The Daewoo KOR8A0R is a sturdy, well designed microwave. Its sleek black casing would be an attractive feature in any kitchen, being far less clinical than many more expensive units. The KOR8A0R is easy to clean but as usual, care needs to be taken to avoid scratching the plastic. The controls are simple, well defined and easy to use. In particular the time and weight settings are adjusted using a rotary dial, many will appreciate this over using buttons
The Bosch BOSHMT75M451B is a well built, nicely designed and compact microwave oven. It is finished in attractive brushed steel, and features 3 weight auto-cook and 4 weight auto-defrost programmes.With weight automatic programmes, you simply enter the type of food you are cooking along with its weight, and this microwave will automatically calculate the optimum heat level and cooking time. The rotary controls and the clear LED display allow you to set the timer and heat level effortlessly.
The Bosch BOSHMT75M451B is a freestanding microwave. It has a 17 litre capacity and has 5 power levels. It also features electronic controls, a 245mm diameter glass turntable, LED display for microwave power level, cooking duration and 24 hour clock, electronic timer (up to 99 minutes) with acoustic signal, push button controls for selecting power levels, retractable control for timer and weight settings, and an interior light.
Cooking up some fried rice is a great way to use up leftovers.
Be sure to start with 2 cups of COLD cooked rice.
When it?s JUST cooked, hot rice is too moist and sticky and will make your fried rice very soggy.
As with all stir fry recipes?..get all your ingredients prepared before you turn on the stove!
Let 1 cup of frozen peas defrost on a plate while the rest of the ingredients get prepared.
Crack 2 eggs into a small bowl and beat them with a fork until they are all mixed together.
Cut one small onion in half?.cut off the top and peel the skin away?. leaving the root intact. Making 1/8 inch cuts, DICE the onion.
Trim the ends off two green onions and cut them into about � inch bits.
Now for the sauce?.measure � cup of oyster sauce into a liquid measuring cup. Add 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce.
Preheat a large frying pan on medium heat for about 30 seconds.
Add 1 Tablespoon of canola or peanut oil. Let that heat up for about another 30 seconds.
Pour the beaten eggs into the pan. Swirl them around so that there is a thin layer of eggs on the bottom of the pan. Let the eggs cook until they?re dry on the top.
Remove the eggs from the pan and put them onto a plate. With two dinner knives, slice them into strips. They will get added to the rice in just a minute!
Turn the heat up to medium high and add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan. Heat the oil for about 30 seconds.
Add the diced yellow onion to the hot oil and cook the onion for about 1 minute.
Now add the rice and stir it until it?s heated through. This should only take a minute or two.
If you have any left over ham, chicken, pork, or shrimp, chop it up and it can be added at this point to the fried rice as well!
Mix in the sauce?..the defrosted peas?..and the green onions. Let that get heated through as well.
I've been a fan of the restaurant Town in Kaimuki since I first dined there back in 2008. I always make a point of visiting whenever I'm in Honolulu.
Ed Kenney is the chef and owner, and a great voice for sustainability in the food system. He's very approachable, in fact you'll see him shopping at the farmers market most weekends. He also has his finger on the pulse of what's happening so on my last visit I got a sat down to chat with him about the local Oahu food scene and since I'm heading back tomorrow, I thought it's about time I shared this interview...
What do you think would surprise most people about the food scene here? We have different kinds of visitors, the Cheesecake Factory here is the highest grossing location in the world. Then there are the Opentable people who look for places to eat before they even get here, but it's still a small group. People know the chains and the upper crust spots, but what makes it really amazing is the middle range and finding out about that takes a motivated foodie traveler. It's the middle range that's so diverse. And the diversity is blossoming.
