In a stock-the-freezer fit, I've made meatball mix that stretched out to about 8 dozen meatballs, two meatloaves, and a big pot of Pumpkin chili, currently in the crockpot. The mix made really delicious, although not 100% Core, meatballs and we'll have them ready for easy meals throughout late summer and fall. The bread crumbs and cheese are not Core, but only add less than a point per serving.
Here's the recipe I used (and be warned, this is a LOT of meat - you'll need a REALLY big bowl. You can easily halve or quarter it for a more reasonable quantity!)
Millions of Meatballs
8 eggs, lightly beaten
3 c. fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese (I used Spring Hill's Old World Portuguese)
1/2 c. chopped parsley
15 oz. can tomato sauce
3 T Worcestershire sauce
1 t each dried basil, oregano, thyme, and marjoram
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
6 lb. ground lean beef
2 lb. ground lean pork
Mix together all the ingredients except for the meats and combine well. Gently combine with the meats, taking care not to over mix. Roll mixture into balls about
1" across (1 T mixture) and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
This mixture works well as meatloaf, too, but you'll need to bake it longer and you might want a sauce on the top. I added shredded zucchini to the mix for meatloaves.
Showing posts with label meat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label meat. Show all posts
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Grilling for Mother's Day
We had a very simple dinner tonight that was just delicious. I marinated thinly sliced steak in an Asian style marinade (soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Chinese 5 spice powder, a bit of Hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and a bit of hot sauce) and then skewered it with slices of portabello mushroom and zucchini. Mr.M grilled them for just a few minutes, until they were golden brown with little crisp bits, and I served them with the leftover noodles leftover from last night's steamed fish. The noodles were cold and mixed with finely chopped, cooked broccoli and spinach and with the sauce from last night's fish, also Asian style. The cold noodles were very tasty with the grilled meat and vegetables, and the whole dinner was ready in no time at all. We'll be having strawberries for dessert. Mmm!
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Tamale Pie
I made tamale pie for dinner and it was delicious! I made a variation on one that floats around the WW internet boards, adjusting for what I have and the flavors we like. I made an extra tamale pie and it's in the freezer, starting to stock for after the baby is born. When Jax was born, my mom made us a dozen or so home made dinners, all frozen in the same 8"x8" pan and stored in zip top freezer bags for easy stacking. It was fantastic to have dinner ready to go when we were too brain dead to actually cook, and it will be wonderful this time around to have Core friendly meals not just for me and Mr.M but for Jax as well this time! The tamale pie is the first of many double batches in the near future.
Tamale pie
1 c. corn meal
2 1/4 c. chicken or vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. chili powder
Preheat oven to 350*. Combine cornmeal, broth, garlic, and chili powder in a medium saucepan; whisk or stir constantly over medium heat until slightly thickened. Spread in a 9 X 13-inch baking pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
4 tsp canola oil
1 t chili powder
2 t cumin
1 t dry oregano
1 tsp salt
1 chipotle in adobo, minced fine, plus 1 t adobo sauce
1 quart tomato sauce (I used my home made CORE spaghetti sauce from last fall with lots of veggies)
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (14.5 oz) can or 2 c. diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can whole no-sugar-added kernel corn, drained
1 (16 oz) can or 2 c. cooked black beans
1 c. cheddar cheese (fat free for Core or count the points)
In a large skillet, saute onion, green pepper, carrot, and celery until onion is translucent. Add garlic and spices; toast briefly, stirring into the vegetables. Add beef and cook until brown, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon.
Add chipotle in adobo and sauce, tomato sauce, paste, diced tomatoes, corn, and beans, and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings. Spread mixture evenly over the cornmeal mixture and top with cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Tamale pie
1 c. corn meal
2 1/4 c. chicken or vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. chili powder
Preheat oven to 350*. Combine cornmeal, broth, garlic, and chili powder in a medium saucepan; whisk or stir constantly over medium heat until slightly thickened. Spread in a 9 X 13-inch baking pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
4 tsp canola oil
1 t chili powder
2 t cumin
1 t dry oregano
1 tsp salt
1 chipotle in adobo, minced fine, plus 1 t adobo sauce
1 quart tomato sauce (I used my home made CORE spaghetti sauce from last fall with lots of veggies)
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (14.5 oz) can or 2 c. diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can whole no-sugar-added kernel corn, drained
1 (16 oz) can or 2 c. cooked black beans
1 c. cheddar cheese (fat free for Core or count the points)
In a large skillet, saute onion, green pepper, carrot, and celery until onion is translucent. Add garlic and spices; toast briefly, stirring into the vegetables. Add beef and cook until brown, breaking up the meat with the back of a wooden spoon.
Add chipotle in adobo and sauce, tomato sauce, paste, diced tomatoes, corn, and beans, and mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings. Spread mixture evenly over the cornmeal mixture and top with cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Beef Stew with root vegetables
I have beef stew bubbling away in the crock pot, smelling mouthwateringly delicious, full of the great Full Belly root vegetables that have been wasting away in my crisper drawer for the past few weeks and tasty Chileno beef. I'll post a picture this evening, but here's the recipe in the meantime.
Beef Stew with Root Vegetables
2 lb. stew beef, trimmed of all visible fat and cut into bite sized pieces (I used short ribs cut from the bone, and added the bones for extra flavor. I'll pull the bones out before serving.)
2 T flour (I used whole wheat from Full Belly Farm)
1/2 t. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2-3 T Canola oil
1 large yellow onion
1 clove garlic
3 or 4 medium carrots, cut into bite sized chunks (about 3/4")
1 celery root, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks (about 3/4"), or 2-3 stalks of celery, diced
2 or 3 medium potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks (about 3/4")
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks (about 3/4")
6 oz. can tomato paste
2-3 c. water or 1/2 beef stock, 1/2 water (I didn't have any stock, but added the bones for flavor)
3-4 cups dry red wine
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/8 tsp. marjoram
1 t. thyme
sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then toss well with the beef. Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan (NOT non-stick) and brown the meat in batches. Move the meat to the crockpot.
Add the onions to the pan and cook until translucent but not brown, then move it to the crockpot. Deglaze the pan with 2 c. red wine, scraping up any brown bits; reduce by half, then add the tomato paste, seasonings, and 1 c. water. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer while you prepare the veggies except for mushrooms and peas. Add the veggies to the crockpot and cover with the pan sauce. Add equal parts wine and water to cover the veggies.
Set the crockpot to low for 6-8 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Add mushrooms and peas for the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Beef Stew with Root Vegetables
2 lb. stew beef, trimmed of all visible fat and cut into bite sized pieces (I used short ribs cut from the bone, and added the bones for extra flavor. I'll pull the bones out before serving.)
2 T flour (I used whole wheat from Full Belly Farm)
1/2 t. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2-3 T Canola oil
1 large yellow onion
1 clove garlic
3 or 4 medium carrots, cut into bite sized chunks (about 3/4")
1 celery root, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks (about 3/4"), or 2-3 stalks of celery, diced
2 or 3 medium potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks (about 3/4")
1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks (about 3/4")
6 oz. can tomato paste
2-3 c. water or 1/2 beef stock, 1/2 water (I didn't have any stock, but added the bones for flavor)
3-4 cups dry red wine
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1/8 tsp. marjoram
1 t. thyme
sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl, then toss well with the beef. Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan (NOT non-stick) and brown the meat in batches. Move the meat to the crockpot.
