Recipes (Keep comments in a separate thread!)

quietpilot87 said:Honestly, I have zero clue... my mom used flour and heavy roux in everything, even her red pepper sauce and bean soups. I’ve had to tweak those recipes over the years because those thick, floury versions are just way too heavy for me.

So how do you actually get it to thicken up? 😕
It never feels thick enough for me unless I just throw it in the blender... then it's perfect. 🙏

Just cut back on the water and use a tomato puree instead. It thickens up just fine that way.
As for stuffed cabbage rolls... man, I don't know. I can't even wrap my head around eating hot cabbage rolls in the middle of summer. They'd probably stay pretty runny 😁.
If someone's stomach can't handle a heavy roux, you could always just whisk a spoonful of flour into a little bit of water first, then pour that in... it still thickens it up, but it's much easier on the gut.

Red Pepper Salad, Recreation Style

Clean those peppers, chop them into big chunks, and spread them out on a baking sheet—skip the oil entirely this way, keeps things cleaner
Throw them in the oven until they get that nice, dark color... maybe even a little charred in spots if you're lucky.
Pull them out and cover them up tight for about half an hour to let them steam... or just toss them in a plastic bag if you want to be lazy.
Peel off the skins.
Roughly chop everything up, toss in a spoonful of extra virgin olive oil, a massive pile of garlic, and whatever herbs you have lying around, like parsley or basil.
Pro tip: you can freeze the peppers after peeling them but before seasoning, so you've always got a quick little salad ready to go whenever...
Enjoy 🙂

Whether my stomach can handle a roux or not, it doesn't matter—I have to steer clear of them, even basic flour 😁

Btw, it drives me nuts when people throw a roux into something like a Bolognese. It’s just totally unnecessary 😁

Hope unknown won't be mad, but I'm gonna drop my own spin on her recipe for mushroom and sesame eggs:

Throw some olive oil in a non-stick pan, dice up an onion, and sauté until soft. Toss in the mushrooms and cook them down until they release their moisture. Add the sesame seeds for a few minutes, then crack in two eggs. Salt and pepper. Personally, I like adding thyme—it's killer 🙂

The original recipe calls for white wine too, if I recall, but I skip it and it still turns out great 🙏

Anyone else down for this kind of culinary sin?

I take some chicken or turkey breast cut them up into little cubes, and toss them in a non-stick skillet with basically zero oil.
Once they're cooked through, I pour over some beaten eggs and let the whole thing sizzle and set.
It’s killer when you pair it with some sautéed Swiss chard and olive oil.

Since chicken breast can be pretty damn bland and flavorless most of the time, I usually just leave it marinating overnight in garlic, fresh cracked pepper, and some good olive oil.
Honestly, it’s way better that way... 🙂

Anyway, here's a recipe for Ratatouille, that old-school rustic dish from France 😁.
Even the rats would love this stuff 😁.
Nothing fancy or modified here, just pure healthy veggies, so I guess it counts... Just don't go overboard with the oil since there's a lot of sautéing involved.

Copy-pasting this from another thread because I really can't be bothered to type it all out again
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Sauté one red and one yellow bell pepper, diced into 0.7 cm pieces, in olive oil; set those aside, then sauté some diced eggplant in olive oil... then do the same for some diced zucchini.
Throw all that into a bowl on the side and mix it up.
Then you sauté some small purple onions until they soften, toss in 3 cloves of garlic, and then add two tomatoes cut into cubes. Once the water evaporates from the tomatoes, throw the veggie mix back in, season everything, and stir in 15 torn basil leaves.
It’s meant to be eaten cold, maybe with a few drops of lemon juice right before you serve it.
The colors look insane, but unfortunately my phone camera is garbage so the photo turned out pretty mediocre 😢

I’m a huge fan of frittatas. You can easily whip one up using leftover pasta, or just stick to veggies and eggs if you want something lighter.

