Mimi Goodies – Cooking healthy

www.vegetarianoneness.ning.com Happy Holidays!!!!! Holiday Fruit cake 1 1/2 c almond ground, ¼ c brazil nuts ground ¼ c pistaccio nuts ground 1 each of dried sliced peach, pear, apple 3 prunes 2 dates ½ c cranberries or dried berries blend juice and rind of 6 tangerines pinch mixed spice 1T agave 1 t cinnamon powder Dusting: ¼ c cashews ground for dusting Garnish: ½ lb fresh cherries Process in Food Processor all ingredients and decorate with cherries and powdered cashews!!!!! Enjoy!!!!!

www.vegetarianoneness.ning.com Not Meat Loaf ½ cauliflower or 2 ¼ c chopped ½ c wheat bran ½ c black pitted olives 1 c chopped red bell pepper ¾ c celery chopped 2 california figs chopped ½ c brown flax seeds ground ¼ c flax seeds 1 T soy sauce 2 T olive oil 1 c almonds ground Pinch cayenne pinch ground black pepper ¼ c chopped fresh mint ¼ c chopped fresh basil leaves 1 T nutritional yeast 10 sundried tomatoes soaked and drained then chopped Process in a food processor. Form into 2 loaves or 12 patties Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 7 hrs.

www.vegetaranoneness.ning.com Not Meat Loaf ½ cauliflower or 2 ¼ c chopped ½ c wheat bran ½ c black pitted olives 1 c chopped red bell pepper ¾ c celery chopped 2 california figs chopped ½ c brown flax seeds ground ¼ c flax seeds 1 T soy sauce 2 T olive oil 1 c almonds ground Pinch cayenne pinch ground black pepper ¼ c chopped fresh mint ¼ c chopped fresh basil leaves 1 T nutritional yeast 10 sundried tomatoes soaked and drained then chopped Process in a food processor. Form into 2 loaves or 12 patties Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 7 hrs.

www.vegetarianoneness.ning.com Not Meat Loaf ½ cauliflower or 2 ¼ c chopped ½ c wheat bran ½ c black pitted olives 1 c chopped red bell pepper ¾ c celery chopped 2 california figs chopped ½ c brown flax seeds ground ¼ c flax seeds 1 T soy sauce 2 T olive oil 1 c almonds ground Pinch cayenne pinch ground black pepper ¼ c chopped fresh mint ¼ c chopped fresh basil leaves 1 T nutritional yeast 10 sundried tomatoes soaked and drained then chopped Process in a food processor. Form into 2 loaves or 12 patties Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 7 hrs.

www.vegetarianoneness.ning.com Not Meat Loaf ½ cauliflower or 2 ¼ c chopped ½ c wheat bran ½ c black pitted olives 1 c chopped red bell pepper ¾ c celery chopped 2 california figs chopped ½ c brown flax seeds ground ¼ c flax seeds 1 T soy sauce 2 T olive oil 1 c almonds ground Pinch cayenne pinch ground black pepper ¼ c chopped fresh mint ¼ c chopped fresh basil leaves 1 T nutritional yeast 10 sundried tomatoes soaked and drained then chopped Process in a food processor. Form into 2 loaves or 12 patties Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 7 hrs.

www.vegetarianoneness.ning.com Not Meat Loaf ½ cauliflower or 2 ¼ c chopped ½ c wheat bran ½ c black pitted olives 1 c chopped red bell pepper ¾ c celery chopped 2 california figs chopped ½ c brown flax seeds ground ¼ c flax seeds 1 T soy sauce 2 T olive oil 1 c almonds ground Pinch cayenne pinch ground black pepper ¼ c chopped fresh mint ¼ c chopped fresh basil leaves 1 T nutritional yeast 10 sundried tomatoes soaked and drained then chopped Process in a food processor. Form into 2 loaves or 12 patties Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 7 hrs.

