Search results matching tag 'food'

Re: God's Pharmacy

Edey — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:31:38 GMT

There is also something about the bitter taste of some foods - that it exists to warn away from eating poisonous foods. I don't know if there is fact to back that up though.

Edey

D-I-Y Health Care Reform--Help Save a $Trillion Right From Home!

This Old Housewife — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:27:07 GMT

1. Wash your hands frequently throughout the day, before/during/after food preparation, after coughing or sneezing, after cleaning the cat box, after using the bathroom, and after handling money.

2. Consume no more than 6 grams of added sugar per serving per day (to ward off expensive diabetes and cancer).

3. Consume no more than 100 mg. of sodium per serving (to ward off expensive hypertension).

4. Consume no more than 6 grams of protein per day (2 servings of 3 oz. each) to ward off expensive high cholesterol and kidney-related diseases, including gout.

5. Use good fats only: high Omega-3’s like olive oil, coconut oil, high-oleic safflower oil (check labels here), high-oleic sunflower oil, etc. The safflower and sunflower oils are good for frying, and the coconut oil is terrific for baking.

6. Stop smoking and don’t expose yourself to cigarette/cigar/joint smoke. Second- and third-hand smoke is just as dangerous (and expensive to treat) as first-hand smoke. Have yourself detoxed for heavy metals—cadmium and other dangerous heavy metals exist in cigarettes. Curb drinking to a minimum to avoid liver damage, and exposure to diabetes potential—booze is fermented grains which turn to liquid sugar, affecting the pancreas.

7. Eat primarily fruits and vegetables—avoid fast foods and processed foods (anything in a can, jar, box, or bag). If you MUST use processed foods, use some with low sodium (<100 mg./serving) or sugar (<6 grams/serving). This increases your fiber and eliminates excess fats, sugars, and hormones from your blood, and helps ward off cancer.

8. Visit a dietitian for a specific eating plan to help you lose weight and reverse chronic diseases you may now have, and visit a personal trainer for an exercise plan that fits your goals and abilities.

9. Have annual physicals, CBC blood tests, a urinalysis, plus all other appropriate annual tests (mammograms, PSA, etc.) to establish a baseline from which to gather knowledge for health improvement—blood and urine tell much of the story. If you have these results, take them to the dietitian, because he or she will need them to help make your corrective eating plan.

10. Stay current with immunizations—especially tetanus. A decent diet pretty much negates the need for things like flu shots, making these optional. I’ve never had a flu shot, and never gotten the flu.

11. Buy and use a faucet filter or filter pitcher for your drinking water to cut exposure to lead, mercury, flushed pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants, as well as chlorine intake.

12. Avoid convenience foods at all costs—learn to make your own at home. Fast foods in particular employ the same addiction-creating methods as cigarettes to keep you coming back for more, and are just as dangerous to your health as cigarettes. Drive-thru windows should be bricked up (in my opinion), and if you absolutely WANT this food, you should be made to get out of the car to get it!

After completing the above steps, then and only then do you need to worry about health insurance (unless you text while driving). Smoking cessation aids listed in #6, the professionals listed in #7, the tests listed in #8, the shots in #10, and the foods listed in #6 are the only things our government should be funding (subsidizing) in the way of national health care—the rest is easily achievable on your own, and should be achieved. Affordable coverage for trauma, surgeries, accidents, cancer, broken bones, and catastrophes is available through HSA plans (employer-provided or available online). The rest can be budgeted for in regular savings. If the qualifications for MSA expenses changed to include things like soap, smoking cessation aids, a water filter, or high Omega-3 oils, I’d recommend using that too as a budgeting aid—I consider these things as important as now-qualified expenses.

The diet you come away with from #7 will also improve our DENTAL health—lowering added sugar intake and increasing NATURAL sugar intake (through fruits and vegetables) will help lower incidence of cavities and gum disease, making dental visits more for cleaning than anything else. Brushing and flossing are the cheapest ways of extending tooth life.

The same can be said for the eyes—better diet will also preserve and possibly improve vision, slowing the need for glasses (or new glasses), and lowering the incidence for macular degeneration, cataracts, and other eye diseases.

