A hand pump is an excellent idea and can be a life saver.
Getting water out of a well, is impossible, unless there is a working pump.
Use it a couple times a week, for it will have what are called leathers in it, has to do with making the water pressure to bring up the water and if they dry out, the pump will not work.
When those that are laughing at you want water, and it will happen one of these days, be sure they do all the pumping.
HEPATITIS B VIRUS - INDIA (08): (GUJARAT), RECYCLED MEDICAL WASTE
***********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Thu 12 Mar 2009
Source: The National Newspaper online [edited]
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090312/FOREIGN/97643596/1103/NEWS
Officials in Gujarat state seized hundreds of tons of recycled
medical equipment and arrested more than 100 medical scrap dealers
and 22 doctors over the past week, after an outbreak of hepatitis B
killed at least 70 people and left about 240 others infected with the
deadly virus.
[Hepatitis B] virus is usually transmitted through sexual contact or
by sharing needles or syringes.
Two of the arrested doctors in the town of Modasa in Sabarkantha
district, the centre of the epidemic in Gujarat, were charged with
culpable homicide after it was learnt that some victims had been
treated in their clinic. The doctors — father and son — had used
the same syringes and needles on multiple patients, police said.
After raiding underground warehouses in Modasa, police and pollution
control officials seized recycled medical waste, most of it packaged
and ready for supply to clinics or hospitals. A similar seizure of
recycled medical waste took place in other parts of Gujarat,
including Ahmedabad. In Modasa, Surat, Rajkot and Ahmedabad,
officials discovered makeshift packaging units where recycled
needles, syringes, pediatric droppers, intravenous drips and other
equipment were being sorted, simply washed and neatly repackaged for sale.
Five Ahmedabad-based pharmaceutical companies were also found
repackaging used medical waste in the same unsafe manner, and the
Gujarat pollution control board has issued closure notices against
them. Investigators found that medical waste pickers collected used
needles and other equipment from hundreds of private hospitals,
thousands of doctors and some government hospitals and then sold them
to underground recycling gangs who traded in them.
Scientists from Pune’s National Institute of Virology identified the
killer virus as a “dangerously mutated strain” of hepatitis B [virus]
that can kill its victims in an unusually short time. Jay Narayan
Vyas, Gujarat’s health minister, said his department was sure the
infection spread fast because of the use of infected syringes or
needles by private doctors and that his government would take
stringent action against those responsible. “The situation turned
worse because private doctors and hospitals are not under a
regulatory mechanism. In the absence of any legal obligation and
related punitive measures of dereliction, the private medical
practitioners use substandard facilities and equipment,” Mr Vyas said.
The practice of recycling medical equipment is not a new problem in
India. The Indian Clinical Epidemiology Network said that up to 31.6
per cent of the 3 billion to 6 billion injections administered in the
country annually were done with used equipment and carried the
potential risk of spreading such blood-borne viruses as those causing
hepatitis and AIDS. The authorities in Gujarat were aware that many
clinics in the state were unsafe but had failed to act sooner because
of the “high regard for doctors,” said Dr Ramesh Shah, secretary of
the Gujarat Pollution Control Board.
“This entire saga of medical waste trading is disgusting, and we will
not spare the offenders. I am aghast that doctors can risk lives like
this for the cost of small change.” Some experts said that in the
absence of a regulatory mechanism, similar outbreaks are bound to
occur in the future.
“There is no law under which it could be mandatory for Gujarat’s 13
000 private medical practitioners to reveal where they bought their
equipment. In this situation, many culprits — including doctors and
infected equipment suppliers — are slipping out of the police
dragnet,” said one Ahmedabad-based pollution control officer. “We
have no idea how many thousands of infected needles or syringes may
already be in use in medical clinics across the state. It is
impossible to trace them all,” he said.
[Byline: Shaikh Azizur Rahman]
—
Communicated by:
HealthMap Alerts via
ProMED-mail promed@promedmail.org
[This is an appalling revelation. In these circumstances, it seems
unnecessary to attribute the outbreak to a “dangerously mutated
strain” of hepatitis B virus that can kill its victims in an
unusually short period. The exposure of patients to non-sterile
recycled medical equipment would be likely to enhance the severity of
any disease condition. - Mod.CP]
[see also:
Hepatitis B virus - India (07): (GJ) 20090225.0774
Hepatitis B virus - India (06): (GJ) 20090224.0768
Hepatitis B virus - India (05): (GJ), hepatitis D, RFI 20090223.0756
Hepatitis B virus - India (04): (GJ), hepatitis D, RFI 20090221.0727
Hepatitis B virus - India (03): (GJ), hepatitis D, RFI 20090220.0717
Hepatitis B virus - India (02): (GJ), hepatitis D, RFI 20090217.0660
Hepatitis B virus - India: (GJ), hepatitis D, RFI 20090216.0651
..........................................mpp/cp/msp/mpp
1. Pure Fishing Recalls Children’s Fishing Games Due to Violation of Ban on Lead in Paint
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09150.html
2. Kidde Recalls to Replace Fire Extinguishers Due to Failure to Operate
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09151.html
3. Valero Marketing & Supply Co. Announce Recall to Inspect Propane Gas; Can Pose Fire and Burn Hazard
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09152.html
4. Tippmann(r) A-5(r) Paintball Markers Recalled for Repair Due to Risk of Injury
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09153.html
5. Seattle Cotton Works Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings Recalled Due to Strangulation Hazard
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09154.html
Bartering Drawing Big Business
Bartering An Option For Cash-Strapped Companies
By Tyler Lopez, 7NEWS Reporter
POSTED: 3:39 pm MDT March 11, 2009
UPDATED: 3:46 pm MDT March 12, 2009
WESTMINSTER, Colo. — While the economy is undoubtedly down, trade is up. Old-fashioned person-to-person and new millennium Internet trading are seeing a big jump this year, and it’s not just with individuals.
At BarterQuest.com an online trading site, first-time visitor traffic is up 500 percent from January to February this year. The owner of Itex, another site offering ways for you to trade one item for another, said Denver is his fastest growing market. He said Coloradans seem to “get” bartering quicker than Internet users in Florida or Los Angeles.
Community Connect Trade Association in Westminster specializes in business to business bartering and it’s bucking the national trend: It is growing in a recession. It has 136 businesses already and recently hired employees.
“And we expect to expand rapidly over the next year,” said CCTA founder Annette Riggs.
For a one-time $395 membership fee and 5-percent per transaction charge, CCTA gives businesses access to the other groups to barter with and gives them the comfort that CCTA will collect if there ever is a bartering problem.
CCTA is a for-profit company capitalizing on the barter bonanza.
“We hope that we can keep some people from laying off a few people that they might have and a few small businesses from going out of business that might have by conserving their cash,” Riggs said.
continued....
CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
Posted by: “angelkisses51 To visit your group on the web, go to:
To visit your group on the web, go to:
Source: FamilyTime Favorites
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! Celebrate with this traditional
boiled meal but don’t forget about it on other days of the year.
Serves: 6
Prep. time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
- 3 pounds corned beef, or brisket
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 6 medium-size onions
- 6 medium-size potatoes, scrubbed
- 6 medium-size carrots, peeled and trimmed
- 1 green cabbage, trimmed and cut into 6 wedges
Put the beef in a large, heavy pan or pot with enough cold water to
cover it by 1 inch. Add the garlic and peppercorns, bring to the boil
and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook gently for about 3 hours
until the beef is tender but not falling apart.
About 20 minutes before beef is done, add the onions, potatoes, carrots
and cabbage and continue cooking until they are just tender.
Remove the beef and transfer it to a serving platter. Cover and keep
warm.
Increase the heat under the saucepan to moderately high and cook for 10
to 15 minutes longer until the vegetables are tender. Arrange the
vegetables on the platter around the beef. Serve immediately with
pickles, horseradish and mustard.
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/casseroles_and_crockpots/
[When my sister cooked ours last year, she put it in a dry crockpot and did not add any liquid, it did not need it and was an excellent roast.
I have since done the same with a regular roast and at the end the meat was tender and I had all kinds of juices from the roast...
Except that I like the added taste of beer and coffee in roast beef and ham...
granny]
A bunch of really good recipes:[an amazing number]
http://www.koa.com/recipes/campfirecooking.htm
Useful information about making, and keeping a good campfire:
http://www.eartheasy.com/play_campfire_cooking.htm
More really good information on things you can use to cook with, recipes:
http://www.campfiredude.com/campfire-cooking.shtml
50 Tips for Frugal Living:
http://zenhabits.net/2007/08/the-cheapskate-guide-50-tips-for-frugal-living/
Posted by: “*~Tamara~*”
Chicken Salad with Cumin and Parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons grated onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
2 cups shredded lettuce, such as leaf lettuce or romaine
In a large bowl, whisk together the onion, mayonnaise, yogurt, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in the chicken and parsley and toss to combine.
