Thursday, April 25, 2013

Gardening

I know that for the vast majority of my life - easily all of my 20's - I believed that gardening was arduous and cooking was onerous.

In my mind, it was easier to let other people take care of that for me.  I outsourced my shopping and cooking, and others profited from my laziness.  When I think of all of the money that I spent needlessly, it frustrates me.  At least I figured these things out in time for them to make an impact on the family's bottom line.  I have to believe that I was pretty average in this, and that we have generations of people that do not know what it is to dig in the dirt and grow their own vegetables.


In the past several years, I have come to find out that cooking can be quite an artistic outlet of expression, and I hope that gardening will also turn out to have been a wise thing to learn.


I have "meant" to try my hand at gardening for a few years now.  It just somehow never quite happened.  Going towards a more ancestral diet made it much more attractive to try my hand at growing vegetables.  Getting out in the sun so that my body can synthesize the vitamin D that it requires is a nice side benefit of planting some vegetables for our own use.

So, I went and bought three raised bed kits (http://www.walmart.com/ip/16637038?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=&wl3=21486607510&wl4=&wl5=pla&veh=sem) and laid them out in front of the house.

I am starting with tomatoes, because I have heard that they are easy.  I started the seeds in egg shells (http://voices.yahoo.com/photos/how-start-tomato-seeds-eggshell-5668158.html?cat=32) and am about to plant the resultant little plants into my raised beds.  I was also gifted with three kinds of lettuce seeds by a lovely friend.  She also gifted me with my first raised bed kit.  I have spoken with her for the past two years about "getting started" in gardening, and I think that she was so excited that I am actually doing it this year that she wants to make it easy for me.  She has had a garden every year, and she grew up on a farm, where gardening was a family event.  She's a keeper! :-)

Another dear friend has also gardened for many years, and I got the idea of starting my tomato seeds in egg shells from her daughter, and that has worked fabulously for me.  I have had a better than 80% sprout and grow rate from my tomato seeds.  I started beefsteak tomato plants, and San Marzano types of tomatoes.  The beefsteak are doing better, or maybe it is just that the plants are naturally larger - I will eventually figure it all out.

In addition to tomatoes, I am planting lettuce (courtesy of a lovely friend), zucchini, cucumber, and onion.  These are things that we eat regularly, so I know that if they grow well, I will be able to feed them to my family in the recipes that we regularly consume.

Since I chose to garden in raised beds, the start up costs have been a little more than if I had simply tilled some of my yard and dropped some seeds in.  The boxes were $29.98 each, and I bought three.

So far, I am in for three raised beds, soil, and seeds.

Raised beds 3 @ $29.98                    =  $ 89.94
Seeds           3 @ .99                          =  $  2.97
Seeds           3 @ .50                          =  $  1.50
Soil             22@2.88                         =  $ 63.36 
                                     TOTAL          $  157.77

For that kind of money, I surely hope that I get a good return on my investment.  If nothing else, I would like to think that the gardening knowledge that I am going to gain will make the price of admission worth it.

t

Groceries 4/23/2013

Aldi gets the vast majority of my grocery money.  They remind me of the old Jewel T grocery stores that we used to frequent while I was growing up.  Bare bones, good service, bag your own groceries.   Good prices.

ALDI
12 grain bread 2 @ 1.69                                                          $3.38
Taco Mix 6 @ .35                                                                   $2.10
Large eggs 4 @ 1.59                                                               $6.36
Roma tomatoes 3@ .79                                                           $2.37
Sliced mushrooms 8 oz clamshells 5@ .79                             $3.95
Pepper Jack 8oz blocks 2 @ 1.79                                           $3.58
Shredded cheese 2@ 3.29                                                       $6.58
Cottage Cheese 2 @ 2.29                                                        $4.58
1 lb sliced lunchmeat 2 @ 3.49                                               $6.98
Cream cheese 2 @ 1.19                                                          $2.38
Flat Leaf Spinach 2 @ 1.69                                                    $3.38
Almond Milk 2 @ 2.49                                                           $4.98
Large Pitted Black Olives 2 @ .99                                          $1.98
Heavy Whipping Cream                                                          $1.99
Dried Chili Peppers                                                                  $1.49
                                                                TOTAL                 $56.08

