Recipes for the health-conscious

[ararat]

I think we should have a thread to share our recipes and related stuff, so here it is.
links to recipes are welcome, and even more so if you write them yourself.


one of my favourite dishes is called "majdara masfaieh" according to this arabian cookbook, but I find nothing of the kind when typing it in google.. anyway, you will need:

300g brown lentils
1 cup round-grain rice (experimentation showed that basmati will do just as well)
2 onions
ground cumin
salt & pepper
olive oil

Wash lentils and boil them with lots of water (3 liters at least). Wash the rice and let it soak in warm water when you start cooking the lentils. In the meanwhile, cut the onion into small pieces and brown it lightly on a middle flame in olive oil, then pour two normal size spoons of water into the pan.
Keep an eye on the lentils, if they have enough water. When they are soft enough that they fall apart on your tongue you puree them with these hand held blenders. Then add the rice (without the water) and cook the stuff on a small flame until the rice is soft. Add salt, pepper, cumin and the onions.
Put the stuff in deep dishes and let it get cold.
Awesome with cabbage or red beet salad, and even more so with some Tzatziki

 

[ophiuchus]

mmm ill have to try that soon. how long do the lentils usually take? and how long should i soak the rice before mixing the two?

good idea on the thread by the way. make it sticky? i want to compile some things like oats and stuff into a separate thread i think, due to the amount of recipes, but i think this is a could be a great hub for everyones healthy personal favorites.

 

[ophiuchus]

STIR FRIED VEGETABLES:

stir fries are one of the best ways to use all the leftover vegetables you may have, like single carrots, celery stalks, etc, and also to incorporate many vegetables into one good recipe. here's a recipe that i've modified to my liking from mark bittman's "how to cook everything" (highly recommended buy. although many of his recipes are online too) i personally think a recipe like this is essential for anyone trying to diversify and expand their mind in the kitchen. the potential for variation is limitless.

2 tablespoons neutral oil (he recommends grapeseed or corn. i use olive oil, it works just fine.)

1 tbs minced garlic

1 tbs minced ginger

1/2 cup chopped onion or scallion

1 large carrot thinly sliced (helps cook time)

2 celery stalks cut into pieces, sliced or julienned

1 lb snow or snap peas, trimmed (thawed from frozen is fine)

1/4 cup stock or water, maybe a little more if necessary

2 tbs soy sauce (i generally eye it. i try to watch my sodium intake and soy sauce is LOADED with sodium...)

1 tbs sesame oil (optional)

1. heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat for 3-4 min. (regular pan 1-2). add the oil, and almost immediately, the garlic ginger and scallion. cook, stirring for no more than 15 seconds, then add the carrot, celery, peas, and stock then turn the heat to high.

2. cook stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. if the mixture is completely dry, add a couple more tablespoons of stock, then soy sauce, and sesame oil. stir and turn off heat.

this says it can be stored for up to a day, but i personally have found him to be cautionary in his advice. if your fridge is nice and cold, i dont see why you couldn't keep it for up to 4 days safely, especially if there's no meat in it.

further notes:
- if you wish to add meat, tempeh or tofu, simply cook it in the same pan before beginning this recipe, and then make sure there's enough oil in the pan before you begin the recipe. as the recipe is nearly done, with maybe a couple of minutes left, add the meat, tempeh or tofu back in to reheat it

-if you want rice, start it before all of this.

-the smaller you cut your food, the faster it will cook

-stir almost constantly unless you want to promote searing and browning, in which case, stir less frequently.

-you need a little liquid in stir fries. it can be water, or something more flavorful like wine or stock. add some with the vegetable to encourage faster cooking, and a little at the end if necessary. this will keep them from burning and create a sauce.

