Cranberry Cider

3 1/2 qts water
1 (12 oz) pkg fresh cranberries
1 1/2 c. sweetener (honey is great if you have that much)
2 oranges, juiced
2 lemons, juiced
12 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks

In a large pot, combine water and cranberries. Bring to a boil (cranberries will pop, so cover the pot), reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add sweetener, orange juice, lemon juice, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Cover, and steep for 1 hour. Strain and remove sticks and cloves (cranberries are optional..I prefer them in).

Yummy! This is definitely a keeper for our family Christmas tradition, and it makes the house smell , delicious! Just add more sweetener if it's too strong.

*from allrecipes.com

Homemade Mayo

1 Whole Egg
2 T. Vinegar or Lemon Juice (I used vinegar because I was out of lemons)
1/2 t. Dry Mustard
1/2 t. Salt
1 c Oil (I use avocado or olive oil--combinations work well. Coconut oil was too strong.)

Place egg, vinegar or lemon juice, seasonings, and 1/4 cup of the oil in the blender in the order indicated. Put on cover. Run blender until contents are thoroughly blended, about 5 seconds. Remove cover. Add remaining oil gradually and run for a few seconds after last oil is added. YIELD: About 1-1/4 cups.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT add all of the oil at once. Do not do this unless you want to waste a whole cup of oil. Remember how I said this recipe is easy? It’s super easy if you read the instructions and follow them. (Anyone have an idea for how I can use my first failed batch?) The second batch came out perfectly.

*submitted by Cheryl Sanger, "no need to buy store-bought mayo...tastes good!"
originally from www.fakeplasticfish.com

Cheesy Corn Quesadillas with Guacamole

Avacados, peeled and mashed with a fork

Cilantro, washed and chopped

Onion, finely minced

Lime, juiced

Garlic Powder

Salt

Pepper

Corn Tortillas

Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1. Prepare all ingredients before peeling the avacados because they brown very fast!  Still tastes fine, but doesn't look that great after sitting out a while.

2. Mix the first 7 ingredients to your preferred taste.  Start with a small amount of everything. 

3. On a non-stick skillet over med. high heat, place the tortillas topped with cheese and another corn tortilla on top of that.  Flip on the other side until cheese is melted and tortillas are a little crispy.  

4. Top the quesadillas with fresh homemade quacamole.  This makes a quick, fresh and delicious snack! 

HEALTH TIP 101: GRAINS

For those of you who have a wheat grinder at home, do you use it regularly? If not, I strongly encourage you to get it out and keep it on your counter top...why?
Most people have learned through experience that refined flour is inimical to good health. According to Prevention Magazine and MANY other health books I have read, as the original wheat kernel is subjected to ever greater processing, more B6 Vitamins are destroyed until losses approach 90%!

Vitamin B6 benefits you in maybe more ways than any other vitamin!

• Vitamin B6 has been called the "mighty-vite" because of all the functions it performs. It is estimated that Vitamin B6 is involved with more than 101 chemical reactions that occur in our bodies. Vitamin B6 helps us by aiding in the manufacturing of amino acids. Amino acids are what we need to build proteins. And as we all know, proteins are essential for the repair and growth of our tissue.

• Vitamin B6 benefits our brains as well. Vitamin B6 helps us to make what's called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that connect one nerve cell to the next and enable these two nerve cells to communicate with one another. These neurotransmitters are essential for regulating our mood and even helping to ward off depression in our later years.

• Vitamin B6 also benefits us by helping us to metabolize our foods and converting these foods into energy we need to get us through our day. Vitamin B6 may play a part in preventing vascular disease and brain disease.

Now that you are aware of how important getting these vital B6 vitamins are, why would we want to continue eating breads/bagels/muffins/pancakes, etc with that white refined flour you get at the store that has about 90% of all those vitamins stripped out?

Grains are the STAFF OF LIFE...so now lets make sure that our WHOLE GRAINS are used in order to keep our bodies healthy! We all know how difficult it is to give up our white refined flour in a society whose eating habits are so heavily based on them. It is relatively easy to replace margerine with butter and refined polyunsaturates with extra virgin olive oil because these fats taste so much better; but white flour, being mildly to severely addictive, is harder to renounce.

