Posted on 03/23/2008 11:36:40 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick
Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.
At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."
Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.
A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."
[snipped]
She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.
"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/mar/30/son8217s-nutmeg-od-has-mom-wary/?print
Son’s nutmeg OD has mom wary
By Tim Yovich (Contact)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
By Tim Yovich
Use of nutmeg to get high is not a new phenomenon, a poison center toxicologist says.
NILES – You won’t find many spices in Lisa Sayre’s kitchen these days after her 15-year-old son overdosed on a common spice found in many households: nutmeg.
“I don’t think my son will be doing nutmeg any time soon,” said Sayre, a mother of two. “You can get high on it.”
So severe was her son’s overdose, the 41-year-old Sayre said, that it landed him in St. Elizabeth Health Center for two days as his bladder shut down. Her 15-year-old nephew, who also took nutmeg with her son, also required hospital treatment.
Sayre explained that her nephew stayed over at her house on a Saturday, March 15. The next day, Sayre said she found nutmeg, paprika, parsley and anisette on the kitchen table.
This wasn’t the first time she had arrived home to see the nutmeg out of the cupboard.
“He didn’t look right,” Sayre said when she checked on he son. “He was slurring his words.”
Her son admitted to her that he and his cousin had used the nutmeg that Saturday night and Sunday morning to get high. He had eaten it; his cousin smoked it. Later on Sunday, her son broke out in severe hives.
Sayre said her son was treated at St. Elizabeth Health Center. There, she explained, he began vomiting, experienced hallucinations and couldn’t eliminate. His bladder had shut down, she explained.
Dr. David Levy, St. Elizabeth’s Department of Emergency Medicine chairman, said his staff did consult with a toxicology center to get guidance. “Nobody has a real good feel for how often it occurs,” Dr. Levy said, noting it’s not uncommon for a physician to go an entire career without ever seeing a nutmeg overdose.
Dr. Levy, who trained in New York City, said he had seen nutmeg overdoses, usually by accident through herbal teas. But these are the first cases he has seen during his 16 months at the Youngstown hospital.
Sayre’s son spent two days in the hospital. Her 14-year-old nephew wasn’t admitted, but her sister sought medical treatment for her son after she couldn’t awaken him.
Dr. Jan Scagelione, clinical toxicologist at the Cincinnati Drug and Poison Information Center, said the use of nutmeg to get high has been around for many years.
“It’s not all that uncommon,” Dr. Scagelione said, noting reports of usage are “sporadic” with no influx of cases. She noted, though, it’s not surprising to hear of a nutmeg overdose.
Users, she explained, usually experience gastrointestinal symptoms before hallucinating.
Such nutmeg abuse, however, hasn’t been seen around the Mahoning Valley, according to Doug Wentz, community service director at the Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic in Youngstown.
Wentz said he’s been in the alcohol and drug abuse prevention field since 1979 and has never dealt with such as case.
Sayre said it was nearly a week after first ingesting the spice that her son could eat.
“I just want the parents to be aware of what they [their children] can do,” she said.
Sayre said her son learned about abusing nutmeg from his friends at school, and he told her he intended to get high on the spice when he ingested it. She noted that children don’t realize the consequences of using the spice.
“It’s a cheap way to get high,” she said.
She urged parents talk to their children — and don’t believe they won’t try it.
She has pulled most of her spices from the kitchen cupboard.
Your Butterfly house is cute, what fun.
You are a wise parent, your children are going to have a foundation that so many do not.
I salute you.
I let the mantids go once the weather warms up.<<<
Good for you.
I am glad that you are canning, that always made me feel proud, at the end of a days canning.
the cats would dig in the pots. Then, since we always get Christmas trees with praying mantis egg sacks, threw the sacks in with the plants and created a yearly cycle :)<<<
It all makes good sense to me.
Wise thinking and planning on your part.
Covered in sheet plastic and well anchored down and and you would have a small greenhouse, with a few water tanks for heat collection, assuming the sun shined on them and you were not fighting foots of snow.
We have a big spider called a ‘sun spider’ that I leave alone if he does not get too close to me.
The long legs and black widows, get smashed.
http://www.congocookbook.com/vegetable_and_side_dish_recipes/njamma_jamma.html
from: Central Africa | cooking method: boiling-simmering
Njamma-jamma
In Cameroon, Njamma-jamma (Jamma-Jamma, or Jama-Jama) is the name of both the plant and the dish made from its leaves. Outside of Africa, substitute other greens for the Njamma-jamma leaves.
man with basket in cameroon
What you need
* a few tablespoons of oil
* two or three cloves of garlic, minced
* one onion, finely chopped
* one-half teaspoon cayenne pepper or red pepper (more or less to taste)
* two or more pounds of greens (collards, kale, mustard greens, swiss chard, or similar); stems removed, cleaned, torn or shredded, drained
* one cup water, or chicken broth or chicken stock
* salt to taste
What you do
* Heat oil in a large skillet or pot. Over high heat, sauté onions and garlic for a few minutes. Add cayenne pepper and stir for a minute. Reduce heat.
* Add greens to pot. Cook over medium heat for several minutes. Stir greens often, but otherwise keep the pot covered.
* Add water or broth. Cover. Cook over low heat until greens are tender — ten to twenty minutes or longer. Add salt if necessary. Serve hot.
Interesting site, recipes are different and useable:
http://www.congocookbook.com/staple_dish_recipes/banku_and_kenkey.html
http://www.congocookbook.com/recipe_indexes/index.html
http://www.congocookbook.com/rare_recipes/mrs_mary_randolph.html
The Virginia Housewife; or, Methodical Cook
by
Mrs. Mary Randolph
Method is the Soul of Management
Stereotype edition,
with amendments and additions.
Baltimore:
Published by Plaskitt & Cugle.
