Book Nook Cafe discussion

43 views
Health-Exercise-Diet- Beauty > Recipe Thread #9 ~~~ 2019

Comments Showing 1-50 of 142 (142 new)    post a comment »
« previous 1 3

message 1: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments

Share your favorite recipes with us !


message 2: by Alias Reader (last edited Dec 31, 2018 02:43PM) (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments Pasta With Radicchio, Gorgonzola and Hazelnuts




YIELD 4 to 6 servings
TIME 25 minutes


Kosher salt
1 pound mezze rigatoni or penne rigate
1 cup roughly chopped hazelnuts
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ pounds radicchio, cored and cut into 1-inch ribbons (around 2 to 3 medium heads)
Black pepper
6 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola or other mild, soft blue cheese
½ cup chopped Italian parsley
Flaky salt, for serving (optional)
Grated pecorino or Parmesan, for serving (optional)


---- PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of well-salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1½ cups pasta cooking water, and drain.

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Toast the hazelnuts, stirring frequently so they do not burn, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.

Heat the olive oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the radicchio and cook until it begins to wilt and browns in spots, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the gorgonzola and 1/2 cup pasta water, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes more. The water should emulsify the cheese and create a velvety texture.

Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to combine with the sauce, adding 1/4 cup pasta water or more as needed until it’s glossy with sauce, about 1 minute more. Add the hazelnuts and half the parsley and toss again to combine. Top with remaining parsley and season with flaky salt. Pass grated cheese at the table, if desired.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1...


message 3: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments

Tuscan Farro Soup

MARK BITTMAN
YIELD 4 servings
TIME 1 1/2 hours

------ INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup farro, spelt or barley
1 cup dried white beans, soaked for several hours or overnight
2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; do not drain)
6 cups stock or water, more as necessary
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil, optional
Freshly grated Parmesan


----- PREPARATION
Put oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat; a minute later add onion, celery, carrots, a large pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook until vegetables are glossy and onion is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, and stir; add farro, beans, tomatoes and stock, and stir.

Bring to a boil, then adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily. Cook until farro and beans are tender, at least an hour, adding stock or water as necessary if mixture becomes too thick. Stir in parsley and basil (if using), then cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve with lots of Parmesan.

==================
Trader Joe's sells a quick version 10 minute of Farro. I would use that. Also I use canned no sodium beans.

They also sell already prepared fresh mirepoix (diced carrot, celery, onion)

So this recipe would with these changes would be super quick.


message 4: by Stephanie (last edited Jan 16, 2019 06:29PM) (new)

Stephanie | 311 comments I made this via Pinterest :) my husband really liked it..I thought it was just ok but mostly because of the spinach :)

INSTANT POT VEGETABLE NOODLE SOUP

Ingredients
* 1 onion, finely chopped
* 1 large carrot, diced
* 1/2 a small sweet potato - diced
* 1 clove of garlic, crushed
* 1/2 cup of frozen sweetcorn
* 1 tbs of tomato paste
* 1 tsp of paprika
* 1/4 tsp of garlic powder
* 1/4 tsp of chilli powder
* pinch of dried basil, oregano, thyme and parsley
* salt and black pepper
* 5 cups (1.2 litres) of vegetable or chicken stock
* 100g (3.5oz) of uncooked pasta of choice
* 4 handfuls of spinach
* spray oil

Instructions
Instant Pot
1. Set instant pot to saute mode
2. Once hot, spray with spray oil, add onion, garlic and carrots and fry for 2 minutes to soften.
3. Mix in the sweet potato, tomato paste and spices and herbs and stir to coat.
4. Add the stock, sweetcorn and pasta, add lid, close valve and set to 8 mins high pressure. 
5. Once cooking is complete, do a quick pressure release and stir through the spinach. Season as needed with salt and black pepper.
7. Optional: top with a little grated parmesan as part of your Healthy Extra A allowance.

