Sephoni

She went back to school yesterday. We’re not sure why (and we are certainly not complaining), but, her pain levels are significantly lower than they were this time last week. We have her off all medication and she wears the TENS unit to school.  We are awaiting paperwork from the pain clinic over at CHoP, getting blood work, and following up with her pediatrician in the meantime.

However, 10 weeks after the original injury at Taekwondo, her back is still one big spasm, but I am doing light massage (with Tiger Balm) as well as energy work on it most evenings. She is still not sleeping. I’m at a loss for what to try next in this regard … melatonin, lavender oil on her pillow, warm milk, prescribed muscle relaxers, even Benedryl … none of it has any effect.

In other news Sephoni has officially become a young woman.  Its funny, in just about 2 weeks, it will be 5 years since her sister hit menarche.  It is thanks to blogging that I even remember the exact date.

Reya

She’s been doing fairly well, in fact she’s been doing great! She’s starting to be more responsible and even more helpful around the house. Her report card was all A’s and B’s again, her classes are chosen for Junior year, and we’re currently planning to start her at a local community college after graduation. The changes to her medications are also going well, and we see her Doctor this Fri to talk about the next tweak. The main stumbling block right now is the lack of a therapist. I am hoping that Friday’s appointment will help us get that on the right path as well.

Tonight Reya tested for her high red belt in Taekwondo. This was a huge accomplishment for her.  Not only did she do well (even breaking a thick board with a flying side kick) but she was singled out for praise by her Master.  I am hoping that it will help us light a fire under her to get her back to going on a more regular basis, especially as the exercise (and the environment) are so good for her.

Hoping that you’re having a great week with your own loved ones.

Blessings

Jia

image by kingrex32

What’s not to love about baked beans?

• they are sweet and savory
• they are easy to make
• they are truly frugal
• they are filling and just so good for you

One cup of pinto beans provides one quarter of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of protein for adults. Supplementing the protein of pinto beans with a little meat, dairy products, rice or corn will provide all the essential amino acids. Because beans contain soluble fiber, they can lower blood cholesterol.
- New Mexico State University

We love baked beans. I can make a batch every week during the summer and they simply disappear. But, they are equally delicious in the cooler months as well.

I filled my crock pot this weekend and made a mess of baked beans to help combat the spring fever we all seem to have. Combined with some hot dogs I purchased at Sam’s Club and some dollar store hot dog rolls (and an as yet undetermined vegetable side) we can have a taste of summer while there are still patches of unmelted snow on the ground.

20 servings

Ingredients:

4 cups dried beans – navy, pinto, or great northern
4 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup brown sugar
2 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP garlic powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

6 cups water (or more)

Directions:

Sort beans to remove any stones, and rinse well.

In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients, and mix well to incorporate.

Pour bean mixture into a 6 qt. crock-pot. Add water making sure to cover bean mixture.

Cook on high setting for 2 hours, then reduce heat to low and cook for at least 12 hours, or until tender.

Serving:

It is perfect to make for a summertime BBQ, to bring to a pot luck, or even to make in anticipation of a week’s worth of meals off the grill.

As a side dish, these beans seem to go with everything from burgers & hot dogs to grilled chicken or even ribs.

But, baked beans with a side of cornbread and a tossed salad is also a perfectly acceptable dinner.

In the event that you find yourself with more beans than you and your family can eat, you can freeze the leftovers. Just be aware that the texture of the beans themselves may get slightly grainy after defrosting.

If serving this at a bar-b-que, consider also making some tomato salad and chickpea salad (and maybe even making your own BBQ sauce if you really want to impress your guests).

Variations:

• For health and budget reasons we tend to stick to vegetarian baked beans. If you prefer to season yours with meat you may add 1 lb of chopped bacon to the bottom of the crock-pot before adding the bean mixture.

Nutritional Information:

Calories 118.2
Total Fat 0.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Total Carbohydrate 36.8 g
Dietary Fiber 11.2 g
Sugars 24.3 g
Protein 7.1 g

_{estimate via Recipe calculator via Sparkpeople.com}

Enjoy!

Jia
Adapted from:

Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting with Your Slow Cooker

You might also enjoy:

400 Barbecues: Sizzling summer recipes for barbecues, grills, griddles, marinades, rubs, sauces and side dishes, with more than 1500 step-by-step stunning photographs

America’s Best BBQ: 100 Recipes from America’s Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses, and Restaurants

After the failed attempt the other day to make a vegan chocolate pudding, using avocados, I decided to go back to my old reliable chocolate pudding recipe. I love this recipe. It requires only basic ingredients that I always have on hand, which allows me to make it on a whim. Plus, its delicious!!!

Ingredients:

5 1/2 cups milk (I use skim milk)
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces

Directions:

In a saucepan, blend all the dry ingredients.  Gradually stir in the milk until you achieve a smooth mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly (but gently), until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  And then cook it a little longer.  You want this to be nice and thick and you want the cornstarch to lose its raw taste.

Be patient, this may take a while but, it’s worth it.

Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted and fully incorporated.

Place in fridge until chilled and thickened, which can take a couple of hours.

Serving:

This is delightful served as is. But, it is much better topped with some real whipped cream, and maybe even some berries.

Additionally, this recipe also makes awesome popsicles.

Variations:

You can cut the sugar back to just 1 cup, to create more of a dark chocolate experience.

You can replace the vanilla with any other extract you like.

You can stir in some finely chopped nuts, or even some shredded coconut, before placing it in the fridge.

You can be really naughty and top it with a spoonful of vegan peanut butter frosting.