218 Market Street
OCHRA SOUP
Get two double handsful of young ochra, wash and slice it thin, add two onions chopped fine, put it into a gallon of water at a very early hour in an earthen pipkin, or very nice iron pot; it must be kept steadily simmering, but not boiling; put in pepper and salt. At 12 o’clock put in a handful of lima beans; at half-past one o’clock, add three young cimlins cleaned and cut in small pieces, a fowl, or a knuckle of veal, a bit of bacon or pork that has been boiled, and six tomatoes, with the skin taken off; when nearly done, thicken with a spoonful of butter, mixed with one of flour. Have rice boiled to eat with it.
OCHRA AND TOMATOES
Take an equal quantity of each, let the ochra be young, slice it, and skin the tomatoes; put them into a pan without water, add a lump of butter, an onion chopped fine, some pepper and salt, and stew them one hour.
GUMBO — A WEST INDIA DISH
Gather young pods of ochra, wash them clean, and put them in a pan with a little water, salt and pepper, stew them till tender, and serve them with melted butter. They are very nutritious, and easy of digestion.
http://www.congocookbook.com/vegetable_and_side_dish_recipes/okra_and_greens.html
Okra & Greens
Okra is generally thought to have originated in the wild in Northern or Northeastern Africa. It has been cultivated throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Asia for centuries, where it is used to give a mucilaginous thickening quality to soups and stews. It can be used fresh, or dried for storage. Okra was brought from Africa to the Americas by enslaved Africans. Africans also brought their names for okra. The English word okra comes from the West African Twi (or Tshi) language’s nkruman or nkruma which was shortened in English to okra. In many Bantu languages of Central Africa, okra is called ngumbo, or ngombo, from which the Louisiana Creole-Cajun Gumbo soup-stew made from okra gets its name. See the early Gumbo recipes among the Rare Recipes of Mrs. M. Randolph, Mrs. L. Bryan, and Mrs. A. Fisher.
market women in cameroon
What you need
* one onion, chopped
* two tablespoons of palm oil or any cooking oil, (palm oil gives the most authentic taste)
* one cup water
* one pound greens, cleaned, stems removed, ,and shredded: cassava leaves ( Feuilles de Manioc), kale, collards, or similar)
* twenty okra
* two cups palm butter or nyembwe sauce, or canned palm soup base — peanut butter can be substituted
* two or three chile peppers, chopped (or cayenne pepper)
What you do
* Heat oil in large pot. Saute onions until clear. Add water and bring to boil.
* Add all remaining ingredients. Cook until all is tender, stirring often.
Canned palm soup base is usually available only in large cans; if you have more than needed, make some Poulet Nyembwe.
http://www.congocookbook.com/fish_and_seafood_recipes/dongo_dongo.html
Dongo-Dongo
Dongo-Dongo is another example of an African dish that is both a sauce and a soup. It is sometimes made with fish, and sometimes with meat, but always with okra. Given that gombo or gumbo is the most common central African name for okra, and that Dongo-Dongo is basically an okra soup, it seems likely that this recipe is a distant African relation of the famous Cajun-Creole Gumbo of Louisiana. See the early okra and gumbo recipes in the Rare African Recipes pages.
woman and waterfall in congo
What you need
* oil to sauté
* two onions, cleaned and finely chopped
* two hot chile peppers, cleaned and finely chopped
* twenty or more okra, ends removed, cleaned, and chopped [when using okra, remember that the more it is cut, the slimier it becomes]
* two or three cloves of garlic, minced
* one or two tablespoons Arome Maggi® sauce or two Maggi® cubes
* any amount of dried, salted, or smoked fish, cleaned and rinsed (use a little just as a flavoring, or enough for everyone to have a serving)
* a pich of baking soda — or — one can tomato paste (optional)
What you do
* Heat oil in a deep pot. Sauté onions and garlic for a few minutes.
* Add Maggi® sauce or Maggi® cubes, okra, and peppers. Cook for several minutes.
* Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and add fish.
* If desired, add the baking soda (for a gooey sauce) or the tomato paste (for a red sauce). Simmer until the okra and fish are tender.
* Dongo-Dongo is usually served with a starch, such as Fufu, Baton de Manioc (also called Chikwangue) or Rice.
Many Central African cooks use baking soda, or a piece of rough potash, to give a salty flavor to soups and sauces.
Is Dongo-Dongo a reduplication? See the Coupé-Coupé recipe.
http://www.congocookbook.com/rare_recipes/index.html
http://www.congocookbook.com/staple_dish_recipes/rice.html
Made with cornmeal:
http://www.congocookbook.com/staple_dish_recipes/banku_and_kenkey.html
~~OCHRA AND TOMATOES~~
Take an equal quantity of each, let the ochra be young, slice it, and skin the tomatoes; put them into a pan without water, add a lump of butter, an onion chopped fine, some pepper and salt, and stew them one hour.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a familiar okra recipe in the South. We also add a pinch of sugar. Good stuff.
http://www.congocookbook.com/staple_dish_recipes/chapati.html
Chapati
Chapatis or Chappatis (singular Chapati or Chappati) are round, flat, unleavened bread common in West Asia, particularly India. They are also popular in Eastern Africa, especially among the Swahili people and in Swahili-speaking countries. The Malay and Indian populations of South Africa also eat chapatis. Serve chapatis with any African curries.
women in the comoros
What you need
* two cups all-purpose flour (or whole-wheat flour, or a mixture of the two), sifted
* one teaspoon salt
* warm water
* cooking oil
What you do
* All ingredients should be allowed to come to room temperature if they have been in the refrigerator. Mix flour and salt in a bowl. Slowly mix in enough water to make a thick dough. Mix in one spoonful oil. Knead dough on a cool surface for a few minutes, adding a few spoonfuls of dry flour. Return dough to the bowl, cover with a clean cloth, and let it rest for thirty minutes.