Put the lettuce on plates. Top with the chicken salad.
Yield: 4 servings
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Posted by: “*~Tamara~*”
Quick Thai Chicken and Vegetable Curry
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1- to 2-inch-long julienne strips
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons red curry paste, or to taste
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup “lite” coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce or reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon lime juice
Lime wedges
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and onion; cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and curry paste; stir to mix. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, coconut milk, fish sauce (or soy sauce) and brown sugar; bring to a simmer. Add cauliflower, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and lime juice; cook just until spinach has wilted. Serve immediately, with lime wedges.
Yield: 4 servings
Recipe Provided By: EatingWell.com
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3. From My Collection Of Personal Recipes - Thai Thighs
Posted by: “David R”
Hi...here is one I have used and really like, especially when I kick it up a notch or two with the use of cayenne pepper and chopped hot peppers...best regards...David
Thai Thighs
You can adjust the heat level of this recipe by altering the amount of salsa and/or the chili sauce/sambal to taste.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs, bone-in (skin optional)
1 cup salsa verde (so salsa is not Thai – this is fusion cuisine!)
1 tsp Thai sweet chili sauce or sambal oelek chili paste
3-4 fl oz Thai peanut sauce
2-3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice (or lemon)
1 1/2 Tbsp Asian fish sauce or oyster sauce
6-10 scallions, white part only, chopped
2 tsp ginger, freshly grated or minced
1/4 cup cashews (or more, to taste) (to garnish)
fresh cilantro or parsley (to garnish)
scallion green part, chopped (to garnish)
Method:
Place salsa, chili sauce, peanut sauce, juice, fish sauce, scallions and ginger in a bowl – mix thoroughly.
Chill this mixture for 30 minutes, then taste and adjust spice/heat to taste.
Place this mixture and the thighs in a gallon freezer bag or a covered plastic container.
Shake well to thoroughly coat thighs and marinate overnight in fridge, turning once or twice.
Dump the whole shootin’ match in ye olde crocke potte and cook on low setting for about 6 to 7 hours or till chicken is cooked thoroughly.
I often start this in the oven in the morning if my crocke potte is busy with beans, as it often is, and slow cook it all day in a covered casserole at 200°F.
Carefully remove chicken to a pre-warmed serving dish.
Taste sauce again and adjust seasonings to taste. You may want to thicken it at this point with 2 tsp cornstarch in several Tbsp water and bring to boil, then simmer 5 minutes or as thick as you like stirring constantly.
Place cashews in plastic baggie and bash `em with a kitchen hammer/mallet.
Serve chicken with sauce poured over and garnish with bashed cashews and chopped cilantro/parsley/scallions. Goes great with rice of course. Mashed potatoes too.
Dining is and always was a great artistic opportunity.
~ Frank Lloyd Wright
This is another great group owned by *~Tamara~*
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Simply-Spicy/
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/03/breakfast-casserole-recipe-with-sweet.html
Breakfast Casserole with Sweet Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, and Cheese
(Makes 6 servings, recipe created by Kalyn.)
(If you’ve never made this type of breakfast casserole with eggs, you might want to read this post about South Beach Diet Phase One Breakfast Casseroles, which gives variations and instructions for different sizes. This version uses less eggs and is flatter than I usually make, but it was a great variation.)
2 or 3 links sweet turkey Italian Sausage
1-2 tsp. olive oil + 1 T olive oil (more or less, depending on your pan)
1 lb. sliced mushrooms (I used plain white mushrooms, but Crimini mushrooms would be great)
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, rinsed and drained
8 eggs, beaten until whites and yolks are well combined
1 tsp. Spike seasoning (optional but recommended, can also use any other spice blend you like with eggs)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese + 2 T for sprinkling on top
1/2 cup pizza cheese (a low-fat blend of Mozarella, Provolone, Romano, and Parmesan; can use other low-fat white cheese)
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375F/190C. Add 1-2 tsp. olive oil to a small frying pan, squeeze sweet turkey Italian sausage out of casings, and cook until sausage is done and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. I used the sharp side of a metal turner to break the sausage apart as it cooked.
While sausage cooks, put cottage cheese into a fine strainer, put strainer in sink and rinse cottage cheese gently with cold water and let drain. Wash mushrooms, spin or pat dry, slice, and brown in about 1 T olive oil in a separate pan.
Break eggs into a medium sized bowl, then beat with a fork until yolks and whites are well combined. Add Spike seasoning, drained cottage cheese, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and stir together.
Spray 9 X 13 glass or crockery casserole dish with olive oil or non-stick spray, then layer mushrooms, sausage, and pizza cheese. Pour egg mixture over other ingredients, then use a fork to gently stir so ingredients are well-distributed in eggs. Sprinkle 2 T Parmesan cheese over top and grind over some black pepper.
Bake casserole until eggs are set and slightly browned on top, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.
This will keep well in the fridge for as long as a week. When I make egg casseroles like this, I often divide them out into individual containers, then microwave it for breakfast all week. Be careful not to microwave too long or the eggs will get rubbery.
South Beach Suggestions:
With turkey Italian sausage and low-fat cheese, this is a great dish for any phase of the South Beach Diet, or any other low-glycemic eating plan. This is a bit richer than some versions of breakfast casseroles with veggies, so don’t overdo it on the fat for the rest of the day.
More Breakfast Casserole Recipes to Try:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Breakfast Casserole with Mushrooms, Green Bell Peppers, and Feta from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Broccoli Cheese Breakfast Casserole from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Mushroom and Feta Breakfast Casserole from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Southwestern Egg Casserole from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Red Russian Kale and Red Onion Savory Breakfast Squares from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Ham and Cheese Egg Casserole from Closet Cooking
Mexican Breakfast Casserole from Eat It Atlanta
Green Chile Baked Breakfast Casserole from My Wooden Spoon
Breakfast Pizza Casserole from Just Baking
(Want even more breakfast casserole recipes? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2005/09/spice-up-your-low-carb-diet-glories-of.html
(Updated May 2008) Recently I created an archives page for all the posts I’ve written for Kalyn’s Kitchen Picks and was surprised to realize I’d never written an official pick for Spike Seasoning. I did find a post back in 2005 where I’d written about Spike, so I’m just updating that post here instead of cluttering up the interwebs! Truly my love for Spike has not wavered during that time, despite some of the anti-Spike comments (which are still there from the original post.) Spike has been sold for more than 50 years, so I think it’s safe to say I’m not the only one who likes it!
I like the flavor Spike adds to egg dishes, salads, stews and soups, marinades, and roasted vegetables. I think it adds a little extra something to dishes where you want a complex blend of flavors; I probably wouldn’t use it for a dish where you want one flavor to dominate.
Spike was originally created by Gayelord Hauser and is made by Modern Products. What’s in it? Here’s a list of the 39 ingredients: Salt and sea salt, de-fatted nutri-soy granules, granular toasted onion, nutritional yeast, granular garlic, celery root granules, ground dill, horseradish granules, mustard powder, lemon peel, orange powder, parsley flakes, red bell peppers, green bell peppers, white pepper, rose hips powder, summer savory, mushroom powder, safflower, parsley powder, white onion powder, spinach powder, tomato powder, sweet Hungarian paprika, ground celery seed, cayenne pepper, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground ginger, ground coriander, ground fenugreek, ground cloves, cinnamon powder, plus a delightful herbal bouquet of the best Greek oregano, French tarragon, French sweet basil, French marjoram, French rosemary and Spanish Thyme. Spike comes with or without salt. It contains no chemical free flowing agents and the label says “No added MSG.” There is 24 mg. potassium in the salt free variety per serving. Spike has quite a collection of flavors, but it works amazingly well. Spike is often sold near the health foods, although some grocery stores carry it near the spices in Utah.
(Edit - read the debate in the comments about “no added” MSG for clarification. I personally am not concerned about MSG or sensitive to it, and based on what I learned when I wrote this post about MSG for Blogher I consider it to be safe.)
If you live in the U.S. you can probably find Spike in your grocery store, or in a health food store. You can also buy Spike Seasoning from Amazon.com or from Gayelord Hauser’s Modern Products.
More about Spike:
Lydia from The Perfect Pantry also wrote about Spike Seasoning.
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/02/bread-machine-recipe-for-100-whole.html
Bread Machine Recipe for 100% Whole Wheat Bread with Oats, Bran, and Flaxseed Meal
(Makes one loaf, about 1.5 pounds, recipe created by Kalyn.)
