The Hypo Foodie

Here's a recipe consisting of various inspirations collected in a new creation; a fusion of cultures and personal experience.  First ele...

Here's a recipe consisting of various inspirations collected in a new creation; a fusion of cultures and personal experience. 

First element:  

the Indian roti. it is the perfect versatile dough to make anything simple in an elevated complete dish. The base recipe is from my "vegetarian times" cookbook, but I add spices and use olive oil instead of the canola oil recommended. I favor this dough instead of the regular one because it does not rise too much, and risen dough full of air tends to make me feel bloated sometimes. 

Second element: a crockpot chicken stew. To be honest, mine wasn't very good. It was a quick and missguided attempt at cooking a good quantity of chicken breasts in a mexican type broth. I had used vinegar from my hot peppers to make it tangy, but it turned out to be too much. Eating it on its own wasn't enjoyable, and I froze it in hopes of finding an idea. Turns out balancing it with sugar, adding frozen mixed vegetables and black eyed peas did the trick, but the texture being between that of a soup and a stew, i decided to use it as filling. I will not give you the recipe, if you have used crock pots before, you know the kind of leftovers would suit this idea: not too liquid ( you might thicken it with corn starch if need be).

Final element: stuffing the roti with the filling and baking it instead of cooking as a flatbread served on the side. That comes from my mother who got tired of doing regular egg rolls and decided to put pizza stuffing instead. It was a hit with the kids, but obviously, fried pizza in dough wasn't the healthiest regular food, so we only had it a couple of times.

Roti recipe:

4 c all purpose flour,

2 ts baking powder,

1 ts salt,

1 tsp curcuma,

1 tsp all-spice ( jamaican blend ),

1/4 olive oil.

1 c of water.

Paprika to sprinkle before baking.

Filling:

Chicken stew or beef chilli.

Grated cheese of your choice.

Instructions:

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Gradually mix in the oil and water.

Turn the dough in the bowl until it forms a ball.

Knead on a floured surface until soft.

Cover and let sit for 15 minutes.

Roll in a cylinder shape.

Cut rinds of approximately 2 cm wide.

Roll into a flat circle about 5 mm thick.

Put one spoon of filling in the center.

Add a little cheese.

Fold the dough and pinch the sides to form the turnover.

Repeat for the rest of dough and filling.

Sprinkle with paprika.

Preheat the oven at 300 F.

Put the turnovers on a baking sheet and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Flip the turnovers and cook another 10 to 15 minutes until both sides or a bit golden.

Enjoy!

To my own and my guest's enjoyment, my husband makes one of the most delicious whole-grain wheat bread. My husband's name is Pascal,...

To my own and my guest's enjoyment, my husband makes one of the most delicious whole-grain wheat bread. My husband's name is Pascal, hence the name of this bread. There was a time when we used to have a bread machine. In hopes of freeing our burdened countertops and also for the simple pleasure of kneading your own bread, he has developped this recipe of a hearty bread with no sugar in its preparation. Surprisingly, it is very moist despite the use of whole-grain wheat flour wich we buy in  bags at the Moulin-de-la-Seigneurie-des-Aulnaies, near Montmagny. Curiously, a lot of bakers mix other flours to the whole-graim one to make bread. We think that it is to ultimately please people who are not used to the whole-grain taste i.e: people who buy your everyday white bread at the grocery store. As for us, if we use something else than white flour, it is because we want another taste and, nutritionally speaking, a lot more fibers. This bread is so good that we find ourselves wondering: why do we take off all the good stuff from the wheat grain anyways?

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups whole-grain wheat flour,

1 tsp. salt,

2 tsp. chemical yeast, 

400 ml. room temperature water,

Margarine, butter or olive oil for your the mold,

If desired: one egg yolk.

Instructions:

Mix the dry ingredients together. 

Pour the water in the middle of your bowl.

Mix until the dough becomes sticky.

Knead 10 minutes on a floured surface.

Form into a ball and put it in a bowl previously oiled.

To rise in the oven, put a hot water bowl at the bottom of the oven, then place dough, covered with a humid cloth, on the middle rack for approximately 1:15.

Take out of the oven, punch the dough to let the air out. Knead 5 minutes.

Form to your mold's shape ( a little smaller as it will rise ).

Oil your mold, put in the dough ( once again covered with humid cloth ) and let rise in the oven for 1 hour.

Take the hot water bowl and the dough out of the oven.

