"Chunks" ideas wanted

[Visorblue]

When I make zucchini spaghetti or salads I like having some kind of “chunks” in it. I can make meatless meatballs that I like for the spaghetti but they take a while to dehydrate and never "firm" up. Avocados don't quite do it and I eat a lot of avocados.

I've been using mushrooms but think I'm overdoing them (4-6 times a week) and am looking for something else -- even the meatless meatballs I like have marinated mushrooms in them.

Example, for dinner tonight I'm making a large mixed greens (and purples and reds) salad with tomatoes, cucumbers with a basic vinaigrette and tossing in warm marinated mushrooms for texture (chunks). I have six raw food prep books and can't find "chunks" in any of the indexes. :)

Needs to be semi-quick and have a nice texture/flavor. Can’t seem to think of or find anything. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[kaybee]

Avocado!!!

oops. im blind. i just reread your post. hahaha. um... i dont know what else then. marinated mushrooms and sundried tomatoes in avocado sauce over zucchini pasta is good...but it sounds like youve already got those ingredients covered. what about making croutons in the D with sunflower seeds and stuff? check goneraw.com for recipes

[raweater]

You can make instant meatballs with walnuts, a tiny bit of liquid and spices of your choice put in the food processor and shaped into balls that are instantly ready.

You could also use chopped celery, carrots, etc to make chunks.

[Springtime]

I totally agree on the chunky thing: chunks make foods worth eating!

Since i have no dehydrator, my fave is APPLE! the perfect chunks: sweet, a little tart and yumme. Or whole nuts. But apples find a way into most of my meals, haha

[HolyGuacamole]

You can make instant meatballs with walnuts, a tiny bit of liquid and spices of your choice put in the food processor and shaped into balls that are instantly ready.

Yeah - or just process some walnuts up with whatever you like and sprinkle them on... If you only process them enough to break them up and give them a different texture and flavor you will have little chunks. They won't be meatball sized but they will give your meal a bite and some chewy texture.

[spicyfull]

I guess Chunks of Tomatoes, Bell Peppers etc. are not what you are looking for.

[Visorblue]

Thanks for the replies. Not quite what I was looking for though as I already tried them all. Not sure what's missing.

Apples, mangoes, nuts, et al. are nice in a salad for sure, doesn't do it for me with zucchini spaghetti though. Raw meatless meatballs are tasty (I eat some as snacks) but they don't get firm enough to handle the sauces and end up crumbling. Marinated mushrooms are about the right consistency but there has to be something else, or a way of making meatless meatballs with something that firms them up.

Maybe dehydrate until they're fully dry like crackers and then add to the meal and let them soak up some sauce?

[raweater]

Have you tried making undehydrated meatballs like I described with about 1 cup walnuts and barely 1-2 tsp of liquid at most with spices? You can compress them by hand into balls and they are quite firm, they don't break up until you intentionally break them with a fork or knife.

[Visorblue]

Have you tried making undehydrated meatballs like I described with about 1 cup walnuts and barely 1-2 tsp of liquid at most with spices? You can compress them by hand into balls and they are quite firm, they don't break up until you intentionally break them with a fork or knife.

Hmm. You must have stronger hands than I do for compressing them into balls. I have a vise in my workshop...if I only had a meatball shape mold. :)

I'll try again. Thanks.

[T-Bird]

black olives?

[T-Bird]

Hmm. You must have stronger hands than I do for compressing them into balls. I have a vise in my workshop...if I only had a meatball shape mold.

Time to put on your inventor cap....

[Raisingplenty]

What about looking at it another way. Can you take out your mushrooms from somewhere else? It seems to me that they are very important to you in this dish. Perhaps change some of your other meals. I always have chunks of zucchini left over when I spiral them so I include them into the dish. Good luck!
Crystal

[Fee]

What about eggplant? Ive been making the caponata from Goneraw and they taste really good in that.

[Visorblue]

What about looking at it another way. Can you take out your mushrooms from somewhere else? It seems to me that they are very important to you in this dish. Perhaps change some of your other meals. I always have chunks of zucchini left over when I spiral them so I include them into the dish. Good luck!
Crystal

I'm trying to learn more food prep as opposed staying in my mushroom rut -- read mushrooms weren't good for you but I'm still over consuming them.

It's not just in the spaghetti that I'd like chunks in, I'd like them in salads, too. Example, I making a large "kitchen sink" salad for dinner; mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, mango, walnuts, sprouts, and sunflower seeds. That's enough chunks and flavor varieties to make my taste buds dance -- I may add some spicy seasonings to round out the flavors.

Now you may be on to something with the zucchini, the spaghetti is already spiralized zucchini so chunks more of it wouldn't quite do it, but maybe marinated zucchini chunks would. Never tried that. Going to have to. Thanks for the idea!

[Visorblue]

What about eggplant? Ive been making the caponata from Goneraw and they taste really good in that.

The only thing I've done with eggplant is a failed attempt at making eggplant bacon -- sounded so good, too. Eggplant, and a LOT of other veggies are new to me. I wandered into a huge Mexican supermarket and, besides being excited that they carry young coconuts -- which I haven't decided what to do with yet, I had no idea about most of what I was seeing. I might as well have been on Mars -- lots of fuzzy stuff. I really need to broaden my knowledge and use of veggies.

Never heard of caponata but found a recipe and photo here. Looks interesting, thanks.