Healthy, yet tasty, recipes that you use

[TheCockSportif]

I am happy to share a few, as a person who's gotten his act together, diet wise, since April 2021.

 

What have you got, and I will share mine, in fact right after I post this.  There are no guidelines, but no dairy/lower carbs would be preferred.

 

Have at it!

[TheCockSportif]

So I love dairy.  And in particular, I LOVE sour cream.  Unfortunately, my body no longer lets me eat this stuff without putting on what seems like 10lbs a clip.

 

In that light I started experimenting with a vegan sour cream.  Am I vegan?  Probably 70% these days, just so my heart doesn't explode after years of abusing my body with booze and so on, but you can use this recipe with meat, like in a taco salad.  It's also great with a soup that has a lot of acidity.  Unlike your dairy-based sour cream, it will not curdle, and just adds this amazing creaminess.  (This sounds like porn, and I apologize in advance.)

 

The key to this recipe is to have a Vitamix, Ninja, or some other high-powered blender.  You can use a food processor, but then you will probably need to use a fine strainer to get chunks of stuff out of the creamy mix.

 

The recipe:

 

1.5 cups raw cashews (i.e. NOT roasted, and NOT salted).  You can get these at Wegmans or similar

3/4c water (any type, room temp)

2tbsp lemon juice

2tbsp apple cider vinegar

pinch of salt, to taste.  Use kosher salt, or whatever you want.  I use kosher salt 'cause it's easier to pinch.

 

Procedure:

1. Soak the raw cashews in tap (or your favorite) water.  Leave them in there for 6-8 hours.  You can also use boiling water for 1-2 hours.  Up to you.
2. Drain, strain the cashews.  You can rinse if you'd like, but I prefer not to.  I don't mind the brine from soaking cashews in water; I think that it adds to the end product, after having tried both ways.
3. Put cashews, water, lemon juice, vinegar, salt in a blender/food processor, and whiz until smooth.  Taste and adjust salt.
4. Remove from blender/food processor and put in container.  Then refrigerate.  It usually sets up in about 4 hours.  Should thicken by then, and lasts for 2-3 weeks.

Would love to hear feedback if/when you try this.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by TheCockSportif

[TheCockSportif]

Sweet potato croutons.

 

The goal here is to have a cubed sweet potato that's crispy on the outside and with that creamy/dense/soft center when it's done.  Use as many sweet potatoes as you like, but this recipe usually uses 2-3 medium-sized ones.

 

Procedure:

1. Set oven to 400oF
2. Cut sweet potatoes into a cube size of your choice.  I aim for 1/2" cubes.
3. Put sweet potatoes on a sheet pan / baking pan
4. Pour olive oil, salt (to taste, although I am a fan of kosher salt / coarse salt because it lets me measure by how much I pinch in), crushed black pepper, adobo seasoning (I use Penzey's but there are many on the market -- just check ingredients to see what works for you), and crushed red pepper (optional).  All of the seasoning here is to your taste, where I prefer less salt, but more black pepper, red pepper, and adobo seasoning
5. Toss around on sheet pan / baking pan
6. Put in oven for 20 minutes
7. Turn with spatula
8. Let go for another 20 minutes
9. See where you are.  I like mine to be darker on the outside, but not burnt.  This is all to taste at this point.  Enjoy.

[BringBackFergy]

Ohhh. This will be fun. 99% of us eat wings with blue cheese and drink massive amounts of beer. This could be a thread we look back on in ten years with “Remember when that guy started a non-dairy thread?”

[TheCockSportif]

Just now, BringBackFergy said:

Ohhh. This will be fun. 99% of us eat wings with blue cheese and drink massive amounts of beer. This could be a thread we look back on in ten years with “Remember when that guy started a non-dairy thread?”

You can totally eat wings on the diet that I'm on.  You just have to augment the sides.  And of course I allow myself 2 sin days per month...

[TheCockSportif]

So let's get to wings then.  I got into smoking / baking wings.  And yeah, I have a deep fryer, but given the aim of this thread, I only use it on sin days.

 

Without further ado.

 

Cold smoke the wings.  This only really works if (a) you have some kind of butcher shop with a cooler where you cold smoke or (b) it's cold out.  Thankfully, those of us in the northeast can do this for like 5 months out of the year.

 

I prefer to use fresh wings, but as supply chain has been an issue (and maybe you have a Costco nearby, which I don't unfortunately), use what you can find.  Make sure that they are thawed, and pat them down to extract as much moisture as you can.  Use a paper towel.  Use whatever you have.  Just make sure that they are as dry as possible.

 

Then cold smoke for like 4 hours.  Make sure not to open the chamber when you do this.  It'll let the smoke out, and that's counterproductive.  Don't use any heat whatsoever.  Just smoke with whatever wood you want: apple, cherry, etc.  I am somewhat partial to hickory, but do as you will.

