Eating a radish.

My food nemesis was my lunch hour. I would run out and grab something quick - a sandwich, burger, whatever. Now I don't take a lunch hour, so I am responsible for bringing my own lunch if I plan to eat. I have a rubbermaid storage box with several goodies in it. It keeps me stocked with healthy choices when I need a snack. What's in it? Walnuts, our own dried apples, Kashi bars, tea, dried pears and organic instant oatmeal. I certainly need a bit more variety than this, so we decided we'd start doing some heavy shopping in the produce section. Tim has been eating PB & Jelly sandwiches every day at work lunch for the 5 years I've know him, so it would be healthy to get him some variety too. We buy whatever looks fresh and delicious in the produce section. We keep organic and local in mind as much as possible when making our buying decisions. We bring the produce home, wash it really good, and then bring a variety to work each day. Usually it will be a mix of cucumber, green pepper, mushrooms, carrot, apple, etc. Today I had something new in my lunch....radishes. I'll be honest, I'm not sure I ever had a radish before, but something about these little red guys appealed to me at the store. I put 3 radishes in my lunch today. Crunch, crunch, crunch. What yummy, crispy little things. I did a little research and it turns out that these radishes are good for fiber, folic acid, potassium, calcium, and iron. I also learned that if you like sprouts, radish sprouts are great for using the sprouts in salad and give a little different taste than the basic bean sprouts. Having this little something different today gives me excitement to try other new things. And, it also encourages me to research growing some of these goodies in our garden rather than sticking to the staples. It doesn't hurt to try a plant or two with something different. Any recommendations? Happy fresh eating!

Gourmet by Lisa

Yummy, easy, quick, and healthy dinner from the weekend.

1.) Set aside 2 large tortillas.
2.) Cut up zucchini and mushrooms. Saute Garlic, zucchini and mushrooms with Olive Oil.

3.) Rinse black beans. Rinse quartered artichoke hearts.

4.) Smear light layer of cream cheese on half of one side of each tortilla.
5.) Cut up into small pieces or shred your favorite cheese.
6.) Put sauteed zucchini and mushrooms on 1/2 of tortilla (on top of cream cheese). Add black beans and artichokes. Top with Cheese. Fold Tortilla in 1/2. Put in toaster oven or conventional oven for about 5 minutes at 350....or until cheese is melted and tortilla has slight browning.
7.) Enjoy with fresh fruit!

The great thing about this meal is that you can really put whatever you want in the tortilla! I also really like artichoke hearts, black olives, tomatoes and sprinkled with basil. Yum. Try your own version. What would you like on yours? Share in comments if you feel so compelled!

Sloppy Joe - Yum!

This past weekend we made a 4 day trip to our land. What could I pack for food that would be easy and quick? I was craving sloppy joe, so that's what I made! (Well, among other things!) It worked out great. I precooked a double batch and then we took it in our cooler, heating up the serving size for the meal on the stovetop in our camper. It was delicious and easy!

Here is the recipe to give it a try. This yields probably 6-8 sandwiches. (I double batched it from this).

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground turkey
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 can condensed tomato soup (you will add water to make the consistency of the Joe right).
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
6 whole wheat hamburger buns

Instructions: Crumble beef and turkey in skillet over the stove and cook until brown. Drain off liquid. Add onion, pepper, celery and cook until soft. Stir in condensed tomato soup, cumin, worcestershire. Add water as needed to take the thick off. I filled the tomato soup can with water and used about 1/4 to 1/2 of the can. Taste test and add cumin and worcestershire as you desire. Serve hot on top of wheat bun. Get sloppy!

Easy Turkey Chili

Yum, nothing says hearty-winter meal quite like chili!  Here is a tasty and easy recipe I use, making it in a crock pot, which cooks in the flavor, nice and slow.  This is a double batch.  We eat half over several days, and I freeze the other half.  It makes a great, easy meal for a party.  I've served this straight out of the crockpot at a party putting onions, shredded cheese, sour cream, and crackers on the side as a "build-your-own chili bar."  It was a real hit!

Here's what you need:

2 pounds ground turkey

4 (10.75 oz) cans tomato soup (or just purchase the BIG size, 55oz. which is usually cheaper and then I use the whole thing).

4 (15 oz) kidney beans, drained

2 (15 oz) black beans, drained

1 medium yellow onion

1/4 cup chili powder

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 pinches ground black pepper 

As with all my cooking, I use organic with as many ingredients as I can.

1.)  Brown turkey in skillet until cooked evenly, drain.

2.) Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix well.

3.) Cover and cook in the slower cooker on the 6 or 8 hour setting.

Serve with freshly shredded sharp or medium cheddar cheese, sour cream (or organic plain yogurt as a substitute),  and crackers.

The recipe also includes onion.  I like to brown the onion right before serving and add it in, mixing it up in the chili.  Or, you can simply cut it and serve it on the side to add on top, or cut and throw in the chili at the beginning, prior to slow cooking.

Enjoy!

Delicious Shrimp Dip

Ready for a tasty, calorically sinful shrimp dip recipe?  Try this (makes a BIG party sized batch):

Mix together until smooth and creamy:

24oz. cream cheese (lowfat is what I use)

1 - 6oz. can tiny shrimp with liquid

2 - 6oz. cans tiny shrimp, liquid drained

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion

1 fresh lemon squeezed

Refrigerate.

