Cooking Anything...

[OKCisOK4me]

I don't see a health forum so, I'm putting this here.

My sister was recently in town and she has to eat gluten free products to help her health issue.

I had a tidbit of her food schedule, zucchini, yellow squash, and portabello mushrooms. Totally yummy, but only as a side dish. I first tried nuking it in the microwave and then attempted to do it on the stove. Both ways with olive oil, but I found that I enjoyed it more on the stove.

I bought a box of the mushrooms and they lasted longer than the squash and zucchini. Nothing like sauteed mushrooms, which I'd love to add a little Cabernet to next time.

Anyone else have any health dishes that they can afford to share? And please, give decisive directions on how to do it because I'm 34 and I don't have cable and I'm not well adapted to knowing how to cook in the first place, so I assume there might be a few on here that don't want to ruin the meal and make it the best for the first time!

[RadicalModerate]

Are those dried mushrooms in a box?
(in any case . . .)

Try sauteéing some sliced mushrooms (seasoned with some salt and pepper) in a little olive oil and butter, then add some Marsala or Madeira (or Sherry), then--near the end--toss in a big handful of baby spinach leaves and let them wilt. Tossing in a few thin slices of those red peppers in a jar or some sun-dried tomatoes adds a little color. Some shallot (or onion) and garlic sauteéd with the mushrooms doesn't hurt. Just don't let the garlic burn.

P.S. Re: Health: A lot of people think it's a crime to wash mushrooms. If you ever visited a "mushroom farm" you will be a believer in washing your store-bought mushrooms.

[OKCisOK4me]

I rinsed my mushrooms in both instances.

As far as the packaging, they were sliced portabello mushrooms that were on the cooler shelf at Sunflower Market, so they were fresh. Dry? I don't know..but they weren't wet.

[Questor]

One of my favorite healthy side dishes is roasted Brussels sprouts. The great thing about them is you can dress it up differently depending on the occasion.

So buy some Brussels sprouts, wash them, then put them on a cutting board and cut off the base. Then slice them in half. Take a baking pan and line it with aluminum foil. Place the sprouts face down on the foil. Drizzle good olive oil across them all. Toss in a pre-heated oven and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Watch them carefully the last 5 or 10 minutes... it's not a science, pull them out before they start curling up and turning black.

Once they're out, put them in a bowl. You can serve them as is, or I like to toss them with some balsamic vinaigrette first. If you want to get really fancy you can grate some cheese over the top, some salt and pepper, and maybe even some prosciutto or bacon. Around the holidays I make this dish but instead toss in some roasted pecans, golden raisins and cranberries.

After you try this dish Brussels sprouts may become your favorite new vegetable.

If you like that try roasting all sorts of veggies this way... they always come out great. I often make home made potato chips that are just fantastic.

[Martin]

i love roasted brussels sprouts. my method is pretty similar but i typically throw on a little kosher salt before roasting. afterwards, i usually dress it with something citrus, usually lemon zest. if we're talking prosciutto, wrapping some fresh asparagus in it and roasting is out of this world. -M

[Roadhawg]

I like brussel sprouts and I'll have to give that a try, it sounds great.

[RadicalModerate]

So . . . Let's imagine for a moment that it is too hot to "cook" . . .
Here's a Kwik N' E-Z option . . . And tasty too!

Emeril's 2001 Staffperson's Pot Luck Dinner Maytag Blue Cheese Salad Contribution
Condensed/Simplified OkieVersion (for 2)
(also a rip off of the Pioneer "Ina Garten o' The Plains" Woman thing)

1- bag of salad greens (The "freshest": I prefer "Spring Mix" but it "expired" in a day, so I used something else.)
1 - container Blue Cheese "crumbles" (Like at Braums . . . They don't have "Maytag" so these may have been "Amana" or "LG")
1 - pkg. Chicken Fajita Strips (the 1/2 lb. bag. Like at Braums)
3 or 4 very thin slices red onion, slivered (or part of a thinly-sliced shallot)
1/2 apple (I used a "Pink Lady"), thinly sliced
1/2 of two different pears (I used one Bosc and one Red Anjou), thinly sliced.

1/2 cup Walnut oil (probably good Olive Oil would work here, but I skipped adding the toasted walnuts or pecans so . . .)
1 Tbsp. Apple cider vinegar (or Rice Wine Vinegar if you have it onhand)
1 Tbsp. Honey

Prep the pears, apple and onion (or shallot) (put the leftovers in a plastic storage bag and toss in the fridge)
Toss the onion (or shallot) into whisk-friendly mixing bowl.
Add the vinegar and honey. Wisk well.
Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly to incorporate.

Nuke the ("Fully-Cooked") chicken strips for about a minute.

Arrange the pear and apple slices, in a fan-like manner, on a salad plate or in a pasta bowl.
Put a pile of the salad greens in the middle
Distribute half of the chicken around each plate
Pour about half the dressing on each serving
Add a healthy pinch of the Blue Cheese crumbles to each serving.
Did I forget salt and pepper?
Add to taste.

Tossing in a few fresh basil leaves if they are readily available from the garden wouldn't hurt.
Maybe even some "fresh" (washed) sliced mushrooms. =)

Serve with a couple of leftover, toasted, Sara Lee Hoagie rolls.
From the toaster, not the oven.
Sliced "Creatively" on a bias.
Too hot to cook.
Remember? =)

My wife--the "Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch" Salad Eater o' The Fambly--said that you would have to pay maybe $7 to $10 for a salad like this at a restaurant. And she said it would have a lot less chicken in it.

A nice, cheap, Reisling is the perfect accompanyment to this thing . . .