Dr. Tim Says….
What should I have in my kitchen?
For the last several weeks I have been writing about the healthiest choices for you to make at the grocery store. So far I have discussed different ideas for protein like meat, poultry and fish. While these are not strictly items for you to keep in your pantry the columns have focused on those ingredients that are the healthiest for you to buy.
When I started this series I wanted to discuss those items that you might keep in your pantry or fridge that would help you cook healthier because you have the right ingredients on hand. Now that the proteins are out of the way we can get on to that idea.
By focusing on baking items you’ll stock your pantry with a lot of the raw ingredients for cooking healthy. Here’s a list of items to have on hand. It’s best to go out and buy what you don’t have in a single shopping trip so that you have things on hand but you can add items as you need them if you prefer. In Your Pantry: Baking
Featured Recipe
Curried Cauliflower | Lactose Free Version
I was surprised when I made this recipe. I had thought that it would make 2 servings but along with the brown rice it is so filling that it really is three servings. Even then it is amazingly filling.
The key to enhancing the flavor is to sauté the curry powder in the olive oil for a bit to soften the flavor. Add the cauliflower and then the other ingredients.
This recipe is too spicy for those with GERD / Acid Reflux, but it is Coumadin® (warfarin) safe, low in sodium (salt), and gluten free.
Featured Ingredient: Curry Powder
In America, this means the yellow powder you buy in the store, but there are almost infinite variations of curry powder. In the Far East, curry powders vary by individual cook, region, country, and even the class of who is being served. Most curries are spicier than the yellow curry that Americans may be used to.
Originally curry powders were shipped back to Europe when the East India Company controlled much of the spice traffic. At first, these varied greatly in their tastes, color and spiciness. At the Universal Paris Exhibition of 1889, a standardized curry powder was agreed upon and most recipes are subtle variations of that formula.
It is the turmeric that gives curry and other ingredients, including onion, pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, tamarind, chili powder, fenugreek and mustard powder its yellow color.
