High-veggie, low-glycemic, easy on the meat recipes, anyone?

Momine

It seems that many people here on BCO are trying to eat more veggies, less processed/refined foods and less (or no) red meat. There is good evidence that such a diet may help against diabetes, high cholesterol, cardio-vascular disease etc, and perhaps even certain cancers. It is also a helpful diet if you are trying to maintain a healthy weight.

I think most of us allow ourselves treats or have other ways of not being overly restrictive in our diets. I just had two slices of Greek New Year's cake, for example. BUT, I was thinking it would be helpful to have a thread where we share recipes for dishes and meals that are actually in keeping with the "loads of veggies, no/minimal refined carbs and low/no meat." That way we would have a place for inspiration and ideas.

mamabee

Great idea! My husband eats vegan before 6pm and this is one of his favorite lunch recipes from one of his favorite cookbooks, Vegnomicon -

Udon Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms and Kale in Miso Broth

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/eating/recipes...

Momine

Hey! Now you are talking. When I do crave noodles, I tend to make something similar. I use soba noodles, because buckwheat is supposed to be low-glycemic and besides I always liked it anyway. I stir-fry some shiitakes and oyster mushrooms, with garlic and fresh ginger, add frozen broccoli spears and a tiny bit of water, then add the cooked noodles to the pan at the end. It is super-fast, super-easy and really tastes good.

Momine

So, tonight I am making roasted cauliflower, skordalia and codfish.

Cauliflower: Wash and slice the cauliflower. Toss with salt, pepper and olive oil. Spread on baking sheet and bake till lightly browned and cooked through. I usually line the sheet with baking paper for easy clean-up.

Skordalia: Take a thick, big slice of stale wholegrain bread. Soak it in cold water for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze out the water. Put 4 peeled cloves of garlic, a little salt and a teaspoon of wine vinegar in a blender. Pulse till garlic is mashed up some. Add a handful of walnuts, pulse again. It is fine if there are still visible bits of walnut. Add bread and while running machine add about 1/2 cup of olive oil in a stream.You should have a thick pure. Scrape into a bowl.

Fish: I use frozen cod fillet for this. I dust it in flour and fry it in olive oil.

You can obviously add a green salad to this meal as well for a bit of color. Beet salad is nice also.

flannelette

I have never roasted cauliflower but have done beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips etc same way, even all together. Love it! even cold.

so right now I'm doing a chicken dish, easy one pan. Used 6 or so boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into smaller pieces with scissors, (cut any extra fat off, too, scissor much easier than knife i find) dumped into a plastic bag of flour, then shook them up. lift with hands so excess flour falls off & saute in olive oil till golden, putting whatever amount of curry powder on that you want, and mixing in, plus some salt & pepper.

Pour on some boiling water & stir up so you now have curry-flavoured pan juices. Add a pared & diced-up sweet potato (dices same size as chicken, more or less) a chopped onion, I like a handful of raisins in a curry, some whole raw almonds if you have on hand, and some rinsed canned chickpeas if you want to add fiber or volume. Add a bit more water if the pan juices seem to be too low. Put on a lid & cook at a bare simmer for about an hour. Everything should now be fork tender.

I like adding a diced apple - again, about same size pieces, about 1/2 hour into the cooking, so they don't cook to mush.

Add coconut milk to make it creamy & extra delish, let simmer a bit more, stir it all up - yummy 1 pan meal. the chickpeas would lower the glycemic level overall, despite raisins & apples, I think, and they can sort of take the place of rice.

When very lazy I don't bother to flour the chicken but I do think it's better floured - creates more texture & taste. I'm starving as I type, waiting for it to cook - smelling delish.

mamabee

I found whole wheat udon noodles but I like soba too. I'm on the last day of vacation so no cooking for me, but your cod sounds great. Cod is so versatile - often I'll just bake it with a provencal style topping of tomatoes, olives, onions and whatever fresh herb I have around. Or make a chowder with it - I substituted it for the halibut in this one - http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/halibut-sweet-pota...

I got the Jerusalem cookbook for Christmas and am looking forward to cooking from it when I get home. I've made the turkey/zucchini burgers and the roasted eggplant to rave reviews. I have 4 kids - growing teenagers - so I have to tailor my cooking toward them too.

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2012/09/in-season-eg...

