Friday "Food Facts"... Jam, Jelly, Preserves

 

 What's the difference between Jam, Jelly and Preserves?

 

Jam -  the fruit is from the crushed fruit or fruit pulp often including the seeds

Jelly - is made only from the juice of fruit. The fruit is crushed and then everything is strained out but the juice.

Preserves - larger pieces of fruit are used

Here are recipe idea to make with Jelly, Jam and Preservers  http://www.yummly.com/recipes/cooking-with-jelly
 

Tuesday "Try"... Beet Chips

 So often my ideas start with what I have in my refrigerator that needs to be eaten. Today it was beets! I wanted to do something different with then just steamed etc. so what I usually do is research ideas and what I came up with was beet chips. I sliced them really thin with my mandolin ( I asked for one for Christmas once - great time to ask for fun things to play with in the kitchen.), but you can just slice them thin with a sharp knife. Just try to be fairly consistent with the size of the slice so they will cook even. I coated them with coconut oil (or olive oil)...

then I laid them on these nice screen racks ( got this for my birthday once!!!) but you can use a cookie sheet. Baked them at 350 degree in the oven for about 10-12 min - as you can see mine were in there just a little to long ( oops forgot and got off doing other things).

But they were still very yummy! I had never made them before and next time I want to try a mix of beets,carrots, sweet potatoes and yucca. I may even make a dip to go with them.

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...

Monday " Mention "... Whole Food Living Website...

 

Feeling overwhelmed, need some new ideas for meals, don't know how to adjust your favorite recipes to make them healthier, does going to the grocery store cause you stress, could you use some helpful strategies for making your time in the kitchen easier or are you feeling lost about how to choose gluten and or dairy free products and recipes? If you answers yes to any of these questions... I can help - http://www.wholefood-living.com/

Friday "Food Facts"... Acorn Squash

Acorn Squash

... an edible gourd that grows on a vine. It is considered a winter squash but is of the same family as the summer squash - zucchini. Squash seeds have been found in ancient Mexican archeological digs dating back from somewhere between 9,000 and 4,000 BC. and the term acorn squash first appeared in print in 1937.

...It is also know as the pepper squash or Des Moines and it is the more nutritional dense then any of the other summer squashes. The acorn squash has significant levels of Vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamin, pantothenic, acid, and other B-family vitamins, and it's range of minerals are magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, phosphorous and calcium.

... it is know to give your immune system a boost, improve visual health, skin health, blood pressure, digestion, and strong bones.

Here is a link for recipes and ideas to make with acorn squash - http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/acorn-squash-recipes.html

Saturday Supper...

Pork Chops with Apples and Garlic Smashed Potatoes

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pork-chops-with-apples-and-garlic-smashed-potatoes-recipe.html

 

Let this dinner idea inspire and ignite ideas for you. If this sounds good, but you don't like pork chops, then substitute chicken. It you don't like garlic in your potatoes, leave them out. Do what sounds good to you and use what you have. And most of all ~ enjoy!

Tuesday "Try"... Transform leftovers

    Try - when you look in your refrigerator and see leftovers you don't know what to do with or nobody wants to eat again... think... "Transformation." - what can I do with them and make it new again? When I have this problem, I usually go to "Google" and see what ideas other people have with similar food.
    Last week I had leftover homemade mango chutney that I'd made to take to a friends house and there was a lot left over. So in my search ( just searched "what to do with leftover mango chutney") I found out I could make a mango chutney cheese ball. There were many other ideas as well,  but I needed something that would take more then a teaspoon or two. I'm always looking for a idea to make my son when he comes to visit, so guess what he got? Yep, a mango chutney cheese ball! Then I froze the rest to be used at a later time.
     Or how about leftover meatloaf. You could make some mac and cheese put the extra meatloaf in it and it is now Beef A-Roni. Or then there is the tomato soup that is half left, so it is now turned into chili or add it to some spaghetti sauce. Then there is always those little bit of this and little bit of that. For me that becomes my lunch ( always love when I don't have to fix something).
     Don't let the word "leftover" scare you. If what you make doesn't work, that's okay. You may even surprise yourself and come up with a great flavor combination. Or why not let your children see what they could do with the leftovers. Don't be afraid to play with your food. A lot of great foods were created from mistakes!
      Here is a site to show some yummy food creations made out of someones mistake...

http://firstwefeast.com/eat/foods-invented-mistake/s/115186/

Saturday Supper...