* Lightly grease (with cooking oil) and pre-heat a skillet or griddle.
* Divide the dough into orange-sized balls. Flatten them into six-inch circles. Fry them in the skillet or griddle, turning once, until each side is golden brown and spotted.
* Cover the finished chapatis and place them in a warm oven until they are all done.
* Serve with butter, and any curry, soup, or stew.
http://www.congocookbook.com/vegetable_and_side_dish_recipes/kosheri.html
Kosheri (also spelled kushari, kosheree, kosheree, kochary, kochari) is an inexpensive, filling, and nutritious Egyptian fast-food dish: layers of lentils and Rice, topped with fried onions — a layer of pasta, and a tomato sauce are often added. In Egypt, kosheri is sold by street vendors and in specialized kosheri restaurants that serve nothing but . . . kosheri (your choice of small, medium, or large).
egyptian street scene
What you need
* one pound lentils (brown or black)
* one to two cups Rice
* one to two cups elbow macaroni (or similar pasta) (optional)
* one cup vegetable oil (evenly divided into two portions)
* one clove garlic, crushed (optional)
* one hot chile pepper, cleaned and chopped (optional)
* three or four ripe tomatoes, chopped ; or one large can crushed tomatoes
* one-half cup water
* two tablespoons vinegar
* salt (to taste)
* one onion, chopped or cut in rings
What you do
* Clean and rinse lentils. Place lentils in large pot. Cover with cold water, such that the water level is one inch above the lentils. Add salt if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and water is almost completely absorbed (approximately 30 minutes). Add additional water if necessary.
* While lentils are cooking: Cook rice in normal manner.
* Prepare sauce while lentils and rice are cooking: Heat oil in large skillet. Sauté garlic and/or chile pepper for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, water, vinegar, and salt. Cook on high heat for a few minutes, then reduce heat and simmer.
* While lentils and rice are cooking and sauce is simmering: Heat remaining oil in another skillet. Sauté onion until it is done to your liking (either lightly golden, or deeply browned and crispy. When done, remove onion from skillet and drain on absorbent paper or paper towels.
* While lentils and rice are cooking, sauce is simmering, and onion is sautéing: If macaroni is desired, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook macaroni in the normal manner.
* When everything is done: Assemble each serving of kosheri in a soup bowl: alternate layers of lentils, rice, and macaroni, then top it all with the fried onions and tomato sauce. Serve with bottled hot chile pepper sauce.
Variations:
* Cook the lentils in vegetable stock instead of water.
* Add a spoonful of cumin to the tomato sauce.
* Add a layer of cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
* Assemble the dish in one large serving dish, instead of individual soup bowls.
* Cook the lentils, rice, and macaroni together in one large pot, adding them in order such that they are all done at the same time.
Kosheri is an Egyptian version of the Kichri (kitchree, khitcherie) of India, which is always a combination of rice and lentils. Kichri is also the ancestor of the British/Scottish kedgeree which was a culinary byproduct of the British imperial Indian experience.
More about Kosheri in the Rare Recipes pages:
http://www.congocookbook.com/sauce_recipes/african_hot_sauce_and_pili_pili_sauce.html
African Hot Sauce & Pili-Pili Sauce
African Hot Sauce
An all-purpose hot sauce.
tea harvest in malawi
What you need
* one dozen chile peppers (i.e., hot red peppers!)
* one small sweet green pepper (or bell pepper)
* one clove garlic
* one medium onion
* two cans tomato paste
* four tablespoons vinegar
* one teaspoon sugar
* one teaspoon salt
What you do
* Remove stems and seeds from peppers. — Careful! Wear kitchen gloves! Do NOT touch your eyes or face while handling hot peppers! Wash your hands with soap and water after you have handled hot peppers — Grind hot peppers, green pepper, garlic, and onion (or use food processor). Combine all ingredients in sauce pan. Simmer for an hour or two. Add cayenne pepper if desired. Put in jars and refrigerate.
* Serve with everything.
Pili-Pili Sauce
An easy-to-make hot sauce. Pronounced “pee-lee pee-lee”, also spelled pilipili. From the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, this word is used throughout tropical Africa to refer to hot red peppers, sauces made from them, and foods cooked with these peppers or sauces. Is Pili-Pili a reduplication? See the Coupé-Coupé recipe.
What you need
* several chile peppers (i.e., hot red peppers!), cleaned and finely chopped
* juice of one lemon
* a few cloves of garlic, minced
* several pieces of parsley, minced (optional)
* a few tablespoons of cooking oil
* a pinch of salt
What you do
* Mix all ingredients by hand or with a blender, food processor. Cook in a hot skillet for a few minutes. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator.
* Serve with everything.
Instant pili-pili: Mix cayenne pepper or red pepper powder, garlic powder, and onion powder with a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce.
Philippe Wamba
Children who couldn’t eat pillipili were objects of scorn
Philippe Wamba, the child of an African-American mother and a Conglese father wrote Kinship: A Family’s Journey in Africa and America (New York: Penguin Putnam/Dutton, 1999) in which he describes pilipili (among other things).
http://www.congocookbook.com/sauce_recipes/berbere.html
from: Eastern Africa
Berberé
Berberé (or Berbere) is an Ethiopian spice mixture that is the flavoring foundation of Ethiopian cuisine, a basic ingredient in Dabo Kolo, Doro Wat, and many other dishes.
Berberé is made from a cupboard-full of herbs and spices, fresh-ground, pan-roasted, and then packed into jars for storage. Among Ethiopian cooks there are many variations of which spices and what amounts. (In the recipe below, ingredients marked “optional” seem to be the least common.) Basic berberé is made by combining roughly equal amounts of allspice, cardamom, cloves, fenugreek, ginger, black pepper, and salt with a much larger amount of hot red (cayenne) pepper. The combination of fenugreek and red pepper is essential to berberé; while one or two of the other ingredients may be left out, the fenugreek and red pepper are must-haves. Milder berberé can be made by substituting paprika for some or most of the red pepper. Berberé is sometimes made as a dry spice mix, and is sometimes made with oil or water to form a paste.
