Archives for November 2011

Gifting from the Kitchen in Style {the QECH way}: Egg Carton Muffin “Tins”

November 30, 2011 By

My approach to crafting is much the same as my approach to food (and life in general): quick, easy, and cheap. Might as well throw healthy in there, too, except that health doesn’t often get involved, unless it counts that I attempt not to glue myself with the hot glue gun or stab myself with the scissors.

So if I ever offer a craft of any sort on this blog, you can rest assured that it is neither time-consuming nor difficult, and most certainly not expensive. Probably not especially creative either, but that’s where other people (and Pinterest!) come in. If I had to rely on my own ingenuity for crafts, the end result would be nothing to blog home about.

When gifting from the kitchen - my favorite way to give at the holidays - I try not to spend too much on the gift presentation. After all, part of the purpose of gifting from the kitchen in the first place is to save money, and it would be silly to then spend waste money on mere packaging. I am therefore always on the lookout for new and creative ways to re-use and upcycle various containers around my home with which to gift my baked goods. Throughout the holiday season, I’ll be sharing you how to make some creative gift packaging for your home-baked goodies without wasting a precious dime. (Positive side effect: you will be very trendy, and all of your friends will be amazed and delighted by your ability to repurpose and upcycle with the best of them! Be sure to throw around those words, too; they just make you sound totally cool.)

This particular project was one of the gems I came across on Pinterest, and have kept it in waiting for the perfect occasion. Now the perfect occasion (otherwise known as Christmas) has arrived, and I have wasted no time trying it out.

The container for this gift is the humble egg carton. Think about those little sockets that formerly held elliptical orbs of goodness. What else can fit in there? I came up with the following shortlist, and I’m sure you creative people out there can think of even more:

  1. mini muffins
  2. donut holes
  3. cake balls (no stick needed)
  4. truffles
  5. no-bake cookies
  6. any round cookie

I chose mini muffins, simply because they were the quickest and that was my pressing need at the time. That was also the original suggestion on the tutorial by Fiskars that I more or less followed for this project.

I promise you - and I can’t repeat it often enough - this is a craft for non-crafty people. I know because I am one! Seriously. I used a glue stick, OK? Does that tell you anything? (Now, if you have one of those fancy rolling adhesive tapey thingies, than by all means, use it! But if you don’t, a glue stick works just fine.) I also rounded my corners with good old-fashioned scissors because I don’t have one of those totally cool paper punches. Good for you if you have one, but in case you don’t… it’s totally not necessary for this little craft.

To make this Mini Muffin Egg Carton, you will need:

  • an empty and clean (i.e., no dried egg goo) egg carton
  • 2 pieces complementary scrapbook paper
  • a length of coordinating ribbon
  • a brown paper lunch bag (optional)

So here’s how it’s done. Keep in mind that egg cartons vary slightly in shape, size and style, so all measurements are approximations at best. (OK, they were the measurements I used, so they’ll be perfect for you if you have the exact same egg carton.) Also keep in mind that this little project is totally customizable to what you have on hand.

First of all, if your egg carton is like mine, and has a piece in the top that inserts into the bottom, you’ll have to cut it out. I just used my scissors (an exacto knife would work better if you have one, but I didn’t feel like getting mine out of the hall closet.) to cut out the whole rectangle so that the surface would be flat for the paper to adhere. Leave the middle piece intact or your whole carton will fall apart.

If you have one flat solid surface on the top of your egg carton, you can of course skip that step, and then cut out 2 10.5″ by 3″ rectangles. If you have the ridged kind of egg carton, you’ll need two smaller rectangles for the inside, so in that case cut out 1 10.5″ by 3″ rectangle, and then 2 4.75″ by 3.25″ rectangles. Round the corners with your scissors or a paper punch.

Glue the rectangles carefully to the outer and inner surfaces of the carton lid, smoothing out any wrinkles. For the inside of the lid, cut out two 3″ by 2″ rectangles from the complementary paper and glue them onto the first paper, centering carefully. (If you have one long surface unhindered by the ridge in the middle, you can just make one big rectangle, or you can go ahead and use the 2 smaller rectangles.)

Cut out 2 3″ by 2″ rectangles from the top of your paper bag (or from a solid color paper). Use a coordinating marker to write your greeting on the paper (Merry Christmas, for example). Glue the greeting onto the paper you already have in place.