 Bourbon Chicken

 http://www.food.com/recipe/bourbon-chicken-45809

(doesn't actually use bourbon)

be sure to read the reviews and comments on recipe site for ideas

Suggestion for Sides:

~ rice / noodles

~ fresh tossed salad

~ stir fry vegetables

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" 

Monday Mention ... Egg Substitutes

There are times when I'm low on eggs and want to conserve them so I don't have to go out to the store right then (or the farmers market that is only once a week) or I don't have enough eggs for a recipe, or I just want to experiment with other nutritional ideas that are available. The more you play with ideas the easier it becomes second nature when you want to create something with leftovers or needing to substitute for whatever your making/baking. There are other reasons to not use eggs, like eating vegan, you have a allergy or sensitivity to eggs or you have trouble with soy ( see my post on soyfree eggs http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2014/09/monday-mention-soy-free-eggs.html )

*Here is a link for eggless recipes - http://www.egglesscooking.com/egg-substitutes/

*The original source of the list below - http://www.theholisticingredient.com/blogs/wholesome-living/13568994-easy-egg-substitutions-a-how-to-guide

1 Egg Equals:	Best in:	Notes.
1/2 banana, mashed	Pancakes, cakes, breads	Very ripe bananas will add sweetness
1/4 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup ripe mashed pears	Breads, cakes, brownies	Avoid using more than 1/4 cup total in any recipe
1/4 cup natural or Greek yoghurt	Brownies, smoothies	Can cause final product to be heavier
2.5 tablespoons ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water, set in fridge for 10 minutes	Granola bars, smoothies	Adds earthy, nutty taste and chewy texture
1 tablespoon coconut oil mixed with 2 teaspoons baking powder & 2 teaspoons water	Gluten free baking	Adds fat to the recipe, can be tricky to work with
1 tablespoon chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons water, set in fridge for 10 minutes	Smoothies, baked goods	Binds and thickens
1/4 cup pureed prunes (or any high pectin fruit)	Breads, cakes, brownies	Adds sweetness to recipe
1/4 cup pumpkin, mashed (canned works well, choose BPA free cans)	Breads, brownies	Can be heavy
1/4 cup potato, cooked and mashed (sweet potato might be yum!)	Savoury dishes	Can be heavy
1 tablespoon agar mixed with 1 tablespoon water, whipped and chilled	Gluten free baking	Used to replace egg white only
1 tablespoon gelatin dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water, add 2 tablespoons boiling water, beat vigorously until frothy	Gluten free baking	Binds and thickens

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

Tuesday "Try"... Food Swap

Change comes in small doses. Take what your family is already eating and "try" a food swap. Below are some ideas and a website to help you start swapping! Don't get overwhelmed, just try one swap a week and before you know it, a habit is formed.

*Try grilling meat instead of frying

*Brown rice instead of white or start with half brown and half white

*Open face sandwich - use one piece of bread instead of two

*Make soup once a week instead of a meat dish (put all ingredients in a crock-pot)

*Dip veggies in dip instead of chips

*Incorporate veggies whenever you can ( like in your meatloaf - no one will notice)

*Use avocado instead of mayo

*Eat a whole piece of fruit ( like an apple) rather then apple juice 

Here are 50 more healthy food swap ideas

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/50-Healthy-Food-Swaps

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!

Tuesday "Try"... Pumpkin Bites

Pumpkin Bites

Yesterday I posted on my facebook page for Monday "Mention" 100 snack ideas. Today I decided to make the Pumpkin Bites which I picked from the many ideas. I changed it slightly for what worked for me. I used mostly no sugar almond butter and just a couple tablespoons of the natural peanut butter with added sugar.

Another trick I learned when I use to work in a bakery was to soak the raisins before you put them in with the ingredients ( you can drain them or if a recipe calls for liquid you can use the raisin water). It makes them soft and easier to eat, plus it adds moisture, because cooking will dry them out a little.

I then creamed the canned pumpkin, and the nut/ peanut butters together and added my nuts and seeds. I used walnuts, almonds, cashews and some pumpkin seeds.

Next I added all the remaining ingredients, and mixed together. Another alteration I made was adding half (2 Tb.) molasses and (2 Tb.) maple syrup instead of all maple syrup as the recipe suggested. 

I used mini muffin tins to bake the Pumpkin Bites. But before I put them in the oven I sprinkled a little coconut sugar on top.

This was my final product, a bit size treat. My daughter tried them and said they tasted healthy. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. Guess I'll find out if she ends up eating more. They can be made with banana instead of pumpkin, which I think I would try next time because I love the combination of banana and peanut butter.

Here is the original recipe:

Healthy Pumpkin Bites Recipe

http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/pumpkin-bar-recipe

(makes 14 or 28)
1/2 cup peanut butter (or any of your favorite nut butters)
1 15 ounce can pumpkin
1/2 cup whole nuts (choose your favorite)
1 ½ cup total of dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, apricots, raisins, coconut, etc.)
1 cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (optional)
4 tablespoons maple syrup (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a food processor, coarsely chop nuts and dried fruits. Mix nut butter and pumpkin until a well blended. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix. Taste to ensure the right level of spice and sweetness. Spoon into lightly greased muffin cups and bake for 30-35 minutes. Can be stored in refrigerator for 5 days.

For one pumpkin bite (14 in recipe) = 168 calories, 6.9 g fat, 25.2 g carbohydrates, 4.6 g protein, 3.0 g fiber, 47 mg sodium, 5 Points+

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!