Another tasty recipe to add to the mix. We have always loved yellow rice (with chicken for those family members who eat meat). For the longest time I just picked up one of those packets of yellow rice mix from the store (okay, really two packets because my family loved it so much), added shredded chicken to half of it, and POW, dinner was served. Well, not exactly. Some liked to add salsa to the top (me included) and there were always green beans on the side.
In my attempts to healthify my family, I have been reading any and all nutrition labels. You'd never guess what I found in my innocent looking yellow rice mix. None other than MSG! That's right. That pesky little preservative was hiding out in my rice mix, just waiting to cause a migraine or CVS episode. I have since banned said rice mix and we have gone without for several months.
Jolie is a really big fan of yellow rice and asked about having it again several weeks ago, which prompted my search for a healthy alternative. I knew that the rice mix had saffron in it, so I started there. I spent a whopping $8.50 on saffron at the commissary and started looking up recipes. I looked through quite a few, hoping for a vegetarian version that I could add chicken to for my omnivores. I finally settled on a variation of the Arroz con Pollo recipe on the McCormick website. I figured they sold me the saffron, maybe they had a recipe to go with it.
Below is my altered version, lovingly called "Saffron Yellow Rice." I doubled the recipe for my hungry brood. I wish I had a photo to share, but it went so fast, that there just wasn't time.
Enjoy!
Saffron Yellow Rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, Ground
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 cup long grain rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) vegetable (or chicken) broth
1/4 teaspoon Spanish Saffron, crushed
1/4 cup sliced green olives
Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add rice and garlic; cook and stir about 1 minute. Stir in broth, salt, paprika, pepper, and saffron. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until chicken rice is tender. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with olives, if desired.
Showing posts with label Nutrition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nutrition. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Vegetable Exposure
I was never really exposed to a variety of vegetables as a child. We usually ate the traditional canned green beans, peas and carrots, and mixed vegetables. We’d have corn on the cob when it was in season, potatoes and carrots with a roast, and a bagged salad from time to time. I just don’t really remember having a wide offering of vegetables on the dinner table.
As an example, I don't remember ever really having sweet potatoes. I believe my first encounter with sweet potatoes was Thanksgiving 1988 when a close family friend made sweet potato casserole (you know, the one with the marshmallows on top) for our first Thanksgiving getaway to a cabin in North Carolina. They were orange and scary looking. I’m not sure if I even tried a bite.
It wasn’t until adulthood when one of my sisters mentioned having a sweet potato at a restaurant as a substitution for a regular baked potato did the thought of sweet potatoes intrigue me. I didn’t realize that substitution was a possibility, nor how it would taste, so I decided that I should go ahead and give them a try. Well golly gee, they were pretty darn tasty. Why hadn’t I ever experienced that yummy-ness before? It was settled, sweet potatoes would be a semi-regular part of my diet.
To be honest, sweet potatoes still had to be dressed up pretty heavily in order to be “tasty” in my book for a long time. Sweet potatoes and marshmallows were supposed to be paired like peas and carrots, weren’t they? Now that I am older and wiser I can tell you…no.
Hoping to break the cycle, my kids have had a considerable amount of exposure to vegetables of all shapes and colors. I do have to admit that we renamed carrot soufflé "orange soufflé" so that the kids would try it, but now that they are hooked, they have all been let in on my little secret. They each have their favorite vegetables and squirm a bit when they see certain vegetables on their plates, but each is a good sport and tries my new vegetable concoctions (wish I could say the same for Justin). They all know that if they give me constructive criticism (not, “yuck, Mom! That sucks!”), then I can adjust recipes (or chuck them if they really do suck) accordingly to meet most everyone’s needs (again, Justin can be hard to please sometimes…can you say “MEAT AND POTATOES!”).
I have started to take the kids with me to the farmer’s market each week to look at and purchase vegetables from local farmers. Two weeks ago we bought some collard greens to try as a family. To be honest, I had never had collards before (forgive me, my parents grew up in the mid-west), and was interested in trying them. I searched online for a recipe and tried it out. It was a success in my book. Everyone tried them and Justin actually loved them. The kids weren’t big fans, but as their exposure increases and they try a little each time I make collards, I’m sure that they will start to grow on them as well. I’m excited to see what the farmers will have in stock on Saturday for us to try.