Gondar, Ethiopia
What you need
* 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
* 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 4 to 6 tablespoons of a combination of ground cayenne pepper (red pepper, dried chile peppers, or red pepper flakes) and paprika
* 1 tablespoons salt
* 1 teaspoon ginger, fresh (peeled and grated) or dried (ground) use dried ground ginger if making dry berberé
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions or shallots, omit if making dry berberé (optional)
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic, omit or use dried garlic if making dry berberé (optional)
* 1/4 cup oil, water, or red wine (omit if making dry berberé)
What you do
* In a heavy skillet over medium heat, toast the dried spices for a few minutes — stirring or shaking the skillet continuously to avoid scorching. Remove from heat and allow to cool. If making dry berberé powder: grind the mixture in a spice grinder or blender, or use a mortar and pestle. Store the berberé powder in a tightly-sealed container.
* If making berberé paste: combine the toasted spices with the fresh ginger, onions or shallots, garlic, and oil (water, or wine). Grind together in a blender or with a mortar and pestle. Store the berberé paste in a tightly-sealed container.
Starting with whole spices, the various nuts and seeds and dried red chile peppers, then pan-roasting, grinding and mixing them will produce the most authentic berberé. However, perfectly satisfactory results can be obtained using already-ground or powdered spices.
The red wine seems to be a non-Ethiopian addition, but it works well.
http://www.congocookbook.com/vegetable_and_side_dish_recipes/squash_with_peanuts.html
Squash with Peanuts
This recipe comes from Chad; Peanuts are a common ingredient in Chadian cuisine.
woman carrying bundle in chad
What you need
* oil
* two to three pounds summer squash (cut into cubes) or zucchini (sliced)
* three cups shelled roasted peanuts; crushed or coarsely chopped
* salt to taste
* one teaspoon brown sugar or white sugar (optional)
What you do
* Heat a spoonful of oil in a large skillet. Cook squash until it begins to become tender, stirring often; about five to ten minutes. (Or cook squash in one cup of boiling water. Drain excess water before adding peanuts.) Squash can be mashed if desired.
* Add peanuts, salt, and sugar. Reduce heat. Simmer until squash is tender and flavors have mingled, about five minutes. Serve hot.
More about Squash with Peanuts in the Rare Recipes pages:
* Barbara Krauss
[This reminds me of how my grandmother fixed summer squash, par-boiled till tender, drained it well, used bacon drippings in a skillet, added squash, added brown sugar, not a lot, to suit the taster’s taste, then browned it until it was real brown...........good and I liked it in sandwiches, I do not recall onions or other things being in it, and it cooks down to nothing.
granny]
What are sweet potato greens??
[I did not know, very interesting, appear to have a high food value...granny]
So much that I did not even peek at:
http://www.congocookbook.com/recipe_indexes/index.html
We’re closer to the cliff-edge than most of us realize...
(and certainly much closer than the gummint will acknowledge)
Grain prices soar globally (Governments Curb Exports, Fight Theft)
CS Monitor ^ | 03/27/08 | Daniel Ten Kate
Posted on 03/31/2008 5:22:27 AM CDT by TigerLikesRooster
Grain prices soar globally
Rice shortages are appearing across Asia. In Egypt, the Army is now baking bread to curb food riots.
By Daniel Ten Kate | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor from the March 27, 2008 edition
Bangkok, Thailand - - Rice farmers here are staying awake in shifts at night to guard their fields from thieves. In Peru, shortages of wheat flour are prompting the military to make bread with potato flour, a native crop. In Egypt, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso food riots have broken out in the past week.
Around the world, governments and aid groups are grappling with the escalating cost of basic grains. In December, 37 countries faced a food crisis, reports the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), and 20 nations had imposed some form of food-price controls.
In Asia, where rice is on every plate, prices are shooting up almost daily. Premium Thai fragrant rice now costs $900 per ton, a nearly 30 percent rise from a month ago.
Exporters say the price could eclipse $1,000 per ton by June. Similarly, prices of white rice have climbed about 50 percent since January to $600 per ton and are projected to jump another 40 percent to $800 per ton in April.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1994297/posts
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[From the article] “In Egypt, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso food riots have broken out in the past week”
Don’t think it can’t happen here.....
Too cool! Make me go stand in the corner with a dunce cap on—never even thot about it!
Thanks for the link to the insects!
Mornin!
Grandaddy long legs are ok. Black widows and friends—splat!
Grandaddy long legs are ok.<<<
They have taken over my house.
They hatch the babies and fall in my hair, during the summer and spin webs that catch my mantis.
Splat!
I thought several of the dishes were what we call ‘southern food’, which is not a surprise, we more than likely learned to cook them from African people.
All the recipes, are things that I would like.
[From the article] “In Egypt, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso food riots have broken out in the past week”
Don’t think it can’t happen here.....<<<
I know it will happen here.
Remember the fights, when the have the Friday after Thanksgiving sales in the stores?
If they will fight over low prices on electronics, add to that the fact they are hungry.
This is the factor that has been bothering me.
It is the factor that is going to cause blood shed in our streets.
I always think of a brother of mine, during the cold war he had a wife that I would have...........well not have had 4 kids with, under 6 years old, who were as wild as animals.
I always imagined how he would feel, when he got to the end of the road, after listening to his family bitch and moan for as many hours as the gas lasted, to dump them, God only knows where and with never enough money for the food he would need to shut them up and his wife would have started complaining that she didn’t like it, so the kids would take up the cry of “I don’t like this” and he would be ready to explode, and so will the other 25 million people, who think they are running to safety, some where, some unknown place.
