Group Discussions

Any new ingredients that you're experimenting with?

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  I've tried a couple of new things lately. Number one, I tried out the Boca burger crumbles at the beginning of this month (can't believe that was only a few weeks ago). They are really really good, and people who eat meat told me they can't tell the difference.
  
  Second I just tried out dehydrated mushrooms tonight. I bought a jar of them a couple of weeks ago, and rehydrated them and used them in a creams sauce tonight. I think they were a hit. Anyone else trying out something new that they'd like to tell us all about (either about how bad it is or how great)?

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by mamajama on 31st January 2008
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  This will sound lame to meat-eaters, but - sigh - here goes: I'm branching out in the bean department. Snicker, giggle. Go ahead, laugh at me. But beans are good for you! Just don't eat too many at one time.
  
  Anyway, I tried canned organic soy beans this week and I've also been cooking with lima beans. My toddler seemed happy to test them out too, but she really liked the canned soy beans a lot. I think the secret with beans is, as I said above, don't go overboard. Just toss a few into something else - rice, soup or whatever.
  
  This is a great Q, by the way, mj. Every now and then I go through phases of vowing to try at least one new food item from the supermarket every week. Then I fall back into my regular habits. But the idea, I think, is a good one: think about the size of your average supermarket. Then think what you buy every week. I think I get in a rut and don't vary it. Hence my idea to try something new each week.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Diane on 31st January 2008
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  I had really good spaghetti squash for the first time last week. Don't laugh! I know it's a really common thing, but the only time I'd had it before -- more than a decade ago -- it was cooked badly, like over-boiled angel-hair pasta, and I hadn't touched it since. My husband bought a squash and it sat in the veggie drawer until we decided it needed to be cooked before it rotted, so I did it -- and it was wonderful! My kids liked pulling it apart, and now it's all I want to eat for a while...

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Lylah M. Alphonse on 31st January 2008
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  I've started experimenting with eggplant. I've tried to use it before, but it always seemed either too oily (WOW- eggplant soaks up a lot of oil!) or too mushy. I found this really interesting recipe that baked the eggplant before putting it in with the rest of the ingredients, so now I'm doing that for other things. Just the other night I made a pasta bake with eggplant, ground turkey, rigatoni, spaghetti sauce, and cheese and it was fantastic! Sort of like eggplant parmesan but WAY lower fat.
  
  Great topic! I love new ingredients!

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by heels on 31st January 2008
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  I love Asian Pears and cut them up for DD last week -- she likes them too!! And I get to hear her say "APP-pull" in her sweet baby voice.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by relaxnsmile on 31st January 2008