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/spicy_turkey_and_zucchini_burger/

Momine

Flannelette, I agree about the roasted veggies - good either hot or cold. I have also added chunks of zucchini and/or eggplant as well as red onion cut in chunks. When I eat it cold, I like to add a little crumbled feta over the top. The curry sounds really good.

Mamabee, that sounds like a great way to cook fish and it would probably work with just about any kind of fish. Thanks for the recipe links. The turkey/zucchini burgers sound really good. I will definitely check out that cookbook.

By the way, anything typically needing sour cream, like the sauce in the recipe, can be made just as well with just Greek yogurt (I see the recipe uses a mix of both). I often make a sauce/dip from greek yogurt with lots of herbs and spices (which vary depending on what I need it for). It is such an easy way to add flavor and interest to meals that would otherwise be a bit "blah!" When I don't want dairy, for fish for example, I do the same thing with a base of nuts.

Momine

Oh, something caught my eye on the recipe site you posted. This looks really good:

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/golden_beets_and_brussels_sprouts/

TwoHobbies

For me I have found the key to eating healthier is definitely learning to cook vegetables deliciously. We have a spice shop near us and they have all different blends of spices that are great to try. I keep broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, onions, sweet peppers and carrots in my fridge at all times. I roast them in the oven about 25 minutes with olive oil, salt, pepper, various spice mixes. I can eat a whole pan of this.

My favorite way to do brussel sprouts is slice them thin and saute them a few raisins or craisins and toasted pecans.

I gave up pasta and a good substitute for me is to slice zucchini thin, in sticks or noodles, and saute with mushrooms and onions and put your favorite marinara over it. If you eat dairy, you can sprinkle a little mozzarella over that.

I've also been making a lot of non lettuce vegetable salads. Nothing wrong with lettuce salads but I get tired of them every day. My family's favorite is slice mini cucumbers, yellow, red, and orange sweet peppers, grape tomatos, a little vidalia or sweet onion. I make a red wine viniagrette salad dressing and that is a delicious combo!

Momine

Kayb, welcome. It is my low-glycemic version. I get this very dense, wholegrain bread from a good bakery, and making skordalia is a perfect way to use up the stale bits. The walnuts help as well and also give a nice taste. You can experiment. The base varies depending on where in Greece you are, who the cook is etc. One thing is for sure, the potato version is recent, because skordalia goes back to ancient times, long before the potato came to Europe.

Momine

Twohobbies, I also like non-lettuce salads. An easy and cheap one in winter is shredded cabbage and carrot, which I dress with lemon and olive oil. It is also good with a bit of celery mixed in.

We also do quite a lot of grated salads from various root veggies. You can mix up beet, parsnip and carrot, for example.

Momine

Kayb. yep! I also use the mandolin blade on the food processor to cut fennel bulb and celery into a salad. It sounds odd but tastes good. Toasted nuts also go well in many grated salads

Claire_in_Seattle

I will add this one by Giada de Laurentis, but I substitute Pacific snapper for the halibut. Just delicious and easy. You can buy frozen artichokes in some supermarkets such as Trader Joe's.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/halibut-with-artichoke-and-olive-caponata-recipe.html#!

I love a French combination of salads or crudites, served in place of an appetizer. A combination of something like beet salad, celeri remoulade (which I must make again sometime, as just adore) and cucumber salad. The idea is three salads with different colors, textures, and flavors. A feast for the eyes and the palate.

(The American tray of cut up raw vegetables bearing the same name has nothing to do with the French version, and isn't something I particularly like.)

Not low glycemic, but I am thrilled to find chunks of fresh Hubbard squash here in the supermarkets. They are now ripe and sweet. Squash need to cure, and these are just perfect and sweet now. Making with my trout and peas for dinner. I need to re-learn how to make amazing trout as it's raised in Idaho, so very fresh here. It's also relatively cheap.

Not cheap, but simple and delicious, is an arugula (rocket) salad with sauteed scallops on top. This takes large sea scallops, and you saute in butter with a few breadcrumbs. All this gets piled on the arugula salad. You then deglaze the pan with amontillado sherry (the guy is a chef from Spain and the husband of my friend who manages the wine bar). A bit more butter, and toast a handful of hazelnuts and add. It is then ready to go. You should know that I also added roasted beets and a tomato to up the veggie content. It was just delicious. - Claire

Mairs

Here's one of my favorites:

Slice one head of cabbage into 1/2 in. slices.

Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning of your choice. Roast 30 min (350). Flip and roast 30 minutes. So delicious!!!

Momine

Claire, those scallops do sound delicious, and I bet that could be made with olive oil instead of butter.

Mairs, I have never tried that, but I will, thanks to you

Momine

Oh, and Mair's cabbage reminded me of one of my moms tricks with cabbage. She does this with savoy cabbage, the cone-shaped, curly one. Cut the head of cabbage into wedges, length-wise. In a large pan that can hold the wedges in one layer, saute them in olive oil until they are lightly browned. then add some sliced or crushed garlic, a splash of white wine, salt and pepper and chopped parsley. A little lemon zest is also nice. Lower heat and put a lid on. Add a tiny bit of water along the way, if necessary.

Claire_in_Seattle

Speaking of cabbage....sauteed suaerkraut. I keep it on hand as I buy the jars from either Germany or Poland when on sale.

Heat a bit of goose/duck fat in the bottom of a large pot (you could use olive oil too for this). Toss in a couple of tablespoons of caraway seeds and brown. Then drain the sauerkraut and spoon into the pot. Stir.  Cook on low heat until it starts to turn a bronze/caramel color. You will need to stir several times. This is the same idea as roasting vegetables and transforms the sauerkraut. The cabbage gets sweet and nutty flavored and that is set off by the caraway. Serve up.

Of course, what this goes with is meat and I am making it with the smoked German pork chops that I got at Pike Place Market today. Fine fare for a damp winter's evening. - Claire

mamabee

I love these ideas for cabbage - I'd never thought of roasting it even though that's almost exclusively how I prepare broccoli and cauliflower now. And, yes, Momine, that beet and brussel sprout salad looks great. Here's one of my favorite nonlettuce salads - it's pretty easy if you use the food processor to shred the vegies -

Kale & Brussel Sprout salad - http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Kale-Brussels-Sprout-Salad-368295

Anonymous

Speaking of roasted veggies, I recently came across a great roasted mushrooms recipe. I used to sautee them but I like this so much better. First, select your mushrooms - they can be any kind. Cremini, shiitake, oyster or just plain button mushrooms. Then, soak them in warm salt water for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450. Pat the mushrooms dry, throw them on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 40ish minutes, turning them at the 25ish minute mark. Garnish with scallions and melted butter. Not sure what could be used in place of butter for vegans - maybe lemon juice? Anyway, we made them as a side over the holidays but I would imagine they would work nicely with a grain, protein or salad.

flannelette

Claire - you are one of the very few people I've ever heard mention goose fat. My mother, Ukrainian through & through, claimed that goose fat was the best - and I cannot tell you how many dishes she had that used sauteed saeurkraut. If bought in a jar she always rinsed it under the tap, first, to get rid of excessive saltiness. Our Christmas soup was made with sauerkraut, fresh cabbage, and a few split peas among other things. How I miss the cooking I grew up on and how far away from it I've grown. sigh. Your recipes sound delish!

Anonymous

One of my favorite recipes uses a bunch of anti-cancer ingredients.

Cook lentils in a pan, reserving a little water at the end. Throw in either spinach or kale until it wilts. Then throw in chopped garlic and ginger. Season with cumin, black pepper and a tiny bit of sea salt. Sautee all together. Squeeze lemon wedges over before serving.

flannelette

wow! one-pot, sounds yummy, inexpensive, and easy. Must try.

Momine

Badat, that sounds really good. Thanks

Claire_in_Seattle

Echoing mushrooms. They can be used to 'stretch' a lot of meat dishes. Lentils read my mind as thinking of whipping up a batch. Again, I don't do them as vegetarian but as a supplement to meat. Old French trick to make things such as sausage and lentils.

When it's fog and drizzle out, I want something warm and filling.

Anyway, tonight's dinner will be pasta with a prawn sauce I made the other evening. Pasta was a Christmas present and delish. I will add in a lot of veg to get the nutrition content up.

I may do lentils for next week, and my thoughts were shallots, carrots, and celery (have all in my fridge). Easy enough to add frozen spinach to the mix. Just got some curry powder. Notice I need lemons.