Add the onions to the pan and cook until translucent but not brown, then move it to the crockpot. Deglaze the pan with 2 c. red wine, scraping up any brown bits; reduce by half, then add the tomato paste, seasonings, and 1 c. water. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer while you prepare the veggies except for mushrooms and peas. Add the veggies to the crockpot and cover with the pan sauce. Add equal parts wine and water to cover the veggies.
Set the crockpot to low for 6-8 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Add mushrooms and peas for the last 15 minutes of cooking.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
A full freezer makes a locavore happy!
I picked up the pork yesterday (thanks, Jen!) and am ridiculously happy about the nitrate-free bacon, ham, chops, ribs, and sausage in the freezer. We ordered from TLC Ranch and picked up the butchered, smoked meats at Los Gatos Meats. This place smells SO GOOD - my mouth watered just waiting in line! We got smoked ham and bacon, and next time I think we'll have them make more sausages like keilbasa, chorizo, and Italian links - we didn't get any links this time.
I made a delicious meal with the first 1 lb. pork sausage last night. It makes enough to serve 10-12 hungry people, so you could cut the recipe in half and still serve an average hungry family with just half a pound of meat.
Pasta with sausage and greens
1 t. canola oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 lb. pork sausage
3 bunches of greens (I used kale, swiss chard, and turnip greens, but any sturdy greens would work)
1/2 t. fennel seeds
1 t. basil
1 t. thyme
2 t. oregano
about 1/4 t. red pepper flakes, more to taste
1 quart crushed tomatoes
(NO salt needed)
1 lb. noodles like rigatoni or fusilli
Cook noodles according to package directions, pulling out at just before al dente.
Saute the onion and garlic in oil. Once translucent, add the pork sausage and spices, breaking up into small pieces as it browns. Once it is all browned, add greens in batches, stirring as they wilt. Add tomatoes and stir thoroughly to combine. Add not-quite-al dente pasta. Simmer for 5 minutes for the flavors to combine. Enjoy!
***
This week's CSA box includes the following:
Broccoli
Strawberry Daikon
Cauliflower
Karinata Kale (purple and pretty!)
Spinach
Leeks
Lettuce
Pomegranates
I'll be using the cauliflower and pomegranates in my Thanksgiving dinner. Since cranberries aren't grown locally, we'll be having a jelly made from quince, rhubarb, and strawberry with pomegranate juice mixed in. It is sufficiently tart and sweet for the cranberry lover in my house - Mr. M - and has that gorgeous red color that one expects to accompany their turkey. It does not, however, come from a can in jellied form, so there aren't any of the "can lines" that Mr. M likes so much. Maybe he can have "can lines" next year, haha.
At the farmer's market yesterday, I also bought sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts on the stalk (pretty!), the biggest bunch of celery I've ever seen, eggs, Old World Portuguese cheese (as a Parmesan substitute), a few apples, more of the Hare Hollow Blackberry-ginger balsamic, and the Scarborough Faire herbs - parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Today, I'm getting beets, Yukon Gold potatoes, sugar pumpkins, and onions at the Mountain View market. All that's left will be to pick up the turkey, already on order, and butter and cream.
This is the first year that I'm cooking Thanksgiving dinner and my menu is set, my fridge is full, and I spent much of the day cleaning my kitchen yesterday. Today, we're cleaning the dining room and livingroom to accomodate our guests (we'll have a full house with 10 diners, ourselves included.)
I made a delicious meal with the first 1 lb. pork sausage last night. It makes enough to serve 10-12 hungry people, so you could cut the recipe in half and still serve an average hungry family with just half a pound of meat.
Pasta with sausage and greens
1 t. canola oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 lb. pork sausage
3 bunches of greens (I used kale, swiss chard, and turnip greens, but any sturdy greens would work)
1/2 t. fennel seeds
1 t. basil
1 t. thyme
2 t. oregano
about 1/4 t. red pepper flakes, more to taste
1 quart crushed tomatoes
(NO salt needed)
1 lb. noodles like rigatoni or fusilli
Cook noodles according to package directions, pulling out at just before al dente.
Saute the onion and garlic in oil. Once translucent, add the pork sausage and spices, breaking up into small pieces as it browns. Once it is all browned, add greens in batches, stirring as they wilt. Add tomatoes and stir thoroughly to combine. Add not-quite-al dente pasta. Simmer for 5 minutes for the flavors to combine. Enjoy!
***
This week's CSA box includes the following:
Broccoli
Strawberry Daikon
Cauliflower
Karinata Kale (purple and pretty!)
Spinach
Leeks
Lettuce
Pomegranates
I'll be using the cauliflower and pomegranates in my Thanksgiving dinner. Since cranberries aren't grown locally, we'll be having a jelly made from quince, rhubarb, and strawberry with pomegranate juice mixed in. It is sufficiently tart and sweet for the cranberry lover in my house - Mr. M - and has that gorgeous red color that one expects to accompany their turkey. It does not, however, come from a can in jellied form, so there aren't any of the "can lines" that Mr. M likes so much. Maybe he can have "can lines" next year, haha.
At the farmer's market yesterday, I also bought sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts on the stalk (pretty!), the biggest bunch of celery I've ever seen, eggs, Old World Portuguese cheese (as a Parmesan substitute), a few apples, more of the Hare Hollow Blackberry-ginger balsamic, and the Scarborough Faire herbs - parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Today, I'm getting beets, Yukon Gold potatoes, sugar pumpkins, and onions at the Mountain View market. All that's left will be to pick up the turkey, already on order, and butter and cream.
This is the first year that I'm cooking Thanksgiving dinner and my menu is set, my fridge is full, and I spent much of the day cleaning my kitchen yesterday. Today, we're cleaning the dining room and livingroom to accomodate our guests (we'll have a full house with 10 diners, ourselves included.)
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Move over beef, the pork is on its way!
Awhile back, we ordered 1/6 of a grassfed pig from TLC Ranch, and it will be ready on Saturday! I'm ridiculously excited about having tasty organic, pastured pork stocked up in the freezer. I've bought several pieces of TLC Ranch pork at the farmer's market over the summer and it has been delicious every time. I also ordered 3 extra pastured, hormone free turkeys, as they're half the price of my organic chicken source, so we'll have beef, pork, and turkey at the ready for months to come. I still have some chicken from the last big stock up, too. Yes, the freezer will be full and we'll eat well!
As a preview to our Thanksgiving menu, I'll tell you that pork will make an appearance. I'm making a bacon, apple, sage, and caramelized onion dressing from The New Best Cookbook. This is the first Thanksgiving that I'm cooking, and the menu has been planned out for weeks. It is not Core (sorry to disappoint) but it will be a locavore meal, with everything sourced within 250 miles. Most everything is within 100, but my grains (and thus bread for dressing, rye rolls, and pie dough) are closer to 250.
As a preview to our Thanksgiving menu, I'll tell you that pork will make an appearance. I'm making a bacon, apple, sage, and caramelized onion dressing from The New Best Cookbook. This is the first Thanksgiving that I'm cooking, and the menu has been planned out for weeks. It is not Core (sorry to disappoint) but it will be a locavore meal, with everything sourced within 250 miles. Most everything is within 100, but my grains (and thus bread for dressing, rye rolls, and pie dough) are closer to 250.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Daily menu for Sunday, November 4
It's day four of November's pantry challenge, and I haven't purchased any food until today. I haven't eaten out, and have been pretty consistently on plan (besides the blintzes at yesterday's pot luck.)
