UB Cookin'

[Sandy]

Thanks Rod!

Barley and Mushrooms would have tasted great a couple days ago when we had some cool wet weather. I love eating comfort food on days like that.

xxSandy

[Amigoo]

Chocolate Puzzle Contest (for holidays or special occasions)

Supplies:

Ziploc sandwich bags
Marker pen for plastic bags*
3.5oz bars chilled chocolate
Large disposable plates (or paper towels)
Food preparation gloves (optional)
Paper towels for cleanup

* Mark bags if cacao % of bars is different

Preparation:

With clean hands (or gloved) and a clean surface,
unwrap chilled chocolate bar, break it along separations,
then break each square in half (or into several pieces).

Place all pieces in one Ziploc bag.
Keep chocolate chilled until the contest.

Contest:

Provide bagged chocolate, disposable plates, and food gloves;
allow contestants to choose their own bag without touching it.

Contestants then open their bag and begin the contest.
The first person to complete the puzzle wins (prize optional)
and may keep the chocolate.

Note: Warm rooms require quick assembly!

Well ... there goes "Don't play with your food!"
(but it might be declared "food" after the contest)


Rod

[Amigoo]

Black Beluga Lentils

An easy preparation method for al dente beluga lentils,
excellent addition to many dishes including salads!

In a medium sauce pan, sort and rinse 1 cup black beluga lentils,
then add 2 1/2 cups water.

Bring to a soft boil, simmer 20 min., then rinse with cold water.
When completely drained, refrigerate in a covered container.

Tip: Increase cooking time slightly for softer lentils.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Chocolate Butter

A chocolate-flavored butter without Nutella sweetness
(first ingredient is sugar) but with some of its flavor.
Cocoa powder adds chocolate flavor and antioxidants.

With less sweetness, this is consumed (and enjoyed)
more like flavored butter than chocolate icing.

Directions:

Combine 1/2 cup Land O Lakes "Butter with Olive Oil",
1/3 cup Ghirardelli 100% Unsweetened Cocoa,
and 1/4 cup Nutella hazelnut spread.

Refrigerate between uses.

Note: Brands are mentioned for reference;
substitutions are possible.

Rod

[Sandy]

Sounds delicious, Rod! Thank you! And now I am thinking this chocolate butter would be wonderful on a slice of toasted cinnamon raisin bread that I bought this morning at the local bakery.
xxSandy

[Amigoo]

A diabetes discovery journey ...

Re: http://cavemanforum.com/diet-and-nutrit ... -question/

"1g of starch converts to 1g of blood sugar. 1g of table sugar converts to 0.5g of blood sugar in the short term, from the glucose half of the sugar, because the fructose half of the sugar goes to the liver to be processed. The fructose is later processed either into fat or into more sugar, so in the long term, 1g of table sugar converts to somewhere between 0.5g and 1g of blood sugar."

This is what I've noticed recently: carbohydrates cause greater blood sugar problems. Apparently, carbohydrates act like fuel, keeping blood sugar high for a longer period, whereas sugar is processed faster (relative to carbohydrates). In this respect, small and finely ground grains seem to be great fuel.

Analysis: Expect excess carbohydrates to raise blood sugar and keep it raised (at least, longer than an equal amount of sugar). This seems to explain why late night carbohydrate snacks cause my morning blood sugar to be high ... even after bedtime fasting. And this cautions that carbohydrates should be consumed earlier in the day (and in smaller servings) when physical activity helps deplete those sugars.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Fiberific Oat Bran

Pre-heat 2 cups water to simmering, then slowly stir in 1/2 rounded cup oat bran*.
Stir occasionally for 2 minutes, then cover pan, remove from heat to set 15 min.
Stir in 1/3 cup flax seed meal and 1/3 cup hemp seed.

* for more coarseness, before use sift out smaller oat bran particles with a strainer.

Serve with 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Nice with dried fruit like raisins, dates, figs, or prunes.

Tip: Wash pan, dishes, and utensils soon after use for easier cleanup.

Note: Early results suggest that this fiber combination works much better
than the various fiber pills I've tried; hemp seed adds more nutrients.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Bite-size Orange Pieces

After decades of peeling oranges , a convenience method was earned:

Wash, then cut off the two ends of an orange (go ahead! nibble on the good part).
Place the orange cut side up, then slice it into two halves but leaving center
(about 3/4" thick).

Create bite-size slices by cutting each half, first vertically (relative to top),
and then horizontally into the bite-size pieces. Cut 2 more slices from the
center wedge (go ahead! nibble on the juicy remainder).

