Using an abundance of beets: Waste not, want not

It's been awhile.  So many changes in the way we eat since the last blog in 2012.  Somethings haven't changed though.  Like my quest to eat and feed my family healthy, whole foods.

Our neighbors have a farm.  So far it has chickens and a couple of pretty big gardens.  We are anxiously waiting on the arrival of a cow and calf.  (Raw milk?  yes!  The ability to produce REAL clotted cream for scones?  OMG, YESSSS!). They recently opened a farm stand to sell their (organic) produce and I went up to see the offerings ( and get paid for something in zucchini which is never a bad thing.). The beets were absolutely lovely.  No, I mean, gorgeous!  I promptly took 4 rather large ones home to roast them.  As I prepared them, I felt shame in giving our chickens the greens, but I sent them out to the coop anyway.  The beets themselves were as ethereal as I thought they'd be.  The hubster even said they were better than ice cream which is the ultimate praise!

The thing is though, I just couldn't get over wasting those gorgeous greens on the chickens.  I knew I had to find a recipe for the greens so that when I went back up in a few days the next day to get more beets, I'd not lose sleep over the greens.

Here we discuss my love of Pinterest.  A food lovers paradise really.  And there I found the two recipes that gave me inspiration for tonight's meal.

Cheese filled beet ravioli

I'll be making a few changes...using feta and parm since I have that.  AND, I don't have a ravioli pan, but I have some ideas of what I can do about that.

And the coup de grace..../sound of the trumpets/

Beet green pesto

Yesssss!  No more sending those beauties out to the chickens.  They can still get all the other veggie and fruit scraps they like.  I might even give them an ear or two of corn husks after I can some corn relish this weekend. ;)

Getting ready to roast some beauties!

Gorgeous deveined greens ready for blanching!

Perhaps I'll even come back and post pictures of the actual meal, but probably not.  I'll be too busy enjoying the deliciousness of the meal and the bottle of Cabernet I plan to open this evening.

The costs of healthy eating

Here's the honest truth...I get really jazzed up when people talk about how expensive it is to buy fresh, wholesome food and while I agree that it seems that way on the surface, I have to respectfully disagree. I truly think that the expense is not one of money, but of time, which is what most people are short on. This is our family grocery story.

We are essentially a family of 8. My hubby owns his own business and I am a homemaker. We have 6 children ages 20, 17, 13, 11, 8 & 5 - 4 boys, 2 girls. There are nights that we do not have every one sitting down for the evening meal, but for the most part, I cook for 8 (with leftovers about 50% of the time). Breakfasts consist of dry cereal and milk for the most part . Our rules for breakfast cereal is that the sugar content is under 10 grams per serving. Once in a blue moon, we will have a family breakfast of homemade waffles or overnight french toast casserole. Lunches for the youngest 5 are 99.9% of the time brought from home in the form of sandwiches, homemade bagels or leftovers. When it comes to grocery shopping, I follow the organic rule for the dirty dozen list and will buy organic if it is the same price or even a few dimes more on those items not on the list.

Let's start with dairy. We buy one gallon of regular 1% milk each day which calculates to about $21/week. We do not buy organic because frankly, we can't afford to. Our milk budget would increase by roughly 100% if we did. We do buy milk that is taken from cows who are not treated with hormones. I buy (2) containers of organic Greek plain yogurt and (1-2) large containers of organic vanilla yogurt each week. I also buy a 4 pack of organic caramel Greek yogurt each week. The yogurt costs roughly $15/week. Salted organic butter is usually a bi-weekly purchase and unsalted organic butter is usually a monthly purchase. It ends up costing about $7/week. The children like individual cups of yogurt for school (Chobani) and also yogurt tubes (Stonyfield or Simply Go-gurt). The weekly costs for these items are roughly $5. Ice cream is homemade about once per month and I buy two containers of organic half and half at $4 a pop so roughly just under $2/week. Cheese is a HUGE expense here. We buy deli American cheese and provolone slices. I also stock up on shredded pizza cheese and Mexican blend shredded 1-2x per month and always have at least 2 bricks of low fat cream cheese in the deli drawer. Cheese purchases for the month are probably just above $30/week. Total Dairy purchases for a month: $80

Meats: We eat mostly chicken. Chicken breasts, boneless chicken thighs and whole chickens. I am in the process of finding a local, organic farm that will be affordable enough for us to buy chicken in bulk. For now we buy humanely raised, no animal product fed, hormone free chicken from the grocery store. Unfortunately, I know for a fact that these chickens may or may not be fed GMO grain hence the search for locally raised organic. Chicken purchases for the week are roughly $20. All other meat/fish purchases are around $10/week (including nitrate/nitrite free lunch meat products). Total meat purchases: $30

