Chayote - the perfect food for low carbers

[NancyH58]

Originally Posted by AllieCat0817

Ooh thanks for the tip...now I wanna fry some then season with Lawrys & eat with lc ketchup! found in regular store? produce section?

I found my chayote from the farmer's market, but you should be able to find them in any grocery store or farmers market that services an ethnic population. The chayote is very popular in latin american cooking.

[NancyH58]

Originally Posted by sugarless4life

I've never heard of that before ! Wow, I'm gonna see if I can find it!

Thanks! And yes, please say where you get the mix ??

Wow!

Betty

Hi,
Should be available in any supermarket that carries 4c drink sticks.

[KOO]

For those down south, Chayote is also known as merliton, which you have probably eaten many times before. We cook them with shrimp and seasonings to make merliton dressing (of course it has breading it in though).

[NancyH58]

Originally Posted by AllieCat0817

Dam! I love rutabagas but hate turnips....

It doesn't taste anything like a turnip, don't worry. I think it would make good home fries because when it is cut it is a lot like a very ripe potato. It would need to definitely be cooked a lot longer than potato due to the fiber content, but I think the final product would be a very good potato replacer (much better than cauliflower or turnip, both of which have strong and unpleasant flavors)

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by SugarPop

I googled "apple cider drink mix".....Not having any luck with complete ingredient list. Most say they are made from apple juice!!!!!!.......I can't even figure out if there is sugar in the mix.

I'm having carb phobia on the drink mix.........unless I hear differently.


Has anybody ever come up w/a good substitute for great apple flavor?

B

CarolynF has a thread where she makes a chayote faux apple crisp I believe. I made faux apples with SF Alpine Spiced Cider Drink Mix-my grocery and Walmarts carry it.

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/lo...e-pie-dip.html

[NancyH58]

Originally Posted by Ilpirata

I'm confused about how you peel it. With a potato peeler? and how much do you want to peel off? Do you eat the green part AND the white part or just the white part?

THe skin is very soft, so a potato peeler would work... I just used a knife. I wouldn't eat the green part, it smells kinda funky and there is an oozy film beneath it but it is probably edible.

Rinse it off after you peel it to get rid of the oozy fiberous gel stuff.

[tomswife]

Sounds a little like Jicama. Do they get soft when cooked (unlike the Jicama)?

[KOO]

Originally Posted by tomswife

Sounds a little like Jicama. Do they get soft when cooked (unlike the Jicama)?

Yes, very soft. My daughter and I will microwave them and eat them with butter and salt and pepper. You can cut with your fork.

You can see what they look like in this link.
Chayote - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Jannybunny]

Originally Posted by AllieCat0817

Yall done started somethin! OMG...found this recipe. Now I hate turnips.very bitter. Chayotes not bitter?

Ingredients:
2 pounds chayotes
Butter
1/2 pound cooked ham, chopped
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 pound jack cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook chayotes in boiling water until tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on size.

Peel and cut in half and discard seeds. Cut in slices. Grease a casserole with butter and arrange alternate layers of chayotes and ham, salt and pepper, cream and cheese and ending with cheese. Dot with butter. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees until browned.

Yum! I'm copying and pasting this one and plan to make it real soon.

[skeopple]

Online.............Spice Barn................apple flavoring ....................with complete nutritional info.

[kitty_kat]

is this choko?

[KOO]

Originally Posted by mobykat

is this choko?

Yes.
The chayote (Sechium edule), also known as sayote, tayota, choko, chocho, chow-chow, christophine or merliton, is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae along with melons, cucumbers and squash.

[silverleaf]

Think about making a cake with them and walnuts.

[Kris T.]

I forgot to add, I don't peel them at all, I just wash and dice the whole thing into , well, pieces about the size of dice.

Then I steam it in the microwave with some water for about 5 minutes, then continue on with the fried apple recipe. I find that using a whole chayote yields enough of the dessert for 2 nights' worth.

