehydrated Chicken Broth, Maltodextrin, Spice Extractives), Sodium Phosphate. Breaded with Wheat Flour, Salt, Spices, Monosodium Glutamate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Garlic Powder, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Calcium Silicate (as Anticaking Agent), Modified Corn Starch, Gum Arabic, Natural Flavor, Extractives of Turmeric, and Extractives of Annatto
I've read a decent amount of posts regarding meals not coming out due to lack of inexperience in the kitchen.
I'd like to extend an invitation to anyone that's having problems creating a dish to post in this thread. I'll be happy to help them out There really is no reason healthy food can't taste good.
What I'll need to know:
Ingredients
What is unsatisfactory about your dish.
I'll even add in techniques for extracting flavors from food and other cool tricks to help you look like a pro in the kitchen.
BONUS POINTS:
If you post the entire recipe and preparation steps. This way it can make it into the SmugMug cookbook.
MODS: If you'd like me to start up another thread. I will. But I'd rather keep it in this thread.
I'll be taking you up on that... when I get around to cooking again. My husband is a medical student and studying feverishly for the boards right now, and that combined with a too-cute baby and big stuff brewing at SmugMug means I haven't been cooking much lately. Good thing fresh fruit and veggies take 0 seconds to prepare.
Good thing fresh fruit and veggies take 0 seconds to prepare.
Funny I'm slowly getting my wife to see the virtues of veggies and other healthy alternatives (I was just as bad as her for a while) so we decided to make a big ol' fruit salad last night to watch the move we got instead of her popcorn (I think popcorn is gross). It took us about 20 minutes to make the entire thing. But was nice regardless since we did it together.
chunks of dried fruit? apricots, pineapple - not the sweetened stuff, though.
My favorite dried fruit snack isn't actually fruit, but the unsweetened crystallized ginger from Trader Joe's. (still plenty sweet, just no sugar crystals on it). Chewy, hot and yummy!
I don't mind chewy stuff, but I do what everyone else does w/ that.. I chew And I already dig dried mango's for that kind of snack.
I don't break hard candy when I suck on it though. I use it to think (at least that what happens in my head..)
So something along the jolly rancher line, but not total crap. Any other ideas?
Well for me the I love HALLS sugarfree menthol/lyptus......just love 'em .....and as you mentioned JOLLY RANCHER sugarfree..personally Ilike the hot cinnamon ones...............
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I sometimes fall off the HALLS wagon and buy a few bags of RICOLLA (sp?) flavored with various herbs really good and also sugarfree........I hate going to the Malls to get SF candy so hence my using the C-drops in place of............
Read 'Skinny Bitch' on the flight home today. It's message is more or less the same as ETL or Omnivore's Dilemma: Be aware of what you are eating and eat plants (and only plants). If I can read it all in a cross country flight, you know it is a light read as I am a really slow reader. I didn't care for the unnecessary cussing, or the over the top details about factory farming. Pollen makes that point much more eloquently.
I bought it because I thought my daughter might be able to get a message from it but I don't think I'll give it to her, for the reasons above.
A little birdie dropped this cookbook on my doorstep recently () and while I had reservations about the complexity of the recipes within, I tried the chana masala last night. Chana masala is one of our favorite dishes, but these days going to Indian restaurants just gives me a bellyful of ouch. This one turned out so darned good I just had to share.
The original recipe calls for:
1/2 t mustard seeds
1/2 t cumin seeds
2 T sesame oil
2 C onion
2T minced garlic
2T minced ginger
1C diced tomatoes
1C water
1 1/2 C coconut milk
3 C chick peas (cooked, I used two cans)
1/4 C shoyu
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t coriander
1 t cardamom
1 t cumin powder
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t black pepper
1/8 t ground cloves
2T cilantro (for garnish)
Basically, you toast the cumin and mustard seeds until they pop over a dry hot pan, then dump in the oil, garlic, ginger and onions. Cook until they're nice and soft, then add the tomatoes. Add the liquid ingredients and the chick peas and spices, simmer for 25 minutes, then garnish with cilantro and serve.