I think getting up close and personal with our food is important. That is one reason why I asked the kids what they wanted to grow in our garden this year. I figure if they have a say in what we are growing, then hopefully they will be more inclined to help with the cultivation and ultimately in the consumption of the “fruits” of their labor. Just today, after making creamy potato soup with broccoli, I was asked if I was sure I had ordered broccoli and potatoes for our garden. When I answered in the affirmative, there were cheers all around the table.
My suggestions for exposing children to new vegetables is to do just that, expose the kids to new vegetables. Don’t overwhelm them, mind you, but a spoon full of squash in conjunction with another vegetable that they do like is a great way to give the new vegetable some face time. I always have our trusty standby, lettuce, on hand just in case. If my new vegetable concoction doesn’t go over well, I quickly fill in with a lettuce salad. I have one that loves salad by itself, one that likes to have a small amount of dressing on the side so that they can dip their salad, and one that doesn’t really care for salad, but when presented with a scary vegetable concoction, will douse a salad in ranch dressing and call it a day. A child who never encounters zucchini, will more than likely turn their nose up at it without trying it when they are older, but if they are exposed to it when they are young, there is a possibility that if they don’t immediately fall in love with it, that it might grow on them over time. At least with repeated exposure, the child, and ultimately the adult, will be able to say how they like (or don’t like) a certain vegetable prepared (raw, steamed, baked, grilled, etc.).
The My Pyramid website has a lot of great information about the “newer” designed food pyramid. It looks dramatically different than it did when I was a kid. If you haven’t seen it lately, you may want to pop over and give it a look-see. The site has some helpful tips as well as a My Pyramid Plan to personalize the pyramid for yourself and/or your kids to see exactly what types and how many servings of each food group should be consumed.
As an example, I don't remember ever really having sweet potatoes. I believe my first encounter with sweet potatoes was Thanksgiving 1988 when a close family friend made sweet potato casserole (you know, the one with the marshmallows on top) for our first Thanksgiving getaway to a cabin in North Carolina. They were orange and scary looking. I’m not sure if I even tried a bite.
It wasn’t until adulthood when one of my sisters mentioned having a sweet potato at a restaurant as a substitution for a regular baked potato did the thought of sweet potatoes intrigue me. I didn’t realize that substitution was a possibility, nor how it would taste, so I decided that I should go ahead and give them a try. Well golly gee, they were pretty darn tasty. Why hadn’t I ever experienced that yummy-ness before? It was settled, sweet potatoes would be a semi-regular part of my diet.
To be honest, sweet potatoes still had to be dressed up pretty heavily in order to be “tasty” in my book for a long time. Sweet potatoes and marshmallows were supposed to be paired like peas and carrots, weren’t they? Now that I am older and wiser I can tell you…no.
Hoping to break the cycle, my kids have had a considerable amount of exposure to vegetables of all shapes and colors. I do have to admit that we renamed carrot soufflé "orange soufflé" so that the kids would try it, but now that they are hooked, they have all been let in on my little secret. They each have their favorite vegetables and squirm a bit when they see certain vegetables on their plates, but each is a good sport and tries my new vegetable concoctions (wish I could say the same for Justin). They all know that if they give me constructive criticism (not, “yuck, Mom! That sucks!”), then I can adjust recipes (or chuck them if they really do suck) accordingly to meet most everyone’s needs (again, Justin can be hard to please sometimes…can you say “MEAT AND POTATOES!”).
I have started to take the kids with me to the farmer’s market each week to look at and purchase vegetables from local farmers. Two weeks ago we bought some collard greens to try as a family. To be honest, I had never had collards before (forgive me, my parents grew up in the mid-west), and was interested in trying them. I searched online for a recipe and tried it out. It was a success in my book. Everyone tried them and Justin actually loved them. The kids weren’t big fans, but as their exposure increases and they try a little each time I make collards, I’m sure that they will start to grow on them as well. I’m excited to see what the farmers will have in stock on Saturday for us to try.
I think getting up close and personal with our food is important. That is one reason why I asked the kids what they wanted to grow in our garden this year. I figure if they have a say in what we are growing, then hopefully they will be more inclined to help with the cultivation and ultimately in the consumption of the “fruits” of their labor. Just today, after making creamy potato soup with broccoli, I was asked if I was sure I had ordered broccoli and potatoes for our garden. When I answered in the affirmative, there were cheers all around the table.