Now, if you want to make a tag, simply cut off the bottom of your paper lunch bag, and glue all the open ends together. Fold it in half like a book and firmly crease the edge. Use your remaining scrapbook paper to cut rectangles to fit on the front “cover” and in the middle of the open “book”. Use remaining scraps from the lunch bag to cut smaller rectangles where you can write a greeting or short note. Glue them into the center of the front and the middle. Punch a hole in the corner of the little booklet.

Fill your egg carton with muffins or whatever goodie you’ve chosen, and then wrap the ribbon around it, being sure to secure your tag.

I kept getting interrupted by one thing or another, but all in all, this was a relatively QUICK project. and now that I’ve made one, I can whip out several more in probably the same amount of time. I probably also wont’ make the tag every time. It’s cute and all, but it takes a little too much time!

It’s very EASY, or I wouldn’t have done it! Most of you have been cutting and pasting since kindergarten, so I think you can handle it.

Super CHEAP! I paid almost nothing for this particular one. Of course, the egg carton was free (a bonus for buying eggs!), the paper was on clearance at Hobby Lobby, the lunch bag was dug out of the bottom of my pantry, and the ribbon was 70% off at Michaels on Black Friday.

Um, HEALTHY? Well, I didn’t notch any fingers or glue myself to the table this time, so I guess one can consider it healthy.

Sharing at Handmade Christmas Gift Carnival

shabby creek cottageTodays Creative Blog

 

13 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Handmade, In The Budget, Waste Not Tagged With: ,

Yogurt Pudding: A Flu-Fighting Food

November 30, 2011 By

We’re fighting the flu with food this year! So far, we’ve brought you tons of recipes and ideas for pumpkins, breakfast, green tea and garlic, each purported to help your immune system combat the flu bug. Our last installment today focuses on the big daddy of food-based germ fighters: yogurt! And more specifically, the probiotics in yogurt that do all the hard work. Me and my friends, Christian Mommy Blogger, Day 2 Day Joys, Intentional by Grace, The Purposed Heart, and The Humbled Homemaker, are all bringing you a new recipe that incorporates yogurt and other probiotics to help you fend off the flu this year. Plus, we invite you to share your own recipe inspirations that include yogurt!

My own recipe is an oldie but goodie. A looooonggg time ago (more than 2 years, which is like forever in bloggy world), I wrote a post about a fabulous yogurt pudding recipe I had found on Stonyfield Farm’s website. Only silly me didn’t post the actual recipe, I just linked to it. Not too long ago, a reader emailed me asking for the original recipe because she couldn’t find it on Stonyfield’s website any longer. After much searching, I admitted that I couldn’t find it either, so I had to come up with it myself. I never updated the post, though, so I think it’s high time I did that!

This recipe is perfect for busy people who still want to eat right, because it takes about 3 minutes to whip up and is made entirely of whipped cream and yogurt. You can use already flavored yogurt, or you can do as I did and make your own Greek-style yogurt. Adjust the amount of honey to your taste.


Yogurt Pudding

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp raw honey (or more to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • OR 1/2 cup flavored yogurt to replace the previous 3 ingredients

Instructions

  1. If your yogurt is runny at all, strain it first by pouring it into a mesh strainer lined with a tea towel, placed over a bowl to collect the whey. Strain it as long as you want for the desired consistency, but about half an hour is adequate for these purposes.
  2. Once you have the desired consistency of yogurt, pour it into a small bowl, and stir in the honey and vanilla until well blended.
  3. Whip the heavy cream in a mixer on high until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to low and stir in yogurt.
  4. For serving, top with sprinkled raw sugar or drizzled honey.


This pudding can also be used in parfaits or trifles for breakfast or dessert! Also, of course, you can alter the ingredients slightly in a million different ways to create totally unique puddings. Some suggestions:

  • piled over strawberries and bananas, drizzled with chocolate syrup
  • alternated with granola and fresh fruit for a parfait
  • over brownies instead of ice cream
  • instead of whipped cream on shortcake
  • spiced with ginger and enjoyed with gingersnaps
  • spooned over fried or baked apples and sprinkled with cinnamon

Getting the picture? Lots of options with this little gem of a recipe.

It goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway: it’s QUICK!

It’s EASY enough that your child can help you make it. Anybody can stir!

It’s CHEAP if you typically keep heavy cream on hand.

And definitely HEALTHY. Those probiotics in the yogurt will be lining the walls of your intestines, crowding out the bad bugs to keep you healthy as can be all winter long!

Check out the other yogurt recipes from my friends:

Yogurt at Intentional by Grace

Apple Pie Smoothie at The Purposed Heart

Probiotics 101 at Day2Day Joys

5 Holiday Uses for Yogurt at The Humbled Homemaker

And now it’s your turn! Link up your favorite yogurt-based recipes below. Please be sure to include a link back to one of the hosting blogs, and please be sure your link includes a recipe with yogurt. Thanks!

Here are my favorites from our last installment, featuring garlic:

Armenian White Bean Salad with Garlicky Carrots

Garlic Confit

Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Shared at Tastetastic Thursday.

 

13 Comments Filed Under: Breakfast, Dessert, Home, On The Table Tagged With: ,

Menu Plan Monday: Yet Another Turkey

November 27, 2011 By

It’s once again time for Menu Plan Monday! Yes, I bought yet another turkey. I confess. In my defense, it was only $0.39/lb at Walmart after Thanksgiving! How was I supposed to pass that up? And who cares if I still have the meat of an entire turkey still residing in my freezer, untouched? At least we will have plenty of turkey for days weeks months to come.

Good thing we like turkey. You?

Breakfasts

Lunches

  • Leftovers
  • Freezer Stash of Non-Allergenic Foods (for Certain Little Someone)
  • Ham Sandwiches (nitrate/nitrite-free deli ham)
  • Turkey Sandwiches

Dinners

Snacks

  • Nuts, Raisins, Cranberries, Dried Apples
  • Popcorn
  • Granola Bars
  • Leftover Cranberry Pie

Additional Features

This is not just a menu plan, as wonderfulas that in itself is. Oh, no. Some more features for the curious among you…

This Week’s New Recipe

I try to incorporate one new recipe a week into my menu. This isn’t really difficult for me since I rarely make the same thing twice.

  • The Turkey Apple Cheese Panini is a total experiment! Hope it turns out!

In My Kitchen Today

On Mondays, I spend some extra time in the kitchen, cooking ahead and making baked goods to last for the week and beyond. A large portion of the day is often dedicated to allergen-free foods for my Certain Little Someone.

  • Yogurt
  • artisan bread
  • Turkey
  • sweet potatoes cooked, pureed, frozen
  • turkey broth

Some friends and I have collaborated to bring you an awesome little eBook just in time to help you with your Christmas baking! It’s chock full of easy, delicious cookie and candy recipes to help you celebrate the holidays in tasty style. Each recipe is built around wholesome ingredients, so you won’t even feel guilty indulging in one… or two… or even three! What’s more? We’re offering this book absolutely free - no strings attached - to each of our email subscribers! All you have to do is subscribe via email to any one of our blogs and you will receive a link for a free download of this sweet little book.

Collaborating with me are: The Purposed Heart, Intentional by Grace, and The Humbled Homemaker. Subscribe to all of these blogs just because you’ll be glad you did. Yes, they’re that good.

8 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Home Tagged With:

And Now for Dessert: Cranberry Pie

November 22, 2011 By

Have you received your free copy of Healthy Holidays: Slightly Indulgent Sweet Treats yet?

A Citrus Brined Turkey for the main course, Sweetly Stuffed Sweet Potatoes for a filling and healthy side dish, and now to wrap up the menu with a scrumptious dessert. And no, it’s not pumpkin pie. I love pumpkin pie and all, but no. We’re going a different direction for this Thanksgiving.

A very different direction. Instead of a creamy, smooth, squashy custard, we’re going with tartly-sweet, crumbly and fruity. Sound good? I thought so.

Let’s not waste anymore time, then. Here we have it, folks: Cranberry Crumble Pie. Brought to you by me, via Eat Good 4 Life. Enjoy!

Note: I actually made mine gluten-free and dairy-free by using a mixture of brown rice and sorghum flours to replace the whole wheat flour, and using palm shortening instead of butter in the crust. Turned out perfectly!