What are your thoughts on the food truck trend? Any trucks you particularly like or patronize? There have always been food trucks, it's beach thing, people get out of the ocean dry off and want to get something to eat. But the culinarily driven ones are new. It's a stepping stone, also it adds diversity, Zaratez, from LA tacos. Melt is run by Nobu alums, so fine dining is going more approachable. Soul Patrol, Sean's a good friend. The food is excellent. It's heavy stuff. Camille's on Wheels is run by a home cook, and it's got a really homey feel. Deep dish pies with flaky crust, fusion tacos. I haven't been to Eat the Street yet because I'm working that night.
So where should the visiting foodie dine? The Pig and the Lady, Plancha, some of the pop up roving restaurants have young passionate, creative chefs.
Which chef or restaurant impresses you these days? Mark Noguchi at He'eia Pier. (Note: More on Hee'eia Pier after my next visit)
How would you describe Town for people who haven't been? We're very italian. The regional manager of Gucci comes to Town every time he visits and says "This is not Italian but it is the essence of Italian food" and that's because because we have an Italian sensibility.
What should visitors not miss when they come to Hawaii, in terms of ingredients? We can grow everything here, I'd like to think native Hawaiians would grow arugula today. Our locally grown vegetables even non-native ones are great. Paia hand pounded taro. We use it in breads and in dough. We slice and pan fry it crispy on the outside and mochi like inside. We've had invasive seaweeds, so it's good to eat those! Cooking with seaweed is like adding the sea to a dish.
I remember a few years ago when my mom made cranberry sauce from scratch for the first time. Neither of us had any idea it was so easy. Seriously, here?s a recipe. (Spoiler alert: cranberries, water, sugar, cook 10 minutes). It?s truly embarrassing how many years we ate canned cranberry sauce without knowing any better.
She and I still disagree on how it should be made, though. She?s a purist. Little more than a few walnuts added to it. Me, I?m a fan of adding mandarin oranges.
Anyhoo, this year I had some leftover berries and the need for something with some oomph to accompany brie at a tiny little affair to celebrate the arrival of a tiny little dude (code for a sip-and-see). But I didn?t want sauce, per se. A jam! But no oranges?hmm?balsamic vinegar? It goes well with strawberries, so why not? Guess what?it?s good! So here?s a little recipe for some balsamic cranberry jam. It?s a little tart, a tiny bit sweet and with just a hint of balsamic flavor. You could use this in place of your average holiday cranberry sauce or year-round with cheese, cream cheese, on toast or with some sliced apples or pears (if you want to be healthy?and I do?I guess).
Balsamic Cranberry Jam yield: about 10-12 ounces
1/2 cup water 6 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (half a bag of fresh) 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons brown sugar* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Bring water and cranberries to a boil. Reduce heat when�the berries split, add salt, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar and simmer until desired thickness (stirring occasionally). About 15 minutes.
I used brown sugar instead of white because I like the molassess-y taste and thickness. You can use regular sugar, but it may not be as jammy.
Typically each week I?m sharing my own tips or advice on a wide range of topics.� This week, I?d like to turn the tables and ask you to share your ideas on something I think probably affects many of us this time of year?the winter ?blahs.?
You probably know what I?m talking about, that hum-drum, lack of energy feeling you get mid-winter.� I?ve heard some people refer to it as ?cabin fever? because they feel cooped up indoors all the time due to the cold weather.� I?m not sure if it?s the cold, the reduction of daylight or maybe a combination of both, but I certainly feel the effects of it.
I have a few strategies to cope?I try to get outside as much as I can when th weather cooperates.� Just the other week, I wrote a blog about how this year I?m growing my own herb garden so we can enjoy some fresh herbs like we do during spring and summer.� I also try to make myself stay active despite feeling like all I want to do on some days is hide under a blanket on my sofa.
So, I want to know?how do you cope with the cold weather, the reduced amount of daylight and the lack of other perks that come along with the warmer season (I?m thinking fragrant flowers, warm breezes ?)?� It could be an exercise routine that boosts your mood, maybe a nutrition tip or a specific activity you feel is beneficial.� Please share your own tips with us using the comment feature below.� I, for one, will be very appreciative of any suggestions!
