Kaboche, Kabocha, Life Goes On

Squash season.

Hooray!

And I think that the squash easiest and bestest to prepare is kabocha.

Plus, it is about as naturally sweet a squash as you will find.

Wash.

Pierce.

Nuke/wave in covered (vented) bowl 5-10 minutes (depending on size and power).

Cut in half.

Scoop out seeds.

Eat. Skin and all.

Wanna get fancy?

What else is a squash? A bowl!

Fill the cavity with cooked veggies, meats, beans, grain mixture.

Eat it all.

Enjoy it all.

Darn that was simple.

Yes You Can!

Elitists make way.

Step aside.

Canned foods can be as nutritious or even more nutritious than fresh, depending on how old the "fresh" stuff is and how good you are at selecting it.

Whatever.

Fact is, even if you are not a fan of the can, in a bind it can save you time.

Keep on hand the following in cans, just in case:

Corn

Beans

Tomatoes

Tomato Paste

Tomato Sauce

Pumpkin

Chiles

It will simplify your life.

Cold and Creamy

Summer and a hot one.

There are lots of ways to make ice cream-like stuff.

Blender, juicer, freezer, ice cream machine.

Vary it.

Use almond or soy milk in place of moo juice.

Add peanut butter (reconstituted peanut flour can work) or avocado or flax seeds or flax oil or omega-whatever (if you believe in those things) to smooth the final product.

Frozen fruits can also add "creaminess," especially in blender/masticating juicer ice cream.

Can-Can

Make it fast.

Make it easy.

Can(s) of beans - your choice (drained).

Can(s) of fruit - orange, pineapple, fruit cocktail, etc.

Can(s) of chiles - your choice.

Cilantro, cumin, oregano, basil, salt, pepper.

Stop here or:

add fresh - fruit (mango, watermelon, etc.) , tomatoes, etc.
add dried - fruit, tomatoes, etc.

Mix, let sit in fridge for a while.

Add texture if you want - nuts, toffee, dark chocolate, etc.

Now figure out how to spend the remaining 23:55 hours:mins of your day.

Spreads

As the weather gets warmer, the stove becomes a less attractive option for cooking since it makes even more heat. Here is a cool approach to making spreads that can be meals or side dishes.

Beans - pinto, white, black, etc.
Spices - cumin, coriander, chili powder, blend (from the website, e.g, Indian), etc., salt and pepper to taste.
Salsa - add a Gourmet-O-Matic ^tm salsa, if you want.

Drain beans if using canned.
Put in food processor.
Add spices. Blend 'til desired consistency.
Add salsa if you want. Blend if you want smooth. Stir in if you like things chunkier (this is easier if you remove the spread from the food processor).
Remove from food processor.
Chill, if you like.
Get bread, crackers, etc.
Spread.
Eat.

Coffee Nut?

Are you a coffee perfectionist?

If so, know this.

Brewed coffee is acidic and when done, it should have a pH around 5.0.

The best water to use for coffee should have a pH that is neutral, around 7.0.

Municipal water is frequently alkaline, i.e., of a pH greater than 7.0, to prevent corrosion of pipes.

To acidify your coffee water, i.e., lower the pH from greater than 7.0 to 7.0, add pinches of tartaric acid, aka cream of tartar, until the water tastes slightly tart.

Or you can get a pH meter to measure the pH. (That is known as overkill. Although, if you are a coffee nut...)

Do not add steak tartare. It will not work.

Ripen Right

Fruits.

Some can ripen at home.

Others, well... buy ripe or you are committed to eating unripened fruits, i.e., they will not get any riper.

Fruits that will ripen after they are picked are known as climacteric fruits. They include:

avocados
bananas
kiwis
pears
tomatoes

Fruits that will NOT ripen after they are picked are known as non-climacteric fruits. They include:

apples
most berries
citrus
melons
pineapples

To nudge climacteric fruits to ripen, place them in a paper bag with a ripe fruit. This will hasten the process.