WAL-MART
Sriracha 2 @ 2.64                                                                 $5.28
Sweet Potatoes 5.46 lb @ .88 per lb                                     $4.80
                                                                TOTAL               $10.08

Total for the day = $66.16

I saw a new kind of pepper at Aldi's, and I intend on making them into some salsa.  Husband likes my home-made salsa better than the store bought kind anyway.  I have a magic bullet, you know the drink mixer?  I put either three cut up tomatoes, or a can of diced tomatoes (depending on the season) and a couple of cloves of garlic, some cilantro, the juice from half a lemon, and some peppers.  It is inexpensive, and flavorful.  It is great over morning eggs!  :-)

While I was in line at Wal-Mart, they had some honey bun things in the impulse section for a dollar each.  A honey bun for a dollar.  It is to the point that cheap food is not even cheap any more.  Now, if all you have is a dollar, then I would suggest going and grabbing two sweet potatoes (roughly a dollar @ 88 cents per lb - use the scale at the store to make sure that you do not go over your limit), taking them home, and roasting them.  Or boiling them and mashing them.

I am forever surprised by how affordable it can be to eat healthfully for the same price, or lower, then it is to eat the standard American diet.

t

Friday, April 19, 2013

4/15/2013 Groceries and some meal ideas.


ALDI
Large Eggs                   3@ 1.59                                                $ 4.77
Roma Tomatoes           3@ 1.19                                                $ 3.57
Onions                         3 lb bag                                                 $ 1.69
Artisan Lettuce             3@ 1.99                                               $ 5.97
Romaine Hearts            2@ 1.99                                               $ 3.98
Mushrooms (8oz clamshells) 2@ 1.59                                      $ 3.18
Ground Turkey             6@ 1.69                                              $10.14
Turkey Bacon               2@ 2.19                                              $ 4.38
Center Cut Bacon         2@ 3.69                                               $ 7.38
Shredded Cheese          4@ 3.29                                               $13.16
Deluxe Almonds 12oz packs 2@ 3.99                                      $ 7.98
Almond Milk                 2@ 2.49                                              $ 4.98
                                                                          TOTAL =      $ 71.18


COOKS NATURAL MARKET
Julian Bakery Paleo Bread Almond                                           $8.99
Julian Bakery Paleo Bread Coconut                                          $8.99
                                                                          TOTAL =      $17.98

Grand Total = $89.16

I have started packing a lunch for Husband on a daily basis.  It saves him money on lunches, and it takes me about 5 minutes in the morning to toss together a large salad, and portion out some of last night's leftovers into a gladware container.  He seems to like it, and he also likes saving the money.  :-)

This coming week, I would like to make a big salad with the artisan lettuce, romaine hearts, etc... and make some of the BBQ bundled shrimp. (http://paleoonthecheap.blogspot.com/2013/01/groceries-1172013-and-bacon-bbq-shrimp.html)

While in Japan, Husband found a dish that he liked, called Omurice.  I made something closely resembling that this morning, and I will definitely try it again, and take pictures.  Last night, I made some chili, and this morning, I put 2 eggs into a oiled pan, and let them cook up kind of like a thin egg sheet.  I spooned the chili into it, but had problems getting the egg to wrap fully around the chili, to look more like the Omurice on the video...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTf5EgVY5uU  What I wound up with was a chili omelette.  The taste was great, but the visual was kind of sloppy.

So, this week, I am planning...
BBQ Bundled Shrimp over a large salad
Omurice with Broccoli
Pulled Pork with vegetable sides
Bolognese over Spaghetti Squash
Chicken Tagine (once more into the fray...)
Eggplant and zucchini lasagna

t

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

TAMALES!!!! Oh, yes, Paleo Tamales.

If you miss tamales like I missed tamales, you will be excited to read this recipe from "My Paleo Life"
http://www.mypaleolife.com/paleo-diet-recipes/paleo-tamales

I think that next time, I will try steaming some jicima and mix it in with the plantains.  Or, possibly just seeing if I can substitute the jicima for plantains.

