Margarine Mayhem in My House! page

[Crabbcakes]

I am throwing myself at your collective wisdom and experience - please tell me what you all use instead of margarine as a topper! Just in case all of you were about to say BUTTER, it isn't that easy around here... two of my four children are allergic to dairy.

We do use pan drippings on veggies and stuff when there is some of that to be had, but it is popular in this house and there are never any leftovers to save in a bowl for later. Sometimes evoo-based vinaigrette goes onto warm veggies, but we are getting tired of that being our only option. My kids snack on plain frozen vegetables (especially green peas) a lot and really miss throwing a big pat of margarine on them (Earth Balance - it is dairy-free). I tried ghee, but the dairy-allergic ones have absolutely no taste for dairy and think ghee is awful. Plain coconut oil is a close second.

I just can't think of a single thing other than what I stated, so I really would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks! (and my kids will thank you, too)

[cori93437]

Why would "margerine" be yummy as it's supposed to taste like butter, if butter flavor tastes awful (Ghee tastes like butter).

How about bacon grease... if you stir it into the veggie while cooking it's really, really, tasty.
Tallow is yummy too.

Margerine tastes like ass... so I'd rather eat my veg plain and steamed than have that plasticky fake taste on them. *shrug*

Maybe if you tried browned butter/ghee... which is very nutty tasting it would help?

[Crabbcakes]

Why would "margerine" be yummy as it's supposed to taste like butter, if butter flavor tastes awful (Ghee tastes like butter).

How about bacon grease... if you stir it into the veggie while cooking it's really, really, tasty.
Tallow is yummy too.

Margerine tastes like ass... so I'd rather eat my veg plain and steamed than have that plasticky fake taste on them. *shrug*

I have lost the taste for margarine since I went Primal, but the dairy-allergic kids haven't - they have been eating Earth Balance for as long as they have been able to feed themselves chunky food safely, so that taste sits deep. Re the "buttery" flavor thing - I don't have any real answer for that one... that is just what they consistently tell me.

Third (Cori, I think you know about her) just. won't. eat. food. plain. I am no pushover, but if I don't find some better solution, she will totally start stealing ketchup and margarine singles and crap like that. In case you didn't know, she does have "sticky fingers" (had some problems at relatives' houses, stores, and school already regarding non-food items), so I am interested in not escalating anything if I can help it.

The bacon thing is an idea, tho. Hmmm... small-dice bacon, and pour everything, diced cooked bacon, grease and all, into a jar to use as seasoning... I didn't think of that because when bacon comes into the house, we just EAT IT UNTIL IT IS GONE.

[JennGlob]

No idea how it would taste, but would coconut yogurt with some dill mixed work as a dip? My kids love regular yogurt with dill.

[ChocoTaco369]

Why do you need a "topper" for anything? Just cook food. Add salt, pepper, fresh herbs, lemon juice, wine reductions, broth reductions/gravy...there's limitless things to cook with. I don't think I've put a pat of butter on anything in months. Maybe a handful of nuts here and there on salads, but aside from that why the need?

[sbhikes]

Duck fat is pretty good. Personally I like mustard. Mayo is good but hard to find good mayo that isn't made of soybean oil. Lemon juice can sometimes be really good depending on what it's going on. Salsa is good. Guacamole is good. Bacon makes almost anything taste good. Sometimes just plain old salt and pepper is good. Coconut butter is pretty good. I put it on a sweet potato once and it was delicious. Ketchup is good. I wonder how hard it is to make your own. Spaghetti sauce is good. Cocktail sauce is good. I LOVE tahini ginger sauce. I just bought some pistachio butter at the farmer's market today. Seems like it would make a fabulous pesto, which also reminds me that pesto is good. A lady I know makes pesto out of everything. Not just the traditional basil, garlic and pinenuts. She makes chive pesto, green onion pesto, walnut pesto, spearmint pesto. I love the mint pesto. Wow, that's amazing stuff! I wish I knew how she makes her pestos but I think she just experiments. Which reminds me, olive oil is good. You can get it infused with garlic or herbs, but super strong extra virgin is really tasty. Also, vinegar is good, too. There are various infused vinegars you can get. I once made a tasty salad dressing that was just egg yolk, mustard and vinegar. I bet you could top potatoes or steamed veggies with that nicely. You might try perusing the jarred stuff aisle at Trader Joe's. They always come up with some crazy thing that's worth a try.

So many things to put on your food to make it tasty.

[cori93437]

Choco- If you read the entire post you would have found that this is primarily a kid issue...
And one of the kids has some very particular sensory issues.

Steamed vegetables with NOTHING at all on them are a hard sell as a snack to a child.
Getting them to the stage where they are snacking on veggies is a real win, a little bit fat/flavor isn't going to hurt a damned thing to keep them there.

[naiadknight]

Are walnut oil and pecan/ almond butter out? Those are good warmed up and served on veggies.

[Crabbcakes]

Why do you need a "topper" for anything? Just cook food. Add salt, pepper, fresh herbs, lemon juice, wine reductions, broth reductions/gravy...there's limitless things to cook with. I don't think I've put a pat of butter on anything in months. Maybe a handful of nuts here and there on salads, but aside from that why the need?

Hi Choco

One of my two margarine-seeking kids is special-needs, and there is a lot going on in the sensory department. Her preferred way of eating is with a topper, and you can do a lot with special-needs kids, but you kind of have to pick and win your battles one at a time, and this is one that I can't touch yet. That is why I still need to do this. It also doesn't help that Mr. Crabbcakes is a sauce addict of the highest order, and why shouldn't she have her toppers, too... And, no way in hell is the hubby giving anything up in that department.

I like the wine reduction thing. I'm going to add that to my list of skills to acquire - thanks

[Crabbcakes]

(snip) I LOVE tahini ginger sauce. I just bought some pistachio butter at the farmer's market today. Seems like it would make a fabulous pesto, which also reminds me that pesto is good. A lady I know makes pesto out of everything. Not just the traditional basil, garlic and pinenuts. She makes chive pesto, green onion pesto, walnut pesto, spearmint pesto. I love the mint pesto. Wow, that's amazing stuff! I wish I knew how she makes her pestos but I think she just experiments. Which reminds me, olive oil is good. You can get it infused with garlic or herbs, but super strong extra virgin is really tasty. Also, vinegar is good, too. There are various infused vinegars you can get. I once made a tasty salad dressing that was just egg yolk, mustard and vinegar. I bet you could top potatoes or steamed veggies with that nicely. You might try perusing the jarred stuff aisle at Trader Joe's. They always come up with some crazy thing that's worth a try.

So many things to put on your food to make it tasty.

ooooh, pesto! I have only tried basil-Parmesan so far. I will start seeking in earnest. Would you send me your egg- yolk dressing recipe? That sounds really good - rich egg yolk with a bit of zing. That is right up Third's alley. All of ours, in fact.

Do you just drizzle infused olive oils or vinegars on stuff?? I have never done that. Evoo has always been in the house, but we cook with it or dump some in vinaigrette.

What is coconut butter? I have coconut oil and organic shredded unsweetened coconut, and know what a coconut cream block is - they sell that at my local health food store.

Do you make your own tahini-ginger sauce? I haven't had that either. Geez, this makes me sound like an Amish cook, the things I haven't had, but I promise you I do season my food with freshly ground spices and I even have an herb garden that we eat from until winter hits...

Thanks sb!