Dry/canned goods: Canned meats (tuna and chicken) $3/week . Boxed/tubed tomato products $5/week. Pasta $4/week. Pasta sauce $2/week. Rice/grains $2/week. Dried beans $3/week. Flour $10/week. Sugar $2/week. Yeast $1/week. Spices/condiments $1/week. Breakfast cereal $10/week. Snack items (pretzels, animal crackers, fruit cups, PF Goldfish crackers or Annie's snack mix) $12/week. Baking products $1/week Total dry good purchases: $56

Produce: Organic apples $7/week. Bananas $4/week. Organic/local seasonal fruits $5/week. Organic greens $4/week. Organic tomatoes, celery, carrots, potatoes $6/week. Onions $1/week. Other veggies $3/week. Total produce purchases: $30

Frozen: Veggies & organic fruit $30/week

For the most part, our grocery bill is under $1000/month* with 8 of us. That is less than $30/week for each person. We eat VERY well and mostly healthy, whole foods. Generally we probably eat a vegetarian meal 2-3x per week whether it be pasta, beans or a high protein grain.

I do not buy cookies, crackers (except those listed above in snacks), frozen prepared foods, bread or any bread products (rolls, bagels, etc.). I generally do not buy canned products although I will occasionally buy beets and sauerkraut in a can. We do not buy soda or fruit juice except for special occasions. Potato chips are almost never bought, but we do keep organic tortilla chips on hand and usually some Newman's Own Pineapple Salsa (hubby's fave). I make all of our bread/bread products including bagels, soft wheat tortillas, pita bread, etc. I also make all of our jellies & jams. This past summer I also experimented with canning pickles, relishes and what few tomatoes I harvested from our garden. I hope to do even more this summer. We also have 8 layer hens and from spring to late fall, we get roughly about 7 eggs per day. We almost NEVER eat out.

Don't get me wrong, there are sometimes I wish I could open up a box of Kraft mac & cheese and serve it like I used to, but for a few minutes more, I can whip up a roux and a fabulous cheese sauce and pour it over some whole grain pasta. There are also times I wish I could buy a package of Oreos or a can of Spaghettios and feel good about letting my kids (and myself) eat them, but I just can't. The more I learn about what goes into processed foods, the more strongly I feel about making everything from scratch.

I understand that not everyone has the same situation as I do. Not everyone has the time to make their own bread or make homemade "whatever" on a regular basis (although you'd be surprised how quickly you can knock out a couple loaves of bread once you get the hang of it). I just wish more people would understand that preparing good, wholesome food doesn't really cost more than your time and in the long run, will likely be less expensive if you factor in known health issues from eating "The All American Way".







*This dollar amount does not reflect paper products (TP, paper towels), drug store items (feminine needs, OTC medicines, hygiene items) or cleaning products (dishwasher tabs, laundry detergent, bleach).

Best of holiday baking - 2011 - Part 1

I found a load of new recipes on Pinterest for my annual holiday baking along with a few from the King Arthur flour website. Most of them were really good. No - really. I am going to break them down into a couple of blogs because I don't have the time to type them all out at once.

Lemon Lime Cookie Truffles

*These are so easy...and SO good. No, I mean seriously good. I sent some up to the neighbors before Christmas and was just asked yesterday if I had any more. Big hit with anyone who likes zesty citrus flavor!*

1 recipe of sugar cookie dough - baked in bar form & cooled (I did not use the whole recipe, but most of it. I also used a confectioners sugar recipe to make it lighter.)
1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened (use 1/3 less fat...no one knows the difference)
2 lemons, zested & juiced
2 limes, zested & juiced
Vanilla flavored almond bark, for dipping
Green & yellow sanding sugar (optional)

Crumble sugar cookie bars into large bowl. Add in softened cream cheese, lemon & lime zest & juices. Mix well and form into balls. Freeze for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt almond bark over double boiler. With two forks or a long skewer, dip frozen balls into melted almond bark setting on flat surface lined with wax paper to cool. If desired, sprinkle with green & yellow sanding sugar while still wet.

Keep refrigerated in airtight container.


Swix Gingerbread Biscotti

*These are probably the most aromatic and strongly flavored biscotti I have ever tasted. If you like ginger & orange, you will LOVE them! They were awesome with an afternoon cup of coffee.*

1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 c. spelt (I did not have spelt and was not heading to the store so I substituted whole wheat flour with fine results. Bob's Red Mill does make spelt and I did find it after the fact.)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 T cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg (freshly ground does make a huge difference)
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 egg plus two whites, lightly beaten
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. molasses
2 tsp. vanilla
Zest from one large orange
1/2 c. chopped pecans
white chocolate to drizzle or sanding sugar (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside. Mix together eggs, sugar, molasses, vanilla and zest in stand mixer. Add in dry ingredients and nuts. Chill dough for about 30 minutes (you don't have to do this, but it will make the dough easier to work with and less sticky).

