My computer has been on the fritz. I never knew I could miss something as much as I've missed my computer. I'm using my kids computer while mine is being fixed and while they may not be happy about it, who cares...I bought it for them. I'll keep this post short but tasty.
When I was little, my dad made beans at least once a week. I loved it. When they were ready he would give be a bowl of beans with a lot of butter in it and a piece of white bread to sop up the bean juice. I haven't had white bread in years but every now and then, when I go to my parents house, I'll have a bowl of beans with a tiny pat of butter.
I've come up with my own recipe that I like just as much.
Instead of cooking a pot of beans once a week, I'll make them once a month. These are not your average pintos, no sir. I use a mixture of pinto beans, navy beans, black eyed peas and black beans, power packed with more protein than just pinto beans. While the beans are cooking, I add onions, cilantro, diced tomatoes, a bit of jalapeno peppers, bacon grease, salt and pepper.
When I make rice it is usually brown rice. During my once a month Mexican meal extravaganza, I'll treat my family and make Spanish rice using long grain white rice(gasp).
Next is the taco meat. When I was little, I loved the way my mom seasoned her taco meat. I loved it until I read the ingredients on the package. After a little investigating, I figured out how to make taco seasoning using ingredients I had in my pantry without all the toxic extras.
So we have rice, beans, seasoned meat and all the fixins like guacamole, chips, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, onions, wheat tortillas, and fried corn tortillas.
It's great because on this one day of cooking, I end up with so many leftovers. When I cook, I make enough to feed an army.
Leftover combinations are many...chalupas, taco salad, quesadillas, bean and cheese tacos, enchilada casserole.
You can make enough food on one day to last for at least a few days worth of meals.
Here is the recipe for taco seasoning. I 've scaled it down because I usually make this for 5-7 lbs. of ground beef. This is for one pound. After you cook up the ground beef, drain it and add the ingredients. Let simmer then enjoy
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Food Allergies
Sorry I've missed the past couple of days. I came down with a terrible migraine.
I've kept a food journal the past few months. I came to the conclusion when I have
anything with MSG(which is a waste by-product, in case you didn't know)in it, I'll get a
migraine. For those if you not familiar with a migraine they can include loss of vision,
light sensitivity, vomitting, aches and pains...they can be debilitating.
I'll let you know how I came to the MSG conclusion. I cook almost every meal, every day for
my family. The main ingredients I use are salt, pepper and garlic powder unless a recipe
calls for other ingredients which are usually herbs. I never buy pre-packaged meals.
When I eat meals prepared at home, I do not get migraines.
We went out to dinner Tuesday night and by the time we got home, I was already
feeling horrible. I ordered the pork chop plate. I took one bite and could tell it had MSG
in the seasoning. One bite was all it took to give me 2 days worth of excruciating pain.
I've been to this restaurant before and thought it was on my list of safe places to eat but
I was wrong.
It has been trial and error trying to figure out what triggers a migraine. Lack of sleep is
another factor for me.
Some people will say migraines are hereditary. They may be to a certain extent but if you
think about it, the way we learn is from our heritage, what has been passed down from
generation to generation and that includes recipes. I cannot use any kind of season salt
and I do not want to "wake up" my food flavor because of MSG in their products.
So for me, lesson learned. I love cooking for my family but even I need a break once in
a while. Next time I'll go to a place I know is safe for me to eat at.
I've kept a food journal the past few months. I came to the conclusion when I have
anything with MSG(which is a waste by-product, in case you didn't know)in it, I'll get a
migraine. For those if you not familiar with a migraine they can include loss of vision,
light sensitivity, vomitting, aches and pains...they can be debilitating.
I'll let you know how I came to the MSG conclusion. I cook almost every meal, every day for
my family. The main ingredients I use are salt, pepper and garlic powder unless a recipe
calls for other ingredients which are usually herbs. I never buy pre-packaged meals.
When I eat meals prepared at home, I do not get migraines.
We went out to dinner Tuesday night and by the time we got home, I was already
feeling horrible. I ordered the pork chop plate. I took one bite and could tell it had MSG
in the seasoning. One bite was all it took to give me 2 days worth of excruciating pain.
I've been to this restaurant before and thought it was on my list of safe places to eat but
I was wrong.
It has been trial and error trying to figure out what triggers a migraine. Lack of sleep is
another factor for me.
Some people will say migraines are hereditary. They may be to a certain extent but if you
think about it, the way we learn is from our heritage, what has been passed down from
generation to generation and that includes recipes. I cannot use any kind of season salt
and I do not want to "wake up" my food flavor because of MSG in their products.