2.Tis the season for cookies and these little treasures remind me of Rudolf.
3.An ingredient and equipment list is at the end of this video.
4.The big surprise is that none of the typical cookie ingredients ?.like flour, sugar, and eggs?. are needed for this recipe!
**************** 5.Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees.
6.Line a baking sheet with sides with non-stick tin foil.
7.If you only have regular tin foil then you have to ?grease? the foil?.with Crisco or cooking spray.
********** 8.Put in a large bowl: a.? cup of raisins b.? cup of flaked sliced almonds c.? cup of shredded coconut and d.2 cups of crushed Cornflakes
9.Mix everything together and then?..Measure?. ? cup of sweetened condensed milk ?. and mix that in as well.
*********** 10.Place a scant not quite 1/4 of a cup the mixture onto the foil lined oven tray.
11.They don?t really spread or change shape when they are cooking, so they don?t have to be really far apart.
12.Cut the candied cherries in half?..and put ? a cherry on each cookie.
13.Be sure the cookie stays squished together??..You may have to pat the edges with your fingers to keep the cookie together.
********** 14.Bake the cookies for 14-15 minutes or until they reach a light golden color.
15.Let the cookies cool about 5 minutes before removing from them from the tray.
************ 16.They are delicious as is?but let?s add some chocolate!
17.Put the dark chocolate into a small bowl and melt it in the microwave.
18.With a butter knife, spread a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of the cookie.
19.Let the dark chocolate completely harden before flipping them over.
************ 20.To melt the white chocolate?pour about two cups of water?just off the boil?into a medium size?heat proof bowl.
21.Put the white chocolate chips into a small baggie.
22.Set the baggie into the bowl.
23.In about 5 minutes the chocolate will be melted.
24.Snip the corner of the baggie.
25.Squeeze the chocolate into a funnel shape and snip the corner of the baggie. Then squirt a decorative pattern on the top of the cookie with melted chocolate.
************ 26.If any cherries have fallen off? use the melted chocolate as glue to reposition the cherry.
It?s still Tomato Week II: Tomatwo, which means I?m posting yet another recipe with canned tomatoes. I told you I like tomatoes. I was not joking.
Can't you just envision eating this on a Cyprian terrace overlooking the cobalt blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea? I can.
Mediterranean pasta is one of my favorite, ?I don?t feel like cooking? meals to prepare. It requires two pieces of cookware (a pot to boil the pasta and a skillet for the sauce) and less than 20 minutes to prepare. And it?s delicious. Plus, I always have the ingredients on hand to make it because they are all canned or jarred (except the feta cheese, which is optional anyway). Even better, Mini Eats likes it and it?s easy for her to eat without assistance.
And if I still haven?t sold you on this pasta dish, I?ll mention that you can make as little or as much as you want with about the same amount of effort. Just use smaller or larger cookware.
Most of the work happens in this one skillet. Easy to cook and easy to clean.
This meal isn?t rocket science?add what you like; skip what you don?t like?but I?ll give you a recipe anyway.
Mediterranean Pasta serves 2-4
6-8 ounces dried penne pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 can (~14 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained 1 tablespoon (one bulb)�minced garlic 1/2 jar (~6 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts 1/2 jar (~6 ounces) roasted red or red and yellow peppers 1/4 cup kalamata olives 1 heaping tablespoon capers 1/2 teaspoon each: dried crushed rosemary, oregano, and basil (add more as desired) salt and pepper to taste 2-4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
Cook pasta in salted water according to directions. Penne usually takes a bit longer to cook than smaller pasta.
Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients (except salt, pepper, and feta) in a large skillet and simmer over medium high heat until the water cooks down slightly into a sauce and the flavors combine (about 10-15 minutes). Stir occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste.
When done, drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Add the sauce and stir in the feta.
