Updated
3/5/09 (I go back to
correct, change, update & add)
Hopefully you can make and enjoy foods with little or no
cholesterol. I have been concerned with my high blood
pressure and weight gain. So I'm always looking for foods
that are quick, easy, and almost instant, but healthy.
I'm not one who likes to spend hours in the kitchen
cooking, only to see people gobble it up in 15 minutes and
then hours cleaning up the mess. So if these recipes seem a
little simple you may want to label them--The 5 minute
dishes. While some of these may sound like there for the
'simple' minded, I started cooking at age 21 and did not
know how to boil water--for Jello, pasta, rice, or beans.
What?? Yes, it's the truth. My father and mother were both
cooks and they competed with each other. In so many words I
was told to stay out of the kitchen and clean the house. In
college I ate at the cafe. When I did cook, it was soups
and sandwiches.
Teach youngsters at an early age how to cook these simple
foods, from scratch, and you never know, you may have the
youngest 'Iron Chef', or at least someone besides you in
the kitchen. Wouldn't that be great! If your child is
taught responsibility at an early age (2 & 3), as they
grow they will love the challenge of learning new things.
You may think it is easier to do things yourself, but in
reality your children will not appreciate or share in the
burdens of the home. Don't shirk from reading 'Child
Guidance' by Ellen G. White. About $12.00 at your ABC
bookstores. It is most helpful in knowing parental duties.
When I mention pure water I am talking about distilled or
reverse osmosis
When I use a kosher or pure salt, it is ground rock salt,
not sea salts (some commercial sea salts have silicon added
to make them free flowing) I grind my own rock &
mineral salt, which is 98.9% pure salt, with the natural
iodine and minerals still in it from 4000 years ago.
Remember what happened 4000 years ago? The Flood! Pure rock
salt has been in the ground since, or maybe before then.
Sea salts have the probability of being contaminated with
run-off of animal, bird, and fish feces, and therefore need
to be commercially processed for purification with the
addition of silicon to keep them free flowing. I sell pure
ground rock salt for $1.00# and mineral salt for &
5.00# (over 50 minerals) (s/h not included)
It's a good idea to rinse off rice, beans, potatoes,
lentils, split peas, etc, before cooking. Many of these
products have been in storehouses where rats, mice, &
insects run across and leave droppings you wouldn't want to
eat. And if they've been touched by human hands or sneezed
on along the way, you certainly should rinse them off!
Measurements
Pinch = 1/16 t
--
Dash = 1/8 t = 400 mg
--
3 t =
1T -- 2T = 1 oz -- 1/8 C = 4 T
--
2 oz = 1/4
C--51/3 T = 1/3 C
--
8T = 4 oz -- 1/2 C = 8 oz
--
1 C = 1/2
pint -- 16 oz = 2C = 1
pint--32 oz = 4 C = 2 pints = 1
qt -- 4 qts = 1 gallon
Metric Volume
Pinch = 1ml -- dash = 2/3 ml
--
1t = 5 ml = 3200 mg
--
1 T = 15
ml --1 oz = 30 ml -- 1/4 C = 60
ml--1qt = 1
liter -- 1 gl = 3.8 L
Metric weight
1 oz = 28 grams --8 oz= 1 cup= 225
grams-- 16 oz=2 cups = 450
grams-
Cookies (no
gluten, no animal products, no refined sugars, no soda or
baking powder, no egg replacer)
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup date paste
1 cup almond butter (add 1/4 cup coconut oil or olive oil
if almond butter is somewhat non-oily)
2 tsp vanilla flavoring or flavoring of your choice
1/2 tsp salt
Place the first 5 ingredients in blender or food processor
till well blended. Place In bowl, mix in 1/2 Cup malt
sweetened carob chips, 1/2 Cup shredded coconut plus 1/2
cup chopped walnuts then mix in 1 1/2 Cup rice flour 1/2 Cup
raisins optional. Place by spoonfuls on sprayed cookie
sheet, press flat, bake for 15 minutes at 350º Makes about
2 dozen
RICE
To cook raw
rice, brown, wild, or white (Rice that has not been precooked, then
dried, which is your quick rices) Bring water to a boil.
Standard rule ( twice as much water as rice) example- 2
cups of water to 1 cup of rice (4C water:2C rice) Once the
water boils, pour in rice, stirring while it comes back to
a boil. Cover, turn heat down to low heat. If gas stove, as
low as the flame will go, timer for 30 minutes if only 1
cup of rice. If electric, on low, 35-40 minutes if 2 C.
