For the love of Produce...

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Replies

  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    I've done tagine-inspired dishes and put them on chopped cauliflower (steamed) in lieu of rice. Or, you could just add the chopped cauliflower in the dish.

    I also often do pasta with a sauce (or topping) made of whatever is on hand. It's often something like zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, black olives, and smoked salmon (or regular salmon or shrimp or whatever meat you like). The veg is cooked by sauteeing in olive olive (not too much) with some garlic. Given all the ingredients I don't think the cauliflower should seem too cabbage-y (although I like cauliflower so might not be the best judge).
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    Now that you mention pasta, cauliflower mac'n'cheese can be quite nice. Can be nutrient/calorie sensible when going with a version with smaller amounts of cheese, potentially red lentil or similar pasta, some nonfat Greek yogurt; a calorie efficient cheese or two in reasonable amounts (chevre, ricotta, parm or bleu in small amounts because tasty - whatever); I'd maybe add one or more of roasted smashed Winter squash, fresh sage, white miso, caramelized onions, roasted elephant garlic . . . ? Some soft tofu hides in there pretty nicely for extra protein, possibly, also. Ditto lasagna.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    I made roast radishes for the first time tonight. Really great. Have only ever eaten them raw before.
    https://therealfooddietitians.com/garlic-roasted-radishes/

    I keep meaning to try that, but I keep eating up all the radishes raw before I get around to it. 🤣 (As is so often the case, clearly I need more self-discipline!).
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    I made roast radishes for the first time tonight. Really great. Have only ever eaten them raw before.
    https://therealfooddietitians.com/garlic-roasted-radishes/

    I was resistant to trying that for a long time since I love them raw so much, but was a convert to eating them roasted also once I finally tried it.
  • o0Firekeeper0o
    o0Firekeeper0o Posts: 416 Member
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    Some background: I hate applesauce. I hate the grainy, fibrous texture (and I think my hatred of watermelon stems from the same ideal). Well a year-ish ago, when my daughter was much smaller and into applesauce, we bought a brand (Vermont?) that I tasted and really enjoyed; it was super smooth with no gritty texture. Didn’t really get it again after that.

    Cut to a couple days ago and I bought 4 apples for $1 from my store’s produce discount shelf, and originally was going to make a crisp or something when out of ACTUAL nowhere I thought “Well, maybe I can recreate that applesauce I liked?”

    So I cut the apples into chunks after cutting away the bruised parts (it was 2 green and 2 assorted reds, like Fuji or etc), cooked them in about 1.5 cup of water with a splash of bourbon until they were mush, then blended them in my Vitamix with a touch of salt and a healthy dose of pumpkin pie spice until they were velvety smooth.

    Guys. It is SO GOOD. No sugar at all. I do admit it’s probably more of a ‘dressing’ than applesauce, but I don’t even care. It’s like the inside of an apple pie.
  • o0Firekeeper0o
    o0Firekeeper0o Posts: 416 Member
    I bought a couple acorn squashes and a spaghetti squash at the store on Friday; for some reason my toddler is now fascinated with the acorn squash and the idea of mama making squash soup, so I think I’ll make a small batch tomorrow for us (daddy won’t eat it; he hates winter squash for some psychotic reason)
  • SuzanneC1l9zz
    SuzanneC1l9zz Posts: 451 Member
    I stopped by the produce store today, and they had two kinds of persimmons. I've always been curious to know how they taste, so I bought one of each. But how do you eat them? Just bite in, or is some other preparation needed?

    I also got 2 big mangoes, 5 big avocadoes and 5 Granny Smith apples, which are my favourite kind. I love that store! I always want to buy some of everything!
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    edited October 2021
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    My first attempt at kimchi. Not bad, i left it to ferment for a couple of days only because i was worried that it's too warm. I've read that ideal temperature is 65-70 degrees, and my house won't get that cool ever, maybe few days a year. Usually it's 80 during the day, 74 at night. So i tried anyways. It's in the refrigerator already. I forgot to put scallions and only added them to the little Tupperware container that held what didn't fit into jars. And i like the taste of that much better than the jarred kimchi. So is it the scallions? Or the fact that in the plastic container it wasn't packed so tightly? Idk. Should i empty it out and add scallions now? Advice would be much appreciated. I have lots of experience with sauerkraut, none with kimchi. I know some of you, my fellow produce lovers, make it. So feel free to offer insight, please!
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 12,935 Member
    edited October 2021
    Is it crunchy? Sure looks good. I wonder if the plastic container might not have fermented as much. My friend made a batch before it cooled off and it wasn't as crisp. It's also possible his Napa had some flowers on it. That can have enzymes that don't let it stay crisp. Although he made a great sauce with no-heat habaneros. I don't make a traditional sauce, just several kinds of chilies. Some fresh and some dried.

    Did you ferment in the small jars? I usually use a gallon jar then transfer to the correct number of smaller jars after the ferment.

