Here's a random list of new things I've tried in the past year (although most are from the past month) that are healthy and undeniably delicious!
1. Baked Tofu: I am totally useless at cooking tofu. I have tried many times and by several different methods, but it always comes out burnt on the outside and mushy and gross in the middle, so pre-baked, seasoned tofu is a godsend for me. It's also a great way to rustle something up quick. Throw it in a stir-fry or slice it and put it in a wrap or sandwich. I like Trader Joe's Savory Baked Tofu, but I believe many supermarkets have their own brands, and there are some national organic brands too.
2. Tempeh: What a great substitute for meat! It doesn't matter if you're not a vegetarian, apparently they still let you buy this stuff. It has a meaty texture and absorbs seasonings well, yet is less bland than unseasoned tofu. It's also ridiculously filling. I have also used this in sandwiches and stir-fries, but there are myriad ways you could prepare it.
3. Turbot: Like the oh-so-trendy tilapia in that it is a flaky white fish, but one with a little more meatiness and flavour. I buy mine preseasoned at Trader Joe's in the freezer section. It's fabulous lightly dredged with flour and sauteed, but it would be just as great to add your own seasonings.
4. Almond Butter: Not a fan of peanut butter? Me neither, but I do love almond butter. Still contains the benefits of peanut butter - it's loaded with good fats - but has different benefits too.
5. Whole Wheat Lavash: A giant wrap-type bread from Persia and surrounding areas, much like an enormous rectangular tortilla. I have used the whole wheat kind, available from Whole Foods, to make wraps stuffed with cups and cups of vegetables. These are excellent if you're really hungry and want a large vehicle for conveying huge amounts of sandwich stuffings into your mouth.
6. Bulghar Wheat: This is the grainy stuff in tabouli, but the grains on their own are fantastically versatile and super-quick to cook. You can even wet them and soak them for 30 minutes to make a salad. Eat these hot or cold, or make hot and eat cold for leftovers. Add vegetables, seafood, spices, herbs, whatever. Quick, cheap, easy, filling, versatile. If you can't find a box of it, find a grocery/natural foods store with bulk bins. You will often find it there.
7. Sesame Oil: Go easy on this stuff because a little goes a long way! Add it to stir-fry or fried rice for an extra nutty tang. It also just smells fabulous when cooking and you will impress your friends with the exotic smells eminating from your kitchen. Add it to Asian salads too for an extra kick.
8. Blood Oranges: I like these to eat, but they also make an excellent mimosa! I even had a blood orange and basil sorbet last summer. They are not as sweet as regular oranges and somehow seem more filling too.
9. Smoked Mackerel: I'm cheating here a little bit, because I have eaten this for years, but this year marks the first time I have found it available in my neck of the woods. It's a very strong flavoured smoked fish with an oily texture. I like the peppered kind the best. It's yummy for snacking with crackers and other goodies, or on little pieces of toast in the morning (although you probably will smell like it all day). It mixes will with sliced tomato, cucumber, arugula, or watercress. A little of this also goes a long way because of its strong and distinctive taste, but I find it kind of addictive (I am a flavour junkie!).
10. Greek Yogurt: I tried these first almost a year ago. They are a thick, creamy yogurt with a consistency close to soft cheesecake (but better for you). You can buy them plain, with fruit or honey, and in no, low, and full-fat versions. What I like about them is that I feel like I'm eating a piece of cheesecake, especially when I eat the full-fat version with strawberries, and this indulgence is still better than actually eating the cheesecake!
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This is excellent B. So many people are so fearful of trying out new things. It seems like its all a matter of how season things and finding the right cooking method.
ReplyDeleteFor example, brussel sprouts.....so easy to screw up, but so delicious when done correctly. There are tons of other examples but I'm too hungry to think about it right now! Off to the kitchen!
Yeah, I spent most of my life hating brussel sprouts, until I finally had them sauteed and saw the light. I also didn't like carrots much because I'd always had them boiled to a much and salted so much that all the yummy sweetness had gone away. Sad, so sad. I think vegetables aren't the food-meanies we assume they are and that sometimes we don't like them because we've only eaten them a certain way. Or, and I know this is going to sound like such an English Major/Linguistics thing, but sometimes we may not like them because of the connotation they have, either as being part of a the much maligned "vegetable" group of foods, or individually (think Popeye gulping the spinach from a can) or the image of relatives telling us that we must eat our greens to get dessert (do something bad to get something good).
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