My suggestions for exposing children to new vegetables is to do just that, expose the kids to new vegetables. Don’t overwhelm them, mind you, but a spoon full of squash in conjunction with another vegetable that they do like is a great way to give the new vegetable some face time. I always have our trusty standby, lettuce, on hand just in case. If my new vegetable concoction doesn’t go over well, I quickly fill in with a lettuce salad. I have one that loves salad by itself, one that likes to have a small amount of dressing on the side so that they can dip their salad, and one that doesn’t really care for salad, but when presented with a scary vegetable concoction, will douse a salad in ranch dressing and call it a day. A child who never encounters zucchini, will more than likely turn their nose up at it without trying it when they are older, but if they are exposed to it when they are young, there is a possibility that if they don’t immediately fall in love with it, that it might grow on them over time. At least with repeated exposure, the child, and ultimately the adult, will be able to say how they like (or don’t like) a certain vegetable prepared (raw, steamed, baked, grilled, etc.).
The My Pyramid website has a lot of great information about the “newer” designed food pyramid. It looks dramatically different than it did when I was a kid. If you haven’t seen it lately, you may want to pop over and give it a look-see. The site has some helpful tips as well as a My Pyramid Plan to personalize the pyramid for yourself and/or your kids to see exactly what types and how many servings of each food group should be consumed.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Seed Orders are In
I finally got around to ordering the seeds for my garden. I’m probably a little late considering we live in Florida and the weather seems to be making the shift toward spring. I am also delinquent in planning my garden design, building fencing, and getting my tilling done. If the weather holds, I will be getting my hands dirty this weekend for sure. I did find a garden planning website that looks promising. Plangarden.com has a 45-day free trial, so I think I might give them a try and see if it works for me.
I ordered seeds and live plants from two different companies. I’ve never ordered seeds online before. In the past, I have just grabbed some seeds when we were at a home improvement store and threw them in the ground. I have had fairly good luck with my generic seeds, but since we are making adjustments in other areas of our lives in order to be more health and eco-conscious, I decided it was time to spring for something a little different.
As I learn more about homesteading, becoming self-sustaining, improving our nutrition, and eco-friendly practices, I am realizing the importance of growing food to sustain my family nutritionally and financially, as well as ensuring that my gardening is having a positive impact on the environment.
Buying organic is important to me not only for the nutritional value of the organic food, but also the way in which the food is grown. There is some great information on sustainable agriculture and organic farming on the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service website. We buy organic products to reduce the amount of pesticides being used, support non-GMO crops, and encourage the growth of the local farming community.
Because our garden is in the start-up phases this year due to our move, we have decided to participate in our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program offered by one of the local farmers. His produce will help to supplement the veggies and fruits we will have in our garden this year. We are also currently purchasing eggs from this local farmer and will have chicken this spring and turkey in the fall. Supporting the local famers is important to our family, so we will be making a trip to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday to see what is available.
It should be no surprise that the seeds I ordered are organic, open-pollinated, and in many cases heirloom. I am excited about their arrival and know that I need to get a move on so that I’m ready to plant not long after they arrive.
Here is the list of seeds (by company) that I ordered. I’m looking forward to trying out some new varieties (Hopi Blue Flour Corn, for instance) and getting back in touch with some old favorites (Blue Lake Bush Green Beans).
Wish us luck!