So for me, lesson learned. I love cooking for my family but even I need a break once in
a while. Next time I'll go to a place I know is safe for me to eat at.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Will work for food
I love a good bargain, who doesn't? When my husband and I started out on our organic
journey, it was very expensive. What I've learned over the years is that yes, some organic
items will always be pricey. For example, dairy and meats. I love steak but if the price
doesn't fit in our budget, I'll have to wait until it goes on sale.
We started off shopping at our local specialty organic grocery store. It was an adventure.
I loved going up and down the aisles, trying new products, coming back home and telling
my mom and sister about what great finds were to be had. To me, it was the place to be
seen. Well after a few years of shopping there, I thought there has to be another way.
We started going to our local farmers market. The prices were a whole lot better and it
was a way for our family to spend time together. There is also your local grocery store.
Many of the items that I found at the specialty organic store, I can find at our local grocery
store. If you can't find something, talk to the manager. I have found they will usually
order things for you. Even the local mega-stores have started carrying organic items.
There are also CSA's. CSA stands for community supported agriculture. You do have
to pay to join. Some CSA's deliver once a week, some have the option to deliver every other week.
If you join a CSA, you get produce that is in season and incredibly fresh. The price from what I have seen is very reasonable.
But my favorite thing to do is work for food. I know it may not sound like fun but
it really does pay off. One of our local farms(that also sells their produce at the farmers
market) has a volunteer program. You sign up to volunteer one day a week for 4 -5 hours
and they pay you in vegetables and fruit. So you get local produce and with the
rising price of food this was great for our family. Even my kids got their cut. I thought it was great family time and it taught our kids a little something about hard work. Not that the work they were doing was hard, it's just more than they're used to. If this is something you're interested in, you can check with you local farms and see if they offer the same program.
journey, it was very expensive. What I've learned over the years is that yes, some organic
items will always be pricey. For example, dairy and meats. I love steak but if the price
doesn't fit in our budget, I'll have to wait until it goes on sale.
We started off shopping at our local specialty organic grocery store. It was an adventure.
I loved going up and down the aisles, trying new products, coming back home and telling
my mom and sister about what great finds were to be had. To me, it was the place to be
seen. Well after a few years of shopping there, I thought there has to be another way.
We started going to our local farmers market. The prices were a whole lot better and it
was a way for our family to spend time together. There is also your local grocery store.
Many of the items that I found at the specialty organic store, I can find at our local grocery
store. If you can't find something, talk to the manager. I have found they will usually
order things for you. Even the local mega-stores have started carrying organic items.
There are also CSA's. CSA stands for community supported agriculture. You do have
to pay to join. Some CSA's deliver once a week, some have the option to deliver every other week.
If you join a CSA, you get produce that is in season and incredibly fresh. The price from what I have seen is very reasonable.
But my favorite thing to do is work for food. I know it may not sound like fun but
it really does pay off. One of our local farms(that also sells their produce at the farmers
market) has a volunteer program. You sign up to volunteer one day a week for 4 -5 hours
and they pay you in vegetables and fruit. So you get local produce and with the
rising price of food this was great for our family. Even my kids got their cut. I thought it was great family time and it taught our kids a little something about hard work. Not that the work they were doing was hard, it's just more than they're used to. If this is something you're interested in, you can check with you local farms and see if they offer the same program.
Monday, May 14, 2012
A lighter shade of green
You know the excitement of the first day of school? That is what this blog is like for me.
It's fun for me to share with my friends and family what I have learned.
When my oldest kids were little, I worked and went for convenience when it came to making meals. I knew at the time that we could be eating better but as silly as it sounds, I didn't know how
to. I thought I was doing a good job keeping the pantry stocked with various canned
veggies and fruits. I tried to keep salad on hand but that was usually a ready made baggged
salad that was drenched in ranch dressing of course because how else could I get the kids
to eat their greens?
I asked my kids what was one of the first things they remember when we started to change
what we ate. The answers were many. They thought everything they ate was going to
taste gross. They also thought it meant the end of sweet treats, sodas, juice and filling up on veggies and various twigs and berries.
One of the first things to go was my handy bagged salad. The kids and I learned that there
is more to salad than just iceberg lettuce. We chose green leaf, romaine and some spinach.
We learned that you had to be thorough when cleaning your fresh greens because you
might bite into a bug or two. I also put in cuccumber, tomato and carrots. We made our own dressing. I was so happy that we were starting this new healthy journey together.
The salads were the last things on the kids plates. I told them what we made was good to which they responded, the color is off. I asked what they meant and they told me that the bagged salad was a lighter shade of green and that is what they liked. After a little friendly persusaion or bribing is what the kids call it now, still nothing. I told them they had take at least one bite before they could get up from the table.