Stove Top:

Spray a deep lidded pot over a medium high with spray oil.
add onion, garlic and carrots and fry for 2 minutes to soften.
Mix in the sweet potato, tomato paste and spices and herbs and stir to coat.
Add the stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat, add lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add in the sweetcorn and pasta and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes until pasta is cooked.
Stir through the spinach and season as needed with salt and black pepper.
Optional: top with a little grated parmesan as part of your Healthy Extra A allowance.


message 5: by Barbara (new)

Barbara (cinnabarb) | 3845 comments Looks yummy. 😊❤


message 6: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments Sounds delicious, Stephanie . And not too difficult to make.


message 7: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie | 311 comments It was super easy! I think it can be prepared on the stove top as well...I think there were stove top directions and if so, then I will edit my post to include them.

We’ve had our instant pot for awhile but I am finally getting better at using it lol!


message 8: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments I'm not very familiar with Instant Pot. Is the idea to speed up the cooking time? Apparently you are liking it. I am hoping that by the time we finally settle down there will be an apparatus which buys, preps and cooks foods we want for us...and cleans up after itself. :-)

I'm adding my own dish to this list of yummy foods, although i cannot at all attest to its healthiness. I really need to study how to post photos here, sorry for the lack of photos. Here's a link to the one which looks most like mine. https://duckduckgo.com/?t=palemoonsp&... My notes are at the end.

Posole

This dish originated in Jalisco, Mexico, and is traditionally served at Christmas time. It is a thick, hearty soup.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pork steaks (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into cubes
1 can (15 ounces) hominy, rinsed and drained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup rich chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Lime wedges for garnish
Flour tortillas, warmed
Toppings:
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Sliced radishes
Grated cheddar cheese
Chopped green onions
Diced avocados

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and pork and sauté until vegetables are tender and pork is browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in hominy, tomato sauce, stock, seasonings, and cilantro.
2. Bake uncovered, until meat is tender and flavors are blended, about 40 minutes. Garnish with lime and serve with tortillas. Pass around toppings in small bowls. Serves 4.

My husband has had this dish in southwestern states for years but it didn't call to me until i found this recipe. He likes is "soup-y", so i add more broth. A cubed sweet potato can be added, which adds some health to it, i think. And, i add neither cilantro nor parsley to the dish, as i don't like the former and forget to buy the latter.


message 9: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments madrano wrote: And, i add neither cilantro nor parsley to the dish, as i don't like the former and forget to buy the latter."

They say it's a genetic trait if you hate cilantro. Include me in the haters. ;)


message 10: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie | 311 comments madrano wrote: "I'm not very familiar with Instant Pot. Is the idea to speed up the cooking time? Apparently you are liking it. I am hoping that by the time we finally settle down there will be an apparatus which ..."

I think so but honestly not all of the recipes I have found make it faster due to having to prep veggies, lol! Or brown the meat first.

I LOVE cilantro!! Especially in pico de gallo! I’ve taken old mt husband that I want to grow some in the house just because I love the smell too 😂😂😂


message 11: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments A true lover of cilantro! I can eat some pico de gallo if not too much cilantro has been added but i prefer to ignore it. There are a number of herbs and spices which taste awful to some folks & i've come to agree with the genetic traits. In my family two of the 4 children taste metal when they eat cloves whereas the other two really like them--heck, clove gum used to be one of my favorites.

Thanks for the reply on the appliance, Stephanie. I feel somewhat the same way about slow-cookers--the prep (particularly browning the meat) makes me question whether it is a time saver. There is one delicious mushroom risotto recipe for my crockpot that i savor but the prep is over 30 minutes long and that's not counting the chopping. Pass.


message 12: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie | 311 comments Oh gosh, clove gum! I remember that :) It was one of my favorites!

We made this one last night. Very good and we have left overs for today! Added bonus when I do not have to cook the next day ;)

Didn’t add the parsley because I didn’t have any and used heavy whipping cream because I grabbed the wrong one 😜 but still turned out good...had to turn the heat up though as my pasta wasn’t getting done due to our stove not cooking that well on low.

