Consider making a double or triple batch when recreating the Rainbow Chard and Barley Skillet and store extra in the fridge (use within 4 days) and freezer (use within 3-6 months). Try using it in place of your usual bowl of oatmeal with banana and mixed berries or as a substitute for Arborio rice in risotto.
Barley is considered an ‘ancient grain’, originating in Ethiopia and southeast Asia, where it has been cultivated for more than 10,000 years. The grain has a chewy, satisfying texture and subtle nutty flavor, making it a perfect way to bulk up meals. You will often find barley in bread, beer and soups, but this grain can be used in anything, from breakfast porridge and healthy muffins, to granola and pancakes. It’s truly a super grain, but doesn’t come with a ‘super-food’ price tag, like quinoa, for example.
Making a recipe that calls for shallots? Feel free to substitute white onion for the shallot. Shallots are part of the onion family and have a mild onion-garlic flavor. In place of 3 to 4 shallots, use 1 medium onion plus a pinch of garlic powder or (if you like the taste of garlic) 1 minced garlic clove. For this recipe, use 1/2 small white onion, diced, with a pinch of garlic powder or one small clove of garlic.
Once you’ve used limes for a recipe, use them to clean your cutting board or counters. Lemons and limes have a natural acidity that provides great antibacterial properties to home cleaning. After washing your cutting boards, rub the surface with the lime. Let sit for a couple of minutes before rinsing with water.
Any one recipe does not need a lot of green curry paste, and it would be a waste to buy some just for one dish. Here are some other delicious uses for green curry paste.
- Mix together ¼ cup peanut butter, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, about 1 Tbsp curry paste, and 1 tsp of vinegar or citrus juice for a peanut dipping sauce. Great served with steamed or raw vegetables.
- Use in other soup recipes (chicken, squash, pumpkin, split pea, etc.) along with a bit of coconut milk or cream.
- Stir into stir-fries or fried rice.
- Use ½ Tbsp with oil, honey, soy sauce and fresh lime or lemon juice for a nice vinaigrette dressing.
The Thai Chicken Ramen recipe or any other ramen dish can be made even healthier by substituting different types of noodles. Consider using brown rice noodles, thin whole wheat spaghetti, or buckwheat (soba) noodles.
The Thai Chicken Ramen recipe is really easy to customize. Adding your favorite vegetables is a great way to make the dish your own. When substituting different vegetables, consider how long different vegetables need to cook. For example, hearty greens like kale, mustard, or collard greens should be added in sooner than spinach, which cooks very quickly.
When making packaged ramen, it’s important to know that it has more than half the recommended daily sodium amount. High sodium diets carry risks of heart failure, osteoporosis, stroke, and high blood pressure. Discard the seasoning packet and add your own spices, vegetables, and herbs to reduce the amount of sodium in the dish.
The Chicken Shawarma Bowl recipe can easily be made with tofu instead of chicken. Choose extra firm tofu, remembering to drain and press between two plates to squeeze out the extra liquid. You may need to add more oil to your pan since tofu has no fat.
Cucumber seeds can be removed with a spoon and placed with water and mint in your fridge to make a refreshing beverage. Or add fruit that is bruised or about to go bad to water and leave overnight for delicious flavored water.
Buying and preparing dried chickpeas can be healthier and cheaper than buying them canned. The preparation takes some time but is simple if you plan ahead. Before cooking with chickpeas, they need to be soaked. This can be done in two ways: 1) add your chickpeas to a large pot with water, bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat and allow to stand for 1 hour; or 2) place the chickpeas in a pot or bowl, cover with water, soak overnight. After either method, drain and rinse the beans, return to a pot with several inches of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Add salt to taste, usually about ⅛ tsp per cup of beans. Let beans cook for 60-90 minutes or until soft.