Notice I didn't mention exercise--studies have shown that exercise just makes you hungry, and then you eat, and the you exercise to work off what you just ate...it's a never-ending cycle. Just walk more and you'll be all right.

Tort reform, drug patent reform, cost consolidation, back-door rationing, and government regulation may seem like good ideas to solve our so-called health care crisis, but don’t address what we can do for ourselves to eliminate the need for health care insurance in the first place—taking better care of ourselves to begin with. Think of it as “front-door rationing,” leaving those who don’t take better care of themselves to be victims of government onslaught with Medicare, Medicaid, and other intrusive social programs. Every government “giveaway” has strings attached, and nothing’s free—in order to receive this “benefit,” you must be willing and/or able to trash your own health, and then be subject to haphazard and expensive care to repair it.

Every government program puts limits and restrictions on you—remember your freedoms. The Health Care Reform bill is an example of how far Democrats are willing to go in pursuit of votes and power. Government WANTS you to be dependent on them for your very life—do you want to put your life in government’s hands? If not, then get off the couch and start making changes TODAY to show government who’s boss!

So much of the above list can be accomplished without insurance—maybe not the visits to a dietitian or gym instructor, keeping up with immunizations, or the CBC and urinalysis, but many of them CAN be accomplished without insurance or some sort of subsidy. Do you really need Uncle Sam to pay for soap, put fruits and veggies in your shopping cart, or read labels for you?

The people in favor of H-R 3200 say yes, they need Uncle Sam to do it (and more) for them.

No more dining out!

Anne Cross — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:50:00 GMT

I like to make pronouncements. It's easier for me to adopt or give up something altogether, rather than piecemeal. So my latest pronouncement is this: I'm not going out to eat anymore, unless I'm away from home and can't prepare something myself.

I'm a vegetarian, so my dining out options are limited. I'm also a really good cook (well, I like my own cooking better than restaurant cooking). I like to cook, I really really enjoy it. And lastly -- why should I spend $7.00 for a salad, when I can make a better one for about $1.50?

My final meal out cost me $20.00 - for an order of french fries (not very good and kind of burnt), an ear of corn on the cob (mediocre), a blah salad, and a really good dessert, plus tip. I would rather use that sawbuck for something special, so I was glad my farewell meal was only fair.

Now the challenge will be declining firmly but politely when friends invite me to go out to eat with them (not an everyday occurance, mind you, but once a month or so I probably get a local invitation to eat out). I love to entertain and will gladly host a big dinner party, but will hope I can get away with just saying "no thanks" to invites to meals away from home....

Do other people refuse to eat out on economic grounds?

Versatility - one of my keys to budgeting.

Millers Grain House — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:58:00 GMT

Versatility is one of my most important keys to budgeting.

Versatility in many areas helps to stretch a budget farther than it may normally go.

Here are just a few ideas in a couple of different areas:

Wardrobe Versatility: Admittedly, I don't have a very versatile wardrobe. I am a jean/shorts and t-shirt kind of girl, but I do own some nicer things for whenever the need arises. But versatility is not about how large my wardrobe is, but how well I use the fewer pieces I DO have. What I try to do is have some basics that mix and match. A pair of black pants and a black skirt that also go with a black jacket that can all mix and match with multiple tops, a basic pair shoes or two. Then the same type thing in an ivory color all that can mix with the black. Now I'm done. I don't have multiple dresses and multiple 'outfits' that only fit each other. That is the type of versatility that stretches a budget; two suit sets that can become about 30 different things to wear.

Home Decor Versatility: We've not bought too many things 'new' other than our bed and maybe one couch in 25 years of marriage. Since most things are second hand, we look for quality and multi-purpose use. Old chests, covered baskets and crates make good storage as well as decor. Baskets that we hand or display are also often grabbed for garden work or carrying firewood/kindling in the house. A wicker waste paper basket this month may become a planter basket next month. Sheets make good drapes and table clothes and napkins. Old towels are ripped for the rag box. I've never bought a rag in my life time!

Automobile Versatility: When buying a new-to-me vehicle, I've looked for things that have ample trunk space and or a van with removable seats. There have been times that my car/van was our ONLY option for moving larger items. It saved us having to rent a truck or u-haul. Also, we've looked at cars that can be passed on to our kids to buy. Keeping them in good shape is vital, but the Jeep has been earmarked for one of the kids to purchase before too long.