Some place, I read that our wheat farmers had an excellent crop theis past season, but other parts of the world did not and that it had already been shipped to them.
Many people have no idea of what it takes to feed a nation, or how in trouble this country is going to be.
The Panama canal is controlled by the Chinese.
All it takes is one ship to explode half way through it and there will be almost nothing coming in from China and other countries.
Sure they can go round the horn, if the other countries like Venezuela are not also attacking the ships as they go by.
Mexico, is more communist, than American and its leaders do not strike me as the kind that cares if its people starve or not.
We are in for a wake up, I fear.
Good Morning, hope you have a good day, a smiling one.
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/04/04jan05a.cfm
[Yes, the prices are a joke today]
Tried and True Tips
Here are a few things that worked for me when my sons were growing up.
1.
Serve whole grain bread and butter as a side dish to stretch the meal. Homemade bread is very inexpensive. Start a weekly baking time on weekends when you do laundry and other chores.
2.
If you have a freezer, buy turkey when on sale. Serve it several times a year.
3.
Start the meal with homemade soup.
4.
Use the crock pot to cook the least expensive beef you can find.
5.
For snacks, try popcorn, toast with honey and cinnamon, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
6.
For breakfasts, serve oatmeal, toast, or eggs. Stay away from sugared cereals. French toast is cheap, easy, and nutritious for weekends. Adding meat into scrambled eggs stretches it for special breakfasts.
7.
You are the parent. The children should not be allowed to be “picky” (your husband must back you up on this one). But you can make a list of 15 of their favorite meals and work from that list to save stresses and arguments.
8.
You can honor your husband by serving meat, especially if you have portion control and two or three side dishes. You can keep trying different ways to serve pork and see if he can learn to like anything. It’s much less expensive than beef right now, and there are so many ways to serve it! Keep in mind your purpose. Keeping within a budget is helpful to him. Gently let him know this.
Anne
Find Help with “Taste of Home”
“Taste of Home” magazine frequently features meals designed to take to potlucks or covered dish dinners. These usually say they feed 10 to 14 people, but I’ve found them to feed our seven-member family perfectly. Often they are good old country cooking recipes that will appeal to your husband. We had crock pot chicken and stuffing yesterday from an old issue that went over very well and was economical. Church cookbooks will sometimes have recipes for a crowd too. Most recipes double pretty nicely. So, if it says it serves four, just double or triple it.
Debra
Get the Family Involved
It is difficult to feed a large family and please everyone, so the first thing I would suggest is that you get the whole family involved in the meals. Allow each one individually to work with you once or twice, so that they can have the experience. They should be involved in the preparation, planning, and shopping. My husband would be stunned if he went to the grocery store and realized how much things cost. I don’t know if your husband understands this, but giving him a list and sending him to the store once or twice may teach him a lesson. When I was young, my mother broke her leg and couldn’t go shopping for almost two months. My father had to do the shopping for us as well as my elderly grandparents who weren’t able to get out. He had barely ever set foot in the grocery store in his life. He was lost for one thing, and amazed at how time consuming the process was. I know that when my mother got back on her feet, he was grateful to be free of that chore!
With that said, there are plenty of ways you can save money. Have healthy and inexpensive snacks on hand. I use a lot of turkey for meals. It is especially cheap this time of year, so you can buy large quantities and get several meals. One tip about turkey is that nobody will eat it if it dries out, so make your life easier and buy the oven cooking bags. You can eat plain turkey, make turkey sandwiches, or make turkey and biscuits. It will stretch a long way. During the holidays, stock up on meats that are on sale, such as ham, turkey, lamb (yes it can be cheap), roasts of beef, etc. You can freeze these if you have a freezer and have them to pull out all year long.
Another way to get more mileage out of meat is to buy ground beef when it is on sale and stretch it with TVP (texturized vegetable protein). If you use small quantities of TVP in your mix for meatloaf and hamburgers, your family probably won’t notice. You can find TVP in lots of natural food markets and many grocery stores are carrying it now. It is usually equivalent to the cost of a can of beans for making chili.
Snacks are dangerous. Many of the traditional snack items have lots of fat, sugar, calories, and salt. I buy bagged fruit to snack on. One apple, orange, pear, or banana is the perfect snack. When the little ones can’t eat all of it at once, they are sure to finish it later. Also, buy the store brands of things like chips, granola bars, and yogurt. These are much cheaper than buying the national brands and are often manufactured in the same factory as the name brand.
If your husband will only tolerate one pasta meal and two casserole meals per week, make enough for lunches for the next couple days. You may still be preparing dinners every night, but at least, the lunches will be taken care of a few days per week.
My final suggestion is a kin to my mother’s broken leg. Don’t go out and break your leg, but if you really want to teach your husband something, go away for a few days and visit friends or family on your own and leave the refrigerator empty. He will have to do something to feed the kids while you are gone. He may not completely “get it,” but it is worth a try. At the very least, you will get a break from cooking and shopping and can come back refreshed.
JMM in MA
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Economize with Soup
The easiest way to economize at mealtime is to add a soup course to every dinner. Making a pot of soup is trivial and uses up just about every left over vegetable from previous meals. If you start with the soup to calm appetites, then smaller meat portions will be needed. Soup also keeps well and a simmering pot can sit on a back burner for hours, making it easy to match different eating schedules.
With red meats, a small serving of very good quality meat is usually more satisfying than a big hunk of cheaper cuts. Carving the meat into very thin slices can increase flavor and make a modest portion seem to last much longer. Serving meats with rich sauces makes smaller volumes more filling. This works nicely with poultry. A split chicken breast by itself can seem like a meager portion, but when it is served with a pan sauce, it becomes a meal.