Preheat oven to 325.

Remove dough and shape into two approx. 12" long logs on silpat or parchment lined baking sheets. If using sanding sugar, sprinkle over the top and press down a bit to set. Bake for about 1/2 hour. Logs are fully cooked when firm to touch. Remove from oven and cool slightly, but do not turn oven off. Cut into 1/2" pieces. Lay pieces on sides and place back into oven for 10 minutes. Remove, turn pieces over and place back into oven for another 10 mins. Cool completely. Store in airtight container. These do freeze ok.



Cran-Pistachio Cookies

*Oh my...these were my definite favorites this year. I had to put them up in the freezer as soon as they were all cooled because I could have eaten all of them! I love pistachios...and I was tempted to eat them all as I was cracking them open for the recipe. Of course, adding a little bit of green food coloring made them very festive looking for the holidays too! The original recipe called for bagged sugar cookie mix and boxed pudding mix. I tweaked it so I didn't have to use those processed items.*

1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar
1 c. butter, unsalted
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. corn starch
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
2 T. plain greek style yogurt
1 8oz bagged pistachios (obviously shelled before added)
1/2 c. dried cranberries
few drops of green food coloring (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream butter & sugar. Add in egg, extracts, yogurt and food coloring (if using). In small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Blend in pistachios and cranberries. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto silpats and bake 8-10 minutes being careful not to over bake. Cool completely on wire rack.

Next post: PB choc. chip biscotti, Tuxedo biscotti and Salted Caramel Shortbread bites - STAY TUNED!

A new pie crust recipe for me!

I've used my 1956 Woman's Home Companion recipe for pie crusts since I started making pie back when I was a teenager. This year, I tried a new one. Needless to say, the new one is far easier to make (it uses the food processor) and easier to work with. The recipe I loosely followed was from the King Arthur 200th Anniversary cookbook...those people at King Arthur have NEVER failed me.

Food Processor Pie Crust

2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
approx. 6-8 Tbsp. ice cold water

Pulse all except water in food processor until mixture looks a bit like cornmeal. Add cold water slowly until dough pulls together. Roll out on floured wax paper/parchment. Can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated.

My quest in getting away from prepared foods - Lemon Meringue Pie

Most of you know that my mission is to stay as true to whole food eating as possible. It is something that I am passionate about - probably to a fault. I hate to buy things that I can make from scratch at home and if I am honest, this has turned me into a HUGE food snob. I know my friends make allowances for my craziness which makes me happy. I also try to remember that not everyone shares my passion about wholesome, chemically untreated food.

In any case, in my desire to get away from "boxed" items led me to this recipe for Lemon Meringue Pie. Up until this year, I've always bought the boxed mix for the lemon custard filling. I wish I had found this recipe sooner because in all honesty, I have NEVER tasted a better Lemon Meringue than this. The filling was tart, but not in a fake way. The balance was absolutely perfect. I was planning on taking this pie home with me from my in-laws, but there was none left. I guess that speaks for itself.

As always, I modified the recipe to fit my needs and without further adieu, here it is:

Lemon Meringue Pie ala Di

1 c. sugar
6 T. non-GMO cornstarch
3 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
grated rind from two medium sized lemons
2/3 c. fresh lemon juice* (4-5 lemons)
pinch of salt
2 1/4 c. boiling water
2 T unsalted butter

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Mix and add to slightly beaten egg yolks. Add grated lemon rind and juice, add boiling water. Mix well, then cook in saucepan stirring constantly over med. heat until thick and clear. (Like a typical cornstarch pudding, it is best to get to a boiling point being very careful not to let the bottom burn.) Add butter, stir, cool slightly. Stir again and turn into a pre-baked pie shell. Top with meringue.

*You can use a mixture of freshly squeezed lemon juice and the concentrate found in a bottle, but don't use all concentrate. The freshly squeezed juice really makes the filling.

Meringue

3 egg whites, room temp
2 T cold water
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp. baking powder
6 T sugar
pinch of salt

In a med. mixing bowl add egg whites, water, lemon juice, baking powder and salt. Beat until stiff peaks form and then add sugar gradually. Pile onto pie making sure to cover all the way to crust edge. Bake at 425 for a few minutes. Watch carefully as not to over-brown the top.

Nothing more I adore than chicken soup!

I have been feeling poorly and was diagnosed with a sinus infection on Monday. I figured the cure all (along with the abx) would be some homemade chicken soup.

I started with a whole, frozen approx. 4lb bird purchased at my sister-in-law's sister's farm (did you get that?). They are a bit smaller than store bought, but the taste cannot be beat. Nothing beats buying locally grown meat/poultry!