My absolute favorite combo is eggs paired with mushrooms (sautéed with onions and garlic), some lightly blanched kale, and plenty of mozzarella. 🙏

To make it, I separate the eggs and whip the whites into soft peaks. Then, I mix the yolks with a splash of milk (and maybe some heavy cream if I'm feeling indulgent), fold in those egg whites, and pour about half of that mixture into a baking dish. I layer in the sautéed mushrooms and kale, pour the rest of the egg mixture over the top, sprinkle on the mozzarella, and pop it in the oven until it's golden. 😁

Lisa Wells65, this frittata looks killer 🙏

What kind of dish are you using? Something oven-safe or just a regular pan?

Anyway, much love to you all 🙏
Just keep those recipes coming 😁 If those lazy guys out there saw how easy it is for us creative women to whip this up—and actually enjoy eating healthy food while doing it—they might actually try 😍

quietpilot87 said:Lisa Wells65, this frittata looks incredible, yum! 🙏

What kind of dish did you use for this? Like an oven-safe one or just a regular baking pan?

Anyway, I'm proud of you guys 🙏
Keep those recipes coming 😁 I want those lazy guys out there to see how much easier it is for us creative women—we actually enjoy eating healthy food too.😍

Honestly, frittatas are the best. You can just toss in whatever veggies you have on hand.🙏

An oven-safe dish works great. I usually just use my quiche pan. Oh, and you can make quiche super healthy too, especially if you're doing low-carb with lots of veggies.😁

Jesus, I need a quiche dish. I've been obsessing over getting one tomorrow. 🙏 Just tell me where to find one and 🙏
This week's menu features Dana Miller2's meat and egg combo 😁

I don't know which recipe to drop—dammit, feels stupid posting without the actual instructions 🤣

I know, all talk and no action, but here's one of my favorite sides:

Sauté 200g of frozen peas with one onion in a tablespoon of olive oil. Once they soften up a bit, cover them with water, season with some poultry seasoning, and dump in a million tons of dill—fresh or dried, whatever. 🙏

Once it's done, let it sit for a minute so the liquid absorbs.

I used to be obsessed with egg sandwiches, but I don't eat them quite as often lately. Now, I usually just hard-boil some eggs, chop them up, and then blend just a portion of them to get that perfect creamy texture. I mix it all together with some salt and a dash of paprika, spread it on some toast, and call it a day.
Honestly, this egg filling is also incredible when you stuff it inside sliced red bell peppers. Just slice the pepper, fill it with the mixture, and you're good to go.🙏

You can usually find quiche dishes at the bigger grocery stores, like Walmart, Kroger, or Safeway... They have everything from deep ones to shallow ones, even oven-safe versions. There are a million variations out there, so just pick something versatile. I actually picked up one from Target; it was super cheap and it’s been working great for me. Plus, they have tons of other kitchen gadgets and dishes there if you're looking to grab something on a budget.😉

Man, look at all these new recipes coming in 😍
Just gonna drop another one of my little guilty pleasures here... one of those weird combos that sounds totally wrong on paper, but honestly? It’s killer if you actually have the guts to try it 😬
Curry Chicken Lentil Stew

First, just dice up some chicken breasts, sauté them until they're done, and set them aside
Sauté some onions, toss in some canned crushed tomatoes—maybe two cans or just a few really ripe ones from the farmer's market—and let that simmer down until it gets thick
Right before you call it quits, throw in a can of lentils... though if you want to be fancy, just use the ones you cooked in an Instant Pot, takes like ten minutes tops
Mix the chicken back in, season it however you feel like, and hit it with the curry powder
It should turn out like this thick, heavy stew...

Exactly. Just throw some chili in there with the fajitas.
Here's the recipe.
Just ditch the sour cream and the tortillas and you're basically done.
😁
http://www.coolinarika.com/recept/tortilja-fajita

Swap out that fajita seasoning for some paprika, chili powder, and pepper...

Lisa Wells65 said:Pesto Genovese

4 medium garlic cloves
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 heaped tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil

Throw the garlic in the blender, toss in the basil and pine nuts. Blend while drizzling in the olive oil—keep it steady—but save about 2 tablespoons of oil for later. Pour the mixture into a jar and top it off with that leftover oil.

And look, you don't have to stick to pasta. It’s killer with cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes... whatever.