Our CSA box this week includes the following veggies:
Red Daikon
Spinach
Pomegranates
Kabocha Squash
Leeks
Lettuce
Corn
Tokyo Turnips
From the newsletter this week:
Hooray for Full Belly Farm, giving us food in its natural state!
I'm excited about pomegranates! Do you have any favorite ways of using them?
We're having corn and clam chowder for dinner, using up two cans of clams from the pantry and several ears of corn that are sadly shrivelling in my fridge from last week. I'm also adding celery, leeks, and new potatoes from the fridge and pantry. The recipe calls for1/2 c. heavy cream for 6 servings, which is definitely not Core, so I'll be counting the small amount per serving (2 Points per serving of heavy cream). I'll be buying milk, a tiny container of heavy cream, and clam juice to complete the recipe, and eggs for the week, for a low, low weekly food expense of under $20. There are advantages to eating out of the pantry!
We're purchasing 1/3 of a local, pastured pig later this month and I'm so excited about the flavorful, humanely raised pork that will soon fill my freezer! TLC Ranch, where the pig is from, has been at the farmer's market over the summer and I've bought small hams from them. Not all pork cuts are Core, of course, just like the beef that we've been working our way through, and some pieces will have to be counted. It's worth it! Some of the sausage will be used in my Thanksgiving stuffing - I'm making an apple, sausage, sage, and caramelized onion stuffing with home made bread. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Cereal with soy milk
Lunch
Lentil-barley soup with kale and tomatoes (yummy leftovers!!)
Dinner
Clam-corn chowder in the pressure cooker (not local clams, dairy from Clover Stornetta, local produce from Full Belly Farm)
Pomegranates
Our CSA box this week includes the following veggies:
Red Daikon
Spinach
Pomegranates
Kabocha Squash
Leeks
Lettuce
Corn
Tokyo Turnips
From the newsletter this week:
The food grown at Full Belly Farm has not been irradiated, fumigated, chlorinated or pasteurized. It does not contain genetically modified organisms, hormones or antibiotics. Nor have we implanted it with tracking devices. For these reasons, the food safety technicians may tell you that it is not 'safe.' On this we have a difference of opinion: Full Belly strives to deliver nutritious, tasty food in its pure state and we have 100% confidence in its high quality and integrity.
Hooray for Full Belly Farm, giving us food in its natural state!
I'm excited about pomegranates! Do you have any favorite ways of using them?
We're having corn and clam chowder for dinner, using up two cans of clams from the pantry and several ears of corn that are sadly shrivelling in my fridge from last week. I'm also adding celery, leeks, and new potatoes from the fridge and pantry. The recipe calls for1/2 c. heavy cream for 6 servings, which is definitely not Core, so I'll be counting the small amount per serving (2 Points per serving of heavy cream). I'll be buying milk, a tiny container of heavy cream, and clam juice to complete the recipe, and eggs for the week, for a low, low weekly food expense of under $20. There are advantages to eating out of the pantry!
We're purchasing 1/3 of a local, pastured pig later this month and I'm so excited about the flavorful, humanely raised pork that will soon fill my freezer! TLC Ranch, where the pig is from, has been at the farmer's market over the summer and I've bought small hams from them. Not all pork cuts are Core, of course, just like the beef that we've been working our way through, and some pieces will have to be counted. It's worth it! Some of the sausage will be used in my Thanksgiving stuffing - I'm making an apple, sausage, sage, and caramelized onion stuffing with home made bread. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Cereal with soy milk
Lunch
Lentil-barley soup with kale and tomatoes (yummy leftovers!!)
Dinner
Clam-corn chowder in the pressure cooker (not local clams, dairy from Clover Stornetta, local produce from Full Belly Farm)
Pomegranates
Friday, September 21, 2007
Goal Accomplished!
I weighed in today, since I'm in an all day class tomorrow, and I was thrilled with my results: I lost 2.6 lb. this week, bringing me down to 32.4 lb. I reached my goal of 31 lb. by September 23, and hit my 10%. I'm jump-up-and-down excited and motivated to keep working at it!
My next goal is 50 lb. gone by Thanksgiving, and if I continue at my current pace I'll make that goal, too.
***
Between school, babysitting, and family obligations, I have not been fantastic about keeping up the daily menus, and that has been such a wonderful tool for me to stay on plan, so I'm committing to post the daily menu for the next week. This week I was on plan, packed my lunches and ate my yummy freezer dinners, and just neglected to write it down.
On Wednesday, I made Beef Provencal (pictured above) in the pressure cooker from the Lorna Sass cookbook "Pressured Cook." The roast was marinated overnight in red wine with onions, carrots, thyme, and anchovies (it doesn't taste fishy at all.) It came out so, so tender and made delicious leftovers. Next time, I'll roast the potatoes for more flavorful brown bits, but overall it was a great dinner, and done from start to finish in under an hour. Have I mentioned how I love my pressure cooker?
***
I went to the Grocery Outlet in Redwood City this week and spent $40. I bought 6 loaves of Alvarado Street Bakery bread at $1.50 each!! I've been spending upward of $4 a loaf for it, so I bought a bunch and socked it away in the freezer. For Jax's birthday on Sunday, I'm making a variety of finger sandwiches, a veggie tray, and cupcakes, so a loaf or two of the bread will go for party food.
I also bought organic crackers and organic chocolate soy milk for Jax, canned Muir Glen tomatoes (grown locally, industrial organic), and a block of locally grown organic Monterey Jack cheese.
If you take a trip to the Grocery Outlet, you'll find the organic packaged food on the shelves above the freezer section. They also have frozen organics - Amy's dinners and pizzas, frozen veggies, and occasionally meat substitutes like Morningstar - at great prices. You just have to watch the expiration dates.
My September food total is up to $312.24.
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Non-fat latte - not local, bought at Printer's Cafe in Palo Alto, an independent coffee shop
Lunch
Chickpeas with eggplant-tahini sauce and spinach (1 Point) - Chickpeas from Phipps Country Store, eggplant from Full Belly Farm, local, organic spinach, tahini is organic but not local
Cantaloupe - Full Belly Farm
Dinner
Leftover pot roast - Chileno beef, with Frog's Leap wine and Full Belly Farm onions
New potatoes - Full Belly Farm
Carrots sauteed in olive oil- Earthbound Organics carrots (local, organic, but industrial - I usually try to stick with small farms), Hare Hollow olive oil
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 1
WPA points available: 35
Activity points today: 2 (Walk Away the Pounds video)
Activity points this week: 2
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - None today
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - 2
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
Friday, September 14, 2007
Meatball Chili with Pumpkin recipe
Meatball chili with pumpkin
This is really tasty and creamy with a bit of back-heat from the chipotle. The pumpkin is a mild flavor and you wouldn't necessarily be able to identify it if you didn't know it was there. You could substitute canned beans and eliminate the beef broth, or maybe reduce it to 1 cup.
Ingredients:
about 1/2 lb. small meatballs, whatever recipe you like
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 chopped red bell peppers
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 c. dry black beans, soaked overnight
4 cups beef broth
3-5 diced medium tomatoes and their juices
1 lb. roasted pumpkin or canned pumpkin (just pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling!)
