For the love of Produce...

PAPYRUS3

now I have to figure out how and what the best ways of preparing this (frozen Jackfruit).
Anyone have any tips of what the best way is?

PAPYRUS3

just_Tomek wrote: »

swirlybee wrote: »

just_Tomek wrote: »

purplefizzy wrote: »

swirlybee wrote: »

just_Tomek wrote: »

This belong here and volume eaters alike. Not gonna lie, I had problems finishing this gochujang young jackfruit with peas, butternut squash on konjaku noodles. All of this here for 300cal dinner. I am stuffed. Very very stuffed.

That looks really really good. Is it just literally gochujang mixed in with the jackfruit or was there any other prep items?

Also intrigued and if you have time would love any prep tips. Never done anything other than canned green jackfruit.

Equal amount of gochujang and soy sauce (1/4 cup for me).
Instant pot for 5 minutes HP with jackfruit, sauce and 1/4 cup any liquid (for me veggie stock).
When done mix in frozes peas and cubed squash.
Saute function until the frozen veggies heat through and sauce thickens.

Note: usually to the chili paste and soy sauce mix I would also add some sort of a sweet portion (honey etc.) but here I did not. Its because the fruit is sweet on its own.

Inspired by your post, I cooked jackfruit for the very first time last night. Yours looks like shredded meat but mine came out looking like caramelized/sauteed onions. I used frozen green jackfruit which still had much of the core and seeds. I removed the seeds but not the core. My instant pot was otherwise occupied with homemade chicken stock so I cooked the jackfruit on the stove top. Had to simmer it for about half and our for the core to get soft enough to eat. It tasted great. The core gave it an interesting texture but the rest of the jackfruit was great.

I guess I forgot the step where I shredded the jackfruit with forks (pulled pork / chicken) after it was cooked. Thats why mine looks the way it does. sorry.

PAPYRUS3 wrote: »

now I have to figure out how and what the best ways of preparing this (frozen Jackfruit).
Anyone have any tips of what the best way is?

Look up

Thanks for your trouble! Hope to try very soon:))

purplefizzy

just_Tomek wrote: »

By far one of the tastiest and prettiest dishes I served myself in a while. Also, would you believe that this is, with the exception of peppers and these huge shrimp, what most would consider scraps?

Your meals embody all of my food values so perfectly.

psychod787

Actually have been experimenting with some meatless meals for dinner. Lol

purplefizzy

psychod787 wrote: »

Actually have been experimenting with some meatless meals for dinner. Lol

Me too, lately. I am usually very veg+animal protein oriented, but plants have just sounded amazing. Don’t get me wrong. If a perfectly grilled whatsit showed up, I’d go to town. Ok, now that I think about it- I just haven’t felt like cooking meat...

purplefizzy

Sloppy quick meal but starving.

Salad is tossed in babaganoush or however you spell that. Spinach, shaved fennel, sweet peas, herbs.
Roasted veg: cauli, purple skin sweet potato, shallot.
Protein: Greek yogurt with zatar, extra dried mint and garlic, bit of lime.
Avo because it’s a day that ends in day.

Katmary71

purplefizzy wrote: »

psychod787 wrote: »

Actually have been experimenting with some meatless meals for dinner. Lol

Me too, lately. I am usually very veg+animal protein oriented, but plants have just sounded amazing. Don’t get me wrong. If a perfectly grilled whatsit showed up, I’d go to town. Ok, now that I think about it- I just haven’t felt like cooking meat...

I've been feeling this way too. Dinner was a mix of squashes, mushroom medley, onions, and lentils. I'm having more fun deciding on dishes based on vegetables than wondering what to do with meat. I've been branching out to meatless meals.

Speaking of making meals, do you all have a favorite vegetable-based cookbook? The only ones mostly veg recipes that I have are gardening books, I'd be curious to hear other's books or blogs.

slbbw

I rarely take pictures, but I had sauteed kohlrabi and turnip with spring onion and kohlrabi greens yesterday topped with grilled portabella and havarti cheese. It was fantastic. One of these days I'l take pictures.

lemurcat2

I never remember to take photos either, and think there's a skill to making the food show well in a photo.

Re cookbooks, I have a lot of vegetable-based cookbooks, although I never actually cook from them, just peruse for ideas.

