UB Cookin'

[Amigoo]

Peas 'n Oats 'n Scrambled (about 3 servings)

Comfort food with nutritional essence.
Good for any meal or snack

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked steel-cut oats
1 cup frozen green peas, rinsed
1 lg sweet onion, diced
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

In large sauce pan, layer onions then peas,
add water and simmer until onions are al dente.
Spread on cooked oats, cover pan and heat
until oats are very warm.

Stir in salt, let covered pan rest 5 min.

Drizzle olive oil over serving;
accompany with a cooked egg
(brief scramble without milk).


Rod

[Amigoo]

Sweet Cheesy Kefir

Tart 'n sweet, cheesy but neat
(when poured after refrigeration).

Ingredients:

1 quart 1% plain kefir (unsweetened)
16oz plain Farmer Cheese (unsweetened;
like small-curd cottage cheese)
2 tbsp honey

Directions:

Whisk well to combine, then refrigerate.

To create Cheesy Blueberry Cloud,
include 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
before refrigeration. Then top 2/3 cup
serving with blueberries.


Rod

[Amigoo]

Chocolate Raisin NAR (Not A Recipe)

(taste/texture like chocolate raisin cake,
baked then blended with other stuff)

A meandering mix of ingredients creating a dessert Whatsit?,
sprinkled with sunflower seeds, drizzled with preferred liqueur
(or just a culinary excuse to explore pudding liqueurs).

This proffers "NAR" as a new category of foods,
not yet qualifying as a recipe - just exploration!

New term for critics to describe a recipe debut: Ordi-NAR-y!
(means uneventful, not yet a recipe, "Who eats this stuff?!")


Ingredients:

2/3 cup raisins
1 1/3 cups very hot water
6 tbsp coconut flour
1/2 cup natural applesauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp virgin olive oil
3oz baking chocolate
(shaved pieces of 4oz bar)

Directions:

Let raisins soak in hot water 10 min,
stir in remaining ingredients, then
microwave until hot and stir well.

(not a recipe - just what happened)

Best guess: Have a Whatsit? Party
to deliberate on "Who eats this stuff?!"
(and admits it).


Rod

[Amigoo]

NAR (Not A Recipe) - Whimsical concept of sharing culinary exploration:

Traditionally, when first shared publicly, NAR is a starting point!
If you prepare it precisely, you effectively claim it's a recipe!
Perpetuation of Culinary NARism requires a slight change,
such as an additional drop of water.

Whimsical new term for food critics: Ordi-NAR-y!
(uneventful, not a recipe, "Who eats this stuff?!")


Tasty Ode to Culinary NARism*

No recipe binds soul of fork & spoon,
No measuring cup dares dictate a tune.
A dash of wonder, swirl of chance -
Flavor’s freedom joins this dance.

One pinch too bold? Delightful sin!
Add 'nuther drop of water - begin!
For NAR is not a list, but lore,
Simmering myth of “just one more.”

Whisked by whim and sautéed surprise,
Culinary chaos - tongue’s grand prize!
From burnt to brilliant, sweet to bizarre,
Each bite declares: We all be NAR!

And if critic frowns, austere and starry -
Let them speak of eats Ordi-NAR-y!
We feast on sparks - not measured art -
For NARism wafts the culinary heart.

So pass the plate, the tale, the flair,
Each taste a tale we dare compare.
From whispered spice to boldest dare -
Be NARly there when YOU share!

* Edited collaboration with Perplexity.


Entrepreneur Alert ***

Let's All Be NAR!

(we are not clones of each other)
Good for T-shirt, poster, mug, whatever!


Short list of NAR terms

NAR-y (immature chef or their recipes)
u-NAR-y! (impolite criticism)
a-NAR-chy (unscripted political chaos)
NAR-rator (food critic who evaluates NARs)
no-NAR-tist (traditional food chef)
i-NAR-able (potential food explorer)
ordi-NAR-y (uneventful, not a recipe)
NAR-coma (refusal to publish a recipe)
bi-NAR-ism (bisexual uniqueness)
NAR-cosis (non-publish stupor)
semi-NAR-y (theological NARism)
octo-NAR-y (serves eight guests)
NAR-whal (culinary deepdive)
so-NAR-man! (NARism expletive)
vice-NAR-y (subject to culinary arrest)
de-NAR-ius (Roman food criticism)
mari-NAR-a (seafood NARism)
the-NAR (a collection of NARs)
eth-NAR-chy (kingdom of NARism)
qui-NAR-y (fifth exploration of a NAR)
tri-NAR-y (three types of NAR reviews)
sayo-NAR-a (critic's decree about a NAR)
merce-NAR-y (promoter of NARism)
legio-NAR-y (soldier of NARism)


Rod

[Amigoo]

Natural Banana Bread

No wheat flour, sweetened only with bananas.
Spoonbread substitute for morning oatmeal or serve
drizzled with honey and sprinkled with cinnamon.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups simmering water
1 cup rinsed steel cut oats
3/4 cup coconut flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 lg eggs + 2 whites, whipped
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
3 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350F degrees;
lightly oil 8" x 10" baking dish.

In large sauce pan, simmer oats in water
until most water absorbed. Remove from heat
and whisk cooked oats vigorously.

Stir in coconut flour, then remaining ingredients
as listed, stirring vigorously each time.

Pour evenly into baking dish
and bake 1 hour 20 min.