One Pot Cajun Chicken and Sausage Alfredo Pasta
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins

Servings: 8 -10 servings
Ingredients
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 pound of chicken cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
14 oz smoked sausage sliced on the diagonal
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 quart of low-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 cups of heavy cream
1 pound of dried penne pasta
1 1/2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning plus more for topping
4 oz of freshly shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup of Italian flat leaf parsley minced
Instructions

Start with a large covered cooking pot.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown in olive oil over medium high heat.
Add sausage and continue to cook until lightly browned.
Stir in garlic and cook for for about two minutes.
Add chicken broth, heavy cream, dried pasta and cajun seasoning to pot.
Stir together and bring to a simmer over medium high heat.
Reduce heat to low and let cook covered for 15-20 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
Remove pot from heat and stir in parmesan cheese.
Stir in chopped parsley and sprinkle with additional cajun seasoning to taste.


message 13: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments Sounds delicious and perfect for this chilly weather. While in New Orleans we tried boudin (sausage), which is a combine ground pork, rice, onion, green peppers, and Cajun spices and seasonings concoction. We were not fans, i must add. Not that it wasn't an okay taste but i like my sausage to hold together when we cut into it & the casing for this really only held it together, non-binding-ish. I was happy to note that you didn't use that in this recipe, i must add.

Tonight i'm making

Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup

Alterations i intend to make include cooking the rice in broth, too, and adding 6, not 4, cups of veg broth. Last time i used 1/3 # button and 1/3 shiitake, as well as ½ and ½, not cream. This time i am using 1/3# baby portabellas and 1/3# "gourmet mix" of crimini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms.

Cook 1/2 cup wild rice according to package directions. Set aside.

In a soup pot, over medium-high heat, melt 3 Tablespoons butter. Add 1 celery stalk, cleaned and finely chopped, 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped, 1/3 pound porcini mushrooms, chopped and 1/3 pound button mushrooms, finely chopped. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.

Add the cooked rice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 4 cups vegetable broth, 2 Tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped and freshly ground black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 20 – 30 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup heavy cream, and taste for additional seasoning.


message 14: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments madrano wrote:Thanks for the reply on the appliance, Stephanie. I feel somewhat the same way about slow-cookers-."

Instant Pot.
Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable

Pressure Cooker
Slow Cooker
Rice Cooker
Steamer
Sauté
Yogurt Maker
Warmer

"combines 7 kitchen appliances in 1, Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Marker and Warmer, prepares dishes up to 70% faster to support your busy lifestyle"

I don't have one as I have no room for another appliance. I actually have a slow cooker that I've never taken out of the box.

That said, many people seem to love the Instant Pot. There are social media groups for it, websites and cookbooks discussing it and trading recipes.


message 15: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments Thanks all for sharing the recipes !


message 16: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments When you listed the capabilities of the Instant Pot, i could see the appeal. Remember those huge pressure cookers in the family kitchen? My mom didn't have one but friends & relatives did. I only remember one family using it to feed us & i did like it. But it needed it's own small table.

The rice cooker would be neat. My sister-in-law has an appliance which does this & her rice is perfect every time. Maybe this is on my mind because tonight's wild rice didn't cook well in broth--it never got as soft as we desired.

The yogurt maker would be fun too. However, odds are most of us would only use it for one thing and forget the machine did anything else...or at least i suspect i would. I once owned a slow cooker which sat on a Teflon cooking tray and the lid could be used as a casserole. I never employed it for more than slow cooking, though.


message 17: by Alias Reader (last edited Jan 28, 2019 02:13PM) (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments Red Lentil Soup With Lemon
MELISSA CLARK
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1...



YIELD 4 servings
TIME 45 minutes

This is a lentil soup that defies expectations of what lentil soup can be. It is light, spicy and a bold red color (no murky brown here): a revelatory dish that takes less than an hour to make. The cooking is painless. Sauté onion and garlic in oil, then stir in tomato paste, cumin and chile powder and cook a few minutes more to intensify flavor. Add broth, water, red lentils (which cook faster than their green or black counterparts) and diced carrot, and simmer for 30 minutes. Purée half the mixture and return it to the pot for a soup that strikes the balance between chunky and pleasingly smooth. A hit of lemon juice adds an up note that offsets the deep cumin and chile flavors.

