We used to cook our pea soup all day so it got the flavor of hambone in it. This is a vegetarian version, perfect for those meatless ("pb&j") lunches we have been promoting. It's surprisingly quick to make!
Here's the link: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/vegetarian-split-pea-soup-recipe.html. It's from 101 Cookbooks again - what a site!
The recipe has some surprising ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice. But it's very easy, and so quick you could make it for lunch from scratch.
Enjoy, and let us all know how you liked it! PL
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Supreme Chocolate Pudding, She Says...
Our favorite lady at 101 Cookbooks spent megabucks developing this recipe. I want someone to try it! I dare you...
Here's the link: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/coconut-chocolate-pudding-recipe.html
When you've eaten your fill, please report back. What about that raz el hanout? I haven't tried it yet. Be sure to leave your comments about it here! PL
Here's the link: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/coconut-chocolate-pudding-recipe.html
When you've eaten your fill, please report back. What about that raz el hanout? I haven't tried it yet. Be sure to leave your comments about it here! PL
Thursday, March 6, 2008
I'd rather incubate...
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=35513
I think shipping is just too stressful for the poor chicks, personally. I think the initially higher expense is worth less waste!
I think shipping is just too stressful for the poor chicks, personally. I think the initially higher expense is worth less waste!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Pygoras-- Fascinating Possibilities-- Eloise
I was looking at all kinds of small sheep and goats that produce spinning and felting fiber, when I came across the concept of a mini-sheep-- under 21 inches tall! As I was looking for more information about that, I found out that goat breeders have been grossing pygmy goats with angora goats-- making a great fiber animal with a great meat (apparently, I personally do NOT eat goats.)
The nice thing about this cross, is that they are small, feed efficient, yet can make cashmere-quality fiber. Talk about a great backyard pet with benefits!
The nice thing about this cross, is that they are small, feed efficient, yet can make cashmere-quality fiber. Talk about a great backyard pet with benefits!
Monday, March 3, 2008
MUST READ!
If you are searching for REAL food at REALISTIC prices but don't know what to do about it, or don't feel you are in a position to do something about it, I think you would really enjoy reading this:
http://animalvegetablemiracle.org/Share.html
and all of the http://animalvegetablemiracle.org site.
Please leave your comments here. Share what you've been doing to bring about the eating of sane food by your family! We will all benefit... PL
http://animalvegetablemiracle.org/Share.html
and all of the http://animalvegetablemiracle.org site.
Please leave your comments here. Share what you've been doing to bring about the eating of sane food by your family! We will all benefit... PL
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Gluten Free 'Pasta'-- by Eloise
I miss pasta a lot(sa)...
So I grill eggplant on my George Foreman (usually from my own garden) and cut it into long thin strips before putting my special spaghetti sauce over it. Yum! It's like getting to eat pasta without the gluten-- and guilt! :)
So I grill eggplant on my George Foreman (usually from my own garden) and cut it into long thin strips before putting my special spaghetti sauce over it. Yum! It's like getting to eat pasta without the gluten-- and guilt! :)
Glorious Gluten-Free Snack!
What a great idea! Here's another recipe carefully gleaned from 101 Cookbooks. I think you'll enjoy reading the many serving suggestions she gives here.
The link: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001473.html.
It's going to take me forever to make 1% of the great recipes on this site! Let me know how you like it! PL
The link: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001473.html.
It's going to take me forever to make 1% of the great recipes on this site! Let me know how you like it! PL
Meatless and Gluten-Free (maybe...): More Chix
This recipe also contains canned chickpeas or garbanzos, so you might as well buy a case. It's from 101 Cookbooks. Take a look at these delicious photos! I say 'maybe gluten-free' because she makes it with bulgur wheat, which has plenty of gluten, but then gives a GF alternative.
Here's the link: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/chickpea-hot-pot-recipe.html.
The orange juice ingredient isn't going to work for me, but tomato juice might work, or veggie broth, or of course just water. PL
Here's the link: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/chickpea-hot-pot-recipe.html.
The orange juice ingredient isn't going to work for me, but tomato juice might work, or veggie broth, or of course just water. PL
Meatless Gluten-Free Lunch: Babaganoush
This simple eggplant dish is absolutely addictive. We make it 3 eggplants at a time and gorge on it and barely have enough for the next day, when it's 10 times as good! This recipe is for 2 eggplants, in case you are not as baba-obsessed as we are:
Take two shiny regular eggplants that are firm and heavy for their size, cut off their green hats, poke them all over with a sharp knife, and put them on the broiler pan that came with your stove, or on a rack. Turn the oven on to 500 degrees (Five Hundred - not a typo!). Put the eggplants in the oven and prepare to keep an eye on them. Close the door...
