How Do You Use Up Leftovers?
April 12, 2010 | 2 Comments
Using up leftovers is obviously an awesome way to avoid wasting food and ultimately, lowering your grocery budget.
Since my family has grown, I don’t often have leftovers but I am trying to get into the habit of intentionally making more than I need so that I can serve dinner for lunch the next day.
I admit I’m not super creative when it comes to what Amy Dacyczyn of The Tightwad Gazette books refers to as “Leftover Wizardry”, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve.
I like to use leftover rice to make fried rice for lunch or dinner.
In a large saute pan heat a little oil and saute chopped onion (green or white or yellow, doesn’t matter). I add whatever veggies I have on hand (diced carrot, diced onion, sliced celery, corn, peas, snow peas, really anything).
Add an egg and scramble among the veggies. Add diced leftover meat like ham, chicken, or tempeh or tofu if you swing that way. When everything is hot, it’s ready. Serve with soy sauce. You’re done!
Leftover bits of meat, cheese and veggies can go into quiches or omelets.
A good basic quiche recipe is quite elastic, so experiment away.
Refrigerator Stew – Keep a container in your freezer for small amounts of leftover vegetables, grains, meat and beans. When the container becomes full, you have the makings of a great soup. As long as you start with a base of onions and garlic sauteed in butter, it’s hard to go wrong with soup.
Leftover fruits (you know, the half eaten apples that are lying around the kitchen!), yogurt, milk, etc can become fruit smoothies.
Leftover potatoes become tomorrow morning’s fried potatoes, served with eggs, for breakfast.
Leftover oatmeal is great in just about any muffin recipe.
Leftover chili is yummy on top of baked potatoes (sprinkled with a little cheese or sour cream!).
What tricks do you have up your sleeve for creatively re-purposing leftovers?
I’m tempted to add this cookbook to my kitchen for ideas:
Use It Up Cookbook: Creative Recipes for the Frugal Cook
Win Grass Fed Meat
March 25, 2010 | Leave a Comment
I’ve mentioned why grass fed meat is so superior on this blog before, and even interviewed an expert in such, author of Pasture Perfect Jo Robinson. (You can listen here.)
If you’re interested in winning $100 worth of grass fed meats for your family, Nourished Kitchen is currently doing a giveaway in cahoots with US Wellness Meats.
Check it out!
What the Heck Are Natural Flavors?
March 9, 2010 | 1 Comment
It was pretty cool to see my friend Christine Steendahl quoted here in this issue of Earth Talk. And just recently on Twitter I was expressing my confusion and aggravation with the whole MSG/autolyzed yeast issue. When you see the words ‘natural flavors’ on an ingredients list, it’s often a code name for MSG.
After some research I still haven’t decided whether MSG is truly evil, but I do my best to avoid processed foods just to be on the safe side. Even organic and natural foods that are processed at high temperatures (canned soups, boxed goods etc) contain glutamates – whether artificial or naturally occurring.
Dear EarthTalk:
I see a lot of “healthy snacks” being marketed for kids that list “natural flavors” but don’t identify them. Should I use these products?
– John Stein, Methuen, MA
Beloved food writer Michael Pollan recommends steering clear of foods that advertise their green attributes on their label.
According to his line of reasoning, why give a child a fruit roll-up when you can give him or her a piece of fruit?
Only processed foods need to advertise what’s natural about them, whereas an apple speaks for itself, providing wholesome nutrition without the need for marketing hype.
But most of us depend on the occasional packaged or processed food, so choosing between the lesser of two evils sometimes has to be the way to go.
If a product lists natural ingredients on its label—anything from real fruits, vegetables and nuts to cereals, grains and other healthy foods you can recognize without a food dictionary on hand—it’s probably better than a food reliant on artificial flavors and sweeteners.
