ROVERS' REMEDY #2: Creative Cooking, Making do and Preparing a "Shopper's List"
Our small spaces are getting a closer look. Living tiny over time is taking on a new level of meaning as our town, and the world hunker down and back to basics.
With the mostly sunny day and warmer temperatures ahead Pete and I are moving things around: moving the cooking from the porch down the four stairs to the 'ground floor' to keep the smells from seeping in the vardo; replace the hot plate/burner with the food prep station and the making of Nourishing Herbal Infusions.
The hanging wire baskets in the kitchen have been cleaned out, and I can see and count what we have. Inventory. We use a big cooler for our frig and two blocks of ice to keep food cold. A second cooler (with no ice) is filled with our 'staples' (flours, grains, pasta, dried seasoning and seaweeds) and stored in the back of the Subaru. With warmer days I have the sun shades protecting that cooler and our bulk dried Infusion Herbs. An old plastic milk crate holds the bottles of Vodka and Gin (I don't handle the smell of Gin; too many Gin and Tonics back in the drinking years:/...Pete didn't know that when he shopped.)We use the liquor to make our DIY hand sanitizer. The mortar and pestle and the hand blender that's wonderful for turning chunky food into smooth soups are also in that milk crate.
In yesterday's post I described what we were going through: panic! Taming the emotions, relaxing our pace and talking through things has helped. Taking inventory of both the emotional stock and the staple foods we have on hand is a really good use of time.
Our next step in getting back to basics and incorporating the new reality of "virus conscious best practices" meant I needed to see, touch and count exactly what food we do have on hand. I did that yesterday: emptied the cooler of our staple food, consolidated grains and flours, counted what I had and cleaned the cooler.
The rice dish is a one-pot meal that can be gussied up if you have fresh or dried herbs. If you cook with a full-size stove and kitchen, you could turn my one-pot dish into a two-step meal: cook the rice first and then either let it rest over night. Make a fried rice meal the next night. Use the same onion and garlic base for flavor and add other ingredients if you have them. Fried rice made with rice that's had a chance to 'dry' over night is easier to fry. But, if you can't wait, go for it the same night you cook the rice, set the cook rice aside while you put the onions and garlic into some warmed oil oil, stirring to carmelize and add the cooked rice.
I need to create as many one-pot meal as possible, given our Safety Pin Life, with one burner, and one oven (and electrical service for using one appliance at a time). Quinoa is already a great source of protein. If you made millet or rice and have a can of beans or a can of sardines it's a feast! Fresh veg or fruit would fill out a meal, but, if you don't have fresh veg or (like us) don't have a freezer to store frozen veg? That's where Nourishing Herbal Infusions supply us with the nourishment of minerals, and much more.
With my inventory of what I have, and my imagination putting together meals that would work if I had a few OTHER FOODS, I made a second list: "Foods I'd like."
Here's the list and comments I sent to our friend whose considering being our shopper:
I hope this post gives you some ideas for making a go with the food you might already have on hand, and maybe inspire you to get creative about making new recipes to stretch your food budget and stretch what food you have. The use of Herbal Infusions might boost the demand for 'eating weeds' and that might be a mixed blessing. On the other hand, eating more 'weeds' and looking differently at what is already growing outside your door could be a huge blessing. Maybe the use of pesticides and 'lawn care' will turn a corner and that would be good for Earthlings all around.
We are in this together, always have been. Fasten your safety pins, take stock of your inventory and let us know what you come up with ... over time!
Bon Appetit. To your good health!
Moki
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| The porch cook area has moved down a few steps. (We have no working iphone ... so new photos aren't possible) |
With the mostly sunny day and warmer temperatures ahead Pete and I are moving things around: moving the cooking from the porch down the four stairs to the 'ground floor' to keep the smells from seeping in the vardo; replace the hot plate/burner with the food prep station and the making of Nourishing Herbal Infusions.