Eat and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing this plate of pasta would cost $12-18 in a restaurant.
Falafel, or fried chickepea patties, have been on my todo list for a while! Making the quioa tabouleh salad reminded of a photo that I had seen a long time ago where perfectly golden brown falafel were served on a bed of tabbouleh and I figured that it was the perfect time to try making falafel! As it turns out, making light, crispy and perfectly golden brown falafel at home is quite easy, though if you are starting with dried chickpeas you do need to let them soak over night so it takes some planning.
The recipe is pretty simple with a base of the chickpeas along with some onions, garlic, a whole bunch of fresh herbs and some seasonings. Once you have the 'batter' mixed up you form it into balls or patties and fry them until golden brown. It is pretty hard to not eat them all while you are waiting for the next batch to cook but it is good to show some restraint in this case because their are plenty of great ways of serving them! Of course I started out by serving some of them on a bed of the quioa tabouleh salad which made for a really nice light meal.
Falafel
Golden brown balls of chickpeas that are light and crispy on the outside and warm, moist and tender on the inside.
1 cup dried chickpeas/garbanzo beans, soaked in cold water overnight
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 lemon, zest
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
cayenne to taste
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Pulse the drained chickpeas, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, coriander, cumin and lemon zest until it forms a coarse meal.
Sprinkle in the flour and baking soda and pulse a few times to combine, then test the mixture to make sure that it holds together adding more flour until it does.
Refrigerate the mixture in a covered container for a few hours.
Form the mixture into balls or patties.
Heat oil in pan to 350F, fry the balls in small batches until golden brown, about 4-6 minutes and set aside on paper towels to drain.
Next up was a pita sandwich.
Falafel Pita Sandwich
A pita filled with crispy warm falafel, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, feta and a tasty tahini yogurt sauce.
There is no need to wait for a sandwich though if you just want to go straight to dipping the falafel right into the thic and creamy tahini and yogurt sauce.
Tahini Yogurt Sauce
A fresh and tangy tahini and yogurt sauce that is just a little bit too addictive.
2.Tis the season for cookies and these little treasures remind me of Rudolf.
3.An ingredient and equipment list is at the end of this video.
4.The big surprise is that none of the typical cookie ingredients ?.like flour, sugar, and eggs?. are needed for this recipe!
**************** 5.Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees.
6.Line a baking sheet with sides with non-stick tin foil.
7.If you only have regular tin foil then you have to ?grease? the foil?.with Crisco or cooking spray.
********** 8.Put in a large bowl: a.? cup of raisins b.? cup of flaked sliced almonds c.? cup of shredded coconut and d.2 cups of crushed Cornflakes
9.Mix everything together and then?..Measure?. ? cup of sweetened condensed milk ?. and mix that in as well.
*********** 10.Place a scant not quite 1/4 of a cup the mixture onto the foil lined oven tray.
11.They don?t really spread or change shape when they are cooking, so they don?t have to be really far apart.
12.Cut the candied cherries in half?..and put ? a cherry on each cookie.
13.Be sure the cookie stays squished together??..You may have to pat the edges with your fingers to keep the cookie together.
********** 14.Bake the cookies for 14-15 minutes or until they reach a light golden color.
15.Let the cookies cool about 5 minutes before removing from them from the tray.
************ 16.They are delicious as is?but let?s add some chocolate!
17.Put the dark chocolate into a small bowl and melt it in the microwave.
18.With a butter knife, spread a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of the cookie.
19.Let the dark chocolate completely harden before flipping them over.
************ 20.To melt the white chocolate?pour about two cups of water?just off the boil?into a medium size?heat proof bowl.
21.Put the white chocolate chips into a small baggie.
22.Set the baggie into the bowl.
23.In about 5 minutes the chocolate will be melted.
24.Snip the corner of the baggie.