Food Versatility: This one is my biggest key to managing our home expenses. I buy mostly organic (which sounds more expensive, but is better in the long run) and only basic foods. Making one meal that the left-overs turn into two more is always a great dollar stretcher. By far my favorites are using whole grains in multiple ways. Currently I am doing a series on the multi-uses of Popping Corn.... http://www.youtube.com/user/thewheatguy ... from corn meal, corn bread, multi-flavor options, polenta, tortillas and so on.....This list is growing from only ONE grain! We do the same with Organic rolled Oats....

If there is one thing that I'd love to encourage anyone struggling with making ends meet, it is to look at how versatile are (ore aren't) the items you are spending money on. You may be surprised at how trimming back to basic items actually gives you a wider variety!

Huge savings on Indian food

Anne Cross — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:38:00 GMT

Indian food is my very favorite cuisine. I have been visiting the Indian restaurants in my city since I was about 14 years old. I've been a vegetarian for quite a while, so Indian food is also a great protein source for me, as so much of it is vegetarian. This winter, after being on a waiting wist for a year, I took an Indian cooking workshop. It was GREAT! I learned how to make many of my favorite dishes as well as some new ones. I left with a cute round box of Indian spices as well as a big recipe pamphlet. I've been cooking up a storm since then.

I recently decided to have a big Indian dinner party for some friends and needed to stock up on supplies, so I searched online for "indian grocery store" and found one about 30 minutes away. My eyes were opened! The prices were so low -- bulk rice, lentils, dried beans, nuts (pistachios, cashews, almonds) -- all much less than at grocery stores. And then there were the frozen naans (Indian bread) for $3.00 for four (these cost $3.99 for one at the restaurants), and frozen paneer (Indian cottage cheese at $4.99 for a pound; I know how to make it myself, but it doesn't come out as well).

But the best find were the boxes of "masala" (which, as I learned at the cooking class, just means "sauce"); there are specific masala mixes for specific dishes. These cost $1.49 each, and each box makes about five large batches (each batch has four - six servings). So to make paneer masala, for example (my favorite dish), I would need a fifth of a $1.49 box of masala, a half of a .29 cent can of tomato sauce, an onion (50 cents?) and about half a pound of paneer ($2.50). For a total of $3.50 (plus rice, let's say 50 cents worth -- and call it a grand total of $4.00), I can make around four servings of one of my favorite foods on earth, rather than paying $9.99 (plus tip) at the restaurant for one serving.

The store also had lots of specialty pickles, and chutneys, and mango syrup (for mango lassis -- yummm), not to mention spices used in other cuisines -- cumin, cinnamon, cloves (just to mention the "C" family). And it was so inexpensive!

So frugal friends, I bet the same holds true for other ethnic cuisines. If you're a fan of Mexican, Afghani, Chinese or Vietnamese food, check and see if you can find a grocer that specializes in that food in your area. The savings can be dramatic, and you'll get to meet some people from the country whose food you love!

Frugal gardening tips

Anne Cross — Mon, 11 May 2009 10:35:00 GMT

Spring has sprung here in New England and the farmer's markets, farm stands, and greenhouses are displaying their wares. A friend just spent $200 in one day on plants -- all annuals! Yikes! Here are some tips to keep your garden costs low.

Plant swaps -- look in the newspaper or at the library or call your local gardener's association. This is a way to thin out unwanted or multiplied plants from your own garden and bring in some new ones. I have some lovely dead nettle that spreads like wildfire (or like dead nettle), ivy, hostas that multiply like crazy, and beautiful blue colombine. I thin out my patches of this and trade for veggie plants or whatever catches my fancy!

Charity plant sales -- if you can't get a plant for free, you can still get it for less than commercial nurseries want to charge.Look in the papers for fundraising plant sales -- especially from local gardening or botanical societies. You can usually buy the plant right from the grower and ask questions about care, etc. These plants always cost much less, are very healthy, and you're supporting a good cause.