-although there are almost limitless options, keep in mind that too many ingredients will slow you down and muddy the flavor

additions to this recipe
added at the last minute:
-bamboo shoots
-water chestnuts
-spinach
-watercress
-daikon sliced or julienned
-corn kernels
-soy or mung bean sprouts
added with the peas:
-green peas
-leeks
-mushrooms, fresh or dried and reconstituted and sliced or chopped
-cabbage or bok choy thinly sliced or shredded
-asparagus (may need to be blanched or parboiled so it's tender in time with the other veggies)
-zucchini or summer squash sliced or chunks
- any bell pepper sliced
-broccoli or cauliflower (may need to be blanched or parboiled so it's tender in time with the other veggies)
-1 medium or large tomato halved and seeded then chopped

hope you guys like it

 

[ararat]

mmm ill have to try that soon. how long do the lentils usually take? and how long should i soak the rice before mixing the two?

good idea on the thread by the way. make it sticky? i want to compile some things like oats and stuff into a separate thread i think, due to the amount of recipes, but i think this is a could be a great hub for everyones healthy personal favorites.

hmmm I have no real idea how long it takes. I usually clean the dishes meanwhile and do lots of other stuff. 45 min with 3 liters I think, but don't take this for granted. the recipe's for 4 people, so cooking it with half the ingredients will get you two rather big portions and it doesn't take that long because you don't have to boil down 3 liters but 1 and a half. the mass you will end up with will be or should be quite viscous, it is a matter of taste and intuition when you blend the lentils.
when you start cooking the lentils you can start soaking the rice. the earlier the better. last time I forgot and let it soak halfway through and I had some troubles to get them soft in the viscous mass.

I'm sure going to try the stir fry thing. a wok has been lying around here for some time because my flatmate bought it and it was used just once, its time has come

 

[IJesusChrist]

Salmon a la monde:

Ingredients:
Salmon, oil, lemon. Figure it out.

Pasta a la monde:
Favorite spaghetti sauce + asparagus + broccoli (chopped up) + spinach leafs + small carrot slices / noodles.

Nuts
Nuts.

Tofu tacos

Ok actual recipe:
Oil to your taste.
1/4 (3 tacos) 1/8 (1 huge or 2 tacos) tub of firm tofu. Mash up in pan with spoon.
Taco seasoning (I just get the lowest sodium packets from the store)
Refried beans.
1/2 avocado (whole if you want more flavor)
your favorite salsa
Spinach

cook the oil, tofu, seasoning, beans, avocado in a pan till just start to boil, then shut off heat.
Add to your taco shell (I used tomato/basil wraps) + spinach + salsa.

AWESOME.

If you want to make it less healthy but even better add a thin layer of cream cheese on the shell or wrap. Oh my gawd so good.

 

[ophiuchus]

ROASTED GOAT CHEESE STUFFED CHICKEN THIGHS (OR TOFU):
great with brown rice and broccoli or any other green vegetable

if you wanna eat rice with this, make sure to start it around the same time you preheat the oven or before beginning at all. especially if you're eating brown rice, because it takes longer to cook... it's a no brainer for some, but i still forget occasionally.

things you'll need:

- 1lb chicken thighs, deboned or bone in, skin on, OR, extra firm tofu, cut in half to make two smaller "book" shapes (uncut is a "reeally looong book" shape), then cut lengthwise, then widthwise, then make a slice in each of the 8 smaller pieces so that the miniature books can be opened and be stuffed with goat cheese. :lol: does that make sense?
- 2oz (1/4 cup) goat cheese. plain works great, though herbed can be more flavorful. i like the simpler ones, like peppercorn or dill. careful of the ones with more than a few herbs, they can overwhelm the thighs after adding the other ingredients
-1 lemon, juiced and zested (if possible)
- 1 oz, or to taste, sun dried tomato (regular tomato is fine) rehydrated in warm water and minced
-pinch of dill or chopped parsley, to taste. fresh, dried, or already in the goat cheese is fine.
-1 medium-large clove garlic, or to taste. minced
-enough olive oil to thoroughly rub down all the chicken
-sea salt and pepper, to taste

so, to start, keep in mind that this is not a strict recipe, you can use more or less of whatever you want and it's going to come out great, just try to keep your goat cheese relatively firm. it's fine as long as it's not runny, you just don't want it to all ooze out before it's done roasting.

basically, if you're using bone in, you can either debone it now, or leave it in, it's a matter of preference here. i debone it so i can eat it easier with a fork when it's done. this can be difficult without a decent knife, but just make sure to cut the base of all the tendons where the bone connects, and it should be easier to cut it off the bone.