So, my first piece of advice is to start replacing white flour products with a variety of ground whole grains.  I like to use about 5 different grains in my flour because then we are getting a nice variety of nutrients and a lighter flour than 100% Whole Wheat Flour.  In fact, Wheat is VERY hard for your body to break down unless it is soaked to soften the outer casing of the Wheat kernals, and that (in my opinion and from all the research I have done) is a main contributer to all the wheat/gluten intolerance that are so common today! So, in my food storage, I have MANY buckets of a variety of grains:

Brown Rice (tons better than white which has been stripped of many vital nutrients)
Spelt (an ancient European grain that was brought to the U.S in the 1890's and is similar to Wheat but easier to digest)
Kamut (One says this grain was found in the tombs of the ancient Egyptian Pharaohs, hence the nickname; "King Tut's Wheat". Another legend is that Noah used the grain on the ark resulting in the nickname “Prophet’s wheat.” Other legends surmise it was brought over by invading armies into Egypt. In Turkey, it has the nickname “Camel's Tooth” due to its hump back shape)
Oat Groats
Millet
Barley
Rye
Teff (a common grain used in Ethiopia and the smallest grain in the world but holds a powerful punch of nutrients)
Popcorn
Buckwheat, etc.

If you have a local Grainery that sells them in big 25-50 lb bags, this is ideal and what I do. They put them into the buckets with a little CO2 and seal them up for me as well which is nice. I buy a bucket or two every month to keep up my food storage.

The buckets at the Kitchen Kneads store where I buy my grains are more expensive, so I save a little money by purchasing the buckets and the arthritis GAMMA LIDS at Walmart. The Gamma lids are so much easier to open and make it easy to get into them. For instance, I have several buckets of Spelt but one of those buckets have a Gamma lid and the others have regular lids. The one that has the Gamma lid is the one I get the grains from and when that is empty, I open one with a regular lid and dump that bucket into the one with the gamma lid. Then I jot down that I need to buy another bucket of Spelt next month to replace the one that I used up. Then I just take my buckets when I go buy the grains and they'll fill, seal, and label them for me.

This is what Charise does to prepare her grains... OK, so now that you have your storage of several different grains, you can now buy yourself a good solid electric grinder. I have a NUTRIMILL and it has lasted for about 8 years so far and seems to be a good one for me. My mother has a MAGIC MILL which has lasted a LONG time as well, so these are just two options for you. After getting your wheat grinder and the grains, you can now keep it on your counter to use every week or every other week. I have smaller buckets of the grains in my pantry upstairs to easily access them and the big buckets are downstairs in my food storage room.

Charise's 5-Grain Flour combines 5 cups of Spelt or Kamut, 1 cup of Rye, 1 cup of Barley, 1 cup of Millet, and 1 cup of Oat Groats.

This is a nice combination to start off with. You can change the amounts to suit you and implement other grains like Buckwheat, Quinoa, Amaranth and other grains. I dump all of these in my wheat grinder and then scoop it all into a plastic storage container. 

NOW, once your flour is ground, it only keeps the vitamins for a day or two on the counter, 1 week in the fridge, but it will last 1 month in the freezer!  So, I now store my freshly ground flour in a tuperware container in the freezer to ensure the valuable nutrients are not lost! 

This 5-Grain Flour is GREAT in EVERYTHING!!! I use it for our pancakes, waffles, muffins, German Pancakes, quick breads, etc! My husband uses it in his yeast bread recipes but also likes to use ground White Beans to keep it a little lighter and fluffier. Many wonder if their breads will be heavier and I tell them NO because you aren't using 100% WHEAT...which is a heavier grain. Because I use 5 different grains and some lighter than others (such as millet, barley and Oats), it is not very dense at all! 

If at first you don't like using ALL whole-grain flour, might I suggest you start by using 1/2 white flour and 1/2 whole grain flour to begin with.  It may take some time to get used to, but you'll soon not want to go back to plain white flour...you'll notice the whole grain flour is much more flavorful and delicious.   Now go and try it for youself...I'm sure you won't be dissappointed and you WILL be so much healhier!