I placed it in a large stock pot, covered it with water and simmered it until it was cooked through. Then I removed the bird, strained the cooking liquid into a large bowl and put the pot back on the stove on med. high heat adding some EVOO to the bottom of the pan.

I added:

1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 centers of organic celery hearts (leaves included), sliced
4 organic carrots, sliced
4 small locally farmed turnips
5 medium organic yukon gold potatoes
1 Tbsp. minced organic garlic

Once the veggies were a bit tender, I added in the strained cooking liquid and removed the meat from the bird that had now cooled enough to touch and added it back into the pot.

I then added enough water to bring the liquid up to close to the top of the pot (about 6 cups) and added in the following:

2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (picked from my herb bucket outside my front door)
2 sprigs of lemon balm (which grows next to the rosemary)
2 tsp. dried basil
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried oregano (I probably would have used fresh, but was too lazy to walk to the garden plot)
freshly ground peppercorn
2 tsp. chicken base

I simmered this for about an hour and a half. Tasted the soup, added in salt and pepper to taste and then topped it with stew dumplings (a family favorite). I also served it with some Parmesan biscuits and leftover honey butter.


Stew Dumplings

1 1/2 c. flour
1 Tbsp. cold unsalted organic butter
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. milk

Mix together all the dry ingredients. Pinch in the butter until it is well blended. Add the milk and stir until soft dough comes together. Drop by spoonful onto gently boiling soup/stew, cover and let steam for about 20 minutes.


Baking Powder Biscuits
Preheat oven to 425

3 c. flour
4-6 Tbsp. cold organic unsalted butter
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
**I usually add in about a cup of cheese with the butter**

Mix together the dry ingredients. Pinch in the butter until all is well blended. Add in the milk, stir until dough comes together and then place on flour surface. Knead just until dough is mixed well and cut with biscuit cutter. Place on silpat lined baking sheet and bake at 425 for about 20 minutes or until golden brown)

Makes about 12 2" biscuits.

Bagels?

Why yes I would, thanks.

My hubby and I love bagels. My kids love bagels. They do not last long in the house which is probably a good thing since when you make them yourself, they don't have preservatives to keep them fresh.

The best thing about making your own is you get to choose what type of flour (never bleached!!!) and what toppings. My all time favorite is a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan and some freshly ground pepper, but I often make sesame, poppy seed and onion.

My newest favorite topping for these babies is a triangle of Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco and Chipotle. The Garlic Herb isn't bad either!

Another thing we like to do with onion bagels is make tuna melts with them by cutting the bagel in half, spreading the bottom half thinly with cream cheese, a scoop of tuna salad with diced apples and a slice of cheese. Throw them into the oven under the broiler until the cheese starts to bubble and throwing the top on and enjoying. YUM!


BAGELS
makes 16 mini sized bagels

4 c. flour (all purpose, white whole wheat, whole wheat...any or a mixture of them all)
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 Tbsp. salt
Drizzle or two of EVOO
1 Tbsp yeast
1 - 2 c. warm water (around 110F, but no higher than 120F)

In a large stand mixer bowl, combine the flour, salt and yeast. Add in the honey and EVOO. Mix ingredients with the dough hook attachment. While the mixer is running, slowly add in the water until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides. You may add a bit more EVOO at this point (it makes the dough easier to handle.)

Turn out onto a slightly oiled and floured board (I use my MISTO oil sprayer and use only EVOO, but cooking spray would be fine). Knead until dough is smooth and silky. Separate into 16 equally shaped balls. (A food scale would be great for this, but I don't have one yet!) Let the dough rest covered for 10-20 minutes.

After the dough has rested, shape the dough balls into snakes and then pinch the two ends together into a bagel shape. Let the bagels rest for another 20 minutes.

While the bagels are resting, prepare your baking pans (1/2 sheet pans lined with Silpats work great, but you could also use a well greased cookie sheet/sheet pan). Also prepare your toppings (I use dried minced onions for our onion bagels because they have a stronger flavor. I just reconstitute them with a bit of warm water.)

Preheat your oven to 425F and start a large pot of water to boiling. Once bagels have rested the 2nd time, place them into the boiling water making sure you only put in a few at a time. Boil one minute on each side. Sometimes mine will turn themselves over and over again so I watch them and use my spider to make sure they all boil correctly.

After two minutes lift them out of the boiling water draining them the best you can before placing them onto your baking sheet. At this time, add your toppings. Repeat process until all your bagels are boiled and ready for the oven.

Bake at 425F for 10 minutes and then turn the bagels over and bake 10 more minutes. Cool slightly (if you can stand to wait) and ENJOY!