My modifications: I only used 1/3 C coconut milk because it's so rich, and substituted reserved chick pea water for the balance of volume. Instead of the shoyu, I just did 1 big squirt of Bragg's liquid aminos because it's a little less salty and got more good things in it. And of course I massively cut down the oil: 1/4 tsp grapeseed instead of sesame to get the onions started, then just water sauteed the rest of the time.
Served over brown basmati rice, oh it was heaven in bowl.
A little birdie dropped this cookbook on my doorstep recently ()
Chana masala is one of our favorite dishes,
Thanks for the book recommendation, schmoo. Looking for it right now!
I love indian and we have a few really good buffets close by that I will go to for lunch once in a while. Over the last year, one of them has really changed their product, eliminating meatless dishes and really catering to the NA pallet - even putting out chicken wings!huh
But another has reacted by doing the opposite, and offering lots of veg choices. I am sure they are too heavily laden with creams and butters though.
We make really quick curry chick peas by using purchased curry sauces - not the same as making your own but a nice veg quickie for those rushed evenings.
My tummy is glad to be home. Eating "well" on the road, without being a PITA to those you are with, is not simple.
My evening meal last night was wilted spinach salad (water sauteed onion, raw spinach and melted goats cheese - not vegan but da*n good and pretty close), this morning was a delicious berry/spinach smoothie.
Comments
I don't like white rice, so I haven't cooked it in years.
Comments and constructive critique always welcome!
Elaine Heasley Photography
For those like me that have problems with substitutions and figuring out how to make what you have work, I found a recipe in the above mentioned Veganomicon that makes my life SO much easier. The consistency was a lot more of what I expected. I just forgot to add the tomato paste. I'll try that next time. I want to re-iterate here that I'm not saying these are better than Stirfry's cuz those were very tasty! Just easier for me to cook.
He is hanging out on my luggage...
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Ah... I was looking for his black face, and it's hidden against your bag!
What a simple idea. This is what I have been looking for to replace my chips and snacks. I used to eat microwave popcorn, but realized how unhealthy it is, so a quick trip to the store and I have a new air popper. I will have to try popping and bagging some to take with me on photoshoots and hopefully it will keep me from eating the chips and cookies that seem to be around and somehow get eaten. :patch
Any recommendations for some spice toppings to change it up a little?
Hmm.. never really thought about it. I go down on it just plain and love the flavor. However, I'd think some salt-free seasoning blends would do pretty well on it though.
My local spice shop, http://www.penzeys.com, has some blends that sound enticing. Bangkok blend, for one. Dunno about dumping that on popcorn, but it's worth a shot!
-Anne
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
I've read a decent amount of posts regarding meals not coming out due to lack of inexperience in the kitchen.
I'd like to extend an invitation to anyone that's having problems creating a dish to post in this thread. I'll be happy to help them out
What I'll need to know:
Ingredients
What is unsatisfactory about your dish.
I'll even add in techniques for extracting flavors from food and other cool tricks to help you look like a pro in the kitchen.
BONUS POINTS:
If you post the entire recipe and preparation steps. This way it can make it into the SmugMug cookbook.
MODS: If you'd like me to start up another thread. I will. But I'd rather keep it in this thread.
Juicy, 100% all-white meat chicken breast:
Chicken Breast Strips Containing up to 43% of a Solution of: Water, Seasoning (Soy Protein Concentrate, Salt, Rice Starch, Carrageenan, Dextrose, Onion Powder, Dehydrated Chicken Broth, Maltodextrin, Spice Extractives), Sodium Phosphate. Breaded with Wheat Flour, Salt, Spices, Monosodium Glutamate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Citric Acid, Garlic Powder, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Calcium Silicate (as Anticaking Agent), Modified Corn Starch, Gum Arabic, Natural Flavor, Extractives of Turmeric, and Extractives of Annatto
My favorite is always "Natural Flavor."