 

So, on sin days?  I make a couple of dressings (usually 1 Asian, and 1 more traditional Buffalo style), and I do a 350/375 double fry until they are cooked through.  Then I toss in the dressing.

 

But otherwise I baste with my dressings of choice and put them into a 400 oven until done.  I usually try to avoid sugars on non-sin days, but do as you will, of course.

Edited January 23, 2022 by TheCockSportif

[BringBackFergy]

Will you be sining tomorrow? Or shall I compensate for you?

[TheCockSportif]

3 minutes ago, BringBackFergy said:

Will you be sining tomorrow? Or shall I compensate for you?

I'm not sinning, in particular after post holiday.  But let me know what you ate and I will applaud you.

 

Smoked sweet potatoes.

 

Get smaller ones.  Don't peel them or season them or anything.  Just poke them through with skewers, a knife, your very powerful fingers, etc, and put into a smoker, at 225 until they are done.  It's usually around 4-5 hours for an electronic smoker at 225.

 

Serve with a spicy aioli (or whatever you want).  Fantastic for Thanksgiving.

Edited January 23, 2022 by TheCockSportif

[BringBackFergy]

2 minutes ago, TheCockSportif said:

I'm not sinning, in particular after post holiday.  But let me know what you ate and I will applaud you.

Ribs (KC) and wings on the grill (Buffalo). 
 

 

[TheCockSportif]

Just now, BringBackFergy said:

Ribs (KC) and wings on the grill (Buffalo). 
 

 

That's actually in diet for me, well, depending on how it's seasoned.  Please tell me more about the ribs and your recipe.  I love ribs.

[Augie]

33 minutes ago, TheCockSportif said:

You can totally eat wings on the diet that I'm on.  You just have to augment the sides.  And of course I allow myself 2 sin days per month...

 

I’m afraid I sin 2 times a day. OK, possibly hourly. 

 

I have a fine gazpacho recipe I love with an easy cheat using spicy V-8. I’ll save that for gazpacho season. 

 

.

Edited January 23, 2022 by Augie

[TheCockSportif]

3 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I’m afraid I sin 2 times a day. OK, possibly hourly. 

 

I have a fine gazpacho recipe I love with an easy cheat using spicy V-8. I’ll save that for gazpacho season. 

 

.

I would love to see that recipe.  Perfect for the summer!

[Augie]

2 minutes ago, TheCockSportif said:

I would love to see that recipe.  Perfect for the summer!

We just moved, and I’m not even sure where that recipe book is. It’s a lot of typing too. I love gazpacho and will pitch in if I have the time and energy tomorrow. I was upset when my favorite restaurant took it off the menu when fall arrived. 

[Augie]

DIL does a nice appetizer with peeled cucumber slices topped with edamame hummus and half of a cherry tomato with a little cracked pepper over the platter. Again, a summer kinda feel, but visually appealing and tasty. 

[OZBILLS]

Turkey Chilli is a good one.

 

 

I make it and freeze regularly...i need to write the recipe out next time i make it

 

 

 

 

[BringBackFergy]

4 hours ago, TheCockSportif said:

That's actually in diet for me, well, depending on how it's seasoned.  Please tell me more about the ribs and your recipe.  I love ribs.

Usually on the smoker with standard rib rub and then sauced. But grilling ribs slow tomorrow with just some Sweet Baby Rays. Not enough time. Also grilling the wings and then using wing dust and side of standard Buffalo sauce/blue cheese. 

[TheCockSportif]

5 hours ago, BringBackFergy said:

Usually on the smoker with standard rib rub and then sauced. But grilling ribs slow tomorrow with just some Sweet Baby Rays. Not enough time. Also grilling the wings and then using wing dust and side of standard Buffalo sauce/blue cheese. 

I've been using a sugar free rub and via 3-2-1 method, for the last hour cook uncovered with a homemade habanero-carrot-honey sauce.

[BringBackFergy]

3 minutes ago, TheCockSportif said:

I've been using a sugar free rub and via 3-2-1 method, for the last hour cook uncovered with a homemade habanero-carrot-honey sauce.

Carrot sauce? Very interesting

[TheCockSportif]

1 minute ago, BringBackFergy said:

Carrot sauce? Very interesting

Basically I roast a bunch of carrots until they are getting soft.  Then I put them in a pan with a little bit of shallot, habaneros (to taste), and honey (and salt and pepper of course).  If I need a little bit of acidity, I'll add just a little bit of apple cider vinegar.  Then I whiz it up in a blender and it's ready to go.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

Anyone who makes wings out of cauliflower should be locked in a porto-potty and set on fire.