Waste Not {Pears}

After canning over half of my 50# load of the most lovely bartlett pears, I tinkered out.  Peeling, quartering, coring, boiling syrup, filling jars and carefully wiping the rims, all by myself…for days.  Next day I decided to do the rest without peeling, it made a huge difference in time.  I had a good amount left that was not going to fill another canner load, so I decided to experiment with dehydrating.

I removed the stems and sliced them whole, vertically, with my mandoline at 1.5mm.  Next, I laid them out in a single layer on large cooling racks and placed them in the sunshine.  They took one full day of Arizona summer sun to dry sufficiently.  At this point they were barely pliable and so delicious!  I was surprised as how yummy they turned out, much better than dried apples and peaches.

 

If I did a lot of these, I would keep them in the freezer for long term storage to be assured they wouldn’t go bad incase there is still some moisture left.  It was surely a great way to preserve, we all loved them to munch on for a snack, but if we had copious amounts, I would make a galette and other fun baked goods.  8 large pears, once dried, took up the space of one quart jar.  I bet pears would make good fruit leather too, anyone tried it?

Links; Fight Back Friday, Finer Things Friday, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday

We Be Canning

This summer was packed full with hard work, I am still recovering.  I had the opportunity to get my hands on a large amount of great produce.  This was all the stuff that is grown organically, locally, in season and in perfectly fresh, yummy condition.  Mostly a lot of canning, with little bouts of dehydrating, freezing and pickling here and there.  Nearly every other week I spent 2 to 3 days preserving huge loads of this gorgeous food.

Here is a list of what I preserved in the last 4 months;

Carrots

Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Tomatoes

Green Beans

Mixed Beans

Cucumbers

Grapes

Apples

Peaches

Pears

Apricots

I loved spending so much time with the bright colors, nibbling all day through and seeing the end results pile up.  How satisfying it is to have well grown food preserved in glass (no bpa) with no additives.  The kids were even helpful at times and those were the most glorious!  They also love to eat the end product.  How awesome it is when the kids are hungry for a snack and I reach for a jar of home canned green bean, which they eat with the same gusto most other have while eating a box of goldfish?

The clean up was not quite as awesome.  Food and water all over the counters, stove, skink and floor, ants from the sticky fruits and fly’s in the compost bucket.  The worst was the heat.  The air would be on all day if it weren’t for the problem it caused with the flame on the gas stove.  I would have to turn it off and sweat it out to get the pots up to temperature. After a few weeks, I was able to get a hot plate to process the jars in the backyard.

We also got out the sun oven for some winter squash that came out of my garden to save more heat from the kitchen.  The plywood strip on the sawhorses behind the oven is what I used to sun dry food, with our heat, most things dried in one day.  It was a pretty efficient use of a lot in the city, that’s for sure.

Links; Fight Back Fridays, Simple Lives Thursday, Things I Love Thursday, Penny wise Platter.

One Grain at a Time

--Teff--
A truly remarkable grain from Ethiopia, teff is a nutrient dense food. Super small in size and ranging in color from ivory, light tan to deep brown or dark reddish brown purple, depending on the variety. Teff can be used in virtually any recipe because it is so small. It has a mild, nutty, and a slight molasses like sweetness. The white teff has a chestnut-like flavor and the darker varieties are earthier and taste more like hazelnuts. Teff is very low in gluten, so low it has been approved for those with celiac disease.

Traditionally, teff is prepared by fermenting for three days and made into a spongy crepe-like flat bread called injera. Ethiopian’s use this bread to pick up bites of food instead of forks and spoons. In this picture, the injera is what the food is served on and also folded up along side.

Cost:
20 cents a serving at $2.00 per lb.
1 lb = 2.2 cups dry = 8 cups cooked = 4 cups flour

To Cook:
1 cup grain to 4 cups water
Simmer 10 minutes, soaked
Simmer 25 minutes, unsoaked

To Store:
-Whole; indefinitely in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
-Flour and popped grains; up to 2 weeks in an air tight container, or freeze up to 1 year.
-Cooked; refrigerate for up to 10 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

To Use:
-Use flour for thickening sauces and gravies
-Flour may be added to baked goods.
-Cook to make a hot breakfast cereal.
-Add to soups
-Blends well with ground beef
-Use as a substitute for poppy seeds
-Sprout for salads and sandwiches

