Pasta dishes can be potentially unhealthy depending on the type of noodles and sauce used. However, there are ways to make them more nutritious. There’s a clever and unconventional substitution you can make while making pasta sauce without compromising the creamy texture. Consider swapping butter with oatmeal liquid. Surprisingly, the breakfast staple oatmeal can serve as a rich and thickening agent for pasta sauce without adding excessive calories. This ingenious technique was developed by Philippe Chevalier, Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef. His recipe allows the media mogul to enjoy pasta while maintaining her commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Here’s a unique and healthy recipe for Oprah-approved creamy butter-free lemon pasta using oatmeal.
Ingredients (for 4-6 Servings)
● Spaghetti, cooked al dente, 1 box
● Olive oil, 2 tablespoons
● Mixed mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped, 2 cups
● Shallots, chopped, 2 tablespoons
● Garlic, minced, 1 tablespoon
● Fresh thyme, chopped, 1 teaspoon
● Oatmeal, cooked with 1 cup of steel-cut oats, 4 cups of water, and 1 vegetable or chicken bouillon cube
● Parmesan, grated, 1 cup
● Lemon zest, ½ tablespoon
● Chives, chopped, 2 tablespoons
● Basil, chopped, 1 tablespoon
● Peas, cooked, ½ cup
● Lemon juice, 4 tablespoons
● Salt and pepper, to taste
● Candied lemon, if desired
Method
● In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Then, add 1 cup of oatmeal and one cube of chicken or vegetable bouillon. Cook for 15 minutes.
● In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, strain approximately ½ cup of the liquid from the cooked oatmeal and set it aside. Store the remaining oats and liquid separately in the refrigerator. You can use the liquid to make another batch of pasta, while the oats can be enjoyed later with boiled egg or vegetables for a savory oatmeal dish.
● Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to the pan. Sauté for about 30 seconds. Pour in the reserved oatmeal liquid and stir.
● Incorporate grated Parmesan cheese and a dash of lemon zest into the pan. Stir until the cheese has melted.
● Sprinkle chives, basil, and peas into the mixture. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
● Increase the heat to medium-high and add approximately one tablespoon of lemon juice.
● Add the cooked spaghetti to the pan and toss until the sauce evenly coats the noodles. Season with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice if desired.
● Plate the dish and garnish with basil leaves and candied lemon, if desired. Serve while hot and enjoy this delicious dish – guilt-free!
The Difference Between Active Dry Yeast and Instant Yeast Explained
Bread making is one of the oldest food arts in the world. Yet, the part that involves yeast can often be confusing to some people. This is why we will look at the two most common types of yeast — the active dry and instant ones — to better understand the difference between them and how to use them correctly.
What Is Active Dry Yeast?
If you are a rookie baker or a baking enthusiast, this is probably the yeast you’re most familiar with and use regularly. Active dry yeast is made up of coarse, oblong granules. It is ideal for long-term storage — if frozen, it can last to up to 10 years — but it is incredibly sensitive to thermal shock if there is a rapid change in temperature. To activate the yeast, you need to first dissolve it in lukewarm water before adding it to your baking ingredients.
What Is Instant Yeast?
Also known as quick-rise or fast-rising yeast, instant yeasts look like their active dry counterpart. The only visible difference is that the granules are smaller here. Since it has more live cells, instant yeasts are ideal for quick baking recipes as they activate much faster. Another major difference of active dry yeast is that the instant one doesn’t need to be dissolved in water before it is added to the other ingredients.
Can They Be Substituted for One Another?
Absolutely yes. They can be used interchangeably as long as you follow the specific method for use with each yeast variety. So, if you want to substitute active dry for instant yeast, you need to have a bit more time on your hands as this will mean a slower rise time (a.k.a. +15 more minutes). And, if you’re doing the opposite and replacing instant for active dry yeast, you need to reduce your rise time by 15 minutes.