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!

Saturday "Supper"... Turkey Tetrazzini

     

     http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/turkey-tetrazzini-2

    Tomorrow my oldest son is coming over ( he usually comes a couple times a month) and I always cook a meal for him to take home. So the first thing I do if I didn't have a meal from the day before that was a double recipe to share, I check my cabinets, refrigarator and freezer to see what I have that I can make.
     What I found today was some frozen turkey and in my cabinet, a box of spaghetti, cream and/broth in my refrigerator, put it altogether and the idea came to me... Turkey Tetrazzini. Next step is to "Google" other peoples recipes and see what ingredients they use.  Traditionally this recipe uses mushrooms and my son is not a fan, so this is when you take a recipe and tailor it to your families likes and dislikes, and what you have around your house. I will probable substitues peas and carrots instead of mushrooms because that's what I have and a lot of the other recipes I saw used that.  Also some of the recipes called for using milk, cream or stock. So I will pick from those choices and use what I have.
       The link above is just one of the many recipes for Turkey Tetrazzini, Don't be afraid to play with your food, some of the best dishes come from experimenting and/or mistakes!

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!

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

Tuesday "Try"... Okra

Okra

A friend gave me some okra from her garden last year and I have to say I'd never really eaten fresh okra before then, and only knew of the slimy stories that come along when someone mentions the word "Okra." So when I was at the farmers market this past Saturday, I saw this okra and it was so beautiful AND organic. Okra is typically green but don't be afraid to try the same food in a different color. I just bought a few to play with and try something new with it ( now that I have fond memories of eating okra). I found a simple recipe... Just wash and cut the okra in slices.

Then cook some onion, diced fresh garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes in oil ( I used some homemade beef broth I'd just made a few days ago. More about that in another post to come) until slightly done.

Then put the sliced okra in with the onion mix and continue to cook until the okra in tender as you like it. I left it slightly undercooked. I didn't want it to be to mushy. It was really really good. A nice summery side dish to add to any meal. I can see where this dish could have a lot of different spices added to it, depending on what you were pairing it with. Don't be afraid to play with your food!

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