Cut several and refrigerate in a covered container. When consumed,
bite into the white flesh also to obtain vitamins, minerals, fiber.
Go ahead! Include grapefruit slices as well.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Blueberry Force

A synergistic blend of frozen blueberies, goji berries, and chia seeds.
With such nutrition, serve with a blessing: "May the force be with you."

Ingredients:

3-lb bag frozen blueberries, briefly rinsed
1 cup dried goji berries, sorted and soaked
1/3 cup dark chia seeds
1/2 tsp organic lemon oil

Directions:

Rinse frozen blueberries in a large saucepan, drain well,
then cover pan and heat until simmering, stirring occasionally.

Stir goji berries into 3 cups of just boiled water,
soak several minutes, then drain well.

When blueberries are simmering, stir in soaked goji berries,
chia seeds, and lemon oil; continue simmering 5 min.,
then remove pan from heat and allow to cool.

Stir briefly, then refrigerate overnight in a covered container.
Stir once more before first serving.

Rod

[Sandy]

Thanks Rod for the delicious healthy edition to the UB Cooking index. That's a great tip about the oranges I might add. ... I love oranges but not the juice all over my face when trying to eat them.
xxSandy

[Amigoo]

Re: Fiberific Oat Bran - http://board.1111angels.com/viewtopic.p ... 00#p193801

For more crunch, replace 1/3 cup hemp seed
with 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds.

Rod

[Sandy]

Funny thing is... We can't purchase hemp seed for ingestion over here. You can purchase it, but there is a big warning that we are not allowed to eat it.
So it looks like it will be sunflower seeds for me.
Thanks Rod!
xxSandy

[Amigoo]

Canned Salmon Convenience

While less expensive canned salmon cannot compare to cooked fresh salmon,
the canned convenience is still nutritional! This easy preparation method
gives greater appeal to the canned pieces and refrigerates well.

Chill the canned salmon and dressing before preparation:

Separate the canned salmon into bite-size pieces, discarding bones
and skin (but these are edible). Place pieces in a container with lid
and drench with Olive Oil & Vinegar salad dressing.

Tip: Additional herbs and spices are best included when the
salmon pieces are served; keep refrigerated between servings.
Excellent on salads and as accompaniment to certain dishes.


Rod

[Amigoo]

Savory Lentil Stuff

Who knew?! that cooked red lentils and oat bran create a good base
for a tasty side dish that has generous dietary fiber? To this base,
add 1-2 cups Mexican salsa, herbs, spices ... whatever.

Suggested Ingredients:

1 cup red lentils, sorted
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup light oat bran
1 cup Mexican salsa
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
2 tbsp dried cilantro
1/2 tsp garlic granules

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan, rinse lentils with water, drain well, then
add 2 1/2 cups water; simmer until all water is absorbed (about 25 min.).

Stir in oat bran and selected herbs/spices, cover pan and remove from heat.
Allow mixture to set 20 min, then stir in remaining ingredients.

Note: Ingredients except for red lentils and oat bran are arbitrary; spaghetti sauce
(and related herbs/spices) is another option - even canned soups (without much broth).
Depending on extras selected, pieces of meat, fish, or poultry can be included
(why the recipe is called "stuff").

Rod

[Sandy]

Thanks for two wonderful new Kitchen concoctions!
xxSandy

[Amigoo]

Simple Cilantro Pesto

While traditional pesto often includes sesame seed paste, this simpler version
might be labeled "Cilantro Bean Dip". After years of discarding fresh cilantro
that had spoiled in the refrigerator because of delayed use, this simpler
pesto became an excellent Plan B. And the first step of preparation "buys"
time for recipe completion in a few days; a pesto that freezes well!

Ingredients:

2 med. bunches fresh cilantro (about 3 cups, lightly packed)
3 med. cloves garlic, sliced
1/3 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 15oz cans garbanzo beans, rinsed
water for desired consistency

Directions (pre-chill garbanzo beans):

Pack a one-quart food processer bowl with rinsed/drained fresh cilantro;
if not using immediately, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Add remaining ingredients (except beans) in the order listed; process briefly
to reduce cilantro to a coarse paste. Add beans and process to desired
consistency (include water if necessary).

Separate into several batches and freeze if consuming later
(thaw in the refrigerator two days before serving).

Tip: Sort cilantro stems to remove any discards, including
larger stems without leaves; smaller stems may be used.


Rod

[Sandy]

Can you believe I've never eaten pesto before? Time to expand my culinary experience.
Thanks Rod!
xxSandy

[Amigoo]

A diabetes discovery journey ...