When the family does sit down together, plate the food in the kitchen and bring it to the table restaurant style. Without serving bowls on the table, a single plate of food is often sufficient thus less food needs to be prepared. Finish dinner with a cheese platter. Cheese is very filling and healthier than most sweet deserts. A selection of your favorite cheeses and fruits make an economical, satisfying and relaxing end to a meal.
Brian
Check Out this Website
I suggest a website I use every week. I save 50 to 80% off my grocery store purchases. Just go www.grocerygame.com and you can get a 4-week trial for just one dollar. The week of Thanksgiving, I paid only $73 for $176 worth of food and household supplies. Each week I get as good or better deals. This site has saved me hundreds of dollars each month.
Lisa
Start Cooking Once a Month
Trying to feed a large family with a busy schedule on a tight budget is tough. The solution we have come up with is once-a-month cooking. It seems daunting at first, but do a little research on the subject. There are a ton of handy tips out there on the web. A wonderful investment is a book called Frozen Assets by Deborah Hough. The book lays it all out for you, from the shopping list to the recipes. You can block out one day and conceivably have many meals available for a whole month. You could get the whole family involved in the project as well. I find that when family members share responsibility for meal preparation they tend to “complain” less.
Michele
Stretch Meat and Potatoes
To stretch meals for “meat and potatoes” eaters:
1.
Add TVP to recipes that use ground beef. The TVP looks and tastes like meat when cooked in chili, stew, spaghetti sauce, etc.
2.
Cut the meat up into strips or chunks. Add in lots of chunks of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
3.
Use brown rice, corn bread, corn pancakes or whole grain bread as the “boat” to carry the meat/sauce. Pour your rib-sticking stew or whatever over the complex carb for flavor and a nurturing feeling.
4.
Put a big serving of vegetable casserole on the plate next to a baked sweet potato and a small piece of meat.
Robin
Read this Book
I would recommend The Tightwad Gazette, as a book for reference. The author feeds six children and herself and a lot of the book discusses her methods of food shopping. She uses a price book as well.
Regarding meat dinners, I find that I can get meat extremely inexpensively during the summer. I have commonly found chicken at 39 cents per pound and London broil for 99 cents per pound during barbecue season. I buy a lot and freeze it. I then use my price book and scan all the ads from all grocery stores each week for the best deals. Chicken would work well for a family eating at separate times. You can cook it and put it in the fridge and those eating later can eat it cold or heat it up quickly. Meatloaf and burgers work well for staggered schedules and the younger ones usually enjoy them.
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05apr04a.cfm
Tried-and-True Family Recipe
My family has always made something we call “station meat.” (The name comes from when Grandma would make it to send to the “station” with Grandpa.) When we purchase a beef roast, we buy one larger than what we need for a meal. When the leftovers are cool, grind the roast together with a raw onion, and a few dill pickles. Stir in enough Miracle Whip or Mayo to hold it together, and serve cold on bread for a sandwich or with crackers to scoop it with.
Dawn
[My friend Mary, ground the meat, added the onions and pickle, mixed it well, buttered the bread and then froze the sandwiches, so that we had a snack, when we went to town or to the city exchange to rumage around, it worked and was good for a change...granny]
Invest in Wide-Mouthed Soup Jar
For lunches when you cannot make it to the microwave, buy a couple of the soup jars or thermoses and use leftovers. Wal-Mart has the Campbell’s wide mouthed soup jars for less than $5. Warm leftovers in the morning and spoon into the jars. You may want more than one so you can have a complete meal.
Chop meat for one soup jar, veggies in another, and potatoes, rice, or your favorite side in another soup jar. Bring a little container for dessert and a cup with lid and spout filled with your favorite drink, juice or tea. Put the thermoses, containers, cup, and plastic ware or silverware in a tote bag and you’re on your way to a good home cooked meal. It may be a little much to carry, but it beats waiting in line for a microwave.
Debbie
Ask the Experts
There are some interesting ideas for lunches at www.fabulousfoods.com/features/brnbag/brnbag.html and The Brown Bag Lunch Cookbook by Miriam Jacobs is rated as a great cookbook for such a thing.
Lisa
Real Men Do Eat Quiche
My husband and I take our lunch to work everyday and one thing that I make very often is quiche. If you purchase the Knorr Spring Vegetable soup mix, there is a very easy recipe on the side. Most people think of quiche as being served hot, but it tastes great cold. Then I usually take a side salad and an apple and I’m set. And real men do eat quiche!
A. Miller
Lunchbox Oven Gourmet
My husband has a lunchbox oven that we got from a Flying J gas station. It plugs into his cigarette lighter and heats up leftovers and cooks things like hotdogs. He makes a breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast in his oven. It is about $30 and can be bought online from the Flying J website. It has saved us tons of money and he likes the food much better than fast food or sandwiches.
Linda
Tricks that Will Treat You Right
For lunches when you can’t microwave, there are several tricks that I use.
Freezing: Freeze an entree in a single serving. (If liquid, remember to allow for expansion.) Place in a container that won’t get soggy from condensation. Take out of the freezer just before leaving for work. By lunchtime, it will be thawed but still safe. Obviously, this works best with foods that taste good cold, and when your lunch isn’t going to be subjected to broiling heat while thawing.
Vegetarian: Whole grain products combined with either legumes (beans) or dairy products yield protein just as complete as those in meat, and usually keep much better. Cheese muffins or whole wheat pita crisps with hummus dip are two possibilities here.
Nibbles: Take inspiration from Lunchables and similar prepared foods. A small jar of tomato paste, grated cheese, and a pita or two can make a good cold “pizza,” for instance. Send along oregano, garlic powder, etc. so he can add extra seasoning. Old baby food and spice jars make good holders for the components. Most people think of combinations like cheese cubes, pretzels, summer sausage slices, and a mustard dip to be a snack, but it can be a filling lunch with the addition of fresh fruit.