“One way for your kids to enjoy healthy snacks is to get them started on naturally sweet foods,” says Christine Steendahl of Kid Approved Meals, which sells menus and shopping lists to parents looking for guidance in meal preparation. “Since most kids crave sweets…naturally sweet foods such as fruits are perfect,” she says. Real bananas, oranges, apples, cherries, strawberries and other fruits are popular with most kids. “You can mix in yogurt or even make a fruit smoothie with some milk and a drop of chocolate or other natural flavors,” Steendahl suggests.
(Note from Carrie: Christine Steendahl is also the mom behind Dine Without Whine and Menu Planning Central.)
“One thing to recognize about children is that if they try enough types of natural and healthy snacks, they will find one that they enjoy,” says Steendahl. “The problem is that many times parents give up trying to find the snacks that their kids like and settle for popular junk foods instead.” She stresses the importance of teaching kids which snacks to eat and which to avoid early in life so that they can sidestep obesity problems altogether. Nuts and dry cereals, for example, are good alternatives to chips and other junk food.
According to California-based pediatrician and author William Sears, who markets his own line of healthy kids snacks called Lunchbox Essentials, parents should make sure that any snack foods they give their family members provide both fiber and protein, which give the feeling of fullness, and taste good as well. He adds that parents should learn to read labels so they can tell which products contain hydrogenated oils, artificial colors, preservatives and high-fructose corn syrup—all of which should be avoided.
As a last resort for especially finicky kids, parents can find packaged snacks that might look like junk food but are actually healthy and nutritious, including certain brands of fruit roll-ups and granola bars. Look in the snack aisle of your local natural foods market for such items, and don’t be afraid to ask store personnel for recommendations. It’s important to take your child’s nutrition seriously. Whether he or she ever realizes it, you are setting patterns that will enable them to live healthier and longer lives.
Flavor Your Coffee Naturally
October 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment
I tend to be a coffee “purist”, and have a strong dislike for flavored coffees. However, I know a lot of the coffee drinkers who read this blog may love the taste of flavored coffees but want to avoid the questionable ingredients in many flavored coffee creamers.
Egads. 
photo credit: feverblue
Just reading the labels on those things makes me sick!
Partially hydrogenated oils (loaded with trans fats) almost always top the list.
Besides, it’s easy and cheaper to flavor your own coffee using healthier, natural ingredients. Here are a few ideas.
Flavor Your Coffee Naturally
Vanilla
Vanilla beans will add a lovely aroma to your coffee. Try adding a small drop of pure organic vanilla extract to your cup of coffee. And using cream mixed infused with a natural vanilla pod is also nice. Buy whole vanilla pods at the health food store where you get bulk herbs, and steep them in cream overnight.
Cinnamon
A simple way to do this is to dip a few whole cinnamon sticks into a large pot of coffee and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Or, grind a cinnamon stick into your whole beans. The downside to this method is that your coffee grinder will have the flavor of cinnamon until you clean it well, maybe even after. And of course, it’s easy enough to simply shake ground cinnamon into your own cup.
Nutmeg
A friend of mine from the Dominican Republic likes freshly ground nutmeg in her coffee. It imparts a lovely flavor. Use one of those tiny nutmeg graters, and just grind a little into your cup.
Ever notice those little shaker bottles at Starbucks? They have vanilla powder, ground cinnamon, chocolate powder and ground nutmeg in them. Especially nice on top of freshly steamed/frothy milk.
Dried orange peel
Place the dried orange peel in a pot of water and boil for a few minutes. Then sieve the water into your coffee pot and use this orange water to make the coffee. Also nice in hot tea.
Chocolate
Making your own cafe mocha is easy enough. Simply make a simple chocolate syrup by mixing cocoa powder, a little water, and a little sweetener of choice. Cook this on the stove for a bit, then use to taste in strongly brewed coffee. Top with hot milk and you have a mocha without the hefty price tag.
No Cook Summer Recipes
June 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Did you see my recent post on cool food for hot times?
Here are 3 more recipes for your dining pleasure. Enjoy!
3 No Cook Summer Recipes
Tuna Salad
(Tuna is full of essential fatty acids (Omega 3’s) which are good for your brain and heart, among other things.)