Rice. Do not stir or even lift the lid during this time,
unless you are not familiar with the way your stove cooks.
If using glass you should see bubbling at the bottom.
I showed Marita, my granddaughter when she was 8, how to
cook rice, which she loves, and now she wants to cook rice
while we're there. Isn't that great!
Ah huh, you are probably saying, "She didn't mention how to
microwave it." I will tell you right now I have read web
sites on the dangers of micro-waved foods, so you will not
find me using it for health reasons. I encourage you to
read up on it.
BEANS
To cook
beans- any kind, even
garbonzos (not lentils, lentils can be added but lentils
only take 1/2 hour to cook)) Rinse beans off. 1/2 cup per
person eating. Soak beans (one kind or variety) over night
in pure water (Baloney, you don't have to soak them over
night, I used to think you had to) Just cover them with the
water (1 inch over) and cook them till tender. Usually 5-6
hours. A crock pot is essential in any home where the
person has more important things to do than be in the
kitchen to watch food burn. A crockpot is the way to keep
them heated for a potluck meal. After soaking all night, if
you so choose, rinse off that water, place in crock pot,
cover with water at least 1 inch above beans, Throw in 1/2
teaspoon of salt per 1 cup of beans. Let cook on high for
6-8 hours. Test bean for doneness, it should not have a
hard texture. You can now flavor your beans with just
margarine & salt or you can make a tomato sauce by
using tomato paste, onions, brown sugar, molasses, mustard,
or herbs to your taste. Can be frozen for later use, mashed
for tacos or bean dips. Stove top- place soaked beans in
stainless steel or glass kettle. Cover with 1 inches of
water above beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt per 1 cup of beans-
cook on low heat for 6-8 hours, covered, keeping watch as
not to steam the water off and burn. Adding one chopped
onion, 1/4 C. of molasses, 1/4 C. brown sugar, 1/2 C.
tomato paste, 2 t. smoked salt, 1/4 c. barbecue sauce will
add to make this barbecued beans.
Lentils
Rinse off the lentils. Lentils cook quick (1/2 hour) Cook 1
C. lentils in 4 C water. Lentils have a meaty flavor. Add
potatoes and carrots for a healthy stew, but then add 2
C.more water. You can add lentils to your bean pot for a
nutritional plus. Add a Tablespoon of chicken or beef like
flavoring.
I use raw ground lentils in my mock chicken seasoning (
$8.00#) because of the flavor and nutrition
Corn on the
Cob
Peel off hairs and husks, rinse off.
Place in large kettle with an inch of water. Cover, let
steam cook the corn for 15 minutes or until when you prick
the kernels & the water does not run out of the kernel.
Eat without salt or butter (My son likes to eat it raw, but
I can't seem to do that yet)
Dark Greens harvested in
wild or
yard ( Lambs Quarters,
Poke, Curly dock)
If they are collected in shady areas where soil remains
moist most of the time or where you can water them, they
will continue to grow all summer. Rinse off dust or fuzz,
chop into fine pieces, cook in very little water, (they
cook fast, about 1 minute) until limp, eat with some salt,
a little margarine, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Don't
pull out by the root. These hardy weeds grow stems out
again for more picken's. Just break off stems for another
harvest of dark greens. Dark greens are your best food
source for Vit. A, Calcium, & Vit. C and other
nutrients. You may want to eat these with lemon juice
&/or tomatoes, as the acid breaks down the
oxalates.Yes, I've had the pleasure of eating Poke and God
has laden my back yard with all kinds of greens. DARK
greens. I do soak my Poke greens in charcoal water 5-10 min
for many reasons. Poke needing it the most, but the other
reason is that the dogs around here like to 'water' them
every time they walk by.
Cabbage and Onions.
Peel off outer coverings of both. Chop cabbage into wedges,
place around whole onions. Place in casserole dish with 3T.
of margarine. Sprinkle with salt. Cover with tin foil.