First off, I have never made tamales before, it always seemed to make more sense to buy them, but you try and find ANYONE that makes Paleo Tamales.  Plus, we gave up having other people make our food long ago, so it has been more years than I can bring to memory since I had tamales.  Husband occasionally splurges at work when the wife of a certain co-worker makes a big batch and lets him know that she will make extra if he wants to buy some from her. At a dollar each, he normally gets a dozen.

I had always thought that a buck a piece for tamales was a little on the high side.  Having made them myself now, I can say that a buck each is a steal!

8 Green Plantains @ $ .62 each                                                     $4.96
2 cups butter                                                                                   $2.29
2 tbsp baking powder                                                                     $  .05
2 tsp salt                                                                                         $  .03
Bone broth - drizzled                                                                     $  .15
Parchment Paper                                                                            $1.00
1/2 Pork Loin                                                                                 $9.86
Taco mix                                                                                        $  .35
                                                                                TOTAL  =  $18.69

I made a total of 20 tamales, so each one was 94 cents.

First, I made the "masa".  I got out my big soup pot.  I washed and cut up my plantains, and set them aside.  Filled pot with water and poured in some salt, then placed on the burner to start the boiling thing.

Boiling plantains!  :-)
While that was working on coming to a boil, I got out and assembled everything else.  It was at this point that I realized that I forgot to take some bone broth out of the freezer, so I did that at that time.  I filled a bowl with hot hot hot water from the tap and put my freezer bag of bone broth into it for defrosting.

The masa: Plantains, butter, baking powder, salt, and a small bit of bone broth.
Then, I grabbed the pork mix that I had made a few days ago.  I had prepared the pork loin by rubbing it with the package of taco seasonings, and putting it on low in the crock pot for 8 hours.  When it was done, I shredded it and put it in the fridge to await the making of the tamales.  Now, I took it out. :-)


Anywhoo, back to the recipe... I made the masa in 2 batches.  It took no more than a drizzle of the bone broth, to make the texture into what I thought looked right for masa. I am quite proud of myself for getting it right, especially since I had never made tamales before. :-)


Dumping the plantains in the now boiling water, I settled in to cutting my parchment paper.  I made them longer than suggested, and later on, I regretted that action.  They were not so long that I could not fit them into the steamer, but they did wind up being too long to be upright.

Tamales in the steamer - too long to remain upright.
I used the spaghetti pot as a steamer.  Water in the bottom, and the spaghetti rack as a steamer rack for the tamales.  I think it is a great re-purposing of some of our pre-ancestral kitchen gadgets.


Thing1 and Thing2, along with a friend, started begging for bowls of the pork filling almost as soon as I took it out of the refrigerator.  I let them take an occasional sample "for taste testing purposes".  All agreed that the pork was rockin' good. <preening>  Keeping the "samples" to a minimum took some haggling.  I finally had to tell all three girls that they could have the leftover pork if there were any leftovers.  Frankly, I do not know how many more tamales, or how much more meaty they could have been, if I had not allowed the girls to skim from the top.



masa spread on a parchment paper, covered in pork.

Rolling the tamale

Finished product

LOTS of finished products!


Taste test.  Mmmmmmm!!!

Husband's homage to the Mexico flag, in the spirit of the dish.
Half of the total amount was in the meat, so next time, I will try to cut costs by making a less expensive meat.  I think that  will be rubbing tilapia down with some taco seasoning and baking it.  Tilapia tamales sound good too! :-)

t

Update 4/13/13
I have made this two more times since the first time, with great results!  I made the same amount of masa, because I was using a 3lb bag of tilapia, and thought that I would need the same amount of masa.  Yeah, not so much.  I only used half, so I am putting the amount for the masa as $4.42.

Luckily, a friend of mine kindly gave me some slow cooked pork.  Recently, she and I had gone together to Cooks Natural Market, where she picked up an 8 lb organic pork loin - YUMMY! She told me that she was going to make Puerco Pibil, the meal that Johnny Depp keeps ordering in "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" She and I are both fans of Robert Rodriquez films, and she has the DVD of OUATIM with the recipe for Puerco Pibil in a 10 minute film short.  You could have knocked me over with a feather when she gifted me with about 5 lbs of the dish.  Honey and I had it for dinner one night, I had it in lettuce wraps for lunch twice, and I still had loads of it.  I put it in the food processor with some bone broth to break it down, and paired it with the remainder of the masa from the fridge.  At this point, the masa was three days old.  I knew it would need to soften, so I took it out in the morning to warm up.  5 hours later, I opened the gladware container.  It had warmed considerably, but it was still crumbly.  In working with it a bit, I saw that the more I worked it, the more it softened, so I worked the whole batch until it was nice and supple again.  The process took a good 5 minutes.