--------------------

Saw this in the NY Times. I don't like spicy foods but the idea of lemon appeals to me and I love lentils. Maybe I'll just use a little cumin and chili powder .

Trader Joe's sells already cooked lentils that are vacuum sealed, so they last a long time in the refrigerator. They are great over salads and also to make soup. No cooking required.


message 18: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments That is the best looking lentil soup i've ever seen! Your tip about the vacuum sealed lentils helps, too. Yum!


message 19: by Emily (last edited Feb 12, 2019 12:41AM) (new)

Emily Brown | 1 comments Dear foodies! :-)
I released my soups and stews cookbook. It is currently sold on Amazon. If you would like to get a free kindle copy for possible reviews, please send me PM.
The book link is https://www.amazon.com/Soups-Stews-Re...


message 20: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments Emily, good luck with sales. Soups and stews are favorite meals in our family. The reviews are very good, i see. Congratulations on getting published.


message 21: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments Congratulations, Emily !


message 22: by Barbara (new)

Barbara (cinnabarb) | 3845 comments Congratulations Emily. 🌹😊🌿


message 23: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments Chocolate Pudding

From: https://www.ornish.com/sample-menu/

Undo It!: How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases-- Dean Ornish

Serves: 6
Serving Size:
1/3 cup

Prep:
5 min

Ready:
5 min

---- Description:
The secret ingredient in this deliciously easy and practically instant chocolate pudding? Silken tofu. Once blended together with cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and naturally sweet stevia, this custard-textured form of tofu is transformed into an intensely chocolatey dessert that’s full of valuable phytonutrients, flavonoids, and natural plant protein. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder, not prepared cocoa mix. The pudding can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

----- Ingredients:
16 OZ firm silken tofu
2 cups 3/4 CUP unsweetened cocoa powder
suggested brand: Hershey's 1/4 CUP pure maple syrup
1/4 CUP water
1 TABLESPOON pure vanilla extract
11/2 TEASPOONS stevia (powdered)
PINCH fine sea salt
1 CUP raspberries or chopped strawberries
garnish, optional


----- Directions:
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine tofu, cocoa powder, maple syrup, water, vanilla extract, stevia, and salt. Process until mixture is smooth and creamy, stopping as necessary to scrape down sides and center of bowl with a rubber spatula. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with more maple syrup and/or vanilla. Adjust consistency with a little more water as needed.

Divide pudding mixture between 6 small serving dishes. Refrigerate until chilled, about least 30 minutes. Top each portion with berries, if using.

---- Chef's Notes:
Widely used for vegan desserts, silken tofu has a delicate, custardy texture that’s very different from regular tofu. Different brands of silken tofu can vary greatly in flavor and texture.

--- Shopping list:
firm silken tofu, such as Mori-Nu (16 OZ) unsweetened cocoa powder (3/4 CUP) pure maple syrup pure vanilla extract powdered stevia raspberries or strawberries, optional (ONE HALF PINT)




message 24: by Madrano (new)

Madrano (madran) | 3137 comments That pudding sounds as though it would hit the spot for those craving chocolate. I appreciate the info about silken tofu as i've wondered.


message 25: by Alias Reader (last edited Feb 14, 2019 05:14PM) (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments I wish I had some of that pudding right now. It does look delicious.

What I also liked was the 5 min prep time. Simple, tasty and healthy. What's not to love?


message 26: by Madrano (new)

Madrano (madran) | 3137 comments Indeed!


message 27: by Barbara (new)

Barbara (cinnabarb) | 3845 comments Ditto! 😊🌸✨


message 28: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments I purchased some crumpets from Trader Joe's. So I was looking online for some recipes besides just toasting them. I thought this sounded delicious.