Dry ingredients - Mix in bowl:
2 cups White Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup ground rolled oats (oatmeal ground in a food processor, or use 1 cup whole oatmeal)
1/3 cup wheat bran
2 T flaxseed meal
2 T vital wheat gluten
1 T dough enhancer
1 tsp. salt
Wet Ingredients and sweeteners - Mix in measuring cup:
1 1/3 cup lukewarm water
1 T olive oil
1 T agave nectar
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. yeast (I used Red Star Active Dry Yeast, not a special yeast for bread machines.)
Follow directions for your bread machine. In my Oster Bread Machine I put the liquid in first, followed by the dry ingredients I mixed in the bowl. Then I make a small well in the flour and put the yeast in that. I used the whole wheat setting on the machine.
Watch bread while it goes through the first mixing cycle, and if it doesn’t form a ball you may need to add either more flour or water, 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough should make a firm ball and be only slightly sticky.
If you’re going to be taking photos of the bread for your food blog, you may want to take the dough out of the machine right before the final rise and gently fold sides under to make a loaf with a smooth top. When I didn’t do that, I still had a tasty bread but the top wasn’t as well-shaped.
My bread machine takes 3 hours 40 minutes for the whole wheat cycle. Bread is delicious hot or cold, and also makes great toast.
South Beach Suggestions:
Bread like this with 100% whole wheat flour and other whole grains is a great choice for phase 2 or 3 of the South Beach Diet. I wrote an earlier post on Choosing the Right Bread for the South Beach Diet, which might be informative.
More Bread Recipes with White Whole Wheat Flour:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
White Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Irish Soda Bread from Kalyn’s Kitchen
100% Whole Wheat and Bran Bread from Kalyn’s Kitchen
No Knead 100% Whole Wheat Bread from Su Good Sweets
Whole Grain Sesame Flaxseed Bread from Apple Pie Patis and Pate
Favorite 100% Whole Wheat Bread from Cooking for Seven
(Want even more white whole wheat recipes? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/03/crockpot-recipe-for-black-bean-stew.html
Black Bean Stew with Roasted Red Pepper, Chicken, and Cilantro
(Makes about 6 servings, recipe created by Kalyn.)
I used a 4.5 quart Crockpot slow cooker to make this, but any size from 3.5 to 4.5 quarts will work. See after recipe for instructions for cooking on the stove.
1 onion, chopped
3 cans (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed well (could also use several types of beans)
2 cans (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes
1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red pepper, diced
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles (I used Anaheim chiles, only mildly hot)
4 cups chicken stock (I used homemade chicken stock.)
3 T dried cilantro (or less, if you’re less enthusiastic about cilantro)
2 T ground cumin (or less if you’re not sure how much you like cumin)
1 T minced garlic
2 tsp. dried Mexican Oregano (probably optional, but good in this)
2 cups diced, cooked chicken (or more)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or more)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Chop onion, and saute in olive oil if desired, or put raw onion in crockpot. Empty black beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse until no more foam appears. (Don’t skip this step, which removes some of the salt and makes the beans much easier to digest.) Let beans drain slightly, then add to crockpot. Drain jar of red pepper and chop into small pieces and add to crockpot.
Add diced green chiles, chicken stock, dried cilantro, ground cumin, garlic, and Mexican Oregano to crockpot. Cook on high 4 hours, or until flavors are well blended.
Add diced chicken, turn heat to low, and cook 15 minutes, then add chopped cilantro and cook 15 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper and serve hot.
Stovetop Cooking Instructions:
Chop onion and saute in a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of large soup pot. Add drained black beans, tomatoes, diced red pepper, and green chiles same as above. Increase chicken stock to 6 cups, and slightly decrease spices for stovetop cooking. Simmer stew at medium simmer about 45 minutes. Lower heat slightly and add diced chicken, cook 10 minutes. Add chopped cilantro and cook 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper as desired and serve hot.
South Beach Suggestions:
This stew is a great choice for any phase of the South Beach Diet, or any other low-glycemic eating plan. For phase one, this would taste great with something like Spicy Mexican Slaw with Lime and Cilantro. For phase two or three, you could add some 100% Whole Wheat Bread.
More ideas for Black Bean Soup or Stew
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Black Bean and Rice Soup with Cilantro and Lime from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Crockpot Black Bean and Tomatillo Soup with Lime and Cilantro from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup with Five Peppers and Ham from Andrea’s Recipes
Mexican Black Bean Soup for Sher from Karina’s Kitchen
Cuban Black Bean Stew from Batter-Splattered
(Want even more black bean soup or stew recipes? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)
http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/03/recipe-for-asian-lettuce-cups-or-wraps.html
Recipe for Asian Lettuce Cups (or wraps) with Spicy Ground Turkey Filling
Lettuce wraps or lettuce cupsI vividly remember when I first had lettuce wraps, at a Chinese restaurant in Salt Lake where a friend named Mike was hip enough to order them even though they weren’t on the menu. This was about 20 years ago; now lettuce wraps are somewhat mainstream, and made with lean ground turkey like this, they make a wonderfully South South Beach Diet friendly dinner option. This dish with spicy meat eaten inside pieces of lettuce can be called lettuce wraps or lettuce cups, but I like to pile up the lettuce cup with lots of filling rather than wrapping it, so I’m calling them lettuce cups.
I’ve featured cilantro for Weekend Herb Blogging so many times it might seem like Weekend Cilantro Blogging, but I do think cilantro adds a lot of flavor here. This week the host is the fabulous Haalo, now official herb mistress after I became overwhelmed with my dual identity of teacher/blogger and couldn’t keep up. To join in, check the Rules for Weekend Herb Blogging.
Start with finely minced red onion (or shallots), garlic, and ginger, which are sauteed in oil before the meat is added.
Then add ground turkey, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and a touch of fish sauce and saute until the meat is well done and infused with all the other flavors. (The original recipe had a bit of sugar, which I intended to substitute for Splenda and just forgot to add. I tested the recipe on my sister Pam and brother-in-law Kelly and they both agreed it wasn’t missed.)
While the ground turkey was cooking, I used the bowl attachment of my immersion blender to finely chop about half a bunch of fresh cilantro. If it was summer and I had herbs from my garden, I might have chopped some fresh mint to garnish the lettuce cups.
Add the chopped cilantro to the cooked meat mixture and cook a few minutes more.
Cut out the core from a head of Boston lettuce, butter lettuce, or even iceberg lettuce, wash the lettuce and spin dry, and you’re ready to eat!
Asian Lettuce Cups with Spicy Ground Turkey Filling
(Makes 4-6 servings, recipe adapted from California Sol Food, a great cookbook I got as a gift from Alice Q. Foodie, who I met when I visited San Diego last year.)
1 T peanut oil or vegetable oil (or slightly more, depending on the pan you have)
3 T minced red onion or shallots
2 T minced garlic (I used minced garlic from a jar but fresh garlic would be even better)
2 T grated ginger root
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
4 T soy sauce (I used Tamari)
1 T Chile Garlic Sauce (or slightly more if you like spicy foods)
1 tsp. fish sauce (probably optional, although I like fish sauce!)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (about 1/2 large bunch)
1/3 cup chopped peanuts (optional, especially for braces wearers!)
1 large head or 2 small heads Boston Lettuce or butter lettuce, or substitute 1 head iceberg lettuce
Chop onion and set aside. Peel ginger root, then grate with the large side of a cheese grater, and chop garlic if using fresh garlic. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add onion and saute about 2 minutes, then add garlic and ginger root and saute about one minute more.
Add ground turkey to frying pan (with a bit more oil if needed) and break apart and spread out with turner, then add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and fish sauce. Cook until the turkey is brown and crumbling apart, and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
While turkey cooks, wash and chop fresh cilantro to make 1 cup. Remove the core end from lettuce, separate leaves, and wash in salad spinner and spin dry (or wash under running water and dry with paper towels.) Chop peanuts and put in small bowl to serve at the table.
When turkey is done, add chopped cilantro and cook 1-2 minutes more. Serve filling and lettuce leaves in separate bowls, with chopped peanuts in another small bowl. Each person takes a lettuce leaf, fills with desired amount of turkey mixture, adds chopped peanuts, and then eats the mixture from the lettuce cup. I fold the lettuce cup over when I eat it, so it’s kind of taco-shaped, but some people like to wrap the lettuce clear around the filling.
South Beach Suggestions:
With lean ground turkey and other low-glycemic ingredients, this is a perfect dinner option for any phase of the South Beach Diet. For an Asian themed dinner, you could serve this with dishes like Chinese Broccoli Salad, Wake Up Your Mouth Thai Cucumber Salad, or Baked Tofu with Soy and Sesame.
