This dish is another I have cooked and loved from my cookbook The Complete Book of Greek Cooking by Rena Salaman and Jan Cutler. If you like Mediterranean food or want to try your hand at it, I would encourage you to get this book. Right now it's on Amazon for $11.99. I've had this book for over 10 years, so there may be others out there equally as good or better. You may shop around. I found this in a bookstore's section where they had clearance items. I think I bought it for $5.
This recipe is warm, comforting, and has a refreshing feel all at the same time thanks to the orange. Not a lot of ingredients, and hands-on, is short, but cook-time is longer. I feel this might be a good one to try to cook in a crock-pot or instant pot if you have to step out to pick up kids or do something else. There are no instructions for that. I'd probably start in the morning though and set it to simmer throughout the day.
If you haven't noticed, I'm kind of lax with my ingredients...and sometimes the process. Instead of fresh, I'll use dried or canned, or I'll substitute out ingredients. Some of this is price, and others is ease and speed. I might cook something in a crock-pot even though it doesn't call for it. Cooking changed for me when I had children. I still experiment and I still go seek ingredients elsewhere, but it's less often, or I just modify the recipes enough for me to do it more easily.
Speaking of speed. The prep time for this isn't that long, unless you use the dried beans (I use canned if I forget to soak overnight, or if I'm just in a hurry). Even with soaking dried beans the hands-on isn't that long. It mostly has to gently cook or simmer. As for what to serve with, I always like to have a green vegetable with my dinners/suppers. So I'd likely pair with a salad, though you could cook some broccoli or green beans to go with it as well.
Here it is. I hope you enjoy this one. I was pleasantly surprised my first time eating it.
Equipment: large bowl for soaking beans, large sauce pan, cutting board, chef knife, grater or zester, optional: pressure cooker
Pork with Chickpeas and Orange
Ingredients:
1 3/4 C dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water to cover (or use 2-3 cans dried chickpeas)
5-6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 lb boneless leg of pork, cut into large cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
14 oz can chopped tomatoes (diced tomatoes)
grated rind of 1 orange
1 small dried red chilli (or crushed red pepper to taste)
salt and ground black pepper
Process:
1) (If you use canned chickpeas-aka garbanzo beans, skip steps 1 and 2. Reserve the aquafaba, aka bean juice in the can.) Drain the chickpeas, rinse them under cold water and drain them again. Place them in a large, heavy pan. Pour in enough cold water to cover generously, put a lid on the pan and begin to boil.
2) Skim the surface, replace the lid and cook gently for 1-1 1/2 hours, depending on the age and pedigree of the chickpeas. Alternatively, you could cook them in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes under full pressure. When the chickpeas are soft, drain them, reserving the cooking liquid, and set them aside.
3) Heat the olive oil in the clean pan and brown the meat cubes in batches. As each cube browns, lift it out with a slotted spoon and put it on a plate. When all the meat cubes have been browned, add the onion to the oil remaining in the pan and saute the slices until light golden. Stir in the garlic, then as soon as it becomes aromatic, add the tomatoes and orange rind.
4) Crumble in the chilli (or just add some crushed red pepper). Return the chickpeas and meat to the pan and pour in enough reserved cooking liquid (or aquafaba and water if you used canned beans) to cover. Add the black pepper, but not salt at this stage.
5) Mix well, cover the pan and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the meat is tender. Stir occasionally and add more of the reserved liquid if needed. The result should be a moist casserole; not soupy, but not dry either. Season with salt before serving.
Notes:
1) I use whatever pork I can find. Sometimes it's a loin, sometimes a roast. Sometimes it's pork chops I cut up. The less lean cuts I think tend to be juicier and tastier in my opinion, but the leaner cuts reduce fat and calories and are still yummy. But I am also a dark meat type of person... and dark meat tends to be cheaper than white. Just trim the excess fat off your meat.
Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Friday, March 27, 2020
Easy and Delicious Greek Dish
I love food! All kinds of food. I have too many cookbooks. Even after purging them, I still have too many cookbooks. So it shouldn't really surprise anyone that I have a Greek cookbook. The Complete Book of Greek Cooking, by Rena Salaman and Jan Cutler, is a keeper. I love how it has information in the front about foods from the region and lots of pictures. I'm a very visual person, so pictures are important.
This cookbook does have a lot of fish recipes, which I don't use as much as I would like due to cost and availability at my usual gathering meadows (aka: grocery stores). BUT, it also has a lot of other recipes that are amazing. This is one that I substitute regular Italian sausages instead of a Greek sausage, and it is still a favorite of mine... Spicy Sausage and Pepper Stew. I also use diced tomatoes instead of skinning and chopping up tomatoes, and I use dried parsley if I don't have fresh.... the same with thyme. If you use dried instead of fresh, cut down to about 1/3 of what you would have used fresh or play around with the amount until you get it to your liking.
My kids like sausage... well, they basically love any type of ground up meat, but especially sausages. They probably wished I had it for every meal. I make sure I pair it with green beans (which my kids like) and I might cut up a raw pepper for them if they won't eat the cooked peppers. I know they'll eat them raw. Rolls, or toast, would go nicely also. This makes sure that my kids still get a good meal even if they won't eat the cooked peppers in the stew. I know they'll eat sausages and I'll choose other nutritious sides that they like to balance it all out for them.
Here's the recipe.
Equipment Needed: cutting board, chef knife, large skillet or sauce pan, mixing spoon, slotted spoon, (optional: medium baking dish)
Spicy Sausage and Pepper Stew
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb red and green bell peppers
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lb spicy sausages (Italian garlic sausages, Merguez or Toulouse if you cannot find Greek sausages.... OR regular Italian sausage.)
14 oz tomatoes, skinned and roughly sliced (or one 14 oz can diced tomatoes, you can drain it if you want)
1 tsp dried oregano or some fresh thyme, chopped
2/3 c hot water
3 Tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (or about 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
salt and ground black pepper
chopped fresh thyme, to garnish
Process:
1) Halve and seed the peppers and cut them into quarters. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pan, add the peppers and saute them over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes until they start to brown.
2) Meanwhile, slice the sausages into bitesize chunks. Then carefully tip the hot olive oil into a frying pan.
3) Add the sausages and fry them briefly, turning them frequently, to get rid of the excess fat but not to cook them. As soon as they are brown, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
4) Add the tomatoes, sausages and herbs to the peppers. Stir in the water and season with salt and pepper, then cover the pan and cook gently for about 30 minutes. Mix in the chopped parsley and serve piping hot.
Notes:
1) If you prefer, stir in the parsley, spread the mixture in a medium baking dish and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. (This is actually how I prefer to do it, but it does dirty another dish.)