once finished, go ahead and mix all the other ingredients into the goat cheese except for lemon, salt and pepper.
now, you want to get your mixture to a good consistency, mixing in the lemon juice little by little. less lemon juice if necessary, or more water if necessary. it's likely that some will ooze out when it heats, but as long as most of it stays in you're good.

now is a good time to go ahead and preheat the oven. 350F

now, find the top of the chicken thigh (the wider part) and you should be able to create some space to get a finger inbetween the thigh and the skin if you go in from the top. this will be you're pocket for stuffing if not using tofu. if using tofu, open and stuff your miniature tofu books. go ahead and distribute the goat cheese to all the pieces accordingly, and once it's in there try to smooth it out so it's not one big lump. you should also probably try to close the opening as much as possible when you're done

finally, rub down the outside of the chicken thighs or tofuwith oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over top. stick them on a baking sheet or tray in the middle of the oven and let them go for at least a half hour, sometimes up to 45 min, depending on their size. the skins should become a nice golden color and the chicken should be plump and juicy, yet somewhat firm. you'll notice some goat cheese leaking out too. mmm. let these rest for 5-10 min while you get you're other food together and voila, you've got a delicious dinner

 

[Allister]

Well i am really inspired from the recipe that is majdara masfaieh and I have not heard about it earlier . I hope that It might be delicious in taste . I shall try it at home .

 

[ophiuchus]

ive still yet to try it, i think i might make it this week. i have been experimenting with beans though. some good stuff has come of it.

BLACK BEAN DIP:

-one 16 oz can organic black beans (ones i used had roughly 140mg sodium/serving)
-1/4 red bell pepper, 1/8 in or smaller slice
-roughly equal amount onion, same thickness
-2 medium cloves garlic
-1 lime
-about 1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro, thinly sliced(see "chiffonade") or finely chopped
-olive oil
-sea salt, to taste
-paprika, optional. to garnish final product

roast or sautee you're pepper and onions together on medium-medium high in a small amount of oil, just so that they don't stick to the pan

once tender remove from pan and chop

toast your garlic cloves in the pan for about a minute. you can smash them beforehand or not. you dont want the garlic crispy, just lightly browned. afterward, finely chop

rinse you're black beans, then add to a bowl you can mash them in. a food processor works too if you're lazy. though if you use one, add the other ingredients after processing. if mashing, add all of the other ingredients except for oil beforehand and mash. the amount of oil i used wasn't measured, basically, you just want to add enough to make it more of a dip consistency, and less like a paste. i dont think i used over 1 tbsp. maybe more like a half. water can also be added. you can garnish the dip with cilantro and or paprika in a serving bowl, it's tasty and looks nice, but it's going to be tasty regardless.

now all you need is some organic (non-GMO) tortilla chips or pita or veggies or whatever, maybe a homemade salsa as well and you're good to go!

 

[Light]

All my recipes are as follows:

Look in fridge.
Use what is there.
Stir fry, boil, or just cut up for a salad.
Enjoy.

The trick is to buy loads of vegetables and fruits, so "what is in the fridge" is healthy.

 

[ophiuchus]

that's what i do as well :lol: . sometimes i will gear what i buy around a certain style of food though so that i can use it all, yet still eat different foods every day.(ie: asian, mediterranian, indian...) same stuff every day gets old quick.

my recent experimentation with beans/peas/lentils was mainly due to the fact that i had been increasing my protein intake (going up a little above my weightclass for boxing/muay thai) but with all the extra meat i had been consuming, my farts were really getting rancid, and there really weren't before... i've read in several places that if this happens to a person, it means that they are not digesting all of it and that it quite literally is going rancid inside the body, so i had to come up with a solution, and it wasn't too hard. MORE PLANT PROTEIN instead! so yeah, beans, peas, lentils, you name it, ive been trying it. this was also in lieu of hearing about ayurveda from many different sources, so the reduced protein concept from that, and vegetarianism have also got me thinking.

anywho, i've already noticed significant positive results, and no more killer farts! still have much to learn about ayurveda though. seems like the next step that i need to master concerning my diet/lifestyle

ps: veggie burger recipe soon, when i can spare some extra time

 

[Ahab1111]

Thanks for sharing guys,..
I have learnt almost all of you guys comments and i am happy to know about these, Hope guys you will like to share some more good suggestion about health conscious.

