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Kid Friendly Neutral Recipes Starches

Make Your Own Instant Oatmeal

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make your own instant oatmeal packets

There’s no need to pay a higher price for single serving oatmeal or to settle for bland oatmeal because the flavored oatmeal has refined sugars or too much salt. You can easily make your own single serving packets of instant oatmeal flavored to your liking.

Put 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats in a blender and blend on high until powdery. Set aside in a small bowl, and repeat with an additional 1/2 cup oats. If you’re using a food processor, you can do 1 cup of oats at a time.

Put the following ingredients into each baggie: 1/4 cup un-powdered quick-cooking oats, 2 tablespoons powdered oats, and small pinch of sea salt. Store baggies in an airtight container.

To serve: Empty packet into a bowl. Add 3/4 cup boiling water. Stir and let stand for 2 minutes. For thicker oatmeal, use less water – for thinner oatmeal, use more water.

Variations:

Apple-Cinnamon: to each packet add 1 tablespoon unrefined sugar or sugar sub, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 cup chopped dried apples.

Sweetened: to each packet add 1 tablespoon unrefined sugar or 1 packet Nutrasweet.

Maple Cinnamon: to each packet add 1 tablespoon maple sugar & 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon.

Raisin Maple: to each packet add 1 tablespoon maple sugar and 2 tablespoons raisins.

Health Nut: to each packet add 2 tablespoons each wheat germ and ground nuts.

Fruit & Cream: to each packet add 1 tablespoon cream and 1/4 cup chopped dried Fruit.

Fun Fruit: to each packet, add 6 or 7 pieces of “Fruit snack” type dehydrated Fruit.

Confetti: to each packet, add 1 tsp. decorative cake/cookie sprinkles.

Chocolate Chip: add 1 tablespoon grain-sweetened chocolate chips to each packet.

The above variations were inspired by Kaylin Cherry who is the editor/owner of three ezines, Real Food for Real People, Real Healthy Food for Real People, and Real Crafts for Real People. For free, daily email recipes, visit her at http://www.realfood4realpeople.com or subscribe by sending an email to: realfood-subscribe@egroups.com

 

One more variation:

add dried fruit to your instant oatmeal

Basic Information Recipes Starches

UnDiet Compatible Breakfast Cereals

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Even for those cereals where I do not caution you to read the label, you should read the labels occasionally as manufacturers do change their recipes every now and then.

Erewhon Cereals

Kashi

Read the labels for this brand. Some of their cereals contain evaporated cane juice, which is okay on the UnDiet but if you can avoid it that would be preferable.

Barbara’s Bakery

These are by far the best of the bunch. Organic, whole grains & sweetened with molasses.

Nature’s Path

Read the labels for this brand. Some cereals contain evaporated cane juice.

EnviroKidz

Read the labels for this brand. Some cereals contain evaporated cane juice.

 

Recipes Using Cereal

Inevitably you’ll end up with cereal that needs to be used before it goes stale, or that your family doesn’t like or just a bunch of crumbs in the bottom of the box. When any of those scenarios happens you’ll be glad that we shared some of our favorite cereal recipes with you. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

1 cup agave nectar or honey
1 c peanut butter
6 cups rice crispies or corn flakes style cereal

Boil agave nectar and sugar in a heavy pan. Stir in peanut butter and cereal. Spoon into an oiled 9” x 13” pan. or drop onto waxed paper in individual cookies. If using the pan, cut into bars when mixture cools but hasn’t hardened yet.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

4 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey or agave nectar
1 ½ cups crispy rice cereal
1 package sugar-free chocolate pudding
2 cups skim milk (the pudding won’t gel with nondairy milk)
4 tablespoons sugar-free whipped topping or vanilla yogurt

In small bowl, combine peanut butter and honey and microwave on high for 20 seconds. Stir in cereal. Press into a pie plate or square pan and chill.

