So, I finally took the plunge and tried my hand at baking something vegan for the first time.😬
Wild Berry Vegan Cake
6 eggs Just one scoop of that vanilla whey (Dymatize). About 3 to 4 big tablespoons of non-fat milk (Vindija). Maybe two tablespoons of brown sugar? I’m thinking Stevia would probably work just fine too, but I haven't picked any up yet.😬) A cup of forest berries.
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Then, just pop an oven-safe dish filled with water on the bottom rack. You really want that steam building up in there.
First, you gotta separate the yolks from the whites. Take those yolks and beat them with a spoonful of sugar until they get all light and frothy. Once that's looking good, fold in some low-fat cottage cheese. Give it a solid mix, then toss in a scoop of whey protein. When everything is smooth and combined, just stir in half a cup of mixed berries. Done.
Fold those egg whites in using a second spoonful of sugar. You want to gently fold that fluffy meringue into the first mixture so you don't deflate it. Pour the whole thing into your cake pan (I used a 9-inch one). Top it off with some fresh forest berries, then pop it in the oven at 325°F for about half an hour.
Once that cake comes out of the oven, just serve it up with some fresh berries. If you’re feeling fancy, you can even drizzle a little bit of the fruit juice over the top.
It might not be the most representative sample, but honestly? I’m cool with it.😳)
And yeah, you could probably cut back on the eggs too—I figure four would still work just fine.😁
Just wanted to share another shot of my latest "cake" made from plant-based ingredients and forest berries. I really went to town on whipping those egg whites this time—the meringue was super stiff. I also grated some orange zest into the batter and tossed in an extra handful of berries (plus a few more on top before it went into the oven).😁)
I’ve shared a few twists on this recipe before, but hey, you can never have too many options in your back pocket.😬
First, prep your veggies. Hollow out some zucchini, chop the tops off your bell peppers, and peel your onions. Pro tip: go for those big, chunky onions! Throw everything into a pot of boiling water to blanch them for a bit. Since onions have all those layers, toss them in first—they take the longest.🙂 Just keep an eye on the zucchini and peppers so they don't turn into mush. Once the tomatoes look decent and don't taste like dirt😁, throw them in toward the end since they tend to fall apart pretty fast. After blanching, give the veggies a quick dip in cold water, drain them, and set them aside. For the onions, peel away most of the layers, leaving just the outer one or two intact.
Finely chop the onion centers you scooped out, along with 2-3 cloves of garlic, and sauté them until they're translucent. Be careful not to burn the garlic; if it goes dark, it'll totally wreck the flavor of the whole dish.😉 Next, toss in about 500g of ground meat (turkey or a beef blend works great, whatever you're feeling). Sauté the meat lightly, then stir in the chopped zucchini bits and some mushrooms, followed by the barley. You can pre-boil the barley to speed things up, but it's not strictly necessary. Pour in a little bit of that veggie cooking water to keep things moist.
Season everything with salt, pepper, basil, thyme, oregano, or whatever spices you have lying around. Once the filling is ready, stuff your hollowed-out veggies with the mixture, pour over some seasoned canned tomatoes (I like adding Mediterranean herbs, a pinch of pepper, salt, and a tiny bit of sugar to mine), sprinkle with some mozzarella if you're feeling fancy, and pop them in the oven to bake.
You can also make this using raw ingredients, much like a classic stuffed pepper dish.😉
Grab one big potato and roast it in the oven. (Give it about 45 minutes at 425°F.) Once it's done, hollow it out so it looks like a little boat, then fill it with a mix of vegan cream and mashed potato. Stir in some chopped chili, garlic, a pinch of Mediterranean herbs, and salt to taste.
Spinach and Vegan Cream Loaded Potato
Roast your potato, scoop out the middle, and mix that part with some sautéed spinach and vegan cream. Toss in some garlic, nutmeg, salt, and whatever other spices you're feeling, then pop it back in the oven for a quick bake.
Since Dana Miller2 is obsessed with couscous, I figured I’d share a little more... 😁
Mediterranean Couscous Salad
• 1 3/4 cups couscous • 2 cups chicken broth (veggie broth works too) • 1 tablespoon olive oil • 1/2 teaspoon salt • A pinch of black pepper
Pour the broth into a pot and stir in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Once it hits a boil, pull it off the heat and toss in the couscous. Give it a quick stir, cover it up, and just let it sit until all that liquid is absorbed.