    My most recent batch is not as good as normal. It didn't ferment fully, and that's because too much salt. It was a salt BOMB. I still ate some, but I also pulled the jars back out and let them ferment a little more. The carrot chunks soaked up a little more of the salt. I will probably toss them back in the fridge today, and I should start another batch. I'm reticent to start more kraut since I still have three quart jars left. The kraut is a very good batch. I add garlic to my kraut, and lately also a little carrot and caraway. Mmmm.

    Actually, I just got a head of cauliflower. I might try to make cauli-kimchi!

    Edit to add:

    The most recent jars of kraut and kimchi. You can SEE that the kimchi wasn't fully fermented at that time.

    bbzs04nw2bkk.jpg



    And a sample of old and new kraut and kimchi with and without some of the leftover "sauce" from my friend. I thought that would be fun.

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  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    edited October 2021
    mtaratoot wrote: »
    Is it crunchy? Sure looks good. I wonder if the plastic container might not have fermented as much. My friend made a batch before it cooled off and it wasn't as crisp. It's also possible his Napa had some flowers on it. That can have enzymes that don't let it stay crisp. Although he made a great sauce with no-heat habaneros. I don't make a traditional sauce, just several kinds of chilies. Some fresh and some dried.

    Did you ferment in the small jars? I usually use a gallon jar then transfer to the correct number of smaller jars after the ferment.

    My most recent batch is not as good as normal. It didn't ferment fully, and that's because too much salt. It was a salt BOMB. I still ate some, but I also pulled the jars back out and let them ferment a little more. The carrot chunks soaked up a little more of the salt. I will probably toss them back in the fridge today, and I should start another batch. I'm reticent to start more kraut since I still have three quart jars left. The kraut is a very good batch. I add garlic to my kraut, and lately also a little carrot and caraway. Mmmm.

    Actually, I just got a head of cauliflower. I might try to make cauli-kimchi!

    Edit to add:

    The most recent jars of kraut and kimchi. You can SEE that the kimchi wasn't fully fermented at that time.

    bbzs04nw2bkk.jpg



    And a sample of old and new kraut and kimchi with and without some of the leftover "sauce" from my friend. I thought that would be fun.

    y82vy5ro2ecb.jpg

    Yes, it's nice and crunchy. I guess i will just leave it without the scallions this time. My large jars are taken with kombucha, so i fermented in smaller, quarter gallon jars. How can you tell from looking at the jar that it wasn't fermented long enough, not too many bubbles? I'm too new for that! Thank you! Sample spread looks good!
    Edit to add: your kraut is so colorful, sounds so interesting and delicious!
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 12,935 Member
    icemom011 wrote: »
    Yes, it's nice and crunchy. I guess i will just leave it without the scallions this time. My large jars are taken with kombucha, so i fermented in smaller, quarter gallon jars. How can you tell from looking at the jar that it wasn't fermented long enough, not too many bubbles? I'm too new for that! Thank you! Sample spread looks good!

    The cabbage and chilies still have too vivid of a fresh color. Maybe I'll send a picture of what it looks like after another week of ferment.

    And... I have five pounds of cabbage shredded and salted. I have a few grated carrots and a lot of peeled whole garlic cloves waiting to go in after I massage it a few more times.

    And... I have a 4.5 pound Napa cabbage, a lot more garlic, a bunch of ginger, a variety of chilies, some fish sauce, and some carrots that will go into a ferment; I'll start that as soon as I get the kraut in the jar. I need the big bowl. The Napa will need to soak for a few hours in salt water before I assemble. Maybe I'll play disc golf in the rain or go for a run or cook some fish or.... The daikon were all HUGE so I skipped them. Maybe I will just add some of that cauliflower into the mix instead or just make it with carrot for now and maybe go pick up a smaller daikon later this afternoon.
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 12,935 Member
    OK, time to take a break.

    This is the same kimchi that looked so "fresh" in the earlier picture. Extra fermentation time subdued the colors.

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    I got a big head of green cabbage, about five pounds. It's going to go rest for three weeks now....


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    The Napa cabbage is soaking in brine. I have prepped the other ingredients that I'll add in a few more hours when I rinse off the salt.
  • mtaratoot
    mtaratoot Posts: 12,935 Member
    New batch now sealed up and resting in a bucket away from light and ideally more protected from temperature swings.

    Whew!

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    Funny how five pounds can fit in HALF of a gallon jar. That's fine. It means when done I can stuff it in a half-gallon jar in the fridge.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,551 Member
    I stopped by the produce store today, and they had two kinds of persimmons. I've always been curious to know how they taste, so I bought one of each. But how do you eat them? Just bite in, or is some other preparation needed?

    I also got 2 big mangoes, 5 big avocadoes and 5 Granny Smith apples, which are my favourite kind. I love that store! I always want to buy some of everything!

    I love persimmon. I just slice into wedges and eat. The important thing to remember is that underripe persimmons are disgusting. There is a weird astringency that makes your mouth pucker. Leave them out of the fridge until they are as soft as a tomato before attempting to eat. I remember reading a Chinese author who had memories of persimmons ripening on a window ledge in Bejing. I just leave mine in the fruit bowl which is in a rather dark corner of my kitchen and it works fine.