For the month of October, my sweetie and I will be eating at and from home. The only food shopping permitted will be for locally grown produce.
This will accomplish a number of goals:
1. Eat foods that need to be eaten up in the pantry storage rotation. It's fine to have some extra food on hand for emergencies, but that food has to be rotated so that when one needs it, it is not stale and/or moldy.
2. Save money, especially on eating out and impulse buys.
3. Eat healthy. We won't have a choice since I don't have unhealthy foods on hand and don't plan to go shopping today.
4. Be creative when something runs out. For instance, I've got a handful of recipes to try for homemade nondairy milk but I've not bothered to try them since I've kept oat, potato, or almond milk stocked in the pantry.
You are welcome to join in on the challenge but I will not be hosting it officially as I have for past challenges. It's just too discouraging to have tons of people sign up enthusiastically and then disappear never to be seen again during the challenge. If you do follow along, please feel free to leave comments, though, reporting your progress and any difficulties you face.
Happy Autumn!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Multi-Day Indian Menu
I was in town today and decided to stop by the big Whole Foods market. It's far enough away that I won't make a special trip to go there, but I do like to stop in periodically to see what new foods are on the shelves. Eating a very low fat, plant-based diet yet being allergic to soy and sensitive to nuts can get ... challenging ... at times. Most of my cooking must be done from scratch, which I don't have a problem with, but there are times when I'm tired and would really like to have "convenience" foods to help out.
They still have to be healthy, though, and that's where the challenge comes in. Take a wander through a grocery store sometime, or even your own pantry, fridge, or freezer, and see how many products you can find that fit all these criteria:
On my way home, I was wondering how I would use the yogurt. Bean burritos with a nice creamy dollop of yogurt on top? Luscious baked potatoes with yogurt used like soy cream? Hm, how else did I used to use soy yogurt?
Oh yeah, raita! Raita is the tasty yogurt dip that comes with Indian food. It has cucumber and mint in it and is spiced with cumin. Delish! And I just so happen to have leftover eggplant chana masala and basmati rice in the fridge. Perfect!
But wait! I could also make some curried potatoes that would love to have a side of my recently canned peach chutney. Oh, and I could make a peach lassi instead of the usual mango lassi, using the peaches I froze. And the collards in the fridge would work in place of spinach for saag paneer (without the paneer). Those tomatoes I just cut the bad spots out of this morning could be used to make up a new batch of spicy tomato chutney...
Yesterday I tried to cook some short-grain brown rice and messed it up. When the eggplant chana masala was ready, my sweetie's regular basmati rice was cooked but my brown rice was undercooked yet gummy. I just had my dinner over potatoes, but I didn't want to waste the brown rice. To salvage it, I added a little sugar and some rice milk, and cooked it over low heat, covered, until creamy. It turned into a tasty rice pudding. All I need to do to make it into an Indian rice pudding is add some cardamom and sprinkle each serving with chopped pistachios.
As I drove, I kept thinking of more dishes I could make. I jotted them down at the red light. By the time I got home, I had a list of over a dozen Indian dishes, including drinks and dessert.
Basmati rice (regular & brown)
Eggplant Chana Masala
Saag Paneer (made with collards but no paneer)
Curried Sweet Potatoes with Peach Chutney
Creamy Indian Eggplant
Red Lentil Dal
Raita
Salad with Raita as dressing (lettuce, cucumber, onion, tomato)
Pita bread substituting for Naan
Spicy Tomato Chutney
Mint-Cilantro Chutney
Peach Lassi
Decaf Chai with Rice Milk
Indian Rice Pudding
Now the only thing I have to do is figure out which dishes to have ready each evening. Tonight will obviously be the basmati rice and eggplant chana masala since they are already cooked. I need to make the cilantro-mint chutney today before my cilantro gets all slimy in the fridge. Maybe I'll toast the pitas and make chips to have with the chutney. And of course I've got to make some raita to see if I even like the coconut yogurt. Might as well make the peach lassi tonight, too. And season the rice pudding and chop the pistachios.
Sheesh, I've got a lot of work to do. What am I doing online?!
They still have to be healthy, though, and that's where the challenge comes in. Take a wander through a grocery store sometime, or even your own pantry, fridge, or freezer, and see how many products you can find that fit all these criteria:
- plant-based with recognizable ingredients
- no animal products (meat, dairy, whey, egg, gelatin, casein, etc.)
- no oil (or butter)
- no soy (not even soy lecithin)
- no tree nuts (any other than peanuts)
- low sugar
- low salt (mg of sodium equal or less than calories per serving)
On my way home, I was wondering how I would use the yogurt. Bean burritos with a nice creamy dollop of yogurt on top? Luscious baked potatoes with yogurt used like soy cream? Hm, how else did I used to use soy yogurt?