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates 73.1 g
Dietary fiber 8 g
Fat 2.4 g
Protein 13.3 g
Thiamin 0.4 mg 26%
Riboflavin 0.3 mg 16%
Niacin 3.4 mg 17%
Vitamin B6 0.5 mg 24%
Pantothenic Acid 0.9 mg 9%
Calcium 180 mg 18%
Iron 7.6 mg 42%
Magnesium 184 mg 46%
Phosphorus 429 mg 43%
Potassium 427 mg 12%
Zinc 3.6 mg 24%
Copper 0.8 mg 41%
Manganese 9.2 mg 462%
Selenium 4.4 mg 6%

One Grain at a Time

--Amaranth--

A versatile, gluten free grain with a rich history.This small, yellow seed was quickly recognized by early Aztecs as a power food for their warriors. Amaranth is harvested from an attractive plant which grows like a weed and produces edible leaves that can be used like spinach. The grain itself has a mild grassy flavor that is especially wonderful toasted or popped.

To pop use a deep pot with no oil. Heat the pot and add a pinch to see of the pot is hot enough. If those pop without burning quickly, you have found the right heat (about medium high). Add no more than 2 tablespoons at once, quickly swirl around the pot until mostly popped and dump into a galss bowl before adding more. 1/4 cup will yield 1 cup of popped.

Cost:
20 cents a serving at $2.00 per lb.
1 lb = 2.2 cups dry = 5 cups cooked = 3 cups flour

To Cook:
1 cup grain to 3 cups water
Simmer 15 minutes, soaked

Simmer 45 minutes, unsoaked
Strain and rinse if desired

To Store:
-Whole - indefinitely in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
-Flour and popped grains - up to 2 weeks in an air tight container, or freeze up to 1 year.
-Cooked - refrigerate for up to 10 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

To Use:
-Grind in blender and cook for a nutritious baby food

-Use flour for thickening sauces and gravies
-Flour may be added to baked goods.

-Cook to make a hot breakfast cereal.
-Whole amaranth adds crunch to breads.

-Pop and use in breads, cookies, candies and salads.

Nutritional Value per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
Calories 371
Total fat 7 g
Dietary fiber 7 g
Protein 14 g
Carbohydrate 66 g
Thiamin 0.1 mg 8%
Riboflavin 0.2 mg 12%
Niacin 0.9 mg 5%
Vitamin B6 0.6 mg 30%
Folate 82mcg 21%

Pantothenic Acid 1.5 mg 15%

Calcium 159 mg 16%

Iron 7.6 mg 42%
Magnesium 248 mg 62%
Phosphorus 557 mg 56%
Potassium 508 mg 15%
Zinc 2.9 mg 19 %
Copper 0.5 mg 26%
Manganese 3.3 mg 167%
Selenium 18.7 mcg 27%

Tuna Melts

I think the Mom’s (not mine of coarse) of the 80’s era made their kids think nobody in their right mind could possibly like tuna. My husband still has a hard time believing he really DOES like the stuff. Every time we have tuna melts he says “This is good. Next time, remind me I really like tuna melts.” Actually, after all the reminding and making this recipe a part of our regular monthly menu, he not only remembers but request it.

The ingredient list is all things that are typically on hand, sometimes I might have to sub yellow onion for green. It is nice to have a few quick meals that can be thrown together on those days I needed to make it to the store but just didn’t.

Bumble Bee or Chicken of the Sea brands are not my favorite, so try some different brands to see what you like. Also, tuna can be packed in oil or water. Most of the time the oil is low quality, like soybean, if you come across some in olive oil-YUM. Otherwise, water is fine. Albacore is going to be less fishy than light tuna, but also more dry and pricey. So find your best fit and apply it here:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, finely diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Herbs De Provence or dill
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon flour
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 cans tuna, drained
1 bunch green onions, sliced
6 slices of bread, toasted
1 ½ cup shredded cheese

Saute carrots and celery in oil 5 minutes. Add garlic seasonings and flour, combine thoroughly. Let flour cook 2 minutes. Slowly add milk while stirring. Once thickened add veganaise, tuna and onions. Pile mixture in toasted bread laid out on a cookie sheet. Top with cheese and broil until melted and bubbly.

This recipe can be extended with grains like brown rice, white quinoa or millet if you need to feed a couple extra people.

