Wednesday "Words"... Trail Mix

  http://www.mynaturalfamily.com/recipes/snacks-recipes/make-healthy-trail-mix-recipe/

http://blog.zisboombah.com/2012/07/11/grab-and-go-snacks-homemade-trail-mix-recipes-kids-can-make/ 

http://www.examiner.com/article/celebrate-national-trail-mix-day-12-healthy-trail-mix-recipes 

http://100caloriebags.com/magazine/100-calorie-trail-mix.php 

http://www.food.com/recipe/texas-cowpoke-trail-mix-15711 

       What does Nuts, Seeds, Dried fruit, Pretzels, Chocolate, spices all mixed together make? A delicious trail mix. Above are some links to help with ideas on making your own. After you make up a large batch, separate them out into small snack size portions and keep them in your car, in your purse and your lunch bag. I always have nuts in my car for those unexpected times when I'm out later then expected and get hungry.
       An alternative to a handful of trail mix are some Trail Mix Muffins http://bakingbites.com/2008/08/trail-mix-muffins/ .

Trail mix is a fun food to play with. You can add whatever tickles your fancy!

Wednesday "Word"... Zinc

 

 http://www.drweilblog.com/home/2011/6/20/are-you-getting-enough-zinc.html

 Zinc is another good mineral to help the immune system during this season of colds and flu. Here are some foods that have Zinc to incorporate into your meal planning this month.

Nuts

Beans

Mushrooms

Flounder and Sole

Cooked Oysters

Wheat Germ

Spinach

Pumpkin Seeds

Red Meat

Chicken

Pork

Eggs

Lentils

Quinoa

Cheese (Swiss, Cheddar, Mozzarella)

And YES even Dark Chocolate

Wednesday "Word"... Jar

http://www.pinterest.com/savorthethyme/food-in-a-jar/

http://www.pinterest.com/mom_md/food-in-a-jar/ 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/25/meals-in-a-jar_n_1699545.html 

     I use a lot of jars to store my food in, in an effort to use less plastic. Some are Mason Jars and some are just jars that I've cleaned out after the peanut butter, salsa, jelly is gone.  I also like to use them to carry my snack or a meal when I am going out. The links above gives you lots of ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even gifts that can be made and stored in a jar.

      Its about trying new ideas, experimenting with new ways to "play" with your food. Let it be fun and exciting and as always, if it this doesn't work for you... take what you like and leave the rest. But try one or two recipes and see what you think. This would be a fun project to do with some friends or your kids. Or plan your family and friends birthday gift - in a jar!

Wednesday " Word "... Dehydrating

http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=dehydrator+recipes&term_meta%5B%5D=dehydrator|autocomplete|0&term_meta%5B%5D=recipes|autocomplete|0 

http://www.food.com/recipe/tomato-powder-dehydrator-390224

 http://www.food.com/recipe/spicy-apple-chips-109877 

    There is a great sale on fresh in season tomatoes, a neighbor gives you some of their abundance of vegetables, you have apples that need to get eaten sooner then later... Here are a few links that will open up  new ideas to preserving your excess food beyond canning and freezing.

    Don't let not having a "dehydrator" keep you from trying this. Just use your oven or even toaster oven (for small things) http://farmgal.tripod.com/Dehydrate.html. And if you need more ideas just Google or look on Pinterest. Give dehydrating a try...

Wednesday "Word"... Slaw

 http://www.doctoroz.com/recipe/spicy-peanut-butter-slaw

Why not try this Spicy Peanut Butter Slaw for a crunchy bold new taste.. Make ahead of time and enjoy for lunch. 

There are a lot of health benefits to eating cabbage...

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-cabbage.html

Cabbage History

• Cabbage is one of the oldest known vegetables.
• Cabbage dates back to 4,000 B.C. in Shensi province in China.
• Around 600 B.C. the Celts brought cabbage to Europe from Asia.
• In 1536 French navigator Jacques Cartier brought cabbage to the Americas.
• In Captain Cook’s famous first voyage, (17th century) many of the crew members were saved from gangrene when the ship’s doctor made poultices of cabbage to apply to their wounds.

Wednesday " Word"... Essentials

 

 The Four Essential Spices for every kitchen

Salt

Pepper

Onion Powder (not onion salt)

Garlic Powder ( not garlic salt)

Additional ones to add

Cumin

Italian blend

Thyme

      Always look for the word "powder" not "salt" when buying onion and garlic spices, whether that is in bulk or in jars. There are many different spices out there and each one adds a particular taste to your dish. But if your budget is limited, start with the four essentials and try a different one each month. If you can find a store where they have spices in bulk, you can get a very small amount at a time and the cost will be minimal. Plus this is a great way to try a new spice! Another idea would be to share with a family member or friend and split a spice.

      You can build up your spice cabinet a little at a time. The additional ones I suggested are good basic ones to eventually purchase,  like cumin for Mexican dishes, Italian "blend" so you don't have to buy all the individual spices like, oregano, basal etc. and thyme because it is a really good basic spice for chicken and other dishes. 

      A fun trip if you wanted to get excited about cooking would be to visit a spice shop or just visit your local grocery store and let your nose enjoy the aroma the spices give off. Spice's offer bold flavors without adding more salt or fat to a dish. Start small and get your four essential spices and work from there. You can always ask for spices as a gift. But don't let what you have available right now in your cabinet stop you from playing with your food.

Wednesday " Word"... Sugar

I came across this article http://www.foodmatters.tv/content/5-more-reasons-to-quit-sugar  and it brought sugar back to my attention. Talking about "Sugar" can not be mentioned enough. It is a very subtle and seductive ingredient in our food. I wrote about it earlier this year http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2014/02/thursday-3-tips-to-cut-down-on-sugar.html but I thought it worth mentioning again with the holidays approaching. Sugar is a hard thing to avoid and with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas coming one month after the next, the choices are difficult.

A good tip to help bring awareness to the sugar that your consuming on a regular bases, is to read the label and just notice the amount of sugar per serving. And maybe go a step further and write down on a piece of paper for one day the amount of sugar and then add it up. This is not meant for a guilt trip, only to bring awareness, because we can't begin to change what we are not aware of.

Here are a few words to look for when reading a food label - looking for sugar:

• white sugar
• brown sugar
• raw sugar
• high fructose corn syrup
• corn syrup
• corn syrup solids
• malt syrup
• maple syrup
• pancake syrup
• fructose sweetener
• liquid fructose
• honey
• molasses
• anhydrous dextrose
• crystal dextrose

~ Look for more tips and ideas in the coming months to help with your  "sugar awareness" 

Wednesday "Word"... Alginate

Alginate

(alginic acid, algin, sodium alginate, pacific kelp)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alginic_acid

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/alginate

Bulking agent, emulsifier, fiber, stabilizer, thickener.  Brown seaweed-derived ingredient that can stabilize foam and act as a thickener in products like jellies, salad dressings, beverages, custards, ice cream, soups and cheese. Sodium alginate is the sodium salt form. Theoretically, due to its ability to trap dietary cholesterol in its gel-like structure, it may have cholesterol-lowering effects. Limited studies suggest it may create fullness or satiety, although this concept needs further testing. May cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

*info from book: An A-Z Guide to Food Additives - Deanna M. Minich, Ph. D.,C.N.