Cranberry Crumble Pie

from Eat Good 4 Life

Ingredients

Crust and Topping:

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (or 1/2 cup brown rice flour and 1/2 cup sorghum flour)
  • 1 cup oat flour (grind oats in coffee blender)
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup raw sugar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup softened butter or palm shortening
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp orange zest

Filling:

  • 12 oz fresh cranberries
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup raw sugar
  • 1 TBSP tapioca starch
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Stir together crust ingredients until well combined. Reserve 3/4 cup of mixture; press the rest into a 9″ pie pan.
  2. Stir together filling ingredients until cranberries are thoroughly coated with mixture. Pour into crust. Top with remaining crust mixture.
  3. Bake at 350F for approximately an hour, or until fruit mixture is bubbly, and top is golden brown.


Well, that was QUICK, now wasn’t it?

Did I forget to mention how EASY this pie is? You can even do all the mixing in one bowl! No pastry crust to fiddle with, no demanding custard fillings. Just mix and pour.

This will be the CHEAPest time in the whole year to make this pie because cranberries are on sale these days for $2/lb or less.

Sugar aside, it’s a pretty HEALTHY dessert. Cranberries are little spheres of goodness, chock full of vitamins, fiber, antioxidants and more. So if you’re gonna have dessert at Thanksgiving, might as well make it with cranberries!

In need of some more last-minute Thanksgiving inspiration? Try my Citrus Brined Turkey, or Sweetly Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.

day2day joys

 

 

Tastetastic Thursday, Ultimate Recipe Swap

7 Comments Filed Under: Celebrations, Dessert, On The Table Tagged With: ,

A Thanksgiving Side Dish - Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

November 21, 2011 By

Sweet potato is the quintessential Thanksgiving side, and unless your family abhors this brightly-colored root vegetable, then it’s likely to appear on your table in some form or fashion this holiday season. And no wonder: it’s colorful, sweet, and easy to craft into pretty much any dish you desire!

Not to mention that it’s super cheap. I just picked up a whole bunch at the grocery store for $0.33/lb. Time to stock up on sweet potatoes, for sure! My friend Nancy bought more than 20 lbs (yes, 20 lbs!) and cooked them to store in the freezer. I’ve decided to follow her example, and I really think you should, too! Tasty healthy vegetables all year long until they’re in season again. Sounds like a good plan to me!

But save a few of the beauties for this side dish to grace your Thanksgiving table. These stuffed sweet potatoes make a great presentation, perfect for special holidays and special guests. And they taste divine. Dee. Vine.

I’ll tell you a little secret:

I don’t really like sweet potatoes.

But these sweet potatoes? I ate the whole thing, lickety split. These are lick-the-plate good! My Certain Little Someone is a huge fan of sweet potatoes and he also thought they were pretty much the bomb. Gobbled his down and asked for more.

Many thanks to Edesia’s Notebook for this fabulous recipe!


Sweetly Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

from Edesia’s Notebook

Ingredients

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (preferably more of a round shape than a tubular one)
  • 3 TBSP butter or coconut oil, divided
  • 1 TBSP orange zest
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 TBSP whole wheat or brown rice flour
  • 1/4 cup chopped nuts or granola (for nut-free)

Instructions

  1. Wash the potatoes and place them directly on the oven rack. (I like to place some foil on the bottom of the oven to catch any drips.) Bake at 375F until tender, approximately an hour.
  2. Cool until easy to handle. Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/4″ around the edge to stabilize the peel so that it forms a bowl of sorts.
  3. Place the flesh in a bowl and smash it together with 1 TBSP butter or oil, orange zest, cinnamon and salt. Divide the mixture evenly between the empty shells, piping it through a decorator bag if desired.
  4. Combine remaining ingredients together with the last 2 TBSP of butter or oil until crumbly. Sprinkle over each sweet potato. Bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes more or until top is lightly browned.

Sweet potatoes take just as long as regular baking potatoes to cook in the oven, and maybe even longer, so this isn’t the QUICKest recipe ever. The majority of the time spent is time in the oven, though, freeing you to make other Thanksgiving preparations.

It is such an EASY recipe. And I love that it looks so fancy! Totally impressive without a great deal of effort.

