Recipes (Keep comments in a separate thread!)

Lisa Wells65 said:I just sear them quickly in a pan without any oil, then move them to a wire rack in the oven, since that way I don't have to "deep fry" everything in grease.

That method sounds pretty great to me.

It feels a little silly for me to even bother sharing my go-to "recipe," considering I’m hardly a gourmet and tend to eat fairly bland food, but alright, here goes nothing.

I basically just pile up whatever vegetables I happen to have lying around at the bottom of a baking dish: broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, potatoes, maybe some sprouts. I toss them with a bit of salt, pepper, a bay leaf or two, and a tiny drizzle of olive oil.
Then I layer some poultry cutlets over the top. I rub the pieces with a little bit of butter, cover the whole thing with Aluminum foil, and slide it into the oven.

Near the end, I peel back the foil, pour on some heavy cream, and let it bake until it's bubbly. And that's really it.😳
Nobody in my house actually likes it because it isn't greasy enough.😁

Hey 😁, quick question for you—why start in the pan and then move everything to the oven? Why not just throw it straight in the oven from the jump, or maybe just finish the whole thing in the pan instead? Also, I wasn't sure if you skip the oil in the pan or if you actually use some... if you do use oil, I guess that answers my own questions!

Ashley Perez50 said:Lisa Wells65, why start in the pan and then finish it in the oven? Why not just throw it straight in the oven from the get-go, or just cook it all the way through in the pan? Also, I noticed you don't seem to be using any oil in the pan—is that part of the reason, or does that answer my questions? 😁

First, I give it a quick sear in a pan with just a tiny bit of fat to get that perfect crust going. Once that's set, I just move it over to the rack and slide it straight into the oven.
I mean, you could probably just toss them straight into the oven while they're still breaded, if that's what you're thinking.

A friend of mine actually showed me this trick a while back, and honestly, I haven’t looked back since. I just give it a quick sear in the pan first, then pop the whole thing into the oven. It makes such a difference.😁

I added a quick note that you can finish cooking everything right in the pan—just keep in mind you'll need to use a little extra oil if you go that route.😁

Wait, which rack are we talking about here? Are you asking about the standard setting that comes by default, or is there a specific one you usually toss in the oven?

wearyotter81 said:Wait, which rack? Like, the standard one that comes with everything, or are you talking about a specific one meant for the oven?

I just put the oven rack on top of the baking sheet and slide the whole thing right into the oven.😁 Simple as that.😁 🤣

You could always use a different rack if you happen to have one handy.😁

Wait, hold on—where exactly are you putting the baking sheet? Are you resting it right on the oven floor? Or do you actually have two racks set up? 😲
Because if you're doing that, it’s basically going to turn into some kind of makeshift grill! 😁

wearyotter81 said:Wait, how are you even supporting the pan? Is it just sitting on the oven floor? Or do you have two racks 😲
That sounds like some kind of crazy DIY grill setup! 😁

What the hell? 🤔

So basically, once I pull out the rack, I just slide the baking sheet right into the slots where the rack usually goes.🤷
Then the rack sits on top of the pan, and the meat sits on the rack. 😁

(Unless you’ve got one of those older ovens that doesn't have those adjustable slots for the pans or racks... My oven has four different levels with sliding rails—basically telescopic guides—so the whole pan slides out toward me. It's super easy because I don't have to lift the heavy thing just to get it out.😁)

Lisa Wells65 said:What the hell? 🤔

So, once I pull out the rack, I end up jamming a baking sheet right into those slots where the rack used to sit. 🤷
Then I put the rack on top of that sheet, and then the meat goes on the rack. 😁

(Unless you’ve got one of those old-school ovens that doesn't have these specific grooves for adjusting the height... Mine has four levels with sliding tracks—basically telescopic rails—so the whole tray just slides right out toward me without me having to lift anything heavy.😁)

Don't you "what the hell" me! You don't have an oven, you have a freaking starship cockpit! 😬