More Versions of Lettuce Wraps or Lettuce Cups
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Chicken Lettuce Wraps by Rand from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Asian Lettuce Cups with Ground Turkey and Green Apple from Steamy Kitchen
Lettuce-Wrapped Chicken from Rasa Malaysia
Thai Lettuce Wraps from Kitchen Talk to Chew On
Quick Weeknight Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps from Picky Palate
Hoisin Pork Lettuce Wraps from Dinner with Julie
(Want even more recipes for lettuce wraps or lettuce cups? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)
http://www.bohemianrevolution.com
Banana Coffee Ice Cream Sundae
Posted: 11 Mar 2009 06:58 AM PDT
sundae several photos.....
I recently discovered something wonderful: a banana split sundae with coffee ice cream instead of the more traditional vanilla or chocolate is so totally yummy. The banana’s mellow sweetness and the coffee ice cream’s slight bitterness make this amazing contrast. Throw on some chocolate sauce, whipped cream and nuts (and cherries, or whatever else you like), and it’s delicious.
Ingredients
* Banana, sliced in half lengthwise
* Coffee Ice Cream (I like Haagen Daas, because it’s only got a few ingredients and none of them are bizarre chemicals - and it’s delicious)
* Chocolate sauce (I like Nesquik)
* Whipped cream
* Almonds or cashews - both are wonderful, as would be probably most other types of nuts
* Maraschino cherries (optional)
ingredients
This is really simple, and you can make it in whatever order you want, but just for fun I photographed my own creation stage by stage.
Let’s go bananas - and nuts!
bananas
First, go bananas.
chocolate
The bananas want to be close to the chocolate. Indulge them.
icecream
The coffee ice cream comes next - right in the middle, and stirring up trouble.
nuts
After coffee, sometimes we go a little bit nuts.
chocolate2
The nuts also want to be close to the chocolate, and if you’re smart, you know better than to mess with them. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with two drizzles of chocolate. Right?
whipped
Whipped cream - the perfect lid to put on this insane asylum.
sundae1
And one final drizzle of chocolate. What? It wasn’t even my idea! The whipped cream felt naked. What was I supposed to do?
1. Savory Biscuits
Posted by: “elizabeth
Savory Biscuits
Country Woman Christmas
Shredded cheese and a sprinkling of herbs give refrigerated biscuits great flavor. This is one of my favorite bread recipes.
SERVINGS: 20
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 10 min. Bake: 25 min.
Ingredients:
2 tubes (12 ounces each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dill weed
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Separate each tube of biscuits into 10 biscuits; place in a single layer in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with cheeses. Drizzle with butter; sprinkle with seasonings. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 20 biscuits.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 77 Fat: 4 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 10 mg Sodium: 195 mg Carbohydrate: 8 g Fiber: 0 g Protein: 3 g
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Savory-Biscuit
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2. Pizza Biscuits
Posted by: “elizabeth
Pizza Biscuits
Quick Cooking
For fast appetizers or after-school munchies, fix a batch of these zippy bites from Angie Marquart of Bellville, Ohio. They’re covered with onion, seasoned tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Add whatever pizza toppings you like.
SERVINGS: 9
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 10 min. Bake: 25 min.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tube (7-1/2 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:
Pour butter into a 9-in. square baking dish; set aside. In a bowl, combine the tomato sauce, onion, oil, garlic, basil and oregano. Cut each biscuit into four wedges; dip into tomato mixture.
Place in prepared pan; pour any remaining tomato mixture over top. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 9 servings.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: (4 biscuit pieces, prepared with part-skim mozzarella) Calories: 99 Fat: 4 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 6 mg Sodium: 317 mg Carbohydrate: 13 g Fiber: 0 g Protein: 3 g Diabetic Exchange: 1 starch, 1/2 fat.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Pizza-Biscuits
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3a. Angel Biscuits
Posted by: “elizabeth )
Angel Biscuits
Taste of Home
I first received a sample of these light, wonderful biscuits, along with the recipe, from an elderly gentleman friend. I now bake them often as a Saturday-morning treat, served with butter and honey. They’re perfect with sausage gravy, too! —Faye Hintz, Springfield, Missouri
SERVINGS: 30
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 20 min. + rising Bake: 10 min.
Ingredients:
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110° - 115°)
2 cups warm buttermilk (110° - 115°)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup shortening
Melted butter
Directions:
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the buttermilk; set aside. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in yeast/buttermilk mixture; mix well.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 3-4 times. Roll into a 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 1-1/2 hours.
Bake at 450° for 8-10 minutes. Lightly brush tops with melted butter. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 150 Fat: 7 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 1 mg Sodium: 244 mg Carbohydrate: 19 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 3 g
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Angel-Biscuits
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4. Orange Biscuits
Posted by: “elizabeth
Orange Biscuits
Taste of Home
These biscuits are a special treat with a ham dinner, but they’re also delicious just by themselves. They’re often requested by my five children and seven grandchildren. I’ve been enjoying them since the 1940’s. —Winifred Brown, Wilmette, Illinois
SERVINGS: 12
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 25 min. Bake: 15 min.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup milk
Melted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
In a saucepan, combine orange juice, 1/2 cup sugar, butter and orange peel. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Divide among 12 muffin cups; set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With a fork, stir in milk until mixture forms a ball. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 1 minute. Roll into a 9-in. square, about 1/2-in. thick. Brush with melted butter.
Combine the cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over butter. Roll up. Cut into 12 slices, about 3/4 in. thick. Place slices, cut side down, over orange mixture in muffin cups. Bake at 450° for 12-16 minutes. Cool for 2-3 minutes; remove from pan. Yield: 1 dozen.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 209 Fat: 9 g Saturated Fat: 4 g Cholesterol: 12 mg Sodium: 245 mg Carbohydrate: 30 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 3 g
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Orange-Biscuits
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5. Herbed Biscuits
Posted by: “elizabeth
Herbed Biscuits
Taste of Home
These savory biscuits bake up golden and tender. The blend of herb seasonings is irresistible. Keep the convenient seasoning mix on hand for a variety of uses.—Jane Everett, Pinehurst, North Carolina
SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
Ingredients:
SEASONING MIX:
2 tablespoon each dried oregano, marjoram and basil
4 teaspoons dried savory
2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
2 teaspoons rubbed sage
BISCUITS:
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Directions:
Combine seasoning mix ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place.
For biscuits, saute 1 tablespoon mix and onion in 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet until onion is tender; set aside.
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Combine egg, milk and onion mixture; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-15 times. Roll to 3/4-in. thickness; cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Melt remaining butter; brush over biscuits. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 450° for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 6 biscuits (1/2 cup seasoning mix). Editor’s Note: Seasoning mix is enough for eight batches of biscuits. It may also be used on chicken, pork, beef and steamed vegetables.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 265 Fat: 14 g Saturated Fat: 5 g Cholesterol: 49 mg Sodium: 419 mg Carbohydrate: 28 g Fiber: 3 g Protein: 6 g
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Herbed-Biscuits
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6a. Yeast Biscuits
Posted by: “elizabeth
Yeast Biscuits
Taste of Home
Wonderful from-scratch yeast biscuits-golden and crusty outside and tender inside-were a staple Mom prepared regularly when I was growing up. They are perfect for sopping up gravy from bowls of beef stew and are also great for sandwiches.
SERVINGS: 30
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 30 min. + rising Bake: 10 min.
Ingredients:
3-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions:
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the sugar, butter, milk, eggs, salt and whole wheat flour; beat until smooth. Add enough all-purpose flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.
Punch dough down; divide into thirds. Let rest for 5 minutes. On a floured surface, roll out each portion to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 110 Fat: 4 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 24 mg Sodium: 159 mg Carbohydrate: 16 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 3 g
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Yeast-Biscuits
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7a. Cranberry Biscuits
Posted by: “elizabeth
Cranberry Biscuits
Quick Cooking
I like the texture and nutrition of potato rolls and the taste of orange-cranberry bread, so I combined them in these yummy breakfast biscuits. Dotted with dried cranberries and drizzled with a sweet glaze, these tender treats are a family favorite. -Debra Fulenwider, Colfax, California
SERVINGS: 18
CATEGORY: Side Dish
METHOD: Bread Machine
TIME: Prep: 40 min. + rising Bake: 10 min.
Ingredients:
1-2/3 cups warm milk (70° to 80°)
2 eggs
3 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup mashed potato flakes
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup dried cranberries
ORANGE GLAZE:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons chopped dried cranberries, optional
Directions:
In bread machine pan, place the first 10 ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Just before final kneading (your machine may audibly signal this), add cranberries.
When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes. Roll or pat to 1/2-in. thickness. cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place in a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 40 minutes.
Bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. For glaze, combine confectioners’ sugar and enough orange juice to achieve a glaze consistency. Drizzle over warm biscuits. Sprinkle with chopped cranberries if desired. Yield: about 1-1/2 dozen.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 slice) Calories: 198 Fat: 3 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 32 mg Sodium: 306 mg Carbohydrate: 39 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 6 g
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Cranberry-Biscuits
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8a. Jam Biscuits
Posted by: “elizabeth
Jam Biscuits
Quick Cooking
My teenage granddaughter, Holly, and I have enjoyed cooking together since she was 4 years old,” relates Mary Lindsay of Durango, Colorado. “We like to make these golden biscuits for holiday gatherings. Fill the centers with homemade jam, orange marmalade or cheese,” she suggests.
SERVINGS: 30
CATEGORY: Breads
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 20 min.
Ingredients:
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
5 tablespoons warm water (110° to 115°)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup shortening
1-1/2 cups warm buttermilk* (110° to 115°)
Raspberry or plum jelly or jam
Directions:
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add yeast mixture to buttermilk; stir into dry ingredients until combined.
Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 5-6 times. Roll or pat to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Cut a 1-in. slit at an angle halfway through center of each biscuit. Separate dough at cut; fill with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of jelly or jam. Place on ungreased baking sheets (do not let rise). Bake at 400° for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen. *Editor’s Note: Warmed buttermilk will appear curdled.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 each) Calories: 147 Fat: 7 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 156 mg Carbohydrate: 18 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 3 g
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Jam-Biscuits
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9a. Garden Biscuits
Posted by: “elizabeth
Garden Biscuits
Taste of Home
“These flaky yeast biscuits—speckled with carrot, parsley and green onion—smell wonderful while baking. So it’s hard to resist eating one right from the oven,” notes Kerry Dority of Camdenton, Missouri.
SERVINGS: 15
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep/Total Time: 30 min.
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a small saucepan, heat buttermilk and water to 120°-130°. Add buttermilk mixture, carrot, parsley and onion to yeast mixture; stir just until moistened.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until a soft dough forms, about 6-8 minutes. Pat or roll out to 1/2-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 450° for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 15 biscuits.
Nutrition Facts
One serving: 1 biscuit Calories: 147 Fat: 7 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Cholesterol: 1 mg Sodium: 140 mg Carbohydrate: 18 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 3 g Diabetic Exchange: 1-1/2 fat, 1 starch.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Garden-Biscuits
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10. Irish Tea Bread
Posted by: “Beth
Golden in color, chewy in texture and chockful of raisins, this is great
toasted for breakfast or served as a treat with afternoon tea. It also
makes an excellent alternative to traditional fruitcake. Sugar Hill Inn,
Franconia, New Hampshire
Irish Tea Bread
2 cups golden raisins
2 cups dark raisins
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup cold breakfast tea
1/2 cup Irish whiskey
4 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten
3 teaspoons baking powder
Grated rind of 1 medium-sized lemon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon honey dissolved in a little warm water, for glazing
Combine the golden and dark raisins, sugar, tea, and whiskey in a large
bowl. Cover and let soak overnight or about 12 hours.
Add the flour, eggs, baking powder, lemon rind, nutmeg, and allspice to
the raisin mixture, blending well.
Pour into a greased 9- or 10-inch round cake pan and bake in a preheated
350 degree oven for 80 to 90 minutes or until nicely browned or a
toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the bread from the pan and let cool on a wire rack. Brush the
cooled loaf with the warm honey mixture for a shiny glaze
Submitted By: Anita
From: Recipefun Yahoo Group
Another Group Owned By *~Beth~*
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/breadsanddoughs/
newedist » Blog Archive » Three Frugal Knitting Tips
By Laura Michelle
About ways not just to ‘make do and mend’ but to create lovely things
without spending as much money as I might like to! Here are some ways that
I plan to ‘make do’ in the upcoming months:. 1. Reclaim ...
http://www.newedist.com/?p=632
newedist
http://www.newedist.com/
Style Gourmand: Staying Gorgeous in Ugly Times
By Style Gourmand
“I think a new ‘make do and mend’ subculture will evolve, where
we’ll be hunting for bargains, mixing vintage with new clothing — and
recycling. These times will bring out experimentation and the eccentric in
all of us. ...
http://stylegourmand.blogspot.com/2009/03/staying-gorgeous-in-ugly-times.html
Style Gourmand
http://stylegourmand.blogspot.com/
1. Parmesan Spinach Cakes
Posted by: “Dijitize
Parmesan Spinach Cakes EatingWell
If you like spinach-cheese pie, try these simple but elegant-looking little spinach cakes.
Servings: 4 servings, 2 spinach cakes each
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Health: Low Calorie, Low Carb, High Potassium, High Calcium, Healthy Weight
Ingredients:
Parmesan Spinach Cakes
12 ounces fresh spinach (see Note)
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese or low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese , plus more for garnish
2 large eggs , beaten
1 clove garlic , minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Steps:
1: Preheat oven to 400°F.
2: Pulse spinach in three batches in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add ricotta (or cottage cheese), Parmesan, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper; stir to combine.
3: Coat 8 cups of the muffin pan with cooking spray. Divide the spinach mixture among the 8 cups (they will be very full).
4: Bake the spinach cakes until set, about 20 minutes. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and turn out onto a clean cutting board or large plate. Serve warm, sprinkled with more Parmesan, if desired.
Nutrition: (Per serving)
Calories - 141
Carbohydrates - 6
Fat - 8
Saturated Fat - 4
Monounsaturated Fat - 3
Protein - 13
Cholesterol - 123
Dietary Fiber - 2
Potassium - 560
Sodium - 456
Nutrition Bonus - Vitamin A (170 daily value), Folate (46 dv), Vitamin C (40 dv), Calcium (30 dv), Potassium (16
dv).
Equipment: Muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups
Note: Baby spinach is immature or young spinach—it’s harvested earlier than large-leaved mature spinach. We like the sturdy texture of mature spinach in cooked dishes and serve tender, mild-flavored baby spinach raw or lightly wilted. Baby and mature spinach can be used interchangeably in these recipes (yields may vary slightly); be sure to remove the tough stems from mature spinach before using. Weights & Measures10 ounces trimmed mature spinach=about 10 cups raw10 ounces baby spinach=about 8 cups raw
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RecipesLostandFound/
All Season Salt Blend
Posted by: “violet4622002”
All Season Salt Blend
2 tablespoons pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoonchicken bouillon granules
1 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon curry
1/3 cup salt
Combine ingredients in an airtight container; secure lid and shake to mix.
Store at room temperature; use within 3 months.
This recipe from CDKitchen for All Season Salt Blend serves/makes 1 cup
.
My other groups: favoritefamilyrecipes@yahoogroups.com and moderator of BisquickRecipes@yahoogroups.com.
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cookingandbakingmixes/
[I will clip a few of the posts, to give you an idea what this group talks about....they do help all who want to learn and go off grid...granny]
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/simplyoffgrid/
How to make a smooth transition from on grid to off grid in twelve months - go see the demo at Gatlinburg, I-80 & 66 flea Market across interstate from Bass Pro. See how to invisibly reduce electrical use to $20/mo with no change in living habits.
[There was some confusion about this notice...not sure if it is every week or a once -event...granny]
Due to recent budget cuts and the cost of electricity, gas and oil, as well as current market conditions,
and the continued decline of the economy, ‘The Light at the End of the Tunnel’ has been turned off.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
Re: Cost Effective Off Grid
Posted by: “Steve Spence”
6 adults, 2100 sq. ft. home:
We do not have an air conditioner, or electric water heater, nor a
furnace or boiler.
We heat with non-electric wood stoves, cook with wood or propane (we do
have a microwave), heat water with propane with solar preheat, dry
clothes on line and with propane dryer.
we have a front loader washer, electric fridge, crockpot and electric
coffee maker with integral grinder.
we have 3 laptop computers, and two large screen lcd tv’s.
dls modem with wireless router, and two satellite boxes.
we use less than 10 kWh daily.
Steve Spence
http://www.green-trust.org
1g. Re: Cost Effective Off Grid
Posted by: “lamar5292”
My homestead is a bit smaller than Steve’s.
My solar cabin is 400 sqft and houses two adults and 3 large dogs.
I have air turbines and dc fans for air conditioning. I use a solar electric 350 watt system with 3 deep cycle batteries that powers water pump, lights, lcd tvs, laptop and misc. gadgets. Total system cost under $2000
I use propane for on-demand water heater, stove, fridge, and furnace. My propane cost was under $30 a month all winter but I have a methane generator that I use to run my large appliances and in emergencies.
I also use solar for water heating and a solar composting toilet. I harvest rain water and gray water and drilled my own well.
I dry my clothes in the solarium porch or on the line.
I suggest starting small and minimizing your use then add more panels or wind power and storage as needed.