Prepare pudding with milk according to package directions. Spread over pie crust and chill until pudding sets. Top with shipped topping or yogurt.

Snack Mix

6 cups cereal such as Cheerios, squares or any cereal that is big and hearty enough to eat dry without a spoon
1 cup whole pecans
3/4 cup butter
1 cup coconut, maple or unrefined sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place pecans on cookie sheet and toast in oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they smell delicious and are slightly browned. Remove from oven and turn oven down to 300 degrees.

Place cereal and pecans in a large bowl.

Melt butter and brown sugar in a small pan. Allow to boil for 2 minutes. Pour over cereal and pecans. Pour entire mixture onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 5 minutes, stir, bake 5 more minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container. Does not need to be refrigerated.

Breaded Herb Chicken

3/4 cup cereal crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope dry salad dressing mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
6 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or 12 thighs, either whole or cut into strips or nugget size pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a shallow bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients. Place butter in a square baking pan. Place pan in the oven, removing when butter is melted.

Dip chicken in the melted butter; then roll in the cereal mixture until well coated. Place in a single layer in an oiled baking pan. Bake uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes depending on the size of your chicken pieces.

I like to use chicken thighs. They have more flavor and are less dry than other parts of the chicken. They’re also less expensive than breasts.

Marshmallow Bars

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey, agave nectar or brown rice syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups brown rice marshmallow cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups cereal crumbs or small cereal such as puffs or crispies

Butter a square baking pan.

In a large pot melt butter; add marshmallow cream, honey and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until marshmallows are melted.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add cereal and mix well.

Press mixture into pan and allow to set for several hours before slicing into squares.

Chocolate Fruit Candy

You can use any dried fruit that you have in place of the raisins and cranberries. You could use white chocolate chips in place of the chocolate chips.

3 cups puffed cereal
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup peanuts
6 ounces grain-sweetened chocolate chips
2 tablespoons honey, agave nectar or brown rice syrup

Mix the cereal, raisins, cranberries, and peanuts in a large bowl. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave.

When the chocolate has melted, stir in the honey. Carefully drizzle the chocolate evenly over the cereal mix. Stir to mix and then use a large spoon to place dollops of the mix onto a cookie sheet.

Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set the chocolate. When the chocolate has set, place the candy in an airtight container. Store in a cool place or the refrigerator.

High Protein Recipes Starches Vegetarian

Tomato Onion Rice

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I’ve doubled the ingredients in this recipe so that you can use the leftovers to make a thick and creamy Tomato Soup for another meal.

Saute 2 chopped onions over medium heat in 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil until just starting to color. Stir in

4 cloves sliced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 cup parboiled brown rice
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper

Place in dish 4 tomatoes cut in half and placed with cut side down. Lower heat to low and cook covered without stirring for 10 minutes. Remove lid and using a pair of tongs grab the skin of each tomato and discard. Stir the dish mashing the tomato as you do so. If the dish is too soupy continue cooking, stirring frequently over low heat until desired consistency. Remove from heat; taste and add sea salt and pepper if needed and 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley. Set aside half and refrigerate for another meal.

You may garnish with any of the following if desired:

  • Parmesan cheese
  • chopped or sliced olives
  • finely diced raw red bell pepper

 

Basic Information Kid Friendly Neutral Recipes Starches Vegetarian

All Veggie Chili

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This is a great recipe when you’re on the Last 10 Pounds, Jumpstart or Rotation Diet, especially since we tend to think of chili as comfort food, this chili sans beans and meat fools our brains into thinking it’s eating something high calorie that is actually a Free Food. Scroll on down to the Family Chili adaptation for an easy way to adapt this recipe to work for your whole family without cooking twice.

Stir together in medium pot and simmer until vegetables are cooked through, about 30 minutes.