In about 20 minutes, take a look. You want the eggplants to sag, cooked till they're nearly liquified inside, but you don't want them to burn. (Once ours didn't sag for an hour - the skins had dried to a firm shell, with the flesh was well cooked. Delicious!). You do want them thoroughly cooked, so if you err, make it on the side of somewhat overdone. You can poke them with a fork at this point - watch out for a release of steam, and if the flesh inside is resistant, put them back in for a little longer.
When they're done, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool until they are no more than warm. Then put them on a plate and peel the skins off. The flesh goes in a bowl. Repeat till they're all peeled.
Now you have a choice of mashing them vigorously or putting them in a blender or food processor. I put almost all into a food processor, but keep about an eighth of the total out to add texture.
Add about 1/4 cup sesame tahini and a couple of cloves of garlic to the eggplant flesh and whirr until it is mixed. If there are chunks of garlic not blended in, that's ok... The mixture should be very thick.
Now add approximately 3 Tablespoons of fresh or bottled lemon juice, whirr again, and taste. You may want to add salt - we don't. Balance the taste of the tahini and lemon. Pour out on a flat dish and stir in the eggplant you left out of the food processor.
Pour copious amounts of great-tasting olive oil over the top and sprinkle with cayenne if you wish. Serve with blue-corn tortilla chips, over rice, or with carrot sticks, etc. Irresistable! PL
Take two shiny regular eggplants that are firm and heavy for their size, cut off their green hats, poke them all over with a sharp knife, and put them on the broiler pan that came with your stove, or on a rack. Turn the oven on to 500 degrees (Five Hundred - not a typo!). Put the eggplants in the oven and prepare to keep an eye on them. Close the door...
In about 20 minutes, take a look. You want the eggplants to sag, cooked till they're nearly liquified inside, but you don't want them to burn. (Once ours didn't sag for an hour - the skins had dried to a firm shell, with the flesh was well cooked. Delicious!). You do want them thoroughly cooked, so if you err, make it on the side of somewhat overdone. You can poke them with a fork at this point - watch out for a release of steam, and if the flesh inside is resistant, put them back in for a little longer.
When they're done, remove the pan from the oven and let them cool until they are no more than warm. Then put them on a plate and peel the skins off. The flesh goes in a bowl. Repeat till they're all peeled.
Now you have a choice of mashing them vigorously or putting them in a blender or food processor. I put almost all into a food processor, but keep about an eighth of the total out to add texture.
Add about 1/4 cup sesame tahini and a couple of cloves of garlic to the eggplant flesh and whirr until it is mixed. If there are chunks of garlic not blended in, that's ok... The mixture should be very thick.
Now add approximately 3 Tablespoons of fresh or bottled lemon juice, whirr again, and taste. You may want to add salt - we don't. Balance the taste of the tahini and lemon. Pour out on a flat dish and stir in the eggplant you left out of the food processor.
Pour copious amounts of great-tasting olive oil over the top and sprinkle with cayenne if you wish. Serve with blue-corn tortilla chips, over rice, or with carrot sticks, etc. Irresistable! PL
Meatless Gluten-Free Lunch: Hummus
I have bought many small containers of hummus, some regular, some flavored, and I don't like any of them. So I make my own. This makes 2 meals for 2, and has the advantage that it tastes even better the second day:
Check the ingredient list of a large can of garbanzo beans, chick peas, or ceci (all the same thing). If it has a lot of ingredients besides the beans, pour out the liquid and rinse. If it's just beans and salt, keep the liquid (unless you are really watching your sodium). Put the can contents or beans in the container of a blender, with a little added water if you discarded the canning liquid.
Add garlic to taste. For us, 3 chunky cloves make it taste great.
Add 1/4 cup sesame tahini, or slightly more to taste.
Whirr it all up until the beans are a paste. If it is too thick to whirr, add some lemon juice, bottled or fresh, one or two tablespoons to start, and then more to taste.
You want to get a balance between the heavy oiliness of the sesame tahini and the zip of the lemon. Blend till it's homogeneous, or pour/scoop it out of the blender container onto a flat dish and stir until blended.
Adjust the flavor by adding a little more lemon juice, or if necessary, a little more tahini. Add salt if you must.
Smooth the finished mixture so that it is spread out and flat. Pour several tablespoons of great-tasting olive oil over the top and sprinkle with cayenne pepper if you like. Really ripe olives go well with it. Serve with chips, rice crackers, or pita (won't be gluten-free!). Or serve with raw veggies as scoops, or over steamed veggies.