25.Squeeze the chocolate into a funnel shape and snip the corner of the baggie. Then squirt a decorative pattern on the top of the cookie with melted chocolate.
************ 26.If any cherries have fallen off? use the melted chocolate as glue to reposition the cherry.
Near the end of the first week of my KISSS healthy-eating plan, calamity struck?or at least what passes for calamity when you are trying to cook and eat healthy soups every day. I went to the pantry and found that I had no onions. No onions! Take a look at almost any of my savory recipes and you?ll see the same first step: ?Saute onions in a non-stick pan.? Onions provide the flavor base on which all of my soups are built, and without onions, I definitely couldn?t cook the soup that I had planned to.
It was almost dinner time, so rather than make a trip to the store for one item, I took a look in my freezer and pantry to figure out what I could make with what I had on-hand. In the freezer I had a package of Cajun-Style Mirepoix blend (onions, green peppers, and celery) and several bags of mixed vegetables, including a gumbo blend. Using them and canned tomatoes and beans from my pantry, I managed to make an amazingly good gumbo in under a hour, and the only vegetable I had to chop was the garlic.
Having a well-stocked freezer and pantry can rescue you when you?re running short on fresh ingredients and might be tempted to reach for something processed and unhealthy. People often ask me what I keep on-hand at all times, but I?ve never really taken stock and written it down. Until now. Excluding fresh fruits and vegetables, which vary by the season, here are the basic ingredients that I always keep in my pantry and freezer. Click on ?Print? if you?d like to print the lists (the photos will print also).
Cans, Bottles, and Jars
Canned Beans: black-eyed peas, chickpeas, lentils, black, kidney, pinto, great northern, fat-free refried beans, and chili beans
whole and diced tomatoes (including fire-roasted), tomato sauce, tomato paste
salsa
spaghetti sauce
pumpkin
Fruits Canned in Juice: Pineapple chunks, crushed pineapple
apple sauce
soy and almond milk
natural peanut butter
vegetable broth
kalamata olives, black olives, green olives
balsamic, white wine, red wine, and other assorted vinegars
lite silken tofu in aseptic packages
sesame oil
low-fat salad dressing
ketchup and barbecue sauce
Dry Goods
(I actually keep grains and flours in the freezer to prevent insects from getting at them.)
Dried Beans: split-peas, yellow split-peas, lentils, red lentils, chickpeas, black, kidney, pinto, great northern, limas, etc.
Flour: white whole wheat flour, chickpea flour, cornmeal, brown rice flour, wheat gluten, etc.
Freezer
Vegetable Blends: California (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots), Italian (California plus zucchini, lima beans, onions and peppers), Mirapoix, Cajun Mirepoix, Gumbo, Soup Mix
Individual Vegetables: green beans, peas, chopped spinach, corn, okra, turnip and collard greens, baby lima beans
hash brown potatoes (both diced potatoes and shredded patties, without added oil)
Fruit: blueberries, cherries, smoothie blend, raspberries, strawberries, pineapple, mango, bananas (sliced and frozen at home)
Bread: pita bread, whole wheat and corn tortillas, sliced bread
veggie burgers, seitan, veggie protein crumbles
raw cashews and flax seeds
Spices and Seasonings
I have literally dozens of spices, too many to list. Here are the ones I use most often:
Basil
Bay leaf
Black pepper, whole
Cayenne
Ancho chili powder
Chipotle chile powder
Cinnamon
Cloves
Coriander
Crushed red pepper
Curry powder (Maharajah)
Dry Mustard
Garlic powder
Ginger powder
Ground cumin, whole cumin
Hickory salt (or other smoked salt)
Nutmeg, whole
Onion powder
Oregano, Mexican oregano
Paprika, smoked, both mild and hot
Poultry Seasoning (thyme, sage, and black pepper blend)
Rosemary
Sage
Thyme
Turmeric
Coconut extract
Vanilla
Hot sauce
vegetable bouillon
A few ingredients used as seasonings that I keep in the fridge:
miso
mustard (whole grain)
Sriracha hot sauce
sambal oelek (hot pepper paste)
soy sauce
tahini
Thai curry pastes
ginger root
Other:
onions, red and yellow
garlic
fresh parsley and oregano (in garden year-round)
Of course, as soon as I post this, I?ll think of other ingredients that are absolutely indispensable, and I?ll add them as they come to mind. The point is, with a well-stocked pantry and freezer, you can always whip up a meal in a hurry, no matter how bare your refrigerator is. Fresh veggies are always tastier, but frozen ones are just as nutritious (sometimes more so), usually less expensive, pre-chopped, and very quick and convenient to use.
