|
Eat beyond the ordinary, eat better |
|
|
|||||
|
I've been trying out unusual recipes lately - things like peanut butter pizza and popcorn mush. Some of them are too good to miss. The typical American diet is implicated in most of health problems that rob people over 60 of productivity and enjoyment. It seems to me it is time to start enjoying foods that give enjoyment and do not take enjoyment away. I'm no expert, but from what I have happened to read, it seems a consensus is building that a person can add a decade or more of independent, enjoyable living by making good choices about diet and other practices. Yep, the world needs recipes that are different and I'm gonna put some right here on this page, I'm posting a few of the interesting recipes I come up with as I continue my adventure in eating better. So far, it has been fun. Eating is even more pleasurable when the food is definitely not the same old same old. And what else is more important than avoiding as long as possible things like heart failure, kidney dialysis, dementia, and an extended stay at a nursing home. I'll try to add a recipe about once a month and delete one of the older ones. These recipes are not for the picky eater. They are for the adventurous eater who wants a little more than the usual. Can you handle it? If not, ease up to it gradually. Some of these foods require some getting used to. Some of these recipes will be a hit on the first run through. Anyway, to me the effort is worth it. And what else is more fun? For the most part the food will be nutritous, lower in carbohydrate then the typical American diet, low in saturated fat, high in fiber, low cost, made from readily available ingredients, and not high in prep time. But everything is relative. Your idea of typical prep time could be opening the bag you got at the take out window at McDonald's and unwrapping that burger. In that case, my recipes are preparation intensive. Anyway, expect unprocessed food, quite a bit of raw food, some slicing and chopping and some new tastes and textures. |
|
|
New post: Strawberry squash seed bean: 20090114
3 ounces raw pumpkin
or 3 ounces raw acorn squash
or 3 ounces raw carrot
or 3 ounces canned pumpkin puree
3 large strawberries (2 ounces total)
or 1 third cup blueberries plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 cup unroasted walnut butter *(see note)
or if walnuts not available:
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
or 2 tablespoons raw tahini
1/8 cup dried kidney beans
or 1/8 cup dried kidney bean powder
or 1/8 cup dried split peas
or 1/8 cup lightly cooked kidney bean puree
or 1/8 cup raw peanut butter
or 1/8 cup raw peanuts
1 teaspoon olive or canola oil
2 teaspoons sugar
Process the kidney beans and 1/8 cup water into a puree.Put the bean puree in a deep bowl or mug. Heat for 1 minute 30 seconds in a 1000 watt microwave oven, or 2 minutes 30 seconds in a 600 watt oven. Set the hot container in a pan of cold water to cool for a few minutes. Put the nut butter or meal into a mixing and/or portion bowl. If the squash peel is tough or bitter, remove the peel from the squash. Process the raw squash to a very fine slaw. Add the strawberries and bean biscuit to the squash in the processor. Run until no pieces larger than 1/16 inch remain or to desired smoothness. If necessary repeatedly lift the processor 1/4 inch and bang it down on the counter top to get the mixture to flow into the path of the cutting blades. If using canned pumpkin puree and frozen berries, process the bean biscuit first, add the berries and process. Or mash the frozen berries perhaps with the flat side of a knife. Combine all ingredients. Strawberry flavor is prominent, carrot just noticeable, squash barely noticeable. Makes a light meal. For a large meal serve a side of 1/2 apple or a couple of ounces of another fruit and perhaps a couple of ounces of some type of meat. * The walnut butter can be made in a blender or food processor with enough nut to fill the processor bowl half way. The most convenient method is to use a small blender of the type with the blender jar being a lidded storage container so the walnut butter need not be transferred to another storage container. Put the California walnuts into the processor. Add 1 half as much canola oil measured by volume. Use just enough oil to get the mixture to flow while blending. Run until a butter like consistancy is produced. A batch large enough to be used for other recipes can be kept in a refridgerator for at least several weeks. Previous post: Hypo-hydro coffee prebreakfast: 20081202
1/8 cup (1 eighth ounce) roasted ground coffee
or 1 tablespoon instant coffee
or 1 eighth cup non roasted or custom barely roasted ground coffee beans
1/8 teaspoon (.015 ounce, negligible) orange juice concentrate
or 1 half teaspoon orange juice and decrease water added
below by 1 half teaspoon
or 1 tablespoon apple sauce and decrease water added
below to zero
1 tablespoon (1 quarter ounce) whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon (1 half ounce) tahini
or 1 tablespoon sunflower seed butter
or 1 tablespoon almond butter
or 1 tablespoon peanut butter
or 2 teaspoon canola oil plus 2 teaspoons whole grain flour
1 tablespoon (1 half ounce) sugar or brown sugar
1/2 pinch salt (75 milligrams, 1/64 teaspoon, .0025 ounces)
1 tablespoon (1 half ounce) water
Combine and mix all ingredients in a small microwaveable bowl.Form the batter into a ring shape with a 1 or 2 inch hole at the center to encourage even heating. Heat in a microwave oven until firm, 1 minute 35 seconds in a 1000 watt oven, 2 minutes 40 seconds in a 600 watt oven. Eat about 3 hours before breakfast. Then drink 10 ounces hot water. Ought to be good for at least several uses until you get tired of it. Then alter the recipe, for example, use brown sugar instead of white, use peanut butter instead of tahini, use custom roasted coffee, use honey instead of sugar, etc. Can also be eaten immediately after breakfast as a dessert. At least one study found unfiltered coffee contributes to heart disease by raising colesterol.
|
|
Back to fun things menu
