Converting Dried Beans to Canned Beans

This method will reduce the amount of indigestible starch in your beans (reducing the amount of 'music' after you eat them ...)

1. boil 10 cups of water
2. add 1-2 cups of dried beans (not lentils)
3. boil for 3 minutes
4. turn off heat, cover
5. wait 8 hours (overnight)
6. drain and rinse a few times until the rinse water is clear
7. boil three times as much water as beans
8. add rinsed and drained beans to boiling water
9. reduce heat, add spices if you want, but no acid (vinegar, tomatoes, wine), and no salt
10. simmer, adding more water if needed, for 45-60 minutes, until the insides of the beans are tender (test a few beans, not just one or two) - do not let it boil or the skins will come off
11. separate the beans into roughly 15 fluid oz that you may now use as 'a can of beans' in any recipe

Cost savings: a can of beans usually costs about $1. A bag of beans costs the same amount, but has three times more beans inside it.

Keeps in the fridge for 3 days, or freeze.

Enjoy!

Dried Banana Streusel

Recipe is from:
http://www.mytartelette.com/2009/09/recipe-banana-doughnuts-with-dried.html

A Banana

Line a baking sheet with either a silicone mat or a piece of parchment paper.
Preheat the oven at 250F and position a rack in the middle.
Slice the bananas in 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick and place them on the baking sheet. Let the banana slices dry in the oven for 2 hours. Let cool. Chop in small pieces.

I suppose you could do this with any fruit. I suppose you could add a bit of granola to it, or a bit of brown sugar.

The Secret

Pasta and potatoes: Add a dash of Nutmeg to any pasta or potato dish, especially Mac N Cheese.

Chili powder: Any recipe that calls for chili powder, add a dash of cocoa powder along with it - these flavors go GREAT together - it sounds weird at first, but try it and you'll never go back.

South Beach Popcorn

This is a simple substitution for popcorn, with very little carbs!

Okra
Spices
Olive oil

Don't worry - it is NOT slimy when we get done with it. Use your favorite spices. Mrs. Dash, Spike, Lemon Pepper, or even cheesy popcorn salt!

Slice the okra into 1/4 inch slices. You can buy the already-sliced frozen ones too.

Put the oven to 200 degrees. Put the okra on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle a little oil on them, i fyou have an oil spritzer, that would be better. Cook for 8 hours (9 if you started with frozen).

Sprinkle spices on, enjoy!

1/2 cup has about 4 carbs, 2 of which are fiber, so they don't count.

Trust me, this is also a cure for constipation, just eat more than one serving, and you'll be cleared up in no time...

My kids also love these.

Hot Pepper Oil

A handful of dried pepper, coarsely chopped
1 c. vegetable oil
1 tbsp sesame oil

Fill a small mason jar 2/3 with chopped pepper. Heat the oil in small sauce pan, until it is too hot to touch, but not hot enough to burn the peppers. Pour the oil into the jar, let cool, refrigerate after it has cooled to room temp.

Peppers:
dried Yidu pepper
dried Xian pepper
dried Chaotian pepper
dried Japanese pepper
You can get these at most asian grocers.

Fruit Salad

Well, scientifically, this is a fruit salad:

1 Avocado
1 Roma Tomato
Drizzle of hot pepper oil
Dash Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Optional/Variant:
Crumble Feta Cheese
Crumble Bleu Cheese
Drizzle Balsamic Vinegar

Instead of Hot Pepper Oil, use:
Grape seed oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Slice avocado, Slice tomato. Drizzle, sprinkle and/or crumble the rest on.

Slaw with Cabbage

Salad:
6 cups shredded cabbage (white and purple, mostly white)
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup walnut halves
1 cup dried cranberries

Dressing:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon vinegar (rice, white wine or red wine)
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix dressing in large bowl, top with salad, toss. Tastes better on day 2.