LaMar
www.simplesolarhomesteading.com
Posted by: “Dorothy”
Anyone who is seriously considering homesteading needs to read _Living the Good Life_ by Helen and Scott Nearing. This couple was way ahead of their time. They homesteaded in the ‘30s in Vermont, and were about 80% self sufficient. Their healthy lifestyle enabled him to live to be 100, and she lived to be 91.
3e. Re: 754,000 homeless in America!
Posted by: “lamar5292”
Thanks Mike, you can call it a shed, shack, shanty, or cabin and I won’t mind. At 400 sqft it has a kitchen, dining area, living area, full bathroom, and upstairs is a large bedroom and office. All for under $2000. Paid for and very low property taxes.
This would be considered a large house in some parts of the world.
In my opinion one of the problems causing our financial and energy crisis is the belief that people need large homes. If people had spent their money to build a small home they could afford and put the extra money into solar/wind power they wouldn’t be losing their homes right now and we wouldn’t be having an energy crisis.
LaMar
www.simplesolarhomesteading.com
5. Articles needed for Homesteader News please!
Posted by: “lamar5292”
Hi Folks, we could sure use your homesteading, gardening, off-grid living and related articles for Homesteader News.
In these trying times there are many new people trying to survive and wanting to learn from people that have the skills so please share your articles with us. Next free issue is March 15th.
send to: homesteadernews@yahoo.com
LaMar
http://www.homesteadernews.com
http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com
Re: harbor freight solar/ refrigirator/ capacity
Posted by: “Steve Spence”
You can buy bigger controllers, and keep adding the same type of solar
panels to it up to the rating of the controller. We have them in 10 amp,
20, 30, etc, up to 80 amp varieties. Divide the wattage of your panels
by the voltage to get the amp rating you need for your controller.
Oversize a bit as some days you will produce more than the rating of the
panel.
Steve Spence
http://www.green-trust.org
6e. Re: harbor freight solar/ refrigirator/ capacity
Posted by: “Steve Spence”
Either Outback or Xantrex (Trace) are acceptable. My preference is
Outback. They can be paralleled for increased power in the future.
Everything except the batteries are modular and can be grown as your
requirements change.
Steve Spence
http://www.green-trust.org
7. There seems to be a need for wind and solar info...
Posted by: “noahmoise”
I can give you at least three resources for building your own solar
panels and windmills, each for about $200 a piece. In today’s economy
it would seem that doing it yourself for about one fifth the cost might
be worth doing.
If you want to do your own research, the information products are
available on the clickbank marketplace at www.clickbank.com/marketplace.
Or if you would like my insight on the products I have purchased and
tried myself, you can download my review for free at: free wind and
solar report
http://www.thefixitteacher.com/Articles/WindandSolar.html
.
Either way, the stuff you need is readily abailable, some of it for free
or at very low cost, and the projects can be done in a weekend. I have
used two of these low cost e-books to build a wind generator and solar
panel system for my well share system and also a battery powered arc
welder.
Best wishes,
Noah
Living On A Dime Newsletter - St Patrick’s Menu and Recipes
March 12, 2009
Hello everyone!
I hope you’re having a great day! In today’s newsletter, we share a
delicious St. Patrick’s Day Menu!
Don’t forget this week’s Sale Of the Week, the Winning the Credit
Card Game e-book for only $5. This e-book gives step by step
details explaining how we accelerated our debt payoff and how you
can pay off your debt faster, too. Learn more at
http://www.livingonadime.com/ebooks/credit-card-game.html
Congratulations to Debra P. and MH, winners of this week’s blog
giveaway! We hope you enjoy the “The Duggars: 20 and counting” books!
Next week we will be having our huge Savin’ O’ The Green e-book
sale. This is going to be a great set of e-books about saving on
your grocery budget so you won’t want to miss out!
Have a great week!
-Tawra
www.LivingOnADime.com
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Today’s Tips:
* For a different taste for homemade croutons, try using Cajun
seasoning instead of the usual Italian seasoning.
* Add a half a cup of sour cream to your banana pudding (the
large box) after it has been mixed for a different twist.
* When you need to make a graham cracker crust, crush enough
crumbs to fill a large container or coffee can. The next time
you make a crust, you can just scoop out the amount you need.
* When cooking cabbage, add a couple of lids of vinegar to the
water to help it retain its color.
Today’s Menu:
Irish Corned Beef Brisket and Cabbage*
Irish Soda Bread*
Blarney Stone Cookies*
*******************************
Sale Of The Week
Winning The Credit Card Game
$5.00 this week!
(expires March 16th.)
Are you struggling with credit card debt? We got out of debt by
being smarter with our credit cards.
* Learn to reduce interest rates
* Transfer balances to lower rate cards
* Get it paid off!
Learn More at
http://www.livingonadime.com/ebooks/credit-card-game.html
*******************************
Today’s Recipes:
*Irish Corned Beef Brisket and Cabbage
1 (3 lb.) corned beef brisket, plus seasoning packet
1 lg. onion, peeled
10 small (red) potatoes
15 baby carrots
1 head of cabbage, cored and cut into wedges
Salt and pepper to taste
Place brisket, seasoning packet and onion in a large Dutch oven or
pot. Cover with water 6 inches above meat. Bring to boil and boil
for 30 minutes. Reduce to medium low or gentle boil. Cover and cook
for 3 1/2 hours.
Remove onions, cut into wedges and put back in the pot. Add
carrots, cabbage and then potatoes. Cover and cook 30 more minutes
or until potatoes are tender. Remove veggies, but keep the meat in
the juices until ready to slice so it won’t dry out.
Side Sauce
Mix the night or day before and then serve on the side with your
corned beef.
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. horseradish
1/2-1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Corned Beed Tips:
* Cut across the grain for more tender slices.
* Save juices and reduce. Dice leftover corned beef and make
corned beef soup with leftovers.
*Irish Soda Bread
This is great served with Irish stew. Eat leftover soda bread
toasted or use for French toast.
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 cups raisins
1 Tbsp. caraway seeds, optional*
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Mix first seven
ingredients. In a second bowl mix eggs, buttermilk and sour cream.
Add liquid ingredients to dry, adding enough until flour is
moistened. Knead 10-12 strokes. The dough will be very sticky.
Place in a 9 inch cake pan. Cut a 4” X in the top. Brush top with
milk. Bake for 65-75 minutes.
*Caraway seeds make it more authentic, but if you don’t like them
or don’t have them, you can leave them out. You could also use 1
cup of raisins and one cup dried cranberries.
*Blarney Stone Cookies
Add a couple of drops of green food coloring to the dough of your
favorite sugar cookie recipe. Sprinkle with green sugar* or frost
with green frosting.
*Make green sugar by placing sugar in a container with a couple of
drops of green food coloring and shake.
*******************************
From A Reader:
“I have ALL of your books and they all are underlined, highlighted,
and marked with post-it notes! Thank you for the time and sacrifice
you have put into them! They have literally changed the way our
household runs now!”
-Heather C.
Wichita, KS
Learn More about the Living On A Dime books, including the Dining
On A Dime cookbook at http://www.livingonadime.com/ordering.htm
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The Living On A Dime Newsletter Is Published By:
Kellam Media and Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 844, Andover, KS 67002
Re: How To Build A Cold Frame With An Old Window
Posted by: “royohren”
I have quite a few metal framed single gazed windows. I am planning to put them in the veg plot vertically so that they act a s wind breaks. The plan is that will make the beds warmer to assist with growing tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers etc.
Roy
To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AnHerbGarden/
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/soft-polenta-soaked-nixtamalized-and-delicious.html
Soft Polenta: Soaked, Nixtamalized and Delicious
by KimiHarris on March 12, 2009
ng_softpolentaWhen I served a bowl of this soft, flavorful polenta, topped with simple marinara sauce to my two year old daughter last night, she dug in with enthusiasm even though she had never eaten polenta before. She then turned to me and said “Thanks for making this!” in her darling little toddler voice, doing so for the first time without prompting. I love serving dishes like this that get such sweet responses from my daughter.
The best part of it is that this polenta borrows from the wisdom of Mexico in soaking the corn in lime water to release locked up nutrients. Delicious, nutritious and traditional! And did I mention that it’s very frugal too?
And what did Joel and I think of it? We thought this was the best polenta we’ve ever had! It was flavorful in a whole new way. I’ve made many versions of polenta over the years, but I never got the gumption to try the Nourishing Tradition’s process of making polenta. When I read the several step process during my first run through of reading Nourishing Traditions, my jaw dropped. “How many steps is that?” It seemed overwhelming. It took for a kind commenter asking me about this process to push me into leaping into the project. I admit it. I was too nervous to try it at first, and just plain never got around to it later. I decided to use Sally Fallon’s method to make one of our favorite dishes, soft polenta, one which we haven’t made in a very long time.
Guess what? It’s easy!
