Recipes (Keep comments in a separate thread!)

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

All my girlfriends are out here making tuna pâté with mayo—like, seriously? I was really aiming for something a bit more on the healthy side because, honestly, I wouldn't touch mayo even if you paid me.

So, I stumbled upon something on a forum the other day—looks pretty interesting—and I think I'm actually gonna give it a shot in the next few days. Stay tuned!

Tuna pâté—it’s one of those things you don't realize you're craving until you're staring at a can of tuna in the pantry and thinking, "Man, I could do better than just crackers." Honestly, there is nothing like a homemade spread to level up your snack game. It's basically the ultimate comfort food when you want something fancy but you really just want to eat out of a bowl while watching Netflix. Just some good quality tuna, maybe a little cream cheese or mayo to smooth it all out, and whatever seasonings you have lying around... honestly, a dash of Lawry's goes a long way here. It's simple, it's quick, and it beats anything you'd pick up at a gas station any day of the week.

I need:
Canned tuna (the kind where you actually drain the liquid properly—don't skip that part!)
mustard
Hard-boiled egg whites (grated)
lemon juice
papar
sol
pickled cucumbers (shredded)

So, here’s how you do it—super simple, really. You just grab a bowl and toss in some drained tuna, then whip in some egg whites and chopped pickles. Throw in a splash of that pickle juice too—it makes such a difference! Then, hit it with a bit of mustard to bind everything together into a smooth, creamy spread. Finish it all off with a little salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Just mix it all up until it's perfect. Easy peasy.

So, here’s a super simple recipe that I bet almost everyone has whipped up before, but I figured I’d share my own little twist on it! 🙂

Onion Scrambled Eggs

What you'll need:
1. Eggs (as many as you want—I just tossed in 5, but honestly, I'm still starving 😁 )
2. An onion
3. Chili flakes, salt, and pepper
4. A splash of olive oil.

First, I grab some olive oil (just a tiny bit, enough to wipe down the pan with a paper towel) and let it get nice and hot.
Then, I throw in some finely chopped onions and let them sauté for a bit until they're fragrant. After that, I crack the eggs right on top and give everything a good scramble.
About a minute later, I sprinkle in some pepper, salt, and chili flakes, giving it an occasional stir as it cooks.
Sometimes, if I'm feeling fancy, I'll top it off with some bits of prosciutto 😈 or even some dried venison 🙂—I know, I know, maybe not the healthiest choice, but hey, we all have those days where we just eat whatever is in the fridge! 🙂

Basically, it's a delicious, easy meal. 🙂

So, I was whipping up some pizzas yesterday—made two classic ones for the family, but went with a whole wheat version for myself.

Here’s how I pulled it off:

Whole Wheat Pizza

A cup of yogurt,
300 grams of whole wheat flour,
a tablespoon of olive oil,
and 20 grams of fresh yeast.

I let the dough rise in a warm spot for about an hour.

When it came time to shape it (honestly, I don't really roll it out—I just kind of stretch it out with my fingers), I spread on some tomato sauce, vegan cheese, capers, oregano, garlic powder, basil, and popped an egg right in the center.

Baked for 25 minutes at 350-400 degrees in a preheated oven.

It was seriously amazing—I polished the whole thing off in seconds! Though, next time I'll probably halve the ingredients because, let's be real, that was a bit much even for me.

How to make vegan meals actually taste good.

Man, I used to struggle so much with vegan cheese—it was such a hassle. But I finally cracked the code on how to eat it so it’s actually delicious!

If you're looking for a high-protein snack,

Grab about 8-10 ounces of vegan cheese (make sure it isn't super sour; the Standard brand from Kroger is my go-to, and it's only $3.25 for a half-pound.
Mix in about a cup of water, some vanilla extract (3 drops is plenty for me), and maybe 2 or 3 crushed Natren packets.
Just whip everything together with an immersion blender, and boom—you've got this amazing ice cream/yogurt texture.
It tastes so good to me that I feel like I could eat a whole pound of it every single day!😁
Pair it with some almonds, hazelnuts, or peanuts—or just toss them all in a bowl and mix it all up for a crunchy vibe.
You could also throw in some peanut butter, but honestly, that's a little heavy on my stomach.

Now, if you want a full breakfast instead, take that same vegan cheese and vanilla combo, then add a handful of oats and half a banana.
Seriously, it's delicious.

It’s the perfect thing to grab for work!

Seriously, give up on that Natreen stuff 😁

Anyway. Chicken in a sweet and spicy marinade paired with lentils . Oh my. 🙂

Since I was running super low on time, I just grabbed a can of pre-cooked lentils from the pantry. (Yes, Lisa Wells65, I hear you loud and clear. 😬).
First, sauté some onions in olive oil, then toss in the cooked lentils, some chopped zucchini, and tomatoes. Throw in your seasonings (salt, pepper, etc.) and let it all simmer away on low heat until the veggies soften and those flavors really start dancing together. Right at the end, stir in some fresh parsley and either basil or oregano.

For the chicken marinade, I mixed together a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper, half a teaspoon of ground ginger, half a teaspoon of cinnamon, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, and a little bit of mustard.
Coat the meat in it and let it marinate for about an hour—though, if I'm being honest, I only gave it about 20 minutes.
Cook it all up in a non-stick skillet without adding any extra oil.