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
4-6 oz. diced Green Chiles
1 cup whole kernel corn
1-2 chipotles in adobo, diced fine (this is spicy but has a wonderful smoky flavor. We're wussy and use 1 chipotle and 1 t. adobo, but if you like it spicier, add more.)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3-4 sprigs fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
(I added a few dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg.)
Directions:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Put the vegetable mixture into the crockpot and add all the other ingredients. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 8 hours.
This is really tasty and creamy with a bit of back-heat from the chipotle. The pumpkin is a mild flavor and you wouldn't necessarily be able to identify it if you didn't know it was there. You could substitute canned beans and eliminate the beef broth, or maybe reduce it to 1 cup.
Ingredients:
about 1/2 lb. small meatballs, whatever recipe you like
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 chopped red bell peppers
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 c. dry black beans, soaked overnight
4 cups beef broth
3-5 diced medium tomatoes and their juices
1 lb. roasted pumpkin or canned pumpkin (just pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling!)
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
4-6 oz. diced Green Chiles
1 cup whole kernel corn
1-2 chipotles in adobo, diced fine (this is spicy but has a wonderful smoky flavor. We're wussy and use 1 chipotle and 1 t. adobo, but if you like it spicier, add more.)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3-4 sprigs fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
(I added a few dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg.)
Directions:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Put the vegetable mixture into the crockpot and add all the other ingredients. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Daily Menu for September 2
I spent the afternoon yesterday disassembling the 7 chickens I bought from Soul Food Farm. I broke them down into thighs and drumsticks, wings, and boneless skinless chicken breasts, then vacuum sealed them into meal sized portions.
I separated the carcasses from the heads and feet and made stock with the carcasses. There was enough stock for tonight's soup (with two extra batches of soup socked away in the freezer) and an extra quart of stock, plus meat off the bones for the soup and another meal. Tomorrow I'll be making more stock from the heads and feet. Last time, I did them together and was really grossed out picking the meat from the bones and coming upon the beaks and toenails, so I kept them separate this time and will just discard them once the stock is done. That should make another two quarts of stock for later use, always nice to have on hand.
My freezer now houses enough chicken, trimmed and labelled, for about 15 meals, plus 2 cups of cooked meat, two quarts of soup and a quart of stock. Since the chicken is somehow heartier than conventional chickens, a little goes a long way in flavoring a dish and I just don't need as much to feel satisfied. We had roast chicken at my mom's house the other night (and it was so good!), one of the Soul Food Farms chickens, and between four adults and a toddler only ate less than half of the chicken. Our same family of four would frequently eat the whole conventional chicken in one sitting.
***
I bought milk, limes, avocados, corn tortillas, and hamburger buns at Sigona's Farmer's Market for $17.24, bringing September's total up to $152.24. Milk is more expensive at Sigona's than at Country Sun, but I didn't want to make a second stop.
***
I slept in (YAY!) and so I didn't have breakfast.
Lunch
Barley and grilled veggie salad (leftovers from dinner)
olive oil and vinegar dressing from Hare Hollow
1 oz. Feta cheese from Spring Hill Cheese (3 Points)
leftover tomato salad
1 c. milk
Dinner
Tortilla soup (3 Points for tortilla)
Includes chicken and chicken stock from Soul Food Farm, onions, garlic, and tomatoes from Full Belly Farm, cilantro and green onion from C. Farm, jalapeno from my front yard, olive oil from Hare Hollow, and tortillas and avocado from Sigona's Farmer's Market
carrots (local, left over from last week)
watermelon from Full Belly Farm
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 6
WPA points available: 31
Activity points today: 3 (30 minute Walk Away the Pounds video)
Activity points this week: 6
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - bulgur
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - chicken
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Eat Local Challenge, weigh in, and daily menu for September 1
I will spend September participating in the Eat Local Challenge. As part of this challenge, I will continue to buy, prepare, photograph, and eat locally, sustainably grown foods, and will blog all about it. I'm commiting to posting my daily menu every day for the month of September. I'll also try my hand at canning, freezing, and dehydrating the local produce available now so that I have it in the winter.
The exceptions: I will eat spices and condiments like soy sauce that are already in my pantry, grains already in my pantry, and will buy the ingredients for my son's birthday cake that aren't locally produced. All are organic and fair trade (chocolate for the cake) and were (or will be) purchased at a locally owned store.
I'll do it on the USDA's Thrifty Plan budget (currently $132.30 a week for my family), not part of the Eat Local Challenge but an ongoing challenge for myself. I hope to lose an additional 8 lb. this month.
***
Budget Update
As I anticipated, August was an outliar in the budget. I prepaid for 6 months of grains and a full year of produce through CSAs, bringing the total to a whopping $1056.78. Not including the CSA renewals, my total was a much more reasonable $321.53, well under the $519.13 a month that I am alloted on the Thrifty Budget.
The plus side of this outlay of cash is that my food bill for the rest of the year be significantly lower, with both fresh produce and grains paid for in advance.
***
For my first act in the Eat Local Challenge, today I am disassembling 7 local, pastured chickens from Soul Food Farm, packaging and freezing them, and making a big pot of stock, also to be frozen for future use. The chickens cost me $97.00, the first expenditure for this month's budget. I also bought a dozen pastured eggs for $5.
***
Today's Full Belly Farm CSA box includes:
Eggplant
Grapes
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Peaches
Summer squash
Peppers
Melon
At the farmer's market, I spent $32 and bought garlic chevre (goat cheese), cilantro, green onion, fresh peanuts (I haven't ever seen local peanuts!), olive oil, and LOTS of red peppers to roast and freeze.
Including the chickens, I'm up to $135 for September's food.
***
Another Saturday morning, another weigh in! This week, the scale showed a lost of 2.8 lb., for a total of 29.2 gone. I'm well on my way to the goal of 30 lb. by September 23.
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Melon from Full Belly Farm
2 c. milk from Clover Stornetta Farms
Lunch
2 eggs
1/4 oz. cheese (.5 Points)
apple
Dinner
Grilled eggplant stacks with goat cheese and balsamic reduction (2 Points) including eggplant from Full Belly Farm, red peppers from Happy Quail, vinegar from Hare Hollow, wine from Frog's Leap, and garlic chevre (goat cheese) from Spring Hill Cheese
Bulgur (locally purchased but not produced) with homemade chicken stock, lemon juice and lemon zest from the tree across the street, and lemon olive oil from St. Helena Olive Oil Company and a bit of fresh thyme
Grilled corn on the cob
A glass of wine from Frog's Leap
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 4.5
WPA points available: 33.5
Activity points today: 3 (30 minute Walk Away the Pounds video)
Activity points this week: 3
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - bulgur
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - eggs
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Fresh, pastured chickens and eggs: it doesn't really matter which came first, they're both in my fridge
Today brought a new adventure in local food scouting. After the discovery on my morning walk of a neighbor's front yard zucchini garden with a "please take these zucchinis!" sign (I took one enormous zucchini) and another neighbor's offer of homemade peach jelly, made fresh from peaches grown in her yard, I headed up to Vacaville to buy certified organic, truly free range whole chickens and a dozen colorful eggs direct from Soul Foods Farm.