Ingredients:
- 2 cans of tuna
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 carrot
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1 cucumber
- 1-2 pickles (such as Bubbies, which are naturally fermented)
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- Cheddar cheese
- Whole wheat pita pocket, bread or crackers
Start by draining a couple of cans of albacore tuna packaged in water. Pour fresh lemon juice over it while you cut up the veggies.
You can get creative with the veggies of your choice or follow these recommendations: shredded carrot, chopped tomato, chopped pickles, and chopped celery for crunch.
Toss the tuna and veggies together in a bowl with mayo. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese. Serve inside whole wheat pita pockets.
photo credit: mynameisharsha
Red Grape Chicken Salad
(You can still prepare a chicken salad without having to cook the chicken itself on the stove. You can either cook the chicken in a crock-pot overnight on low, then refrigerate in the morning until you’re ready to use, or you can buy a pre-cooked, rotisserie chicken.)
Ingredients:
- Leftover chicken or chicken breast
- 1 cup of red grapes
- 1 cup chopped apples
- ½ cup raw sliced almonds
- ½ cup mayo
- Swiss cheese slices
- Croissant, whole grain bread or crackers
The first step in creating a chicken salad is to chop the chicken into small pieces. You’ll also want to chop your apples into small pieces. Any kind of apples will do, but red delicious or granny smith can make a good addition, or a combination of the two. Grapes can be left whole.
Toss the chicken, apples and grapes into a bowl with mayonnaise. Fold in your raw, sliced almonds and your chicken salad is done.
Slice open croissants, add a slice of Swiss cheese, then scoop in your chicken salad.
You can use crushed walnuts instead of sliced almonds, or a fancier cheese, such as brie, instead of Swiss.
Now how about a beverage? No hot stove required! Take advantage of theheat by using it to do the cooking for you.
Raspberry Sun Tea
Ingredients:
- 4 bags of organic black tea
- ½ bag of frozen raspberries
- Sweetener of your choice (Sucanat, honey, or stevia is best)
In a large mason jar, add several tea bags and water. Place the jar in the sun for a day.
When 3 hours have passed (this timing may vary), bring the jar inside.
Remove the tea bags and pour the tea in a pitcher. Be sure to add ice and sweetener as you desire.
What makes this recipe extra special is the frozen raspberries you’ll add to the pitcher.
Pour into glasses and serve with your tuna or chicken salad for dinner.
Cool Food for Hot Times
June 12, 2009 | 5 Comments
The other day the kids and I headed out to the park to enjoy the first really hot day of the season.
As soon as it starts to heat up outside, I find my appetite waning for cooked and hot foods. I want watery, cold things.
When it’s summer it’s too hot to cook. Who wants to heat up the house with the stove or oven?
You know what I had for lunch AND dinner?
A super cool Mexican layered dip, served with organic corn chips.
(And a side of watermelon.)
It had guacamole, chopped green onions, sour cream, black beans, diced tomatoes or salsa, sliced black olives, and shredded cheese.
YUM.
We had a lovely park in the picnic.
What do you like to eat when it’s hot out?
Make Your Own Ice Cream
June 7, 2009 | 2 Comments
Have you ever glanced at the ingredients of many ice creams lately? Some of them have little that resembles food in them – and yet we can all remember mom or grandma making homemade ice cream with a few simple ingredients.
I remember my mom and dad cranking an old fashioned ice cream maker. These are hard to find anymore and cost a pretty penny if you find one on eBay. You don’t have to have an ice cream maker to make your own ice cream.
Making ice cream is a fun project for the kids this summer and the end result is a tad healthier than store bought versions. And nothing says summer’s here like a drippy ice cream cone!
Of course, I’m going to recommend that you use raw, unpasteurized dairy products from a local farmer whose cows graze in open pasture. 
photo credit: eyeliam
Here are a couple of recipes:
French Vanilla Ice Cream
What You Need:
1/2 C sugar
1/4 t salt
1 C of milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 T vanilla
2 C whipping cream, chilled
How to Make It:
Dump the sugar into a heavy duty saucepan.