2) You can make this meatless by getting vegetable Italian sausages. I actually just bought some to try out from either Aldi or Lidl (I can't remember).
This cookbook does have a lot of fish recipes, which I don't use as much as I would like due to cost and availability at my usual gathering meadows (aka: grocery stores). BUT, it also has a lot of other recipes that are amazing. This is one that I substitute regular Italian sausages instead of a Greek sausage, and it is still a favorite of mine... Spicy Sausage and Pepper Stew. I also use diced tomatoes instead of skinning and chopping up tomatoes, and I use dried parsley if I don't have fresh.... the same with thyme. If you use dried instead of fresh, cut down to about 1/3 of what you would have used fresh or play around with the amount until you get it to your liking.
My kids like sausage... well, they basically love any type of ground up meat, but especially sausages. They probably wished I had it for every meal. I make sure I pair it with green beans (which my kids like) and I might cut up a raw pepper for them if they won't eat the cooked peppers. I know they'll eat them raw. Rolls, or toast, would go nicely also. This makes sure that my kids still get a good meal even if they won't eat the cooked peppers in the stew. I know they'll eat sausages and I'll choose other nutritious sides that they like to balance it all out for them.
Here's the recipe.
Equipment Needed: cutting board, chef knife, large skillet or sauce pan, mixing spoon, slotted spoon, (optional: medium baking dish)
Spicy Sausage and Pepper Stew
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb red and green bell peppers
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lb spicy sausages (Italian garlic sausages, Merguez or Toulouse if you cannot find Greek sausages.... OR regular Italian sausage.)
14 oz tomatoes, skinned and roughly sliced (or one 14 oz can diced tomatoes, you can drain it if you want)
1 tsp dried oregano or some fresh thyme, chopped
2/3 c hot water
3 Tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (or about 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
salt and ground black pepper
chopped fresh thyme, to garnish
Process:
1) Halve and seed the peppers and cut them into quarters. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pan, add the peppers and saute them over a medium heat for 10-15 minutes until they start to brown.
2) Meanwhile, slice the sausages into bitesize chunks. Then carefully tip the hot olive oil into a frying pan.
3) Add the sausages and fry them briefly, turning them frequently, to get rid of the excess fat but not to cook them. As soon as they are brown, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
4) Add the tomatoes, sausages and herbs to the peppers. Stir in the water and season with salt and pepper, then cover the pan and cook gently for about 30 minutes. Mix in the chopped parsley and serve piping hot.
Notes:
1) If you prefer, stir in the parsley, spread the mixture in a medium baking dish and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. (This is actually how I prefer to do it, but it does dirty another dish.)
2) You can make this meatless by getting vegetable Italian sausages. I actually just bought some to try out from either Aldi or Lidl (I can't remember).
How are you doing with Vitamin D lately?
The former CDC chief, Tom Frieden, MD, says vitamin D supplementation may provide "modest protection for vulnerable populations" against covid-19 (Frieden). In his article he also encourages getting out for a little sun while keeping social distancing guidelines if you are healthy and well, eat foods that are sources of vitamin D, and take a daily multivitamin. I would agree with those sentiments. He also warns not to double up just because you're worried (more is not always better as I'll talk about below). Frieden also gives other tips to help increase our resistance to infection. In the references below, there is a link if you want to read his article or specifically look those tips up.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that we need in our bodies to help with a variety of necessary functions including a role in immunity. Fat soluble just means that it is absorbed with fat in our bodies, and if you eat in excess of what your body needs, then it will store it in your body. This leads to it being one of the vitamins more likely to have issues of toxicity if people take too much. Some may think if a little of something is good, then more is better. In the case of nutrition supplementation, that is not the case. Even with your water soluble vitamins, you can achieve toxicity with high enough amounts despite your body excreting excess. There is only so much excess your kidneys can get rid of in a certain amount of time.
Most people can get their daily requirement of vitamin D from exposure to the sun. Our bodies use the ultraviolet light from the sun and the cholesterol in our skin to create vitamin D (Mahan and Escott-Stump, 2008, p. 74). How much sun exposure do people need? Usually 5-15 minutes of unprotected sunshine on your face, hands, and arms are enough for a person to get the daily vitamin D they need. Please note sunscreen does block your skin production of vitamin D. Other factors effecting your skin's production of vitamin D are age (we're talking around 70 and older are not as good at converting to the D3 form), skin color (darker skin tones do not synthesize vitamin D as well), time of day (peak sun is best), season of year, latitude, and any conditions that cause fat-malabsorption. If you are above the 40 degree latitude line, you are more at risk for deficiency due to less sunlight.
Where everyone is staying inside lately, getting adequate vitamin D may be difficult if you are not eating sources of vitamin D. This goes for areas or regions where it is colder and thus have longer winters where people stay inside longer, you are more at risk for deficiency. So besides using the sun to create your own vitamin D, what can you eat to get vitamin D in your diet? Here's a little list to get you started.
Some Food Sources of Vitamin D (ODPHP)
Herring
Salmon
Trout
Swordfish
Sturgeon
Whitefish
Mackerel
Tuna
Portabella Mushrooms, exposed to UV light, grilled
Halibut
Rockfish
Tilapia
Flatfish (Flounder and Sole)
Canned Sardines
Canned Shrimp
Fortified Cereals
Fortified Cow's Milk, Almond Milk, Soy Milk, Rice Drink
Fortified Orange Juice (must shake well)
Chanterelle Mushrooms, raw
Egg Yolks
Human Milk
Calf Liver
Chicken Liver
As always, discuss any additions or changes to your supplements with your doctor as some supplements can interact with medications. Don't assume that you are deficient just because you may fall into one of the groups that are more at risk for deficiency, you're diet may be adequate. Getting your vitamin D level tested is really the only way to confirm a deficiency to support any type of more aggressive supplementation guided by a health care professional. And remember one vitamin or supplement is not a cure all. It is just a piece of the puzzle. Good health is the result of a balanced diet, adequate exercise, and also watching out for your mental well-being.
If you are looking for how much to eat/take/ingest, here's a link to the National Institute's of Health fact sheet including recommeded daily allowances (RDA) per age groups: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/. It also goes more in-depth for those seeking further knowledge.
I wish you all the best of health!
1) Frieden, T., MD. March 23, 2020. Fox News. Former CDC Chief Dr. Tom Frieden: Coronavirus infection risk May be reduced by Vitamin D. Available: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/former-cdc-chief-tom-frieden-coronavirus-risk-may-be-reduced-with-vitamin-d
2) Mahan, L.K. and Escott-Stump, E. 2008. Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy.
