Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Daily Menu for July 31

Dear Readers,

Please comment! I know you're reading - this blog has had more than 1,000 hits, and thank you for stopping by! - but a comment or two would make me feel a little less like I'm talking to myself. :) Thanks!

You will now be returned to your regularly scheduled post, already in progress.

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I used my new pressure cooker yesterday to prepare tasty heirloom dry beans from Phipps Country Store, and wow am I impressed! From unsoaked dry beans to tender and evenly cooked in under 30 minutes! And SO easy. The model I bought is electric and programmable, so I just put the food inside, lock the lid, set the pressure and timer, and it shuts itself off when it's done. It has several safety releases, so I won't have a ceiling full of beans from a clogged vent.

This is definitely going to make it easier to make dry beans more frequently, since I often forget to soak them in advance. I'm going to make split pea soup with ham in it tonight. The recipe says it will be ready again in 30 minutes, whereas my regular recipe takes almost 2 hours. Why does Rachael Ray, queen of 30 minute meals, not use a pressure cooker?

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Daily Menu

Breakfast
2 c. milk
about 3 c. cantaloupe - could have stopped at two but it was really good! - from Full Belly

Lunch
Jacob's Cattle beans and rice
apple from a neighbor's tree

Dinner
Split pea soup with ham from TLC Ranch
Polenta corn cakes - corn from Full Belly
String beans - from Full Belly

WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 20 (I ate dark chocolate for 5 Points yesterday)
Activity points today: 0
Activity points this week: 3

Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - polenta in tamale pie, brown rice, corn cakes
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes (beans, ham)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Okay. I'll comment. :-p

Before cooking the peas, make sure your pressure cooker okays them. Somethings get foamy during cooking and can clog a vent. This may not apply with an electric model. Also, adding a smidge of oil can help keep the froth down.

Don't forget to try artichokes in it...20 minutes or less to artichoke-y goodness!

Momaste said...

The peas came out a-okay, but there was 1 T oil in the recipe to keep it from foaming. Same with the beans yesterday.

I'll be sure to add artichokes to the to-be-cooked list. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Your journey is not so different from my own - it is nice to feel like I have company along the way. I am in Marin and have the pleasure of a twice weekly farmers market year-round, which makes making local choices so easy!

Keep up the good work, you are doing great!

Duddes02 said...

I'm here! I'm reading!

I don't comment, but I read all your entries.

You are doing wonderful!!!