More than ever, the nourishment we get from infusions made from Stinging Nettles, Oat Straw, Red Clover, Comfrey Leaf, and Mullein Leaf is a great comfort. We've been making and drinking Nourishing Herbal Infusions for almost four years now, and feel the benefits of the one ounce of dried herbs steeped overnight in a quart size canning jar. For a few cents (less than a $1.00) we have affordable and optimal 'food.'We work with the folks who order bulk in our local grocery stores (Star Store and the Goose), and order 1 pound bags of herbs that last us many weeks. We have herbs ordered now and we'll see how the suppliers are able to keep up with demands.
The hanging wire baskets in the kitchen have been cleaned out, and I can see and count what we have. Inventory. We use a big cooler for our frig and two blocks of ice to keep food cold. A second cooler (with no ice) is filled with our 'staples' (flours, grains, pasta, dried seasoning and seaweeds) and stored in the back of the Subaru. With warmer days I have the sun shades protecting that cooler and our bulk dried Infusion Herbs. An old plastic milk crate holds the bottles of Vodka and Gin (I don't handle the smell of Gin; too many Gin and Tonics back in the drinking years:/...Pete didn't know that when he shopped.)We use the liquor to make our DIY hand sanitizer. The mortar and pestle and the hand blender that's wonderful for turning chunky food into smooth soups are also in that milk crate.
In yesterday's post I described what we were going through: panic! Taming the emotions, relaxing our pace and talking through things has helped. Taking inventory of both the emotional stock and the staple foods we have on hand is a really good use of time.
Our next step in getting back to basics and incorporating the new reality of "virus conscious best practices" meant I needed to see, touch and count exactly what food we do have on hand. I did that yesterday: emptied the cooler of our staple food, consolidated grains and flours, counted what I had and cleaned the cooler.
A big part of cooking for me, and probably for most cooks who have been making do over time, is to see what can be made from what I have. For example, we have cups of quinoa, millet and short grain brown rice. I like to have round onions and garlic. Right now I have one onion and a partial onion, and the same amount of garlic. There's less than a cup of olive oil left, and equally as much coconut oil. What could I make with quinoa (millet or brown rice) an onion, garlic and olive oil? Well, one easy meal would be to cook the washed 1-2 cups of the grain/seed in the right amount of water with a pinch of salt. Bring the grain and water to a boil while I chop the onion, peel, smash and dice the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the rice and lower the temperature enough to keep the rice going but not overflow. Cover, and let the grain steam till the liquid is gone. Checking to make sure the heat is not too high to burn.
The rice dish is a one-pot meal that can be gussied up if you have fresh or dried herbs. If you cook with a full-size stove and kitchen, you could turn my one-pot dish into a two-step meal: cook the rice first and then either let it rest over night. Make a fried rice meal the next night. Use the same onion and garlic base for flavor and add other ingredients if you have them. Fried rice made with rice that's had a chance to 'dry' over night is easier to fry. But, if you can't wait, go for it the same night you cook the rice, set the cook rice aside while you put the onions and garlic into some warmed oil oil, stirring to carmelize and add the cooked rice.
I need to create as many one-pot meal as possible, given our Safety Pin Life, with one burner, and one oven (and electrical service for using one appliance at a time). Quinoa is already a great source of protein. If you made millet or rice and have a can of beans or a can of sardines it's a feast! Fresh veg or fruit would fill out a meal, but, if you don't have fresh veg or (like us) don't have a freezer to store frozen veg? That's where Nourishing Herbal Infusions supply us with the nourishment of minerals, and much more.
With my inventory of what I have, and my imagination putting together meals that would work if I had a few OTHER FOODS, I made a second list: "Foods I'd like."
Since this list would be used by someone other than me or Pete, -- we are in the 'high risk folks', over seventy, fragile health -- and there's no guarantee the foods; quantities; or brands of preference will be there when our friend/shopper(s) get to the market ... I made notes to the list.
Here's the list and comments I sent to our friend whose considering being our shopper:
How are you? We really want you to know how much we appreciate you. So we're asking SO WE DON'T add more to what you're managing. We have one other person who has offered to shop, too.