3) [Online] Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). Dietary Guidelines 2015-2020. Appendix 12. Food Sources of Vitamin D. Available: https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/appendix-12/
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that we need in our bodies to help with a variety of necessary functions including a role in immunity. Fat soluble just means that it is absorbed with fat in our bodies, and if you eat in excess of what your body needs, then it will store it in your body. This leads to it being one of the vitamins more likely to have issues of toxicity if people take too much. Some may think if a little of something is good, then more is better. In the case of nutrition supplementation, that is not the case. Even with your water soluble vitamins, you can achieve toxicity with high enough amounts despite your body excreting excess. There is only so much excess your kidneys can get rid of in a certain amount of time.
Most people can get their daily requirement of vitamin D from exposure to the sun. Our bodies use the ultraviolet light from the sun and the cholesterol in our skin to create vitamin D (Mahan and Escott-Stump, 2008, p. 74). How much sun exposure do people need? Usually 5-15 minutes of unprotected sunshine on your face, hands, and arms are enough for a person to get the daily vitamin D they need. Please note sunscreen does block your skin production of vitamin D. Other factors effecting your skin's production of vitamin D are age (we're talking around 70 and older are not as good at converting to the D3 form), skin color (darker skin tones do not synthesize vitamin D as well), time of day (peak sun is best), season of year, latitude, and any conditions that cause fat-malabsorption. If you are above the 40 degree latitude line, you are more at risk for deficiency due to less sunlight.
Where everyone is staying inside lately, getting adequate vitamin D may be difficult if you are not eating sources of vitamin D. This goes for areas or regions where it is colder and thus have longer winters where people stay inside longer, you are more at risk for deficiency. So besides using the sun to create your own vitamin D, what can you eat to get vitamin D in your diet? Here's a little list to get you started.
Some Food Sources of Vitamin D (ODPHP)
Herring
Salmon
Trout
Swordfish
Sturgeon
Whitefish
Mackerel
Tuna
Portabella Mushrooms, exposed to UV light, grilled
Halibut
Rockfish
Tilapia
Flatfish (Flounder and Sole)
Canned Sardines
Canned Shrimp
Fortified Cereals
Fortified Cow's Milk, Almond Milk, Soy Milk, Rice Drink
Fortified Orange Juice (must shake well)
Chanterelle Mushrooms, raw
Egg Yolks
Human Milk
Calf Liver
Chicken Liver
As always, discuss any additions or changes to your supplements with your doctor as some supplements can interact with medications. Don't assume that you are deficient just because you may fall into one of the groups that are more at risk for deficiency, you're diet may be adequate. Getting your vitamin D level tested is really the only way to confirm a deficiency to support any type of more aggressive supplementation guided by a health care professional. And remember one vitamin or supplement is not a cure all. It is just a piece of the puzzle. Good health is the result of a balanced diet, adequate exercise, and also watching out for your mental well-being.
If you are looking for how much to eat/take/ingest, here's a link to the National Institute's of Health fact sheet including recommeded daily allowances (RDA) per age groups: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/. It also goes more in-depth for those seeking further knowledge.
I wish you all the best of health!
1) Frieden, T., MD. March 23, 2020. Fox News. Former CDC Chief Dr. Tom Frieden: Coronavirus infection risk May be reduced by Vitamin D. Available: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/former-cdc-chief-tom-frieden-coronavirus-risk-may-be-reduced-with-vitamin-d
2) Mahan, L.K. and Escott-Stump, E. 2008. Krause's Food and Nutrition Therapy.
3) [Online] Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). Dietary Guidelines 2015-2020. Appendix 12. Food Sources of Vitamin D. Available: https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/appendix-12/
Monday, March 23, 2020
Wanting to sneak in a little veg to your dinner? Try this.
Parents are always trying to find ways to get more vegetables into their children's bellies. This recipe makes it easy. The smaller you chop the veggies, the less likely your children will notice, or care, that they are in there. It's tasty and makes a large amount so you can freeze half of it for an easy meal another day. I usually can get everything I need from Lidl/Aldi and Food Lion combined.
This recipe also comes from my mother's congregations cookbook Our Golden Plates by The Elizabethown Ward. I don't know where the contributor originally got it. Though I do tend to like cookbooks like that because everyone is putting their favorites in, so you are likely to find some awesome recipes. Speaking of which, here it is.
Equipment: cutting board, chef knife, measuring spoons and cups, large sautee pan or skillet (or a large sauce pan), heat resistant mixing spoon, food processor (optional)
Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients:
3 garlic coves (1 Tbsp minced)
1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled (1 Tbsp minced)
4 medium carrots
10 green onions white and green parts
1 (8 oz) can sliced water chestnuts
1 (8 oz) can bamboo shoots
1 Tbsp canola oil
3 lbs ground turkey breast
1 c hoisin sauce
1/2 c soy sauce
1/3 c dry sherry
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp Sriracha or other hot chili sauce or paste
Boston Bibb/Romain lettuce (allow 3-4 leaves per person)
Brown rice, cooked (optional)
Suggested Toppings:
peanuts, chopped
cilantro
sriracha chili sauce
Asian peanut sauce
Asian spicy lime and ginger sauce
Process:
1) Mince the vegetables. This may all be minced by hand, however, it is easier to use a food processor if you have one. Process in this order: Mince garlic and ginger together. Chop the carrots into 1 inch chunks and add them to the food processor until minced. Empty the contents of the processor into a bowl. Chop green onions into 2 inch pieces and add with bamboo shoots and water chestnuts into the food processor until minced.
2) Add canola oil to skillet and heat on medium-high heat. Add turkey, cook until browned, break apart chunks.
3) Add all minced veggies and cook 5-10 minutes until tender.
4) In a separate bowl, whisk together hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, and Sriracha; add to the turkey mixture. stir and cook until heated through (approximately 5 minutes).
5) To Serve: Spoon rice and turkey mixture onto a lettuce leaf. Add toppings if desired. Roll the lettuce leaf and eat.
6) To Freeze: Add turkey mixture to freezer bag -- 2 cups to quart-size bag. Flatten bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and seal. Lay flat in freezer. May be frozen for several months.
Notes:
1) If you don't do alcohol in your foods, just leave out the sherry. It still tastes wonderful.
2) If you want to have less meat, you can substitute some canned chickpeas drained and run through the food processor for 1-1 1/2 lbs of the meat. I usually assume that 1 can of chickpeas is equivalent to about 1 lb of the meat when I do this. You can substitute more or all of it, but then I start to notice a change in the flavor.
3) You can substitute quinoa for the rice or another of your favorite grains.