Seeds of Change
Seeds-
CAULIFLOWER, ALL-THE-YEAR-ROUND
CORN, HOPI BLUE FLOUR
CORN, DAKOTA BLACK POPCORN
CORN, SWEET, HOOKERS
CORN, SWEET, STOWELLS
ONION, VALENCIA
PEA, SHELL, PIONEER
PEA SNAP, CASCADIA
Heirloom Acres Seeds
Seeds-
Black Turtle Bean
Small Reds Bean
Black Eyed Pea
Sunflower, Mammoth Gray Striped
Blue Lake Bush Green Bean
Green Sprouting Broccoli
RedCore Chanteney Carrot
Paris White Cos Romaine Lettuce
Buttercrunch Head Lettuce
Evergreen White Bunching Oregon
Sugar Pod Snow Pea
California Wonder Pepper
Jalapeno Pepper
Long Red Cayenne Pepper
Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach
Sugar Baby Watermelon
Tall Utah Celery
Sesame
Live Plants-
Inchelium Red (garlic)
Yukon Gold Potato
Bay, SweetDill Plant
Basil, Genovese
Chives, Onion
Parsley, Flat
Rosemary, Arp
Sage, Broadleaf
Oregano, Greek
Tarragon, French
Thyme, English
I ordered seeds and live plants from two different companies. I’ve never ordered seeds online before. In the past, I have just grabbed some seeds when we were at a home improvement store and threw them in the ground. I have had fairly good luck with my generic seeds, but since we are making adjustments in other areas of our lives in order to be more health and eco-conscious, I decided it was time to spring for something a little different.
As I learn more about homesteading, becoming self-sustaining, improving our nutrition, and eco-friendly practices, I am realizing the importance of growing food to sustain my family nutritionally and financially, as well as ensuring that my gardening is having a positive impact on the environment.
Buying organic is important to me not only for the nutritional value of the organic food, but also the way in which the food is grown. There is some great information on sustainable agriculture and organic farming on the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service website. We buy organic products to reduce the amount of pesticides being used, support non-GMO crops, and encourage the growth of the local farming community.
Because our garden is in the start-up phases this year due to our move, we have decided to participate in our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program offered by one of the local farmers. His produce will help to supplement the veggies and fruits we will have in our garden this year. We are also currently purchasing eggs from this local farmer and will have chicken this spring and turkey in the fall. Supporting the local famers is important to our family, so we will be making a trip to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday to see what is available.
It should be no surprise that the seeds I ordered are organic, open-pollinated, and in many cases heirloom. I am excited about their arrival and know that I need to get a move on so that I’m ready to plant not long after they arrive.
Here is the list of seeds (by company) that I ordered. I’m looking forward to trying out some new varieties (Hopi Blue Flour Corn, for instance) and getting back in touch with some old favorites (Blue Lake Bush Green Beans).
Wish us luck!
Seeds of Change
Seeds-
CAULIFLOWER, ALL-THE-YEAR-ROUND
CORN, HOPI BLUE FLOUR
CORN, DAKOTA BLACK POPCORN
CORN, SWEET, HOOKERS
CORN, SWEET, STOWELLS
ONION, VALENCIA
PEA, SHELL, PIONEER
PEA SNAP, CASCADIA
Heirloom Acres Seeds
Seeds-
Black Turtle Bean
Small Reds Bean
Black Eyed Pea
Sunflower, Mammoth Gray Striped
Blue Lake Bush Green Bean
Green Sprouting Broccoli
RedCore Chanteney Carrot
Paris White Cos Romaine Lettuce
Buttercrunch Head Lettuce
Evergreen White Bunching Oregon
Sugar Pod Snow Pea
California Wonder Pepper
Jalapeno Pepper
Long Red Cayenne Pepper
Bloomsdale Long Standing Spinach
Sugar Baby Watermelon
Tall Utah Celery
Sesame
Live Plants-
Inchelium Red (garlic)
Yukon Gold Potato
Bay, SweetDill Plant
Basil, Genovese
Chives, Onion
Parsley, Flat
Rosemary, Arp
Sage, Broadleaf
Oregano, Greek
Tarragon, French
Thyme, English
Monday, September 22, 2008
Welcome Fall!
I so love fall. Fall…the days start getting shorter, there’s a crispness to the air, leaves start changing color, pumpkins and squash abound. That is unless you live in the Sunshine State where it is still nearly 90 degrees and humid and you break a sweat walking to the mailbox. Yuck!
Well, for the rest of the country. Yeah for fall!
We ushered in the first day of fall with some extra yummy pumpkin bread. The kids and I have already scarffed down half of one loaf and I’m sure we’ll have the other loaf and a half polished off before bedtime tomorrow.
According to my can of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin, ½ C of pumpkin puree provides 300% of a person’s daily nutritional needs for Vitamin A and has 5 g of fiber (20%). Not too shabby.
We love pumpkin bread, and pumpkin pancakes. I’m sure we would love just about anything with pumpkin in it, although I’m not sure that the fam would like pumpkin soup. That probably wouldn’t go over very well.