Mini Pumpkin Muffins

1 cup whole-grain flour

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup organic whole cane sugar (brown sugar)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

15 oz pumpkin puree (1 3/4 cup)

2 lg. eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup lowfat granola cereal, crumbled

Chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease mini or regular muffn pans. 

Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. 

Beat sugar and oil in medium mixer bowl until blended.  Add pumpkin and eggs; beat well. 

Gradually stir in flour mixture.  Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 full. 

Sprinkle each with a bout 1/2 tsp. of crumbled granola and a few chocolate chips if desired.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.  Makes 20 servings, 3 mini muffins each.


*From Charise

Corn Syrup Substitute

In most cases, you should be able to replace corn syrup with sugar. The usual rule is as follows:

1 cup corn syrup can often be replaced by 1 1/4 granulated sugar (or light brown sugar) plus 1/4 of liquid (use water or whatever liquid is specified in the recipe you’re using). (there are homemade recipes out there that include cream of tartar and boiling to soft ball stage...but that breaks down the sugars and ends up not being a healthier alternative to store bought corn syrup.)

Other possibilities:
Lyle’s Golden Syrup (use in same quantity as corn syrup) -- Lyle’s Golden Syrup is widely available in the UK, but possibly harder to find in the United States. Decent sized supermarkets may stock it in the British section of the International aisles, I suspect.

Honey (use in same quantity as corn syrup) -- honey is quite a bit sweeter than corn syrup, but if the recipe doesn’t call for a lot of it, this may be an effective substitute.

Molasses (use in same quantity as corn syrup) -- molasses is darker, obviously, and also stronger in flavor. It’s also less sweet than corn syrup, so is probably your last resort.

If you’re baking something like cookies or bread, I’d suggest you try the honey substitute. Honey, like corn syrup, is hygroscopic. Hygroscopic substances attract water molecules from the air. What this means for baking is that cookies and bread baked with honey rather than sugar will tend to stay softer longer.

Nut Milk - Dairy Alternative

I don't have milk much, so when I came across this almond milk recipe I thought, "why not?" It's not bad. I only use it for an ocassional bowl of milk or as a milk alternative in my cooking if I've already made a batch. It only lasts about 4 days, and you'll want to figure out how to use the leftover ground almonds so you don't waste them (I threw them in some sweet bread/muffins or as a cumble topping, or oven for a pie crust.

1/3 C. Raw Organic Nuts (almonds or cashews)
2 C. Water (and 2 c more for soaking)

Need:
A pot
A blender (I use my stick blender)
A mesh strainer (clean nylons might work, maybe?)

1. Soak nuts hours in 2 c. water with 1 1/2 t salt. drain, rinse. (soak for a few hours or overnight)
2. Blend soaked nuts with 2 c. water.
3. Strain nut remnants out (might need to twice).
4. Add sweetener to taste (I normally add a swirl of agave)
5. Shake well and use (or put in fridge)

This generally lasts 4 days, and I found that I could add a little extra water while blending to make it last longer. Or, you can even run the nut pieces you strained through with another 2 cups of water and make another batch if you're lucky (it worked for me).

You can try the egg nog recipe using regular milk or nut milk!

Or try doing it with rice or oats for a 24 hour soak! Oat Milk is actually very nourishing and great to drink during winter!

Herb Hints and FAQ

Herb Hints
1. Best when fresh: parsley, basil, thyme, cumin, mint, rosemary, cilantro, oregano, ginger, lemon grass, garlic.

2. Best when dried: bay leaves, tarragon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika.

3. Growing herbs indoors is easier than you might think. Basil, especially, loves a sunny window sill.

4. Prolonged cooking causes fresh herbs to lose their flavor.

5. Fresh herbs are great in breads including cornbreads, biscuits, dumplings, savory pancakes and waffles.

6. Fresh herbs can be stored in the refrigerator with their stems in water.

7. Dried herbs are good to store for approximately four to six months. Kept too long, dried herbs will loose their flavor and spices will taste stale

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FAQ

What is the difference between an herb and a spice?
The herb is considered the soft part of the plant, like the leaves while a spice is the hard seed, stems and bark.

