Well, it has been said that the chemicals in the bags and flavorings of microwave popcorn are everything from gross to vaccine-negating to cancer-causing (try Googling perfluorooctanoic acid). I am sure almost all of us would like to cut chemicals OUT of our diets where possible...
And I am here to tell you how to do this with one of my all-time favorite snacks... AND save you money in the process!
Popcorn is naturally high in anti-oxidants, low in calories, low in fat, contains fiber, and is gluten-free and vegan. But as with many "convenience" foods that we now consider to be staples in our lives, the over-thinking and over-processing of popping corn has rendered it unfit to eat.
Well, rest easy now. Because all you need is a plain brown paper lunch-type bag and a half cup of minimally-processed popping corn, and you are on your way to eating healthier at a low cost, without sacrificing convenience!
Take your lunch bag and fill it with about a half cup of popping corn. Fold it over three times, and place on it's side in the microwave. "Nuke" this for ABOUT three minutes -- we all know microwave cooking times vary, so stay close and listen until you get the hang of this -- and enjoy!
Of course, you can still add salt and/or butter and/or hot sauce and/or your favorite toppings that will make this a less ideal but more delicious snack... My favorite is still to add a Tablespoon of melted organic butter (but a sprinkle of sea salt or parmesan is nice, too)... BUT skip the carcinogens and make a batch of popcorn for about 80% less cost than you are used to!
Friday, June 15, 2012
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Where HAVE I Been???
Well, I've been away from the blog for quite a long time now... But summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the street... Or something like that! I decided to ease back into the blogosphere by gifting you with a new recipe. This one is low-fat, high in both protein and fiber, is both vegan and gluten-free. As an added bonus, it is easily adapted to campfire cooking!
Hearty Savoury Lentils with Wild Rice
Add 2 cups lentils and 1/2 cup wild rice to a pan. Cover with 6 cups boiling water. Add 2 heaping TBSP Marmite or Vegemite, a palm-full of dried parsley, and if you can find it, a few pinches of summer savory. Simmer on medium-low heat for the next 25 minutes, with a loose lid, during which you can caramelize an onion.
My favorite method of this is to finely chop one medium-large yellow onion. Add it to a pan with 2 TBSP veggie oil (butter if you aren't vegan), and then cook on low heat, stirring only twice, over a period of about 20 minutes. After everything is nice and brown, I like to add a few drops of lemon or lime juice... It helps with that lovely caramel taste. Once your onion is done, set it aside for a while...
Next, add a large handful of long-grain brown or jasmine rice to your lentil mixture. Stir thoroughly. Now you have 20 more minutes to simmer with your lid on again loosely (or preferably the lid to your pot on).
When your lentils and rice are nice and cooked, add first some salt and pepper to taste -- followed by a TBSP of cornstarch. Stir vigorously to make sure the mixture thickens without lumps. When it is all thickened, add your onion and serve!
VARIATIONS:
To make a nice lentil stew, increase the water to 8 cups and the Marmite to 4 TBSP. Add chopped carrots, potatoes, and celery when adding the second part of the rice, after the first 25 minutes of cooking. These are the only changes for a nice fall stew.
Also, to take this recipe camping with you... Combine your wild rice, lentils, parsley, summer savory, some salt and pepper, 2 TBSP onion powder and 1 TBSP garlic powder, in a baggie. Put a scant 1/2 cup of jasmine rice in another baggie with your cornstarch. The Marmite is so small, there is no worry in packing it along. Cook in the same 2-step process as before, only over a fire.
If you really aren't concerned with going vegan, you can use the butter to caramelize the onions, and this recipe is actually REALLY NICE made as a stew with some added cubed goat or lamb. I would favor goat, really, as this is quite a hearty dish. Just be sure you add your goat at the very beginning, as you want it to simmer for a long time with the lentils and wild rice.
ENJOY!!!
Hearty Savoury Lentils with Wild Rice
Add 2 cups lentils and 1/2 cup wild rice to a pan. Cover with 6 cups boiling water. Add 2 heaping TBSP Marmite or Vegemite, a palm-full of dried parsley, and if you can find it, a few pinches of summer savory. Simmer on medium-low heat for the next 25 minutes, with a loose lid, during which you can caramelize an onion.
My favorite method of this is to finely chop one medium-large yellow onion. Add it to a pan with 2 TBSP veggie oil (butter if you aren't vegan), and then cook on low heat, stirring only twice, over a period of about 20 minutes. After everything is nice and brown, I like to add a few drops of lemon or lime juice... It helps with that lovely caramel taste. Once your onion is done, set it aside for a while...
Next, add a large handful of long-grain brown or jasmine rice to your lentil mixture. Stir thoroughly. Now you have 20 more minutes to simmer with your lid on again loosely (or preferably the lid to your pot on).
When your lentils and rice are nice and cooked, add first some salt and pepper to taste -- followed by a TBSP of cornstarch. Stir vigorously to make sure the mixture thickens without lumps. When it is all thickened, add your onion and serve!
VARIATIONS:
To make a nice lentil stew, increase the water to 8 cups and the Marmite to 4 TBSP. Add chopped carrots, potatoes, and celery when adding the second part of the rice, after the first 25 minutes of cooking. These are the only changes for a nice fall stew.
Also, to take this recipe camping with you... Combine your wild rice, lentils, parsley, summer savory, some salt and pepper, 2 TBSP onion powder and 1 TBSP garlic powder, in a baggie. Put a scant 1/2 cup of jasmine rice in another baggie with your cornstarch. The Marmite is so small, there is no worry in packing it along. Cook in the same 2-step process as before, only over a fire.
If you really aren't concerned with going vegan, you can use the butter to caramelize the onions, and this recipe is actually REALLY NICE made as a stew with some added cubed goat or lamb. I would favor goat, really, as this is quite a hearty dish. Just be sure you add your goat at the very beginning, as you want it to simmer for a long time with the lentils and wild rice.
ENJOY!!!
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