Moisture from both is enough without adding water. Bake for
about one hour (till tender) at 350º ( you can add
potatoes, carrots, green beans, or squash)
Zucchini
Squash
Cooks quickly, leave skin on, do not remove seeds, cut in
slices. Cook in a little water on medium heat for 10-15
minutes depending how tender you like it. Opt: add carrots,
potatoes, or onions and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and add
margarine. You may want to add a 1/2 cup or 1 cup raw to
your cake recipe, blending it with the other liquids
Potatoes
(boiled with skins)
I should say steamed. Place only one inch of water in
kettle. Quicken cook time by cutting them in half. Leaving
the skins on. keeps you from peeling off the quarter inch
BELOW the skin where the nutrients are. When the cover is
puffing out steam reduce heat to low+, steam for 1/2 hour
or until fork smoothly penetrates potato. If steam keeps
puffing out you will loose your water and burn them. Adjust
the temperature so no steam puffs out at all. Peel
afterwards. Use that potassium/mineral rich water for a
soup, drinking, gravy or in loafs.
My mother got to be so good at waterless cooking she would
start out with just a 1/4 C of water. You can too.
Skinning tomatoes
easily
Heat up a kettle of water Place whole tomatoes in hot water
for 10-20 second Depending on size of tomatoes Remove skins
as you use them. Should slip right off
Almond butter
(updated
8/16/07)
Grind 2 C of almonds in food processor ( You may want to roast your almonds for
a nuttier flavor. Place on cookie sheet, set oven at 250º,
allow them to roast for 15-20 minutes or till center is
light brown.) Add 6 T
(1/2 C) Olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt Blend till smooth in
processor, not a blender (It will not be smooth like smooth peanut
butter) Use almond
butter in place of peanut butter
Almond milk
Pour 1 C pure water in blender. Add 1/2 C. ground Almonds
or whole almonds or almond butter (or any nut)
Blend till creamy white, add
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla 1-2 T.of your favorite sweetener
(honey, date paste, sugar) & 1/8 t. salt Add water to
make1 quart or can stretch to 2 qts. (Use the
unblended bits of almond that fall to the bottom in
cookies, burgers, on cereal, Eat it or strain it off if
desired.
Removing Almond
skins
Heat up a pan of water to boiling, drop in the almonds,
Count to 30, remove, place in cold water. Pinch off skins
Almonds more
digestible:
Soak in pineapple juice overnight or soak them in pure
water till you see a 1/8 inch sprout. Keep these
refrigerated as they will mold quickly or redry them in a
dehydrater
Raw almonds
are the only nut that will
not go rancid because they are the only nut that is
alkaline. They are a rich calcium and protein source
Carob/Peanut Butter
Kisses (Thank you, my
friend, Idalia Dinzey, for sharing) Stove top- Stir
constantly till mixed and melted
1 Cup of sweetened carob chips
1 1/3 Cup peanut butter (or almond butter)
1/2 cup maple syrup (or Karo syrup)
When hot drop on cookie sheet to flatten or
When cool, shape to a kiss, or roll in coconut,
walnuts, or pecans, or dried fruit pieces
Carob/Peanut Fruit
Dip
Blend till creamy
1 Cup water, 1/2 cup carob powder, 1/3 cup dates (sugar)
1/2 C. peanut or almond butter, 1 t. vanilla (opt: 1/4 t.
cinnamon)
Carob Truffles
(non heated)
Using a food processor,1st mix carob, then add
honey and syrup, lastly salt and almond butter.
1/2 C. carob powder, 1/2 C syrup, 1/4 C. honey, 1/2 C. date
paste
add 1 t. flavoring at this time. 1/8 t salt, 1 C. almond
butter
(which contains oil and salt)
Roll into balls (opt: roll in coconut, walnuts, minced
fruit, pecan meal,
cinnamon, cashew bits, ground or chopped walnuts,)
Make bees with sliced almonds for wings,
Splenda is gone from recipes- heard too many bad things
about it
Oat
Milk
To make 1 qt of oat milk,
(healthy alternative to cows milk)
1/3 C ground quick oats cooked in 1 C water for 5 minutes
Place in blender with the following; 2 T ground almonds, 1
t vanilla, 1/4 t salt
Blend till smooth, then add 2 1/2 C water. Opt; banana, strawberries,
blueberries
Gluten Steaks
(choplet style)
2 C. gluten
flour
1 t onion salt
1 heaping t. garlic pwdr
1/2 t. cumin, 1 t. poultry seasoning,
1/8 t of each; rosemary, thyme,sage, marjoram, lime pwdr
1 t salt, 1 T of sugar
1/4 c. soy sauce with 1 c. water with 2 T. Salt
Mix in the dry ingredients. If still wet to touch add a 1/2
c. of reg. flour
Try to slice in 1/2 inch slice.Drop into a kettle of
boiling water and
boil for 30 minutes. After boiling, remove from water,
drain , freeze or
place in bag with crumbs and fry to crispness.
