A food memoir of weight loss, family recipes, digital cookbook and nutrition information for family and friends
Here’s another post in my nearly world famous Electronic Sticky Note series.
Posting the link here as summer is starting soon and I need better salads than the prepacked kits I tend to buy and eat.
Click for the recipe https://thefirstmess.com/2023/05/24/hummus-crunch-salad/
Broccoli is known to be beneficial to our health. For example, research has shown that increased consumption of the cruciferous vegetable decreases incidence of cancer and type 2 diabetes. In a recent study, researchers found that broccoli contains certain molecules that bind to a receptor within mice and help to protect the lining of the small intestine, thereby inhibiting the development of disease. The findings lend support to the idea that broccoli truly is a ‘superfood.’
Penn State. “Broccoli consumption protects gut lining, reduces disease, in mice: Researchers discover that a certain molecule in broccoli interacts with a receptor in mice to promote gut health.” ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/04/230406152639.htm (accessed April 9, 2023).
This is a poor man’s meat sauce: the vegetables are cut smallish to simulate the texture of ground beef. The inspiration for my version comes from a cookbook I’ve had since 1986. I wasn’t happy with a number of my sugo sauces until I started using stewed tomatoes instead of 100% plain crushed tomatoes. Then finally, Chinese-Italian success!
Saute the vegetables in olive oil until soft and fragrant.
Add dried basil and parsley (if using dried) now.
Add the stewed tomatoes and simmer over low heat uncovered until the tomato chunks start to break up. Smash the rest of the tomato chunks with a wooden spoon. You want somewhat chunky but not super chunky.
Add the can of crushed tomatoes, mix well, and simmer over low heat for at least one hour.
Add salt, pepper, a little sugar, butter and parsley (if using fresh). Adjust seasonings until you get that perfect balance between salt and sweet.
You’re ready for pasta.
This sauce freezes well. Half of the sauce was enough for Baked Rigatoni with Ricotta and Parmesan (no recipe for this, yet).
This pasta sauce will be invaluable when your kid turns into a teenager, comes home and announces she has stopped eating meat to save the planet.
Trust me on this.
Memo to Self: Still winter. I’m getting tired of chicken soup. I need to try some new soup recipes. Now where did I put that electronic sticky note reminder?
Right here – https://thefirstmess.com/2021/01/16/vegan-soup-recipes/
It kind of looks like chicken – https://carolinas.eater.com/2023/2/9/23592586/chick-fil-a-tests-fried-cauliflower-sandwich
Another post in my world famous collection of Electronic Sticky Note Posts. For those new to the blog I post links to other food blogs with recipes that I want to try making. I have a head of green cabbage in the fridge. While wasting time online I found this:
20 Healthful Cabbage Dinners and Sides https://www.thefullhelping.com/20-healthful-cabbage-dinners-and-sides/
Now go get yourself some cabbage.
The link – https://www.vegetariantimes.com/vegan-vegetarian-recipes/weeknight-pasta-recipes/
And yet another post/link in my extremely sporadic electronic sticky note series. The quick veggie olive oil and garlic pasta dish I make has reached “in a rut” status. 2023 will the year where I develop the ability and experience to make more than one vegetarian pasta dish.
Happy New Year!
The link – https://feelgoodfoodie.net/chickpeas-recipes/
Another electronic sticky note. I am always on the hunt for new recipes to try AND a method to remember where the hell I filed those recipes. Hence, the electronic sticky note series of blog posts. I also use https://getpocket.com/en/ to save webpages for reading later or to save source material for my posts.
Beans on the shelf in my pantry.
Although I prefer to use dried beans for my dishes I can’t ignore the ease of opening a few cans and having a meal on the table in less than an hour.
Are Canned Beans as Healthy as Home-Cooked dried beans? Yes, but watch the sodium content. https://nutritionfacts.org/2014/09/25/are-canned-beans-as-healthy-as-home-cooked/
The link – https://www.vegetariantimes.com/vegan-vegetarian-recipes/best-butternut-squash-recipes/
Here is another post/link in my periodic electronic sticky note series. I may have one or two butternut squash recipes I return to every year. And when one of those recipes is oven roasted butternut squash and the other is Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole it’s time to find some new recipes.
Wait. I found another butternut squash recipe in my vast (3) collection of favorite butternut squash recipes, the classic Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagne.
Classic.
I’ve checked the original cookbook version.
I’m gradually moving into the three lemon version.
garyskitchen.net 