More Black Food

Since writing the Raspberries --- Eat Black Food Every day post, I've cooked and eaten black sesame seeds (toasted and added to sauted kale), black string beans, and black cabbage (kale).

Basic Cooking Skills

This post is for beginners, non-cooks, and those seeking to improve their eating habits drastically, save time and money, and eat really delicious meals.

Basic fall back system:
1) Eat all foods and all food groups. Learn to like and love all foods.
2) Eat highly nutritious foods only.
3) Eat mostly fresh whole food, especially fruit and vegetables. Don't peel anything if the peel can be eaten. The cost savings from not throwing out so much food  will more than exceed the cost of fresh produce.
4) Cook at home.  Make only enough for one meal.  
5) No chocolate, ice cream, candy, cookies, cake, pie, pastry, or other sweet snacks and desserts.  No chips, popcorn, or salty snack foods.   This will largely eliminate your cravings within 24 hours.   I do have a pastry once in a while, but always out and always from a really great bakery.   Because I have eliminated cravings, I often look at the baked goods but often don't really want to eat them.  
6) No pasta, grains, or rice.   Whole grains, brown rice, etc. are not much better so don't bother.  Avoiding them is best, but eat very small portions otherwise.  
7) No french fries, burgers, milk shakes, french fries, or pizza.
8) No juice, pop or diet pop.  Drink water, black coffee or tea without sugar or cream.
9) Absolutely no junk food, processed food, frozen food, canned or packaged food, fast food, chain restaurants, take-out, or delivered food.
10) Use spices, fresh herbs, fresh lemon, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, salt, pepper, butter, and oil to flavour your foods.  
11) Eat 3 regular meals a day.   No skipping and no snacking.  
12) Make simple foods, with a minimum of ingredients and steps.   Aim for a basic easy meals, to fall back on when you are rushed or tired.
13) No alcohol except in social situations.   One drink only -- beer or wine or unmixed aperitif or digestif (no high calorie mixed cocktails).
14) No sugar substitutes, low-fat, or calorie reduced, diet anything.  No frozen diet meals.
15) Remove all banned food from the pantry, frig, car, etc.
16) Eat out only on social occasions, and choose a restaurant that serves healthy food and small portions.   The cost will easily be less than all the junk food you have been eating.   When you do eat out, just eat the normal menu, but don't allow french fries or other deep fried items to be put on your plate (if you cannot avoid such restaurants).   I often order a salad and fish and a glass of wine without referring to the menu.  
17) Avoid all special diets, and do not expect friends or restaurants to cater to you.   Your special needs and dislikes should be your secret.  Just eat what is served and be grateful. 
18) Do not buy fake food because that's all your husband or kids or family will eat or because it's a holiday.   I promise the world will not fall apart and the kids won't starve.   It is absolutely not excusable to feed this to your family or allow them to eat it.   No ridiculous rationalizations like there are vegetables on pizza.   Set an example, then don't even discuss any possibility of other choices.   Do not train your kids to like junk foods or fast food. 
19) Eat the fat on your meat, the skin on your chicken and fish, and buy full fat dairy products (but don't buy breaded or battered products and avoid cold cuts and sausages).   This will ensure you do not have cravings for starches and sweets.
20) Organic is better, marginally.   Just eliminating processed food and eating fresh fruit and vegetables will provide 99% of the benefits.   There are natural anti-carcinogens in fruits and vegetables.   There are also anti-inflammatories, analgesics, and anti-bacterials in them.   No need to take aspirin, pro-biotics, vitamin supplements, protein powder, or herbal supplements.  Grass-fed meat and eggs are definitely worthwhile as they have the proper balance of omegas and taste so much better.
21) Eat fresh wild salmon as often as possible.
22) Do not buy flavoured foods (water, cheese, coffee, yogurt, cereal).  Add your own fresh flavourings.
23) Eat local and seasonal.
24) Be wary of oils, as they are often not pure, and sometimes contaminated.  No matter how much you pay or where you get them, once they leave the farm, you have no idea what they are mixed with and bottled.  Butter seems a better bet.  Also probably nuts and avocados.  


Fresh food:
- salad greens, lettuces, spinach, arugula, kale, etc.
- root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, onions, beets)
- assortment of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, )
- other vegetables (green beans, squash, peas, mushrooms, asparagus, avocado, etc.)
- assortment of fruits, including citrus fruits and berries
- garlic, ginger
- flat leaf parsley, green onions, other fresh herbs
- lemons, limes (fresh)
- grass-fed beef, chicken, turkey, pork, wild fish (can be frozen)
- eggs, whole milk, butter, and cheese
- plain whole fat yogurt (or make your own)
- whole grain bread (or make your own)

Pantry/freezer:
- oatmeal (for porridge and granola)
- butter
- berries and other fruit (frozen by you in summer)
- herbs (dried by you in summer)
- olive oil (EVOO) 
- maple syrup
- Dijon mustard
- spices, whole

Harry's Curried Potatoes

Harry likes Indian people and Indian food, but doesn't think he'd like India, at least not as much as Joan and I love it.

Harry's ubiquitous ingredient is heavy cream, and it does add a lovely tang.  He knows just how to add it to everything.

As for the curry mixture, it was a special one made by an Indian cook, so I can't provide the recipe. Every Indian cook has their own recipe and they can be quite different.  I have a curry recipe on this blog if you need a place to start.  Just make sure you buy whole spices and grind them yourself.

Here goes with his curried potatoes.

Ingredients:

Oil
Curry spice mixture
Potatoes
Broccoli
Onion
Mushrooms
Cream

Instructions:

Cut all the vegetables into 1 inch pieces.

Heat oil in a pan.

Put in half the curry spice, and cook in the oil for a minute, stirring so it won't burn.

Add all the vegetables.  Add the rest of the curry spice.  Add cream.

Turn down heat, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft.  Serve.

Broccolini with Garlic and Lemon

One of my favourite vegetables is broccolini --- so much better than broccoli and not as bitter as rapini.  

Timing is everything and all the steps have to be followed exactly.  There is no room for my usual casual cooking methods.  

The crucial parts of the recipe are the cooking times and the ice water bath, so you need to have everything ready, use a timer and not get distracted.  You can't use too much butter and garlic, but don't overdo the lemon juice.  Make this when everything else is ready, table set, wine poured, etc.  Honestly, get all your tools out and ready.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of broccolini (or more for more people)

water

salt

ice cubes

butter 1-2 T.

fresh lemon juice and zest

fresh garlic, 2 cloves

Instructions:

Fill a large pot with fresh cold water (let the tap run), add 1 T. of salt, and bring it to a boil.  This can be done ahead by 10 minutes or so and brought to a boil again when you are ready.

Prepare a large bowl of ice water (yes, you will need lots of ice cubes).

Chop garlic quite fine, but don't grate or mash.  Zest the lemon with a grater or lemon zester.  Then cut the lemon in half.  Set the garlic, lemon aside.  

Add the broccolini to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes without a lid, no longer!  Take it out of the water immediately with tongs and plunge into the bowl of ice water to stop them cooking immediately.  Do not delay.  

While the broccolini is cooling, melt butter in a frying or saute pan on low medium.  Add garlic and lemon to the pan. 

Drain the broccolini and add to the frying pan for 2 minutes to heat. 

Add lemon juice (half of the lemon should do it).  Add salt and pepper.  Toss and serve on a platter.