In doing the recipe twice more, I have mastered the art of making the masa thinner.  From the fish batch, I got 31 tamales, and from the Puerco Pibil batch, I got 19 tamales, for a total of 50 tamales from the same amount of masa that had previously made only 20 tamales. The tamales were shorter, so that they would fit into the steamer, but not so much shorter that it would account for being about to make 2.5 times more tamales from the same amount of masa.

Fish Batch = $4.42 + $5.49 = $9.91 / 31 = $ .32 each tamale
Puerco Pibil batch = $4.42 / 17 = $ .26 each tamale

Groceries 4/1/13... I wish the total had been an April Fools joke!

Spring break kind of cleared me out.  I have also been slacking on packing lunches for the girls, and Thing1's skin is showing it.  She is broken out something horrible.  So, I need to get both girls back onto a clean lunch diet this week.  I meant to go shopping over the weekend, but did not get to it.  It was a rainy weekend and cold to boot.  I was lazy and read.

Almond Milk  3 @ 2.49                                                           $ 7.47
Artisan Lettuce                                                                         $ 1.99
Cream Cheese 5@ .99                                                             $ 4.95
Yogurt covered raisins (for lunches) 4@ 1.79                         $ 7.16
Bananas 19.95 lbs @ .29 per lb                                               $ 5.79
Flat leaf spinach 5@ 1.69                                                        $ 8.45
Sweet Potato chips 2 @ 1.99                                                   $ 3.98
Grape tomatoes   2@ 1.29                                                       $ 2.58
Navel oranges 4 lb bags 3 @ 1.49                                           $ 4.47
Onions 3 lb bag 2 @ 1.69                                                        $ 3.38
Pineapple 5 @ 1.29                                                                  $ 6.45
Red delicious apples 3 lb bag 2 @ 3.49                                   $ 6.98
Granny Smith apples 3 lb bag 2 @ 3.49                                  $ 6.98
Mushrooms 8 oz clamshells 4 @ $1.59                                   $ 6.36
Carrots 2 lb bag                                                                        $  .99
Eggplant  2@ 1.49                                                                  $ 2.98
Butter quarters 5 @ 1.99                                                          $ 9.95
12 grain bread (I know) 3 @ 1.69                                            $ 5.07
Almonds 12 oz bags 6 @ 3.99                                                $23.94
Dark chocolate covered espresso beans 14 @ 2.99                 $41.86
Deli meats 3 lbs @ 3.49 per lb                                                $10.47
Center cut bacon 3 @ 3.69                                                     $11.07
Turkey Bacon 3 @ 2.19                                                         $ 6.57
Pepper Jack 4@ 1.79                                                              $ 7.16
String cheese 3 @ 2.49                                                           $ 7.47
Shredded mozzarella                                                               $ 3.29
Shredded cheddar  2 @ 3.29                                                   $ 6.58
Broccoli Crowns 4 @ .99                                                       $ 3.96
Iceberg lettuce 2 @ 1.09                                                         $ 2.18
Chunk tuna in water 6 @ .69                                                  $ 4.14
Diced Tomatoes 6 @ .59                                                        $ 3.54
Vinaigrette Dressing 7 @ 1.99                                               $13.93
Large pitted black olives 3 @ .99                                           $ 2.97
Spanish olives 2 @ 1.19                                                         $ 2.38
Fruit leathers 2 @ 1.99                                                           $ 3.98
Raisins 6 packs 2 @ 1.39                                                       $ 2.78
Large eggs 10 @ 1.59                                                           $15.90
Fruit gummies                                                                        $ 3.49
Dried cranberries  2 @ 1.39                                                   $ 2.78
Dried fruit assortment                                                             $ 1.49
Dried apricots 2 @ 1.99                                                         $ 3.89
Cashew halves 2 @ 2.79                                                       $ 4.98
Natural Trail mix 4 @ 5.49                                                  $21.96
                                                                        Total       $    308.47

