Ready-to-eat in two minutes. Photo courtesy
House-Foods.com.
Shirataki noodles like Miracle Noodle have been imported from Asia for a while: good news for people who want food that is cholesterol-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan. They’re very low in calories in their undressed form: a boon to dieters.
Shirataki is made from the root of a plant (Amorphophallus konjac, a member of the yam family) that is rich in glucomannan, a beneficial type of fiber. Some studies indicate that glucomannan can play a role in blood sugar control, as well as improve cholesterol control and abet weight loss.
Shirataki is a “good” carbohydrate, and approximates a pasta experience for only 3g of carbohydrate per four-ounce serving.
But pure shirataki noodles can be a bit rubbery. One manufacturer found that adding tofu creates a pasta-like texture (and adds a small amount of protein).
These tofu shirataki noodles are imported by House Foods America Corporation. The plain noodles—which can be found in angel hair, fettuccine and spaghetti varieties—can be used in any way that conventional noodles are used: in pasta dishes; with grilled fish, meat or other protein; in noodle puddings and pasta salads.
The company also sells ready-to-eat So-Yah! tofu shirataki microwave meals, currently available in mild Creamy Coconut Curry and spicy Red Vindaloo Curry. After a 90-second zap plus a minute to cool down, they’re ready to eat. As a shelf-stable product, the individual-portion boxes can be toted anywhere, and can be stashed at work as a quick snack.
We enjoyed both varieties. The packets have a lot of sauce, which is best used by topping the tofu shirataki with sliced chicken, pork or…grilled tofu.
You can find a store locator on the company website, which also has a list of online vendors.
You may have seen “onion stones” in the kitchen gadget department.
What’s an onion stone? It’s a mis-named piece of stainless steel—not a stone—shaped like a small bar of soap that removes the smell of onions from your hands when you wash your hands with it. It also works with garlic and fish odors.
But there’s no need to clutter up the gadget drawer; you don’t need an onion stone. Just wash your hands with a large stainless steel spoon; it will do the same thing. If you have a stainless steel sink, you’ve got a whole lot of stainless steel to rub against.
How does it work?
It is believed that the odor-creating sulfur in the food reacts with the stainless steel, which is made of iron and chromium, and becomes neutralized.
Slice away, then grab a spoon. Photo
courtesy PachD.com.
If you’re not near any stainless steel, try washing with a paste of salt and water.
It’s easy to make a sweet-and-tart fruit
vinaigrette. Photo and recipe courtesy
WildBlueberries.com.
Why purchase bottled salad dressing when it’s so easy, less expensive and healthier to make your own (you control the sodium and sugar levels and don’t add preservatives)?
It’s simple to mix oil and vinegar, but not that much more trouble to make a delicious fruit vinaigrette.
While it’s the perfect time to take advantage of high-antioxidant summer blueberries, you can make this recipe year-round with frozen fruit.
Preparation
1. Combine all ingredients except blueberries and whisk thoroughly in a bowl (you can shake them in a jar if you prefer).
2. Add blueberries. In this easy recipe, the blueberries are added whole; but if you have extra time, you can purée the fruit for a thicker dressing. Then, add the purée in step one, and garnish the salad with some extra blueberries.
3. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. Makes 1-1/2 cups. Serve with green salad, salad greens with grilled chicken or fish or with fruit salad.
You can use this recipe to make mango, raspberry, strawberry or other fruit vinaigrette as well. Since the fruit is larger, you’ll need to make a small dice or else purée it.
Perhaps you‘ve had a glass of cucumber water, one of our favorite infusions. Just toss cucumber slices into a pitcher of water and let it infuse for an hour.
Now, meet Mr. Q. Cumber, a sparkling cucumber beverage. Think of it as sweet, sparkling cucumber water.
Cucumber is actually a fruit—the botanical relative of a watermelon. (Think about it: A watermelon is like a giant cucumber with colored flesh. Watermelon rind tastes like cucumber—try it!)
Back to Mr. Q. Cumber: It tastes like 7-Up with an infusion of fresh cucumber. The vegetal quality of the cucumber plays against the sweetness of the soft drink. We like it!
What if you want a cucumber soda right now? Make your own! In a collins glass, add 4 slices of cucumber, muddling one at a time. Top with club soda or seltzer; add sweetener to taste. You can use sugar, but agave nectar has one-third the glycemic value and is easier to mix in a cold beverage. Or, use your favorite noncaloric sweetener for a virtually calorie-free drink.
Cucumber soda rocks. Photo by Hannah
Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.
You’ll have to play with the proportions of cucumber and sweetener to get your ideal combination. Garnish with a crunchy cucumber wheel, of course!
Dry Soda, an elegant line of sophisticated soft drinks in flavors such as Juniper Berry, Kumquat, Lavender, Lemongrass, Rhubarb and Vanilla Bean, now makes a Cucumber soda. Read our review of Dry Soda.
Keep ‘em on the counter. Photo by
Nathalie Dulex | SXC.
Never put tomatoes in the refrigerator: The cold kills their delicate flavor. If you’ve used half a tomato, it’s better to keep the other half covered in plastic wrap on the counter and consume it the following day.
Tomato Ripening Tips
You can ripen tomatoes on the counter, but they’ll ripen faster on a sunny windowsill.
To ripen tomatoes quickly, place them in a paper bag, which traps the ethylene gas emitted by the tomatoes (this technique works for all fruits that ripen—bananas, peaches, pears and plums, e.g.). Monitor the fruit daily because it can go from rock hard to overripe in a few days.
Apples produce an unusually large amount of ethylene, so you can add an apple to the bag to speed ripening.
Note that it’s important to store apples apart from green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and leafy greens—their qualities can be affected by the ethylene gas. That’s why there are separate fruit and vegetable bins in the refrigerator.