If you prefer Swiss style steaks add this to your gluten
flour,
1/2 C. ground lentils
1/2 C yeast flakes
1/4 C pecan or walnut meal
2 t hickory smoke salt
increase soy sauce to 1/2 C If after mixing the mixture is
wet,
add 1/2 c. reg flour to form a log. slice in 1/2 inch
slices
add the same seasonings as above, boil the same, 30 min.
and drain, freeze or use cracker crumbs for covering before
frying,
or place in casserole with gravy to cover them
Vegetarian
Meatballs or patties
from Sheila McKnight
Double recipe-
2- 8oz creme cheese
5-6 eggs
1 C. pecan meal
1 C. Ritz cracker crumbs (1 sleeve)
1 C. Italian bread crumbs
1 1/2 t. Salt free seasoning (Dash)
1 T. Fajita seasoning
1/2 C. Grated marble Jack or Mozzarella cheese
Roll 1 1/2" balls in wet palm (watered) Bake at 350º in
greased 9x13" pan 40 min. For vegan use soy creme cheese or
2 pkg's of tofu, 6 T Egg replacer(1:1 ratio of powdered
tapioca and potato flour) in 1C water, Add 1/2 C
oatmeal,1/2 C. grated soy cheese. Freeze for future meals,
Flatten for patties & bake
Sweet & Sour
Sauce for meat balls-
1 1/2
jars of chili sauce, 18 oz
apricot preserves, 6 oz of grape jelly for darker color,
heat in crock pot, Just enough for coating meatballs
Fun for
kids
Cut a hotdog to make an octopus with 8
legs (the bottom 3/4 in strips) place on top of noodle dish
with fish crackers. Use cheese to make eyes on octopus.
Homemade
Raisin,Nut,Cinnamon Bread
In bowl- 1 1/2 C. warm water, 3 T. oil, 3
to 6 T sugar, 1C. wh.wh flour, 1C.reg.flour, 1 heaping T.
yeast granules, mix, let set for 5-7 minutes (yeast to
activate) Too hot of water will kill yeast. If the water
stings your finger to touch it, it's too hot for the yeast.
Adding the flour will cool it down some if too hot.
Add 2 t. salt, 1/2 C. chopped walnuts, 1/2 C. raisins, 2 C.
reg flour, 1 C w.w.flour, knead till thoroughly mixed, let
rise for 30 min. in warm area( In sun or on top of stove
that has been turned on low). After 30 min. punch down,
flatten out, sprinkle with cinnamon, fold over, over, over
and knead it with palm heel of hand if you want. Or just
fold it over till you can't see the cinnamon. Place in
greased bread pan, let rise 30-40 min. double in size. If
it doesn't rise, place in bowl, add 1 T of yeast to dough
and knead it till mixed throughout. Let rise again for
40-50 min. If it doesn't rise this time, your yeast is bad.
But tear the dough into small chunks. roll between hands to
make long strands for bread sticks, sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 350º for 40 min. Sticks for only 20 minutes. Spray
the top with non-stick spray after removing from oven,
remove from pan to prevent 'wetbread'.
optional: use the zest (grated orange rind) from two
oranges,lemon or lime, or 1 t. basil flakes, or 1 t each of
garlic & onion flakes. Add it to your bread
What? NO salt
meals?????
I just figured out how to season foods with herbs and NOT
use salt. This is unbelievable since I'm 63 and my kids
have already eliminated salt from their cooking and they
are about 1/2 my age. I'm just waking up people. But at
least I'm waking up to the fact that I need to do something
about my weight. I told God, I said, "God, since this body
belongs to you, You are going to have to lose some weight.
I don't know how you plan to do it, but I will support you
in whatever way I can." So every time I get tempted to eat
something that I'm thinking God shouldn't eat, I ask Him,
"God, do you want that in your body?" There are times when
he distracted me and brought to my mind some good stuff I
had at home. He really is doing what He can to get me to
accommodate and so here are some recipes that have gotten
me started on low sodium, high fiber, balanced meals.
A mixture of herbs so I don't have to open each one every
time I use them is as follows
3 T. Yeast flakes, 3 T. parsley powder or 6 T flakes, 1 T.
Basil powder, 1 T Turmeric, 1 t. Garlic powder, 1 t.