Sloppy Joes

Feed a crowd well at your summer get-togethers. Kid friendly food meets adult friendly flavor. Stretching the meat with grains and vegetables not only saves a buck, but makes for a more nutritionally balanced meal. Another good meat extender is beans, add in place of the grains or even the meat. I have subbed one cup carrot purée for a cup of the tomato sauce and also added a grated zucchini and with great results.

Don’t be a slave to a recipe, if something doesn’t suit you, change it up. Most of the time grains, sweeteners, herbs, spices, oils, even liquids like chicken broth and milk are all interchangeable. If you’re scared, just ask, I’ll tell you how it will turn out.

This recipe can easily be made over to be used with food storage...dried onion, garlic powder, canned meat or beans. What a treat in lean times.

1/2 pound ground beef
1 cup cooked millet
1 cup cooked red quinoa
1/4 cup sucanat
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook vegetables. Add garlic, grains, red wine vinegar and worcestershire sauce to meat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook mixture 5-10 minutes longer or until desired consistency.

One Grain at a Time

--Kamut--
With a buttery flavor, and chewy texture, this golden grain is twice the size of wheat and closely related. Unlike wheat, this grain has not been altered by modern plant breeders., resulting in a more nutritious food. Kamut is the only grain that has been trademarked with growing rights . The entire U.S. crop propagated from only a pint of seeds. So versitle to use, however, the gluten content is a bit shy to stand alone in yeasted bread. This grain is one of my favorite.

Cost:
20 cents a serving at $2.00 per lb.
1 lb = 2.2 cups dry = 5 cups cooked = 3 cups flour

To Cook:
1 cup grain to 3 cups water
Simmer 45 minutes or Pressure 15 minutes on high, natural release.
Strain and rinse.

To Store:
-Whole - indefinitely in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
-Flour - up to 2 weeks in an air tight container, or freeze up to 1 year.
-Cooked - refrigerate for up to 10 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

To Use:
-Cooked grains can be used by adding to soups and salads.
-Crack grains in blender and cook to make a great hot breakfast cereal.
-Cooked cracked kamut adds chewy-ness to breads.
-Flour may be used in place of white flour for any non yeasted recipe.
-Substitute up to half flour in yeasted recipes or add wheat gluten to make bread.
-Flour can be used for homemade pastas.-Whole grains can be sprouted.

Nutritional Value per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
Calories 337
Total fat 2.0 g
Dietary fiber 9 g
Protein 15 g
Carbohydrate 70 g
Thiamin 0.6 mg 39%
Riboflavin 0.2 mg 10%
Niacin 6.4 mg 32%
Vitamin B6 0.3 mg 13%
Iron 4.4 mg 25%
Magnesium 134 mg 34%
Phosphorus 386 mg 39%
Potassium 446 mg 13%
Zinc 3.7 mg 25 %
Copper 0.5 mg 26%
Manganese 2.9 mg 143%
Selenium 69.3 mcg 99%

One Grain at a Time

--Oats--
With a pleasant nutty flavor and soft chewy texture, oats are no doubt a popular grain. Because of their high content of soluble fiber, they have been labeled "heat healthy." Soluble fiber is amazing; because it is water soluble it becomes a liquid in your body and coats bad things in your digestive tract like fats, cholesterol and toxins. This prevents your body from being able to absorb the coated item as it is pushed through your system! Another amazing benefit is the coating it puts on your stomach lining, causing sugars to absorb into your blood stream at a much slower rate.

Groats are the whole grain with only the inedible hull removed, the purest form. Steel cut, also known as pin oats, are oat groats that are evenly cut into fourths, reducing cooking time and creating a nice bowl of porriage. Nutrients are still intact, but the cutting created more surface area for oxidation/rancidity. Rolled oats are steamed, rolled and dried. This precooking and extreme increase in surface area deteriorates the integrity of the grain and destroys all enzymes and most nutrients, becoming little more than fiber. Quick oats are steel cut oat that are steamed, rolled and dried reducing the cooking time even further and taking another step down in food value. These highly processed forms will store for 25 years because the enzymes that allow for oxidation are destroyed.

Whole oats have a higher fat content than most grains so when milling into flour take care to only mill small amounts at a time (less than 6 cups) and “clean” it by running a couple cups of another grain like wheat through to prevent caking. The vitamin E in oat groats provides a natural preservative in backed goods.

Cost:
About 12 cents per serving at less than $1.00 per lb.
1 lb = 2.2 cups dry = 4.5 cups cooked = 3 cups flour

To Cook:
-Whole oats- 1 cup grain to 2.5 cups water. Simmer 45 minutes or Pressure 12 minutes on high, natural release. Strain and rinse.
-Steel cut- 1 cup grain to 2 cups water. Simmer 20 minutes or Pressure 6 minutes on high, natural release.

To Store:
-Whole - 1 year in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
-Steel cut or rolled - 6 months in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
-Flour - up to 1 week in an air tight container. Or freeze up to 1 year
-Cooked - refrigerate for up to 10 days. Or freeze up to 6 months.

To Use:
-Cooked oat groats can be cooked and rinsed for use in soups, salads and pilafs.
-Bake cooked grats into breads to add chewy-ness.-Cooked steel cut oats can be used as a breakfast cereal in place of rolled oats.
-Flour may be used in place of part or all white flour in any non yeasted recipe.

Nutritional Value per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
Calories 389
Total fat 6.9 g
Dietary fiber 11 g
Protein 17 g
Carbohydrate 66 g
Vitamin E 1.09 mg 3%
Thiamin 0.763 mg 50%
Riboflavin 0.139 mg 8%
Niacin 0.961 mg 4%
Vitamin B6 0.119 mg 5%
Folate 56 mcg 14%
Pantothenic Acid 1.349 mcg 13%
Calcium 54 mg 5%
Iron 4.72 mg 26%
Magnesium 177 mg 44%
Phosphorus 523 mg 52%
Potassium 429 mg 17%
Zinc 3.97 mg 26%
Copper 0.626 mg 31%
Manganese 4.916 mg 245%

One Grain at a Time

--Spelt--
One of the first grains to be grown by early farmers, spelt hasn't changed through all these years. It is a distant cousin of wheat, but more pure in it's form. It contains the amount of gluten necessary to bake yeasted bread, many people with wheat sensitivities can handle spelt as a great alternative. Baked good require less water in their preparation and have a deep, robust flavor. Spelt has a super tough hull that protects the kernel and aides in retaining nutrients and maintaining freshness. It is a hearty grain that is easy for organic farmers because it is highly resistant to diseases, insects and grows well without fertilizers.

Cost:
about 15 cents per serving at about $1.50 per lb.
1 lb = 2.3 cups dry = 5 cups cooked = 3cups flour

To Cook:
1 cup grain to 3 cups water.
Simmer 45 minutes or Pressure 15 minutes on high, natural release.
Strain and rinse.

To Store:
-Whole - indefinitely in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
-Flour - up to 2 weeks in an air tight container,
Or freeze up to 1 year.
-Cooked - refrigerate for up to 10 days,Or freeze up to 6 months

To Use:
-Cooked berries can be used by adding to soups and salads.
-Cracked berries can be cooked for a breakfast cereal.
-Flour for breads and pastries
-Flour for homemade pastas
-Whole Berries can be sprouted

Nutritional Value per 100 grams (3.5 oz.)
carbohydrates 70 grams
dietary fiber 10.7 grams
fat 2.2 grams
protein 14.6 grams
iron 4.2 mg
thiamin 0.65
riboflavin 0.23
potassium 385 mg
calcium 38 mg
copper .62 mg
zinc 3.4 mg
niacin 2.3 mg
manganese 3.0 mg
phosphorus 110 mg

Store to Store

When Fresh and Easy Market's popped up all over the place I was very excited. I heard it was like Trader Joe's so my expectations were high. My first experience was a huge letdown. I left without buying a thing, I was revolted by their packaging and the "cafeteria food" look everything had. Their produce was expensive and the grocery section was VERY limited, I've seen gas stations with better selections. It was all very ordinary from Heinz Ketchup to Honeycombs Cereal.

I thought I would never be back, but then I started hearing things like $2.99 for a case of 24 water bottles - that's cheap! And cans of beans for a great price with nothing added- not even salt! I heard about their discounted produce and was a little skeptical because I am a freshness freak and didn't want wilted lettuce and brown bananas. But I found things like pears and avocados that were perfectly ripe. Why not let them ripen on the store shelf instead of my counter?

The best part are the coupons that are EVERYWHERE. Most of them end up being twenty percent off if you spend the right amount. This makes each water bottle only ten cents a piece and perfect for food storage. Now that I go back fairly regularly I have learned to accept the store's quirks and embrace the good deals. My latest find is their organic heavy cream. I love to whip fresh cream for waffles and the only kind I liked was at Trader Joe's- a ways away for me to skip on by. The Shamrock Farms and store brands all have a nasty plastic taste to me. Fresh and Easy has pint sized carton of cream that tastes great and is comparable in price to the plastic kind.

Please leave a comment if there is anything else I should be checking out at this green market chain. If there is a place where you have come across some great finds, shoot me and email, I will check them out and report back.

One Grain at a Time

--Wheat--
The second most produced food in the world, corn being the first and rice a close third. Wheat is a healthy grain for those who can tolerate it. Celiac disease (gluten intolerance) afflicts as many as 1 percent of the population, not to mention the growing number of wheat allergies. Know your body, get tested if there is a question and find alternatives if there is a problem.

Varieties:
Durum wheat is golden in color and it very hard, too hard for home mills to grind. It is used in making pasta and can be purchased as "semolina flour."

Hard red wheat (pictured, bottom) is an acidic grain, it is darker with a tint of red. This variety has been around for a long, long time and has been refined to make the common white flour, which is the whole grain stripped of it's bran and germ, leaving the light, full of gluten endosperm that produces the fluffy, risen breads that are so prevalent in our supermarkets and bakeries. Hard red wheat is also processed as bulgar which is steamed, cracked and dried for more flavor and short cooking time. As a whole grain flour, it produces heavy, dense and robustly nutty flavored breads.

Hard white wheat (pictured, right) is a newer hybrid that is alkaline, lighter in color and produces risen breads with a lighter texture. This wheat is whole grain with nearly identical nutrition to it's red cousin.

Soft white wheat (pictured, top) is also known as pastry wheat or when ground, sold under the label of "whole wheat pastry flour." This wheat is lacking the gluten for holding a rise in good yeasated breads, but works great in pastry recipes and still very nutritious.

Cost:
Less than 11 cents per serving at under $1.00 per lb.
1 lb = 2.2 cups dry = 4.5 cups cooked = 3 cups flour

To Cook:
1 cup grain to 3 cups water.
Simmer 45 minutes or Pressure 15 minutes on high, natural release,
Strain and rinse.

To Store:
-Whole - indefinitely in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
-Bulgur/cracked- 6 months in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
-Flour - up to 2 weeks in an air tight container,
Or freeze up to 1 year.
-Cooked - refrigerate for up to 10 days,
Or freeze up to 6 months

To Use:
-Cooked berries can be used by adding to soups and salads.
-Cracked berries can be cooked for a breakfast cereal.
-Soft white wheat flour may be used in place of white flour for any non yeasted recipe.
Examples: Pancakes, waffles, sweet breads, muffins, cakes, cookies, crackers, crepes, tortillas, pasta, pie crusts and other pastries.
-Hard white and hard red wheat flours can be used for yeasted breads.
-Whole Berries can be sprouted.

Nutritional Value per 100 grams (3.5 oz.)
carbohydrates 68 grams
dietary fiber12.2 grams
fat1.9 grams
protein 15.4 grams
iron 3.6 mg 20%
Thiamin 0.3 mg
Niacin 4.0 mg
Magnesium 100 mg
Manganese 3.0 mg
Phosphorus 212 mg
Selenium 49 mcg

One Grain at a Time

--Barley--
Like oats, barley is high in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is the kind that dissolves in water and coats your stomach lining, greatly reducing the speed that sugars absorb in your bloodstream. This means you not only feel full from bulk, but you stay full longer. Barley has a mild flavor and chewy texture.

Most widely available is pearled barley which has some to all of the bran polished off, falling somewhere between the spectrum of white rice and brown rice. The whole form is called hulled barley and it is used for sprouting. Occasionally you may come across dehulled barley which is the whole grain with the inedible hull removed. This variety is hard to find and a bit more expensive due to the labor involved in removing the hull. A newer variety that is becoming more readily available is hulless barley. This is a variety that the hull virtually falls off while harvesting leaving all the other parts (bran, germ and endosperm) intact. I have become a fan of the latest variety and buy it from The Good Apple.