 

[ophiuchus]

so i mentioned before how i was trying to go up a weight class. not a wise idea. i gained the weight alright, and it was all muscle, but it wasn't toned muscle, so it did little other than slow me down... now ive gone back to a regular diet (not focused on protein like i was). really, getting it from grains, and a little from beans, legumes, and nuts, as well as veggies is the way to go... and the thing is, i feel great! fast again!

another great food i've been into lately is squash/gourds. since fall is coming around, squash is coming into season, so i've been all about coming up with festive recipes to take advantage.

CURRIED PUMPKIN SOUP:

hardware: blender, large pot, pan

olive oil
1 pumpkin, + or - 6in diameter
2/3 cup pidgeon peas in coconut milk (or 3/4 cup coconut milk and small bean of choice. green peas, mung bean, or lentils work well here)
1 onion, julienned (thin slices)
1-2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 tomato chopped
2 large or 3 med cloves garlic, mashed then chopped
ginger, finely chopped in roughly the same amount as garlic
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp yellow curry powder
4 large leaves of kale, thinly sliced into short 1in strips
1/8 - 1/4 tsp of equal parts: allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove
salt, to taste

set oven to 350, gut and slice pumpkin into 1/4's and rub with olive oil liberally. sprinkle the allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove on the pumpkin and bake for about 40 min, or until knife pierces easily.

while this is going on, cook your bean/lentils. boil water, add bean/lentil, reduce to simmer. i use 2 parts water to 1 part bean/lentil. you may need a little more water. if one uses a small enough bean the pumpkin and bean should finish at roughly the same time. if one can find it, get a can of "pidgeon peas in coconut milk" as this reduces steps and tastes really nice in the end product.

heat pan to med-high and add carrot and a few tablespoons water then cover allowing some steam to escape. once the water is gone or the carrot is softened, add some oil and sautee the onion until carmelized (med/med-high heat). they should taste sweet and be soft and brown. now add tomato and about 3/4 cup water and reduce heat to medium. simmer until the tomato has lost some acidity and you start to have a thick paste like substance. then add the curry powder and garlic and cook until garlic begins to brown. once this is done, put this mixture in the blender. let it cool a minute, because if you try to blend it too quickly, the steam that escapes may cause the lid to shoot off and cause scalding injuries. i personally don't wait and just pulse it with my hand tightly on the lid and this works for me, but i don't recommend it. warning is out there... once your pumpkin is done you'll want to skin it (or not if it's organic) blend this as well (takes a couple of blender-fulls) and then add everything to the pot.

add 4-5 cups water to the pot as well as your kale, and get it up to a simmer. add your bean/lentil as well as coconut milk and simmer on low until it's hot enough to serve, if it isn't already. for a garnish, i usually use a peeler and shred some fresh coconut and add a sprinkle of cayenne on top of that, but a little cilantro and lime works well too. either way, if you like curry, it will be delicious.

a side note. i didn't really measure anything other than the water when i made it, :lol: and so unless you're unfamiliar with tbspoons or tspoons then i say just use my recipe as a guide and wing it. add however much you think will be good. hope you all like it! if anyone tries it let me know how it went!

 

[ararat]

pumpkin + curry = :tonqe:
fits together so well.




I just had some awesome couscous.
you'll need:

couscous (duh)
cherry tomatoes (normal would probably do too, but I happen to love cherry tomatoes )
feta
cucumber
cumin
a pinch of balsamico vinegar
salt (possibly herb-salt)

prepare the couscous, put an amount of cut up tomatoes and feta that seems reasonable to you in the pot, season with cumin and salt, add a pinch of balsamico and the cut up cucumber, enjoy
it's a real quickie, maximum 10 minutes. add a fried egg, get yourself a glass of orange juice and you got some good breakfast.

 

[ophiuchus]

yes! my favorite recipe so far.

i added a lot of extra things to mine, but really the base to all CURRIES is super easy.