Oh yeah, raita! Raita is the tasty yogurt dip that comes with Indian food. It has cucumber and mint in it and is spiced with cumin. Delish! And I just so happen to have leftover eggplant chana masala and basmati rice in the fridge. Perfect!
But wait! I could also make some curried potatoes that would love to have a side of my recently canned peach chutney. Oh, and I could make a peach lassi instead of the usual mango lassi, using the peaches I froze. And the collards in the fridge would work in place of spinach for saag paneer (without the paneer). Those tomatoes I just cut the bad spots out of this morning could be used to make up a new batch of spicy tomato chutney...
Yesterday I tried to cook some short-grain brown rice and messed it up. When the eggplant chana masala was ready, my sweetie's regular basmati rice was cooked but my brown rice was undercooked yet gummy. I just had my dinner over potatoes, but I didn't want to waste the brown rice. To salvage it, I added a little sugar and some rice milk, and cooked it over low heat, covered, until creamy. It turned into a tasty rice pudding. All I need to do to make it into an Indian rice pudding is add some cardamom and sprinkle each serving with chopped pistachios.
As I drove, I kept thinking of more dishes I could make. I jotted them down at the red light. By the time I got home, I had a list of over a dozen Indian dishes, including drinks and dessert.
Basmati rice (regular & brown)
Eggplant Chana Masala
Saag Paneer (made with collards but no paneer)
Curried Sweet Potatoes with Peach Chutney
Creamy Indian Eggplant
Red Lentil Dal
Raita
Salad with Raita as dressing (lettuce, cucumber, onion, tomato)
Pita bread substituting for Naan
Spicy Tomato Chutney
Mint-Cilantro Chutney
Peach Lassi
Decaf Chai with Rice Milk
Indian Rice Pudding
Now the only thing I have to do is figure out which dishes to have ready each evening. Tonight will obviously be the basmati rice and eggplant chana masala since they are already cooked. I need to make the cilantro-mint chutney today before my cilantro gets all slimy in the fridge. Maybe I'll toast the pitas and make chips to have with the chutney. And of course I've got to make some raita to see if I even like the coconut yogurt. Might as well make the peach lassi tonight, too. And season the rice pudding and chop the pistachios.
Sheesh, I've got a lot of work to do. What am I doing online?!
Monday, September 5, 2011
How Does a Blue Watermelon Smoothie Relate to Prepping?
Yes, another food post. Sorry that every single post over the past two months has been about either food or biking, but there's a good reason for it. Since seriously committing to getting in shape, which includes getting rid of the excess weight, my focus has been primarily on that job.
And it is a job. To keep myself on track, I need to keep reading books about eating for optimal health (and easy weight loss), I need to participate in online discussion boards about healthful eating and the benefits, I need to plan meals with delicious foods that support my health, and I need to exercise my butt off. Well, not really "off" so much as decreasing its mass and reshaping what's left.
To my readers that are into the whole prepper lifestyle, this may seem like I've lost my focus. I don't think so. While I may not be preserving as much food as in the past (although I've canned applesauce and peach chutney in the past week), both my sweetie and I feel this is exactly what I need to be doing right now to prep for a lower energy lifestyle.
To survive in a future with oil that is more expensive as it becomes more scarce, I need to be in good physical condition. I need to be able to walk and bike more places more often. I need to be able to haul big loads on my Xtracycle.
To survive in a future where the climate is changing, I need to conserve water here in the desert. Smaller size clothes will take up less room in the washer, ultimately leading to fewer loads and lower water use. Being in better physical condition will mean more water is hauled out to the garden instead of being allowed to flow down the drain because I'm tired.
To survive in a future where the economy is even more tight, being able to wear smaller clothes will make thrift store shopping easier. The larger sizes have far less selection than the smaller ones and the pants tend to wear out on the inner thigh seams due to chafing. (Ladies, if you're heavy, you know what I'm talkin' about.)
These are just a few of the considerations. There are bigger ones as well. With peak oil and economic woes, medical care is likely to get more expensive. Changing my lifestyle to minimize the risk of the chronic diseases of rich Western societies - cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes - saves tons of money and pain in the long run. Frequent trips to the doctor, prescriptions, ongoing tests, hospitalizations, and home health care equipment are all very expensive, not to mention time-consuming! Spending a little extra time daily to make sure I prepare healthy food and get my exercise done is well worth it.
And, of course, if you want to have a really bleak view of the future, if the shit does hit the fan, it would sure be nice to be able to run faster than the other guy when the "eaters" are comin' after you!
