Need some chop inspiration - more exotic ingredients

[chris-md]

its chop day in the next couple days. I need to shake things up a bit and use some ingredients i dont usually think about. I keep a great diversity: assorted grains, pulses, beans, veggies.

Couple coming to mind that I want to add:

Bee pollen
Cous cous
Might use turnip
Some veggie powders if Whole Foods sells them - curious to see how this would help with moisture

You can see where im going with this. Can you all think of anything else that isnt necessarily the obvious grains/fruits/veggies?

 

[zERo]

its chop day in the next couple days. I need to shake things up a bit and use some ingredients i dont usually think about. I keep a great diversity: assorted grains, pulses, beans, veggies.

Couple coming to mind that I want to add:

Bee pollen
Cous cous
Might use turnip
Some veggie powders if Whole Foods sells them - curious to see how this would help with moisture

You can see where im going with this. Can you all think of anything else that isnt necessarily the obvious grains/fruits/veggies?

I use bee pollen granules in my chop, and have used Cous cous before. I've used freeze dried veggie powders made from whole freeze dried veg.
I read the ingredients list you had an your last chop thread (That's what led me hear lol)
Never used turnip before, I use radish (mainly for the color)
Have you used sprouted or cooked mung beans? Every bird loves those (Mine do at least)

Adding dried flowers can be nice for color, I use hibiscus, chamomile, rose hips, and sometimes sprinkle a bit of red roobioos. For color, I've never used them but I know their safe, is blue cornflowers.
I'll also add Ceylon cinnamon (too their portion for a meal once a week for flavor)
Recently got frozen red dragon fruit too, probably would be good to freeze with the chop, too mushy (GCC loves it!)

 

[HeatherG]

I would probably use beets as I think the birds would be attracted by the color. I’ve also been feeding edible flowers (in the summer). The birds really notice the colors and so they go for those flowers.

 

[chris-md]

I would probably use beets as I think the birds would be attracted by the color. I’ve also been feeding edible flowers (in the summer). The birds really notice the colors and so they go for those flowers.

Beets - one of the things ive sworn ill necer use due to staining potential hes often fed over carpet so i have to be a little judicious.

You both mentioned flowers. Ive thoguht about that on ovcasion and even tried a dandelion or two, but he wont touch them. Im shopping now, if i find something like loose leaf lavendar tea or chamomile tea, ill give that a try. Given longer timeframe, i might have ordered parrot tea from greywood manor. They use whole flowere. Unfortunately options oike that are limited right now.

 

[Cottonoid]

My grocery store has edible flowers in the produce section with fresh herbs - maybe look there if your store has herbs in those little clamshell plastic boxes?

 

[HeatherG]

My grocery store has edible flowers in the produce section with fresh herbs - maybe look there if your store has herbs in those little clamshell plastic boxes?

Or you could just grow some nasturtiums or whatever…. Nasturtiums are good in salads.

 

[HeatherG]

Last time I offered Willow a nasturtium blossom, he bit off the base of the flower, where the nectar is stored. I was surprised as he hadn’t had nasturtiums before.

 

[WingDing]

Some things I've tried with Toby:
Oca, taro, yuca, jicama, jackfruit, guava, starfruit, dragon fruit (can cause runny purple droppings though), star anise, dandelion flowers. Gosh, I know we've tried other things but that all my tired brain could come up with.