I purchased almost twice as many fruits, vegetables, and dried fruits as normal because I am trying my hand at a couple of different things.  I have blended green smoothies for myself a few times, and I am gearing up to make that a daily thing.  I offer one to Husband each time, but he turns me down flat.  To him smoothies of are the fruit variety, not the veggie variety.  I hope to win him to the green side one of these days.  I will keep offering.  :-)

I am not juicing, I am blending.  I bought a Ninja blender on clearance at Wal-Mart for $25.00, and have made myself a large (24 oz) green smoothie a few times.  It fills me up more than juicing does, and I do not gaze wistfully at the pulp and fiber that I am putting into the composter after I juice.  I saw David Wolfe on a couple of different health/weight loss oriented documentaries on Netflix, and when I googled him, I saw an infomercial of the Nutribullet.  It seemed the answer to the fact that I wanted all of the health benefits of juicing but did not want to waste all of that beautiful fiber.  But, they are $100.00, and not in the immediate budget.  So, in February, I started saving $20.00 per month towards it's purchase.

A little over a week and a half ago, when I saw a Ninja on sale,  I already had $40.00 set aside.  I went ahead and bought the Ninja, instead of waiting for the Nutribullet.  I am super glad that I did!  I may still get the Nutribullet at a later date, if the Ninja ever gives out.  But, in the meantime, I am drinking my way through 5-8 servings of vegetables and fruits first thing in the morning.  It gives me comfort to know that I am getting raw fruits and vegetables.  I am working my way towards a more substantial raw vegetable intake.  

In addition, I wanted to try my hand at making a paleo-esque trail mix for Husband.  I purchased some ready-made containers with Almonds, Walnuts, Cranberries, and dark chocolate bits.  I added raisins, more almonds, more dried cranberries, and dark chocolate covered espresso beans.  Not a snack for the every day, or for the faint of heart.  I believe that I over purchased a bit and that I will more than likely not need to spend more money for Husband's trail mix for the remainder of this year.

t

Monday, April 1, 2013

Paleo Tirade - a Mom calls BULLSHIT.

I am friends with many wonderful women.  They come in all shapes, sizes, colors and orientations. More than one of them have expressed curiosity about eating a more ancestral diet, and have come a-callin' with questions.  A few of them have even adopted some, or all, aspects of eating Paleo/Primal.

One of these amazingly beautiful women that I am privileged to call friend has been trying very hard to eat Paleo on a limited income.  She happened across a self proclaimed Paleo "Expert" at her gym.

At some point in the conversation, it came to light that she utilizes the conventional meats and fruits/veggies  that she gets at Wal-Mart - she does not even really look to make sure that they are organic.  She buys what she can afford according to the guidelines of Paleo/Primal eating.  

The person that she had been happily chatting with before, chose to become a closed minded, judgmental, jerk-wad of a human being.  He started reading her the riot act about not choosing the highest quality food available.  He actually had the gall to tell her that she might as well not have made any changes to her diet if she did not bother to eat only organic fruits and veggies and grass fed proteins.

Sorry, folks, but I am going to call BULLSHIT.  In an ideal world, everyone would be able to afford the most high qualities of foods with which to nourish themselves and their children.  But, then again, in an ideal world, pure socialism and pure communism would work too.  I am going to drop a bomb on you that will blow your ever lovin' mind - the world in which we live is not perfect. <gasp!>  I know!  Shocked the crap out of me too! 

It is exactly this kind of attitude that keeps people down.  It is an acculturated "crab mentality" in which folks go around telling others than no matter what they do, it is not enough.  Again - bullshit.

It is an attitude that can pervade any group - churches, PTA's, families, etc...  In any group of people, some of them can decide that the action is more important than the humanity.  People can get caught up in making sure that others not only know that their shit does not stink, but are forever pointing out to people the perceived stink of the other person's shit.  They make themselves feel more important by making others feel inadequate.  Again, I am calling bullshit.