Do herbs vary in their degree of flavor?
Yes, they do. Keep this in mind in how much of the herb to use and when to add it in the cooking process.

Strong herbs are added in the beginning of a recipe. They benefit from slow simmering.
Use about 1 teaspoon for 6 servings. Strong or dominant herbs include bay, cardamon, caraway, cinnamon, cloves, curry, ginger, juniper berries, hot peppers, mustard, rosemary, saffron, black sage, and whole spices.

The medium flavored herbs are added towards the end of the recipe in the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons for six servings. The herbs in this group are basil, celery seed and leaves, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, lemon grass, tarragon, garlic, marjoram, mint, oregano, savory, thyme and turmeric.

Delicate flavored herbs are called blending herbs, as they make other flavors work well together. Add these herbs freely just before serving. Herbs in the group are salad burnet, chervil, chives and parsley.

When when a recipe calls for dried herbs, what is the ratio of fresh to dried herbs? The ratio is to use 3 times the amount fresh herb as the amount of dried called for in the recipe.

DIY Herb Mixes

Don't have a mix on hand? See if you can improvise with the herbs you have on-hand using these guides...

Old Bay Seasoning
1 T celery seed
1 T whole black peppercorn
6 bay leaves
1/2 t whole cardamom pod
1/2 t mustard seeds
4 whole cloves
1 t sweet Hungarian paprika
1/4 t mace

Curry Powder (blend of spices; create your own by mixing and matching as desired.) Fenugreek seeds (almost always included)—a sweet, yellow seed to be used with cautionCaraway seeds (optional)—strong anise flavor
Fennel seeds' (optional)—weaker licorice flavor than anise, slightly sweetCinnamon (optional)—sweet and flavorful
Cumin—strong, earthy aroma important to the overall flavor of the curry powderPepper, red or white—white pepper is made from the same plant as black pepper but has a milder flavor; red pepper is made from dried chili peppers
Cardamom (optional)—expensive member of the ginger family with a sweet, flowery aroma
Coriander seeds—lightly sweet with hints of citrus and mint
Turmeric—brightly yellow with an earthy bitternessGinger (optional)—sweet and spicy, best to use fresh
Cloves (optional)—strong, distinct flavor; to be used in small amountsMace (optional)—made from same plant as nutmeg with lighter flavor
HINTS
Toast spices for extra flavor.
Husk cardamom pods to get the seeds.
Coriander, cumin, turmeric, and fenugreek form a base.
Add pepper or ginger for extra kick.
Create a bright yellow color with turmeric.

Creole Seasoning Mix
•4 tsp. salt
•1 tsp. paprika
•1 Tbsp. garlic powder
•2 tsp. pepper
•1 tsp. white pepper
•2 tsp. onion powder
•1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
•1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
•1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
•1 tsp. cayenne pepper
•1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Taco Seasoning Mix
•1/4 cup instant minced onion
•2 Tbsp. chili powder
•2 tsp. paprika
•2 tsp. crushed dried red pepper flakes
•1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
•1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
•1 Tbsp. salt
•1/4 tsp. pepper
•2 Tbsp. cornstarch
•1 Tbsp. instant minced garlic
•1 tsp. ground cumin

Italian Seasoning
•1/3 cup dried oregano leaves
•1 Tbsp. garlic powder
•2 tsp. onion salt
•1/3 cup dried basil leaves
•2 Tbsp. rosemary leaves, ground down to 1 tsp.
•1/4 cup dried thyme leaves

Greek Seasoning
•1/4 cup dried oregano leaves
•2 tablespoons fennel seeds
•2 tablespoons dried crushed lemon grass
•2 tablespoons onion
•2 tablespoons garlic
•1 teaspoon black pepper
•1/2 teaspoon salt

Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix
•1 Tbsp. cinnamon
•1-1/2 tsp. ground ginger
•1/2 tsp. ground cloves
•1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
•1/8 tsp. salt