  • 2 ~ 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced or sliced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chili powder (if you won’t be adding the fresh tomatoes use 2 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 cup pureed red bell pepper
  • 1 teaspoon carob or cocoa powder
  • dash of ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon each cumin and coriander
Garnish with finely diced roasted red bell pepper using 1/4 to 1/2 cup for each bowl of chili.

Living Food Chili: if you’d like to get more raw foods into your diet, try this trick:

The night before you make this stew put 4 whole tomatoes in the freezer. The next morning move them to the fridge or kitchen counter so that they can thaw. Make sure to place them in a bowl to catch the juices that will be released as they thaw.

Working over a blender or food processor bowl to catch the juices use your hands to remove and discard the tomato skin and core. Puree and set aside.  Stir into soup after removing from heat.

Black Bean Veggie Chili: stir in canned or leftover black bean soup at a ratio of 1 can black bean to 4 cans chili.

Family Chili: Set your portion of chili aside and add enough canned kidney or black beans or cooked ground beef to the remaining chili to satisfy the family.

Quick Chili – use the fresh tomato trick to freshen up canned chili.

High Protein Kid Friendly Recipes Starches Vegetarian

Using Leftovers: Make Wrapped Lunches

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One of my favorite ways to use leftovers is to make them into a wrap the next day. Here are some of my combinations. I italicized the items that are leftovers. Please feel free to share your own ideas in the Comments section.

Mexican Wrap

  • ww tortilla
  • cheese (I use soy cheese)
  • Spanish rice
  • beans
  • avocado
  • salsa
  • lettuce

Chinese Wrap

  • ww tortilla
  • rice w/ leftover sauce stirred in

    • any leftover dish (one dish per wrap)

  • layer leftover items over rice
  • micro greens or sprouts

Fast Food Wrap

  • ww tortilla
  • cheese or soy cheese
  • meat, chopped or cut into strips
  • salad
  • lettuce or sliced tomato if no leftover salad

Italian Wrap

  • ww tortilla
  • cheese or soy cheese
  • meat, chopped or cut into strips
  • veggies
  • salad
  • lettuce or sliced tomato if no leftover salad

Pizza Wrap

  • ww tortilla
  • cheese or soy cheese if no cheese in leftover items
  • pizza toppings (warm slightly to make it easier to scrape topping and cheese directly into wrap)

  • salad
  • lettuce or sliced tomato if no leftover salad

Look for Low-Carb Tortillas

Basic Information Starches

All About Starches

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This article is designed to educate you as to what foods are Starches (you might be surprised by some of these). Future articles will serve to guide you in planning meals, and help you to choose appropriate substitutes.

While vegetables are a carbohydrate they’re considered Neutral and can be eaten with any other food except Fruit. The only time you need to be aware of vegetables as a carbohydrate is when you’re on an extended (more than one day) Protein Binge.

Grains:

 . . .
. brown rice flours: whole wheat
. barley . rye
. wild rice . buckwheat
. kasha . rice
. millet . graham
. bulger . .
. whole wheat couscous . .

Legumes:

 mung beans

Seeds:

 use raw, toasting or roasting destroys their digestive enzymes
. navy beans . caraway
. lima beans . poppy
. lentils . pumpkin
. black-eyed peas . sesame
. kidney beans . sunflower
. split peas

Nuts:

 Nuts are a carb/protein mix so limit them – listed with lowest protein count first – toasting or roasting destroys their digestive enzymes
. garbanzo beans . brazil
. pinto beans . macadamia, pine nuts

Pastas:

.

 almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, walnuts
. whole wheat . hazelnuts, filberts, peanuts, pistachio
. buckwheat . mixed nuts, peanut butter, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
. artichoke . soybeans, cashews
. corn . coconut, almond paste

Cereals:

 whole grain Brands: Grape Nuts (not flakes, they contain sugar)
. sugar-free . .
. chemical-free . .
. additive-free . .