4) I have to do process my vegetables in smaller batches as I have a small food processor. I also have been known to add a couple more carrots into the mix.
4) If your child doesn't like lettuce, you can put the meat on a sandwich and have an Asian style sloppy joe.
5) To Reheat - You can reheat this in the microwave or thaw first and then reheat in a pan.
Sunday, March 22, 2020
What goes better with soup beans than cornbread?
So I had to stop yesterday to help with my two kiddos, and didn't get to posting the cornbread recipe. This recipe comes from my husband's family's cookbook that they compiled some of their favorites in. It is called Marie Callender Cornbread.
Equipment: Large mixing bowl, medium mixing bowl, sifter, mixer (hand or stand mixer), mixing spoon or spatula, 7x11 pyrex pan, measuring spoons and cups
Marie Callender Cornbread
Ingredients:
1/3 c. butter or margerine
1/2 c. sugar
2 well-beaten eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. milk
2/3 c. cornmeal
Process:
1) Beat butter and sugar until creamy.
2) Stir in well-beaten eggs and vanilla.
3) Sift together the salt, cornstarch, baking powder, flour. Add HALF to egg mixture.
4) Add the milk and cornmeal and stir together.
5) Add the other half of dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Fits well in a 7 x 11 pyrex pan.
Equipment: Large mixing bowl, medium mixing bowl, sifter, mixer (hand or stand mixer), mixing spoon or spatula, 7x11 pyrex pan, measuring spoons and cups
Marie Callender Cornbread
Ingredients:
1/3 c. butter or margerine
1/2 c. sugar
2 well-beaten eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c. flour
3/4 c. milk
2/3 c. cornmeal
Process:
1) Beat butter and sugar until creamy.
2) Stir in well-beaten eggs and vanilla.
3) Sift together the salt, cornstarch, baking powder, flour. Add HALF to egg mixture.
4) Add the milk and cornmeal and stir together.
5) Add the other half of dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Fits well in a 7 x 11 pyrex pan.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
What takes soup beans to another level? Chow Chow.
As promised, here is the chow chow relish recipe my mom uses, which apparently came from my mammaw. My mom said she thinks it is probably a Ball recipe. She uses green tomatoes and green peppers, yellow onions. My mom also informed me that this can be used on sandwiches/hot dogs.
This is a hot pack canning recipe, so you'll need canning jars, canning lids, and the canning lid bands. Make sure your lids and bands fit the jars.
Other equipment: large cutting board, chef knife, large sauce pan or stock pot, a sachet, small pan to heat canning lids
Chow Chow Relish
Ingredients:
1 gallon cabbage, chopped
12 onions, finely chopped
18 green peppers, chopped
2 qts. green tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c. canning/pickling salt
2-3 qts. vinegar
5 c. sugar
4 Tbsp ground mustard
1 Tbsp turmeric
1 Tbsp ground ginger
4 Tbsp mustard seed
3 Tbsp celery seed
2 Tbsp whole pickling spices (put these in a sachet)
(beans and cornbread)
Process:
1) Chop onion, pepper, cabbage, and tomatoes and mix with the 1/2 cup of canning salt. Let stand overnight.
2) Drain the vegetables.
3) Stir vinegar, sugar and spices all together in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
5) Add the drained vegetables, bring to a boil, and simmer until hot and well seasoned.
6) While that is simmering start warming jars and boil water in small pan to heat up your lids. Once lids are in boiling water, turn temperature down to where it will keep the lids warm and seal supple.
7) Remove sachet of pickling spices.
8) When ready pack hot chow chow into clean hot jars and run table knife in and through chow chow to help remove air bubbles. Shake down and fill up to 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. Run a clean cloth around top of the jar making sure it is clear of any debris. Put lid on jar, and hand tighten bands over lids.
Notes:
1) Keep chow chow simmering so it is hot when you pack it into the jar. Do one jar at a time so it stays nice and hot to aid sealing.
2) With the size of the cabbage heads in the stores, you may need 3 heads of cabbage to get a gallon of chopped cabbage. It depends on the size and density of the cabbage heads.
3) My mom also uses yellow onions.
4) You want it chunky, so if you use a food processor to speed it up, don't overdo it.
5) Keep jars warm (in the oven or with warm water in the sink with the hottest water you have).
This is a hot pack canning recipe, so you'll need canning jars, canning lids, and the canning lid bands. Make sure your lids and bands fit the jars.
Other equipment: large cutting board, chef knife, large sauce pan or stock pot, a sachet, small pan to heat canning lids
Chow Chow Relish
Ingredients:
1 gallon cabbage, chopped
12 onions, finely chopped
18 green peppers, chopped
2 qts. green tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c. canning/pickling salt
2-3 qts. vinegar
5 c. sugar
4 Tbsp ground mustard
1 Tbsp turmeric
1 Tbsp ground ginger
4 Tbsp mustard seed
3 Tbsp celery seed
2 Tbsp whole pickling spices (put these in a sachet)
(beans and cornbread)
Process:
1) Chop onion, pepper, cabbage, and tomatoes and mix with the 1/2 cup of canning salt. Let stand overnight.
2) Drain the vegetables.
3) Stir vinegar, sugar and spices all together in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
5) Add the drained vegetables, bring to a boil, and simmer until hot and well seasoned.
6) While that is simmering start warming jars and boil water in small pan to heat up your lids. Once lids are in boiling water, turn temperature down to where it will keep the lids warm and seal supple.
7) Remove sachet of pickling spices.
8) When ready pack hot chow chow into clean hot jars and run table knife in and through chow chow to help remove air bubbles. Shake down and fill up to 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. Run a clean cloth around top of the jar making sure it is clear of any debris. Put lid on jar, and hand tighten bands over lids.
Notes:
1) Keep chow chow simmering so it is hot when you pack it into the jar. Do one jar at a time so it stays nice and hot to aid sealing.
2) With the size of the cabbage heads in the stores, you may need 3 heads of cabbage to get a gallon of chopped cabbage. It depends on the size and density of the cabbage heads.
3) My mom also uses yellow onions.
4) You want it chunky, so if you use a food processor to speed it up, don't overdo it.
5) Keep jars warm (in the oven or with warm water in the sink with the hottest water you have).
More Recipes
Well, today I realized I didn't make it to posting a recipe yesterday. So I technically owe you two today. :)
When I was little we had beans and cornbread almost every Sunday. I liked it then, and have rediscovered it as an adult. But when my mom made a huge batch of chow chow relish and shared some pint jars with me, I realized what I had been missing in my own beans. I never want to eat beans and cornbread without my mom's chow chow again. Luckily, I have the recipe she uses, so next time I can try to make it myself. I don't know where she originally got her recipe for chow chow. So I'll share that along with my husband's aunt's recipe for cornbread. I'll also share a soup bean recipe. So really, that's three recipes, but they're all just for one meal.