Now that I’ve tried it, I realize I should have done it years ago, because it’s so easy! When each step takes 2 minutes, it’s hardly a hassle with a bit of planning. For those few minutes of time, I unlock a lot of nutrition out of the humble corn that we wouldn’t have gotten before. Another traditional practice added to our routine.
I will be sharing more about the benefits of this process in the next post, but today I want to wet your appetite with a recipe for soft polenta that both soaks it to further reduce phytic acid, and “limes” or “nixtamalizes” it to release the vital vitamin b3. This process actually made the polenta very flavorful, and super easy on the digestive system. I didn’t even miss the cheese we used to add!
If you aren’t quite ready for this process, here is a basis non-soaked recipe for it. But, when you get the chance, try this method! It worked well for us.
As I mentioned before, I’ve made a lot of polenta before and tried it a lot of different ways. I’ve found that the recipes using higher amounts of liquid are both more traditional, digestible, taste better and……. take longer to cook. The ones that have you add less liquid cook up much quicker, but won’t give quite as nice of a finished dish. This one uses the higher amount so will take a bit longer to cook (though you could reduce the liquid amount if you were in a hurry), but I find that it works out just fine as I can prepare the rest of the meal while it cooks, as long as I remember to give it a stir here and there.
Polenta can be used in so many ways. It can be topped as simply as a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of cheese, to a meaty tomato sauce, to a roasted vegetable topping.
Soft Polenta
-8 servings
Soaking in the lime water adds an almost masa harina taste to it. Since we used the vinegar, it gave a nice tang to it. Like I said, flavorful in a whole new way! Pour leftovers into a lightly grease loaf pan and stick in the fridge. This will get quite firm as it cools. You can then cut into slices and fry or bake into crispy little polenta toasts and top with a variety of toppings. Delicious!
1 cup of lime water *
2 cups of coarsely ground polenta
1/4 cup of raw apple cider vinegar (this is what I used) or lemon juice, whey, buttermilk, yogurt,.
2-3 teaspoons of sea salt
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil.
8 cups of water, chicken broth, or a combination of both
1-Carefully measure out one cup of lime water, avoiding contact with skin as it can be irritating. Mix with the polenta in a medium size bowl. Let sit at room temperature, covered, for about 7 hours. Then add the 1/4 cup of vinegar or other acidic choice. Now leave for 12-24 hours. You can start this the morning before you want to make this for dinner, to leave plenty of soaking time.
ng_limedcorn
2-When you are ready to cook it up, in a large pot, heat your butter or olive oil. When hot, add your chopped onion. Cook and stir for a few minutes then add 6 cups of the water/broth and salt. Place the lid on and bring to a boil. Meanwhile add two cups of water/broth to the polenta mixture and stir to combine.
3-When the liquid is hot, add the polenta mixture to it, and bring back to a boil, making sure to stir. Lower the heat and keep the polenta at a low simmer. Now it’s just a matter of time. Remember to keep stirring every few minutes (if you want to not have to worry about stirring so often, see this method. I decided against it because our “stainless steel” pans are cheap and things stick too easily to it). Cook and stir every once in a while for about 45 minutes. While this cooks, I make my sauce, and side dishes (salad, roasted veggies that sort of thing). By the time the polenta is done, I have everything else ready as well.
4-As you near the end of the cooking time it will start to thicken a lot more, you may need to stir more often to prevent cooking. When it is getting quite thick and harder to stir you know it’s done. 45 minutes worked great for us. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Then ladle into bowls. I like to let it to sit for about 5 minutes again at this point as it starts to firm up the more you let it sit. Then ladle your choice of toppings over it and enjoy!
ng_limewater1
*Lime water is from made from Pickling Lime ( calcium hydroxide). You can buy it here and other places on the net. To make, very carefully spoon about an inch worth of lime onto the bottom of a 2 quart size mason jar. Then fill with filtered water and stir. Let this settle for about 12 hours or overnight. After everything setttles back down, the clear water left on the top is the lime water (don’t stir the pickling lime back in! It’s supposed to fall to the bottom). If any gets on your hands, wash right away because it can be very irritating to your skin, and keep both the water and the pickling lime away from children. Store in a cool place.
Tagged as: corn, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, nixtamalized, Nourishing Frugal Recipes, polenta
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/12/quick-and-easy-homemade-marinara-sauce.html
Quick and Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce
by KimiHarris on December 7, 2008
This easy to make marinara sauce is seasoned with basil, onions, and garlic and laced with wine. This is the sauce that convinced my husband that spaghetti sauce does not need to be sweetened (he has gladly thrown out those Prego spaghetti sauce jars in exchange for this one!).
Although it is a full flavored sauce, is it quite simple and fast to make. It’s the time of year for Christmas baking and shopping, card writing, and relative visiting. In other words, we are busy! It can be tempting to fudge a bit on our healthy cooking, but there are easy, nourishing dinners that you can throw together quickly.
This easy to make marinara sauce is quick to throw together after a busy day and makes a wonderful main dish when poured over some spaghetti noodles (perhaps with meatballs and Parmesan cheese). To keep things easy you can use brown rice noodles (low in phytic acid, read more about soaking grains here), or you can use my soaked noodle recipe. I have been getting my brown rice noodles at Trader Jo’s (2 dollars a package!).
We use this sauce as part of many other dishes, but we love it simply tossed with some hot noodles. Serve with a green salad and some garlic bread and you have a gourmet meal that is nourishing and easy as well.
Enjoy!
Quick and Easy Homemade Marinara Sauce
I use whatever wine I have on hand. I have used white and red with good success (though red is probably a more natural fit). Just make sure you use drinking wine (those cheap cooking wines aren’t worth having in your kitchen!). You can adjust the wine amount to personal preference, sometimes I don’t even measure, but pour to taste. You can also easily use other herbs, or fresh herbs. I often use this as the foundation for more elaborate sauces.
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
3-6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 28 ounce jar of purred or chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 cup of wine
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1-Heat a pan on medium high heat with the olive oil. When hot add the onion. Saute, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and transparent. Then add the garlic and saute 1-2 minutes more (don’t let it brown).
2-Add the tomatoes, basil, and wine, and bring to a low simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, taste test and add salt if needed (by the way, it will taste much more “winey” before it pour it over the noodles. The noodles dilute the flavor a bit).
Serve as desired (with noodles, polenta, etc).
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Creamy-Polenta-236987
Creamy Polenta Gourmet | January 2007
Adapted from Marcella Hazan
Cooking the polenta covered allows condensation to build up, which eliminates the need for constant stirring. And you can still count on the creamy consistency you’ve come to expect from this dish.
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Active Time: 10 min
Total Time: 45 min
ingredients
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta (not quick-cooking) or yellow cornmeal (5 ounces)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
preparation
Bring water and salt to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, then add polenta in a thin stream, whisking. Cook over moderate heat, whisking, 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cover pan, then cook at a bare simmer, stirring with a long-handled spoon for 1 minute after every 10 minutes of cooking, 45 minutes total. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until incorporated.
Serve polenta warm.
Cooks’ note:
• Polenta can be made 20 minutes ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature (do not let stand longer, or it will solidify).
Bring water and salt to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, then add polenta in a thin stream, whisking. Cook over moderate heat, whisking, 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cover pan, then cook at a bare simmer, stirring with a long-handled spoon for 1 minute after every 10 minutes of cooking, 45 minutes total. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until incorporated.
Serve polenta warm.
Cooks’ note:
• Polenta can be made 20 minutes ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature (do not let stand longer, or it will solidify).
Epicurious.com © CondéNet, Inc. All rights reserved.
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/nourishing-food-panel-healthy-frugal-tips.html
Nourishing Food Panel: Healthy & Frugal Tips
by KimiHarris on March 5, 2009
Today our panelists will be sharing their frugal tips for eating nourishing food on a budget. Tomorrow it’s your turn! Check out my announcement post for the Nourishing Frugal Recipes Carnival for more information. Hope to see you then!
How one can afford high quality food on a tight budget is a common question. Do I think it possible? YES! With a little ingenuity, a little prudence, a little self-sacrifice, and a little time you can certainly create nourishing meals for less. Today our panelists give their tips for frugal healthy cooking answering the question, “Do you have any money saving tips for those with a lower food budget?”
This is the last part of our panel series. I greatly appreciate all of the time and effort these ladies have put into sharing with us! Thank you ladies! It has been a pleasure having you here at The Nourishing Gourmet.
Part One: Where did your interest start? Part two; How did you get started? Part Three: What were the results? Part Four: Tips for Newbies
Let’s start with some excellent advice from Kimberly.
Kimberly from Hartke is Online
Bone Broth and dishes made from it are very economical to make
* Use veggies that are going soft to make a vegetable stock or add them to your bone broth stock pot so they don’t go to waste.
* Use leftover bone broth from a meat stew to make a vegetable soup the next day.