General ones are Barbara Kafka's Vegetable Love and Greene on Greens (old classic, all vegetables, not just greens).

Some others: Six Seasons, Plenty. I also love farm to table/garden based seasonal ones (I bought one my favorite green market put together) and have a bunch of these.

I recently got Jose Andreas's Vegetables Unleashed.

I have a number of vegetarian/vegan cookbooks too. I love cookbooks.

purplefizzy

Pan blackened shaved red cabbage (it’s the new culinary darling amongst crucifers- cabbage, the new cauliflower!) with OO/S/P/zatar/splash of red wine vinegar to finish.
Over salad of roasted squash cubes, avo, spinach, shaved seeded English cuke, chopped sweet pea, spring onion. Dressed in taziki, generous TJ’s everyday seasoning.

Not pictured: the protein bars I ate.. in bed

purplefizzy

slbbw wrote: »

I rarely take pictures, but I had sauteed kohlrabi and turnip with spring onion and kohlrabi greens yesterday topped with grilled portabella and havarti cheese. It was fantastic. One of these days I'l take pictures.

Seasonings on kohlrabi? I’ve only done it raw. Have some in fridge and was trying to figure out if I actually like it or not. I go in and out.

purplefizzy

Katmary71 wrote: »

purplefizzy wrote: »

psychod787 wrote: »

Actually have been experimenting with some meatless meals for dinner. Lol

Me too, lately. I am usually very veg+animal protein oriented, but plants have just sounded amazing. Don’t get me wrong. If a perfectly grilled whatsit showed up, I’d go to town. Ok, now that I think about it- I just haven’t felt like cooking meat...

Speaking of making meals, do you all have a favorite vegetable-based cookbook? The only ones mostly veg recipes that I have are gardening books, I'd be curious to hear other's books or blogs.

Also all the blogs. The veg heavy, the paleo, etc
I don’t discriminate. I don’t like when it takes ten years of scrolling to get to the actual recipe, which I won’t actually follow. But I appreciate them all.

Honestly, at this point most of my inspiration comes from Tom.
Dude, you do us such a huge service with your generosity with time. The tips, the base technique and ingredients without overly prescriptive format.
I think recipes should leave room to play. A lemon is not always a lemon. Taste it, figure out how much you need.

Speaking of taste. Farmers market has ruined me. Tried to go cheap and bought strawberries at the grocery Outlet. I’m actually ashamed to admit that. I know better. But they were organic and a huge half flat for 2$. Totally inedible. Same for the apricots and I know better on that too.
Lesson learned. Grocery Outlet ok for avocado, protein icecream, and Anthony brand things like turmeric (fresher and cheaper than everywhere else including Indian market. Weird but true.) That’s it. The rest isn’t a savings if I won’t actually enjoy it.

purplefizzy

Also, in the name of transparency, I would like to let you guys know that I nearly severed two of my digits on the mandolin. Again. I do this a few times a year, I know all of the tips, I have the no cut gloves, I know better, etc. etc. etc.
I would take you a picture but I cannot figure out how to take a picture of both bandaged digits because there is one on each hand.
To the point that I thought I might never stop bleeding because fingers are bleeders. Thank God I grew up on a farm and I’m good at DIY first aid.

Katmary71

Thank you all for posting your favorite cookbooks! Purple Fizzy I hope your fingers are ok! I just finally used my mandolin, the thing scared me because of the stories. I stupidly peeled kohlrabi in my hand with a big chef knife and cut myself twice. It tasted good roasted with balsamic but I don't know if it's worth all the time peeling it.

littlegreenparrot1

My favorite cookbook is River Cottage Veg everyday, by High Fearnley-Whittingstall. All lovely and easy.
I'm in the UK so don't know how easy it is to access it elsewhere.

Just turned 1/2 loaf of stale sourdough into Panzanella loosely based on his recipe.
It's a bread based salad with tomatoes, cucumber, olives, lots of basil, dressed with cider vinegar and olive oil. All the good stuff.