Now you can use beans from either canned or dried, but if you use dried, just make sure you plan ahead and start it in a crock-pot that morning or cook it overnight.You have to rinse and soak the dry beans prior to cooking.
Let's start with the Soup Beans. Its a pretty simple and cheap meal. Dry beans are great food storage to have on hand. Beans are an excellent source of fiber and nutrients. If you don't add ham to it, you would still get a complete protein as long as you paired it with the cornbread or another bread/grain. But the ham does add a lot of flavor. The recipe below is from looking at this Southern Ham and Brown Beans from Allrecipes (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/40203/southern-ham-and-brown-beans/) and talking to my mom. There will be some notes.
In the notes you will see about boiling the ham prior. I am fairly sensitive to salt. Usually ham and sometimes french fries are so salty it feels like it burns my tongue. I stopped using salt or reducing salt in my recipes a while back, so I believe that's where that came from. Family history of hypertension (high blood pressure) made me want to watch the sodium and here we are. So boiling the ham works to help with that for me. I have no idea how much salt is left in the ham. But it still has salt in it and with how much salt ham usually contains, it is still likely a high salt food even after boiling. Just making sure those who have to watch their salt intake don't get too excited here. On to the recipe.
Equipment: colander, large sauce pan, mixing spoon, cutting board, knife, large measuring cup or 1 cup measuring cup
Soup Beans
Ingredients:
1 lb dry pinto beans
1 medium to large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 lb ham steak, cut into 1/2 in cubes
salt and pepper to taste
Process:
1) Sort through beans for any debris or rocks or "petrified" beans.
2) Rinse beans then put in large sauce pan and soak in 8 cups of water for at least about 8 hours.
3) Drain and rinse beans.
4) Sautee onions until they start to become translucent. Add garlic, and sautee for 30 seconds more.
5) Add beans to onions and garlic, then and add ham. Stir for about a minute.
6) Add enough water to cover beans with an inch of water above the top of the beans.
7) Bring to a boil, then lower temperature and simmer for about 2 hours or until beans are to your desired tenderness.
8) Add more water if water level gets down to the top of the beans before beans are tender.
9) Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes:
1) To reduce sodium, you can boil the ham prior. The ham will still have a lot of sodium, so don't think it makes it a low-sodium food. It doesn't.
2) My mom said if she boils the ham prior, she adds about 1 cup of the water the ham was boiled in back into the pot of beans for more flavor.
3) I sometimes add some ground mustard to my beans (to taste, I don't think I've ever measured it out). This is great if you don't have chow chow, as it has mustard in it, and want a little more flavor.
4) If you use canned, drain and rinse beans and just start at Step 4.
When I was little we had beans and cornbread almost every Sunday. I liked it then, and have rediscovered it as an adult. But when my mom made a huge batch of chow chow relish and shared some pint jars with me, I realized what I had been missing in my own beans. I never want to eat beans and cornbread without my mom's chow chow again. Luckily, I have the recipe she uses, so next time I can try to make it myself. I don't know where she originally got her recipe for chow chow. So I'll share that along with my husband's aunt's recipe for cornbread. I'll also share a soup bean recipe. So really, that's three recipes, but they're all just for one meal.
Now you can use beans from either canned or dried, but if you use dried, just make sure you plan ahead and start it in a crock-pot that morning or cook it overnight.You have to rinse and soak the dry beans prior to cooking.
Let's start with the Soup Beans. Its a pretty simple and cheap meal. Dry beans are great food storage to have on hand. Beans are an excellent source of fiber and nutrients. If you don't add ham to it, you would still get a complete protein as long as you paired it with the cornbread or another bread/grain. But the ham does add a lot of flavor. The recipe below is from looking at this Southern Ham and Brown Beans from Allrecipes (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/40203/southern-ham-and-brown-beans/) and talking to my mom. There will be some notes.
In the notes you will see about boiling the ham prior. I am fairly sensitive to salt. Usually ham and sometimes french fries are so salty it feels like it burns my tongue. I stopped using salt or reducing salt in my recipes a while back, so I believe that's where that came from. Family history of hypertension (high blood pressure) made me want to watch the sodium and here we are. So boiling the ham works to help with that for me. I have no idea how much salt is left in the ham. But it still has salt in it and with how much salt ham usually contains, it is still likely a high salt food even after boiling. Just making sure those who have to watch their salt intake don't get too excited here. On to the recipe.
Equipment: colander, large sauce pan, mixing spoon, cutting board, knife, large measuring cup or 1 cup measuring cup
Soup Beans
Ingredients:
1 lb dry pinto beans
1 medium to large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 lb ham steak, cut into 1/2 in cubes
salt and pepper to taste
Process:
1) Sort through beans for any debris or rocks or "petrified" beans.
2) Rinse beans then put in large sauce pan and soak in 8 cups of water for at least about 8 hours.
3) Drain and rinse beans.
4) Sautee onions until they start to become translucent. Add garlic, and sautee for 30 seconds more.
5) Add beans to onions and garlic, then and add ham. Stir for about a minute.
6) Add enough water to cover beans with an inch of water above the top of the beans.
7) Bring to a boil, then lower temperature and simmer for about 2 hours or until beans are to your desired tenderness.
8) Add more water if water level gets down to the top of the beans before beans are tender.
9) Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes:
1) To reduce sodium, you can boil the ham prior. The ham will still have a lot of sodium, so don't think it makes it a low-sodium food. It doesn't.
2) My mom said if she boils the ham prior, she adds about 1 cup of the water the ham was boiled in back into the pot of beans for more flavor.
3) I sometimes add some ground mustard to my beans (to taste, I don't think I've ever measured it out). This is great if you don't have chow chow, as it has mustard in it, and want a little more flavor.
4) If you use canned, drain and rinse beans and just start at Step 4.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Easy on you and your wallet Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles.
Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles - an egg free and dairy free recipe.
Well, this next recipe comes from a cookbook my sister-in-law gave me. It comes from The Everything Meals on a Budget Cookbook.
Now I like several recipes in this book because they have a lot of variety and use things that I typically have on hand or can be found at your typical grocer. I typically shop at Aldi, Lidl, and Food Lion mostly...only when I go getting creative do I have to go hit up a Kroger, Walmart, or Harris Teeter, or find a specialty store. Being a creature that doesn't like to go to multiple stores, if I can't find it at one of the first three, we won't have it often, and it takes extra planning to make another trip to gather ingredients. Extra trips or visiting more than two stores in a day can be rough when you have kids that come with you, and I'm usually done after two. But one is always preferable.