Rod

[Amigoo]

(amazing product synergy)

Sweet Cacaophony

Re: https://www.tomthumb.com/shop/product-d ... 23607.html
"Junior Mints"
Re: https://www.tomthumb.com/shop/product-d ... 00297.html
"Ghirardelli 100% Cacao Baking Bar" (8 pieces = 32 bites)

Directions:
Pair one Junior Mint with one Ghirardelli bite.
Conservative serving size: 4 paired bites.

Rod

[Amigoo]

Scrambled Moon Eggs

"To an astronaut standing on the Moon,
the ground appears mostly a dull, dusty gray."

(color of today's eggs, whisked
with coconut flour then steamed)

Good flavor/texture but Moon tone.
(an experiment to reduce microwave
problems when reheating).

Ingredients:

3 lg eggs + 2 whites
1 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp hot water

Directions:

Lightly oil heat-proof bowl;
pre-heat pan with water.

Stir coconut flour into water,
then whisk well with eggs.

Place bowl on rack in pan,
pour in egg mixture, cover pan
and steam 20 min. (creates the
puffed scramble with Moon tone).


On the other hand,
diners may prefer local Moonglow*,
so first try the Tofu Soufflé:

Ingredients:

3 lg eggs + 2 whites
8oz firm tofu, rinsed
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Lightly oil heat-proof bowl;
pre-heat pan with water.

In mixing bowl ...
mash tofu, whisk with eggs,
then stir in salt and parsley.
Place bowl on rack in pan,
pour in egg mixture, cover pan
and steam 15-20 min.


* Moonglow: If we are to be strong,
we must look for truth in all that we see
and love in all things for what they are.


Rod

[Amigoo]

Re: https://www.foxnews.com/health/one-type ... ring-aging
"Extra virgin olive oil improves cognitive function through increased gut bacteria diversity."


Q: Does extra virgin olive oil have more benefit than virgin olive oil?
Does the "extra virgin olive oil" label prove this is extra virgin?

(Perplexity) "Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) does generally offer more health benefit than regular 'virgin' or refined olive oil,
mainly because it’s less processed and retains more protective plant compounds; EVOO is the least processed grade.

EVOO is obtained purely by mechanical methods at low temperatures and must meet strict chemical and taste standards. Virgin (or 'pure'/'olive oil' without 'extra') typically has been more processed and/or blended, which reduces natural antioxidants (polyphenols,
vitamin E) even though the basic fat profile (heart‑healthy monounsaturated fats) is similar.

The 'extra virgin' wording on the front of the bottle does not by itself guarantee
the oil truly meets extra virgin standards in practice.

To be legitimately extra virgin, oil must meet defined laboratory and sensory criteria: low free acidity (≤0.8%), no sensory defects, extraction only by mechanical means without chemical refining.​ However, testing has shown a significant portion of products sold as 'extra virgin' in regular retail channels do not always meet these standards (quality problems, blending with refined oils, poor storage, old harvests).​

Because of that, you have to look beyond just the words “extra virgin”:

- Better trust indicators on the label or packaging:
- Harvest date, not just a distant 'best by' date (fresher is better;
used within 12-18 months of harvest).
- Clear origin ('Product of [country/region]) rather than only 'packed in'.
- Certification seals from reputable bodies (e.g., California Olive Oil Council,
specific regional/appellation seals)
or third‑party lab testing mentioned.
- Dark glass or tins and a mid‑range to higher price point;
very cheap EVOO is more likely to be low quality.


(P) "Plastic bottles speed up degradation of even high‑quality extra virgin olive oil,
and can also introduce unwanted contaminants.

Most common food plastics (PET, HDPE, PP) are slightly permeable to oxygen, so oxygen slowly diffuses through the bottle wall and oxidizes the oil. This oxidation reduces polyphenols and vitamin E and makes the oil go rancid faster, which directly reduces the health benefit of extra virgin olive oil. Plastic lets in more light than dark glass or metal, and light plus oxygen accelerates oxidation and flavor loss.

Olive oil is a fatty, somewhat 'solvent‑like' liquid, so over time it can extract small amounts of chemicals from plastic (plasticizers such as some phthalates, BPA in some plastics, and microplastic fragments), especially if the bottle is stored warm. That can both degrade the oil and slightly contaminate it."


Rod

[Amigoo]

Red Seedy Applesauce

Applesauce with nutritional munch.

Ingredients:

1 cup natural applesauce
1 cup water
1/2 tsp vitamin C crystals
3 tbsp dark chia seeds
2 tbsp cranberry seeds
1 med. red apple, diced

Directions:

Mix well and refrigerate
until chia seeds hydrate.


Rod

[Sandy]

Hi Rod,
Thanks for the information about plastics and olive oil.
So, after checking the dates of Harvest and making sure it is a reputable brand from a reputable country, do you think it would be helpful to transfer the oil, if it is in a plastic bottle, to a dark glass jar?
( I know I was slow to board the olive oil train, but your thread here convinced me a year or so ago of its benefits. )
xxSandy


I do this occasionally when budget doesn't permit more expensive glass bottle,
but these articles suggest skipping plastic bottles whenever possible since
warehouse/shipping temperatures may not be best for these plastic bottles.

It might be like costly wine at parties:
Serve cheap wine before premium (usually with the meal).


Wilted Culinary Wisdom

Which would you prefer in plastic bottle:
Cheap olive oil or cheap wine?

Both when making Wilted Salad dressing
(who would know why it's wilted?)

Rod