In the previous post we were talking about resistant starch and how it helps you lose weight. In this post I will share with you two Turkish recipes (based on dried beans) that use the resistant starch 'technique'.
1. Wash the beans and let them soak in cold water from evening till morning (or use sieved canned beans if not). The next morning wash them again and boil them in fresh water until they are half boiled. (I am sure you are familiar with the unpleasant results of eating beans. This process removes the 'unpleasant results' totally.)
2. Cut in small cubes the carrots, celery, onion and garlic;
3. Add them to a pot with a few spoons of olive oil; mix until they turn gold and carrots change a little their color;
4. Add the tomato paste and mix some more;
5. Add the beans (without the water in which they previously boiled), add sugar and salt, and 1.5-2 glasses of water. Cook on low fire. Cover with a lid later, while cooking.
6. When cooked, allow it to cool by partially uncovering the pot.
7. Remove to another platter and decorate with parsley.
Chill in the fridge.
Optional: you can add lemon juice to the salad. Try separately before trying on all your food.
DRIED BEANS SALAD WITH SOYA SAUCE
4 servings, 200 calories Source: Sofra Magazine
400 g (14.10 oz.) dried beans 6 green onion 2 small spoons lemon juice 2 small spoons soya sauce 3 spoons EVOO black pepper, salt, paprika
1. Wash the beans and let them soak in cold water from evening till morning (or use sieved canned beans if not). The next morning wash them again and boil them in fresh water until they have softened. You should add enough water to cover the beans, plus 1/2 glass more. If the beans need more water while boiling, you can add extra water but make sure it is hot water, not cold.
2. Add to a another pot with olive oil the chopped green onions, the lemon juice and the soya sauce. Mix for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the beans with the water in which they have boiled, salt, and black pepper.
My grandfather had rheumatics and his hands were swollen. He was diving his hand in nettles and it always helped. People in the country do that a lot. I stepped twice barefoot on nettles and the sting was gone two days later. What nettle is good for? Tea from it is perfect for eczemas, used as cataplasms. Or boiled nettle used as cataplasm. It's also a great diuretic. It can reduce the symptoms of hay fever. It can loosen congestions when you have bronchitis.
Don't overdo it though, just like you shouldn't overdo anything.
You want a traditional Romanian recipe for nettles?
Here you go:
baby nettles - as many as you can gather heavy cream some milk some flour or amidon (from corn or flour, whichever you find) garlic salt, pepper oil
1. Wash the nettles (wear gloves) 2. Boil them for about 7-8 minutes. Drain them. They are not stingy anymore, so you can touch. 3. Puree them or mash them, and add them to a pot to which you have already added 2 spoons of oil. 4. Warm them again, add 2-3 gloves mashed garlic (or garlic paste). 5. Mix separately some heavy cream with milk and one spoon of all-purpose flour, until mixture is smooth. 6. Add salt and pepper to your nettles, and also the previous milky mix. 7. Continue to stir over low heat until the food becomes denser and it starts boiling.
If you feel like adding anything extra, be my guest. Possible sidedish: poached eggs.
That's how we have nettles in Romania.
They are mostly cooked like spinach, so whatever you can do with spinach, you can do with boiled nettles. The taste, when boiled, is also similar.
This is another Turkish recipe that I fell in love with this summer during my holiday in Turkey.
Why it won't make you put on weight? Because you will have by itself or with chicken. No potatoes, no rice, no other stuff.
Let me talk to you about this eggplant first. Normally eggplants are not sour when raw, but when they get old or if they come from certain countries, they are. So cook your eggplant as you normaly do.
Yogurt and Eggplant Salad
2 eggplants
1-2 cups sour jogurt
1/2 lime juice (if needed)
2-3 green Charleston peppers
extra virgin olive oil
garlic (if you like) - chopped
salt
grounded red hot pepper on top
grounded white pepper
1. Cut the eggplants, without peeling, into cubes. 2. On small fire, fry the cubes into a pan with 2-3 spoons of olive oil (or more if needed). Mix now and then to make sure all the eggplant cubes get the same treatment. 3. Taste to check if the eggplant is soft; if not soft, cook more. 4. Add salt and white pepper. Mix. 5. Remove from pan into a serving dish. 6. Separatelty mix the yogurt with the lime juice (and the chopped garlic, if you chose to add it). 7. Pour the yogurt mixture on top of the eggplant. Add red hot pepper and 1-2 spoons olive oil. 8. In the pot, fry the Charleston pepper (or use a grill) then add it on top of the dish. 9. Cover, refrigerate, and serve cold.