1. sautee onion until caramelized.
2. add spices (at least ginger garlic and curry spices) and sautee until aromatic.
3. add a little bit of (tomato paste, if using, and) water, but just enough so one can stir everything in the liquid and not burn the spices. the goal is not to make a soup :wink: . then use a high simmer (low boil) to reduce to a paste. for smooth consistency, blend and add back to the pan. this last step is optional.
4. add protein (already cooked) salt, some people add sugar, and then either cream or yogurt to get it to the right consistency and BAM, that's it.

for extra flavor at the end, some people add a fat pinch of kasoori methi (fenugreek leaf) to a small amount of ghee in a separate pan on med high. it bubbles up, then shrinks back down, then you pour it all in. gives it a robust, almost sweet herbal flavor. most nice restaurants will do this.

 

[IJesusChrist]

My two favorite salmon recipes:
[[one]]
1. About 1/5th - 1/4th pound salmon
2. Olive oil to your liking.
3. Cut up squash / asparagus / broccoli / beans - as much as you want
4. Brown rice - as much as you want.
5. A few splashes of soy sauce.

I eyeball everything, no measuring.

Cook salmon and vegetables covered in pan on oil. Always cover your food - it saves energy and cooks food faster. Once the salmon is about 80% cooked, I splash a bit of soy sauce on the red side (not skin side) and let it cook to 100%. Put rice + fish on top of rice, add a bit of soy sauce to rice - enjoy. Eggs can be a good addition / substitution for anything in this recipe!

[[2]]
Once I get sick of the above recipe I go for this one:

1. 1/5th pound salmon
2. Olive oil
3. Capers + Tomatoes
4. Rice
5. Splash of soy sauce or peanut sauce

Place a decent amount of oil in a pan, enough to cover the bottom, but in a very thin layer. Place salmon in small bite size bits about the pan, cut up tomatoes in same proportion and add capers (about 10-15 capers is good for a meal). Simmer slowly covered. Prepare brown rice to liking. Once salmon is mostly cooked, turn heat on high (this gets the salmon oils & olive oils to mix - somehow making the most delicious blend). Place salmon, tomatoes, capers and maybe a little bit of greens on rice - (Don't pour oil in, it will be too much).

Yummay. #2 is very good if done correctly. #1 is my staple meal hehe

 

[ophiuchus]

yes, salmon and soy sauce do go together so well... one of my favorite sauces for salmon is garlic, 2x the ginger, soy (braggs liquid aminos is significantly lower in sodium, i highly recommend it) a small amount of rice wine vinegar, and mirin. using sesame as a garnish really sets the dish off. thanks for sharing

 

[Harison]

Hi BananaPancake,
Tanks for starting the recipe threat and I will start with your recipe as I found all the ingredients in stock, I will share my reviews after having this recipe. What is the name of your recipe?

 

[UniCOrNjAckiE]

I's looking for the Health Recipes Because I'm also been Concious in this matter always so Today I've got some beneficial of those That written in this thread and That should be useful for me i just think so...
So I think I'd Try...

 

[Eilson]

It is a wonderful threat for recipes. All recipes are nice. I would like to thank all people for sharing new kind of healthy recipes. I have noted all recipes and will try at home soon.

 

[ophiuchus]

BROWNIES!! vegan and raw

NO SUGAR ADDED!

roughly 2-3 tbsp of cacao nibs in a blender. *cacao powder does not give off the necessary oil.
roughly 2-3 cups freshly toasted almonds
dates, to taste (i used 9, however this was a breakfast item for me, not a dessert, so more can be added)
small amount of water after initial blending

so one blends mixture of first 3 ingredients well, pushing mix back into blades often until it appears that one has reached a final product (this takes time. maybe 5 min). (at first i was trying to make almond butter, but it becomes more of an dense, oily, crumbly, paste, then butter). then, incrementally, a very small amount of water (3-6 tbsp or so) is added and thoroughly blended in, and repeated, until the substance gives off a proper sheen and a fair amount of oil when pressed flat/smooth, but is not liquid in any way. you don't want the end product to be much different from when the first 3 ingredients were blended, only slight.

so that's it! firmly press it into a pan with something smoothe/flat, then put it in the fridge till it's cooled. this will help it seal up a little bit and become cakey. nuts, fruit, etc can be folded into the mix beforehand or placed on top to jazz it up. i personally made little balls with it, rolled it in finely shredded unsweetened coconut and put them in the freezer. :tonqe: