Unfulfilled Food Dreams A & B

[Hopalong]

Hi all,
It occurred to me that you never know, maybe somebody here will have an idea or two that's just as nuanced and individual as therapy is...but about my Unfulfilled Food Dreams. The crux is that mine are a challenge. I have such a limited attention span for the planning that I'm not a great candidate for mulling over recipes, using/storing ingredients that I wouldn't use frequently, exotic techniques, or putting much time into it at all. I love great flavors but am NOT a foodie, do not enjoy thinking/mulling/rhapsodizing about food. (In my case, that triggers overeating.) I just want to eat power nutrition and rebuild awesome health.

Food Dream A (general)

1) SIMPLE recipes that take under 30 minutes (or less, for Dream B).
2) Very high in veggies. Fiber too but especially veggies. Beans YES.
3) Ovo-lacto pescatarian. Sometimes fish, low on the chain. (I eat sardines.) Frozen fillets great, I just don't buy fresh fish. Non-animal proteins preferred mainly, though fish is also good.
4) Some fat okay but butter or cheese as minor ingredients and not the star, for example. Olive oil YES.
5) Very low or zero sugar.
6) Very low or no refined carbs (white flour, white rice, white pasta). Complex carbs (whole grains) YES.

*Serve ONE or TWO. Or if leftovers will freeze well = More servings awesome.

Food Dream B
One-dish crockpot meals I can assemble in the morning that include complete power nutrition. By "one-dish crockpot" I mean:
1) Put all (frozen, canned, fresh, whatever) ingredients into the crock and that's that.
2) Cook ALL DAY on Low. (Not "on high for 3 hours and then...").
3) No "add a baguette and a 'simple salad' and you have your meal"...things. One dish meaning really...one dish. (This is the "impossible dream" part.)
4) Full-nutrition soups/stews that fill the bill would be awesome. I can use Better Than Bouillon veggie base for stock to add flavor.

Just typing these dreams seems to me like such WORK but if you instantly think up a Food Dream Dish and it's easy to post, I'll be thrilled to read it. Alternatively, and much more sanely, if anyone knows of a cookbook that might actually meet these needs, please share the title! I've searched for years in vain. (Not a confident enough cook to just switch out ingredients to tailor it myself. Recipe websites overwhelm me--though I've heard there's one where you plug in what you have on hand but can't find it...anybody know that one?)

I know I posted this ages back...I managed once to think up a Food Dream B (One-Dish Healthy Crockpot meal) for myself that suits. It's a good example of the kind of easy I'm dreaming of.

Lazy-Healthy One-Dish Crockpot Something Stew

1) Dump approximately equal parts in crockpot with minimal dried herbs (like 1/4 tsp of whatver, out of flavor ignorance I go light, advice welcome!).
A--Frozen
Greens (single or mixed): e.g. kale, spinach, mustard, turnip--mostly the milder
Beans (single or mixed: limas, broadbeans, edamame, whatever you like)
Corn
Protein (tofu, veggie sausage, fish, tempeh, shrimp, whatever)

B--Canned
Diced tomatoes

2) Cook 8-10 hours on Low.

That has sustained me through lots of working winters, but I'm bored with it. Anybody have ideas to vary/improve it?

love,
Hops

[Meh]

When I am tired which seems often and don't feel like cooking I get the pot and metal veggie steamer out. I put in yellow onions, carrots, shitake mushrooms, broccoli and sprouted tofu. I put in garlic cloves and ginger first into the basket and pile the other things in. I sprinkle the red pepper flakes on the tofu and veg like the kind that people put on pizza. I pour some teriyaki it's the soy vay brand (i think) sauce on it during and after. And lemon for the broccoli. One pot meal.

https://omgyummy.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/img_0655.jpg

Hum, it's not low carb but the white kidney bean soup with wine and garlic is always good. I think that Herbs De Provence can go in there.


Vegetarian Gyoza premade and then "grilled" in a pan. Tossed into soup broth with veggies is like a fast faux won-ton soup. Could use shrimp flavored ones I suppose. You can put cilantro if you like it and basil in the soup too. It's sort of a big Faux Pho well not really but I just wanted to type that.

I also like steaming veggies and then dipping them in pre-made tahini sauce. Especially Cauliflower, think I have read that sesame might lower cholesterol or something.