Chickens greeted me as I pulled into the driveway past the hand-made "Soul Foods Farm" sign and another simply stating "PEACE." I parked in front of the garden, where a few more chickens wandered loose. A slew of them were fenced into a large area behind the house, and wire baskets of multi-colored eggs were in the foyer as I was greeted by Morgan, the teenage daughter of farmer Alexis Koefoed.
I had spoken with Alexis on the phone to arrange picking the chickens up, but she hadn't arrived home when I got there and I had a pleasant conversation with her Morgan in their modern, stainless steel kitchen overlooking the chicken yard. Morgan is a vegetarian and was excited to hear that we'd bought a cow but quite startled by the fact that we had a quarter of it at home in the chest freezer (and the whole conversation was held over two bagged, plucked chickens, heads and feet included!)
When Alexis returned we talked about how good real food is and how great it is to raise kids eating it - her teenaged children still prefer oatmeal to processed cereal, so some of those whole food values really do stick - and the importance of supporting local farms. If you have the opportunity, buy from a farmer! They'll be happy to talk to you about the food that they've grown for you, it will be fresher not having spent 7-14 days in transit (the chickens were dispatched this morning), more nutritious, and you'll be supporting an actual farmer who is making a living making real food in your area, not supporting faceless corporate agribusiness. Alexis was recently interviewed for an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about pastured eggs and their recent resurgence among foodies and those who just want honest-to-goodness eggs with the dark yolks, tender whites, and flavor that warehoused chickens just don't produce.
I also visited my parents while in Vacaville and Jax (22 months) had a chance to play in the kiddie pool with his 3 year old cousin, a pool noodle, rubber ball, and a plastic watering can: a guaranteed good time for the toddler set. We had to drag them into the house, shivering and grousing, as it started to get dark. After many kisses and hugs (Jax says "moooWAH!" when he kisses) we drove the hour and a half home, chickens and eggs nestled in a cooler in the passenger seat, and Jax babbling contentedly in the backseat.
A good day was had by all, except perhaps the chickens.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Daily Menu for July 30
My pants have been hanging from me with inches to spare for the past few weeks and fell off the other day (luckily I was at home!), so was time to buy new ones. I tried on several sizes and ended up with jeans two sizes smaller than the ones I'd been wearing! I can't look in the mirror and see the loss yet, but fitting into those smaller jeans showed me yet again that it's working.
***
I was pointed to the Meatless Monday website. From their site:
The idea isn't to encourage vegetarianism (although that is a good choice for many people) but to encourage people to make more healthy choices, including eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy. While we already have meatless meals many times each week, and what meat we do eat is locally, organically grown on pastures and naturally lower in saturated fats, I thought it was a great idea.
In addition to the health benefits, there are environmental benefits of taking a break from meat once a week. Click here to find out how damaging industrial meat is to the environment, the workers, and your health. Even limiting your meat consumption one day a week can have a significant impact on your carbon footprint, in addition to helping to lower your cholesterol and exposure to antibiotics and hormones.
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Apple from a neighborhood tree
2 c. fat free milk (Clover)
Lunch
Lentil tamale pie (this really is the last of it!!)
Tomato-basil salad, with both tomatoes and basil from Full Belly
Dinner
Jacob's Cattle bean soup, with beans from Phipps Country Store
Brown rice
Asparagus from the Palo Alto Farmer's Market (I didn't get the vendor's name)
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 25 (I ate about 10 points of nachos last night)
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 (lentils, fish)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
***
I was pointed to the Meatless Monday website. From their site:
Our goal -- consistent with recommendations made by the US Dept. of Health and Human Services, the US Dept. of Agriculture, and the American Heart Association -- is to help Americans reduce consumption of saturated fat 15% by 2010. That works out to eliminating saturated fat one day a week.
The idea isn't to encourage vegetarianism (although that is a good choice for many people) but to encourage people to make more healthy choices, including eating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low fat dairy. While we already have meatless meals many times each week, and what meat we do eat is locally, organically grown on pastures and naturally lower in saturated fats, I thought it was a great idea.
In addition to the health benefits, there are environmental benefits of taking a break from meat once a week. Click here to find out how damaging industrial meat is to the environment, the workers, and your health. Even limiting your meat consumption one day a week can have a significant impact on your carbon footprint, in addition to helping to lower your cholesterol and exposure to antibiotics and hormones.
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Apple from a neighborhood tree
2 c. fat free milk (Clover)
Lunch
Lentil tamale pie (this really is the last of it!!)
Tomato-basil salad, with both tomatoes and basil from Full Belly
Dinner
Jacob's Cattle bean soup, with beans from Phipps Country Store
Brown rice
Asparagus from the Palo Alto Farmer's Market (I didn't get the vendor's name)
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 25 (I ate about 10 points of nachos last night)
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 (lentils, fish)
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
More CSA goodness, YIPPEE!
Good News:
I found a grain CSA! I stumbled upon a review of Windborne Farms (no website) a few months ago and forgot about it; in my attempt to locate locally grown oatmeal, I found the review again and contacted Jennifer Greene, the farmer who is, with her family and draft horse Thor, growing organic grains and beans. Here's what she wrote to me:
I'm signing up at the end of the month. Of course, flour and pancake mix are not CORE, and I'll have to count the Points on products made with them. But fresh, stone ground flour made into home-made bread is worth the Points.
I also found a Bay Area Meat CSA in the Bay Area Buy Fresh, Buy Local guide that I mentioned the other day. They have pick ups in San Francisco and the East Bay. I looked for something like this before buying the quarter of a cow but couldn't find anything in the area; I'm so pleased that this exists, even though I won't be participating as I already have a freezer full of beef and plans for an equal portion of pork and lamb in the near future!
Bad News: (the whining shall commence)
I'm woefully off track the past few days. I start out well, sticking to my plan, then vear off toward the chips and cheese, the last hold outs of 4th of July leftovers. Add to the unnecessary nacho munching and too many hours of sedentary computer time and general lack of activity, and I'm finding it hard to even see the track right now.
I started the Couch to 5k a few weeks ago and got one run in, but have had no luck getting out of the house sans toddler to do it again. Mr.M is busy and the 30 minutes that I'm feeling energetic are after he's left for the day;I can't take Jax along, as he'll want to be held the whole time and jogging is hard enough without a 26 pound squirmy weight (he will not ride in a stroller anymore.) I know I need to just DO it, get off the computer, get out of the kitchen, get out of the house, and I'll feel better. I'm sabatoging my own success and I hate it, but continue to do it. Blah.
***
Review of the Eye of Round recipe linked yesterday: it was a little overcooked by the time I hit 8 hours, and could have been perfect probably at 6 hours. I shredded the beef and made a gravy with the juice, defatted, and a little flour-water combo. It was flavorful but a little tough from the overcooking. Leftovers were made into barbecue beef with barbecue sauce and shredded beef, and those were better but still tough. I have to keep a closer eye on meat as it cooks and not rely on the recipe as directly.
I found a grain CSA! I stumbled upon a review of Windborne Farms (no website) a few months ago and forgot about it; in my attempt to locate locally grown oatmeal, I found the review again and contacted Jennifer Greene, the farmer who is, with her family and draft horse Thor, growing organic grains and beans. Here's what she wrote to me:
We are a 30 acre diverse organic/biodynamic farm, located in Scott Valley Ca. We grow over 30 different varieties of grains and beans including, barley, wheat, rye ,Teff, Amaranth, oats, whole corn, Kamut and so on. Many of the varieties are hierloom varieties. The row crops are cultivated with our draft horse Thor. Sharholders pay 300.00 a year for 10 deliveries of grains and beans. A typical delivery would include 3# hard red flour, 2 # pastry flour either barley oat or soft wheat, 2 # of a whole grain such as barley or millet, 2 # pancke mix, 2# hot cereal mix 1-2 # dry beans.Deliveries are about once every 5-6 weeks and all of the flours are milled here on the farm with our stone mill. All of the share is grown here on our farm.