It does taste better cooled. I like to add a little cream on top of mine, just plain old heavy whipping.

[Buffy45]

So Kris, you don't even remove the seed from the center?

I fixed 4 of these, they have been simmering for a couple of hours now and are tender, I am just letting the liquid cook down a little further. Definitely taste like apples!

[Kris T.]

So Kris, you don't even remove the seed from the center?

Funny, sometimes it isn't even apparent that there is a seed. Every one is different! Usually when I cut them, the knife just goes down through the center. When there is resistance, then I just cut around the harder inside part (the seed). Otherwise, I just eat the entire thing.

[realityjunkee]

AllieCat,

Did you give them a try? What's the verdict? I'm gonna try them this weekend I think. Please keep posting ways to prepare!

[Jennyl]

when I'm in mexico we eat a lot of chayotes. You can kind of boil or sautee them with other veggies and they are wonderful. Last time I looked here it was $1 for one chayote....ridiculous

[skg]

In my grocery store I can find them for $.89 each but at the farmer's market they are $.69 when they have them.

[skeopple]

Just got these for the first time: $1.89 each! at Super WalMart.

[AllieCat0817]

Originally Posted by realityjunkee

AllieCat,

Did you give them a try? What's the verdict? I'm gonna try them this weekend I think. Please keep posting ways to prepare!

Not yet. Kinda scared. lolll

[Buffy45]

When I looked at them yesterday, SWM was $1.29 a lb when they rang them up, although the sign said $1.29 each?? Kroger had them for 99c lb.
The only thing I would like different after cooking the "apples" is if the liquid on them would thicken up like real apples do, wonder if a person added a little jello to them at the end????? hmmmm

[Chrislukey]

WOW I love this thread thanks I need to try these!

[Ilpirata]

wonder if a person added a little jello to them at the end????? hmmmm
__________________

OMG... I bet that would be AWESOME! Maybe just some knox to thickent the "syrup"

[KOO]

Originally Posted by skeopple

Just got these for the first time: $1.89 each! at Super WalMart.

But around Thanksgiving and Christmas you can get them 3/$1.00 here in Louisiana at Walmart.

[Kris T.]

I would like different after cooking the "apples" is if the liquid on them would thicken up like real apples do

Buffy, when I make Linda Sue's recipe, the fried apple one, after the chayotes are fried up to my liking, I take them out of the pan but keep the liquid mixture (butter, lemon juice, chayote ooze , molasses and stevia/erythritol (substitute for Splenda). I find that if I keep on cooking it on low heat and stirring occasionally, it does get thicker eventually.

However, I end up putting the fried chayotes in the fridge, so it thickens up anyway. I only use the reducing method when I want to put the liquid on something else, like homemade ice cream. It's similar to a carmel sauce.

Kris

[mebjar]

Originally Posted by KOO

Yes.
The chayote (Sechium edule), also known as sayote, tayota, choko, chocho, chow-chow, christophine or merliton, is an edible plant that belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae along with melons, cucumbers and squash.

On Alton Brown's new mini-series Feasting on Waves, he was in a Carribean market looking at exotic fruits and showed a chayote calling it "the squash with a thousand names".

By the way, I love mine fried Linda Sue-style on top of my yogurt.

[skg]

I found this at an Asian market yesterday for $.50 each, I was happy. I finally found Jicama and bought one to try.

[lvgal]

Wow.. do a google image search for this and look at ALL the pictures that come up. I clicked on one pic and it took me to another page w/ a ton more pics of dishes. All the same blog.. click on one of the pics and it takes you to the blog of FFVegan recipes.
Anyhow.. good ideas that way.
This casserole looks good without the cornbread, and they also have a chayote soup that looks great , sans the potato.

Southwestern Chayote Casserole | Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

[TaDa!]

Thanks for the great link LVgirl!!! LOL!!! Although I'll have to add fat to the recipes and take out a few ingredients, this is a really good site for me!! and now I totally want to try Chayote!!!!!!!!!!!