Thursday "Tip"...Soup

 

 http://www.amazingsouprecipes.com/
http://www.bellybytes.com/foodfacts/soup_stew_food_facts.html#.VM2TLyxKqSo 

     With the weather still on the chilly side, a warm pot of soup is always "a good thing."  Plus it's a great way to have a filling meatless meal and lots of leftovers to freeze or to share. But have you ever found yourself having put to much salt in the soup? Just drop a peeled potato or slice of apple in and let it sit for a short period of time then remove and the potato/apple will absorb the excess salt.
     To learn more helpful tips, check out the links above, so you can make your family some soup to feed their soul.

Thursday "Tip"... Onions

 

 http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--1390/onion-cooking.asp

http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/onion.html 

    I remember growing up and my mother would make an onion sandwich with mayonnaise and sugar sprinkled on top! Onions is one of those stables to keep on hand in your kitchen, so today I thought I would offer some tips on onions.

~ Never wash them before you store them in a cool, dark, dry and ventilated place. I have mine in a bin in the bottom of my pantry.

~ You can freeze them by cutting them up in slices, diced in large or small pieces or even puree them. They are great this way for soups, gravy, chili etc.

~ To bring out the sweetness in a raw onion, put it in the refrigarator about an hour before you need it. If your in a hurry or forgot just drop in some ice water for 10-15 min, then dry off and use.

~ Love caramelized onions? You can freeze those too. Just make up a batch or make extra , let them cool, freeze in individual portions and when ready to use saute quickly while still frozen. If you let them thaw they will just be soggy.

Saturday "Supper"... Enchilada's

 

 http://www.cooking-mexican-recipes.com/cheese_enchilada_recipe.html

     This is what I'm making for dinner and I found a website ( link above - has videos too) to make my own Enchilada sauce. The ones in the store are not appealing ingredients or taste wise. So as I often do in my kitchen I go on the hunt for a recipe to make myself. I love sauces because you can make a double batch and then next time the only thing you have to do is defrost and use. You could even double the enchilada's and freeze!
      Don't forget the refried beans, spanish rice, a coleslaw, guacamole or whatever you and your family like to go with it. Use what you have available to fill your enchilada's - cheese, chicken, beef, onion, peppers etc. It's an easy dish to make for a no-meat day.

Friday "Fun" - Freeze Pops...

Homemade Freeze Pops

I came across these "Zipzicle" http://www.amazon.com/Zipzicle-Patent-D614043-Zip-Top-Ice-Pop/dp/B00CE1PQDE  and it reminded me of childhood fun. My children are older now, but with it being the middle of summer, I thought they would be a FUN cool treat for any age.  I love the idea that I can fill them with whatever I want and I know what the ingredients is. No dyes of any kind and even though they have some sugar each one has very little over all. They were inexpensive to purchase and reusable! If your looking for some different ingredients ideas just look online. Be creative and share what you filled yours with!

If you would like help reading labels, shopping and/or making meal planning easy contact me athttp://www.wholefood-living.com/contact.html

Compost...

As hard as I "try" sometimes, things slip by and I loose and waste a whole batch of greens. So I give myself the space to allow that to happen and know that all is not lost because it will go into my compost pile and begin again.

So the moral of the story is "stuff happens" and it's okay. We just pick up were we left off and keep going. And with the awareness we can be more mindful to maybe freeze or prepare it sooner then later next time.

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