Because of our fondness for pumpkin, I have already bought our pumpkin seeds for next year’s garden. They are none other than Seeds of Change (certified organic) Heirloom Small Sugar Pumpkin. I saw them on display at our local organic store and couldn’t pass them up. They are supposed to be good for pies and work well in a small garden. I wouldn’t say our garden will be small, but pumpkin vines do tend to run amuck if left to their own vices. Seeds of Change has a nice web order site for organic and heirloom seeds. I need to get my order in soon so the seeds will be here ready for planting come spring. We had some pumpkin pie pumpkins in our little yard last year and they made wonderful pies, so I can’t wait to cook up and freeze our little pumpkins next year for lost of yummy pumpkin recipes throughout next winter.
If you’ve never cooked with fresh pumpkin, you should try it. It’s easy. You just remove all of the seeds and strings from inside the pumpkin. Slice the fruit into chunks. Place it shell side up on a pan and bake for about 1 hour at 325 degrees F, or until the pulp is tender. Scrape the pulp from the shell. I like to let my pumpkin drain in cheesecloth in a small container in the fridge for several hours so that it better resembles the “canned stuff.” To store, place desired amounts in individual storage containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to a year. To use, defrost in the fridge for about 24 hours before use.
Some great pumpkin information can be found at the University of Illinois Extension website.
I have a wonderful Pumpkin Bread recipe that I have been using for years, but today I tried the Pumpkin Bread recipe from the King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion cookbook that I borrowed from the library. [Thank you Colyn for the suggestion. The cookbook is WONDERFUL and it will be on my list for Santa.]
The recipe really isn’t all that different from my original…a bit less sugar and the addition of a little baking powder, but I thought I would give it a whirl. Plus, as always, I had to add my own little flair to the recipe. So what you see below is my “new” Pumpkin Bread recipe.
Jaynelle’s Pumpkin Bread
½ C. canola oil
½ C. unsweetened applesauce
1 1/3 C. brown sugar
1 1/3 C. sugar
4 large eggs
2 C. (or 15 oz. can) pumpkin
2/3 C. water
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 1/3 C. King Arthur whole-wheat flour (I think it does make a difference)
½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream together the oil, applesauce and the sugar. Beat in the eggs, pumpkin, and water. Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla, stirring to blend.
Spoon the batter into two lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center of one loaf comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack. When cool, wrap the loaves well in plastic wrap or foil. [King Arthur recommended that the loaves be wrapped overnight before cutting, but who can wait that long for bread when the house smells so good!?!]
Happy fall!
Well, for the rest of the country. Yeah for fall!
We ushered in the first day of fall with some extra yummy pumpkin bread. The kids and I have already scarffed down half of one loaf and I’m sure we’ll have the other loaf and a half polished off before bedtime tomorrow.
According to my can of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin, ½ C of pumpkin puree provides 300% of a person’s daily nutritional needs for Vitamin A and has 5 g of fiber (20%). Not too shabby.
We love pumpkin bread, and pumpkin pancakes. I’m sure we would love just about anything with pumpkin in it, although I’m not sure that the fam would like pumpkin soup. That probably wouldn’t go over very well.
Because of our fondness for pumpkin, I have already bought our pumpkin seeds for next year’s garden. They are none other than Seeds of Change (certified organic) Heirloom Small Sugar Pumpkin. I saw them on display at our local organic store and couldn’t pass them up. They are supposed to be good for pies and work well in a small garden. I wouldn’t say our garden will be small, but pumpkin vines do tend to run amuck if left to their own vices. Seeds of Change has a nice web order site for organic and heirloom seeds. I need to get my order in soon so the seeds will be here ready for planting come spring. We had some pumpkin pie pumpkins in our little yard last year and they made wonderful pies, so I can’t wait to cook up and freeze our little pumpkins next year for lost of yummy pumpkin recipes throughout next winter.
If you’ve never cooked with fresh pumpkin, you should try it. It’s easy. You just remove all of the seeds and strings from inside the pumpkin. Slice the fruit into chunks. Place it shell side up on a pan and bake for about 1 hour at 325 degrees F, or until the pulp is tender. Scrape the pulp from the shell. I like to let my pumpkin drain in cheesecloth in a small container in the fridge for several hours so that it better resembles the “canned stuff.” To store, place desired amounts in individual storage containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to a year. To use, defrost in the fridge for about 24 hours before use.