Ridiculously Easy Vegetable Gumbo
Though I used packaged, frozen vegetables for everything including the onion blend, you can use whatever fresh vegetables you have on hand. Try to include some okra: it makes this a gumbo rather than just a vegetable stew.
Ingredients
2 cups Cajun-style Mirepoix onion-pepper-celery blend (roughly equal parts of each)
2 12-ounce packages frozen vegetable gumbo mix or other mixed vegetables
1 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 15-ounce can kidney beans (1 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can chickpeas (1 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
4 cups water
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon smoked hot paprika or cayenne to taste
2 teaspoons soy sauce or wheat-free tamari
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 servings vegetable bouillon (enough to flavor 2 cups of water)
Heat a non-stick stock pot and saute the onion, pepper, and celery over medium heat until completely thawed (if frozen) and softened. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT the file powder and hickory salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes, adding additional water as needed to form a thick stew. Add file powder and smoked salt and adjust seasonings as needed, adding salt and hot sauce to taste just before serving.
Serve alone or over rice or other grain with additional hot sauce.
I seem to have started eating for the holidays sometime back in September. Though I had spent much of the early part of the year watching what I ate, exercising regularly, and losing around 25 pounds, a sinus infection in late August coupled with a quick trip to Portland (vegan Mecca) threw me off balance. Maybe I thought I needed comfort food, maybe I was just looking for an excuse. Whatever. Today I sit here having regained 5 of those hard-lost pounds and, even more troubling, a couple of food addictions I thought I?d put behind me?sugar and its partner in crime, flour. Both drive me crazy with cravings but make me feel bloated, lethargic, and queasy when I give in to them; of course, by the time the cravings hit again, I?ve managed to forget the effects indulging will have on me, so the cycle repeats.
I know from experience that the only way for me to get control over my eating is the tough love approach. Like any addiction, a compulsive desire to eat sugar and starch won?t go away if I string it along with small doses. For me it?s all or nothing. But just as important as getting rid of the anti-nutrients (which is what I consider sugar and flour to be) is filling my body with nutritious plant foods. I?m talking vegetables, beans, and fruit. A few raw nuts. A couple servings of whole grains. Simple whole foods.
Changing What You Crave
I know that at this time of year, a lot of people are taking stock of their health and committing (or recommitting) to healthy eating plans. Some are doing cleanses or detoxes, which, for the record, I don?t believe in. I think that you should start in the way you hope to continue, and short-term, stringent detoxes, which often are downright dangerous, don?t do the body any long-term good or lead to healthy eating practices. My goals are to make vegetables the center of my diet, loosen the grip that sugary foods have on me, and change my habits so that I?m not reaching for a gooey granola bar or bowl of vegan ice cream every night after dinner. I know from experience that with time and effort I can change what I crave. It?s been a long time since I?ve really craved a big honkin? salad, but I will get back there!
This is not about weight loss, though I could stand to lose quite a few pounds and expect that I will. It?s about eating the way I know is healthiest for me. It?s about feeling better, more energetic, more focused, more alive.