Serve on whole wheat crackers, or your favorite cracker.

Say "yum!"

Making Clothing Detergent

For the past year or so we've been buying earth friendly, chemical-free detergent for washing our clothing.   At first, it took a little getting used to because there was some sort of temptation over the synthetic fragrances like "Cool Breeze", when washing clothes.  Once I got over not having fake scents on my clothing, I realized that the eco-friendly detergents were just fine.  The brands that we've purchased that have worked have been Seventh Generation or Ecos detergent powder (cheaper than liquid). They are non-toxic, biodegradable, contain no chlorine, artificial fragrances, or dyes.  At around $8 for a box, I felt it was kinda pricey.  I decided that after using up the last bunch, I would make my own.  We feel that whenever possible, we should be using products that are as natural (from the earth) as possible.  So, instead of using a synthetic fragrance with a lot of words we can't pronounce in it, why not just use an essential oil, which is plant derived, non-chemical?  So, for the first time I made our own clothing detergent.   I am very happy with the final product!  It took just a little bit of work and it's great!  The first ingredient for the detergent is baking soda, which is a very safe product used in many "green" cleaning products.  It has been used for ages in cleaning and baking!  The second ingredient for the detergent is borax. Borax, although sounding a bit scary, is a naturally occurring mineral in the earth.   Borax is bad if you eat it, but safe for cleaning. It softens, disinfects, and deodorizes.  The third and final ingredient is castile soap.  Castile Soap is a soap that is made exclusively from vegetable oil.  I used Dr. Bronners Magic All-One Hemp Lavender Pure Castile Soap (organic).  It's vegetable base is Hemp oil and it is all natural and organic.  Since my detergent is a powder, I had to grate the soap to make it from bar to powdered form.    The differences are clear!  

Here is the list of ingredients from Dr. Bronner's Soap: Saponified Organic Coconut, Organic Palm & Organic Olive Oils (w/Retained Glycerin), Water, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Lavandin Extract, Organic Lavender Oil, Salt, Citric Acid, Vitamin E

Compare that to a soap that is touted to be the most "simple", Ivory Bar: Sodium Tallowate and/or Sodium Palmitate, Water, Sodium Cocoate and/or Palm Kernelate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance, Coconut and/or Palm Kernel Acid, Tallow Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Yellow 10, Green 3.

Compare that now to yet another soap, Irish Spring Bar: SOAP, SODIUM TALLOWATE, SODIUM COCOATE, SODIUM PALM KERNELATE, WATER, STEARIC ACID, COCONUT ACID, PALM KERNEL ACID, GLYCERIN, FRAGRANCE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, PENTASODIUM PENTETATE, BHT, D&C GREEN 8, FD&C GREEN 3

Here is the detergent recipe if you are interested in trying it out.  I have been satisfied with it!  The clothes come out fresh smelling, wrinkle free, and clean!

1.) In large bowl, grate down 1 bar of Dr. Bronner's Castile Bar Soap (I picked Lavender scent, but the clothes come out fresh, but not smelling distinctly of lavender.)

2.) Add 2 cups Baking Soda.

3.) Add 1 cup Borax.

Mix well.  Store in plastic bag that can be sealed and reused for the next batch.  I use about 1/4 cup per Large load of laundry.  It will not make bubbles in the laundry, but it will clean it!  I have stopped using laundry sheets in the dryer, and the clothes have been coming out wrinkle and static free!  Enjoy!

Sour Cream Apple Pie

One of my coworkers has too many apples on his hands so he brought in a large amount of HUGE Macintosh apples.  I brought a bunch home and dehydrated the majority of them, but still had a few left over.  I decided to make the following pie with what I happened to have on hand, it was good!  Below is the altered recipe. I lowered the sugar, used egg beaters, used whole wheat flour and more apples than the original recipe.  The altered recipe goes as follows:

Amish Sour Cream Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sour cream 

1 egg (I used egg beaters)

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3-4 cups diced apples (your preference to peel or not peel)

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

CRUMB TOPPING

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1 Beat sour cream and egg together.

2 Add flour, sugar, salt and vanilla.

3 Mix until smooth.

4 Stir in apples.

5 Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

6 Mix the crumb topping ingredients until crumbly.

7 Remove pie from oven and spread with crumb topping.

8 Bake 20 more minutes.

Rhubarb Sour Cream Pie

I made this tasty pie with fresh rhubarb from our backyard.  It is delicious!  Tim even liked it, though he claimed he doesn't like rhubarb.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust 4 cups chopped fresh rhubarb 1 egg (egg beaters okay) 1 cup white sugar 1 cup sour cream (fat free okay)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour   1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

	Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C).
	Press the pie crust into a 9 inch pie pan. Spread rhubarb in an even layer in the bottom of the crust. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, white sugar, sour cream and 1/3 cup of flour until smooth. Pour over the rhubarb.
	In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of flour and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the pie.
	Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue to bake for 40 minutes, or until the edges have puffed, and the topping is golden. The center may still be slightly jiggly. Cool completely before slicing and serving.