Preheat at 350 F.

If desired ( for crunchy crust ), brush the egg yolk on the top.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Once cooked, take out of the mold and let the bread cool before cutting.

The bread is good at room temperature 3 to 4 days, but longer than that, it is best to refrigerate.

Would you like to have a quick, simple, almost non-cooking snack that's always ready? I simply love energy balls especially on a busy da...

Would you like to have a quick, simple, almost non-cooking snack that's always ready? I simply love energy balls especially on a busy day on which I travel a lot. The reason being that, even if I'm driving, I can get fast energy in one or two bites. I would gladly hand some of them to those people enraged at the wheel. Have you noticed there is more of those people on the roads around meal time? I would argue that lots of them are hypoglycemics and don't know it!

Ingredients :

2 cups pumpkin puree,

1 cup ground almond,

2 cups pitless dates,

½ tsp ground cloves,

1 tsp ground ginger,

1 tsp ground nutmeg,

1 tsp ground cinnamon,

1 cup sugarless caroub chips,

2 servings protein powder ( either chocolate or vanilla ) *,

1 cup pumpkin seeds.

½ cup chia seeds.

Instructions :

Put dates in a pot with a little water. Warm over medium heat and stir until you get a puree.

Mix all other ingredients together and add date puree.

Form little balls with your hands.

Store 2 to 3 balls in containers to pick up on the go.

Refrigerate or freeze ( when I leave for the day, I pick the frozen ones and they are always thawed and good during the day ).

* My protein powder contains a small amount of sucralose. It is very difficult to find sugarless protein powders on the market, mainly because they are always sweetened with either artificial ( sucralose, aspartam... ) or natural sweeteners ( stevia, agave nectar ). For hypoglycemics, it is important to watch the amount of sweeteners ingested, because for some the body reacts to it as if it was normal sugar. As for me, I find that if it is accompanied by a good dose of protein, the result is pretty much the same as eating a fruit. 

  No « short and unsweetened » blog of mine would be complete without my Granola recipe. It is what I eat every morning, so I cook it in lar...

 

No « short and unsweetened » blog of mine would be complete without my Granola recipe. It is what I eat every morning, so I cook it in large batches and keep it in the fridge. I’ve developed an unsweetened super healthy version so I can either add the sweet stuff knowingly and sparsely, or have a salty type of snack anytime of the day. I make tons of variations on the theme depending on my whims and intended flavours or on the goodies (nuts, grains or dried fruits; the adult version of marshmellows in the bowl of cereal) available. Here is the basic recipe to which I sometimes adjust the quantity of liquids if it’s too dry. I strongly recommend getting silicon baking mats for this recipe and many others to reduce the fat content and spare time on the scrapping of dirty pans. Have fun playing mix-and-match with all the add ons you wish, as I will only list the ones I use frequently. Over time, I find that the best ratio for these is no more than 3 types of nuts or seeds and 2 types of dried fruits. More than this and it doesn’t really feel like your eating granolas…

Ingredients for a batch of approximately 12 cups of granolas:

• 1/3 cup olive oil, preferably extra virgin cold pressed one;

• 3 to 4 eggs depending on their size;

• A total of 4 tbls. Mixed spices among cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg to your taste;

• 2 tbls. Vanilla extract;

• 2 tsp. Salt;

• About three cups of mixed nuts and seeds among almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, shredded coconut, hazelnuts;

• 8 cups of rolled oats ( the coarser the better because of fibber content );

Extra ingredients added in each servings for versatility and measured sugar content: 

• Dried fruits to taste among raisins, cranberries, apricots, dates and/or homemade “veggifruit” ( see previous post );

• Chia seeds ( I don’t put them in the mix to be baked because they tend to stick to the pan and most of it gets washed away, which is a total waste of perfectly edible food).

Instructions:

- Mix the oil, spices, salt and eggs together in a very large bowl.

- Add the nuts and stir.

- Add the oats and give it a final mix.

- Spread as evenly as possible on 2 baking trays lined with either slicon mats or parchment paper.

- Bake in the oven at 350 F for 30 minutes, giving it a stir in between each 10 minutes.

- take out and let cool before you refrigerate.

Would you like to have a nutritious, economic and environment-friendly boost in the morning? That’s veggifruit! Veggifruit on homemade yogou...

Would you like to have a nutritious, economic and environment-friendly boost in the morning? That’s veggifruit!

Veggifruit on homemade yogourt and chia seeds.

