My new favorite high protein/moderate calorie treat is faux apple cobbler.
I used low sugar apple pie filling topped with a little extra cinnamon (but next time I might just chop up some apples and microwave until soft with cinnamon and allulose) and topped with TVP. Added 2 Tbs of dairy free whipped topping and it was delicious. I’m not really a big dessert eater, but I was craving something cinnamony.
Does that have a smoothie or milkshake consistency? The flavors sound good!
Good idea. I may have to pull out my blender.
It’s not thick at all unless you use less liquid or add ice when blending. It’s more like iced coffee just a little thicker. But not milkshake or smoothie thick as is.
The Trader Joe frozen item was pretty good Tortilla Española (spanish omlette) . There are instructions for stovetop (we did that) and microwave, interestingly no oven.
https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/tortilla-espanola-075756
Example Food Score meanderings:
I had read about the item in a list of reasonably healthy food at TJ. My Yuka app gives it an 84/100 score. BobbyApproved app which is far more stingent rejects - rejects the Sunflower Oil….And lol, Eggs… but because “should be non-GMO, organic, or ideally pasture raised”. MyNetDiary that I use for food logging gives it C+ at my portion size (1/4of the pie @221calories; interestingly if I dial back 1/6 of the pie @132cal the score changes to B- so there is a portion size component).
I’ve been recently working through a big batch of lentil soup. No real recipe - just sauteed onion/celery and what’s in the fridge - this time mushrooms, carrots, leftover potato. Usually I use broth from carton or made from “better than boullion” concentrate, but this time I used water and some leftover gravy from crockpot meal. When done, I puree with immersion blender,. The soup is actually more stewlike on days I don’t add water to thin the thickened soup.
It gets boring to have it plain every day. Sometimes I put cheese on top when I heat a bowl in microwave. One day I chopped up half a chicken sausage. Today instead I chopped up half an avocado that I’m trying to move on. Was a nice change of pace.
Let us know how you like the white bean recipe.
Will you use aleppo pepper? I’ve not heard of it, planning to use black pepper. Or one of these suggestions from google..
The Best DIY Substitutes - Aleppo Pepper
If you don’t have exactly sweet paprika and cayenne, a few other household pantry options work beautifully depending on what you are making:
Paprika & Cayenne (Best Overall): The \(4:1\) ratio mimics the fruity flavor and moderate heat of Aleppo pepper perfectly.
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: A great pinch-hit substitute. Since pepper flakes are slightly hotter, use half the amount the recipe calls for.
Ancho Chile Powder: Offers a mild heat with a sweet, earthy flavor. Use an equal \(1:1\) ratio, but consider adding a tiny pinch of salt.
Urfa Biber: If you have access to a specialty spice shop, this Turkish pepper is a fantastic authentic alternative. It shares the same mild heat but adds a smoky, raisiny twist. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
I do have the paprika & cayenne so will try with that mix if I can’t find it at the store.
I find the silicone “tetris blocks” great for freezing my lentil soup.
Curious what those ‘Tetris blocks’ for freezing soup are?
They are silicone freezer trays. Once your food is frozen, you can pop it out and put it in a freezer bag. https://www.amazon.com/Silicone-Container-Reinforced-Freezing-Dishwasher/dp/B0G1L8FH3C
These aren’t the ones I have so I can’t give a recommendation for this particular brand, so read reviews. Some are sturdier than others. I don’t remember which ones I got.
Thanks! I usually freeze my vegetable soup in glass containers so easy to reheat but those look like nice options!
The white bean recipe looks great. All winter I live on beans and greens soup for lunch. What would you sub for the tomatoes? While I understand they probably make the dish, they have also started to disagree with me at this age. Maybe just another veg? Sautéed peppers?
Maybe red (or other color) bell pepper? Flavor would vary, but the color would be pretty.
Agree with red bell pepper, it is very good in white potato soup as well - not just a pretty red but a mild sweet additive to somewhat dull potato, leek and cheese soup.
Do you sautee with onion/whatever, or add raw at end like you would do with cherry tomatoes.
I saute the leeks/onions first to semi caramelized and then add the diced red pepper (not too small a dice) to soften but not soggy and then add the chicken/veggie stock and potatoes. Use an immersion blender after potatoes done to thicken stock and leave bite size chunks of potato, sometimes add a little cream, and always add a lot of shredded cheddar only because husband likes it. I use a lot of black pepper because I like it.
My favorite squash in recent months is kabocha squash; it’s Japanese pumpkin. It tastes similar to acorn squash but way better. There are numerous recipes online. I just bake the whole squash (after making several small slices in it) in the oven, slice them with skin on and keep in the fridge for about 5 days or so. I add them to salads, eat them in replacement for grains or pasta, or just eat them plain as a snack. I leave the skin on and eat them, very delicious. I also scoop out the seeds and roast them as well.
Thanks for the suggestion. I don’t recall seeing it at stores or farmer’s market, but I’ll watch for it.
I buy them at an asian grocery store, like HMart. I don’t see them at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s or other national grocery chains.