Recipes, Food Tips, Healthy Eating & More

Hi,
What has iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, vitamins A,B,C and Omega 3?
OCTOPUS!
Francesco’s Italian restaurant (in Maitland near Orlando) last night we ordered 2 plates of charred octopus on top of enormous slices of thick slice charred tomatoes and charred romaine. Octopus looks like steak tidbits when sliced .....not a piece left. Best I ever had. You would have fainted but it was like eating prime fillet tidbits. Shared shrimp which was good. I ordered grilled eggplant parmigiana that also came with pasta on a plate that could have fed 4 people. Again...best I have tasted. Even the bread was unusually savory and delicious. We sampled each other’s pasta dishes and pizza.
They are known for their very large portions and superlative food. Usually need reservations even on some weekday nights.
They allow you to bring your own wine for a corkage fee so we had 2 bottles of red (one was a $100 bottle from a client of my sons). No wine left. Amazing waiter and service. Kitchen is out in the open so you can see the chef’s cook. Restaurant is barely 5 minutes from my sons home. Came home to coconut cake and strawberry shortcake. I couldn’t even eat breakfast this morning.

So fantastic to have everything at a restaurant done to perfection and superlative service.

Carb and salt overload here....returning to normal eating for rest of day and heading home.

The Latin Sofrito marinated chicken was good but required extra spices. I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy at a Latin market but would only buy it there. I would imagine the jarred sofrito in the supermarkets are not good. Those mushrooms had a nutty flavor but are similar to shiitake mushrooms. The ethnic supermarkets are actually cheaper to shop at. Avacados were 2 for $1 and $1.50 each at Publix.

We are fortunate to have the variety of bodegas and Asian markets here in Florida along with all type of organic supermarkets.
I do miss the farm stands in Long Island. We have them here but not the same. I miss going out to the east end of the island in the fall for pumpkins and winter vegetables...purple cauliflower .....and the wineries! Rhubarb pies the size of flying saucers.

That’s enough for now.

FL Mary

@imallears
Oh good grief, here we go again. Octopus, I don’t know why but I was surprised. You’ve probably consumed so much mercury by now you glow in the dark.
You rank right up there with Andrew Zimmern.
Here are a few disgusting delicacies for your “No so”
discerning palate. Enjoy!
https://www.hostelworld.com/blog/the-50-weirdest-foods-from-around-the-world/
On second thought I think I’ll stay in California. Sorry to disappoint you. But I’m sure you’ll eat some vile hideous varmint to console yourself. I believe that wine is clouding your judgement on making good eating choices.
Jake

@jakeduck

Octopus is not a fish... it is considered a mollusk or cephalopod and has lower levels of mercury than all the tuna you eat. Their Octopus is from Spain which is the best in the world....wild and not over harvested like fish is in other countries .

Regarding the disgusting list I have eaten both frog legs and escargot numerous times. I was surprised to see spam on the list. It was a staple during the depression and World War II and shipped to the troops because it did not have to be refrigerated. It only has 6 ingredients...pork shoulder, water ,potato starch , nitrate, sugar and salt. Those are less ingredients than the majority of items in the supermarket today. It is very versatile and was a life saver during the depression. I don’t know anyone who eats it today or buys it but I bet many people on this forum have eaten it and it is still sold.

The other items are cultural...they would probably say the same things about our foods.

You have to be more adventurous in your eating but taste buds are a funny thing. Meanwhile I severely limit my tuna intake as much as I love it and try to find the brands with the least mercury. The comments on that website are just ignorant....let them eat McDonalds and clog up their arteries.

Regards from FL Mary

Ok, I’m about to bite the bullet and try and cook some lentils. Anybody know how to cook the bloody things. I have some orange ones I got out of a bin like thing so no directions. I have some other ones that are brown or maybe they are reddish brown, no directions for them either. Total weight is 1 pound 4 oz.
how much water, how long to cook, how do you know when they are done, what to add to them to flavor them up. I have canned tomatoes. I have some smoked sun dried tomatoes too. I was gonna put some ground sirloin in too for higher iron content. How do I flavor that up. Any help appreciated. If anyone is in my area feel free to stop by. If cooking makes you happy, I have an unlimited amount of happiness just waiting for you.
Jake

@jakedduck1 We need to tag @parus for help! What do you have, just a pot, or pressure cooker, or instant pot, or slow cooker? I ma not much for beans and such as they are not allowed on my renal diet. Mr. Google could be your good friend in this situation.
Ginger

@jakeduck

Hi,
I use lentils frequently...first rinse them. For me I usually do the 3 to 1 amount. Cook 1 cup of lentils in 3 cups of boiling water maybe 15 to 20 minutes. Color of lentil doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t use the whole amount you have...you’ll get tired of them.
You have the perfect combo with ground meat and canned tomatoes. Brown your beef, add any seasoning you like..add onions or garlic along with the browning if you like..add the tomatoes...when that tastes good to you you can add the cooked lentils.
A nice healthy mush...kind of like a stew. You can brown any vegetable to go along with the “stew”

If you want to cook the entire amount...just save some for other dishes. You can store cooked lentils for about a week or freeze them (I have never frozen any). You can add them to soup that you have cooked from scratch.....hmmmm. Or tossed in a salad.

Very versatile

FL Mary

@ jakeduck

Save the sun dried tomatoes for another time...not suitable for this recipe....to me they don’t go together.

Mary

@imallears
Great! One less ingredient. I’m out of the mood now, not that I was chomping at the bit to cook earlier but I shouldn’t have candy for every meal. I went a little crazy at the store. They all looked so good I couldn’t resist. Bought 110 candy bars. Quite a few considering I’m not suppose to eat candy.
Better get started or I’ll never get done
Jake

@jakedduck1 The candy bars are for the Halloween trick-or-treaters, right? My older neighbor, we lived next-door to each other for 11 years, would buy a couple bags of his favorite candy "just in case no kids show up". The thing is, we never had any kids show at our doors all those eleven years. His candy of choice was Almond Joy.
Ginger

@gingerw
“ The candy bars are for the Halloween trick-or-treaters, right?” WRONG WRONG WRONG.
I buy a bunch of candy too then hope nobody shows up. I’ll give some out then turn off the lights and enjoy.
Almond Joy isn’t my favorite but will do in a bind. I’m not a big coconut fan but I won’t refuse an Almond Joy.
Jake