As I’ve already mentioned, sweet potatoes are in season right now, making this a super CHEAP recipe for this time of year. And even in the off-season, sweet potatoes are only $0.99/lb typically (around here, anyway), so it’s not exactly an indulgence in any case.

Sweet potatoes are so HEALTHY for you. That vibrant orange color? Vitamin A! And antioxidants. And lots and lots of fiber. So eat it up!

Sharing at Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, and…

Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays

4 Comments Filed Under: Celebrations, On The Table, Sides Tagged With: ,

Try a Brined Turkey This Year

November 20, 2011 By

Last year at Thanksgiving, my sister brined our turkey for the first time, and I decided at that point that I would definitely have to do the same thing as soon as I had the chance. The turkey was seriously the most moist and flavorful turkey I’d ever had. And I’ve had a lot of turkey.

I had to wait a whole year (what’s up with that, anyway?), but I finally got my chance last week. I read quite a few articles on food magazine or newspaper websites, plus a few blog posts by illustrious bloggers around the internet (including this super simple turkey brining tutorial with some great tips), and in the end, I just dumped a bunch of stuff into my brine without following anybody’s recipe.

Which, apparently, is part of the beauty of a brined turkey. Essentially you need approximately a gallon of water (for a 10-12lb turkey) with a cup each of sugar and salt. In fact, it doesn’t even need to be water! I saw plenty of recipes that used broth, juice, or cider for the brine, which I imagine would be amazing. On top of that, you can add whatever you jolly well please into the brine (OK, with a certain amount of discretion, I suppose!) for all kinds of different layers of flavor. Really, though, the important thing is the water, salt and sugar. Those ingredients are what gets the job done.

I decided to go with a citrus-y element to my brine, basically because I was going through my freezer and found a bag full of chopped up clementines that I had decided to freeze before they went bad. To that, I added some very traditional herbs and spices like bay leaves and peppercorns. It was delicious! To be honest, the citrus flavor didn’t come through very strongly, but it was still very moist and flavorful as I expected it to be.

Like I said, you can add whatever floats your boat to your brine, but here’s what I put in mine, plus specific directions for brining.


Citrus Brined Turkey

Ingredients

  • 1 10-12lb turkey
  • 10 cups water, divided
  • 4 cups turkey, chicken, or vegetable broth
  • 2 cups orange juice
  • 1 cup sea salt
  • 1 cup raw sugar
  • 5-6 clementines (or 3 oranges), chopped in quarters
  • several stalks celery, chopped
  • 5-6 bay leaves
  • 3 TBSP peppercorns
  • For roasting:
  • olive oil
  • black pepper
  • sage
  • several cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1-2 stalks celery, chopped
  • additional bay leaves and peppercorns

Instructions

  1. You will need a large sturdy food-safe plastic bag (like Ziplocs XL) or a very large stainless steel pot (like a big canning pot).
  2. Heat 4 cups of water on the stove together with the sugar and salt. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and refrigerate until cool.
  3. Meanwhile, pour remaining water and other liquids into your bag (place a bag into a large pot or the produce drawer from your refrigerator), and add the rest of the brine ingredients. Pour in the cooled salt water mixture.
  4. Rinse your turkey, and remove all the innards. Place the turkey in the brine, making sure it’s covered. (If it’s not completely covered, you’ll want to turn it over about halfway through.)
  5. Seal the bag and place the whole thing in your refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
  6. When you are ready to roast the turkey, remove it from the brine and rinse it thoroughly. Pat dry and place in roasting pan breast side down. Rub olive oil generously all over and sprinkle liberally with black pepper and sage (no salt!). Place garlic, onions, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns inside the cavity.
  7. Roast at 325F for approximately 3 hours. Brining can make a turkey roast faster, so check it after about 2.5 hours, and regularly after that until it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.


Brining a turkey isn’t exactly QUICK, but it doesn’t add that much time to the whole process. You have to defrost the turkey thoroughly in the fridge for a few days beforehand anyway, so chances are, leaving it in the fridge overnight before you roast it is not going to cramp your style much. The actual process of putting the brine together does add a little extra time into your routine, but not much.

It is SO EASY, though, and unlike other unusual methods of cooking a turkey, like frying or smoking, it doesn’t require any special equipment. Plus, it’s hard to mess up!