What have you guys done to this thread?🤦 Looks like spring is finally in the air.😬
Here’s a recipe to help you all get a little more disciplined.😬
Couscous Salad
· 1½ cups couscous · ¼ cup orange juice · 1 tbsp Dijon mustard · 1 tbsp fresh thyme (or a small tsp of dried) · 1 tsp grated orange zest · 2 cups boiling water · A handful of chopped parsley · ½ cup sliced green onions · 1 orange, peeled and sliced · 1 tbsp lemon juice · Freshly ground pepper
In a large bowl, mix the couscous, orange juice, mustard, thyme, and orange zest. Pour in the boiling water, cover it, and just let it sit for about 5 minutes until it's soaked up all that liquid. Use a fork to fluff it up. Toss in the parsley, green onions, orange slices, and lemon juice. Give it a quick stir and add some pepper or chili if you're feeling it. This goes great alongside fish (especially if it's grilled😁).
So, today Ana U. is whipping up some leftover sweet potato to go alongside the duck. 😁 It’s not exactly gourmet, but hey, it’s better than letting it go to waste.😁
Recipe
I am seriously looking forward to trying out some new recipes using sweet potatoes.👋
nimblegull23 said:I actually made some baba ganoush for that same friend last night. 🙏
So, I roasted some eggplants—made sure to peel off most of the skin—and then tossed in some lemon juice and garlic. Added a bit of salt, pepper, two tablespoons of tahini, and a dollop of yogurt. Just finished it off with an immersion blender, and honestly? It's perfect. 🙏
The GI is down in the basement. 🙏
This totally reminds me of that one thread over on Gastronomy, back when everyone was losing their minds trying to figure out what baba ganoush actually was.🤣 🙏
So, are you working when things get crazy?
Bisara
Two cups of cooked tapioca pearls. Just one small onion, finely chopped. Two cloves of garlic. Just one tablespoon of beaten coriander. parsley leaves cousin Just some pepper and salt to taste. Just a little olive oil.
Just blend it all up smooth, season it however you like, and dig in.🙏
nimblegull23 said:I've got some broccoli and a roughly 300g veal cutlet (lean meat 😬 ) Anyone got any ideas? I'm starving right now and the broccoli is just sitting there waiting to be steamed. 👎 Thanks a ton 🙏 help me out here, God bless!
Broccoli puree? 😬
Sometimes I'll boil cauliflower and broccoli together and whip them up into a puree. Occasionally I'll do them separately just to get those two different colors going—kind of makes it look more interesting on the plate, you know? 😬
If you're sticking to a specific meal plan or diet, I don't really have much to suggest for that steak. You could just sear it quickly, or maybe wrap it in Aluminum foil and bake it... or even try making Saltimbocca if you happen to have some prosciutto on hand. 😁
Let me chew on that for a bit. Maybe something better will pop into my head. 😁
Morgan Torres said:I'm actually going crazy here😁 I had spinach and carrot soup today😬
🙂 🤣
Morgan Torres said:btw, does anyone else eat fennel? I really want to try it but I have zero clue how to cook it.
I absolutely love it! It’s also great because it helps lower blood pressure.🙏 I eat it pretty often, though I know not everyone is a fan since it has that licorice-like scent. Sometimes I roast it along with some potatoes—just a mix of carrots, potatoes, fennel, and a little garlic.🙏 😵 It works wonders in salads, quiches, or omelets, and it's delicious braised with meat (especially pork), tossed with pasta or rice, thrown into soups, or even used as a stuffing for meats... Some people even toss it into herbal teas.😁
I can definitely drop some actual recipes for you if you want.😁
Since I’m a huge fan of everything Irish, I thought I’d try this specific combo.😁
Of course, it doesn't strictly have to be shaped like a shamrock.🤣 (Grabbed this photo online.🙂)
Carrot Soup: 1 onion, diced 3 medium carrots, sliced 1 sweet potato, chopped 1 tbsp orange zest 1 tbsp umeboshi vinegar (Japanese plum vinegar) salt to taste a pinch of crushed dried chili flakes
Veggie Soup: 1 leek, chopped 1 large zucchini, chopped 1 small head of broccoli, broken into florets 1 cup peas 1/4 cup Brazil nuts some vegetable broth or a veggie bouillon cube white or black pepper
Throw the onion, carrots, sweet potato, and orange zest into a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, toss in the salt and chili, then let it simmer covered for about 15 minutes. Let it cool down a bit, then blend it until it's nice and creamy. Stir in the vinegar and add a splash more water if it feels too thick.
In another pot, combine the leeks, zucchini, chopped broccoli stems, and Brazil nuts with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, add the broth, and cook covered for about 7 minutes. Then, add the broccoli florets and peas and cook for another 5 minutes. Let it cool slightly, then blend it until smooth. You can add a little warm water here too if you need to thin it out.
