tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83867513296061235082024-02-06T23:44:12.906-08:00Food-n-Shelternsigniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14911809987183622457noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386751329606123508.post-70039205896483408392012-03-17T19:08:00.000-07:002012-03-17T19:08:00.418-07:00Frugal Food Tips<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Calibri;"><o:p>Here is a 'Baker's Dozen' of frugal food tips that I've compiled over the years of limited budgets. What it's taught me is that saving money on food is also a healthier way of eating. It is NOT about eating Ichyban noodles every day, or cupboards full of yellow label cans. It's about using your brain-noodle to spend less and eat healthier. I hope you find it useful!</o:p></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Always shop food flyers and clip coupons</b>; make a list of sale items you need, add other essentials you need and try to stick to the list when you shop.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stock ahead</b> on common items when they’re on sale. Waiting till you run out means paying more when you need it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Toilet paper is a great example. Good quality paper like Purex goes on sale often, so stock up when it’s 50-60% off, and you will end up paying less than even ‘no name’.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NEVER shop hungry</b>… you will buy foods on impulse that aren’t in the budget and more often than not aren’t good for you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Avoid processed and pre-packaged foods</b>, you are paying for more processing than actual food, and the food is usually nutrient deficient. </span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Buy food in bulk</b> whenever possible, your cost per unit is much lower and the food will last longer. Freeze/store the excess.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Invest in a freezer</b> - it will pay for itself in less than a year with savings on bulk buying.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Get a shopping buddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Can’t afford a new freezer or bulk buying? Shop with a friend and split the cost of food, gas or a taxi, and go in together on the cost of a deep freeze. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Learn how to cook</b> – seriously cook, not just reheating frozen dinners and pizza pops. Many good recipes and cooking tips can be found on the internet, even instructional videos.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Make leftovers more exciting</b>… an oven roast tonight means hot beef sandwiches tomorrow, or chop leftover meat with some potatoes and veggies to make a stew.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">‘Stack-a-Veggie Soup’</b>. Got leftover veggies but not enough for a meal? Keep a medium sized plastic container in the freezer, add leftover veggies and freeze till tub is full. Take a few cans of tomato soup, add the frozen veggies, simmer with some spices and voila – a hearty tomato-vegetable soup.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">11.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Make your own baby food.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buy fresh fruits and veggies, wash them well and process them in your blender. Then pour into ice cube trays and place trays in the freezer. Once frozen, the cubes can be put into freezer bags till you need them. You can also do this with your leftovers (as long as you don’t have lots of spices or sodium in your foods) by simply blending up leftover meats and potatoes with a little filtered water. Again, pour into ice cube trays and freeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Baby meals can be easily prepared by removing<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the frozen ‘food cubes’ as needed and warming in a food steamer. NEVER heat baby food (or any food) in a microwave – it kills the nutrients.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grow a container garden</b> or a regular garden if you have the space. Food can be grown for pennies a pound and is far more nutritious than store bought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will also be an experience you can share with your family. Margarine tubs and milk cartons can be washed and recycled into growing pots for lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">13.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Portion foods</b> using a small food scale and measuring cups. We often seem to cook more than we can eat, and eat more than we need, leading to food waste and over-eating. Portioning helps eliminate this. You will also feel full sooner if you drink a glass of water before eating, and eat foods higher in fibre.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>nsigniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14911809987183622457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8386751329606123508.post-1613422463936968982010-12-11T15:53:00.000-08:002010-12-11T15:53:06.412-08:00Gluten Free Living - Chocolate Chip Cookies n more!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When we think of wheat and barley, we usually think of breads, cereals, and the like. But did you know that wheat is also a hidden ingredient in a huge number of foods we eat? Well, not exactly hidden, but who would think of it in soy sauce? or sausages? This may not be a big deal to most people, but to those whose health depends on eating a gluten free lifestyle, having to stop and read each and every label on the foods we buy can be daunting.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Since my daughter-in-law came into our lives, food has taken on a new interest for me. She not only has to live gluten-free due to a condition called "celiac disease" but she recently discovered she is lactose intolerant. My son eats what she eats in support of her health and to simplify their grocery needs. This has led my family as a whole to become more "label-savy" when shopping, cooking and baking and has actually turned into a positive thing, making us all more aware of our food content and the choices we make. I make the effort now to stock "wheat-free foods" whenever possible but not because we <em>need</em> to or <em>have</em> to, but simply in defence of better eating.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here is a recipe I would like to share with you that has came out of my many "trial and error" batches of baking. Please note I use brown and white sugar as sweeteners, but if anyone has had success using stevia or other health sweeteners, please let me know! If you like this recipe, feel free to share it with others. Enjoy!</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgSGJZrS1zqpTRYCaCl8QAUOQsStCbMX2IxDAQQycCv1LRX3ps7eN58z3ejJlYivzMR6UN4ARVlwG8OtxkcA37IeyzjbGnGCowWBAhHl3mp2rb-SFtBUXmDiwGPDu-SpPIUXKFq6BLw/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqgSGJZrS1zqpTRYCaCl8QAUOQsStCbMX2IxDAQQycCv1LRX3ps7eN58z3ejJlYivzMR6UN4ARVlwG8OtxkcA37IeyzjbGnGCowWBAhHl3mp2rb-SFtBUXmDiwGPDu-SpPIUXKFq6BLw/s320/IMG_0165.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u><strong>Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies</strong></u></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You will need 1 large bowl, 1 medium bowl and a mixer. Preheat over to 375 F.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In the medium bowl add the following dry ingredients and mix well. Set aside.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 1-1/4 cups soy flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 1 cup rice flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 1 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 1 teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 2 teaspoons xanthan gum</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In the large bowl add these ingredients in this order, mixing continuously:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 1 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, softened</span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 1/2 cup white sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 2 large eggs (set in cup of warm water first for 2-3 minutes before adding)</span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> 3/4 cup brown sugar</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This mixture should be quite fluffy in texture. Keep the mixer running and begin adding dry ingredients 1/4 cup at a time. If using a hand mixer, you may need to stop as mixture gets thicker and continue blending ingredients together with a heavy spoon.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Add in 1 cup or more of gluten free chocolate chips. (many brands are g/f, but be sure to check your labels). Mix well.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Spoon out balls of dough (about 25-30 grams in size) onto cookie sheets about 2" apart. Flatten with wet fingers or a fork to about 1/4" thick.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">For soft cookies, bake for 10 minutes at 375 F, remove pans and let cool on stove for 1 more minute. Remove cookies to paper towel to cool. For harder cookies, allow to bake 2-3 minutes longer. Makes approx. 40 cookies.</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em><span style="color: #e69138;"><u>Notes:</u> Cookies are no health food, but they are better when we select healthier ingredients. Be sure to us non-hydrogenated margarine, preferably one that is high in Omega oils. I also choose to use grain-fed eggs that have used no medicines or antibiotics in production, as they are generally higher in vit E., B12, selenium and lutien. Soy flour is an excellent addition as it is lower in calories than just rice flour, plus it is rich in protein, iron, niacin and folate. Xanthan gum helps to hold the flours together as they lack the gluten of wheat. This recipe makes cookies that are about 100 calories each, with roughly 2.4 grams of protein each. I use n/h Imperial margarine which accounts for about 1/3 of the total calories in the recipe, but many of the calories are derived from Omega-6 and Omega-3 oils.</span></em></span></div>nsigniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14911809987183622457noreply@blogger.com0