Crumpet French toast with caramelised banana



INGREDIENTS
3 large eggs
1/3 cup skim milk
8 Golden Crumpets
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 bananas, thickly sliced on the diagonal
Tamar Valley Greek Style Yoghurt, to serve

METHOD

Step 1
Whisk the eggs and milk in a large bowl until smooth. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat and lightly spray with oil. Dip 4 crumpets in the milk mixture. Drain off excess and cook in the hot pan for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 4 crumpets and milk mixture.

Step 2
Place the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Add the banana. Cook, gently turning the banana, for 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the bananas are well coated.

Step 3
Serve the crumpets with the caramelised banana and a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/crum...


message 29: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments You may recall i'm not a banana fan but that sounds and looks delicious. I'm a sucker for Things Caramelized. Please let us know when you try it whether it was worth the effort.


message 30: by Barbara (new)

Barbara (cinnabarb) | 3845 comments It does look good. 😊


message 31: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie | 311 comments Made this for dinner last night! For the veggies I used one yellow bell pepper, one orange bell pepper, one zucchini, and half a white onion since I didn’t have a whole red onion.



Healthy Sheet Pan Greek Chicken & Veggies

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Author Layla (Pinterest)

Ingredients

4 5oz chicken breasts, cut into small cubes (*see note below)
2 cups bell peppers any colors, cut into squares or slices
1 medium red onion cut into squares or slices
1 cup of zucchini broccoli, mushrooms , diced sweet potatoes or plum tomatoes (optional)
For the marinade:
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil or thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper


Instructions

Pre-Heat oven to 450F.

Arrange chicken and veggies on a large sheet pan to create a rainbow pattern.
In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Brush mixture onto chicken and veggies or toss chicken and veggies in mixture.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until veggies are charred and chicken is tender. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve on rice, quinoa, with pita or alone with a fork. See below or tzatziki and pita pouch recipe.

*served this over wild rice but next time will do white rice.


message 32: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments Stephanie, this sounds as though it would be beautiful on the plate & a pleasure to the palate. I noticed they also seem to suggest it would serve in a pita, too. That's neat, if you have leftovers.


message 33: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie | 311 comments It was very flavorful and was nice to have so many different vegetables since we are trying to eat more of them :) I’d love to try it with the pita bread! I love the different options for the vegetables!


message 34: by Alias Reader (last edited Apr 13, 2019 04:47PM) (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments Stephanie wrote: "Made this for dinner last night! For the veggies I used one yellow bell pepper, one orange bell pepper, one zucchini, and half a white onion since I didn’t have a whole red onion.
Healthy Sheet..."


That sounds delicious !


message 35: by Alias Reader (last edited Apr 25, 2019 12:29PM) (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments This looks like a winner. It's even quicker if you use leftover quinoa and hard-boiled eggs you make the day before.

Avocado Breakfast Bowl



---Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup red quinoa
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 eggs
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 avocado, diced
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

---Directions
Stir water and quinoa together in a rice cooker; cook until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook eggs to desired doneness; season with seasoned salt and pepper.
Combine quinoa and eggs in a bowl; top with avocado and feta cheese.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/244...


message 36: by Julie (new)

Julie (julielill) | 1746 comments Alias Reader wrote: "This looks like a winner. It's even quicker if you use leftover quinoa and hard-boiled eggs you make the day before.

Avocado Breakfast Bowl



---Ingredients
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup red quinoa
1 1/..."


That looks good!


message 37: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments Looks tasty. When using leftovers, do you heat anything up? If so, in one bowl or individual items?


message 38: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments I heat things up in the microwave.

If it is to be various side dishes, I heat separably. If it's something i am going to mix together I will heat it all together.


message 39: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments Ok, thanks. I don't often heat up my avocado in dishes i microwave. Do you know if using a less than ripe avocado in the microwave would soften it enough to make it edible? It's not occurred to me until now to try to "ripen" them (sorta) with a microwave.


message 40: by Alias Reader (last edited Apr 27, 2019 07:12PM) (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments I wouldn't heat the avocado.


message 41: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments I think that would be a good idea but i like the idea of a speedy ripening. Sometimes we can only get rock-solid avocados & it takes over a week to ripen, even after putting them in paper bags, etc.


message 42: by Alias Reader (last edited Apr 28, 2019 06:33AM) (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments madrano wrote: "I think that would be a good idea but i like the idea of a speedy ripening. Sometimes we can only get rock-solid avocados & it takes over a week to ripen, even after putting them in paper bags, etc."