Sprinkle the salt over the sugar.
Pour the milk into the saucepan and stir to combine.
Add the egg yolks and stir until all the ingredients are combined together well.
Place the pan over medium heat and stirring constantly cook 3 minutes or until bubbles begin to appear around the edges.
Remove the pan from the stove and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Stir in the vanilla.
Pour the ice cream into a refrigerator try and place in the freezer 45 minutes or until mushy.
Place 2 bowls in the refrigerator to chill.
Add the whipping cream to the chilled bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks begin to form.
Spoon the partially frozen ice cream mixture into the second chilled bowl.
Beat with the mixer on medium speed until smooth.
Fold the whipped cream into the mixture well.
Pour the ice cream evenly into 2 refrigerator trays and cover with wax paper.
Freeze at least 3 hours or until firm stirring the ice cream mixture about every 10 minutes for the first hour of freezing time.
Makes 1 quart of ice cream
To make this ice cream in a crank style ice cream maker, follow the above directions to where you add the vanilla. Add the vanilla and whipping cream together. Pour 1/2 of the mixture into the freezer can of ice cream maker. Fill the freezer tub 1/3 full of ice and then add the remaining ice cream. Crank until it becomes too difficult to turn. Drain off water, replace the lid and allow the ice cream to ripen for at least 4 hours.
Strawberry Ice Cream
What You Need:
2 C of strawberries
1 C sugar, divided
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 3/4 C half and half, divided
1 t vanilla
How to Make It:
Clean and cut the strawberries in half.
Place the strawberries into a saucepan.
Dump half of the sugar into the pan with the berries.
Place the pan over medium low heat and cook 18 minutes or until the berries are soft, stirring often.
Place the mixture into the blender.
Cover the blender and puree the berries until very smooth.
Transfer of a bowl, cover and chill at least 4 hours but no more than 24 hours.
Place the egg into a small saucepan.
Pour in 1 C of the half and half and the remaining sugar.
Place the pan over medium heat and stirring continuously cook the custard about 5 minutes or until the mixture passes the metal spoon test (see tip below.)
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the remaining half and half and the vanilla.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
Pour the half and half mixture into the ice cream maker’s freezer canister.
Freeze 5 minutes then stir in the strawberry mixture.
Freeze according the ice cream maker’s directions.
Allow the ice cream to ripen for 4 hours.
Makes 8 servings
When making a custard type of ice cream it is important to cook the egg mixture to right stage. To check the mixture place a metal spoon into the mixture and coat the bottom part of the spoon. Remove the spoon and run your finger down the spoon. If the finger trail is clear the custard is done.
Coconut Ice Cream
What You Need:
24 oz. half and half
1 C unsweetened coconut milk
1 C sugar
2 C whipping cream
1 T lemon juice
1 T vanilla
1 1/3 C coconut, toasted
How to Make It:
Pour the half and half and coconut milk into a large mixing bowl.
Dump the sugar in with the milk and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the whipping cream and lemon juice and stir until combined.
Stir in the vanilla well.
Fold the coconut into the ice cream mixture.
Pour the mixture into the freezer canister of the ice cream maker.
Freeze according to the directions for the ice cream maker.
Ripen 4 hours.
Makes 12 servings
To toast coconut preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lay the coconut in a single layer in the bottom of a shallow baking pan. Bake 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the coconut is nicely browned.
Green Slime Smoothie for Kids
May 27, 2009 | 1 Comment
Green Slime Smoothie
What you need:
2 cups spinach
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 banana
2 tablespoons raw honey
1/2 cup ice
What you do:
Place the spinach in the freezer until frozen, at least 1 hour.
Combine the spinach, strawberries, banana, honey, and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
You can use other fruits your kids like, such as bananas and berries too.
Your kids will never suspect there’s spinach in there and they’ll ask for this smoothie over and over, so be sure to have plenty of the ingredients on hand throughout the summer.
Looking for more smoothie recipes?