I'm signing up at the end of the month. Of course, flour and pancake mix are not CORE, and I'll have to count the Points on products made with them. But fresh, stone ground flour made into home-made bread is worth the Points.
I also found a Bay Area Meat CSA in the Bay Area Buy Fresh, Buy Local guide that I mentioned the other day. They have pick ups in San Francisco and the East Bay. I looked for something like this before buying the quarter of a cow but couldn't find anything in the area; I'm so pleased that this exists, even though I won't be participating as I already have a freezer full of beef and plans for an equal portion of pork and lamb in the near future!
Bad News: (the whining shall commence)
I'm woefully off track the past few days. I start out well, sticking to my plan, then vear off toward the chips and cheese, the last hold outs of 4th of July leftovers. Add to the unnecessary nacho munching and too many hours of sedentary computer time and general lack of activity, and I'm finding it hard to even see the track right now.
I started the Couch to 5k a few weeks ago and got one run in, but have had no luck getting out of the house sans toddler to do it again. Mr.M is busy and the 30 minutes that I'm feeling energetic are after he's left for the day;I can't take Jax along, as he'll want to be held the whole time and jogging is hard enough without a 26 pound squirmy weight (he will not ride in a stroller anymore.) I know I need to just DO it, get off the computer, get out of the kitchen, get out of the house, and I'll feel better. I'm sabatoging my own success and I hate it, but continue to do it. Blah.
***
Review of the Eye of Round recipe linked yesterday: it was a little overcooked by the time I hit 8 hours, and could have been perfect probably at 6 hours. I shredded the beef and made a gravy with the juice, defatted, and a little flour-water combo. It was flavorful but a little tough from the overcooking. Leftovers were made into barbecue beef with barbecue sauce and shredded beef, and those were better but still tough. I have to keep a closer eye on meat as it cooks and not rely on the recipe as directly.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Mr.M, Jax and I went to the new Palo Alto farmer's market on California St. after church yesterday. It's a cute little market with a lot more baked goods and prepared foods (including relishes, pickles, oils and vinegars, etc.) and fewer produce stands than the Mountain View or downtown Palo Alto markets. They also had meat from a pastured ranch in Paso Robles, outside of our local range but still wonderful to see.
There was also the 1st edition food guide being handed out from the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, listing various food growers and distributers throughout the Bay Area. It is fantastic! I ate it up (harhar) and was thrilled to find local producers of dry beans, a staple I've up til now been unable to find locally, and chickens, goats, lamb, sheep, and pork. My copy is already dog-eared and written all over, and I may have to pick up another one since this one is sure to be well loved.
I bought organic pastured eggs ($4.25), strawberries ($5), and milk at Country Sun ($5.99) bringing my weekly food expenses up to $17.49. I'll need more milk later in the week, but otherwise we're going through the stuff in the fridge and pantry this week. My total should be under $25.00.
Next week and again in August, I'm planning on preserving some of the wonderful summer fruits and veggies. I bought a vacuum food sealer to freeze produce and will also do some canning. In addition to freezing a variety of blanched veggies and fruits, I'm going to do some pickling and preserving for the first time. I found a recipe for fig and caramelized onion preserves that looks very tasty, but I don't think we've hit fig season (or figs just aren't that popular around here) since I'm not seeing them in abundance quite yet.
Next month will be a tomato canning adventure and hopefully I'll be able to can enough to keep us through the winter without having to resort to the mealy storebought "fresh" tomatoes or commercially processed canned. I'd also like to try to make my own ketchup and tomato chutney, both recipes I remember my mom making when I was a kid. Fresh ketchup has such a different texture than the storebought variety and has such great tomato flavor that I'm excited to try it again and introduce it to my family.
***
On the Weight Watchers front, I used all my weekly points (plus some, probably) on nachos and beer last night. It was not my brightest move, but it's done and I have the rest of the week to eat on track and make up for the garlic cheese, tortilla chip, and Sam Adams indiscretion.
***
I am making this recipe for dinner. I found the it at US Wellness Meats, a grassfed beef online store. I'll report back how the recipe worked for me.
Eye of Round Crock Pot Roast
Ingredients
2 pound eye of round
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 whole clove (optional)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Rub roast with salt and pepper. Make small slits in roast and insert slices of garlic. Put 1 sliced onion in bottom of crock-pot. Place roast on top of onion and add other ingredients. Cover and cook on low for about 10 hours.
To make a thicker gravy remove roast from pot. Blend 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to form a smooth paste. Set on high and pour in paste. Stir well and let come to a boil (about 15 minutes) until thickened.
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Potato pancakes (mashed plain potatoes, egg, grated squash, grated carrot, salt, pepper, and seasonings, pan cooked in 1 t. olive oil.)
Lunch
Egg salad
Strawberries
Carrot sticks
2 c. milk
Dinner
Pot roast
Carrots & Celery
bulgur (I had potatoes for breakfast, and they're a once-a-day food)
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 0
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 4
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - bulgur
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
There was also the 1st edition food guide being handed out from the Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaign by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, listing various food growers and distributers throughout the Bay Area. It is fantastic! I ate it up (harhar) and was thrilled to find local producers of dry beans, a staple I've up til now been unable to find locally, and chickens, goats, lamb, sheep, and pork. My copy is already dog-eared and written all over, and I may have to pick up another one since this one is sure to be well loved.
I bought organic pastured eggs ($4.25), strawberries ($5), and milk at Country Sun ($5.99) bringing my weekly food expenses up to $17.49. I'll need more milk later in the week, but otherwise we're going through the stuff in the fridge and pantry this week. My total should be under $25.00.
Next week and again in August, I'm planning on preserving some of the wonderful summer fruits and veggies. I bought a vacuum food sealer to freeze produce and will also do some canning. In addition to freezing a variety of blanched veggies and fruits, I'm going to do some pickling and preserving for the first time. I found a recipe for fig and caramelized onion preserves that looks very tasty, but I don't think we've hit fig season (or figs just aren't that popular around here) since I'm not seeing them in abundance quite yet.
Next month will be a tomato canning adventure and hopefully I'll be able to can enough to keep us through the winter without having to resort to the mealy storebought "fresh" tomatoes or commercially processed canned. I'd also like to try to make my own ketchup and tomato chutney, both recipes I remember my mom making when I was a kid. Fresh ketchup has such a different texture than the storebought variety and has such great tomato flavor that I'm excited to try it again and introduce it to my family.
***
On the Weight Watchers front, I used all my weekly points (plus some, probably) on nachos and beer last night. It was not my brightest move, but it's done and I have the rest of the week to eat on track and make up for the garlic cheese, tortilla chip, and Sam Adams indiscretion.
***
I am making this recipe for dinner. I found the it at US Wellness Meats, a grassfed beef online store. I'll report back how the recipe worked for me.