Store it covered in the fridge overnight and enjoy some the next day for breakfast or lunch! PL
Check the ingredient list of a large can of garbanzo beans, chick peas, or ceci (all the same thing). If it has a lot of ingredients besides the beans, pour out the liquid and rinse. If it's just beans and salt, keep the liquid (unless you are really watching your sodium). Put the can contents or beans in the container of a blender, with a little added water if you discarded the canning liquid.
Add garlic to taste. For us, 3 chunky cloves make it taste great.
Add 1/4 cup sesame tahini, or slightly more to taste.
Whirr it all up until the beans are a paste. If it is too thick to whirr, add some lemon juice, bottled or fresh, one or two tablespoons to start, and then more to taste.
You want to get a balance between the heavy oiliness of the sesame tahini and the zip of the lemon. Blend till it's homogeneous, or pour/scoop it out of the blender container onto a flat dish and stir until blended.
Adjust the flavor by adding a little more lemon juice, or if necessary, a little more tahini. Add salt if you must.
Smooth the finished mixture so that it is spread out and flat. Pour several tablespoons of great-tasting olive oil over the top and sprinkle with cayenne pepper if you like. Really ripe olives go well with it. Serve with chips, rice crackers, or pita (won't be gluten-free!). Or serve with raw veggies as scoops, or over steamed veggies.
Store it covered in the fridge overnight and enjoy some the next day for breakfast or lunch! PL
Meatless, Gluten-Free Lunch: Foul Madammas
You can call this Foul Madammas or the other way around - just make sure you say FOOL, not fowl. This is the simplest of all lunches:
Open a can of fava beans, also called Foul. We buy them (in quantity!) at our local international market, in the small can - it's big enough for 2 for lunch, and costs about 89 cents in our present over-priced economy. I'm sure you could find dry fava beans and cook them up, too.
Here's what you do with them:
Place steamy hot foul in a shallow bowl.
Pour over it some great-tasting olive oil.
Sprinkle on a little cayenne.
Serve with chips (we love blue-corn/sesame) or rice crackers or pitas (not gluten-free!)
A very different flavor of bean, very satisfying! PL
Open a can of fava beans, also called Foul. We buy them (in quantity!) at our local international market, in the small can - it's big enough for 2 for lunch, and costs about 89 cents in our present over-priced economy. I'm sure you could find dry fava beans and cook them up, too.
Here's what you do with them:
Place steamy hot foul in a shallow bowl.
Pour over it some great-tasting olive oil.
Sprinkle on a little cayenne.
Serve with chips (we love blue-corn/sesame) or rice crackers or pitas (not gluten-free!)
A very different flavor of bean, very satisfying! PL
Why Gluten-Free for Me by Eloise
I, too, am recently gluten-free.
Two years ago, when I was expecting my second son, I woke up one morning experiencing excruciating joint pain, to the point of dehabilitation. Despite blood tests and lots of lab work no one ever was able to explain to me why I was in pain so much of the time. Some days I could not even get out of bed.
It was my son's pediatrician that actually flipped the switch for me. She had noticed that I was constantly sick-- I was always suffering from strep or some other disease when my sons were in for their check-ups even though the appointments were months apart. She asked if I had ever considered that I might have a gluten allergy, as that can be a huge contributor.
When my joints began to become even more painful and I became a chronic migraine sufferer I decided I had to really take action and be done with this.
There's been a definite improvement. I also have had to give up all legumes (beans, peas, soy... lentils... everything) and as I have long been dairy sensitive, combined with other allergies/sensitivities this means my diet is very restricted at this point-- but it's worth it if I don't hurt all the time.
After all, I want to be a good mom to my children, and I can't be that if I can't get out of bed!
Two years ago, when I was expecting my second son, I woke up one morning experiencing excruciating joint pain, to the point of dehabilitation. Despite blood tests and lots of lab work no one ever was able to explain to me why I was in pain so much of the time. Some days I could not even get out of bed.
It was my son's pediatrician that actually flipped the switch for me. She had noticed that I was constantly sick-- I was always suffering from strep or some other disease when my sons were in for their check-ups even though the appointments were months apart. She asked if I had ever considered that I might have a gluten allergy, as that can be a huge contributor.
When my joints began to become even more painful and I became a chronic migraine sufferer I decided I had to really take action and be done with this.
There's been a definite improvement. I also have had to give up all legumes (beans, peas, soy... lentils... everything) and as I have long been dairy sensitive, combined with other allergies/sensitivities this means my diet is very restricted at this point-- but it's worth it if I don't hurt all the time.
After all, I want to be a good mom to my children, and I can't be that if I can't get out of bed!
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