re:What to cook today? Tsimmes Tsoup and more

[Guest guest]

If you're tired of the most common carb and protein dishes (beans, pasta),

sometimes they don't have to taste like they're dominant.  We use a lot of

couscous (esp. the smaller non-'israeli' kind which cooks very quickly).  It is

identical to pasta nutritionally, but absorbs other stronger flavors, and

stronger flavored dishes can be poured over it without it tasting like another

pasta day.

 

I would also suggest something we make sometimes for formal and daily use. 

Think of it as a tsimmes soup.  Tsimmes is a whole class of carrot based sides,

so there are as many recipies as there are family cookbooks. Here is one that is

easy to adapt.

http://nymag.com/listings/recipe/tsimmes/

 

   Use more water or vegetable stock powder in water.  Instead of grating the

vegetables, just cube them coarsely, then blend the dish into a soup, or blend

half of it and leave half chunky.  The result is a slightly sweet soup in a

remarkable orange color.  You can blend it with potato soup for swirls and more

carbs, you can pour it over unflavored lentils, or use it to hide your favorite

tasteless protein (e.g. blended tofu will be inconspicuous, TVP harmless, even

bean puree). 

 

   Unless the kids are really carrot-phobic, the bright color might make it more

fun and the different taste and texture from the usual vegetables, beans and

pasta would be variety.  It is a bit messy to make since it has to be ladled to

a blender or food processor, and the all have to be cleaned, but the work other

than blending is minimal.  The chopping can be done very coarsely and quickly if

it will be blended (although smaller pieces cook faster), and this soup is

really easy to make extras of for leftovers or even freezing.

 

   

Also COLOR -- with the return of respect for heirloom or at least commercialized

heirloom seeds, you can find more color in many markets.  Kids probably would

enjoy odd colors in the foods their used to (unless they are the type that would

find it too weird).  Instead of regular mashed potatoes, mash 1 orange sweet

potato (yam?), 1-2 blue potatoes, and 1+ redskin potatoes with skin on, for

every 2+ regular potatoes.  Strange psychedelic colors, similar taste with a

hint of sweet from the yam.

 

Along the same line, 'jerusalem artichokes' or 'sunchokes' stain the water odd

green colors even in small quantities, and do taste like artichokes, despite

being sunflower relatives.  Use that water to make rice or couscous for

variety.  Beets stain a different way, so a little beet goes a long way, too,

although the flavor is stronger.  Orange and purple cauliflowers are slightly

healthier than regular, but eyecatching.  Mix them in to keep the kids

interested, or at least surprised. 

 

    -- NotTires