It’s not any HEALTHY-er than any other method of cooking and preparing a turkey, and may perhaps be slightly less, with the inclusion of all that salt and the sugar. That’s not going to stop me, though.

What’s your favorite way to prepare a turkey?

Some friends and I have collaborated to bring you an awesome little eBook just in time to help you with your Christmas baking! It’s chock full of easy, delicious cookie and candy recipes to help you celebrate the holidays in tasty style. Each recipe is built around wholesome ingredients, so you won’t even feel guilty indulging in one… or two… or even three! What’s more? We’re offering this book absolutely free - no strings attached - to each of our email subscribers! All you have to do is subscribe via email to any one of our blogs and you will receive a link for a free download of this sweet little book.

Collaborating with me are: The Purposed Heart, Intentional by Grace, and The Humbled Homemaker. Subscribe to all of these blogs just because you’ll be glad you did. Yes, they’re that good.

Shared at Real Food 101.

9 Comments Filed Under: Dinner, On The Table Tagged With:

Menu Plan Monday: More Turkey!

November 20, 2011 By

It’s once again time for Menu Plan Monday! Last week, I cooked up a turkey, and we munched on it all week long until we’re down to just one lonely breast. No problem, though: I have yet another turkey that I plan to brine tonight and roast tomorrow. This one, though, will stay mostly in the freezer because we will of course be having turkey yet again on Thursday! Don’t wanna overdo it, ya know!

How about you? Are turkeys strictly for Thanksgiving or do you enjoy them more often this time of year when they’re on sale?

Breakfasts

Lunches

  • Leftovers
  • Freezer Stash of Non-Allergenic Foods (for Certain Little Someone)
  • Egg Salad Sandwiches
  • Turkey Sandwiches

Dinners

Snacks

  • Nuts, Raisins, Cranberries, Dried Apples
  • Popcorn
  • Granola Bars
  • Butterscotch Blondies

Additional Features

This is not just a menu plan, as wonderfulas that in itself is. Oh, no. Some more features for the curious among you…

This Week’s New Recipe

I try to incorporate one new recipe a week into my menu. This isn’t really difficult for me since I rarely make the same thing twice.

  • I’m actually going to be trying a couple new dessert recipes for Thanksgiving this week that aren’t listed here. Hopefully, I’ll be posting one of them on Wednesday!

In My Kitchen Today

On Mondays, I spend some extra time in the kitchen, cooking ahead and making baked goods to last for the week and beyond. A large portion of the day is often dedicated to allergen-free foods for my Certain Little Someone.

Some friends and I have collaborated to bring you an awesome little eBook just in time to help you with your Christmas baking! It’s chock full of easy, delicious cookie and candy recipes to help you celebrate the holidays in tasty style. Each recipe is built around wholesome ingredients, so you won’t even feel guilty indulging in one… or two… or even three! What’s more? We’re offering this book absolutely free - no strings attached - to each of our email subscribers! All you have to do is subscribe via email to any one of our blogs and you will receive a link for a free download of this sweet little book.

Collaborating with me are: The Purposed Heart, Intentional by Grace, and The Humbled Homemaker. Subscribe to all of these blogs just because you’ll be glad you did. Yes, they’re that good.

Leave a Comment Filed Under: At Home, Household Tagged With:

The Benefits of Raw Honey and How to Use it Wisely

November 17, 2011 By

Honey

photo by alsjhc

I’m sure you already know that from a nutritional standpoint, honey is a better choice for you than sugar. But did you know that raw honey is an even better choice?

Here’s the thing: honey in its natural state is full of unique elements that are difficult (or impossible) to find elsewhere in nature, and incredibly beneficial to our health. These include:

  • Bee pollen, thought to have anti-allergenic and anti-cancer properties
  • Amylase, an enzyme that helps the digestive system break down starches.
  • Propolis, something the bees use to protect their hives from unwanted organisms, and thus has anti-microbial, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties
  • Antioxidants

(Read more about these properties here.) All of these, especially the amylase, can be effectively destroyed by heating. Unless it is labeled “raw”, honey has been pasteurized by heating it. Pretty much any kind of honey is healthier than regular sugar when it comes to cooking and baking, but if you want to maximize the nutritional and medicinal benefits of honey, you’ll definitely want to go for the raw.