I hear you. It seems like there is a 15 minute window when an avocado is not like a rock and not over ripe. :)

Trader Joe's sells a box of 6 individual sealed packets of quacamole .
It's called Avocado's number guacamole to Go.

The ingredients are:
avocado, distilled vinegar, water, jalapeno pepper, salt , onion , garlic.

I still buy avocados for salads but I also keep these in my refrigerator for avocado toast.



message 43: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments Good idea. Dan makes a good guac, he skips the jalapeno, as i'm not a fan, but adds cumin and chili powder in the tiniest of quantities. Yum!

We are late to the avocado toast phenomena but are fans. We top ours with sunnyside up eggs but were at a restaurant which served them scrambled. Not a fan of that--we like the runny yolk!


message 44: by Alias Reader (last edited Apr 29, 2019 06:36PM) (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments The Jalapeno in the TJ is not too noticeable. I am not a fan of spicy things and I like the TJ's quac.

I've had the avocado toast with eggs various ways. I think my favorite is poached. But hard-boiled, fried, and scrambled are okay, too.

In a restaurant recently they added humus which I liked. Also very thin slices of cucumber. It was a middle eastern restaurant.

I also like to add a very thin sliced/cubed red onion.


message 45: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments Well, you've had a number of variations, all of which sound good. Ok, maybe not the cukes, as Dan is the "chef" & he can't stand them. I hadn't thought of poached, which sounds as good as with Eggs Benedict, which i treasure. (Ever tried that with smoked salmon? Love that!)

We add avocado to most of our sandwiches, if they are on sale. When i was recovering from my stomach issues two weeks ago he added that to my grilled cheese and it was perfect. Next day he added thin red onion slices, even better. He eased me into stronger foods.


message 46: by Alias Reader (last edited Apr 30, 2019 02:47PM) (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments madrano wrote(Ever tried that with smoked salmon? Love that!)."

I almost purchased Trader Joe's smoked salmon to put on a bagel with creme cheese. I've never had this and thought I would give this popular combo a try. When i was in the store I forgot. I mentioned it to someone at the gym today and she said she thought it might be high in sodium. So I will have to check that first.


message 47: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments Yes, it is. Three oz. contain 666 milligrams of sodium...that's about 1/3 the daily amount. Trader Joe's has one of the lowest but that's clearly not saying much. We don't eat it that often...unless we are in the UK...so hadn't given it much thought until you asked.


message 48: by Stephanie (new)

Stephanie | 311 comments I miss having a Trader Joe’s!


message 49: by Alias Reader (new)

Alias Reader (aliasreader) | 29397 comments madrano wrote: "Yes, it is. Three oz. contain 666 milligrams of sodium...that's about 1/3 the daily amount. Trader Joe's has one of the lowest but that's clearly not saying much. We don't eat it that often...unles..."

Thanks, deb. I'll have to pass. I try to limit my sodium to 1500 total for the day.

I did try something new today. Trader Joe's Gyro Slices.
They are fully cooked and you can heat them up for 20 seconds if you wish. That's what I did.
I had it with lettuce, avocado, red onion, peppers, tomatoes, cheese and TJ's tzatziki. I had it on Trader's corn and wheat tortillas

It' was excellent and the whole thing only took me a few minutes to make.








message 50: by madrano (new)

madrano | 23685 comments I really like lamb but gyro meat turns me off. It seems contradictory, i know. It may be the texture that effects me. I'm a big fan of Tzatziki, though.

Stephanie, until 7 years ago we didn't have a single Trader Joes in all of Texas. Then, practically overnight, there were dozens--3 right here in the Dallas area. Maybe they'll expand to your part of the world soon, too. I hope so.


« previous 1 3
back to top