Where's the smiley for running away as fast as you can in the opposite direction?
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
but it is high in fiber, low in sodium and high in volume for the munchies.
I find it a fair trade off/replacement for chips and cookies.
Because of this thread, I switched to Sigg bottles to hold my water months ago.
I think other people will too once the report is actually released.
I'll be taking you up on that... when I get around to cooking again. My husband is a medical student and studying feverishly for the boards right now, and that combined with a too-cute baby and big stuff brewing at SmugMug means I haven't been cooking much lately. Good thing fresh fruit and veggies take 0 seconds to prepare.
-Anne
Portfolio • Workshops • Facebook • Twitter
Funny
I'm not a real sweets person, but all the sugarfree candy I've tried tastes gross.
The only time I'd use it is when I'm working at my home office (evenings for 4-8 hours)
Ideas?
Yeah, kick the habit.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
My favorite dried fruit snack isn't actually fruit, but the unsweetened crystallized ginger from Trader Joe's.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Dunno how you do with cold, but I like sucking on chunks of frozen fruit sometimes. Strawberries, pineapples, etc.
Speaking of which, I'm thinking of making my own smoothie pops when it gets hot here this summer. Better than a fudgsicle any day.
-Anne
I don't mind chewy stuff, but I do what everyone else does w/ that.. I chew
I don't break hard candy when I suck on it though. I use it to think (at least that what happens in my head..)
So something along the jolly rancher line, but not total crap. Any other ideas?
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I sometimes fall off the HALLS wagon and buy a few bags of RICOLLA (sp?) flavored with various herbs really good and also sugarfree........I hate going to the Malls to get SF candy so hence my using the C-drops in place of............
I bought it because I thought my daughter might be able to get a message from it but I don't think I'll give it to her, for the reasons above.
My Galleries My Photography BLOG
Ramblings About Me
The original recipe calls for:
1/2 t mustard seeds
1/2 t cumin seeds
2 T sesame oil
2 C onion
2T minced garlic
2T minced ginger
1C diced tomatoes
1C water
1 1/2 C coconut milk
3 C chick peas (cooked, I used two cans)
1/4 C shoyu
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t coriander
1 t cardamom
1 t cumin powder
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t black pepper
1/8 t ground cloves
2T cilantro (for garnish)
Basically, you toast the cumin and mustard seeds until they pop over a dry hot pan, then dump in the oil, garlic, ginger and onions. Cook until they're nice and soft, then add the tomatoes. Add the liquid ingredients and the chick peas and spices, simmer for 25 minutes, then garnish with cilantro and serve.
My modifications: I only used 1/3 C coconut milk because it's so rich, and substituted reserved chick pea water for the balance of volume. Instead of the shoyu, I just did 1 big squirt of Bragg's liquid aminos because it's a little less salty and got more good things in it. And of course I massively cut down the oil: 1/4 tsp grapeseed instead of sesame to get the onions started, then just water sauteed the rest of the time.
Served over brown basmati rice, oh it was heaven in bowl.
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
Thanks for the book recommendation, schmoo. Looking for it right now!
I love indian and we have a few really good buffets close by that I will go to for lunch once in a while. Over the last year, one of them has really changed their product, eliminating meatless dishes and really catering to the NA pallet - even putting out chicken wings!
But another has reacted by doing the opposite, and offering lots of veg choices. I am sure they are too heavily laden with creams and butters though.
We make really quick curry chick peas by using purchased curry sauces - not the same as making your own but a nice veg quickie for those rushed evenings.
My Galleries My Photography BLOG
Ramblings About Me
My evening meal last night was wilted spinach salad (water sauteed onion, raw spinach and melted goats cheese - not vegan but da*n good and pretty close), this morning was a delicious berry/spinach smoothie.
My Galleries My Photography BLOG
Ramblings About Me