Is it better to go along in "business as usual" mode and keep feeding your children fast food chicken nuggets, drive through burgers, or a quick dinner in a box, than it is to feed yourself and your kids fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean cuts of meat - however they are sourced?  I believe that it is better to do a little, than to do nothing at all.  

Changing incrementally is permissible - I give you leave to change as little or as much as is in your comfort and/or income level.  As long as the change is consistently in the right direction, you will eventually make it.  It is actually better to change incrementally than to try to change a whole heck of a lot all at once.  

There are some people that need to go "cold turkey" and bully for them if they can do it- I envy them and their ability!  The other 90% of us will get overwhelmed and trying to change all at once is a recipe for self-sabotage.

We need to stop doing this to one another!  

Each an every person that you meet - look at them and see the person that to you is most precious.  Your child, your parent, your sibling, your lover, a heroic figure that inspires you...  How would you want a stranger to treat that person?  Got it in your head?  Okay..  Now, treat the people you meet that way.  Because the person that you are talking to?  The people that you encounter every day of your life? - we are all important.  Not only because we are important to others, but because we are human beings deserving of feeling good about ourselves.

Because, what do you think is going to happen with the person that you have crushed?  They will go on and self soothe, and there is an 80% chance they they will self soothe in self-destructive ways.  Eating, cutting, smoking, getting high, or nameless and faceless sexual congress.  These are all extreme examples, but I have seen each of them used as incredibly dysfunctional "self soothes".  

I will never knowingly meet this person, since my lovely friend (who called me in tears after the encounter) would never "out" him, so I will unleash here.  Apologies in advance for the tirade, and any language that you may find salty.  I know that it is a sign of a messy mind to rely on foul language, so I will be showing the mess in my head...

"Shame on you!  Look here, buddy, you made my friend feel bad, and that is NOT COOL!  Who the hell do you think you are telling her that she is not a good mother if she does not "suck it up and spend what you have to" in order to feed her kids ground beef at $7.93 per lb. (http://www.grasslandbeef.com/Detail.bok?no=524)  

Do you know how much ground beef you go through when you are feeding 2 teenaged boys and a 12 year old girl, along with your grown self and your grown husband?  Do you have a single clue?  Obviously you do not, so please go out and get one for yourself.  I'll wait right here.  

Oh, you made the decision to eat only the best?  Bully for you, dude!  I am glad that you have that kind of money, but she does not.  I am genuinely glad for you that you have the freedom and the ability to make those choices, because not everybody does.  You live not only better than 99.7% of the world, but better than 90% of your fellow Americans.  You have already won the race - congratulations!  Now, do not hang out at the finish line and kick sand into the faces of everybody else that is not up to your abilities and standards.  It is petty and small of you, and frankly, it is unattractive. 

Do you get the fact that she is trying her ever lovin' best, and does not need you spewing your own issues on to her?  Go take your ass down to the therapy store and get some of that, because your attitude sucks and you obviously got that from somebody.  If they trained you to be an asshole, they probably gave you a host of other problems too, asshole.  

Let's make a deal, you don't go around making people feel like shit about themselves, and I will not use my itty bitty bit of free time thinking of ways to inconvenience you.  I have already figured out that it would be a real bitch if I came over to your house and siphoned your gas every evening so you started out with an empty tank each and every fucking morning for the next week.  Now, of course, I would keep the gas in a container and deliver it back to you later - otherwise it would be stealing-, but wouldn't that be a bitch of an inconvenience for a few days?

You have officially made mad a mini van driving she-bitch mama bear, and woe on you if we ever cross paths.  I will give you an earful, then read you the riot act, then tell you to clean up your act, be a better human, then be forced to bake you a Paleo Banana Nut cake because I felt bad for yelling at you.

Let's save ourselves the time and energies and just have you be a kind human being, okay?"

Thanks to each of you for "listening" to my tirade.  If you find yourself in a situation, and armed with the inclination, where you have the choice of eating according to an ancestral diet with conventionally sourced meats and fruits and vegetables, DO IT!  You do not have to be perfect, your diet does not have to be perfect!  If you are doing something that is on the road to being better than you were before, then KEEP DOING IT!  Do not let the bastards get you down!   Be good, be patient, and be kind.

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