Seasoned Salt
•3/4 cup salt
•1/4 cup garlic salt
•1/2 tsp. pepper
•1/2 tsp. white pepper
•1/2 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
•1 tsp. paprika
•1/8 tsp. celery seed
•1/4 tsp. dry mustard powder

No-Salt Seasoned Salt
•1 Tbsp. garlic powder
•2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
•2 tsp. onion powder
•2 tsp. paprika
•2 tsp. celery seed
•1-1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
•1 Tbsp. dry mustard powder
•2 tsp. dried finely chopped lemon peel
•1 tsp. pepper

Herbs de Provence

•2 T savory

•2 T rosemary

•2 T thyme

•2 T oregano

•2 T basil

•2 T marjoram

•2 T fennel seed
•1 T lavender
(compare to: basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley, marjoram, lavender flowers, fennel seed, and tarragon)

Flavor your own meat like sausage (kinds vary, esp by country, but this is avg)

1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. fennel
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

most Mixes from http://busycooks.about.com/library/recipes/blspicemix.htm

List of Ethnic Flavors - which herbs are used

Caribbean: Allspice, cilantro, curry, garlic, ginger, lime, vanilla.
Chinese: Basil, ginger, sesame seeds, tamari and nama shoyu.
Eastern European: Caraway seeds, dill, parsley.
French: chives, garlic, parsley, tarragon, lemon peel.
Greek: oregano, mint, thyme, basil, marjoram, onion, garlic

Indian: Anise, cardamom, chilies, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry, fennel, garlic, ginger, mint, mustard, saffron, tamarind and turmeric.

Indonesian: Basil, chilies, cilantro, cinnamon, cumin, curry, garlic, ginger, lime, mint and nama shoyu.
Italian: Basil, garlic, oregano, and rosemary.
Japanese: Garlic, ginger, miso, sesame seeds, wasabi, tamari and nama shoyu.
Latin American: chiles, cumin, cilantro, garlic, limes, chocolate, and cinnamon.
Middle Eastern: Anise, cilantro, chilies, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, lemon, mint, oregano, parsley, saffron, sesame, and tahini.
Thai: Basil, chilies, cilantro, cumin, curry, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime, mint, tamarind and turmeric.

List of Foods - with which herbs

Beans (dried): cumin, cayenne, chili, parsley, pepper, sage, savory, thyme
Beef: basil, bay, chili, cilantro, curry, cumin, garlic, marjoram, mustard, oregano, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme
Breads: anise, basil, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, lemon peel, orange peel, oregano, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, sage, thyme
Cheese: basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chili, chives, coriander, cumin, dill, garlic, horseradish, lemon peel, marjoram, mint, mustard, nutmeg, paprika, parsley, pepper, sage, tarragon, thyme
Chicken: allspice, basil, bay, cinnamon, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger lemongrass, mustard, paprika, rosemary, saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, thyme
Corn: chili, curry, dill, marjoram, parsley, savory, thyme
Eggs: basil, chervil, chili, chives, curry, dill, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, sage, tarragon, thyme
Fish: anise, basil, bay, cayenne, celery seed, chives, curry, dill fennel, garlic, ginger, lemon peel, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme, saffron, sage, savory, tarragon, marjoram
Fruits: allspice, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, ginger, mint
Lamb: basil, bay, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, curry, dill, garlic, marjoram, mint, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme
Potatoes: basil, caraway, celery seed, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, marjoram, oregano, paprika, parsley, poppy seed, rosemary, tarragon, thyme
Salad Dressings: basil, celery seed, chives, dill, fennel, garlic, horseradish, marjoram, mustard, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, rosemary, saffron, tarragon, thyme
Salads: basil, caraway, chives, dill, garlic, lemon peel, lovage, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme
Soups: basil, bay, chervil, chili, chives, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, marjoram, parsley, pepper, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme
Sweets: allspice, angelica, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, ginger, lemon peel, mace, nutmeg, mint, orange peel, rosemary
Tomatoes: basil, bay , celery seed, cinnamon, chili, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, gumbo file, lemongrass, marjoram, oregano, parsley, rosemary, savory, tarragon, thyme

