Cookin again

[Zardnaar]

So which is the black pudding?

None that's the difference. Kiwi big breakfast cuts black pudding and usually the baked beans.

Local place adds corn fritters instead or something else depending on where you go.

Some places do English big breakfast with black pudding but what's the point?

 

[ScottDeWar_jr]

So, tell me about Ube cake

 

[Zardnaar]

So, tell me about Ube cake

It's like a sponge cake and purple colour comes from yams.

 

[ScottDeWar_jr]

I told my brother and he says it sounds disgusting. I, on the other hand would at least try a bite.

 

[CleverNickName]

It's cold and rainy and windy and I feel like I've been shivering for a month. Time for some soup!

Here's my recipe for a spicy, Thai-inspired ginger and carrot soup. It's vegan, which means its healthy. Right?

Spicy Ginger-Carrot Soup

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1d4+2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 pounds of carrots, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)
• 1d4-1 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1d4 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1d4 teaspoons red chili flakes
• 6 cups vegetable broth or bouillon
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• Juice and zest from 1 lime, more or less to taste
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, more or less to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste
• Cilantro and green onions for garnish.

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven until it shimmers.
2. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until translucent.
3. Add the carrots, peppers, ginger, chili flake, and broth.
4. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots are soft.
5. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. If you want it extra-smooth, strain it after blending.
6. Stir in the coconut cream, lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro.
7. Return to a simmer, and season to taste with salt, black pepper, white pepper, and/or nutmeg. Add more lime juice or sugar if needed.
8. Ladle into bowls, top with extra cilantro and green onion, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

For fun, I punched the ingredients into a recipe nutrition analyzer, and it spat out the following Nutrition Facts.

Hm. Maybe I should switch to low-sodium broth (or start making my own.)

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

That sounds pretty good, but that nutrition calculator is a real find. Thanks for the link! I’ve already sent it to most of the people I know who cook.

 

[CleverNickName]

That sounds pretty good, but that nutrition calculator is a real find. Thanks for the link! I’ve already sent it to most of the people I know who cook.

Thanks! I stumbled on it a few years ago. I use it all the time...it makes it really easy to see how changing a recipe will affect the calories, cholesterol, and fiber (the three things I have to watch out for). Because hey, sometimes I don't have buttermilk or whatever, and I have to make do.

Here's another favorite wintertime recipe: Roman Oats. This one's for everyone who has been told to eat more oatmeal, but prefers savory flavors for breakfast. This isn't your grandpa's oatmeal...it's a lot richer and more flavorful than the cinnamon-flavored offerings you might be used to. It kind of reminds me more of a rice pilaf than anything else.

Roman Oats
(Savory Oatmeal)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion or leek, minced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup finely-chopped mushrooms
• 2 cups steel-cut oats
• 4 cups broth
• 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley
• Green onion, for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven until it shimmers.
2. Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms.
3. Cook until the onions are translucent.
4. Add the broth, sage, rosemary, and parsley.
5. Bring to a boil, then stir in the oats.
6. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until desired tenderness.
7. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired, and serve.

A bowl of this makes a pretty hearty breakfast. I like to add some bacon bits every now and then for extra flavor, and my spouse likes to top theirs with a soft-fried egg.

Nutrition facts:

Spoiler: As-written

Spoiler: Ham and Cheese option

Stir in 1/2 cup of cubed ham and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese before serving.

Spoiler: With a fried egg on top

The recipe as-written (no ham or cheese), but with a fried egg on top.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Ya lost me with savory oats! Oats are for sweeter preparations: cold cereals, and baked goods. I can’t stomach savory oats.

However, there’s nothing in that recipe that wouldn’t work with that southern staple, grits. And, FWIW, I’ve had hash browns prepared similarly as well.

That said, I bet you could use a similar approach with ANY grain that works for your diet. As is, it would be just as good with corn as it would be with its byproduct, grits. Then there’s quinoa, barley, chia, farro, flaxseed…. Lots of nutritious savory options in the grain family.

Hell, hit an ethnic grocery and try out some of the hundreds of RICE options! Lots of them are more nutritious and flavorful than the ubiquitous white rice of American cuisine.

In fact, I have to cook rice for our elderly border collie’s diet. I do about 2 cups at a time, which gets portioned out into her meals over the course of a week. But we also use the cooked rice in our own dishes, and I’ve been known to steal some the night I cook it, eating it with butter or EVOO, green onions, chive, vinegar, and whatever seasonings strike my fancy.

 

[CleverNickName]

Ya lost me with savory oats! Oats are for sweeter preparations: cold cereals, and baked goods. I can’t stomach savory oats.

However, there’s nothing in that recipe that wouldn’t work with that southern staple, grits. And, FWIW, I’ve had hash browns prepared similarly as well.

That said, I bet you could use a similar approach with ANY grain that works for your diet. As is, it would be just as good with corn as it would be with its byproduct, grits. Then there’s quinoa, barley, chia, flaxseed…. Lots of nutritious savory options in the grain family.

Hell, hit an ethnic grocery and try out some of the hundreds of RICE options! Lots of them are more nutritious and flavorful than the ubiquitous white rice of American cuisine.

It's true! I've used this recipe with steel cut oats as written here, but also:

rolled oats (yum)​

instant oats (yuck)​

pearled barley (meh)​

bulgar wheat (meh)​

grits (yum--add shrimp!)​

farro (meh)​

polenta (yum but weird)​

rice (yum)​

and quinoa (yum).​

The trick is to use the right grain-to-liquid ratio for whatever you're using...you might need to adjust the amount of broth. I prefer oats because it has the better flavor, IMO, and also the best protein | fiber | calorie ratios for my particular diet.

 

[Zardnaar]

It's cold and rainy and windy and I feel like I've been shivering for a month. Time for some soup!

Here's my recipe for a spicy, Thai-inspired ginger and carrot soup. It's vegan, which means its healthy. Right?

Spicy Ginger-Carrot Soup

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 1d4+2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 pounds of carrots, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)
• 1d4-1 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1d4 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely minced
• 1d4 teaspoons red chili flakes
• 6 cups vegetable broth or bouillon
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• Juice and zest from 1 lime, more or less to taste
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, more or less to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste
• Cilantro and green onions for garnish.

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven until it shimmers.
2. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until translucent.
3. Add the carrots, peppers, ginger, chili flake, and broth.
4. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the carrots are soft.
5. Blend until smooth with an immersion blender. If you want it extra-smooth, strain it after blending.
6. Stir in the coconut cream, lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro.
7. Return to a simmer, and season to taste with salt, black pepper, white pepper, and/or nutmeg. Add more lime juice or sugar if needed.
8. Ladle into bowls, top with extra cilantro and green onion, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

For fun, I punched the ingredients into a recipe nutrition analyzer, and it spat out the following Nutrition Facts.

View attachment 342583

Hm. Maybe I should switch to low-sodium broth (or start making my own.)

This is why I don't eat soup. They're generally always high in salt.