Turkish recipes are delicious, like any other Middle Eastern dishes.
Yesterday I missed the Yogurt Soup (Yayla Corbasi) I used to have there, so I prepared it. This soup is an instant hit with any foreigner! It's tasty and refreshing.
Yayla Corbasi
8 1/2 cups beef stock (or 8 1/2 glasses of water and the required amount of beef stock concentrate - cubes) - where 8 1/2 glasses equal about 2 liters 1/2 glass rice 1 egg 1 spoon all-purpose flour 2 cups yogurt 2 spoons olive oil 2 small spoons dried minced peppermint red hot pepper (paprika) and salt
1. Wash the rice in lots of water, ten times if necessary, to remove all starch. 2. In a pot add stock and rice and bring to boil on medium fire. Cover if necessary. It takes about 20 minutes for the rice to cook, but make sure your rice is very well cooked. 3. Separately beat the egg and add flour. Make sure you blend your flour properly or else those flour balls will turn your soup into a big failure. Add 1/2 cup water and the yogurt. 4. Add to the boiling mixture, reduce fire to minimum, and continue cooking and mixing. Add salt if necessary. 5. When the mixture is ready to boil, take away from stove. 6. Separately fry some hot pepper in olive oil. Mix it with the soup. 7. Serve soup with peppermint on top.
The food baked in the oven is not only healthier and tastier, but it also has less calories than the one prepared on the stove.
When I was slimmer I was mostly using the oven. Of course that some Chinese dishes for example need the stove and the wok, but when you go for veggies, try the oven!
Here is one recipe that will not make you put on weight if you eat it by itself, without bread or potatoes or rice. I made it yesterday, but I did have a bit of rice with it. I used both the oven and the stove though. ;)
You are free to republish it as long as you keep my copywrite.
Turkish Chicken with Veggies (aprox. 4 servings)
2-4 chicken breasts (cut into strips) or 300-400 pork (cubes or strips) 1 red bell pepper 1 yellow or orange bell pepper 2 small marrows or zucchini 2.5 ounces stuffed green olives stuffed with red pepper 1 medium-sized onion olive oil paprika white pepper salt
1. You cut the chicken breast (or the pork) into strips (or cubes), pepper it and salt it. Put it aside for now. 2. Cut into strips the red and yellow bell peppers. Peel the marrows or zucchini and cut them into small cubes so they cook easier. Cut the olives in half. Chop the onion. 3. In a pan or wok oiled with two spoons of olive oil (or eyeball the quantity) fry the onion on small fire until tender, then add all the chopped veggies. Let them cook until zucchini or marrows are somewhat softer - can be in between 10-20 minutes. Careful not to burn the mixture. If necessary, cover to prevent the juices from evaporating. 4. Before pulling everything aside, add some white pepper and paprika. I usually use sweet paprika so I can make use of both flavors without making the dish too hot. Add the salt also. Mix and let everything cook for a few more minutes. 5. In a slightly greased bakeware, place one layer of chicken or pork, then one layer of veggies, then one more layer of chicken or pork and then finish with the veggies. 6. Place in the oven for aproximately one hour at 180C (350F).
You might not have to leave it for an hour. The meat or chicken is done fast, it's just a matter of how fast the marrow or the zucchini cooks. Make sure it won't burn. If necessary reduce the heat.
Losing weight and staying healthy is easy, when you care. Forget famishing yourself: there are other ways.
Since I was 15 I've been obsessed with healthy diets, losing weight, sports, and everything included. I read books after books and I collected articles on staying fit and healthy. Even now, 12 years later, I am still reading everything I find on the subject.
I will share with you, step by step, everything I know. Free advice.
About Me
Name: Andreea Home: Bucharest, Romania About Me: Post graduate student, happily married, who has found the perfect job in a perfect company. :) See my complete profile