Re: http://www.diabeticconnect.com/diabetes ... lood-sugar

"By testing I found that foods like bread and most foods made of grains along with pasta, rice, corn, potatoes, oatmeal, cereals, chips, crackers, cakes, cookies, candy, soda, fruits, fruit juices and most foods that contain more than 5-6 net carbs per serving as found on the package label all spiked my blood sugar."

"I found by reducing and eliminating high carb starchy foods helped me a lot. By adding small amounts of chicken, beef, pork or a hard boiled egg to my meals helped reduce sugar spikes also."

"My numbers didn’t drop over night but for the next several weeks they slowly dropped to normal numbers. After about 6-8 weeks my numbers were almost normal numbers. After 7 weeks I quit all meds and my numbers continued to get better and better."


Amazing results! (smaller meals, exercise, and more water help ... apparently)
The after "7 weeks" is almost unbelievable!, but a lifestyle change worth trying.
"5-6 net carbs per serving"! What foods are left? Carrots, celery, and water?!

Rod

[Amigoo]

Pumpkin Spooner (a spoon bread)

A dense, moist, non-leavened Pumpkin Bread with generous base
of coarse oat bran. Serve as a breakfast dish or as dessert.
Nice with half & half (or whipped cream) and pecans!

Ingredients:

1/2 rounded cup coarse oat bran
2 cups simmering water
2/3 cup spelt flour

15oz can pumpkin puree
2 tbsp light olive oil
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3 xlg egg whites
2 xlg eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Lightly oil a large glass loaf dish.
Pre-heat oven to 350F degrees.

Slowly stir oat bran into simmering water, stirring occasionally for 3 min.
Cover pan and remove from heat, allowing oat bran to absorb the water
(about 15 min.); stir a few times while oat bran is soaking.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, then whisk in remaining ingredients
except flour and oat bran. Stir spelt flour into soaked oat bran,
then stir into pumpkin mixture; spoon into baking dish.

Reduce oven to 325F degrees and bake 1 hr 20 min.
Serve hot or else cool, cover, and refrigerate.


Rod

[Sandy]

Thanks Rod!
It sounds wonderful...definitely something I wish to try. I've been saving some pumpkin from Halloween's Jack-o-lantern in the freezer for some pies, but this might be a better and healthier option.
xxSandy

[Amigoo]

Sandy,

The Pumpkin Spooner might need more moisture;
I intended to use 1/3 cup half & half, but forgot it (and didn't add it to the recipe).

I've since discovered that Pumpkin Spooner was a stepping stone to Polenta Spooner (now baking).
I'll post the recipe after sufficient gustatory evaluation.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Polenta Spooner (a spoon bread)

Dense, moist, non-leavened "cornbread", meant for spoonin' from casserole dish
to serving dish to taste buds. Versatile and satisfying for any meal; also tasty
when accompanied by fresh asparagus, yellow squash, ... whatever.

Ingredients:

2 cups polenta (coarse cornmeal)
5 cups water
2 large onions, diced
1/4 cup dried parsley
2 tbsp virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic granules
3 xlg egg whites
2 xlg eggs
1 tsp salt

Directions:

Lightly oil an 8" x 10" glass baking dish.
Pre-heat oven to 350F degrees.

Rinse polenta in a large saucepan, then drain well and add water.
Simmer about 20 min. (or until consistency of thick porridge),
stirring occasionally.

Immediately stir in diced onion; cover pan and remove from heat.
When polenta has cooled 15 min., spoon into a large mixing bowl.

Whisk eggs, then stir into cooked polenta with remaining ingredients.

Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish, reduce oven to 325F degrees
and bake 1 hr.; then increase oven to 350F degrees and bake 30 min.
(or until firm in center and light brown on top).

Optional: Top with shredded cheese and let melt in hot oven 5 min.


Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: Canned Salmon Convenience - http://board.1111angels.com/viewtopic.p ... 00#p193829

To enhance the salmon nutrition, add an equal portion of cooked edamame (green soybeans);
... and parboiled red bell pepper pieces further enhance nutrition, flavor, and color!

Rod

[Sandy]

Hi Rod,
I love it! And as luck would have it we just bought a bag of Polenta!

Would you like me to add the 1/3rd cup half and half to the Pumpkin Spooner recipe?
I'm off to bed now so you guys have a great day over there.
xxSandy

[Sandy]

Oh dear! I just realized half the UB cooking index is missing. I haven't a clue what happened. I will make it right but it may take some time to go through the recipes on these pages all over again.

Well I'm off....
xxSandy