These become starches only when cooked:

Starch Ingredients:
Use fresh potatoes. Frozen and dried potato products contain additives which make them difficult to digest. Exceptions can be found in health food stores. corn starch (use browned whole wheat or arrowroot flour instead)fructose (made from corn)

potato flour

soy sauce (wheat free can be found in health food stores)
all potatoes including sweet potatoes & yams .
peas beets
corn carrots
Recipes Starches Vegetarian

Annie’s Homegrown Mac ‘n Cheese

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I always have a couple of boxes of Annie’s Homegrown Mac ‘n Cheese in my pantry. With a few veggies stirred in they’re great for when I don’t feel like actually cooking.

Suggestions for items to stir into Annie’s Mac ‘n Cheese – we’re assuming that these are already precooked:

  • spinach or other greens
  • broccoli
  • carrot
  • onion
  • cauliflower
  • soy “dogs”

Or make up the mac n cheese according to the package directions and then stir it into one of the following types of soups:

  • tomato
  • red bell pepper
  • carrot
  • chicken or vegetable broth
High Protein Neutral Recipes Starches Vegetarian

Too Busy To Cook? Imagine’s Soups Will Save the Day

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Imagine-Butt-Qu

I love Imagine brands boxed soups. They taste so fresh, they have tons of varieties & you can add anything you might have in your fridge, pantry or freezer to change them up. Frankly I’ve been to restaurants that would have done better to chuck their soup recipe and used Imagine soup instead. I guarantee that their customers would not know they’re using boxed soup and the end product would be better than what they’re serving.

Here’s my dirty little secret – I haunt the aisles of health food stores looking for items on sale. Many of these items are disappointing but I can’t stand to throw them away, so I generally add them to one of Imagine’s boxed soups (which I have a pantry full of) and they have yet to disappoint me. It’s magic, how something that was ho-hum, when added to one of Imagine’s soups is suddenly escalated into the “can’t stop eating it” category.

I can’t say it any better than Imagine says it: “Imagine the finest, organic vegetables, lightly simmered with fresh herbs and delicious seasonings. Imagine no more … Imagine Organic Soups and Broths are available in more than twenty varieties and are packaged in re-sealable aseptic cartons to lock in their wholesome gourmet flavor.”

 

High Protein Recipes Starches Vegetarian

Pizza Wrap Sandwich

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I love this wrap. It’s so versatile. You add your favorite pizza toppings so there are endless variations. It’s fun to lay out the toppings and let everybody build their own wrap.

This wrap can be either Protein, Starch or Vegetarian depending on what you top it with. While the tortilla is a Starch it is little enough that it is okay with Protein toppings, although not okay if you’re on a low carb diet.

Place several slices of mozzarella cheese (dairy or soy) on top of a whole wheat tortilla. Add any combination of your favorite pizza toppings.

Suggested toppings:

  • pepperoni (meat or soy)
  • sausage (meat or soy)
  • mushrooms (raw or cooked)
  • red onion
  • spinach
  • tomato
  • bell pepper (raw or roasted)
  • fresh basil, thyme, oregano and/or rosemary
  • olives
  • artichoke hearts
  • ham and pineapple
  • Parmesan cheese
  • zucchini

Roll tortilla tightly around toppings and place seam side down in hot pan lightly coated with olive oil. Turn when browned and brown the other side.

Recipes Starches

Lemon Rice

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The lemon zest gives this rice a sweet lemon flavor, without the acidic bite of lemon juice.

Brown 2 cups uncooked brown rice in 1 tablespoon butter until rice is a slightly darker tan color.

Add and bring to boil

4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups filtered water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Cover and simmer until rice is cooked. Remove from heat and stir in finely grated zest from 4 lemons (make sure not to get any of the white pith with the zest).

Ideas for Leftovers

  • Stir into boxed soup.
  • Add chopped veggies and salad dressing for a rice salad.
  • Salad Wrap: whole wheat tortilla layered with hummus or soy cheese, Lemon Rice and lettuce and herb salad dressed with a little salad dressing.