Cost:
About 12 cents a serving $1.25 per lb.
1 lb = 2.2 cups dry = 5 cups cooked = 3 cups flour

To Cook:
-Hulless or dehulled-1 cup grain to 3 cups water. Simmer 40 minutes or pressure 12 minutes on high, natural release. Strain and rinse unless using in soup.
-Pearled - 1 cup grain to 2 ½ cups water. Simmer 25 minutes or pressure 8 minutes on high, natural release.

To Store:
-Dry- indefinitely in an air tight container in a cool, dry place. For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
-Cooked - refrigerate for up to 10 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

To Use:
- Cooked grains can be used by adding to soups and salads.
-Cooked grains make hearty risottos and pilafs.
-Substitute cooked barley for pasta.
-Bake cooked barley into breads to add chewy-ness.
-Flour may be used in place of part or all white flour in any non yeasted recipe.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates 77.7 g
Dietary fiber 15.6 g
Fat 1.2 g
Protein 9.9 g
Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.2 mg 15%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.1 mg 7%
Niacin (Vit. B3) 4.6 mg 31%
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.3 mg 6%
Vitamin B6 0.3 mg 23%
Folate (Vit. B9) 23 mg 6%
Calcium 29.0 mg 3%
Iron 2.5 mg 20%
Magnesium 79.0 mg 21%
Phosphorus 221 mg 32%
Potassium 280 mg 6%
Zinc 2.1 mg 21%

One Grain at a Time

--Quinoa--
This super grain is grown in South America and gaining in popularity. White quinoa is mild and fruity, red quinoa is more nutty and black quinoa has a stronger bitter bite. When cooked, the germ emerges as a tiny, curly tail. Quinoa is versitle, gluten free and contains a balanced set of amino acids making it a complete protein. Perfectly suited for beginner grain users and easy to find at Sprouts, The Good Apple and many other health food stores.

Varieties:
Red, White, Black

Cost:
About 33 cents per half-cup serving--$3.00 per lb.
1 lb = 2.2 cups dry = 4.5 cups cooked = 3 cups flour

To Cook:
1 cup grain to 2 cups water. Simmer 15 minutes or Pressure 6 minutes on high, natural release.

To Store:
- Dry - indefinitely in an air tight container in a cool, dry place. For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
- Cooked - refrigerate for up to 10 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

To Use:
-Dry grains give crunch to granolas and baked goods.
-Cooked grains can be used by adding to soups, salads and breads.
-Cooked grains also make great pilafs and rice dishes.
-Eat cold or hot as a breakfast cereal, great with yogurt.
-Add cooked grains to any recipe with ground beef .
-Flour can be substituted for up to ¼ of the total in a recipe.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) uncooked
Calories 370
Carbohydrates 64 g
Dietary fiber 7 g
Fat 6 g
Protein 14 g
Vitamin E 2.4 mg—12%
Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.4 mg--24%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.3 mg--19%
Niacin 1.5 mg—8%
Vitamin B6 0.5 mg--24%
Folate 184 mg--46%
Calcium 47 mg—5%
Iron 4.6 mg--25%
Magnesium 197 mg--49%
Phosphorus 457 mg--46%
Potassium 563 mg—16%
Zinc 3.1 mg --21%
Copper 0.6 mg—30%
Manganese 2.0 mg—102%
Selenium 8.5 mcg—12%

Chicken Pot Pie

This is an easy go-to meal, I always have all the ingredients on hand (except for the fresh parsley which is easily left out.) So tasty. It makes a BIG dish, but you will be surprised how much gets eaten – I always am. This is one of my food storage meals. I keep freeze dried potatoes, onion, celery, carrots and peas in storage. I also have loads of canned chicken and of coarse all the baking supplies plus dried buttermilk powder. That reminds me, I need to can butter…still looking for a good sale on that. The biscuit topping could be replaced with regular pie crust, I just happen to enjoy the biscuits more. Use this recipe with your thanksgiving leftovers. Turkey pot pie is killer!

Biscuit Topping
2 cups sprouted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut
¾ cup kefir or buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Stir in kefir until dough forms. Form ball and roll out to ½ inch. Cut rounds (or what ever shape you want. Arrange over warm pie filling or bake on a sheet pan at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Note: If leftovers are foreseen or desired, bake biscuits separately to prevent them from getting soggy during refrigeration storage.