That's lunch for the next few days sorted.

icemom011

purplefizzy wrote: »

Also, in the name of transparency, I would like to let you guys know that I nearly severed two of my digits on the mandolin. Again. I do this a few times a year, I know all of the tips, I have the no cut gloves, I know better, etc. etc. etc.
I would take you a picture but I cannot figure out how to take a picture of both bandaged digits because there is one on each hand.
To the point that I thought I might never stop bleeding because fingers are bleeders. Thank God I grew up on a farm and I’m good at DIY first aid.

So sorry, that's a bummer you've cut yourself! You can take two pictures, if you want? Also, how did you cut fingers on twi different hands? Hope it heals fast. I wanted to ask you, how long do you precook the squash in the microwave, i really love the idea of doing it this way, and to finish it off on bbq. I used to bake it sll the way, or bbq it, which takes too long, but comes out great. Btw, i love squash, so jealous of what you have available throughout the year. I tried to speed it up in instant pot, but i hate how it comes out. Tried the microwave trick the other day for spaghetti squash and then bbq, slightly undercooked, imo, so curious about your timing. Thanks!

psychod787

Florida blue berries at the farmers market today. $1.25 us a pound! Black berries I found on my hike today... FREE!

lemurcat2

littlegreenparrot1 wrote: »

My favorite cookbook is River Cottage Veg everyday, by High Fearnley-Whittingstall. All lovely and easy.
I'm in the UK so don't know how easy it is to access it elsewhere.

Just turned 1/2 loaf of stale sourdough into Panzanella loosely based on his recipe.
It's a bread based salad with tomatoes, cucumber, olives, lots of basil, dressed with cider vinegar and olive oil. All the good stuff.

That's lunch for the next few days sorted.

I love that one. Was trying to remember the name of it.

LyndaBSS

Made roasted spaghetti squash for lunch today. Had fun shredding it up and liked eating it. Always happy to add another kind of produce to my meal plan. 😀

purplefizzy

icemom011 wrote: »

purplefizzy wrote: »

Also, in the name of transparency, I would like to let you guys know that I nearly severed two of my digits on the mandolin. Again. I do this a few times a year, I know all of the tips, I have the no cut gloves, I know better, etc. etc. etc.
I would take you a picture but I cannot figure out how to take a picture of both bandaged digits because there is one on each hand.
To the point that I thought I might never stop bleeding because fingers are bleeders. Thank God I grew up on a farm and I’m good at DIY first aid.

So sorry, that's a bummer you've cut yourself! You can take two pictures, if you want? Also, how did you cut fingers on twi different hands? Hope it heals fast. I wanted to ask you, how long do you precook the squash in the microwave, i really love the idea of doing it this way, and to finish it off on bbq. I used to bake it sll the way, or bbq it, which takes too long, but comes out great. Btw, i love squash, so jealous of what you have available throughout the year. I tried to speed it up in instant pot, but i hate how it comes out. Tried the microwave trick the other day for spaghetti squash and then bbq, slightly undercooked, imo, so curious about your timing. Thanks!

Separate but related casualties.
Mandolin slicing fennel then later, other hand, whilst reaching into dishwasher. Totally a rookie move. I KNOW better and was being sloppy. A few days with bandaged digits has slowed my roll substantially. I’m reformed!

I cut the squash in half, seed it and scrub the skin, then wrap in plastic wrap that I feel like a bad human for using. (I’m working on that. But we used to call it chef wrap. It’s good for EVERYTHING in a catering kitchen. You can make a belt out of it...)
I nuke the squash until post people would probably consider it ‘done.’ (I feel that most people are wrong.)

Then I chill it till I need it.
When I need it I cube it up, put it on a baking sheet lined with foil and coconut oil spray.
Roast it, hot as hell.
Gets crunchy and sweeter and delish. Deep roast.

The timing I play by ear. They require drastic adjustments for season and age of squash and size of squash. I cook till they are the way I like them. Like I do everything:)
I suck at estimating timing. You get a feel for they way they ‘should’ look when done.

It’s best of both worlds- partially prepped out but doesn’t compromise the sugars surfacing under dry heat, and you aren’t eating cold leftover roasted veg which do not reheat optimally for the crunchy and creamy stage I like them at.
Spaghetti is the only one I’m slightly less weird about.
I prefer it a certain way but I’ll tolerate it reheated in micro if deeply cooked enough in the first place, because it’s usually getting topped with something saucy so it’s not such a drastic experience compromise.