So Lola has put me to a challenge!

I think the forum could use a kind of "How to" section, or "basic foods" section, as Carol  put it. And Lola suggested I compile the info... little did she know, I don't know the info- I just know it's out there somewhere And I am soooo not a search godess like Lola. (She's amazing, and I don't know how she does it!!)

So, I'm asking for some not quite recipe things that you know that make BTD easier for you.  I know there's threads for Nutritional yeast, how to steep green tea, making ghee- that's the kind of thing I'm looking for. How to roast red peppers, how to make icing sugar with a coffee grinder, all that kind of fun stuff.

So please, post your favourite, or most inventive, but relatively simple trick for making BTD easier or more enjoyable!

Serena,
you do take things seriously!!! lol
hope this thread you created is a sticky one,
so as to future references and overall help and guidance.
great initiative!!! )

here s the ghee recipe:
and a good explanation as to why ghee is so beneficial
http://www.dadamo.com/ask/ask2.pl?20050724.txt

here s a NY spread recipe:
for starts....
http://www.dadamo.com/typebase4/recipedepictor.cgi?562

advice on green tea brewing:
by Dr Greg Kelly from NAP directly......

Quoted Text

When you make green tea it is important to use hot but not boiling water. It is also important to only steep the leaves for about 30-45 seconds. This should result in a deep lime-green colored tea. For best results, use those two simple guidelines and then enjoy several cups per day.

here s a note on hygiene by Dr Greg K:

sounds like a great tip!

Quoted Text

A last "hygienic" note to mention is to get an old-style soap with olive oil or other natural oils as the base. Run your fingernails through the soap twice daily, and then rinse the soap away. Most of the pollen and bacterial debris on the fingers actually accumulates under the nails. Touching any mucus membrane with your fingers can then increase your environmental burden substantially, resulting in....you guessed it, worsening of allergies. This simple technique can substantially reduce the accumulation of this type of debris. (These old-style natural oil based soaps are high in saponins so seem to work while the brand name soaps do not work well in my experience).

wow, got carried away!!

found a recipe to roast red peppers

Quoted Text

Roasted peppers even better than tomatoes
are in jars under the Whole Foods Market's label (organic, red, mild Piquillo peppers). Or you can roast your own whole fresh peppers of any variety under the broiler, turning every 5 minutes or so til the skin is blistered and charred. Then transfer peppers to a covered bowl. When they're cool enough to handle, you can then peel them if desired. I leave them on for the exotic smoky flavor. Also, you can make a red pepper sauce by sauteing olive oil, red bell pepper, parsley, garlic & shallots, then blending together with a vegetable stock or juice. Lots of beautiful possibility in experimentation with different herb & vegetable combinations..

search godess at work!!!

Way to go, Serena!

I have put on my thinking cap, and will post things as it occurs to me -- problem is, once I figure something out, it seems so darn obvious that I tend to assume it's already common knowledge (and I hate to be snickered at).  But I keep reminding myself that if an idea is new to me, there are bound to be other folks on the forums who haven't thought of it yet.

I'm in the middle of working out a "recipe" for A-nonnie-compliant chocolate chips/chunks.  So far, I can tell you one thing that doesn't work all that well, and the second batch is still cooling.

The hints & tips that I often find the most helpful are the simple little things that the poster has actually used, and can field questions about.  So if anyone else is hanging back for fear of being snickered at for stating the obvious, post away, and if anyone dares to snicker, I'll beat 'em to a pulp with an organic carrot!

Carol, I'm the same- like I said, I danced for joy when I made icing sugar in the coffee grinder- but I felt sharing my new culinary conquest would be met with a "well duh!!"

Serena,
did you actually make an icing?
tell us what amounts you used, ok?

oh goodness- i have no idea. I know I also added arrow root because commercial "icing sugar" has cornstarch, so I figured I needed to add some starch to it. Next time I make a cake I'll actually measure and post it in the recipe base. It would be neutral for everyone except the nonnies...

and post it here, too! )
afterall, this is where you want all the info downloaded, right?

Serena,

Why not type your questions into the Google search engine and find these ideas on-line ?

Taz

Quoted from taswolf

Serena,
Why not type your questions into the Google search engine and find these ideas on-line?
Taz

Taz -- That's what Lola the Search Goddess is here for!

