David here. Meaning the middle child. As in, Irene’s. You probably don’t know this, but I’m something of a foodie myself. More of a critic than a chef, but let’s just say that I know what I’m talking about when it comes to food. Like usually when my mom cooks something and I’m not overly enthusiastic about it and she gets mad and says it’s delicious and asks me what I think is wrong and then I tell her, she almost always agrees with my assessment.
My opinion in the kitchen is generally respected, but no one likes to admit it. It might be a middle child quirk. Anyway, my moms a fantastic mom, an even better cook (that’s a compliment, right?), but most of all, the best blogger this family has ever produced! I was inspired by my mom and bamitbach to create my own blog, thisistorah.com, which is not at all like bamitbach but my mom says it’s pretty good so I’m happy.
Anyway, enough about me. Let’s talk food.
Even though I’m pretty good at criticizing food, I’m not very good at making it. So my recipes tend to be, let’s say, functional. Here are two of my favorite low-budget low-time high-calorie dishes, the type of thing I like to eat after I’ve been playing squash for an hour and am about to fall down from fatigue but alas need to go to work. So I need protein, carbs, “vegetables,” etc.
1) I don’t always drink smoothies, but when I do, I prefer a Green Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie. I drink lots of these when it’s hot outside, especially after a bike ride or a game of tennis. Hits the spot. The “Green” refers to the color (as opposed to environmental impact) which is due to the vegetable/protein powder I use. There are literally lots of protein and vegetable powders out there, so if you’re enhancing your smoothie with these I recommend going to the store and asking someone to help you figure out which one best fits your needs. I don’t like to eat vegetables, so I go for a green one that makes me feel better about my diet. My father-in-law introduced me to Amazing Grass (no, this product does not contain marijuana) which is working pretty well for me right now. Slight seaweedy aroma, but nbd. Also, I can’t stress enough how important the ripeness of the bananas is. If you think you can just throw a banana in any state of ripeness into the blender and come out with a great smoothie, you are sorely mistaken. I use bananas that are brownish, just before they turn soft and squishy.
2) The second is a new creation that I’m finding very useful; I like to call it Bimbambam (my version of the Korean dish bibimbap). Very quick, filling, and relatively healthy. Basically an egg and couscous dish. Fits my meat-reductionist lifestyle quite well.
So, here are the recipes! Thanks Mom, for letting me write whatever I want on your blog!
Green Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe
2 Bananas, perfectly ripe!
1 heaping spoonful (or more) of peanut butter (I use PB&Co Smooth Operator, because it’s smooth and sweet)
4 ice cubes
A bit of honey (or maple syrup)
Some cinnamon
Milk (cow or soy or almond)
Amazing Grass powder (as much as you can tolerate, I guess. I put about 3/4 of a scoop)
Variations:
1) Sometimes I add a full cup of yogurt, if I’m feeling extra hungry. When I do this I reduce the amount of milk and adjust quantities appropriately. I like using coconut Greek yogurt.
2) Turn the smoothie into a milkshake by adding ice cream. Delicious. If you do this, I recommend leaving out the vegetable powder. You sort of have to decide what type of smoothie you’re going for…
3) of course you can add berries, like fresh or frozen blueberries.
So basically put all the ingredients into a blender and liquefy. Cleaning the blender is a pain, so I throw it into the dishwasher or put some soap and water into it and blend that until it’s clean. The other thing I’ve noticed is that when I put in the peanut butter I try to get it right in the middle, after I’ve put it the bananas and ice, so that it isn’t resting against the side while I add the other ingredients. This prevents a significant amount of your pb from ending up smeared on the side of the blender (as opposed to in your smoothie).
Bimbambam Recipe
Near East Roasted Garlic Couscous (or whatever you want)
3 eggs
Fresh Salsa (I like Whole Foods)
Hot Sauce (lately I’ve been using Cholula)
Variation: you can sauteed vegetables to add to the mix, like spinach or something.
Make the couscous according to the box’s instructions. Put about half of it in a bowl. Fry the three eggs and put them on top of the couscous. Add salsa and hot sauce. Enjoy.