The problem is that raw honey can be incredibly expensive, sometimes costing as much as twice the cost of regular honey. If you’re on a tight budget like me, that’s a big obstacle. What’s a girl to do?

Here’s the thing: heating honey removes some of its best qualities.

Ergo, heating honey renders the expense spent on raw honey worthless.

Ergo, don’t use raw honey in food that is going to be heated.

Did you get that? In plain English: don’t waste your raw honey on baked or cooked food. If you’re baking and cooking, go for plain old (organic if you can afford it) pasteurized honey because it’s going to be heated anyway.

So what’s the point of even buying raw honey then? Oh, there are still lots of things you can do with raw honey to reap its unique health benefits. Here are my favorite uses for raw honey:

As a Spread

Because raw honey is generally thicker than pasteurized honey, it works very nicely as a spread for bagels, toast and biscuits. Mmmmm!

As a Topping

My Certain Little Someone loves honey on his pancakes and waffles… and I have to admit, so do I! It’s better than syrup!

In Tea or Coffee

That is, if your tea or coffee isn’t too hot. Honey is still considered raw as long as it is kept under 105F.

Straight Up

Only for medicinal reasons, though (it’s still sugar, mind you!). Honey is as effective as conventional cough syrup medicines at reducing and suppressing coughs, even at night.

In Frostings

In particular, I love this cream cheese frosting that is sweetened with honey.

In Greek Yogurt

Don’t waste your money on fancy containers of Greek yogurt: make it at home from regular yogurt with raw honey and vanilla.

Preventative for Seasonal Allergies

Studies have mixed results, but the anecdotal evidence overwhelmingly indicates that consuming local raw honey on a regular basis can help reduce or even eliminate seasonal allergy symptoms. (more information)

In Dressings

Use raw honey in any vinaigrette or dressing recipe for green salads or fruit salads. Also use it in recipes for fruit dips!

In Whipped Cream

Add just a bit of raw honey to your cream when whipping it for a lightly flavored, deliciously sweetened topping!

Do you have any other suggestions for raw honey?

Want to win a jar of raw honey? Enter my giveaway (ends November 25, 2011)!

Some friends and I have collaborated to bring you an awesome little eBook just in time to help you with your Christmas baking! It’s chock full of easy, delicious cookie and candy recipes to help you celebrate the holidays in tasty style. Each recipe is built around wholesome ingredients, so you won’t even feel guilty indulging in one… or two… or even three! What’s more? We’re offering this book absolutely free - no strings attached - to each of our email subscribers! All you have to do is subscribe via email to any one of our blogs and you will receive a link for a free download of this sweet little book.

Collaborating with me are: The Purposed Heart, Intentional by Grace, and The Humbled Homemaker. Subscribe to all of these blogs just because you’ll be glad you did. Yes, they’re that good.

21 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Health, In The Budget, Save Much, Spend Wisely Tagged With: ,

Why I Love Tropical Traditions Raw Honey

November 17, 2011 By


What makes their honey so special?

Glad you asked.

The reasons are many, and you can find more information about their raw honey on the Tropical Traditions website, but here are my favorites:

  • It’s made by bees in remote regions of Canada, and is therefore one of few honeys available in North America that can be certified 100% organic. This is huge because it is extremely difficult to certify honey as organic simply because it’s difficult to determine where the bees have been and what plants source their pollen. Furthermore, the certification process is rigorous and controls all aspects of honey-making from the beginning (the bee!) to end (processing and packaging).
  • It has not been pasteurized. If you’re a fan of Louis Pasteur, you may wonder why this is such a good thing. I’ll tell you why: pasteurizing the honey kills everything that is good about it. The enzymes, yeast, and microbial properties that make it so healthy are often destroyed in the pasteurization process.
  • It is so creamy! The other raw honeys I’ve enjoyed have been either runny or kind of stiff. Tropical Traditions’ raw honey is neither: it’s creamy and spreadable, the perfect texture.
  • Its flavor is light and delicious. The raw honey I usually buy is great, but it does have a strong flavor that not everyone loves. This raw honey will delight your senses with its mild and delicate flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