Eye of Round Crock Pot Roast
Ingredients
2 pound eye of round
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 whole clove (optional)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Rub roast with salt and pepper. Make small slits in roast and insert slices of garlic. Put 1 sliced onion in bottom of crock-pot. Place roast on top of onion and add other ingredients. Cover and cook on low for about 10 hours.
To make a thicker gravy remove roast from pot. Blend 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to form a smooth paste. Set on high and pour in paste. Stir well and let come to a boil (about 15 minutes) until thickened.
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Potato pancakes (mashed plain potatoes, egg, grated squash, grated carrot, salt, pepper, and seasonings, pan cooked in 1 t. olive oil.)
Lunch
Egg salad
Strawberries
Carrot sticks
2 c. milk
Dinner
Pot roast
Carrots & Celery
bulgur (I had potatoes for breakfast, and they're a once-a-day food)
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 0
WPA points available: 0
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 4
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5+
2. Whole grains - bulgur
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
I'll pass on the farmed fish, thanks; and Daily Menu for June 20
I've stopped purchasing farmed salmon. Our local wild caught salmon (and snapper and halibut...) has such great flavor, and buying it supports our local fishermen and economy, fitting right into the locavore ideas, so I was already sold before reading about how farmed fish is less healthy and causes environmental damage.
Farmed salmon has considerably less of the Omega-3 fatty acids, the heart healthy fats, than wild caught salmon. The color is dyed in; they're given vaccines, antibiotics, and pesticides, which I am avoiding in beef and chicken; and they're grown in tiny cages and fed corn and soy - read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" for the dangers to the environment in the growing of corn and soy. You can read more about the dangers of farmed fish here. http://www.betternutrition.com/document/203
Another scary bit of farmed fish information is that they contain cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyl. This alone is scary enough to keep me buying wild fish. Here's a great site for more information about PCBs. http://www.ewg.org/reports/farmedPCBs/es.php
Wild-caught salmon is more expensive, but to me, it's worth it. I'm near San Francisco and can buy wild-caught salmon at my local farmer's market. While $19 a pound is difficult to swallow, I was able to buy a whole salmon for $9.50 a pound from my market's fishmonger (about $70 for my 7 pound fish), and after portioning it
out, froze it in individual meal sizes enough for 7 meals for the three of us. That seemed quite reasonable to me.
***
Yesterday was very snacky, and I ended up having about 8 WPAs in goat cheese and jalapeno jelly on celery. It's a very tasty combination, and I ate way to much of it. Between that and going out to eat tonight, I am just wiping out my WPAs for the week and eating only CORE foods tomorrow and Friday.
Daily Menu
Breakfast
oatmeal
1 c. milk
banana
Lunch
Tofu with green beans and brown rice, curry sauce
Coffee with ff milk (I was babysitting and the afternoon was getting long!)
Dinner
Out to eat:
Vegetarian fajitas, 2 flour tortillas, beans, avocado - I have no idea how to count it, but I'm wiping out my WPAs after tonight's meal just to be on the safe side.
1 c. fat free milk
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: ?
WPA points available: 0
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 8
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5
2. Whole grains - oatmeal, brown rice
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
Farmed salmon has considerably less of the Omega-3 fatty acids, the heart healthy fats, than wild caught salmon. The color is dyed in; they're given vaccines, antibiotics, and pesticides, which I am avoiding in beef and chicken; and they're grown in tiny cages and fed corn and soy - read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" for the dangers to the environment in the growing of corn and soy. You can read more about the dangers of farmed fish here. http://www.betternutrition.com/document/203
Another scary bit of farmed fish information is that they contain cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyl. This alone is scary enough to keep me buying wild fish. Here's a great site for more information about PCBs. http://www.ewg.org/reports/farmedPCBs/es.php
Wild-caught salmon is more expensive, but to me, it's worth it. I'm near San Francisco and can buy wild-caught salmon at my local farmer's market. While $19 a pound is difficult to swallow, I was able to buy a whole salmon for $9.50 a pound from my market's fishmonger (about $70 for my 7 pound fish), and after portioning it
out, froze it in individual meal sizes enough for 7 meals for the three of us. That seemed quite reasonable to me.
***
Yesterday was very snacky, and I ended up having about 8 WPAs in goat cheese and jalapeno jelly on celery. It's a very tasty combination, and I ate way to much of it. Between that and going out to eat tonight, I am just wiping out my WPAs for the week and eating only CORE foods tomorrow and Friday.
Daily Menu
Breakfast
oatmeal
1 c. milk
banana
Lunch
Tofu with green beans and brown rice, curry sauce
Coffee with ff milk (I was babysitting and the afternoon was getting long!)
Dinner
Out to eat:
Vegetarian fajitas, 2 flour tortillas, beans, avocado - I have no idea how to count it, but I'm wiping out my WPAs after tonight's meal just to be on the safe side.
1 c. fat free milk
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: ?
WPA points available: 0
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 8
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5
2. Whole grains - oatmeal, brown rice
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Daily Menu for June 19
What is really in that fast food chicken grilled breast? If you thought "just chicken", boy were you wrong! Look at ALL THESE INGREDIENTS for one piece of chicken - including sugar, soy and wheat (common allergens) and partially hydrogenated oils! It definitely isn't CORE. If I wasn't already off of fast food meat, this might be enough to scare me away.
This is from the McDonalds ingredients page.
Grilled Chicken Breast Filet:
Chicken breast filets with rib meat, water, seasoning (salt, sugar, food starch-modified, maltodextrin, spices, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed [corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten] proteins, garlic powder, paprika, chicken fat, chicken broth, natural flavors (plant and animal source), caramel color, polysorbate 80, xanthan gum, onion powder, extractives of paprika), modified potato starch, and sodium phosphates. CONTAINS: SOY AND WHEAT. Prepared with liquid margarine: Liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservative), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color). CONTAINS: SOY LECITHIN
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
oatmeal
1 c. milk
peach
1 c. raspberries
Lunch
2 tortillas, 1 oz. cheese - 5
Big veggie salad with homemade raspberry vinaigrette
Dinner
Lemon Snapper
Zucchini sauteed in olive oil
Wild rice
1 c. milk
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 5
WPA points available: 21
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 8
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 6
2. Whole grains - oatmeal, brown rice
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
This is from the McDonalds ingredients page.
Grilled Chicken Breast Filet:
Chicken breast filets with rib meat, water, seasoning (salt, sugar, food starch-modified, maltodextrin, spices, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed [corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten] proteins, garlic powder, paprika, chicken fat, chicken broth, natural flavors (plant and animal source), caramel color, polysorbate 80, xanthan gum, onion powder, extractives of paprika), modified potato starch, and sodium phosphates. CONTAINS: SOY AND WHEAT. Prepared with liquid margarine: Liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservative), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color). CONTAINS: SOY LECITHIN
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
oatmeal
1 c. milk
peach
1 c. raspberries
Lunch
2 tortillas, 1 oz. cheese - 5
Big veggie salad with homemade raspberry vinaigrette
Dinner
Lemon Snapper
Zucchini sauteed in olive oil
Wild rice
1 c. milk
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 5
WPA points available: 21
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 8
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 6
2. Whole grains - oatmeal, brown rice
3. Milk - yes
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Buying the cow, Weigh in and Daily Menu for June 16
This morning's weigh in reflected another successful week: I was down another 3.2 lb. for a total of 11 lb. in four weeks. Now I just have to stick with it even when I'm not feeling as I am right now!
