Make Your Own Junk Food
By Jenn (TinyChoices.com) | April 8, 2010
I find that I feel healthiest when I eat lower on the food chain– the fewer ingredients, and the more simple they are, the more pep I get in my step. This is not to give the impression that I’m all crunchy all the time… I love my potato chips and chocolate just as much as everyone else– but I attempt to keep those kinds things as indulgences & treats rather than every-days. Sometimes this works better than others, depending on my mood!
In this vein, here’s a “food rule” I really love, from Michael Pollan: “Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.” Well, ok then– there go Pringles, because I am pretty sure those are un-recreatable outside of a factory. But if I keep this in mind more as a guiding principle rather than a rule, the point is driven home.
I don’t think anyone would ever consider kale chips to be junk food, but by gum they are GOOD! Have you ever had them? They’re all the rage at health food stores here in NYC, where they fly off the shelves. But I’m not really a fan of those– the ones I make at home I like much better, and they cost about $1.50 as opposed to $8, plus there’s no plastic clamshell container to toss away when they’re done. Umbra shows us how it’s done (though I only use salt, and not nutritional yeast):
I’ve also found the perfect popcorn recipe, which is so good and so easy and makes such wonderful popcorn that I actually gave away my air popper. True story! I’d never really liked that thing, as I found the popped corn to be a little moist and not-crispy– and making it myself on the stovetop is a whole new world of popcorn. I’ve yet to trying experimenting with additions to the popped corn– I’d like to try using a little truffle oil, or nutritional yeast, or cayenne…
Over the holidays, I made outrageously delicious chocolate truffles– and I dream of them, still. They’re really simple to make, but I just haven’t gotten around to whipping up another batch yet. And they’re SO good that most other chocolates just don’t compare– so I know that when I do make them again, my deep craving for a rich, creamy chocolate dream will be well satiated. In fact, I’ve got a few extra hours on my hands tomorrow… I think the time has come!
Do you have favorite make-at-home “junk foods”?
[Image by Vacacion via Creative Commons]
Topics: Food | 6 Comments »
hi,
here in south Brasil we eat a lot. last week i wanted “colonial coffee”, like “all you can eat” for US$15, so we went to de supermarket, bought US$40 in food and i still have something in the fridge. this week i was thinking about “hot dog buffet”, so, more supermarket and “home hot dog” for everyone. really healthy.
but barbecue, i can!t cook this at hoem, so, one night in a restaurant
This is more along the lines of make your own hotpockets, but I’ve been doing my own box-style vegan mac & cheese, which is ridiculously easy. There is a plethora of vegan mac & cheese recipes available and even boxed mixes for sale at my local co-op, but on a mac & cheese night, I don’t want extra dishes. Did I mention the one pot part?
After cooking the macaroni (elbows or shells work well), I add whatever oil or fat I have on hand (hemp seed oil is especially delicious & packed with essential fatty acids), salt, nutritional yeast (lots!), a tiny squirt of mustard, and maybe a bit of water or unsweetened soymilk for texture.
I’ve weaned myself off pre-packaged ramen and am already planning to keep rice noodles and miso paste on hand at the office.
I have to say: definitely give nutritional yeast a shot. I put it on my popcorn with a shake of soy sauce and it is a flavor explosion!
We’ve started making our own beef jerky with locally raised/produced beef bacon we get at our farmers market. It’s already cut thin and cured- so we just throw it in the dehydrator and it’s perfect in about an hour. $9 and it’s more than twice as much as you’d get buying the crappy stuff in the store. SO so good!
my all time favorite are sweet potato chips. I usually make them to have with burgers. just slice them thin – spread them on pan with a little olive oil spray, season them up and bake. really really yummy.
someone also told be about brussel sprout chips. never tried them but will have to give it a whirl.
[...] Make all junk food yourself. Junk food isn’t good for you or the environment, but if you’re craving it make it yourself. It’ll take more effort and ensure you eat less. [...]