A short personal rant: I don't like recipes that tout their ingredients can by found at your local grocer when I can't seem to find them at these stores listed above. That's seems a bit ridiculous, and it's frustrating, when you feel like you have to hunt down the ingredients and you either don't find it and give up, or you finally realize there must be a specialty store somewhere that carries that item. So most of my recipes have items that can be found at my local stores (which you see listed above). I will try to remember to let you know if that isn't the case and where I go to find anything special.
Okay, so the dish is Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles. I love it and you can make it as spicy (or not spicy) as you like by adding crushed red pepper or some spicy pepper of your choice. My kids like peanut butter, so it usually goes over well with them and I like it because it tastes good to me and is cheap and quick. In the notes, I'll tell you what I add to it or offer with it to make a meal.
Equipment Needed: cutting board, chef knife (or sharp knife to chop with), large pot, large sauce pan, spoon or heat resistant spatula to stir with, colander (or something to drain the noodles in)
Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti pasta
1/2 c. chiken stock (or water)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 c. chopped peanuts
Process:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. When water comes to a boil, add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, add stock (or water), peanut butter, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper to onions. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring for three minutes.
3. When pasta is done, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, drain the pasta. Add pasta to saucepan; cook and stir until pasta is coated, about 1-2 minutes. Add reserved cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately.
Notes:
1. Get your whole grains by getting a whole grain pasta.
2. You can make this gluten-free by using gluten-free noodles, gluten-free soy sauce, and just using water or a gluten-free stock. If you are gluten-free, you probably already have these things on hand.
3. For a meal: I usually cook broccoli (steamed, sauteed, or baked). I also have added shredded carrots to the top alongside the peanuts. If you want, you could throw the shredded carrots in with the onions to soften slightly before adding the other sauce ingredients. A side of a fruit will round this out nicely. You could also sear some cubed tofu and add for additional variety and texture.
4. If you really love meat, you could add some diced chicken, but this dish really is good as it is.
Well, this next recipe comes from a cookbook my sister-in-law gave me. It comes from The Everything Meals on a Budget Cookbook.
Now I like several recipes in this book because they have a lot of variety and use things that I typically have on hand or can be found at your typical grocer. I typically shop at Aldi, Lidl, and Food Lion mostly...only when I go getting creative do I have to go hit up a Kroger, Walmart, or Harris Teeter, or find a specialty store. Being a creature that doesn't like to go to multiple stores, if I can't find it at one of the first three, we won't have it often, and it takes extra planning to make another trip to gather ingredients. Extra trips or visiting more than two stores in a day can be rough when you have kids that come with you, and I'm usually done after two. But one is always preferable.
A short personal rant: I don't like recipes that tout their ingredients can by found at your local grocer when I can't seem to find them at these stores listed above. That's seems a bit ridiculous, and it's frustrating, when you feel like you have to hunt down the ingredients and you either don't find it and give up, or you finally realize there must be a specialty store somewhere that carries that item. So most of my recipes have items that can be found at my local stores (which you see listed above). I will try to remember to let you know if that isn't the case and where I go to find anything special.
Okay, so the dish is Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles. I love it and you can make it as spicy (or not spicy) as you like by adding crushed red pepper or some spicy pepper of your choice. My kids like peanut butter, so it usually goes over well with them and I like it because it tastes good to me and is cheap and quick. In the notes, I'll tell you what I add to it or offer with it to make a meal.
Equipment Needed: cutting board, chef knife (or sharp knife to chop with), large pot, large sauce pan, spoon or heat resistant spatula to stir with, colander (or something to drain the noodles in)
Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 (16-ounce) package spaghetti pasta
1/2 c. chiken stock (or water)
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 c. chopped peanuts
Process:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. When water comes to a boil, add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions until al dente. Meanwhile, add stock (or water), peanut butter, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper to onions. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring for three minutes.
3. When pasta is done, reserving 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, drain the pasta. Add pasta to saucepan; cook and stir until pasta is coated, about 1-2 minutes. Add reserved cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately.
Notes:
1. Get your whole grains by getting a whole grain pasta.
2. You can make this gluten-free by using gluten-free noodles, gluten-free soy sauce, and just using water or a gluten-free stock. If you are gluten-free, you probably already have these things on hand.
3. For a meal: I usually cook broccoli (steamed, sauteed, or baked). I also have added shredded carrots to the top alongside the peanuts. If you want, you could throw the shredded carrots in with the onions to soften slightly before adding the other sauce ingredients. A side of a fruit will round this out nicely. You could also sear some cubed tofu and add for additional variety and texture.
4. If you really love meat, you could add some diced chicken, but this dish really is good as it is.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Who wants pancakes? I do!
100% Whole Wheat Pancakes that are AMAZING!
Now, I'll preface this with that I think these are AMAZING! Someone else may not think it's their cup of tea, but I definitely think it's worth trying, because if you like this recipe it is a great way to get whole grains into your diet. And if you're like me and the usual white fluffy pancakes make your belly upset, then try these out. I'm able to eat these and they are satisfying. Now me and my kids don't usually eat them with syrup, but feel free. My kids love them and will usually eat them as snacks later in the day too, and hey, I'm okay with that because they are homemade and whole grain.
I got this recipe out of a cookbook my mom's congregation back home put together to raise money for the teenage girls to go to camp (Our Golden Plates by the Elizabethtown Ward). I will forever be grateful for the wonderful lady who contributed this recipe to the cookbook.
Okay, now for the recipe.
Cookware needed: Medium sized mixing bowl, spoon to mix with, ladle or spoon to put batter onto your heated surface, a skillet or griddle, a spatula, and a plate to put the finished pancakes on.
Whole Wheat Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1/13 c. sugar or honey
Process:
Mix flour, milk, oil, eggs, baking powder, salt, and sugar well and cook on hot griddle until bubbly. Turn and cook until browned.
Notes:
Now, I'll preface this with that I think these are AMAZING! Someone else may not think it's their cup of tea, but I definitely think it's worth trying, because if you like this recipe it is a great way to get whole grains into your diet. And if you're like me and the usual white fluffy pancakes make your belly upset, then try these out. I'm able to eat these and they are satisfying. Now me and my kids don't usually eat them with syrup, but feel free. My kids love them and will usually eat them as snacks later in the day too, and hey, I'm okay with that because they are homemade and whole grain.