Some great pumpkin information can be found at the University of Illinois Extension website.
I have a wonderful Pumpkin Bread recipe that I have been using for years, but today I tried the Pumpkin Bread recipe from the King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion cookbook that I borrowed from the library. [Thank you Colyn for the suggestion. The cookbook is WONDERFUL and it will be on my list for Santa.]
The recipe really isn’t all that different from my original…a bit less sugar and the addition of a little baking powder, but I thought I would give it a whirl. Plus, as always, I had to add my own little flair to the recipe. So what you see below is my “new” Pumpkin Bread recipe.
Jaynelle’s Pumpkin Bread
½ C. canola oil
½ C. unsweetened applesauce
1 1/3 C. brown sugar
1 1/3 C. sugar
4 large eggs
2 C. (or 15 oz. can) pumpkin
2/3 C. water
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 1/3 C. King Arthur whole-wheat flour (I think it does make a difference)
½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream together the oil, applesauce and the sugar. Beat in the eggs, pumpkin, and water. Add the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla, stirring to blend.
Spoon the batter into two lightly greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour, or until a tooth pick inserted in the center of one loaf comes out clean. Remove the bread from the oven and cool it on a rack. When cool, wrap the loaves well in plastic wrap or foil. [King Arthur recommended that the loaves be wrapped overnight before cutting, but who can wait that long for bread when the house smells so good!?!]
Happy fall!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Do You Know What's in Your Jell-O?
Well, gelatin of course. I know, I know. But what is gelatin made of?
While at park day with some of our homeschool friends, one of my vegetarian, military, homeschool friends (I have more than one that wears those same hats) mentioned that she had found a Kashi substitute for a commonly known cereal that her family likes. I inquired about the substitution and she said that the common brand had gelatin in it. Being somewhat new to the vegetarian community, I was still in the dark and asked why gelatin was a problem. She told me that gelatin was not vegetarian. I was shocked! What the heck was gelatin made of?
So being the skeptic that I am, I came straight home and Googled "what is gelatin made of," and low and behold, she was right!
According to HowStuffWorks, gelatin (specifically that used in Jell-O) is made of collagen. Oh, good. But wait, isn't collagen found in the human body?
So good of you to ask. Why yes it is. Collagen, used to make gelatin that is found in products such as Jell-O, is made of ground up animal parts, particularly cow or pig bones, hooves, and connective tissues. Gross!
Check out the HowStuffWorks page on What exactly is Jell-O made from? It is very enlightening.
Well, needless to say there will be no more Jell-O in this house, or gelatin for that matter, which is a bummer because I have several really good family recipes that use boxed Jell-O and they are really yummy. I'm really going to have to check the labels on any convenience foods we buy to try to avoid gelatin. Gelatin is smuggled into all sorts of foods that you wouldn't normally think of. Check out that yummy frosted, rectangular, wheaty cereal (they come in mini and regular) that is frosted on one side...you know the one. Just so you know, the Kashi version doesn't use gelatin.
One of my vegetarian, unschooling, home-birthing friends (yes, I have more than one of those too) said that Agar Agar was a seaweed based gelling agent that worked well. The Vegetarian Society has several suggestions for substitutes for gelatin.
So before you shake down that package of Jell-O to make that dessert, consider where it came from. Do you really want to be eating gelatin, not to mention all of the artificial colors and flavorings?
Just some food for thought...in this case, literally.
While at park day with some of our homeschool friends, one of my vegetarian, military, homeschool friends (I have more than one that wears those same hats) mentioned that she had found a Kashi substitute for a commonly known cereal that her family likes. I inquired about the substitution and she said that the common brand had gelatin in it. Being somewhat new to the vegetarian community, I was still in the dark and asked why gelatin was a problem. She told me that gelatin was not vegetarian. I was shocked! What the heck was gelatin made of?
So being the skeptic that I am, I came straight home and Googled "what is gelatin made of," and low and behold, she was right!
According to HowStuffWorks, gelatin (specifically that used in Jell-O) is made of collagen. Oh, good. But wait, isn't collagen found in the human body?