So, I whipped up some pesto, but since I couldn't find any damn pine nuts anywhere, I swapped them for cashews—honestly? It turned out amazing. 🙏
Yeah, adding a pinch of salt helps too; makes it hit better. 🙂

Now I just gotta figure out what to eat it with. 🤔

My guess? It’d be killer on some grilled fish. 🙏

Veal and Onion Salad

First, you just slow-cook the veal until it's tender, then toss it together with some sliced onions, a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil, and a generous crack of black pepper.
Serve it chilled 🙂
It’s quick, it’s nutritious, 🙂
and honestly, don't let that cooking liquid go to waste—you can easily repurpose the broth for all sorts of other dishes.

quietpilot87 said:So, I just whipped up some pesto, but since I couldn't find any decent pine nuts anywhere, I swapped them out for cashews instead—and honestly? It turned out amazing. 🙏
I think adding a pinch of salt helps too; makes it even better. 🙂

Now I just need to figure out what to eat this with! 🤔

I'm thinking it would be killer with some grilled fish. 🙏

Yeah, I usually skip the salt because the garlic kind of brings out that savory flavor for me anyway, plus I typically season whatever I’m serving the pesto with (like meat or veggies) separately.

For me, it goes great with pretty much any veggie, especially broccoli, and it's awesome with chicken, too.🙏

Pesto just makes me feel sick... there’s way too much oil in it for my liking. Anyone got any tips on how to cut back on the grease or what I could swap it out for?
I'm not some health freak or overdoing anything, it's just always been hard on my stomach when things are this greasy. 😢

Kajjaznam, you could try diluting it with water, but honestly, it just won't hit the same way. 🤷
Me? I just take a tiny little teaspoon—yeah, it’s greasy, sure—but it’s super potent, so even a tiny bit is plenty to get the job done.

It’s nothing groundbreaking, really, but I’m enjoying it... just a little change of pace:

Cucumber salad:

I slice up some cucumbers and mix them with a healthy fat substitute—most people reach for sour cream, but this is my healthier take. Most "low-fat" versions people shove into their mouths are way too watery, at least in my opinion. I add some red peppers (a mix of sweet and spicy, maybe a bit of chili), chives, and occasionally a dusting of garlic powder.

Vegan option:

Vegan style involves red pepper powder, chives, some smoked deli meat (or whatever leftover protein is sitting in the fridge), and some veggies—usually I just toss it with green salad.

Lately, I haven't been able to feel full just eating meat and salad, so I've been trying to incorporate some kind of liquid component to round things out.

Usually, it's soup (either tomato or a basic broth) where I stir in egg whites instead of using noodles.

Or a tomato sauce—just enough flour to keep it from being too thin, plus some chili (I have a weakness for heat), and maybe a dash of seasoning salt. If anyone actually knows how to thicken it without using flour, please enlighten me...

There are great recipes here; I really ought to print some out and start experimenting. I particularly like the idea of mixing meat and egg—definitely need to try 👍

P.S. I get cravings for sweets quite often. My willpower hasn't been the strongest this year, so I usually just settle for 88% dark chocolate or, more recently, some whole grain crackers (my motivation took a hit after getting back from my trip to the coast 😁). Last year, though, I used to eat vegan cinnamon treats. If you're interested, give them a shot... personally, lately I can't get enough of 🤮

Oatmeal is amazing when you mix it with fruit.😁 Back when I was doing more plant-based meals, I’d blend mine with frozen bananas and some berries... It also tastes killer with apples and cinnamon.😁

It just hit me that I haven't shared one of my absolute favorite recipes yet—poppy seed cauliflower.😁 Honestly, I’m kind of obsessed with poppy seeds. I know they aren't everyone's cup of tea, but if you're not a fan, feel free to just scroll past this one.😁

So, first things first, take about 4 to 5 tablespoons of poppy seeds and grind them up. You can use a coffee grinder or a blender, depending on what you've got in your kitchen. Mix that poppy seed powder with a little bit of water.
While you're doing that, boil your cauliflower until it's al dente. In a separate bowl, mix together some chopped chili peppers, a splash of olive oil, salt, two cloves of garlic, and whatever other seasonings you're feeling. Toss the cauliflower in that mixture, throw it into a hot pan, and sauté it for a bit. If it looks a little dry, just add a tiny splash of water. Finally, stir in the poppy seed paste and keep sautéing until all those flavors really meld together.