Don’t eat out
* Freeze leftovers in single serving containers for lunches
* Take your own snacks whenever you leave the house to avoid resorting to fast food.
* Pack food for trips. We always take a cooler and have lunch on a picnic table on the road. We also take our meat, milk and cheese on vacation with us, we save tons of money by eating in, while vacationing (we obviously stay in a place with a full kitchen).
I believe processed food is more expensive than whole food
* Buying produce at the Farmers market produce also is very affordable, and it lasts longer since it is fresher, I find there is not as much going to waste.
Remember Grass-fed meats are nutrient dense
* We find we eat much smaller portions than when we were eating conventional meats. We eat healthier portions of vegetables to fill up the plate.
Vitamins are expensive
* If you work on finding better local sources of food, you will get the nutrients you need that way. We no longer take supplements.
Don’t count the cost
* When you are worried about the cost of healthy food, ask yourself “How expensive is chemo?” I happen to know it is around $20,000 a dose! Good food is a whole lot cheaper!
Switch to Health Savings Plan
* We saved money by getting rid of our health insurance, and switching to a Major Medical policy for half the cost plus a health savings plan. We are so healthy now, it makes more sense to have a policy that covers a major illness, accident or major surgery. We don’t use prescription drugs so it made no sense to have prescription coverage. We put extra money each month into a health savings account, that way we have a debit card and can use that to pay for alternative health and wellness programs or doctor’s visits.
Amy, real life friend
* Attempt to use food in its original form as much as possible. For instance, use wheat berries instead of flour. Think through everything in your cupboard and take note of those items that have been through one or more steps of processing. Make your own nut butters, noodles, and spaghetti sauce using raw nuts, wheat berries, and fresh tomatoes. Use dried beans instead of canned. The more processed something is, usually the more money it will cost (and of course, it will be less healthy!). I for sure haven’t achieved all of this yet, but it’s what I am always working towards.
* Garden, if at all possible! Very affordable, local produce. :-) Even people with limited space can grow vegetables and herbs in containers.
* Search for local CSAs (arrangements in which you buy produce from a local farm for the summer) and co-ops to join.
* Spending a huge amount of money on 1/4 of a cow in the summer can be difficult when on a monthly budget! The first summer I purchased chickens, beef, and fruit in the summer, I recorded the total amount of money I spent on “summer food”. I then added it up, and divided it by the amount of months I had before summer came again. Each month during the year I would set aside some cash to save up for summer. This helped tremendously, not only to have money on hand when summer came, but to be able to more effectively keep to a budget even with irregular large purchases.
Sono, my sweet mother in law
I do not think I can really improve on Sally Fallon’s section in the back of Nourishing Traditions, Appendix A, Limited-Time, Limited-Budget Guidelines. Her advice there has helped me. [Kimi notes: So true! Everyone should check it out!]
The only additions I would make are:
* 1. a small garden can save you dollars at the farmers’ market or grocery store (garlic, fresh herbs like dill, parsley, cilantro, mesclun mix and other salad greens, tomatoes, zucchini & other squashes are all relatively, easy crops)
* 2. look around for less expensive sources for the things you need: organic produce coops, health food distributors, local farmers, etc.
* And remember, savings on the cost of what you may be eliminating from your grocery bill (boxed cereals, snacks fried in rancid oils, fruit juices, bottled salad dressings, processed foods, soft drinks, etc.) and not eating out at fast food restaurants will offset what you may spend on higher quality food items.
* It’s also important to consider the fact that many people throughout history spent the bulk of their income on the necessities of shelter and food. Many Americans will save money on their food expenses and yet spend that saved amount on another article of clothing they don’t need. Sometimes it’s a priority thing not a real nickel and dime problem.
At other times, there really isn’t enough to go around. That’s why I appreciate the fact that the Nourishing Gourmet is a consistent source of money-saving tips! It does a great job of giving us recipes for reasonably priced meals and dishes while always maintaining the goal of healthy foods. You also do a lot of work for us by pointing us to the least expensive source for important items for our pantry. Thanks, Kimi!
Stephanie from Keeper of the Home
Here are a few of the ways that I make our lower grocery budget work, as I attempt to buy as much high quality food as possible:
* Although we eat meat about 5 days a week, it definitely doesn’t take a starring role in our diet. In order to afford the grass-fed, free-range meats that I am committed to, I stick to utilitarian cuts, like ground meat, roasts and whole chickens, stew meat, etc. I also buy boxes of chicken breasts sometimes, but only use 1 or 2 at a time and cut them up. I make a lot of dishes like casseroles, stews, stir-fries, meat salads, meatloaf (bulked up with veggies) and anything else that allows me to make a hearty dish (usually based more on grains, vegetables and sometimes beans) with a smaller amount of meat or poultry. I also make a point of including 1-2 vegetarian meals, using beans, legumes, etc. each week (our favorite way to include this is with mexican food!).
* I buy my meat from a small store out in the country that is not officially certified organic, which means they can keep their costs down (even though the quality is high). I buy my beef in large amounts (enough for 6 months at a time), because it makes it much more affordable when you consider price per lb.
* We eat a lot of eggs, since they are cheaper but excellent protein. I get my organic, free-range eggs from a local farmer who sells me his seconds (the ones that aren’t perfect looking) for a very good deal.
* I make a lot of bone broth, with the carcasses of my whole chickens and beef bones I get cheap and by the bagful from my meat store. Broth has a protein sparing effect, so it helps our bodies to better use the protein we do eat. This helps us to get away with the fact that we eat less meat and can’t afford as much high quality dairy as we’d like.
* Since the cost of our raw milk is crazy (seriously, we pay almost $18 a gallon!), we buy only 3 litres (quarts) a week, and use it pretty strictly for drinking raw. Quite frankly, my kids get most of it, but it’s so important for them that my husband and I don’t mind too much. I buy organic but pasteurized milk whenever it goes on 1/2 price at my local grocery store, and then immediately freeze it. I simply thaw this and use it for making all of my kefir and yogurt. It’s not the most ideal, but at least it is organic and allows us to get in a good amount of cultured dairy for the beneficial bacteria and for my grain soaking purposes.
* I buy all of my organic grains in large bulk quantities. Since I grind my own grain, I can store it in a cool, dry place for a long time with no worries, though I find we go through it pretty fast anyways. I buy 25 lb bags of organic steel cut and rolled oats, kamut grain, spelt grain and rye grain from my food co-op, Azure Standard. I also buy 5 lb bags of millet, quinoa, buckwheat and popcorn. I buy 10 lb bags of non-GMO, brown rice from Costco, as it is the best deal that I’ve found for rice.
* We don’t eat as many nuts as I wish we did, but when I do buy them, I always buy them in large, bulk amounts and store them in my freezer or fridge.
* I do almost all of my own baking. Yes, it can be time consuming, but I’ve decided that the health and cost benefits are well worth it. I try to make bread in large batches, so that I can freeze the extra loaf rather than have to bake every couple of days. I use Sue Gregg’s blender batter method for most of my muffins, quick breads, etc. since this takes me only 5 minutes at night, then 5 minutes in the morning, to get something new in the oven, and keeps the mess very minimal. I make soaked tortillas in big batches and freeze the extras. Every time I make waffles and pancakes, I double my batch and freeze extras for later breakfasts.
* I buy my coconut oil together with my MIL and SIL, in 5 gallon tubs from Mountain Rose Herbs. We get a much better deal, and just split it up into our own glass jars. I buy my extra virgin olive oil in 3 L tins, store it in a cool place, and simply refill a small bottle once a week to use in my cooking. My butter is currently the Costco organic brand, which is still not ideal, but it’s quite affordable. I supplement this butter with as much Kerrygold pastured butter as I can afford, and also with a jar of Activator X grass-fed butter oil from my raw cow share each spring and fall (when the grass is growing rapidly).
* I purchase my produce from a local farmers market, and practically never from a grocery store. I am able to get very reasonably priced produce, much of it unsprayed or organic, and it is well worth the little bit of a drive from my house. I go every two weeks, and in the first week use up everything that will go bad quickly, and in the second week use up everything that’s left. This also helps me to make really good use of what I have and not allow anything to go to waste, because every little bit counts!
* Lastly (who knew I had so many tips to share?), I garden! I highly recommend starting a garden to anyone, whether you have an apartment balcony or a large yard or acreage. In my suburban backyard, I was able to grow more than half of our vegetables last spring, summer and fall, and was also able to freeze, can and dry quite a bit for the winter as well. This freed up my budget to by as many unsprayed berries and fruits as possible during the summer season, and I absolutely packed out my freezer with all that sweet goodness! Now I am heading into my third year gardening, and I anticipate being able to produce most of the vegetables my family eats for at least 6 months of the year!