dieting..... and new foods (help!)

[canesisters]

I'm on this new 'healthy eating plan' that is encouraging me to try some things that I've never eaten (and never bought) before. How do I pick a good avocado? I bought some asparagus last week to use in a stir fry and they were STICKS! How do I pick good ones? They keep listing smoked salmon ... I don't even know where to look for that? Deli? I didn't see it in frozen seafood. Surely they don't mean the canned stuff.

 

[journey11]

I've seen smoked salmon at the meat counter, but it's not refrigerated. It's a very pink slab of salmon that is vacuum packed. We used to serve bagel halves with cream cheese, smoked salmon and scallions on top at the coffee shop I worked at in college. But...that probably wouldn't be good for your diet!

For avocados, they should be firm, but give slightly when you press your finger on it. Pick off the little stub at the stem end and look to see what color is underneath. Stub won't come off easily, it's under-ripe. Green underneath, good to eat. Brown, well past it's prime. They keep much longer in the veggie crisper in the fridge too, still in the plastic produce bag.

I've not had any trouble buying asparagus that was tender. Maybe it was just a bad batch. The thicker stalks cook up better than the scrawny ones. We roast ours in the oven, tossed with a little EVOO and a sprinkle of kosher or sea salt.

 

[ninnymary]

Avocados are usually green at the store. If you store them at room temperature they will ripen in about 3 days. You should feel it give just a tiny bit when you press gently with your fingers. If you want to speed the process, place in a brown bag and roll the top down to close.

Smoked salmon should be in a package at the deli.

Some people peel their asparagus but I don't. I personally prefer the thin ones. They seem to be sweeter to me and cook a little faster. But any is fine. Just know that they may make your urine smell. At least that's what my family says. haha

Mary

 

[digitS']

There is good advice here.

I peel the lower stalks on asparagus.

You will get a ""feel" for avocados with experience - like with most fruit. You won't have to pinch them. Just holding avocados in your hand, allow your eyes to lose focus, and intone deep in your body, "Ooommmm."

Steve
trying to be at one with fruit

 

[Nyboy]

When avocados are cut they turn brown very fast, lemon juice slows it down.

 

[thistlebloom]

But they're so good that you won't have left overs. Just squeeze a little lemon juice on them and a bit of salt and eat with a spoon right out of the skin.

 

[Jared77]

Get some cedar planks in the grilling section and cook your salmon that way. Soak the plank, season your filet and onto the grill it goes. Super easy stuff and not a zillion dishes either.

Side of grilled asparagus is good stuff. We use toothpicks to make zucchini rafts (google it super easy to cook it) or chop it into sizable cuts with thinner chopped zucchini and summer squash. Toss them in a bowl with evoo and sprinkle with salt and pepper and throw them into a grill basket next to the cedar planked salmon. I cook them same temperature as the fish but depending on how full the basket is will dictate the cooking time. They normally don't need as long as the meat. Stir the veggies a few times as they are on the grill and serve. It's a good meal that's very easy and has good leftovers that's good for you. And yes the veggie mix is good as leftovers too.

If you don't have the room you can always cook the meat first then as it rests or cover it with foil then do your veggies. They don't take long. When they are soft and look done pull them off and serve.

I sometimes add whole white mushrooms and thick sliced onion into the asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash mix too. Same thing just tossed with a splash of evoo and salt pepper. It just gives more variety of grilled veggies for a change of pace. I've also done them with a little Italian seasoning with the evoo depending on the seasoning on the meat.

I'm big on grilled veggies it's simple and a different spin on them. If I'm grilling meat I have veggies waiting to go on too. Be it a mix like those listed above or peppers or something tasty.

Enjoy!!!

 

[baymule]

@Jared77 I am coming to your house to eat!

 

[catjac1975]

I'm on this new 'healthy eating plan' that is encouraging me to try some things that I've never eaten (and never bought) before. How do I pick a good avocado? I bought some asparagus last week to use in a stir fry and they were STICKS! How do I pick good ones? They keep listing smoked salmon ... I don't even know where to look for that? Deli? I didn't see it in frozen seafood. Surely they don't mean the canned stuff.

An avocado should just have a tiny bit of give when you squeeze. Different growing locals do taste a bit different from one another. I buy 5-6 at a time and sometimes the last one goes bad. You will get the hang of it.Don't give up on them if you don't like it at first. Some are better than others and ripeness will play big role. Buy them hard and buy one with a little give for the day you buy it. When you prepare asparagus snap them in half. They will break at the right place. The lower part will be too woody to eat. You may need to go to a fish store or a specialty store to get smoked salmon. It is eaten raw but you can cook it too. Have you ever heard of lox and bagels? Smoked salmon.

 

[canesisters]

Today's recipe for lunch was a tomato and olive salad.
IT TASTES LIKE PIZZA!!!!

A salad.. that tastes like pizza..... imagine that.