Besides, sometimes it's better to get the tips from them as is doin', rather than from who-knows-who on the Internet.  Didn't you ever do a search and find umpty-ump sites with the same identical wording?  I seriously doubt that each of them has actually tried the techniques that they're promoting, they just copied something they found on another site (which may have copied it from a book, which got it from another book, which....).

So I'd prefer when possible to get my advice from people I "know" and trust.  Besides, then if I have questions, I know who to ask!

I like to take the stalks off the brocolli, cut into smaller pieces and throw in the food processor, and pulse into slaw.  Than I put this into a canning Jar in the frig to use in many way.  On top of a salad, in soups,, chili's, beef stew with beneficial spices and veggies.   I also do this to celery and onions, I put in separate jars, and than I combine some of each together in another jar.

I also cooked ground sirloin beef drain, and season with beneficial spices and herbs, and put 6-9 serving in canning jars in the frig for the week.

I do this with cooked beans, also.

I steam the brocolli flowerets, usually when I have a nice piece of fresh salmon, or beside a salad with steamed baby carrots. drizzled with olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice & bene spices.

nice tips GS, thanks!)

so, Serena, what other tricks did you want to know of? )

Serena, Did your powdered sugar really turn out fine like powdered sugar?  Mine did not.  I have a Black & Decker coffee mill and it's new but the frosting was very gritty.  Did I do something wrong?  I don't think I was meant to have it!

~jill~

Jill,
what amounts and what ingredients did you use in your icing?

I like this thread!  I'm an idiot in the kitchen, so every little bit helps!!

Quoted from lola

Jill,
what amounts and what ingredients did you use in your icing?

Lola, I don't remember the amounts as it was quite a while ago.  But it seems like Lemon juice and a titch of butter maybe?  But then it seems like maybe some rice milk--sorry, I really can't remember.   I asked my mom and she told me to start whipping the lemon juice in with the sugar and it would take a long time.  It tasted good but was a little gritty.  Serena said maybe I pulsed too much sugar at one time in the grinder so I'm going to try smaller quantities and see what happens.

~jill~  

There's more info on the "Organic A-nonnie Chocolate" thread on the Cook Right forum, but here's my best recipe to date for A-nonnie-compliant chocolate "chips" (not organic, alas):

One 4-ounce Ghirardelli Unsweetened Chocolate Baking Bar
1/2 teaspoon Stevia Extract Powder

Melt the chocolate over hot water in the top of a double boiler.  Stir in the stevia extract powder very thoroughly.  Pour into a lightly-oiled flexible mold (I used a plastic sandwich box) and allow to cool and harden completely (this will take several hours).  Pop the chocolate out of the mold onto a cutting board and cut into chip-sized cubes.  Makes enough for two dozen large cookies, equivalent to half a bag of store-bought chocolate chips.

My next attempt will use maple sugar (as soon as I can get some).  I will keep you posted!

np Jill, thanks.

thanks Carol! )

Rinsing & draining canned beans can greatly reduce "gas" (as well as getting rid of excess salt if you buy an overly-salty brand).  The easiest way to do it is right in the can -- no colander or sieve to wash.  Here's how:

Before you open the can, give it a real good shake.  This isn't necessary for some canned beans, but others become so firmly lodged in the can, especially right at the top, that they can't even be drained, let alone rinsed.  Shake until you can feel the beans moving around freely in there.

This is one case where you're better off with the old-fashioned type of can opener, which removes only the flat part of the lid and leaves the rim on the can.  But in any case, cut the lid off the can.  Some people prefer to leave a little "hinge," I prefer to cut the lid free of the can, either way seems to work.  But whatever you do, don't throw away the lid!

Now, float the lid on the beans and liquid in the can.  Hold the lid in place with as many fingers as necessary, tilt the can over the sink, and allow as much liquid as possible to run down the drain.

Take the lid off and run cold tap water into the can until it's full again.  Replace the lid on top of everything, hold it securely in place, and give the can a good shake (over the sink!).  Then tilt the can again, and let the mixture of water and bean liquid run down the drain.  Repeat this step until what runs out is basically just water.

If you're heating the beans in a pan by themselves, put a little drinking-quality water in first, so they won't stick to the bottom and burn.

Many people may remember my posts on the old board where I didn't even know how long to steam veggies.  I'm a little better now, but not by mch.

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to marrinade (sp?) beef with cherry juice?  Dr. D. recommends this, but we have no clue how, how much or for how long.