I got this recipe out of a cookbook my mom's congregation back home put together to raise money for the teenage girls to go to camp (Our Golden Plates by the Elizabethtown Ward). I will forever be grateful for the wonderful lady who contributed this recipe to the cookbook.
Okay, now for the recipe.
Cookware needed: Medium sized mixing bowl, spoon to mix with, ladle or spoon to put batter onto your heated surface, a skillet or griddle, a spatula, and a plate to put the finished pancakes on.
Whole Wheat Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
2 c. milk
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1/13 c. sugar or honey
Process:
Mix flour, milk, oil, eggs, baking powder, salt, and sugar well and cook on hot griddle until bubbly. Turn and cook until browned.
Notes:
- This is a thick batter. If you have your temperature too high, the pancake will burn without bubbling, and it doesn't bubble as readily as regular batter. Maybe start at a lower temp and work up to the right spot for your stove. You could also add a little extra milk to think the batter some, but I like the heftier pancake.
- These make wonderful blueberry pancakes. Add fresh or frozen blueberries to your batter and cook as normal. Also feel free to mix it up some with add ins. I've used pumpkin instead of oil and added pumpkin seeds, a little cinnamon and nutmeg and cloves for an autumn feel.
- For a more balanced meal: You can add eggs or yogurt as a side, or use peanut butter as a topping to get your protein in. Add some fruit to make a full well-balanced meal. My husband's family uses applesauce as a topping for pancakes as well. Pretty good. You can also add some frozen fruit as a topping. And if you're going for decadent treat for breakfast, fresh fruit and whip cream work on these as well.
Adjusting to being at home? Meal planning may help.
Now that I have the disclaimer above, I can get to what I really am thinking about lately.
Hopefully, in the next few weeks, as I strive to do some of my continuing education I can share some of what I'll learn, but today I'm thinking of the state of the nation and all the children and families at home. I hope you are all well.
Being at home all day every day may be a difficult adjustment. I have had the blessing of being a stay-at-home mom for the last 3 years, but for many that is not the choice or even an option. And it's not always the easiest option. How are you coping with meals at home?
I'll share some things that have worked for me, then I'll add separate posts of recipes that I like that may be useful or enjoyable to try. Some may use the lesser known or liked vegetables that may still be sitting unloved on your grocer's shelves. Some may just use things most people have in their house that are quick and simple. When I post a recipe, I'll post what I'd add with it to make it a meal in my own house.
My hope is that if you find yourself running out of ideas for dinner or wondering how to use things like eggplant, cabbage, or just from-scratch cooking in general, you may get a few ideas here and continue to provide your family well-balanced meals to help keep everyone healthy during this time.
I consider myself pretty down-to-earth and though I believe in a well-balanced and healthy meal, I love pizza and Oreos (well the generic ones). I just pair them with things that are more nutrient dense and don't have them every day.
So let's get down to business. I think the biggest thing that helps me not waste food and have a plan for dinner is two words: MEAL PLANNING (or menu planning). Now, I even find this sometimes tedious, but it has been so important for my family in making sure we have food for dinners and not wasting food (and thereby wasting the money my husband works so hard to provide). Find a time (mine's usually when my child is down for a nap or after they go to bed) and sit down with your cookbooks, if you have some, and a calendar and writing utensil. This can also be a fun way to plan new food to try out, which I also enjoy. (You can also look up recipes online.)
My first thing I consider is what our week looks like. Who has what appointments or classes when. Essentially I'm looking at how much time I'm going to have to prepare a meal and then I start the search for recipes that fit the bill. If I don't have much time I find something simple. If I have time in the morning, and not the afternoon, I think to utilize our crockpot or make a bigger meal the day before and have left-overs that day. Sometimes I just want a break from cooking and I'll schedule a frozen pizza and homemade fruit and veggie smoothies or a fruit and vegetable (like raw carrot sticks that don't need any prep aside from washing) on the side. Usually our pizza day is the day we play DnD on the weekend with friends, and I don't have time for a lot of clean-up before they come after eating and getting the kids to bed. I hope I'm making myself clear enough for you to understand.
Once you have looked at the schedule and find recipes to fit which days, write the recipe down (with book and page number) on the calendar. You can also leave a post-it or piece of paper in your cookbook so it's faster to find the recipes you've selected. Once you've written that down, then on another sheet of paper (or the Keep App from Google, which is often what I use), write down the ingredients you'll need to buy to make it. If you usually have an ingredient in stock just double check that you have enough for the recipe.
I order my ingredients on my list by my usual route through the store which is also based on how the store is set up. Usually this means grouping things for different areas of the store. This keeps me from walking back and forth and back and forth. I put all my fresh produce in one section, my dry/canned ingredients in another (baking usually has it's own section), processed meats (sausage, bacon, lunch meats), dairy (yogurt, butter, cheese), eggs, milk, frozen foods last for obvious reasons. No one wants a soggy grocery bag, and it reduces ice crystals from having it refreeze if you are able to get it home fast enough.
I do this for each recipe for dinner. Writing all the ingredients in their appropriate section. Sometimes I just copy my list to look more legible if I need to after I'm done. Usually our snacks and lunches are kind of the same options all the time, so I make sure I'm stocked on those things. We sometimes go through quesadilla runs, or lunch meat sandwich, or a grilled cheese, or a good ol' PB&J. I make sure we have plenty of fruit and breakfast items, cereal, biscuits (if I'm feeling like making a warm breakfast). Whatever it is for your family, see that they're in stock or add those items to your list. Now you're ready to shop. That part I'm sure you have down if you've been on your own for a while.
Then there is one last step... follow the plan. Otherwise you end up wasting food because it goes bad. If something comes up and you get off the schedule (it happens) then adjust accordingly. Maybe switch sides around if you have fresh produce in your fridge about to go bad, use it first. I usually plan a couple of meals toward the end of my week and a half/two week meal plan that don't require fresh produce (I'll use canned or frozen). So that it doesn't go bad by then. You don't have to meal plan for a week and a half, two weeks, or even just a week. It's how often it's feasible for you to get to the store, or just how often you want to go to the store.
Getting out to shop with my two kiddos isn't always the most enjoyable moment when I'm trying to focus on the list and kids are distracting me, so I plan further out so I go to the store less. One of the things I like about the keep app is that I can make my list, and ask my husband to stop by the store on the way home. That's also how I sometimes refill on fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) and also for recipes later in the meal plan cycle if I'm worried about them going bad.
I think that's just about it. There's more I could share about shopping the edges of the store and what-not, but I think we'll end here. You're probably sick of me. I know this is not the only way to meal plan, but if someone has any other tips or things they've found useful, write a comment to share with everyone. I think that's how we best help each other is if we can all share our ideas so we can all learn from each other.