Mix the two soups together however you want to create your own design.😁
boldcanyon72 said:Man, I wish I had it easy. There’s nothing healthy near me—just endless fast food joints everywhere. It’s a total disaster! I mean, some days I actually whip up a killer meal, but then there are those days where I just can't deal with it all. Honestly, I am so over chicken breasts 😁 and since I'm breastfeeding, I have to eat really clean, so today is just gonna be fruit!
So you're basically living on chicken nuggets? 😁
Seriously though, maybe try some beef or something else for a change? Just stick to the lean cuts. It won't hurt you at all. 😉
analogpilot11 said:Is it actually true that Greta Thunberg helps with weight loss? If so, how does it work? I've heard there’s some kind of effect, but I didn't really get the science behind it, so I figured I'd ask you guys. Are we talking about some fancy stuff or just the basic tea bags you find at Target? 🙂 the more info the better, haha
Start by sautéing two cloves of finely minced garlic in some olive oil. Just keep an eye on it—you don't want it to burn. Next, toss in some diced zucchini. Sprinkle in a little paprika and some Italian seasoning blend, then let it all cook down. Pour in about 500ml of tomato juice (dilute it with a splash of water if you need to), and then stir in a can or two of tuna. Give it all a good mix. While that's happening, boil some shells until they're perfectly al dente, then drain them really well. Fold the pasta into the sauce, put a lid on it, and kill the heat. Let it sit for about 7 or 8 minutes to soak up all those flavors, then hit it with a little salt and you're good to go.
Stipe23 said:And then there's that thing, what's it called, the one you were explaining to me... Blanching! And honestly, I have no clue what poaching even is either. 😁
I can totally picture Lisa Wells65 acting all professor-like, getting super intense while telling a story "when we examine the culinary distinctions between classic Mediterranean styles and the northern regions of France, we see how they've been using..." and us students, just sitting there completely lost, thinking "Wait, what the heck is sautéing?"
-Stipe
Man, you cracked me up.🤣🤣 🙏
So, poaching is a technique you see a lot when prepping fish, though some people love poached eggs too.😁
Basically, it’s cooking food in its own moisture at a temperature below a hundred degrees. It's great for things like fish because it keeps the meat from falling apart. You can poach fish along with some veggies (onions, carrots, celery, etc.), and you only need enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Those veggies end up making a light broth you can pour over the fish when you serve it.
Poached eggs, though, are a whole different story. That's where you crack an egg into simmering water with a little splash of vinegar. 😁 Poaching eggs
Look, there are tons of recipes out there for chocolate cakes made with eggs and ground almonds or walnuts—basically flourless styles. But almost every single one calls for butter or some kind of fat, plus a ton of sugar.😁
For instance: Flourless Cake 😁
A lot of people just whip up various kinds of soufflés (using eggs or fruit...) or maybe some oat cookies...
Lisa Turner14 said:I do something similar with fruit ice cream or shakes (blackberry or raspberry works great too)
The classic way is mixing it with yogurt and sugar, but my fitness version is a little different.
I freeze some strawberries, then toss them into the blender with some whey protein until I get this icy slush. If I want a drink, I just keep adding whey until it hits that liquid shake consistency. If I’m craving ice cream, I stop while the mixture is still thick. Then I just grate a tiny bit of lemon zest over it, and boom—done.😍
It’s seriously delicious.
I never bother with sugar in those smoothies or "ice creams." They turn out awesome without it.🙏 Honestly, nothing beats blending frozen fruit and maybe throwing in some whey and water.🙏 I used to do it with yogurt or dairy-free alternatives, but lately, the fruit and dairy combo just doesn't sit right with me.😢
Niko hasn't told me anything about stevia.😢
Seriously, why does nobody know anything more about this?🤷 Come on guys, send me some info, otherwise who am I going to talk about this with?🤣
🤣 I guess I can volunteer.😬 I don't really use any sweeteners unless I'm baking, and even then, I just stick to regular or brown sugar. From what I recall, there was some stuff written on gastronomy about stevia. Here are the threads and the PDF from Vrt.😁
Jamie Rivera70 said:What even is that? I just Googled it. It's eggs because I'm putting together a high-protein meal (P+M).
Long story short, I whipped up that "ice cream" thing 😁
- I tossed half a kilo of non-fat yogurt, half a scoop of whey, vanilla extract, 4 servings of Natren, some water (about a cup), and a splash of milk into a bowl and blended it all together. It's chilling in the fridge right now, waiting for me tomorrow. 😬