Not knowing anything about marrinading, we soaked a pound of frozen hamburger over night in the fridge.  It soaked up like 75% of the cherry juice! :falling down laughing here:

Then I tried to fry it. :hysterical laughter here:  Hamburgers were not possible, so, I added chopped onion broccoli and ginger, and just kept trying to burn off the cherry juice.  We had to add some rice vinegar to the mix try to improve the taste (not much; maybe 2 tblsp)

So, is the marinading only for like roasts and stuff?  And can you marinade chicken in cherry juice?  Are you supposed to dilute it?

Really, really need some help here!

I would definately marinade a roast or whole pieces of anything.

the appropriate time would be around an hour at least, if not even over night.

for ground beef, I d first do my hamburgers or sausage or whatever shape I want, and marinade those instead, for half an hour maybe.

Quoted from lola

I would definately marinade a roast or whole pieces of anything.

the appropriate time would be around an hour at least, if not even over night.

for ground beef, I d first do my hamburgers or sausage or whatever shape I want, and marinade those instead, for half an hour maybe.

I might try it again, marinating for only a short time.  The juice was so absorbed into the meat that it wrecked the taste of our meat.  If I had known the taste would have changed so much, I would have tried to squeeze more of the cherry juice out of the beef.

I would have made a 'picadillo' out of that ground beef.

you basically just fry onions, peppers, herbs, maybe some celery......
then add the ground beef, and let it fry, separating it all the way........almost like preparing a stuffing........at the end, you can even add some raisins and chopped up almonds.

it s very tasty, you can stuff any veggie with that.....like zucchini, or bell peppers, eggplant........
whatever!
the raisins give it a nice touch.......since your beef was already 'sweetish' from the cherry juice.

Quoted from KimonoKat

Many people may remember my posts on the old board where I didn't even know how long to steam veggies.  I'm a little better now, but not by mch.

Does anyone have any recommendations on how to marrinade (sp?) beef with cherry juice?  Dr. D. recommends this, but we have no clue how, how much or for how long.

Not knowing anything about marrinading, we soaked a pound of frozen hamburger over night in the fridge.  It soaked up like 75% of the cherry juice! :falling down laughing here:

Then I tried to fry it. :hysterical laughter here:  Hamburgers were not possible, so, I added chopped onion broccoli and ginger, and just kept trying to burn off the cherry juice.  We had to add some rice vinegar to the mix try to improve the taste (not much; maybe 2 tblsp)

So, is the marinading only for like roasts and stuff?  And can you marinade chicken in cherry juice?  Are you supposed to dilute it?

Really, really need some help here!

For burgers you could also try adding finely chopped blueberries, similar action.  One of the fast food companies was experimenting with adding blueberries to their burgers, but never heard more of it, probably too expensive.

Quoted from cherylhcmba

 One of the fast food companies was experimenting with adding blueberries to their burgers, but never heard more of it, probably too expensive.

Probably too healthy!

Quoted from lola

I would have made a 'picadillo' out of that ground beef.

you basically just fry onions, peppers, herbs, maybe some celery......
then add the ground beef, and let it fry, separating it all the way........almost like preparing a stuffing........at the end, you can even add some raisins and chopped up almonds.

it s very tasty, you can stuff any veggie with that.....like zucchini, or bell peppers, eggplant........
whatever!
the raisins give it a nice touch.......since your beef was already 'sweetish' from the cherry juice.

Sounds delish Lola, but raisins and peppers are "Infrequents" on the Arthritis program. :sigh:

I'd love to eat more zucchini but Mr. KK does't care for it unless it has mozzarella & butter on it, so, he doesn't fix it.

Lola is this only if the meat of chicken has been frozen, or also when it is fresh?(Marinate in cherry juice)

also when fresh......)

Quoted from Serena

I also added arrow root because commercial "icing sugar" has cornstarch, so I figured I needed to add some starch to it. .

The starch was originally added as an anti-caking agent, but as its cheaper than sugar...

TO get it more like icing sugar you'll need to sift thru a fine screen (I use a tea strainer).
Otherwise its still too gritty for a fine caster sugar.

---

Quoted from KimonoKat

Not knowing anything about marrinading, we soaked a pound of frozen hamburger over night in the fridge.  It soaked up like 75% of the cherry juice! :falling down laughing here.

Breadcrumbs...and/or egg.