After many of what my Mom calls 'Richard Nixon' faces, some teary eyed pleading from them and 30 minutes at the table by themselves, they finally tried their salad with the veggies and they LIKED it. Now when we have salads they add all kinds of things liked boiled eggs, cottage cheese, onions, edamame, olives, beets, celery and avocado just to name a few.
I knew we were going to have to take baby steps but now when I put a new dish in front of them they will at least take a bite instead of determining they don't like it without even trying it. When my younger kids complain about having to eat salad or something new, my older kids are the
ones kindly persuading them.
Recipe for Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing:
1 Cup Buttermilk
1/2 mayonnaise( I use vegenaise)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp paprika( I add a touch more because I like it a little spicy)
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp dry dill
1 tsp chives
1 Tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
This is wonderful on salad and great as a dip. You can decrease the amount of buttermilk
if you would like it to be thicker. I've also had to use milk or half and half if I didn't have
buttermilk.
Now compare the indredients in this tasty homemade ranch recipe to what is on the
bottle of ranch in your fridge and tell me which one you feel better about eating?
It's fun for me to share with my friends and family what I have learned.
When my oldest kids were little, I worked and went for convenience when it came to making meals. I knew at the time that we could be eating better but as silly as it sounds, I didn't know how
to. I thought I was doing a good job keeping the pantry stocked with various canned
veggies and fruits. I tried to keep salad on hand but that was usually a ready made baggged
salad that was drenched in ranch dressing of course because how else could I get the kids
to eat their greens?
I asked my kids what was one of the first things they remember when we started to change
what we ate. The answers were many. They thought everything they ate was going to
taste gross. They also thought it meant the end of sweet treats, sodas, juice and filling up on veggies and various twigs and berries.
One of the first things to go was my handy bagged salad. The kids and I learned that there
is more to salad than just iceberg lettuce. We chose green leaf, romaine and some spinach.
We learned that you had to be thorough when cleaning your fresh greens because you
might bite into a bug or two. I also put in cuccumber, tomato and carrots. We made our own dressing. I was so happy that we were starting this new healthy journey together.
The salads were the last things on the kids plates. I told them what we made was good to which they responded, the color is off. I asked what they meant and they told me that the bagged salad was a lighter shade of green and that is what they liked. After a little friendly persusaion or bribing is what the kids call it now, still nothing. I told them they had take at least one bite before they could get up from the table.
After many of what my Mom calls 'Richard Nixon' faces, some teary eyed pleading from them and 30 minutes at the table by themselves, they finally tried their salad with the veggies and they LIKED it. Now when we have salads they add all kinds of things liked boiled eggs, cottage cheese, onions, edamame, olives, beets, celery and avocado just to name a few.
I knew we were going to have to take baby steps but now when I put a new dish in front of them they will at least take a bite instead of determining they don't like it without even trying it. When my younger kids complain about having to eat salad or something new, my older kids are the
ones kindly persuading them.
Recipe for Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing:
1 Cup Buttermilk
1/2 mayonnaise( I use vegenaise)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp paprika( I add a touch more because I like it a little spicy)
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp dry dill
1 tsp chives
1 Tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
This is wonderful on salad and great as a dip. You can decrease the amount of buttermilk
if you would like it to be thicker. I've also had to use milk or half and half if I didn't have
buttermilk.
Now compare the indredients in this tasty homemade ranch recipe to what is on the
bottle of ranch in your fridge and tell me which one you feel better about eating?
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Maiden Blog
Happy Mother's Day!
This is the kick off to my new blog Organic on a Budget...
I'm excited to get this started, it's something I've thought about doing for a while
and I've decided to take the plunge.
I will not only discuss organic food but where the best deals are, making your own
cleaning products (it's not as hard as you think and yes they do work), cooking tips,
baking recipes, beauty products, kids products and a slew of other things.
I have changed things here and there in mine and my family's life. Those changes have
all been positive. It's all been done by trial and error and I have put in much time researching
what has worked for me and my family.
I know it can be overwhelming thinking of where to start if you want to make changes
in your life but I would like to give you tips to help make things a little less
stressful and very helpful.
Check back daily for updates.
This is the kick off to my new blog Organic on a Budget...
I'm excited to get this started, it's something I've thought about doing for a while
and I've decided to take the plunge.
I will not only discuss organic food but where the best deals are, making your own
cleaning products (it's not as hard as you think and yes they do work), cooking tips,
baking recipes, beauty products, kids products and a slew of other things.
I have changed things here and there in mine and my family's life. Those changes have
all been positive. It's all been done by trial and error and I have put in much time researching
what has worked for me and my family.
I know it can be overwhelming thinking of where to start if you want to make changes
in your life but I would like to give you tips to help make things a little less
stressful and very helpful.
Check back daily for updates.
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