All-perennials, all the time -- I used to find it so hard to remember that "annual" meant a plant only lived for one year. Maybe it's a slick marketing trick. :) Just get perennials for your garden. They are usually a one-time investment (although I do sometimes have perennials that fail to return over the winter), and they usually multiply, allowing you to cull your crop and bring the excess to plant swaps (see above). Non-food annuals seem like such a waste of time and effort to me. I guess i'm a lazy gardener, but I like to see my plants coming up each year without doing a whole lot of work, and without spending anything.

Go native -- Plants that are native to your location will do better than exotic non-native plants. You are less likely to have to replace native perennials than ones that have come from elsewhere. You can also likely find these on the side of the road, or in the woods (ferns, lilly of the valley, violets, etc.), where you can pick them if you know it won't harm the eco-system.

Plant food -- the only annuals I get are food-bearing plants: tomatoes, lettuce, squash, herbs, etc. Get these at swaps if you can (they're probably heirlooms, organic, etc.). If you're really frugal, or have a greenhouse (I live downtown and do all my gardening in containers), you can keep the seeds and grow your own heirlooms, too. The cost of one tomato plant at a charity sale is usually one or two dollars. So for an investment of less than $20.00, a person in New England can have a bountiful crop of veggies.

Craigslist -- Check the "Free" section on CL for plants. People often re-landscape and will give away plants to anyone who will come and dig them up. I've gotten (and swapped) great stuff here.

Free dirt -- If you need dirt (like I do in my container world), ask around of your friends with in-ground gardens. They will often share.

Containers -- I'm transitioning away from inexpensive and eco-friendly terra cotta pots, because they freeze, crack, and break over the winter. Even though I'm anti-plastic as a rule, I'm switching over to those lightweight styrene or plastic pots, because they last a long time. I have several that are ten+ years old. Also, be creative -- use old 5-gallon paint buckets (great for tomatoes), tin cans, or other non-breakable containers. Look for these at tag sales, too.

Compost -- our town gives away free compost, and one can certainly make one's own.

Happy gardening!

Fried Squirrel and Dandelion Salad

SavvyFrugality — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 04:53:00 GMT

I have noticed an odd trend in the media lately. I have seen articles and some television programs which highlight some of the "edibles" you can find in your own backyard, even if you happen to live in a large metropolitan area like New York City. These include fishing in ponds, preparing squirrel or making salads from dandelion greens. One of the episodes of the short-lived NBC series "The Chopping Block" featured would-be restaurant owners touring Central Park, learning about edible plants that could be harvested right from the park and made into gourmet dishes. The show was cancelled after three episodes due to low ratings. I'm not sure if that was due to the questionable practice of eating something that was growing in Central Park.

Has it really come to this? Have people been driven to the point of frugality that they are willing to eat something that I pay the landscaping guy $30 a month to come out and spray my lawn to kill?

When I was growing up, my dad was an avid sport fisher and hunter. He does have some mounted birds and deer heads around his home, and I'm pretty sure he's responsible for drastically reducing the whitetail deer population in South Dakota. He didn't hunt or fish just because he liked it. He did it to help put food on the table. I grew up eating wild fish like Northern Pike, walleye, perch and catfish, as well as deer, antelope, quail, pheasant, duck and goose. People pay big bucks to eat stuff like that at fancy restaurants these days. To us, it was just a way of avoiding Hamburger Helper night.

My wife and I live in a suburb of a larger city, but we still manage to plant and grow some of our own food in our backyard and in large buckets. My wife has an herb garden, and I usually take a stab at growing some tomatoes. Besides tasting better, the herbs alone save us plenty of money over buying fresh at the supermarket. However, I have to draw the line at pulling dandelions from my front lawn and making some kind of salad out of them. We have a name for those things where I live: weeds.

Adventurous eaters might enjoy a fine squab at a four-star French restaurant in New York City, but would they feel the same way if that pigeon was harvested from a nearby park bench? I'm thinking...probably not.

I'm sure the current state of the economy has spawned this recent rash of "alternative food source" articles and TV show topics, but I'm not sure we've been driven to the point of living off the land in Cleveland or Detroit yet. Despite my bit of "window box" gardening, I still get the majority of my groceries from the wilds of Aisle Number 7 at the grocery store and Wal-Mart.

The squirrels are safe in my neighborhood, at least for now.