---

For dried beans, always change the soaking water several times to prevent the "music". Soybeans should have the water changed every hour...

Black cherry marinade
http://www.dadamo.com/forum/archiveb/config.pl?read=96338

adding prunes or black cherry concentrate to ground meat
http://www.dadamo.com/forum/archivec/config.pl?read=118580

Roasting peppers can be done on a gas range burner OR on a gas grill, instead of heating up your entire oven.  Same technique.  Just be sure to keep turning them as they char.

I roast eggplant either on the gas grill or under the broiler (my electric range still hasn't died).  Love that smoky flavor in baba ganoush.

Dried beans are so much cheaper than canned, that I just cook a pound at a time in the crockpot.  Then I freeze them in 2 C portions in freezer bags/containers.  It's very easy to thaw them later and throw them into whatever you're making.

You can grind flax seeds in a clean coffee grinder and store the ground meal in the fridge or freezer.  It's easy to just scoop some out and throw them into oatmeal, salad dressing, etc.

One of the best purchases I made this year was a lime juicer.  Looks a bit like a giant round garlic press.  I'd always used a reamer on limes and lemons.  Not any more!  This thing is great and was at the grocery store.  It squashes lime halves in nothing flat!  I wanted to see how it would handle lemons, and was a bit concerned because they're so much bigger.  I found that if I ream the lemon first, then use the juicer, I'm getting a lot more juice out of the lemon than reaming alone.  Given the skyrocketing price of lemons, it's worth the extra effort to me.

I keep hearing people praising hard boiled egg slicers/mandolines for cutting mushrooms, but have not tried one myself.  For a few bucks, if you use a lot of 'shrooms, that would be a great time saver.

You can also grind flax seeds a cup at a time in a blender, then store in an airtight container in the freezer, as Lily says.  I prefer this to a coffee/spice grinder because the flax seeds are oily, and the blender can be washed -- but a friend of mine is adamant that it's easier with a coffee grinder.

The lime juicer sounds as though it works like those counter-top citrus presses that cost an arm and half a leg -- but cheaper, I'll bet!  Nice tip about squeezing out the last bit of juice after reaming a lemon.  They always look like there's a fair amount left.

Hi guys, great thread.

In my former life when I ate red (kidney) beans and rice regularly, I learned this tip from an old cajun woman.  If you don't have time to soak your beans, put them into a pot with water as you would normally cook them.  Bring to a boil.  When they just start to boil, remove and strain.  Put the beans back into the pot with fresh water and return to the stove.  They cook just like they've been soaked.  

Works for me because I forget to plan ahead.

that s a great tip, thanks!! )

I've used a similar method, but was under the impression that the beans had to sit and soak for an hour after being brought to a boil.  That's quicker than soaking them overnight, but your old Cajun method is even quicker and easier!

Quoted from geminisue

I like to take the stalks off the brocolli, cut into smaller pieces and throw in the food processor, and pulse into slaw.

Sue -- I've been meaning to try your tip ever since I first saw your post.  Today, I was craving fresh, raw veggies, and had a bag of stems from kale and collards in the fridge, so --

It turned out great!  It's crunchy, like cabbage slaw (which Hubby and I miss), plus it uses up all those stems that I remove when I stir-fry greens (our new favorite method).  I'm thinking this might be even better if I throw in one carrot for a little sweetness, and maybe a stalk of celery, too.

Mmmm, I can just taste Spring coming!

Yes -- the Stem Slaw is even better with a little carrot and celery added!

I'm not a big fan of oil-based salad dressings (something about being an A nonnie, I think), and since I started the BTD, my old favorite low-fat dressings are off my list -- so I had to come up with something to put on all that slaw.  I am ridiculously proud of myself for inventing a simple yet tasty dressing that I can make with things I always have on hand.

Simple Salad Dressing

(makes enough for about 1 pound of slaw-type salad)

3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp "red" (dark) miso
1 Tbsp honey

1/4 Cup tahini (optional)
pinch of dill weed (optional)

Just mix it all together.  It's easier to incorporate the miso and/or tahini if you put it/them into the bowl first, then gradually stir in the liquid ingredients.

I add either the tahini (for a creamy-style dressing) or the dill weed -- don't think it'd be quite right with both at once (but then I've never tried it that way, so how do I know?).

One thing I really like about this recipe is that each of the three main ingredients is in charge of one basic flavor.  If it's too sour or not sour enough, adjust the amount of lemon juice -- or adjust the miso for saltiness, or the honey for sweetness.