Around harvest time, I used to cook my own apple, pear or peache sauces. Then after some time, it struck me that these fruits, when ripe, hardly need to be cooked to make good sauces. Besides, as the cooking process breaks down some of the nutrients in it, not cooking it preserves its “ live” benefits.  As a final step towards this recipe, I set out to add more vegetables to my meals, and since I never could manage to eat a salad in the morning, I decided to make “ veggifruit”.  It’s basically fruits and vegetables that I like together reduced to a sauce consistency with a chopping machine. I usually make good batches of which I freeze the amounts I can’t eat in a week.

Why is it environment friendly? Because it reduces waste and if you do have to buy a countertop machine, I recommend only a good chopper and skip the mixer and/or juicer; it does it all. I’m not the liquid-smoothie type in the morning, as I like to have an all-in-one meal complete with carbohydrates and proteins. Besides, when I make smoothies or shakes, I always make more than I can drink, and end up wasting because it doesn’t preserve long. The veggifruit, I add one quantity at a time in either my morning granolas or in a muffin recipes that calls for fruit. That way, there’s no waste of mushy un-appealing leftovers. You don’t have to do the same, but I always keep the skins of fruits or vegetables that I eat because most of the nutrients are contained in it and throwing it in the garbage is, for me, a sad waste of good stuff and money*. Don’t buy vitamins, just keep the vitamins there are already in your food!  

In short, there’s another “short and unsweetened” staple versatile food!

*Wether I buy organic or non-organic fresh produce, there is an evident need for a good washing to cleanse whichever is used to preserve it or anything that may have contaminated the skin. I don’t buy a special type of soap. I use water, a brush and dish soap: if it’s safe for the plates we eat our meals in, it’s safe for the food itself! I’ve been in places of the world where eating uncooked vegetables or fruits is hazardous, and even washing it in water isn’t safe ( as the water itself isn’t drinkable). The food available to us in north america is ten times more sanitized, I humbly think there’s no reason for us to refrain from eating it in whole, skins and leaves included, provided it is washed. 

I will not list the precise quantities as you can never go wrong as long as you use  things that you like. Just use what you have on hand and experiment if you are not sure which mix you like best. For those of you who have a juicer, there’s a fantastic way to re- use the byproducts, and you don’t even need to chop it! Just make sure everything is well washed.

Ingredients:

Base fruit; apple, pear or peach.

Vegetables; kale, beets, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, celery, parsley.

To spice it up: fresh ginger if it’s your fancy.  You may also add the zest of any citrus, it’s terrific. To preserve the mix longer, add a little lemon juice.

Instructions: chop it all together! It’s that simple. I shouldn’t have bothered to write it, right?

Socca, socca cabana 🎶 Socca is a french legume flatbread from Nice. It is traditionally made with chickpea flour, but I haven’t dared makin...

Socca, socca cabana 🎶

Socca is a french legume flatbread from Nice. It is traditionally made with chickpea flour, but I haven’t dared making it from scratch in my food processor. Here is a lentil overnight version that makes for great filling snacks during the day. It is delightfull with any kind of dip or cheese, but it’s high content in protein makes it possible to skip other proteins in mid-day snacks for hypoglycemics. There is a short and unsweetened staple recipe!

Lentil socca recipe :

1 cup red uncooked lentils,

2 tbls. falafel mix ( if you have none, take 50 ml off the cup of water ).

1 cup of water,

1 tblsp of olive oil,

Pinch of salt,

If desired: 

1 tsp cumin,

1 tsp powdered chili,

Provencal herbes to taste.

Instructions :

Grind the red lentils in a food processor ( or immersion stick ) to a flour consistency.

Mix with the other ingredients.

Set aside in the fridge from 20 minutes to 2 hours so that the lentils absorb the water.

Preheat your oven at 350 F. 

Pour the mixture in an oven plate previously oiled ( if not using silicon baking sheet ).

Cook foor 15 minutes, turn off the oven and let dry all night without opening the oven door.

This is my variation ( hence the name! )  on a more traditional asian miso soup. It has a subtle mix of sweet, salty and hot flavours. It is...

This is my variation ( hence the name! )  on a more traditional asian miso soup.

It has a subtle mix of sweet, salty and hot flavours. It is quite a treat for tastebuds looking for depth in a healthy meal.