So good of you to ask. Why yes it is. Collagen, used to make gelatin that is found in products such as Jell-O, is made of ground up animal parts, particularly cow or pig bones, hooves, and connective tissues. Gross!
Check out the HowStuffWorks page on What exactly is Jell-O made from? It is very enlightening.
Well, needless to say there will be no more Jell-O in this house, or gelatin for that matter, which is a bummer because I have several really good family recipes that use boxed Jell-O and they are really yummy. I'm really going to have to check the labels on any convenience foods we buy to try to avoid gelatin. Gelatin is smuggled into all sorts of foods that you wouldn't normally think of. Check out that yummy frosted, rectangular, wheaty cereal (they come in mini and regular) that is frosted on one side...you know the one. Just so you know, the Kashi version doesn't use gelatin.
One of my vegetarian, unschooling, home-birthing friends (yes, I have more than one of those too) said that Agar Agar was a seaweed based gelling agent that worked well. The Vegetarian Society has several suggestions for substitutes for gelatin.
So before you shake down that package of Jell-O to make that dessert, consider where it came from. Do you really want to be eating gelatin, not to mention all of the artificial colors and flavorings?
Just some food for thought...in this case, literally.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Still Tasty on Day Two
The Polka Dot Brownie Bursts are still fabulous on day two. Moist...chewy...chocolaty. They are so fabulous that I decided I should check on their nutritional value, to see if I should really have my fourth one of the day.
The verdict is...
Total Calories - 126
Calories from Fat - 62
Total Fat - 7g = 11%
Saturated Fat - 4g = 21%
Trans Fat - 0g = 0%
Cholesterol - 26mg = 9%
Sodium - 73g = 3%
Total Carbohydrate - 14g = 5%
Dietary Fiber - 1g = 2%
Sugars - 8g
Protein - 2g
Vitamins - (too shameful to mention)
I'm thinking three was plenty!
It's interesting how some cookbooks neglect to include the nutrition information for their recipes. I need to get in a better habit of checking on those pesky seemingly-void-of-nutrition-facts recipes cause, dang, I could have had a small piece of cheese cake (mmmmm, cheese cake) had I known the amount of calories in those three oh-so-yummy cookies.
I might need to run an extra mile tomorrow night to compensate. Our neighbors look at me funny when I'm out running. Little do they know that I don't necessarily run for exercise...I run so that I can burn enough calories to have dessert each night and still fit into my pants the next day :)
The verdict is...
Total Calories - 126
Calories from Fat - 62
Total Fat - 7g = 11%
Saturated Fat - 4g = 21%
Trans Fat - 0g = 0%
Cholesterol - 26mg = 9%
Sodium - 73g = 3%
Total Carbohydrate - 14g = 5%
Dietary Fiber - 1g = 2%
Sugars - 8g
Protein - 2g
Vitamins - (too shameful to mention)
I'm thinking three was plenty!
It's interesting how some cookbooks neglect to include the nutrition information for their recipes. I need to get in a better habit of checking on those pesky seemingly-void-of-nutrition-facts recipes cause, dang, I could have had a small piece of cheese cake (mmmmm, cheese cake) had I known the amount of calories in those three oh-so-yummy cookies.
I might need to run an extra mile tomorrow night to compensate. Our neighbors look at me funny when I'm out running. Little do they know that I don't necessarily run for exercise...I run so that I can burn enough calories to have dessert each night and still fit into my pants the next day :)
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Nutrition Facts for Recipes
I am a new recipe junkie. I like to try new recipes I find in magazines, online, gather from friends, and yes, I have been known to make up a recipe or two. I don’t necessarily think that my family is as enthusiastic about my recipe hording and experimentation as I am. I think they would be content with the same recipes over and over again (i.e. homemade mac & cheese, spaghetti and chicken sausages, tuna casserole, potato soup, homemade pizza, chicken and dumplings, meatballs and rice, repeat).
Because I am a semi-health nut, I like to know what the nutritional value is of the foods I prepare and feed to my family.
Last year sometime I came across the Nutrition Data website. I only used it a handful of times and rediscovered it today. I made some extremely yummy peanut butter and banana muffins the other day from my Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. I love the cookbook, but there isn’t nutritional information for the deceivingly nutritious recipes. I plugged and chugged the ingredients from the recipe into the Nutrition Data’s recipe analyzer and got all of the nutritional information for my recipe.