50 Comments Filed Under: Home, In The Budget, Spend Wisely Tagged With:

Fight the Flu with Garlic & Potato Soup

November 16, 2011 By

garlic rosemary potato soup

Who needs a flu shot? This year, we’re fighting back with food instead! Each Wednesday we reveal a different food that is purported to support your immune system in the fight against cold and flu viruses. What’s more, each post will be opened up to all our readers, who will be linking up their favorite recipes with these key flu-fighting ingredients, so you can get lots of ideas for creative ways to serve them to your family! To be sure you don’t miss a single post in the series, consider subscribing to one of these participating blogs:
Christian Mommy Blogger
Day 2 Day Joys
Intentional by Grace
The Purposed Heart
The Humbled Homemaker

So far, we’ve added green tea, breakfast, and pumpkin into our diets to help ward off the cold and flu. This week, we’re featuring a tried and true home remedy that has stood the test of time. Way back when, it was even thought powerful enough to ward off vampires.

No vampires around here, but cold and flu viruses are a plenty! That’s why you’ll need a hearty stash of garlic to include in at least one meal every day. Why garlic? For centuries, traditional people groups, including the Cherokees (according to Wikipedia), have used garlic as both a preventive and cure for the common cold. This traditional belief was given modern credence by a scientific study a decade ago that indicated that regular consumption of allicin (the main medicinal component of garlic in pill form) reduced the incidence of the common cold by half!

And although it’s also famous for its tendency to induce foul breath after consumption (how’s that for a nice way to say “it makes your breath stink”?!), garlic is well worth the consequences! It adds delicious depth of flavor to any savory dish, which makes it a rather enjoyable way to fend off the flu.

Unfortunately, around here, we have to limit our garlic consumption because my DH can’t tolerate very much of it, so I usually only use a clove or two at a time in any dish. For this special post, though, I went all out and used not one, not two, not even three cloves. Nope, I used 5! Half a head! I was living dangerously. Well, OK, not that dangerously. The recipe I was working from actually called for 5 heads of garlic, not 5 cloves. Um, yeah. Not gonna happen.

I am happy to report that this soup was just as delicious with 5 cloves of garlic as I’m sure it would be with 5 heads. Actually, I’m afraid that 5 heads of garlic in one dish would foul my breath for days, so I’m happy I stuck with the 5 cloves. You can determine your own comfort level. (Just warn me if you’re going for more than half a head!)


Slow-Cooker Garlic Potato Soup with Rosemary

inspired by Paulchen’s Food Blog

Ingredients

  • 1/2-5 heads garlic
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 6 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 sausage links, chopped (I used al fresco chicken sausage)
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 small stalks rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

  1. Leave the garlic in its skin and place in a 400F oven for about half an hour. Remove from oven and cool until easy to handle. Squeeze the garlic from the skins into the slow cooker.
  2. While garlic is roasting, prep vegetables and place in slow cooker, together with broth and seasonings. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours.


Cooking soup in the slow cooker isn’t necessarily QUICKer than putting it together on the stovetop, considering it’s a time difference of hours.

But it is EASY-er! I love making soup in the slow cooker because you can just drop everything in it and leave while you go about your business.

Soup is such a CHEAP dinner, I just can’t say it often enough! I put it weekly on my menu for this reason.

Aaaaannnddd, of course it’s HEALTHY, too, especially if you’re trying to fight the flu. But we’ve already covered that, so I won’t bore you with more of that.

See what my friends have cooked up for you this week:

Garlic-Lemon Salad {& Baked White Fish Recipe} at Christian Mommy Blogger

Better than Red Lobster Garlic Cheese Biscuits at The Humbled Homemaker

Creamy Roasted Garlic Soup at The Purposed Heart

Garlic Salsa at Day 2 Day Joys

7 ways to Eat Raw Garlic at Intentional by Grace

Now it’s your turn to share your favorite recipes featuring garlic, but first, let me share one of my favorite entry from last week’s Green Tea blog hop: how cool is this? A chai tea concentrate made with green tea:

Chai Tea Concentrate

Feel free to link up any of your favorite recipes with garlic! It doesn’t have to be the main ingredient, just one of them, so it should be easy to find one or two. We’d love some more garlicky inspiration!

Please keep your entries limited to recipes including garlic, and please link back to one of the hosting blogs. Thanks!

13 Comments Filed Under: Dinner, Home, On The Table Tagged With:
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