I would love for you to join me on this journey, even if you just try it for a week or two. But I have to point out that I have absolutely no nutritional training (B.A. in English, M.A. in English, and 1/2 of a Ph.D. in?you guessed it?English). If you have health issues and decide to follow my plan, please okay it with your doctor or at least let her know so she can monitor your need for medication. If you?re coming to this from the Standard American Diet and are taking medication for blood pressure, cholesterol, or high blood sugar, your need for it may decrease after you start eating this way, so get check-ups at regular intervals.
Keep It Simple, Soups and Salads
I have a tendency to make things overly complex, so while I was figuring out exactly what my meal plan would be and what I wanted to say to you about it, I kept telling myself, ?Keep It Simple, Soups and Salads.? Abbreviated, that?s KISSAS, which I shortened to KISSS because, well, think about it.
My plan looks a lot like Dr. Joel Fuhrman?s Eat to Live 6-Week plan, and I?ve adopted his mantra, ?The salad is the Main Dish,? though I often stretch my definition of salads to include cooked ones. I?m a little less rigid about amounts and tend to eat more grains and starchy vegetables and fewer nuts and seeds than he advocates, but overall, if you?re strictly following the 6-week plan, you?re basically doing what I?m doing. I also tend to view salt as a necessary evil?a little bit helps me enjoy my meals so much more than without it, helping me stick to my vegetable-centric diet?though hard-core ETLers would tell me (and you) to cut it out.
I concentrate on soups and stews, in addition to the salads, because it?s possible to pack a lot of vegetables into a soup, eliminating the need for vegetable side dishes. When the soup contains plenty of veggies, all I need to add is a starter salad and perhaps a serving of whole grain or potato to have a filling dinner.
So Here are the Details
(Click ?Print? to print this section.)
Do Eat
at least 4 fruits per day
At least 1 huge and 1 regular salad per day (containing fresh greens such as lettuce, spinach, kale, cabbage)
As many cooked, non-starchy vegetables as you can (broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, onions, carrots, kale, peppers, zucchini, etc.)
At least one cup of cooked beans/legumes/lentils
1-2 tablespoons of raw nuts or seeds (try to have walnuts and ground flax seeds daily?good sprinkled on salad)
About 1 cup of cooked whole grains or potato
Don?t Eat
Meat (including poultry or fish), dairy, or eggs, of course!
Oil, including olive and coconut oil and margarine
Sugar, including agave nectar, maple syrup, Sucanat, date syrup, dried fruits (including dates)
Flour or flour products (bread, pasta, etc.)
Alcohol
Meal Plan
I find that getting into the habit of eating the same basic breakfast and lunch every day helps me stay on-track. Where I shake it up is at dinner because I?m one of those people who don?t like to eat the same thing two nights in a row. I tend to eat fruit for breakfast, but not everyone feels satisfied with that, so I?m including some other options.
Whole grain, potato, sweet potato, or winter squash, if desired
Snacks
I try to stick to fruit for snacks, but I?ve listed some other options to include only if you don?t feel satisfied after eating your fruit. Eat your fruit first! After that, if you?re still hungry, have more of anything on the ?Do Eat? list.
Having a nutritious meal already made can mean the difference between staying on-track and reaching for some processed junk. I usually start every week by making a big pot of my ?Dirty Little Secret Soup,? which I keep on-hand for lunch when I don?t feel like a salad or for dinner when my family is eating something else. I always plan for at least 4 different dinners during the week and count on a combination of leftovers and the secret soup to feed us the other nights.
Eat a bigger lunch salad than the one in this photo!
About the Salads
Eating a big enough salad is essential to both feeling full and taking in enough nutrients on this plan. When I talk about Mega-Huge, ginormous, or big honkin?salads, I mean a salad that fills a serving bowl. Start with greens?lettuce and spinach are my base?and add tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli slaw (basically shredded broccoli stems, which you can make or buy), and any other vegetables you like. Toss it with an oil-free dressing (I have a new ranch dressing that I will be sharing soon), add a heaping serving of beans (hot or cold) or hummus and, if your dressing doesn?t contain nuts, a tablespoon of raw walnuts or other nuts. (Walnuts have the most Omega 3?s, so I tend to stick with them.) Add some ground flax seeds if your dressing doesn?t contain any. Even this small amount of nuts and seeds helps the absorption of nutrients, provides essential fatty acids, and makes us feel full longer.