Savory, 1/2 t. Rosemary, 1/2 t. Sage, 1/2 t Marjoram,
OPT: 1 t. cumin, 1 t. poultry seasoning or 1/4 t. pepper
(black or cayenne) 1/2 t Oregano, 1/4 t. Nutmeg(this
seasoning is what makes curry powder different from the
rest, you may want to add this only when you make curry
dishes with rice. When I make rice dishes with stir fry, I
use one teaspoon of the mixture with a meal for two.
Precook rice. REMEMBER how to do this? Add 2 C. of brown
rice to 4 C. boiling water. Stir until water comes back to
a boil, cover, lower heat to low, set timer to 40 min.
THAT's it! How hard can that be? You can do it. You can
make numerous dishes with rice. Here are a few.
Rice & Stir Fry
in large
frying pan
Meal for two; 2
C.Pre-cooked Rice Keep on hand in the fridge; broccoli,
cauliflower, carrots, celery, cabbage, brussels sprouts, To
easily use in stir fry I julienne(small thin 2-2 1/2 inch
strips or chunk them) the first 5 veggies. I place them all
in individual baggies in case I have someone who doesn't
like one or the other, or I want them in different recipes.
Once the veggies are cut and bagged it's easy to use them
in salads or cook individually. My husband doesn't like
onions or garlic so I mince two cloves, julienne 1/3 onion,
cook in 2 T. olive oil for 5 minutes. For Len I remove the
onions and garlic before cooking the rest. Leaving the oil
in the pan for the rest, which is one big handful of each
julienne strips or chunks of carrots, cabbage, cauliflower,
and broccoli, cook in the olive oil and 1/2 C. water on
high heat with a lid over them for 5-7 minutes, separate
these from the middle of the pan to around the edge after 7
minutes, making a whole to put the 2 cups of rice to heat
up. Measure out 1- 2 t. of the herb seasonings, sprinkle
over all, Measure out or sprinkle on 1T. of soy sauce.
(2200 mg sodium= 1 teaspoon of sodium in salt) 1 T soy
sauce = 1100 mg of sodium= 1/2 t. salt. Top with chunks of
chicken, fish, or a handful of sliced almonds. If you use
fish sprinkle with lemon juice.
Here are some variations; drizzle raisins and a pinch of
nutmeg in the dish for a curry taste. Top with drained
yogurt or tofu instead of sour creme & cream cheese. If
you can handle the salt drizzle over with grated cheese.
Top with chunks of avocado, or chow mien noodles. Mix with
rice a couple of tablespoons of celery soup, mushroom soup
or tomato soup.
Rice Pudding
Hmm, hmm good. Add to 2 C.
cooked rice, 1 C. rice milk, 1/2 C. dates (sugar or 1/4 c.
honey). Heat with the rice, milk and sugar, 1/2 C. chopped
walnuts, 1 t. cinnamon, 1 t. vanilla, 1/2 C. raisins or any
fruit.(pineapple, cherries, mandarins, grapes, peaches,
pears, bananas)
Rice with Peas or Green
Beans
to 4 C rice add 2 C. peas
(1-2 cans or frozen) Add 1 can of mushroom soup or celery
soup, Or instead of peas use green beans. Enough rice milk
(1 C) to dilute soup, sprinkle on 2 t seasoning, 2-4 T. soy
sauce, place in casserole dish, heat in oven at 350º for 30
minutes. Variations: add one to two cans of tuna or salmon,
or 1 can FriChic or 1 can of Swiss steaks ( vegetarian
meats) Leave out meats and meat substitutes and still get
your protein by blending or leave whole one to 2 cans of
garbanzos (chickpeas), adding it to the soup if you blend
or use in place of the soup. Hint; use milk to blend
garbanzos and soup
Spanish Rice
4
C cooked rice, 2 C. cooked burger, 2 C. tomato sauce ( 1
pkg. of Fajita seasoning cooked in 2 cups of water for 10
min. then add 1 can of tomato paste, 1 T. sugar, 2 t. salt)
or heat 1 pkg. of Fajita seasoning in 2 C. V8 juice for 10
min., add one can of dark red kidney beans. Opt: 1 can of
whole kernel corn. Mix all together. Place in casserole,
heat for 30 minutes at 350º
I'm
not done yet, lots more to come!!