After Weight Watchers, I made a mad dash to the farmer's market to pick up my CSA box and some tofu, then scrambled home so we (me and M) could hit the road and pick up the beef! We made good time to the butcher in Cotati, despite traffic through San Francisco, and loaded up the truck with organic, grassfed beef. A cow and a half, wrapped up in tidy, frozen bundles wrapped in butcher paper, takes up the entire bed of a full sized pick up truck!
We met up with the dozen or so people in the coop who collected their portions of the huge order, had lunch at the Marin Brewing Company listening to live music in the courtyard, and drove back home to put our beef in the freezer - our quarter, with all its roasts, steaks, stew meat, stock bones, and hamburger, takes about half of our 5 cubic foot freezer, leaving plenty of room for pork, chickens, and lamb, and even vegetables later in the season.
I'm a little sunburned, quite tired from moving hundreds of pounds of meat, and glad that the order is done and there is meat in the freezer whenever I want it. We're having a barbecue tomorrow to try out our grassfed sirloin steaks.
Today's CSA box includes:
Apricots
Green Beans
Carrots
Lettuce
Onion
Potatoes
Summer Squash
If you know of any good apricot recipes, please pass them on to me! I have a LOT of apricots. :) Next week we start getting peaches, yum!
Daily Menu
Breakfast
1/2 c. plain fat free yogurt from Strauss Creamery
1/8 c. oatmeal (not local, but organic and purchased locally)
1/2 banana (not local, but fair trade organic)
Lunch
at Marin Brewing Company
Spinach salad with kalamata olives, hard boiled egg, and goat cheese, dressing on the side (omitted bacon) - 3 Points for the goat cheese, 3 Points for the dressing
1/3 slice of bread - .5 Points (I just didn't need the rest of it!)
Dinner
Quinoa salad with green beans and carrots (produce from Full Belly Farms)
Beets with olive oil and balsamic (beets from Full Belly, vinegar from Hare Hollow)
milk from Clover
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 6.5
WPA points available: 32.5
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 4
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5
2. Whole grains - quinoa
3. Milk - 2
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
After Weight Watchers, I made a mad dash to the farmer's market to pick up my CSA box and some tofu, then scrambled home so we (me and M) could hit the road and pick up the beef! We made good time to the butcher in Cotati, despite traffic through San Francisco, and loaded up the truck with organic, grassfed beef. A cow and a half, wrapped up in tidy, frozen bundles wrapped in butcher paper, takes up the entire bed of a full sized pick up truck!
We met up with the dozen or so people in the coop who collected their portions of the huge order, had lunch at the Marin Brewing Company listening to live music in the courtyard, and drove back home to put our beef in the freezer - our quarter, with all its roasts, steaks, stew meat, stock bones, and hamburger, takes about half of our 5 cubic foot freezer, leaving plenty of room for pork, chickens, and lamb, and even vegetables later in the season.
I'm a little sunburned, quite tired from moving hundreds of pounds of meat, and glad that the order is done and there is meat in the freezer whenever I want it. We're having a barbecue tomorrow to try out our grassfed sirloin steaks.
Today's CSA box includes:
Apricots
Green Beans
Carrots
Lettuce
Onion
Potatoes
Summer Squash
If you know of any good apricot recipes, please pass them on to me! I have a LOT of apricots. :) Next week we start getting peaches, yum!
Daily Menu
Breakfast
1/2 c. plain fat free yogurt from Strauss Creamery
1/8 c. oatmeal (not local, but organic and purchased locally)
1/2 banana (not local, but fair trade organic)
Lunch
at Marin Brewing Company
Spinach salad with kalamata olives, hard boiled egg, and goat cheese, dressing on the side (omitted bacon) - 3 Points for the goat cheese, 3 Points for the dressing
1/3 slice of bread - .5 Points (I just didn't need the rest of it!)
Dinner
Quinoa salad with green beans and carrots (produce from Full Belly Farms)
Beets with olive oil and balsamic (beets from Full Belly, vinegar from Hare Hollow)
milk from Clover
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 6.5
WPA points available: 32.5
Activity points today: 4
Activity points this week: 4
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5
2. Whole grains - quinoa
3. Milk - 2
4. Healthy oil - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol - yes
7. Water - 8+
8. Multivitamin - yes
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Beef Recall: Another reason to be a locavore
There is a beef recall in 11 Western states for potential E. Coli contamination. Eating locally grown, grassfed beef can all but eliminate your exposure to E.Coli, as E.Coli is a scary and dangerous side effect of the industrial food chain. As described (much more eloquently!) by Michael Pollan in his article "Power Steer":
I'm convinced that I should not eat or feed my family meat grown industrially, and to that end, I sought out locally grown, pastured, organic beef. There are a number of ranches in the Bay Area, including Morris Grassfed Beef, Marin Sun Farms (found locally at Country Sun), Chileno Valley Ranch.
You can find grassfed meats in your area here.
I've bought a a quarter of a cow from Chileno Valley Ranch. Our beef, organically pastured with no antibiotics or added hormones, is being picked up next Saturday and should last us for the next year. I learned only recently that beef is a seasonal product; feedlot beef is not seasonal and can be "dispatched" any time of year.
Grassfed beef is more expensive than the industrially grown beef found in grocery stores (our quarter of the cow is roughly $5/lb., or $430 for a 90 lb. quarter, plus butchering fees), but Mr. Pollan explains how the true cost of industrial beef is much higher than the price tag on the grocery store shrink wrap:
Most of the [E. Coli] microbes that reside in the gut of a cow and find their way into our food get killed off by the acids in our stomachs, since they originally adapted to live in a neutral-pH environment. But the digestive tract of the modern feedlot cow is closer in acidity to our own, and in this new, manmade environment acid-resistant strains of E. coli have developed that can survive our stomach acids—and go on to kill us. By acidifying a cow's gut with corn, we have broken down one of our food chain's barriers to infection. Yet this process can be reversed: James Russell, a U.S.D.A. microbiologist, has discovered that switching a cow's diet from corn to hay in the final days before slaughter reduces the population of E. coli 0157 in its manure by as much as 70 percent. Such a change, however, is considered wildly impractical by the cattle industry.
I'm convinced that I should not eat or feed my family meat grown industrially, and to that end, I sought out locally grown, pastured, organic beef. There are a number of ranches in the Bay Area, including Morris Grassfed Beef, Marin Sun Farms (found locally at Country Sun), Chileno Valley Ranch.
You can find grassfed meats in your area here.
I've bought a a quarter of a cow from Chileno Valley Ranch. Our beef, organically pastured with no antibiotics or added hormones, is being picked up next Saturday and should last us for the next year. I learned only recently that beef is a seasonal product; feedlot beef is not seasonal and can be "dispatched" any time of year.
Grassfed beef is more expensive than the industrially grown beef found in grocery stores (our quarter of the cow is roughly $5/lb., or $430 for a 90 lb. quarter, plus butchering fees), but Mr. Pollan explains how the true cost of industrial beef is much higher than the price tag on the grocery store shrink wrap:
And how cheap, really, is cheap feedlot beef? Not cheap at all, when you add in the invisible costs: of antibiotic resistance, environmental degradation, heart disease, E. coli poisoning, corn subsidies, imported oil and so on. All these are costs that grass-fed beef does not incur.
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