A good wide-mouth thermos will let you safely serve stews and soups. Many workplaces have coffee makers even when they don’t have microwaves, and you can get “hot pots” or “dip-in” heaters that will heat a cup or two of water quickly. Use these for single servings of dried soup or stew, or look for other offerings in camping and military surplus stores. You can also create your own “dried” recipes using broken up pasta and instant rice.
Kay from Ohio
Salads that are Sure to Please
Try these two versions of a “taco” salad. They’re great for using leftovers. The contents of each can be adjusted to suit almost any food plan, and it will still taste great. It is worth it to invest in those small plastic containers for the salad dressing.
Try it for dinner some night, putting all of the ingredients in individual bowls on the table. Let everyone build their own salad based on their tastes.
Southwest Chicken Salad
Mixed salad greens from a bag (1-2 cups)
1/2 to 1 cup frozen Southwest corn, black bean, pepper and onion mix, thawed
1/4 cup grated cheese
1/4 cup pico de gallo or salsa
1/2 to 1 cup shredded, cooked, cooled chicken flavored with chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped onion
Any other vegetables to your liking
2 Tbsp. Ranch dressing
Mix all ingredients except corn mixture, pico de gallo, and dressing in a plastic bowl with airtight cover. Toss at serving time with corn mixture, pico de gallo and dressing. All of this should keep in an insulated lunch bag until lunch without a problem. Include corn muffins, chips or rolls in the lunch bag, if desired.
Taco Salad
Mixed salad greens from a bag (1-2 cups)
Pinto or kidney beans (1/2 to 1 cup)
1/4 cup grated cheese
1/2 to 1 cup cooked, cooled ground beef flavored with chili powder, cumin and cayenne pepper to taste (Add dashes of cinnamon or cloves for a change.)
1/4 cup chopped onion
Any other vegetables to your liking
1/4 to 1/2 cup crushed corn chips
2 Tbsp. California French
Mix all ingredients except chips, beans, and dressing in a plastic bowl with airtight cover. Toss at serving time with chips, beans and dressing. All of this should keep in an insulated lunch bag until lunch without a problem.
Amy
Not the Typical Sandwich
My favorite sandwich is a nice crusty bread with brie cheese or some other soft cheese, walnuts, honey and apple slices. It is best to use a mandalin slicer to get slices thin. This sandwich has protein from the walnuts, calcium from the cheese, lots of vitamins from the apple and little touch of sweetness.
Tim
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/02/02apr01g.cfm
All you need is some spices and a measuring spoon!
If you like to cook, you’ve probably purchased a ready-made seasoning packet or spice blend at one time or another. While they are a convenient way to add some flavor to your recipes, they can be expensive. Did you know that you can purchase bulk spices and make your own seasoning blends right at home for the fraction of the price?
Bulk spices can be found at warehouse grocery stores or retailers such as Sam’s Club. Stored in an airtight container, most seasoning blends will keep for up to six months. And, in a decorative bottle or jar they can make a fun gift for any gourmet!
Taco Seasoning
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon ground oregano
Combine seasoning mixture with 1 lb. Drained ground beef and ¾ C. water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Salad Seasoning
* 2 tablespoons Romano cheese
* 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
* Dash cayenne pepper
Tastes great mixed with Italian Salad dressing and pasta.
Homemade Cajun Seasoning
* 1 teaspoon white pepper
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon onion powder
* 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
Adds flavor to chicken, pork, and pasta.
Spaghetti Seasoning
* 1 1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
* 1 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley leaves, crushed
* 1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon dried green pepper flakes
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon dried minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon ground basil
* 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
Combine ingredients and store in an airtight container.
Salt-Free Seasoning
* 1/4 cup crushed dried minced onion flakes
* 4 teaspoons crushed dried vegetable flakes
* 1 tablespoon garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon dried orange peel
* 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon dried savory
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
* 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
* 1/4 teaspoon unsweetened lemonade drink mix (such as Kool-Aid)
Great for those on a low-sodium diet!
Poultry Seasoning
* 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
* 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Add savory, marjoram, dill, allspice and ginger according to your own personal taste. The recipe above makes about 1 tablespoon, enough for 1 chicken dish.
Curry Powder
* 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
* 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* Pinch nutmeg
* Black pepper to taste
Grind the coriander and fennel seeds with the bay leaf. Combine with additional ingredients. Makes about 2 tablespoons.
Basic Rub Spice Mix
* 4 tablespoons paprika
* 1 1/2 tablespoons cayenne
* 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons garlic powder
* 3 tablespoons onion powder
* 3 tablespoons salt
* 1 1/2 tablespoons oregano
* 1 1/2 tablespoons thyme
Rub this blend on meats before grilling.
Creole Spice Blend
* 1 cup paprika
* 1 cup dried basil
* 1 cup dried thyme
* 1/2 cup cayenne
* 1/2 cup file gumbo
* 1/4 cup chili powder
Emeril’s Essence
* 5 tablespoons sweet paprika
* 1/4 cup salt
* 1/4 cup garlic powder
* 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons onion powder
* 2 tablespoons cayenne
* 2 tablespoons dried oregano
* 2 tablespoons dried thyme
A basic spice mixture used in dozens of Emeril Lagasse’s recipes. Mix it up and keep some on hand to “kick” any dish “up a notch!”
Kim Danger is a self-proclaimed thrifty mom and owner/operator of the website Mommysavers.com. She lives with her husband and daughter in Southern Minnesota. Visit her website today for more thrifty ideas MommySavers.com
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05apr04g.cfm
Reducing the cost of snacks
Don’t Let Munchies Gobble Your Budget
by Shaunna Privratsky
“Mom, there’s nothing to eat!” My ten-year-old daughter complains on a daily basis, usually right after I’ve just spent our weekly grocery budget at the store. There is nothing more frustrating than buying high-priced snacks for your family, only to have them disappear at the speed of light.