Nutritional Information:

Calories 238.1
Total Fat 5.1 g
Saturated Fat 3.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2 g
Monounsaturated Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 15.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 44.8 g
Dietary Fiber 1.1 g
Sugars 37.2 g
Protein 5.6 g

_{estimate via Recipe calculator via Sparkpeople.com}

There is something to be said about the simple pleasure of a homemade dessert. And while it is a lot easier to open a box, add some milk, and stir. That convenience comes along with a whole bunch of chemicals that you and your family simply don’t need. Ingredients that can include Disodium Phosphate, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, other artificial colors, and preservatives.

Making pudding from scratch means your family eats a dessert made from simple basic ingredients, ones that don’t need a degree in chemistry to understand, ones that our great-grandmothers would’ve been able to recognize.  Isn’t that better?

Like this recipe?  Then you’ll love our homemade chocolate syrup.

Jia

This recipe was shared at Real Food Wednesday at Kelly The Kitchen Kop

I had such high hopes for this dish.

I found the original recipe at Love Veggies & Yoga. I knew going in that the mix of pureed avocado, cocoa powder, and agave was not your ordinary run-of-the-mill dessert. But, swayed by her insistence that no one she had ever served it too had been able to taste the avocado I decided to give it a try.

My food processor is one that my father bought for my mother around 20 years ago. It has a less than powerful motor, and a pretty small capacity. As a result, while I bought enough avocados to make a double batch, I had to make it once batch at a time.

The first batch I made almost exactly as written. I replaced half the agave syrup with honey (thus rendering it no longer vegan), and added a teaspoon of chocolate extract. I tasted it when it was done and sure enough, I couldn’t taste the avocado. Granted, there was a faint earthy undertone but nothing that really detracted from my enjoyment of it.

The second batch I tweaked quite a bit. Sephoni is not a fan of dark chocolate, which is what the original recipe tasted like. So as I pureed I added more agave, as well as almond milk, a little at a time until we achieved something that more closely resembled the milk chocolate that she prefers.

Both batches were placed in the fridge and earmarked for a nosh later in the evening.

However, when later in the evening arrived and I excitedly scampered (yes fluffy forty-ish people scamper albeit in my case not altogether gracefully) into the kitchen to dish out bowlfuls for Accolan and I, I sneaked a taste. And to my great disappointment, that which tasted like rich chocolate pudding in the afternoon, now tasted like a chocolate dipped slice of avocado.

Hubby didn’t mind it. He said that it tasted like a chocolate banana pudding using under-ripe fruit. Myself, I had a pretty visceral reaction to it and doubt that I will make it again. I think if we had dished it out right after making it, I would’ve enjoyed it. But, the longer it sat the more evident the avocado flavor became. I think that the next time that I try making vegan pudding I will go in a different direction – perhaps a tofu-based version.

However, your mileage may vary. Best advise? Serve it immediately after making.

Blessings

Jia

For other vegan recipe ideas try books like these:

My Sweet Vegan: passionate about dessert

Vegan Desserts: Sumptuous Sweets for Every Season

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Everyone’s Favorite Treats

I based this recipe on a pork and mushroom dish in a book (Real Thai) that Accolan got me for Yule.  This is the third time I’ve made it. 

The first time I made it exactly as written and it was, frankly, fabulous.  But, I really wanted a dish that was heavier on the vegetables.

So, I made it a second time, greatly increasing the vegetable content, and it was okay, but definitely not a hit. 

This time I made it with the focus on the mushrooms, which was my favorite part of the dish anyhow, and now it is finally a keeper.

Bear in mind however:

1. Keeping this dish frugal means waiting to catch the right prices on the mushrooms.  This can mean going to a store you don’t usually frequent, checking out a farmer’s market, or even (yes I’ll say it) getting lucky in the reduced produce section.
2. While you can make this will all white button mushrooms, please don’t.  Even a scant 1/2 cup of sliced shitakes will add so much complexity to the dish that it is well worth the extra $1 or so you might spend.

Ingredients:

up to 3 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 large Spanish onions, chopped (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup sliced shallot
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
5 cloves garlic, chopped

10 cups sliced mushrooms
1/8 tsp salt

1 cup water
4 Tbsp fish sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/8 tsp black pepper

3/4 cup frozen peas

1 tsp sambal oelek (chili paste)
3 Tbsp corn starch

Directions:

Starting with 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil, saute onions until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, and shallot and cook until soft.

Add mushrooms (a cup or two at a time if necessary, depending on the size of your pan), salt, and more oil (a tsp at a time) as needed. Cook until mushrooms are reduced in volume and tender.

Combine water, fish sauce, soy sauce, and black pepper. Pour over mushrooms, stir well to combine. Allow to cook on a low simmer for a couple of minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Add peas and cook until peas are defrosted.

In a small bowl, spoon a few tablespoons of the sauce out of the pan. Whisk in the corn starch and chili paste until smooth. Return to pan and cook for approximately 5 minutes. You are looking for the sauce to turn into a gravy and for it to lose the raw floury taste of the corn starch.

Serving:

This dish is meant to be served in small amounts over a generous serving of rice. It is very flavorful and incredibly rich.

While this is intended as an entree, it can also be used as a sauce or topping for a nice steak or even some grilled chicken or pork.

Try serving this along with our Red Beef Curry.

How Is This a Frugal Family Meal?

Mainly this dish is frugal because there’s no meat in it. But, mushrooms lend a rich earthy almost meaty taste so you don’t miss it. Getting the best price on mushrooms for most of means catching a good sale in the produce aisle. However the more adventurous may try growing them at home, or even foraging for them.