Wow! 😍

Colorful Bell Pepper "Sandwiches" 🙂

Start by whipping up some fillings using low-fat cottage cheese.
Filling 1: 200g cottage cheese (Vindija, obviously—it’s the creamiest out there) + 50g chopped turkey breast + a quarter cup of peeled, diced tomatoes + salt.
Filling 2: 200g cottage cheese + two hard-boiled eggs + salt + some dried or fresh chives.
Filling 3: 200g cottage cheese + canned tuna in water (drained) + one crushed garlic clove + salt.

Slather a thick layer of the filling onto slices of sweet bell peppers—red, yellow, or green. Don't do them all at once, unless you're feeling ambitious. 😬
They're perfect while watching a movie. 🙏
If you're still hungry, just snack on some almonds or walnuts.

You can keep the fillings in the fridge for a couple of days—just keep them covered in a Tupperware container. 👍

Zucchini and Tuna Pasta

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.

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.😁

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.😁

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. 😁

Hummus is low GI. Just whipped up a fresh batch for myself and my gym rat buddy 😁

Hummus is basically a Middle Eastern chickpea dip
Just toss in 2 cans of chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, salt, ground cumin, 2-3 tablespoons of tahini, and about half a cup of olive oil. Throw it all in a blender and blitz it until smooth 🙏

Made some baba ganoush for the same buddy last night 🙏

Roasted the eggplant, peeled it, tossed in lemon juice and garlic, salt, pepper, two tablespoons of tahini, a dollop of yogurt, and just whacked it with the immersion blender 🙏

The GI is down in the basement 🙏

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.🙏

Goal: eat something decent for dinner without spending an eternity in the kitchen. 👍
Ingredients: 2 turkey cutlets, one medium sweet potato, cherry tomatoes
Seasoning: salt, pepper, olive oil, chili sauce, butter

Pro tip: you can actually microwave a sweet potato in like 5 minutes. 🙏🙏🙏

Just toss those 2 cutlets in some butter and sear them for 5 minutes per side. While that's happening, cook the sweet potato, drain it, hit it with a tiny knob of butter and seasoning, then mash it up with a fork.
Once the cutlets are done, pat them dry with paper towels if you're worried about the grease, then plate them up with the mash.
Wash the tomatoes, slice them in half, and throw them on the plate with a drizzle of olive oil and salt.

Drizzle some chili sauce over the meat if you're feeling it—spicy stuff helps kickstart the metabolism anyway. 👍
Total time: 13min

🙏

quietpilot87 said:Can't believe you actually timed that. 🤣

Look, I’m a total perfectionist. Engineer brain, you know? Can't help it. 😳
Everyone in Tertana knows my deal: if I say the rest between sets is 90 seconds, then it's 90 seconds. Period. 😁

@wearyotter81/">@@wearyotter81 look, it's simple: peel the sweet potato, chop it into tiny little cubes—no bigger than half an inch—toss them in a microwave-safe bowl, and add just enough water to barely cover them. Crank the microwave to 850W for 5 minutes, then just poke at them with a fork every minute to check if they're done.
When the timer dings, you pull it out, give it one last look, and toss it into a strainer to drain. Throw it in a bowl with a pat of butter, some salt, pepper, and mash it all together with a fork. Voila—a low-GI side dish that’s actually decent. 🙏
If I’m feeling lazy and not in a rush, I just sauté some onions in butter, toss in the mashed sweet potatoes, and give it a quick sear. Instant leftover sweet potato hash. God, that's good. 🙂
I tried that at Veggie Hut once and it actually gave me some ideas. 😬

I'm a huge fan of cooking with butter. I know, I know—it’s probably not the "healthiest" move, but you need fats in your diet, and butter is perfect for helping your body actually absorb all those fat-soluble vitamins. 🙂

Trying something totally new for breakfast today—and honestly, it’s not bad at all.

Apple Barley

The move is to cook the barley the night before—roughly a 1:4 ratio (barley to water 😬) over low heat. Throw a little salt in the water. Once it’s done, which takes about 1:15 min, kill the heat, let it sit, and shove it in the fridge. In the morning, grab a handful-sized portion, top it with about half a grated apple, a bit of Stevia, and a dusting of cinnamon.

nimblegull23 said:got some broccoli and a roughly 300g veal cutlet at home (decent 😬 meat)
anyone got ideas? I'm starving and the broccoli's just sitting there waiting to be steamed.👎
thanks a ton 🙏 man, help me out and God will bless you.

Oh yeah, meant to tell you this earlier but totally blanked.

The absolute best way to eat broccoli—hands down—is in a creamy soup.
Just boil the broccoli and cauliflower in salted, peppered water with a glug of olive oil and maybe 4 or 5 cloves of garlic. Once it's soft, pull out the garlic and half the veggies and blast them in a blender on high. Pour it back into the pot with the rest, drizzle a bit more olive oil on top, and hit it with some fresh chives and parsley.🙂

Pretty sure I've already posted this recipe somewhere else.🤔

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.👋