I finally decided to get a handle on our treat spending and developed several ways to save on snacks. The first step is to remember that homemade is always better. You can make cupcakes, muffins, brownies and cookies much cheaper than the pre-packaged items that cost a bundle. With today’s easy mixes, you can whip up a batch when you have a spare twenty minutes, then have snacks for the whole week.
I buy cake, muffin and cookie mixes on sale and use coupons for extra savings. Baking together is also a fun family activity. Kids love to lick the spoons!
Another plus of homemade snacks is that you can sneak nutrition into the mix. Puree a banana or grate an apple into your baked goods. The kids won’t detect “chunks,” only notice the moist, yummy flavor. Nutritious nuts add crunch to brownies, cookies and muffins.
Make your own trail mix. Combine any kind of nuts, candy pieces or chocolate chips and raisins. You can get creative with dried banana chips, mini marshmallows, small pretzels, etc. Mix all your chosen ingredients in a large jar or bowl with a lid. You can also put portions into snack-size zipper bags for grab and go snacks.
Remember Jell-O? A box is only about 50 cents. It is a tasty treat plain or with whipped toppings or add-ins like fruit or marshmallows. Chopped pears, peaches, mandarin oranges and mangos go great with gelatin. Add silly gummy treats like fish or worms. Fix it in fancy dessert bowls or kid-size containers for extra appeal.
Juice boxes and pouches are handy but high-priced. I bought a six-pack of juice in sturdy plastic bottles with lids. The juice was gone in half a day, but I washed the bottles and refilled them with 100% apple juice. My average saving on juice per week is $9. Plus, my children grab them just as readily and I know they are getting healthier juice. I can easily vary the flavors.
Pop is another money-muncher. I noticed that the kids might take a can, but only finish half. I spotted some cute, kid-size bottles of pop at Wal-Mart and bought eight. Now I buy a 2-liter for 50 cents at Wal-Mart and keep washing and refilling the small pop bottles. Nothing is wasted and the kids like the variety.
What about salty snacks? I buy a lot of popcorn, crackers and nuts. I also buy a bag or two of everyone’s favorite chips like Doritos or Sun-Chips, but we try to follow a “two-handful” rule. This saves money, fat-intake and our health!
Don’t forget the power of presentation. Kids love pre-packaged snacks because of the smaller portions and snazzy containers. Pick up scaled-down plastic-ware with lids, fun dipping cups and “chip bowls” that are half the size. Smaller juice or water bottles, pop bottles and cool kid cups are just better. You don’t have to spend a fortune. Go to any thrift, second-hand or discount store for excellent prices, or visit a garage sale for mere pennies on the dollar.
Your kids won’t look farther if you have a plate ready with apple slices and a dipping cup of peanut butter or caramel. An inviting tray of chunked cheese, crackers, and tiny cubes of ham is twice as nice as Lunchables. Carrots, cauliflower and ranch dressing are a big hit at our house, as well as warm muffins or cookies. Get that fresh-from-the-oven warmth with twenty seconds in the microwave.
Where you shop is important, too. Snacks in grocery stores are higher-priced than in discount stores, but may offer more variety. I typically save 30-50% by purchasing treats at Wal-Mart or The Dollar Store. Brand names usually don’t matter, so I buy store-brands or whatever is discounted. A great hint is to use clothespins or chip clips on the larger bags of chips to preserve the freshness all the way to the bottom of the bag. No one cares for stale chips in our house!
I tend to avoid the candy aisle, although I will stock up after holidays when it is on clearance. I freeze chocolate candies and bring them out for special occasions or the next holiday celebration. To keep prying sweet-seekers away, I mis-label the packages with spinach, Brussels sprouts, liver, etc. (I hope my children don’t read this article!)
As my children get older, I have to come up with more inventive ways to curb snack spending. With just a little time, ingenuity and planning, you can save on snacks, too. Don’t let the munchies gobble your budget anymore!
Shaunna Privratsky has authored over 250 published articles and stories. Her book “Pump Up Your Prose” and money-saving e-books are available at http://shaunna67.tripod.com/id21.html. Sign up free to her monthly newsletter while you’re visiting. Shaunna lives in North Dakota with her family and three cuddly cats.
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/04/04jun21f.cfm
Natural Products For Free
by Linda Gray
Cosmetics and medicinal products have been made from herbs for many years, but beauty and well being don’t have to come out of a bottle.
Getting out in the garden, yours or a green fingered friend’s, will bring a glow to the skin and fresh air in the lungs. Instant feel-good.
Take a look around at herbs in their natural state, before they become creams and potions and lotions. Not only are they pleasant to look at, but also their scents can evoke memories, emotions and appetite!
Here are seven handy everyday herbs to make you look good and feel good, and best of all, you don’t have to part with a penny!
Coriander: Aids digestion. Add a few chopped fresh leaves to spice up any meal and you won’t suffer with indigestion.
Basil: Put a few leaves in a muslin bag under the hot tap to produce an invigorating bath!
Thyme: An infusion of thyme will help soothe coughs and colds and even hangovers.
Parsley: It is loaded with vitamin C and will help promote healthy skin. Add parsley to any meal. It also helps freshen the breath.
Sage: Helps with the miseries of PMS and menopause. A small glassful of sage tea taken for a few days before a period will soon put a stop to those moodies!
Lavender: Crush a few leaves to release the scent and all fuzzy headaches magically fade away. A sprig or two in a clothes drawer will add freshness to your undies!
Borage: The herb of courage! Research suggests that borage works directly on the adrenal gland, where courage begins! Rich in mineral salts, borage is useful to add to salt-free diets.
Try growing these seven everyday herbs yourself. Most will successfully grow in pots on a sunny windowsill if no outside space is available. And remember to use them! Herbs like to be picked and will often fade away if not cared for properly. They will repay you ten times over, with zest in your diet and natural medicines for your family.
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