Anyway, I totally get the logic now. 😳 😁

wearyotter81 said:Don't you "what the hell" me—you don't have an oven, you have a freaking starship!😬

Okay, I totally get the setup now 😳 😁

😳 Well, I guess I really do need a decent oven. (How does that sound?🙄 🤦)

My bad. I just assumed you had more of those side slots where you could slide a baking sheet in if you took the rack out. 😁 Anyway, now we're on the same page. 🙂

Maybe I actually have some cracks in there and just haven't realized it yet 😲
I'm still basically getting to know my oven 😳 😬

Take a look, those are the rack slots in your oven. You definitely have at least 2 or 3, since most ovens do.😉 😁 They come in handy when you need to bake stuff on two different levels at once.😁

Unless I'm totally tripping, here’s a recipe. I don't think I've shared this one yet.😳

Chicken ala H

So, for two people:
- A dozen chicken wings and drumettes
- Two grapefruits
- Garlic
- Soy sauce (optional, I usually skip it)
- Olive oil
- Herbes de Provence (if you don't have that, just use rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme...)
- Pepper

Separate the drumettes from the wings, throw them in a bowl, and add the minced garlic, grapefruit juice, spices, soy sauce, pepper, and a little olive oil. Mix it all up and let it marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.
The next day, cook them in a skillet over medium heat, turning them gently... Serve it with some cooked rice (hold the salt!) that you drizzle with the leftover juices from the pan after the meat is done. If you aren't feeling rice, any veggie you like works too.

Here is what my breakfast looks like lately;

- First, I warm up a cup of oat milk in a small saucepan. While it's still at that early stage, I immediately stir in three or four large spoonfuls of rolled oats (personally, I prefer the quick oats because they get much softer; I simply can't stand it when they turn out chewy). Once the milk and oats reach a boil, I take it off the heat and pour everything into a bowl.
- Next, I toss in some chopped dried fruit, depending on my mood. Lately, I’ve been leaning toward dried cranberries and currants. Most often, though, I’ll go with dried apricots, raisins, and some chopped walnuts for a bit of texture.
- While the mixture is still steaming hot, I drop in a single square of dark chocolate and let it melt right into the center.
- Finally, I just let it sit for about five minutes to let everything thicken and settle together, and then it is absolutely delicious! 👍

I have an idea for a quick office snack, or maybe just a super fast meal on the go... how about some fruit baby food? You could grab some Hipp or Frutek, or even _____ 🙂 Honestly, this has saved my life more times than I can count when I'm running behind schedule, and since it's healthy and actually tastes great, it's a total win. 🙂

Carrot and Peanut Salad

4 medium carrots
75g peanuts
2 tablespoons wine vinegar
oil (sesame works great too)

Peel the carrots and chop them up into sticks or bite-sized pieces. Toss them together with the peanuts, vinegar, and oil. If you're using unsalted peanuts, just add a pinch of salt to taste.

Chicken thighs, drumsticks, and all those juicy cuts—anything but the breast!
Mixed with veggies.

Alright. It’s absolutely delicious 🙂

Some chicken pieces from the title, about 5 or 6 ounces
1 carrot
1 zucchini
1 tomato
A bit of canned crushed tomatoes
Half an onion
Garlic, spices (I went with Mexican flavors myself), olive oil
- You can toss in whatever else you're feeling (leeks, bell peppers, eggplant, mushrooms... is there even a limit?)

First, get that onion sautéing in some oil until it softens up. Then, throw in the meat—which I pre-marinated in the spices—followed by the veggies and the crushed tomatoes so everything gets nice and soaked in those juices. Just let it all simmer on low heat with a lid on for about 10 to 15 minutes, giving it a little stir every now and then.