Those of you who can use apple cider vinegar could try that in place of the lemon juice.  I assume that tahini or soy sauce could be substituted (same amount) for the miso.  The honey is there mostly so the dressing doesn't taste kinda grim, so I suspect that you could substitute any compliant sweetener without affecting the taste very much.  Other nut/seed butters would definitely affect the flavor, but I bet they'd all be good.  And of course, other herbs and spices can be used to taste.

If I could delete the preceding post, I would (except for the part about carrot and celery), because I have discovered something that I like a whole lot better, namely an

Even Simpler Salad Dressing

Juice of half a lemon
1/8 tsp salt

Add both ingredients to about half a pound of slaw-type salad.  Stir well.  That's it!

There's been a good bit of talk here on the forums about using lemon juice as an emergency substitute for "real" salad dressing.  I was amazed to find that lemon juice has a hint of sweetness that nicely balances its sourness.  The salt compliments the clean, fresh taste of the lemon.  The resulting salad tastes exactly like Spring!

Here's how to make gingerale  Video and all...(until I have to use my video space for new videos)

http://www.dadamo.com/bloggers/4/archives/00000270.htm

Melissa, great video! Thanks so much! Jayney-0

Peeling ginger with a spoon is easier than using a peeler AND it doesn't waste as much of the ginger...also, if you peel your ginger first, then put it into a ziploc baggie, it will store in the freezer for a long time. I find it easy to grate or process even when it is frozen.

Thanks, Drea.  I'll peel mine before freezing after this.  That way, even if it stays in there till it shrivels, at least I won't have to peel it then!

Quoted from Carol_the_Dabbler

Thanks, Drea.  I'll peel mine before freezing after this.  That way, even if it stays in there till it shrivels, at least I won't have to peel it then!

Peeling frozen ginger is no fun! And it doesn't shrivel when it's frozen. It also doesn't sprout! I had some ginger sprout on me last summer, so I stuck in some dirt and it grew into a plant...but alas, it died at the end of the growing season. It was cool looking, though!

You can grow ginger AND eat the root.  When you buy a gingerroot just stick it in a pot of soil on the windowsil.  It will grow and when you need some, just dig it out, break off a bit and put it back in the pot.  It will continue to grow inside the pot.  

always fresh, I bet!!!! )

Quoted from mikendomsmum

You can grow ginger AND eat the root.  When you buy a gingerroot just stick it in a pot of soil on the windowsil.  It will grow and when you need some, just dig it out, break off a bit and put it back in the pot.  It will continue to grow inside the pot.  

I had no idea! Thanks!

Joy of Cooking (a cookbook everyone should own imo) has some great tips for baking at different altitudes, on page 692.

Has anyone used Chia seeds to thicken salad dressings or meat gravies?  

no but if I could find some Pumkin seeds I might just try that in some form of salad dressing.. great idea..

to make the dressing more full and cohesive..  

simply add a spoonful of compliant nutbutter.....that will cream it right up!

I've almost got a Gatherer biscotti worked out, I need a replacement for tapioca flour, notice white rice flour is black dot. Only calls for 3TB but already has arrowroot in it. I'm adapting a recipe from a gluten-free cookbook. Does anyone know if it is the lightest weight of the rice flour?

that type bread is pretty flat, right?

don t think it could go wrong, if you substitute the flours you need.

Thinks,  My next question is does anyone know the ratio of agave, yacon syrup to white sugar.  The chia seeds didn't do as well as I'd like to thinking I can replace with a liquid sweetener and take the sugar and gum out altogether. I can also us honey ofcourse. Cookies call for 1/2 cup of sugar

Thanks debbie

Biscotti cookies are a dry, cumbly not very sweet cookie, we just happen to like them alot. But they also can be crushed and make a good "gramcracker" crust for cheesecake. This where i'm going. But we have to keep out corn, the gum, beside the wheat or else it won't be a family treat.

debbie

use less liquid in the recipe......if adding the sweetener in the form of liquid instead of dry sugar.

Thanks Lola ,
the two eggs are the only liquid, I guess that's why the chia seeds didn't work right. They did a great job with my stir fri.  But given all the help and info I'm going to work with the honey. I thought I'd read somewhere that the yacon is sweeter than sugar. Guess I'll just have to play. The guys (WH and dad) don't seem to mind.