So, on to the smoothie. The way I am eating now incorporates a lot of tasty, unrefined plant foods such as whole grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, beans, and fruit. Lots of nutrients, lots of fiber, lots of complex carbohydrates for energy, little fat, and no cholesterol. This smoothie is full of fruity goodness with a booster of complex carbohydrate and even a little spinach.
I normally don't make a lot of smoothies because I prefer to chew my food. Chewing is a good thing as digestion starts in the mouth with the release of digestive enzymes that start breaking down the food. Chewing also helps increase the feeling of satiety over gulping a blended food. This smoothie, however, still has some texture to it. I generally take a small sip with the straw and chew the smoothie in my mouth before swallowing. Yeah, you already knew I was weird.
Blue Watermelon Smoothie
1 cup of peeled, seeded, and chopped watermelon
1/2 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries
1/2 of a large banana (the other half will keep well in the fridge if the cut end is covered)
1/3 cup frozen or fresh greens (such as spinach, kale, chard, etc.)
3 tbs Kashi 7-Grain Nuggets (or Grape-Nuts cereal)
3 tbs non-dairy milk (I am currently using oat milk.)
1/2 tbs brown rice syrup, optional
Process in a blender on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Sip slowly, chewing each mouthful before swallowing.
And it is a job. To keep myself on track, I need to keep reading books about eating for optimal health (and easy weight loss), I need to participate in online discussion boards about healthful eating and the benefits, I need to plan meals with delicious foods that support my health, and I need to exercise my butt off. Well, not really "off" so much as decreasing its mass and reshaping what's left.
To my readers that are into the whole prepper lifestyle, this may seem like I've lost my focus. I don't think so. While I may not be preserving as much food as in the past (although I've canned applesauce and peach chutney in the past week), both my sweetie and I feel this is exactly what I need to be doing right now to prep for a lower energy lifestyle.
To survive in a future with oil that is more expensive as it becomes more scarce, I need to be in good physical condition. I need to be able to walk and bike more places more often. I need to be able to haul big loads on my Xtracycle.
To survive in a future where the climate is changing, I need to conserve water here in the desert. Smaller size clothes will take up less room in the washer, ultimately leading to fewer loads and lower water use. Being in better physical condition will mean more water is hauled out to the garden instead of being allowed to flow down the drain because I'm tired.
To survive in a future where the economy is even more tight, being able to wear smaller clothes will make thrift store shopping easier. The larger sizes have far less selection than the smaller ones and the pants tend to wear out on the inner thigh seams due to chafing. (Ladies, if you're heavy, you know what I'm talkin' about.)
These are just a few of the considerations. There are bigger ones as well. With peak oil and economic woes, medical care is likely to get more expensive. Changing my lifestyle to minimize the risk of the chronic diseases of rich Western societies - cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes - saves tons of money and pain in the long run. Frequent trips to the doctor, prescriptions, ongoing tests, hospitalizations, and home health care equipment are all very expensive, not to mention time-consuming! Spending a little extra time daily to make sure I prepare healthy food and get my exercise done is well worth it.
And, of course, if you want to have a really bleak view of the future, if the shit does hit the fan, it would sure be nice to be able to run faster than the other guy when the "eaters" are comin' after you!
So, on to the smoothie. The way I am eating now incorporates a lot of tasty, unrefined plant foods such as whole grains, potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, beans, and fruit. Lots of nutrients, lots of fiber, lots of complex carbohydrates for energy, little fat, and no cholesterol. This smoothie is full of fruity goodness with a booster of complex carbohydrate and even a little spinach.
I normally don't make a lot of smoothies because I prefer to chew my food. Chewing is a good thing as digestion starts in the mouth with the release of digestive enzymes that start breaking down the food. Chewing also helps increase the feeling of satiety over gulping a blended food. This smoothie, however, still has some texture to it. I generally take a small sip with the straw and chew the smoothie in my mouth before swallowing. Yeah, you already knew I was weird.
Blue Watermelon Smoothie
1/2 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries
1/2 of a large banana (the other half will keep well in the fridge if the cut end is covered)
1/3 cup frozen or fresh greens (such as spinach, kale, chard, etc.)
3 tbs Kashi 7-Grain Nuggets (or Grape-Nuts cereal)
3 tbs non-dairy milk (I am currently using oat milk.)
1/2 tbs brown rice syrup, optional
Process in a blender on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Got a Glut of Zucchinis?
Tis summer squash season, the time when it's wise to roll up your car windows and bar your porches to avoid the sly drop-off of surplus giant zucchinis from gardening neighbors. That is, unless you're one of those who welcome zucchinis into your kitchen.