Miso is high in minerals, a good source of protein and adds taste to make a fairly high sodium broth, although some research shows that the body does not react to it the same way it would with other high sodium foods ( see this very exhaustive page on miso with study references at the very bottom  http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=114 )

You can find miso in health stores, but I usually buy mine at an asian venue where it is much cheaper. It lasts forever ( as it is fermented ) so don’t worry about buying a whole lot.

Ingredients:

4 pork chops ( you may use chicken too ),

4 shallots,

1 tbls sesame oil,

1 brocoli head, chopped,

2 carrots, cut in thin wedges,

3 radishes, sliced,

4 celery stalks, cut in diagonal slices,

2 tbls. Red miso ( you may use any colour you find, but red is more flavourful ),

About 2 ½ water,

2 tbls. Dark soy sauce,

2 tbls. Sriracha sauce,

1 cup coriander, 

2 rice vermicelli “nests”’

Optional: sesame seeds and germinated sprouts of clover, alfalfa, radish and oriental mustard*.

Instructions:

• Heat the sesame oil in a pot large enough to make the whole soup. Add the shallots and stir.

• Cut the pork chops in slices and before the shallots turn brow, add the meat to cook and stir until cooked.

• When the meat is cooked, add the miso paste, mix and add the water. While it slowly comes to a boil, cut the vegetables and reserve them.

• When it boils, reduce the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes, add the Sriracha and soy sauce. Stir.

• Add the celery first, let it cook some time before adding the broccoli and carrots near the end so that they don’t turn all mushy and overcooked.

• Turn off the heat, add the coriander and sprouts plus the rice vermicelli nests. Stir gently until the noodles soften.

• Serve hot with a garnish of fresh coriander and sesame seeds.

Brussels sprouts are ready in Quebec. What a beautifull vegetable on its stem! Ever wondered how to serve it elsewhere than on the side of t...

Brussels sprouts are ready in Quebec. What a beautifull vegetable on its stem!

Ever wondered how to serve it elsewhere than on the side of the plate? Add sausages, cheese and whole grain to this bitter vegetable and it will become the star of a delicious, nutricious and somewhat Italian dish.

Ingredients:

2 ½ c. cooked Quinoa, 

1 small can of V8,

½ green pepper,

½ red pepper,

2 leeks,

3 sliced sausages, your pick ( Italian would be great, but I used maple sirup ones ),

500 g sharp cheddar, grated, 

10 brussels sprouts,

Salt and ground pepper to your taste,

¼ c. Extra virgin olive oil.

Instructions:

- Steam cook the brussels sprouts about 5 minutes or until they become bright green.

- While steaming, dice the peppers and slice the leeks.

- Once the sprouts are cooked, cut them roughly.

- Pre-heat the oven at 425 f.

- Coat an oven ready plate with olive oil. 

- Spread one layer of Quinoa at the bottom, cover with vegetables and sausages. Grind pepper to your taste. 

- Sprinkle half of the  grated cheese.  

- Spread another layer of Quinoa, add the rest of the vegetables and sausages.

- Pour the V8 can as evenly as possible. 

- Top with the grated cheese. Drizzle with the rest of olive oil. 

- Cook in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese becomes lightly brown. 

Serve with olives.

It's undeniable, there's affection between Philly cheese and Phyllo dough ( or filo )!  Today's labor day; the grocery stores ar...

It's undeniable, there's affection between Philly cheese and Phyllo dough ( or filo )! 

Today's labor day; the grocery stores are closed. This would've been better with orange-blossom water and the zest and juice of an orange, but gotta rough it when nobody works but me!

Let's create a little some... somethin' good. I have all this at home:

Phyllo dough in the freezer ( about half a box or roughly 12 sheets )

2 cups ground almonds,

1 1/2 cup date puree,

2 cardamom pods,

3 cloves,

3 tbl. s. milk,

Roughly 1/2 cup coconut oil or olive oil,

3/4 box of philadelphia cheese.

Instructions: 

Grind the almonds ( if using whole ) and mix with the philly cheese, ground cardamom ( discard the green pods ) and cloves. Add the milk to get a smooth consistency. 

As in a baklava, first coat the bottom of an oven dish plate with oil, make a filo sheet base of 4 layers, always coating in between. Add the cheese preperation as evenly as possible. Add a 2 sheet layer of dough oil coated in between, then add the date puree. Finish with another 4 layer dough on top, and make sure it is covered in oil. Put in the oven at 350 F for 20 minutes or until the top is golden.

Enjoy!