Quick Grain Nutrient Comparison

If you want to know a brief breakdown of each grain, how to cook, and a simple recipe or two for each, check out this awesome summary page: http://www.foodfit.com/healthy/healthygrains.asp

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Here's another great website for detail for every grain: how to cook,where each is from, the nutrient properties, etc.: http://www.versagrain.com/

Here are some nutrient comparisons from that site:

They have pages dedicated to each of these grains:
South American Grains
Amaranth
Corn
Quinoa

African GrainsMillet
Teff

Middle Eastern Grains
Barley
Emmer
Flax
Kamut

North American Grains
Chia
Wheat
Wild Rice

European Grains
Oat
Rye
Spelt

Asian Grains
Brown Rice
Buckwheat
Job's Tears

List of Herbs - with which foods

Basil: pasta, tomato dishes, pesto, eggs, cheese, salads, italian dishes, Thai dishes
Caraway seeds: stir-fries
Cardamom: rice, rice cakes, cookies (typical in curries)
Cinnamon: cakes, pies, cookies, ice cream, toasts, rice pudding. Can also be infused into tea, soups, stews and sauces.
Coriander seeds: poultry, fish (common in Indian foods and curries)
Chili: spicy dishes (good with cumin in mexican dishes)
Chives: potatoes, sauces, salads, eggs, savory pancakes
Cilantro: Asian soups, salads, pesto, chicken, dips and sauces (also typical in Mexican food)
Cloves: baked hams, fruit salads, Oriental chicken dish, mulled drinks
Dried herbs: meat, poultry, fish
Dill: fish especially salmon and shrimp, mayonnaise or thick dressing, potatoes, tartar sauce
Garlic: sauces, most vegetable dishes, meat and poultry, spreads
Ginger: ice cream, Chinese dishes, tea, cookies
Lemon Grass: tea and Thai foods (like curry)
Mint: eggs, lamb, fruit salad, iced tea , chocolate sauces and garnish on deserts such as: cakes, ice cream
Mustard Seeds: meat and poultry
Oregano: fish, tomato sauce, pizzas (and Italian dishes)
Paprika: chicken, rice
Parsley: cucumber salad, green salad, potato, rice, pasta, egg, garnish on fish dishes, broiled meats and vegetables, seafood, soup, stew, gratins
Rosemary: roast chicken, lamb, pork, potato, beans, polenta, quesadillas
Salt and Pepper: most savory dishes.
Saffron: rice, stews and soups
Sage: bread, cheese, stuffing, sausage, turkey
Tarragon: lamb, chicken, fish, mayonnaise
Thyme: poultry, soups, and stuffing
Tumeric: Rice

Käsespätzle: German Cheese Noodles

*pronounced kay-zuh (cheese) schpet-zluh (noodle)

4 eggs
2 c. flour (I do 1/2 wheat)
½ t. ground nutmeg
½ c. milk
1 t. salt
4 c. chicken broth
1 T butter
½ onion, chopped
1½ c. emmenthaler cheese, grated (or swiss, Jarlsberg or gouda--our fav.)few slices of pepperoni (opt.)

1. Prepare the batter in a bowl, with flour, milk, eggs, salt and ground nutmeg.
2. Boil a large pot of chicken broth. Form the spaetzle, using a special spaetzle maker, or I just use a rubber spatula with holes to push the batter through, or a large-holed colander, etc. into the boiling water. Cook the spaetzle in boiling water for a few minutes. When they float to the top, you can take them out (they can sit in there for a few minutes though. I do 1/4 of the wet batter at a time, then spoon those out and start the next 1/4); drain it in a colander or on paper towels.
3. Sauté half an onion in butter, then add the noodles. Within a few minutes, or at the same time, add the cheese and stir the mixture until the spaetzle begins to brown. (This is when we add little pieces of pepperoni for extra awesome flavor, but that's just us, not traditional.)
4. Serve immediately, sprinkled with salt and pepper. Any type of Swiss cheese can be used instead of emmenthaler cheese.

**For those who really love cheese, the dish can be sprinkled with additional cheese and broiled briefly. This is typically served with a breaded meat or something, but we just throw in a little meat. It might not be the most amazing meal, but it's definitely fun to try...the noodle are cute and an interesting way of making noodles.