Also Marinara sauce over veggies, I can eat it as a meal. I put green olives and capers in things, they are salty of course so moderation. Carrots, onions, more cauliflower is good like that, zucchini would be.   

Truth though is I also eat a lot of junk. Too much coffee and not enough water.

[Twoapenny]

Hopsie I will pick through my recipe books and scribbled down bits and pieces and post up anything I find that fits your bill xx

[Hopalong]

Oh YUM, Boat, thank you!
I love your first one--I just get it instantly, I can do that. I'll try it!
And these are amazing. http://norecipes.com/recipe/vegan-gyoza-recipe Looks a little bit complicated since I'm clumsy but worth a try especially because they freeze. The chili oil is optional so I'll skip that and the other ingredient I have never used is potato starch. I have corn starch--I'll look up if it substitutes okay.
The dips and sauces over vegs are wonderful simple ideas. Again many thank yous!

Tupp, look forward to your cookbook brainstorm! Only if it's easy, I'm the lazy one.

Hugs
Hops

[lighter]

Oh gosh, Hops.

I'll throw in some ideas as I can..... I really like Adobo dishes in the slow cooker. 

I'd try an Adobo dish.....
Whatever protein you desire (firm fish, Tempeh.... just suggesting they be tried as I haven't used them in this dish)
Large onion sliced thin
Chopped assorted preferred greens (I like baby kales, spinach, and power green selections)
You certainly could add beans or whatever veggies you preferred to this dish, IMO
1/2 to 1 c white vinegar
1/2 to 1 c temari
4 cloves garlic, crushed (to be discarded before serving)
1 tsp or more black pepper to taste
red pepper flakes if desired (1/4 to 3/4 tsp)
3 bay leaves to be discarded before serving

if needs thickening, I use arrowroot

I'd put all into a slow cooker, and see how it came out.  Tweek as desired if it's not exactly right.  Serve over quinoa or beans.

Depending on how much you make, this could last you several days.  It's an interesting dish that adds some spice to your meal plan, IME.






*****I also like potatoes sliced up with equal parts celery root, and some onion. I slice it all thin and bake with pork chops, but you could certainly slice thicker, and trade use the Tempeh perhaps seared off with oil blessed with garlic.... or not. 

You could use milk, half and half, or maybe Flax milk if not doing the dairy.  Maybe some Gruyere cheese sprinkled lightly through and over top?

I'd certainly try it in a slow cooker, and see how it came out.

Maybe try it with just onions and potatoes one time with the cheese, then try it with the onions, celery root another time.... fewer potatoes to your liking.  Whatever seems appetizing, I'd try.






********Sardines crushed into a pan with garlic, olive oil, and some gluten free bread crumbs can be lovely over cannellini beans, YUM.  Maybe add a little fresh hot pepper if you like that.  This is a Southern Italian dish I've seen done without measuring anything.  Maybe start with 4 or 5 sardines and a handful of bread with enough oil to coat all and make into a nice coating for the beans?  Salt to taste.... I use the Pink stuff usually.



******Keeping a bin of clean thinly sliced kale salad in the fridge is great..... I make it into salads with other veggies, and a quick go to dressing is apple cider vinegar by BRAGG, lime juice and the pink salt.  It's surprisingly good, IME.

I roll the kale around on a board to break up the fibers.... sometimes a minute in the microwave helps too.   Adding beets, mushrooms, beans, etc can change up the flavor profile and texture so you don't get too bored with it.  It does last a while in the fridge and is handy to grab before you get starving IME.

On the whole I wouldn't eat non fermented tofu products.  The fermented things are healthier IMO.


As cooler weather arrives I'd be all over soups in the crock pot.  All kinds.  I do love soups.: )

Lighter













 
 

[Hopalong]

WOW!

Thank you, Lighter.
Just a couple of the ingreds are beyond my "will use regularly" limit but I do want to explore these ideas!

I think I need to chop/cook grain etc on the weekends. Always avoidant but clearly, if I want serious nutrition that's ready-to-eat, that seems to be the Grownup Nutrition Model Behavior.

About which I need to stop dreaming and begin DOING.

Thanks again for the inspiration.

(Nearly bumped Bambi as I slowly turned into my little driveway. This sweet little block is an anomaly in so many ways. Super diverse people including some GEMS. I do love it here....)

hugs
Hops