I love zucchini and am happy to be getting plenty from the garden. I haven't made zucchini relish this year, but it's a great recipe for those who enjoy adding a little zip to their meals. I made the Happy Herbivore's Chocolate Zucchini Muffins and can vouch for their deliciousness. If you have family who shudders at the thought of yet another zucchini recipe, these muffins may just change their minds.
Zucchini can be sliced thinly and then dehydrated for use during the winter. Or you can try making zucchini chips. There are lots of recipes online with different seasonings for the chips or you can just leave the zucchini plain and eat the chips with dip. I dried some zucchini with pepperoni-type spices to use on pizzas. No, it doesn't taste like pepperoni but it gives my pizza an extra kick!
When you've reached the saturation point for cooking or baking with zucchini, the freezer is your friend. Simply shred your zucchini and measure out a cup or two, or the amount you would use in your baked good recipes. Freeze in Ziploc baggies or vacuum pack. The zucchini will lose its firm texture in the freezer but will still work fine in breads and soups.
Speaking of soups, I recently came across an interesting looking recipe for Zucchini Chili. I made this last night and it was wonderful. The zucchini doesn't quite disappear into the sauce but it certainly does not overwhelm the dish. I made some changes to the recipe and present my version to you here. I've renamed it as well since it now contains all three vegetables from a three sisters garden: corn, squash, and beans.
Three Sisters Zucchini Chili*
1 cup celery, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
6 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
1 3/4 cups (or 15 oz can) tomato sauce
2 cups water
3 1/2 cups (or 29 oz can) whole tomatoes with juice
3 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 - 3 tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups (or 15 oz can, drained) cooked kidney beans
Saute celery, onion, and pepper until celery is tender, but not browned.
Add zucchini and cook another few minutes.
Add tomato sauce, water, whole tomatoes, corn, and spices.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook uncovered for one hour.
Add the beans. Simmer another 15 minutes.
Serve with whole wheat bread or cornbread for a filling meal. Serves 8.
Note: I prefer to add salt at the table so that each person can determine how much they need. Avoiding salt in cooking is also helpful for those watching their sodium intake due to high blood pressure.
*Updated to add: I made this chili again and omitted the corn since I was making cornbread to go with it. We decided we like it better without the corn (but with cornbread).
I love zucchini and am happy to be getting plenty from the garden. I haven't made zucchini relish this year, but it's a great recipe for those who enjoy adding a little zip to their meals. I made the Happy Herbivore's Chocolate Zucchini Muffins and can vouch for their deliciousness. If you have family who shudders at the thought of yet another zucchini recipe, these muffins may just change their minds.
Zucchini can be sliced thinly and then dehydrated for use during the winter. Or you can try making zucchini chips. There are lots of recipes online with different seasonings for the chips or you can just leave the zucchini plain and eat the chips with dip. I dried some zucchini with pepperoni-type spices to use on pizzas. No, it doesn't taste like pepperoni but it gives my pizza an extra kick!
When you've reached the saturation point for cooking or baking with zucchini, the freezer is your friend. Simply shred your zucchini and measure out a cup or two, or the amount you would use in your baked good recipes. Freeze in Ziploc baggies or vacuum pack. The zucchini will lose its firm texture in the freezer but will still work fine in breads and soups.
Speaking of soups, I recently came across an interesting looking recipe for Zucchini Chili. I made this last night and it was wonderful. The zucchini doesn't quite disappear into the sauce but it certainly does not overwhelm the dish. I made some changes to the recipe and present my version to you here. I've renamed it as well since it now contains all three vegetables from a three sisters garden: corn, squash, and beans.
Three Sisters Zucchini Chili*
1 cup celery, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
6 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
1 3/4 cups (or 15 oz can) tomato sauce
2 cups water
3 1/2 cups (or 29 oz can) whole tomatoes with juice
3 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
2 - 3 tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups (or 15 oz can, drained) cooked kidney beans
Saute celery, onion, and pepper until celery is tender, but not browned.
Add zucchini and cook another few minutes.
Add tomato sauce, water, whole tomatoes, corn, and spices.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook uncovered for one hour.
Add the beans. Simmer another 15 minutes.
Serve with whole wheat bread or cornbread for a filling meal. Serves 8.
Note: I prefer to add salt at the table so that each person can determine how much they need. Avoiding salt in cooking is also helpful for those watching their sodium intake due to high blood pressure.
*Updated to add: I made this chili again and omitted the corn since I was making cornbread to go with it. We decided we like it better without the corn (but with cornbread).
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