TAKE A LOOK AT OUR LIST. What do you think of it?So ... if my friend and shopper is able to get the things on my list ... What meals could you come up with knowing I have staples (like grains and lentils) already on hand? Leave your ideas or recipes in the comments. Wouldn't that would make for great community, don't you think.
ORGANICFresh Produceyellow onions (6)garlic (4-6 cloves)yams and/or sweet potatoes (4-6)any variety of hardy greensapples/pears/oranges (whatever is available)ORGANIC CANNED GOODStomatoes in whatever assortment is available (diced, whole, stewed)4-6 cansgreen beanscornbeans (any assortment of kidney, pinto, white, black) 6 cansOTHER STAPLESOrganic coconut oil (I'd prefer not to buy Spectrum Brand, but if that's the only one left ... there you are:)Organic olive oil in a bottle (Napa Valley Organics is our preference, but again what is available)Coconut Milk Whole (Not low fat, if possible) in can (Thai Kitchen Unsweetened if our preference)Baking Soda (Essential Brand)OTHER FOOD2 lbs. Organic Salted Butter (Organic Valley) If you're shopping at The Goose the butter is on the end of the Bulk Section facing the back of the store's Receiving Area. The Hempler's Bacon is across from the butter, to the left of the Receiving Area doors.1 lb. Hempler's Thick Center Cut Uncured BaconOrganic Wallaby Brand Vanilla Aussie Smooth Whole Milk Yogurt 32 oz.applesauce (bottle if there are any) a couple jarsBULK2 lbs. Organic oatmeal2 lbs. short grain brown riceSmall ziplock baggie of Italian Seasoning
I hope this post gives you some ideas for making a go with the food you might already have on hand, and maybe inspire you to get creative about making new recipes to stretch your food budget and stretch what food you have. The use of Herbal Infusions might boost the demand for 'eating weeds' and that might be a mixed blessing. On the other hand, eating more 'weeds' and looking differently at what is already growing outside your door could be a huge blessing. Maybe the use of pesticides and 'lawn care' will turn a corner and that would be good for Earthlings all around.
We are in this together, always have been. Fasten your safety pins, take stock of your inventory and let us know what you come up with ... over time!
Bon Appetit. To your good health!
Moki
We had to make adjustments -- move the safety pin -- to the Shopper's List when we learned our friend had to make adjustments to her level of lock-down. Things are changing fast in viral times. I'm in communication with family and friends online asking them to mail us things off our list. We'll see how that turns out, and, are we grateful for people who do pitch in. In the meantime, I made a big pot of lentils with that 1/2 onion, four cloves of garlic, a few little carrots from Good Cheer Food Bank, and freshly snipped Stinging Nettle Tops (Pete took the sting in harvesting while I cooked). Along with the very thick Lentil Soup (which I will loosen up with more water) I made fresh corn tortillas with Masa Harina for our Breakfast and Lunch. There's plenty, and enough to share, too. Amazing times.
ReplyDeleteUpdate #2: Our young friend shopped for us. "You got the last yogurt!" It was the exact variety I love, and given the status of the shopping culture of now, that was a big deal. What we are learning is to appreciate what we have, if we have it, when we have it. There were no canned vegetables left on the shelves but we have a bottle of olive oil, and coconut oil. There was applesauce, so I ate applesauce on yogurt for dinner! The other thing applesauce will be good for? Substituting eggs to make pancakes. Treats. It's been a doozie of a day. Should call it good for now. Be well. Good night.
ReplyDeleteUpdate #3: It's Thursday, March 19th. Notice the items crossed out in the list above? We're getting help and appreciate it so much!!
ReplyDeleteWe're learning to communicate, differently. Important lesson. It's learning to communicate (via email and phone conversation) with friends and family about what we REALLY NEED, and what are lives are really like. Seems a 'no brainer' but it's not. Or, maybe it was speaking with others with no brain or heart?? Anyway, we had a great phone conversation with our niece this morning who is volunteering to shop for some light-weight food items in her neighborhood and mail them to us. We got to talk about what life in these times is like for them; and for us. In addition to talking about 'canned beans' the family talk was as important, if not more important. What are your conversations like these days?