Re: Wild food

homesteaderbelle — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 05:48:40 GMT

I found the Dandy Green Pasta (noodle) recipe in Mary-Jane's Outpost Book by Mary-Jane Butters. I don't think it is legal for me to copy the recipe from her book. You could buy the book or ask your library to buy it.

There are many recipes in her book that call for wild foods!

I make the Dandy Green Pasta with spaghetti sauce and sprinkle it with mozzerella cheese. It is so good! I also make it like Fettucine Alfredo, that is also very good.

The Dandy Green Pasta taste absolutely no different than other pasta, but the kids in the family sort of gross out because it is green. After they try it they like it, but they just can't get over it being green.

Belle

A tip to 'thinking like a homesteader.'

Millers Grain House — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:55:00 GMT

Well, weather you care to learn these tips because you dream of 'Little House on the Prairie Days' or you just want to stretch the dollars you have, a homesteader's mind works a little differently than most.

One main thing is to look at any one object and see how many different ways you can use it (avoiding extra purchases).

Let me give you some examples:

Peanuts: Snacks, dessert toppings, in granola/trail mix, tossed with garlic broccoli and of course home-made sugar free peanut butter (How to video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPnDIK7QAHs )
Plastic Ziplock Freezer Baggies: Of course freezer storage, pillows for camping, no leak lunch bag that fits in back packs, storing scarf/hat and glove sets for summer, meat marinade (easy flip & clean up), make up bag (you know they get messy inside anyways) and best of all these are really NOT disposable...make them LAST by washing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1UzVYfOkvU&feature=channel_page
Empty Milk Jugs: Cut to make oranizers or planter - , keep the handle part to make a basket for berries or produce from the garden, or use that as an all purpose scoop (maybe for dog/cat food/animal feed), also plant covers for that spring chill and cutting the 'flatter' part up as burger patty separators or to carve for paint sencils. Many more on this one....many....
Rolled Oats: Use in place of bread crumbs for meatloaf, use as toppings as all or part of the 'fattening' struddle on cobblers, send through the food processor for a while to make Quick Oats or longer to make oat flour (good for thickening and binding). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR6En56LNUU&feature=channel_page
Egg Cartons: Styrophome ones can be used for quick ice cubes. The cardboard ones work great for organizing small items like paper clips, tacks, screws and buttons. Use to fill space while shipping or start some garden seeds in them (the cardboard composts when planted).

There are so many items that are easily over looked as one-use items. These are just a very few.

No matter where on earth you live, you can develop a homesteader's mindset!

Best Blessings and enJOY the journey!

Donna MIller

Donna Miller is a work-from-home wife and mother. She delighted to share her trials and triumphs of learning to homestead anywhere. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

Homemade Bread

missapril_piano — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:37:52 GMT

I've found a simple recipe for homemade bread. It's a cool rise, wet dough recipe. I found it on Mother Earth News. They market it as 5min a day bread. NOT!!!! BUT, it is easy! lol....

You make the dough, then it can keep in your fridge for up to 2 weeks. I had to make mine in a very large plastic bowl this first time, but will try to make it in my pampered chef glass mixing bowl (the one with a handle, spout, and lid). I think it will fit! (I hope) I have a large fridge, but I still don't want to dedicate that much fridge space to bread.

Basically the recipe is 6-3-3-13. Which means 6 c. water, 3TBSP active dry yeast, 3TBSP non-iodinized salt (like sea salt), 13 cups all-purpose flour. Simple and cheap, huh? Notes: you gotta use warm water, only mix until ingredients have been combined--no kneading, let rise for 2 hrs before putting into the fridge. On baking day, pull off the amount you want to use (they recommend a 1lb portion), shape into a ball, let rise for 30min, slice a pretty something on the top (cross, scallop, etc), then pop in a 425 degree oven for 45min with a pan of water on the shelf below. They also recommend using a baking stone and pizza peel, dusting the loast with cornmeal on the bottom. Well, I don't have a stone, pizza peal, and have declined to use the cornmeal dusting on the bottom & have still gotten great results! I just put a lil parchment paper on the pan I'm using.

I have really enjoyed having warm, crusty, fabulous bread whenever. It's been non-labor intensive (even though it takes more than 5min when you make it), and CHEAP! A great dollar stretcher!

To see the original article with lots more info & ideas, go here.