Try these:
Salad Saturday: Almond Cranberry Couscous Salad
April 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment
If you like this, may I recommend the <a href=”http://365saladrecipes.com/” target=”_blank”>365 Salad Recipes ebook</a> for even more healthy, delicious salad recipes?
<img src=”http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/Carrielee/saladsat.jpg” alt=”free salad recipes” align=”right” />
<h2>Almond Cranberry Couscous Salad</h2>
What You Need:
1 (10 oz) pkg. plain couscous
1 C dried cranberries
3/4 C green onions, chopped
3/4 C sweet yellow pepper, chopped
3/4 C almonds, toasted
1/3 C lemon juice
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t sea salt
1/8 t pepper
How to Make It:
Prepare the couscous as directed on the package.
When the couscous is cooked, place it in a large salad bowl and use a fork to fluff.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate 30 minutes or until chilled completely through.
When chilled remove the couscous from the refrigerator and stir in the cranberries.
Add the onions, sweet pepper and almonds and toss to combine all the ingredients.
Place the lemon juice into a small mixing bowl.
Add the oil, paprika, salt and pepper.
Use a whisk to mix the ingredients together well.
Drizzle the dressing into the salad and toss to coat.
Cover and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
Serving Size: 14
Quick Before School Breakfasts
April 20, 2009 | 2 Comments
Getting up early and getting the kids off to school has gone great so far, except for one thing.
Breakfast.
The kids jump out of bed early, that’s no problem – but they’re accustomed to eating a little later in the morning, after they’ve been up for awhile.
Their little stomachs don’t seem ready for food at 6:30 A.M. For a couple of days I was throwing away a lot of half eaten eggs and stuff. I certainly don’t want them to eat at school (nutritionally inferior offerings) but I don’t want them to go off with an empty belly either. They need high quality protein in order for their little brains to work properly to study.
I decided to look at some quick breakfast options that the kids can hold in their hands and eat while they walk to the bus stop or in the cafeteria once they get to school, after they’ve been up for awhile and have worked up an appetite.
Stuff like granola bars aren’t my thing, neither is cereal. Extruded grains are a no-no in this house. And carbs aren’t really a great idea in the morning anyway, especially if the kids aren’t going to be eating lunch for a few hours.
Here are some of the ideas I came up with for quick before school breakfasts.
Egg McHuggins
I can’t take credit for this one. My Dad invented it (with a little inspiration from the golden arches, no doubt!). Egg McHuggins is pretty simple, and very tasty, and portable. The basic recipe involves a split open English Muffin. (I use the Ezekiel sprouted grain English Muffins from Food for Life. Sprouted grains are easier to digest and have more nutrition available to the body.)
Spread a little butter on the English Muffins then top with cheese. (I use raw organic cheese and grass fed butter – either KerryGold or Organic Valley’s pastured butter.) Bake in the oven until the cheese melts. (Or yu can toast them first and then place the cheese on top and warm until it melts. Or use shredded cheese.) Meanwhile, scramble an egg. Put the scrambled egg on top of the cheesy English Muffin. You can fry some bacon (make sure it’s organic and grass fed!) or sausage to go on it too.
This is what we had this morning. The kids were munching on them as they walked out the door. Easy to hold and eat.
Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins
Ever since I tried these the first time, I’ve been hooked. I got the recipe from Cheeseslave who got it from a cookbook called Cooking with Coconut Flour. Since youngest and I don’t eat wheat, we get our muffin fix with these. They are SO VERY delicious and surprisingly filling. I cannot eat two of them!
Muffins are portable and delicious even when cold so these are perfect.
Smoothies
Smoothies worked well the other morning because the kids could sip on them slowly while they got ready. I made mine with raw milk, strawberries, banana and organic vanilla yogurt. Got 50 smoothie recipes right here.
Larabars
In a pinch, I give them each a Larabar. These are just about the only “granola” bars I approve of. They’re made from dried fruit and nuts – that’s it. The kids love them and I always have a supply in the pantry. No HFCS or other cheap sweeteners, no trans fats, no soy (yuck!), no fillers and no grains.
That’s what’s working for us right now.