This sounds beyond delish.  And think it will go with the pork and fig dish I am planning. (Glad I did that long bicycle ride today.)

Off to the supermarket I go...so lucky that just a short walk. - Claire

Mairs

I've never tried lentils! Do you find them with the dried beans?

Momine

Mairs, yes, usually. Standard lentils sold in the US are fairly large and brown in color. But there are many varieties of lentils, from dhal, the tiny, red, Indian ones to "beluga" lentils, which are black and almost round. My favorites are small, Greek ones or the ones called "green lentils" which are also quite small.

If you get the smaller kind, they will cook in 30 minutes or so and lentils do not need to be soaked. So they really can be used instead of rice/potato/pasta stuff. Just boil them in plenty of lightly salted water. When done, drain. If you have extra lentils, let them cool down and use them in a salad the next day.

Momine

Claire, we use mushrooms a lot, especially portobellos, because they are "meaty" and tasty.

The other day my daughter made them with lentils, tomato, carrot, onion, garlic, celery. She served it over wholewheat pasta as a fake "bolognese" sauce, but it was really good in its own right and could easily be eaten without the pasta.

I also often bake portobellos with the cap side down and "stuffed" with garlic and parsley, covered with tomato slices and olive oil. With a filling salad of some kind on the side, this is a perfectly good meal.

Momine

Someone mentioned that it is key to find tasty ways to cook veggies, and I agree.

Today I am making "Imam Baldi." This is a Greek eggplant dish and the name means (in Turkish) "The Imam Fainted" [because it was so good].

I usually make a large portion, because it has to bake a long time and it is good (better even) cold anyway.

Today my ingredients were:

4 pounds eggplant, which meant 7 medium eggplants.

5 cloves garlic

3 large onions

bunch of parsley

6 cups crushed tomato

lots of olive oil

salt, pepper, oregano, a couple of bay leaves.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise and make a couple of slashes in the skin on the "rounded" side. Fry them lightly in olive oil on both sides until they are browned a little. Put them, cut side up, in a tin or roasting pan that will fit them in one layer. You can tilt them a little if necessary. Add salt, pepper and oregano. Tuck a few bay leaves along the edge. Crush the garlic and scatter over eggplant. Slice the onions fairly thinly and spread them in an even layer over eggplant. Chop the parsley and scatter that across. Top with the crushed tomato in an even layer. Now, drizzle a fair amount of olive oil across the top. I say drizzle, but Greeks generally pour.

Bake until all the liquid come out of the veggies. Then bake some more until most of that liquid has evaporated, leaving behind its flavor in the seemingly excessive amount of olive oil. Eat it room temp or hot, accompanied by some whole grain bread and with a little feta crumbled over the top. If you do not eat bread and cheese, it is good on its own as well. Greeks eat this as a main course or as a first course, but it can obviously also be eaten with a piece of chicken or fish on the side.

SuC

My husband and I are doing a vegetarian month for January. We are using the Ottolenghi books - Plenty and Plenty More and have had some excellent meals. Not missing meat at all

Momine

SuC, I am thinking I gotta get one of those books. I do still eat meat, although mostly poultry. The thing is that I also find that by increasing the amount of veggies in each meal, the meat part automatically becomes smaller and less important. I am perfectly happy with a slice of flash-sauteed chicken breast for example, because the main part of the meal is all the rest and the chicken is mostly to make sure I get enough protein (I got really low at one point).

geewhiz

That eggplant dish sounds incredible. I will have to try that. DH loves eggplant/tomato combo.

Another lentil recipe is a simple soup I make about once a week- whole family loves it. Great leftovers for lunch. It sounds similar to others here, but thought I would post anyway.Vinegar and bay give it that something special.

2c dried lentils

5-6 cups water (just monitor to keep a stew-like consistency once lentils absorb liquid)

2-4 cloves chopped garlic

2 carrots diced

1 onion diced

2 stalks celery diced

1 can diced tomatoes

1 tsp each of oregano, basil

2 bay leaves

2 T vinegar (I actually even do a bit more- makes it really tangy)

salt/pepper

large handful of spinach cut into ribbons

Saute the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add the lentils, oregano, basil and bay, tomatoes and water. Cook for about 45 minutes. Add the vinegar, and spinach. Season to taste with salt pepper.