The “Pantry” allows me to look up the ingredients, tell it how much of each was used, and then it processes the information into a nice Nutrition Facts list, like those found on most American processed foods, as well as a Nutritional Target Map and a Caloric Ratio Pyramid. Because of their copyright laws, I am unable to post the images, so you’ll just have to take my word for it, or check it out yourself.
My next adventure is to re-find the site I bookmarked that gives the nutritional pyramid for a person based on their size, shape, and activity level. I’m hoping to print one for each of my family members and see if we meet our food pyramid requirements on a weekly basis.
Because I am a semi-health nut, I like to know what the nutritional value is of the foods I prepare and feed to my family.
Last year sometime I came across the Nutrition Data website. I only used it a handful of times and rediscovered it today. I made some extremely yummy peanut butter and banana muffins the other day from my Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. I love the cookbook, but there isn’t nutritional information for the deceivingly nutritious recipes. I plugged and chugged the ingredients from the recipe into the Nutrition Data’s recipe analyzer and got all of the nutritional information for my recipe.
The “Pantry” allows me to look up the ingredients, tell it how much of each was used, and then it processes the information into a nice Nutrition Facts list, like those found on most American processed foods, as well as a Nutritional Target Map and a Caloric Ratio Pyramid. Because of their copyright laws, I am unable to post the images, so you’ll just have to take my word for it, or check it out yourself.
My next adventure is to re-find the site I bookmarked that gives the nutritional pyramid for a person based on their size, shape, and activity level. I’m hoping to print one for each of my family members and see if we meet our food pyramid requirements on a weekly basis.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Natural Sugars
During the fall, a friend of ours mentioned that they used honey as their primary means of sweetening their foods, especially homemade breads. They have set up a bee hive and hope to have some honey for harvest in late summer/early fall. We recently asked for some advice about how to use honey in recipes, specifically the ratio of honey to sugar. The ratio in small quantities (under a half cup) is 1 to 1. In larger quantities, one has to take into consideration the liquid content of the honey, and adjust the recipe accordingly, decreasing the honey to sugar ratio.
After gaining this knowledge, I was excited by the idea of utilizing a more natural sweetener and decided to check it out.
According to the National Honey Board, “Research has shown that unlike most other sweeteners, honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. Honey, a rich source of carbohydrates, provides a quick source of energy. Honey's unique composition makes it an effective antimicrobial agent, useful for treating minor burns and scrapes, and for aiding the treatment of sore throats and other bacterial infections.”
Another natural option offered by our friends was sucanat. Sucanat is the most natural form of sugar. This natural sweetener is derived from the juice squeezed from sugar cane that is then evaporated, removing the water, and leaving sucanat. No additional refining is necessary. Sucanat has a light molasses flavor and is decribed as a great substitute for brown sugar.
Sugar, on the other hand, is a “refined” sugar, going through several steps resulting in the white table sugar many of us have become accustomed to.
I am hoping to use more honey and experiment with sucanat as alternative means of sweetening the homemade foods I make for my family. There are several online distributors of raw honey and sucanat that I hope to look into in the near future.
After gaining this knowledge, I was excited by the idea of utilizing a more natural sweetener and decided to check it out.
According to the National Honey Board, “Research has shown that unlike most other sweeteners, honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. Honey, a rich source of carbohydrates, provides a quick source of energy. Honey's unique composition makes it an effective antimicrobial agent, useful for treating minor burns and scrapes, and for aiding the treatment of sore throats and other bacterial infections.”
Another natural option offered by our friends was sucanat. Sucanat is the most natural form of sugar. This natural sweetener is derived from the juice squeezed from sugar cane that is then evaporated, removing the water, and leaving sucanat. No additional refining is necessary. Sucanat has a light molasses flavor and is decribed as a great substitute for brown sugar.
Sugar, on the other hand, is a “refined” sugar, going through several steps resulting in the white table sugar many of us have become accustomed to.
I am hoping to use more honey and experiment with sucanat as alternative means of sweetening the homemade foods I make for my family. There are several online distributors of raw honey and sucanat that I hope to look into in the near future.
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