1 lb. chicken
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped fine
3 large carrots, sliced or julienned
2 celery ribs, chopped
Salt and pepper
½ cup flour
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ teaspoons herbs de provence
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Pressure the chicken and potatoes in chicken broth, 5 minutes, or pull meat from a rotisserie chicken. Reserve the stock. Sauté onion, carrots and celery in oil, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add milk, stock, chicken, potatoes and herbs. Stir until smooth and thickened. Add peas and parsley. Taste for salt. Pour into 9x13 pan or divide among smaller pans. Top with biscuit topping or pie crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes (large pan).
links; Whole Foods for the Holidays

Shepherd's Pie

This is a hearty dinner for a cold winter’s eve. It is a prime example of how I minimize meat in a meaty meal. The cooked grains not only add nutrition, but something substantial to the meal. The red quinoa doesn’t disappear, but it blends nicely with the ground beef. I recently tried this with ground venison and it works great. This dish is so quick to whip up with the aid of a few helpful tools. I use both my “Ladies”, get them all set up, then I work on the vegetables. A good mandoline (Zyliss) is great for prepping vegetables, easily making them the same size. A potato ricer makes perfect mashed potatoes with no worries of over working them and ending up with a gooey mess.

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup millet
1/3 cup red quinoa
1 1/3 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon coconut oil or tallow

1/2 lb. ground sirloin
¼ cup teff
3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups beef stock

2 teaspoons worcestershire

1 cup frozen peas

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
salt

2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Pressure potatoes on high for 6 minutes, natural release (or boil). Peel and whip with sour, milk, salt and pepper. Pressure quinoa/millet mixture with 1 1/3 cup beef stock on high for 6 minutes. Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef and teff. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add chopped carrot, onion, cook with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add flour, cook 2 minutes, mix in stock and worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add grains and peas to meat and vegetables. Stir in parsley, reserving some to garnish the top, then check for seasoning. Preheat broiler to high. Fill a large casserole dish with meat/grain and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with melted butter and paprika, broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Mandoline from Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Fry Pan from Costco.

Red Quinoa and Millet. (The peas look funny because they are freeze dried from my food storage, we were all out of frozen)

Potato Ricer from Amazon.

links; Whole Foods for the Holidays

“Stocking” Bird Bones

Wait. Don't throw out those bones! Even if its that low quality Costco rotisserie birds and especially if it is a good organic free range, grass fed bird. Make those bones into chicken stock. If you don't buy whole chickens much a great alternative is using chicken wings as they are mostly bones and less expensive. If you have an in with a chicken farmer you might just get them for free as they are often wasted when packaging chicken parts.

Homemade stock is so YUM, and you don’t have to be all fancy about it. I have no doubts that all those extra ingredients and steps listed in the very complex recipes make for better end results, but how much better? Not worth it. I feel the difference between homemade and store bought is a lot. Not only is the flavor beyond comparison, it is healthier, more economical and storage efficient (homemade stock is more concentrated). Use stock in all your gravies, sauces and soups. Storage got to be a problem…not enough freezer space, so now I can it. Sound daunting? It’s not. Seriously, it took me 10 minutes. Here are the steps:

1 bird carcass
3 carrots, cleaned and cut in half (no need to peel)
2 celery stalks, cleaned and cut in half
1 onion, peeled and quartered
12 cup water

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Place all ingredients in pressure cooker, pressure on high for 3 hours. Natural release. Place a strainer in a pot both large enough for what’s in the cooker. Dump contents of cooker into strainer. Press with a spatula. Cool then throw away the solids. In a clean pot line a mesh strainer with fine cheesecloth. Dump liquid through second strainer. I like to pour this into a fat separator and let set a couple minutes before pouring it into my jars (4 pints), but this is optional, I usually only get 2 tablespoons of fat from the whole batch. From here you can either freeze or proceed to can. I fill my pressure cooker 1/3 full with water, place jars evenly spaced on a trivet and pressure the jars for 90 minutes, natural release. Once cooled, date and store! Fresh stock lasts only 2 days in the refrigerator so plan your storage option.

This is my quick and easy pressure cooker/canner for small jobs. It fits 4 pint jars. Leyse 8qt. electric pressure cooker.