I was digging through the link where those gluten-free folks hang out (by the way, has anyone actually tried it??) and I stumbled upon this
brown rice with seeds I haven't given it a shot yet, but honestly, it sounds pretty tasty

Also, I’m curious about lentils, millet, and chickpeas—what’s the deal with them? Does the flavor remind you of anything specific? Could I swap them out for rice—like, maybe using them in a mushroom sauce instead of rice or pasta? Is that even a thing?

I found a recipe online and gave it a shot today (though I skipped the carrots)—it wasn't bad at all!

1. Sauté some chopped onion and garlic in hot oil, then toss in the rice and toast everything together for about 2 minutes.
2. Drop a Kraft Heinz chicken bouillon cube into boiling water.
3. Pour that cooked chicken broth over the rice, then stir in the peas and carrots.
4. Once you combine the broth, rice, peas, and carrots, the cooking process basically settles down.
5. Dice up some chicken breasts and sear them in olive oil until they reach a nice golden brown.
6. Pour the veggie and rice broth mixture into a baking dish.
7. Spread the cooked chicken over the top and cover it with Aluminum foil. Feel free to add more salt and pepper if you like.
8. Pop the chicken casserole into an oven preheated to 350°F for about 35 minutes.

I actually messed up a bit—I thought I was using too much broth (just one cube per half liter of water), so I only poured in half. By the time it finished baking, the liquid had evaporated, leaving it a little bit dry... plus, I baked it at 400°F instead of 350°F because my oven doesn't run quite as hot as it should.

Ashley Perez50 said:I was digging through the link where they posted those oat bran muffins (by the way, has anyone actually tried them??) and found this
brown rice with seeds haven't tried it yet, but sounds decent

and I'm wondering what lentils, millet, or chickpeas are like? Do they taste like anything specific? Can you use them instead of rice—like, maybe a mushroom sauce over them instead of using rice or pasta? Is that even a thing?

Never had millet, but I live for lentils and chickpeas. In terms of texture and starchiness, they’re kind of like a mix between beans and peas, though each one has its own vibe.

I've been eating chickpeas constantly lately—mostly just as a side for some protein (eggs, meat, or tuna). My favorite way is salted with pumpkin seed oil (honestly, I'm obsessed with that oil 😁). Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, it would totally work as a rice substitute. You could, say, sauté some mushrooms, toss them with cooked chickpeas, throw in some red bell pepper and green onion... man, that sounds delicious. Now I'm actually starving 🙂

The New York Post dropped this fancy recipe today, and I am 100% trying it next week. 🙏
I’m making a few tweaks myself.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Grab a pound of large mushrooms—pop off the caps from about 3/4 of them, leaving the stems behind. Sauté those chopped stems along with the rest of the whole mushrooms and some finely diced bacon (about half a pound, though 😲 I’d go with crispy prosciutto instead) in 10 oz of butter—though personally, I’d swap that for just a splash of olive oil. Throw in some chopped chives and 10 oz of cottage cheese. Mix it all up, let it cool, then stuff the caps. Pop them on a baking sheet and bake until they hit that golden color.

Regarding the cottage cheese—I actually dug this up on a bodybuilding forum; you can't find much info elsewhere. 😕

What really draws people to cottage cheese is probably that nutritional profile.
It’s proven to be incredibly healthy. We're talking pure protein here, packed with immunoglobulins and albumin. It’s got almost zero milk fat—only about 0.8 percent—and zero carbs, so it won't mess with your weight. Because of its protein structure, cottage cheese actually boosts your immune system. It’s great for liver regeneration, and since the fat content is so low, it’s a solid diet food. Plus, even a small amount keeps you full, so you aren't constantly hunting for snacks.

Source: http://www.building-body.com/forum/v....php?f=6&t=811

Stuffed mushrooms are seriously the best. I find myself stuffing all kinds of veggies with them lately.🙂

As for ricotta, it’s absolute perfection.😍 I used to pick up sheep's milk varieties all the time, but I don't have a regular spot for it anymore.😢
Maybe I could find some at Pike Place Market. I'll have to go check it out.😁