Good luck! I wish you the best in the situation we are all finding ourselves in. I hope this was helpful.
Hopefully, in the next few weeks, as I strive to do some of my continuing education I can share some of what I'll learn, but today I'm thinking of the state of the nation and all the children and families at home. I hope you are all well.
Being at home all day every day may be a difficult adjustment. I have had the blessing of being a stay-at-home mom for the last 3 years, but for many that is not the choice or even an option. And it's not always the easiest option. How are you coping with meals at home?
I'll share some things that have worked for me, then I'll add separate posts of recipes that I like that may be useful or enjoyable to try. Some may use the lesser known or liked vegetables that may still be sitting unloved on your grocer's shelves. Some may just use things most people have in their house that are quick and simple. When I post a recipe, I'll post what I'd add with it to make it a meal in my own house.
My hope is that if you find yourself running out of ideas for dinner or wondering how to use things like eggplant, cabbage, or just from-scratch cooking in general, you may get a few ideas here and continue to provide your family well-balanced meals to help keep everyone healthy during this time.
I consider myself pretty down-to-earth and though I believe in a well-balanced and healthy meal, I love pizza and Oreos (well the generic ones). I just pair them with things that are more nutrient dense and don't have them every day.
So let's get down to business. I think the biggest thing that helps me not waste food and have a plan for dinner is two words: MEAL PLANNING (or menu planning). Now, I even find this sometimes tedious, but it has been so important for my family in making sure we have food for dinners and not wasting food (and thereby wasting the money my husband works so hard to provide). Find a time (mine's usually when my child is down for a nap or after they go to bed) and sit down with your cookbooks, if you have some, and a calendar and writing utensil. This can also be a fun way to plan new food to try out, which I also enjoy. (You can also look up recipes online.)
My first thing I consider is what our week looks like. Who has what appointments or classes when. Essentially I'm looking at how much time I'm going to have to prepare a meal and then I start the search for recipes that fit the bill. If I don't have much time I find something simple. If I have time in the morning, and not the afternoon, I think to utilize our crockpot or make a bigger meal the day before and have left-overs that day. Sometimes I just want a break from cooking and I'll schedule a frozen pizza and homemade fruit and veggie smoothies or a fruit and vegetable (like raw carrot sticks that don't need any prep aside from washing) on the side. Usually our pizza day is the day we play DnD on the weekend with friends, and I don't have time for a lot of clean-up before they come after eating and getting the kids to bed. I hope I'm making myself clear enough for you to understand.
Once you have looked at the schedule and find recipes to fit which days, write the recipe down (with book and page number) on the calendar. You can also leave a post-it or piece of paper in your cookbook so it's faster to find the recipes you've selected. Once you've written that down, then on another sheet of paper (or the Keep App from Google, which is often what I use), write down the ingredients you'll need to buy to make it. If you usually have an ingredient in stock just double check that you have enough for the recipe.
I order my ingredients on my list by my usual route through the store which is also based on how the store is set up. Usually this means grouping things for different areas of the store. This keeps me from walking back and forth and back and forth. I put all my fresh produce in one section, my dry/canned ingredients in another (baking usually has it's own section), processed meats (sausage, bacon, lunch meats), dairy (yogurt, butter, cheese), eggs, milk, frozen foods last for obvious reasons. No one wants a soggy grocery bag, and it reduces ice crystals from having it refreeze if you are able to get it home fast enough.
I do this for each recipe for dinner. Writing all the ingredients in their appropriate section. Sometimes I just copy my list to look more legible if I need to after I'm done. Usually our snacks and lunches are kind of the same options all the time, so I make sure I'm stocked on those things. We sometimes go through quesadilla runs, or lunch meat sandwich, or a grilled cheese, or a good ol' PB&J. I make sure we have plenty of fruit and breakfast items, cereal, biscuits (if I'm feeling like making a warm breakfast). Whatever it is for your family, see that they're in stock or add those items to your list. Now you're ready to shop. That part I'm sure you have down if you've been on your own for a while.
Then there is one last step... follow the plan. Otherwise you end up wasting food because it goes bad. If something comes up and you get off the schedule (it happens) then adjust accordingly. Maybe switch sides around if you have fresh produce in your fridge about to go bad, use it first. I usually plan a couple of meals toward the end of my week and a half/two week meal plan that don't require fresh produce (I'll use canned or frozen). So that it doesn't go bad by then. You don't have to meal plan for a week and a half, two weeks, or even just a week. It's how often it's feasible for you to get to the store, or just how often you want to go to the store.
Getting out to shop with my two kiddos isn't always the most enjoyable moment when I'm trying to focus on the list and kids are distracting me, so I plan further out so I go to the store less. One of the things I like about the keep app is that I can make my list, and ask my husband to stop by the store on the way home. That's also how I sometimes refill on fresh produce (fruits and vegetables) and also for recipes later in the meal plan cycle if I'm worried about them going bad.
I think that's just about it. There's more I could share about shopping the edges of the store and what-not, but I think we'll end here. You're probably sick of me. I know this is not the only way to meal plan, but if someone has any other tips or things they've found useful, write a comment to share with everyone. I think that's how we best help each other is if we can all share our ideas so we can all learn from each other.
Good luck! I wish you the best in the situation we are all finding ourselves in. I hope this was helpful.
Disclaimer
Hello! Though I am a registered dietitian through the Commission of Dietetic Registration (CDR) and am capable of giving nutrition advice, that is not the purpose of this blog. I may post things I have recently read or studied as a way to share knowledge, but it is not the same as getting tailored advice from your doctor or dietitian. If something I share brings up a question in your mind and you think you should try something, please ask your primary care physician, or ask them for a referral to a local dietitian in your area.
Though food is a natural way to get nutrients, and the best way when you can, it is still possible to get toxicity or interfere with medications. You should always be open with your doctor about what natural supplements and medications you are taking, so medical professionals can give you the best care you deserve. Some supplements and medications interact with food, but doctors and dietitians can help you know if that is the case.
My intention with this blog is to help me remember the new information I am studying as sharing that info often helps my brain remember better. It is also a way to share what I feel is valuable information to others.
Best to you all!
Heather
Though food is a natural way to get nutrients, and the best way when you can, it is still possible to get toxicity or interfere with medications. You should always be open with your doctor about what natural supplements and medications you are taking, so medical professionals can give you the best care you deserve. Some supplements and medications interact with food, but doctors and dietitians can help you know if that is the case.
My intention with this blog is to help me remember the new information I am studying as sharing that info often helps my brain remember better. It is also a way to share what I feel is valuable information to others.
Best to you all!
Heather
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