My two favorite salads are Taco Salad (made with canned chili beans for the sake of time) and Hummus Salad. Other times I top my salad with my vegan buttermilk dressing along with chickpeas and slices of apple or pear. Don?t be afraid to get creative with your salads and your salad dressings. See this post for some tips on removing the oil from your favorite dressing recipes.
More Resources
If you decide to join me, I?m happy to answer any questions in the comments below. Feel free to post here or on my Facebook wall and tell me how you?re doing.
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For much more nutritional information than I can supply, be sure to read Eat to Live.
For more recipes, be sure to check out my Eat to Live archives both here and on the website.
A few other sites that support this way of eating (though possibly more or less strict in some of the details) are
?if you like this post and want me to write about other topics like this from time to time. If you have any suggestions on topics, I?ll be happy to consider them.
Serves 6 to 8 Total time: 1 hour || Active time: 20 minutes
January for me means there?s always a chili or a curry simmering away on the stove. There?s no farmer?s markets to speak of so of course I?m depending on lots of beans and pantry items. When your toes are so cold all the time you need something warm and filling at the ready, and the spice doesn?t hurt, either! Its fragrance warms everything up like a magic spell wafting throughout the house. In fact, this curry was so aromatic that the mailman had to knock on the door just to tell me how good it smelled. Now that?s sayin? something.
I wanted lots of texture here and so I went with hearty ingredients. Eggplant, for one, with its great meaty seeds and velvety body. And then I used a little lentil trick that is worth its weight in gold (I mean, worth it?s weight in lentils.) Use two kinds: red lentils as a backdrop, because they just melt into the stew and provide a thick heartiness. And then brown or green lentils which stay toothsome and intact.
You can serve with basmati rice, of course, but it?s also great over mashed potatoes (maybe even cilantro or scallion mashed potatoes if you want to get a little fancy.) When peeling the eggplant, you don?t have to be too precise. A little skin left on is fine, I just find that a lot of skin is a little obtrusive and it also prevents the eggplant from breaking down. I used black eyed peas to switch things up a bit, but kidney or chickpeas are great here, too!
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, diced medium 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 1/2 lbs eggplant, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks 1 1/2 tablespoons mild curry powder (more to taste) 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed or chopped fennel seed 1 teaspoon salt Fresh black pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder (leave out if you don?t like spicy, increase if you do) 1/2 cup red lentils 1/2 cup brown or green lentils 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped (extra for garnish) 5 cups vegetable broth 3 cups cooked black eyed peas, rinsed and drained (about 2 16 oz cans) 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Preheat a 4-quart soup pot over medium high heat. Saute onions in oil until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and saute for another minute.
Add the eggplant, curry powder, fennel seed, salt, pepper and cayenne along with a 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth to cook the eggplant down for a minute or two.
Add lentils, cilantro and remaining vegetable broth. Cover pot and bring to a boil, keeping a close eye. Once it?s boiling, lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes, until lentils are tender and eggplant is soft. Add black eyed peas to heat through, and stir in the tomato paste and lemon juice. If you?d like a thicker curry, then leave the lid off for the last 10 minutes. For thinner then just add a little extra broth. Taste for salt and seasoning.
Let sit for 10 minutes or so for maximum flavor. Serve garnished with cilantro if you like.
I have a tendency to make things overly complex, so while I was figuring out exactly what my meal plan would be and what I wanted to say to you about it, I kept telling myself, ?Keep It Simple, Soups and Salads.? Abbreviated, that?s KISSAS, which I shortened to KISSS because, well, think about it.