Simple Feta Stuffed Sweet Peppers

Mini Sweet Peppers
Feta Cheese
Basil
-opt. version: quinoa cooked in chicken broth with spinach and salt

Cut the tops off the mini peppers and take out the seeds.
Fill each pepper with some feta and sprinkle the basil into each as desired.
Place on a tray and bake on 350 for 20-30 minutes until roasted/slight browning.


**I got a bag of these from Costco, which has the recipe on the back. These look fun and colorful and would be good appetizers. Try with cream cheese for a less-healthy option, or play around with the seasoning/flavor. They also taste great stuffed with quinoa cooked in chicken broth and added with spinach and feta inside too!

JUICE PLUS VITAMINS

If you aren't taking any vitamins... I suggest a whole-food vitamin! These have 7 fruits and 7 vegetables in two capsules each. They aren't too expensive ($40/month for me and one child), and are worth every penny! Our family rarely get sick and the other kids and my husband share ours when we happen to forget to take them that day. This way, we all benefit from a little added nutrition! They will jump-start you in the right and HEALTHY direction! Visit: www.juiceplus.com

Understanding Organic labels

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established an organic certification program that requires all organic foods to meet strict government standards.

If a food bears a USDA Organic label, it means it's produced and processed according to the USDA standards and that at least 95 percent of the food's ingredients are organically produced. The seal is voluntary, but many organic producers use it.

Products certified 95 percent or more organic display the large USDA circle seal.

Products that are completely organic — such as fruits, vegetables, eggs or other single-ingredient foods — are labeled 100 percent organic and can carry a small USDA seal.

Foods that have more than one ingredient, such as breakfast cereal, can use the USDA organic seal or the following wording on their package labels, depending on the number of organic ingredients:

100 percent organic - Products that are completely organic or made of all organic ingredients.
Organic - Products that are at least 95 percent organic.
Made with organic ingredients - These are products that contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients. The organic seal can't be used on these packages.

Foods containing less than 70 percent organic ingredients can't use the organic seal or the word "organic" on their product label. They can include the organic items in their ingredient list, however.

You may see other terms on food labels, such as "all-natural," "free-range" or "hormone-free." These descriptions may be important to you, but don't confuse them with the term "organic." Only those foods that are grown and processed according to USDA organic standards can be labeled organic.

Seasonal Produce List

To view this list larger, click on the picture. IT will take you to a full page of it, but then hold ctrl and type + (do the same to shrink, but - instead of +)

It's important to know which produce is in season for smart and healthy variety to your meals.
Take note of which foods are year-round, so you can use those for your foundational meal planning menus. This will also help you keep track of when produce will be most available and hence cheapest.

I love stocking up on zucchini in the summer and pumpkin in the fall. Always try to buy local, in season and organic if possible. Definitely look for a local farmer's market or produce stand to better find organic and local options.

Which Organic Produce to Buy

DIRTY DOZEN LIST
www.organic.org

12 Most Contaminated


12 Least Contaminated
Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn (Frozen)
Pineapples
Mango
Asparagus
Sweet Peas (Frozen)
Kiwi Fruit
Bananas
Cabbage
Broccoli
Papaya

When to throw which foods away?

Here are some rough expiration dates for some unopened pantry items:
not to be confused with bulk food storage type items that are packaged properly to last longer
Beans (dried): 1 year
Cake mixes: 15 months
Canned goods: 2+ years
Chocolate: 1 to 2 years
Condiments (most of them): 1+ year(s)
Confectioner's sugar: 18 months
Cornmeal: 1 year
Evaporated milk: 1 year
Flour: 1 year
Pasta: 2 years
Rice: 1 to 2 years
Soup mix: 2 years
Spices (ground): 1 year
Spices (whole): 2 to 4 years
Sugar (brown and white): Indefinitely
Vanilla: 5 years


Here's Ziploc's list of foods and dates... (mostly perishables)
To view this list larger, click on the picture. IT will take you to a full page of it, but then hold ctrl and type + (do the same to shrink, but - instead of +)