Traditional aioli:

Aioli is traditionally made by grinding garlic cloves in olive oil. It originally comes from Provence, France along the Mediterranean near Italy. There are many varieties that include mixing egg, lemon, and mustard in the aioli. In fact, the old fashion aioli recipes call for egg, olive oil, and garlic. If you have ever made mayonnaise, you see the similarity immediately. Mayonnaise is made primarily from mixing oil and eggs together. So my recipe takes a shortcut. It is difficult to get oil and egg to emulsify. Oil and egg are immiscible – they do not naturally mix. Consequently, you have to emulsify them by whisking both together so they will not separate. Mayonnaise has already been emulsified, and therefore my recipe saves you some time whisking. Try the basic recipe below and then add some other ingredients like basil, Dijon mustard, Italian parsley, chives, and even soy sauce. If you do decide to make the aioli from scratch, start with 1 cup extra virgin olive oil and one egg yolk along with the 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 garlic cloves. Mix in a blender or small food processor until it emulsifies. Add the rest of the ingredients below (orange peel and salt and pepper) and you are ready to go.

Ingredients (5 or 6 servings for fish, olives, etc.):

¾ cup – mayonnaise
1 tablespoon – lemon juice
2 cloves – garlic, minced
1 teaspoon – orange peel
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.

Garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice and orange peel

It is best to refrigerate and “marinate” overnight to bring the flavors together. But the aioli can be made up to two hours prior to eating. If you do refrigerate overnight, make sure you serve it at room temperature the next day.

Bon appétit!

Ingredients mixed together.

In today’s fast pace of life, when people are too busy, cooking the meals once a month might appeal to some. The premise behind cooking once a month is to cook an entire month’s dinners/meals in advance only on one weekend and freeze the meals for the use throughout the month.

There are three different ways to deal with once a month cooking. One can select one’s favorite recipes and cook them in double batches. Second alternative is one can prepare about twenty different recipes and the third one, prepare basic starter meals and improvise on them in the course of the month.

One needs to properly plan the menu in order to tackle once a month cooking. With internet access it has become easier. There are many websites catering to planning and providing shopping lists for those who are too busy or lack the organizing skills to design such a thing. For those who are systematic ensure that all plans are jotted down before hand, the recipes, the quantity of food to be prepared, the grocery list etc. One needs to be certain that all the required supplies as also freezer bags, storage containers etc are there. It is also recommended that a piece of paper or a notebook on the freezer will help to keep trace of what meals are in the freezer.

Some plans propose dividing the task of cooking over the weekend in three days. Finish shopping on Friday. Start cooking on Saturday and finish it on Sunday. To make it still simpler one can opt to share the work with a companion.

Tips and suggestions for cooking once a month:

• One needs at least one clay pot to cook tough cuts of meat for stew or barbeques. It is suggested that one should have as many as one can.
• Pre-cut vegetables the earlier night. A food processor will make one’s task easier if you have one.
• Pre cook the chicken with vegetables tied in a cheese cloth bag. Cook the chicken for long hours till the meat separates from the bone. The unused meat can be frozen. The broth can be used as base for soups. If it is not used right away, refrigerate it so as to skim the fat off, and then freeze in ice cube trays.
• Plan the cooking sessions properly. With what foods the day will start, and how the day will end.
• If one has small children, try and engage someone to baby sit the children during the day.
• Wash the dishes on time. This controls the mess, and a pile of dishes by end of the day can be avoided.

Once a month cooking can assist those who are busy, who need to save money, or just relax the mind knowing there is food for dinner.

American kitchens are busy places. Today’s women spend on average over 1,000 hours a year in the kitchen, along with everyone from husbands to friends, teenagers and dinner guests. As a central hub of activity, kitchen organization is essential. Add to that the fact that kitchens often exemplify the excesses of American living, which inevitably leads to clutter. We have more dishes, pots and pans than we need. We purchase the newest kitchen gadgets in the hopes that, one day, we will have the need to make homemade bread, or freeze dry 200lbs of green beans. And when we think our kitchens have everything, we realize they lack the one feature we need the most — space! However, with a few helpful tips and some space saving kitchen organizers, your kitchen clutter woes will be a thing of the past.

Discard or Donate Seldom Used Products

When is the last time you used the food processor on top of the refrigerator, or the bag of pinto beans in the back of the cabinet? Donate food items you don’t need to can drives and charities, pass kitchen devices on to relatives who might actually use them, or have a yard sale.

Making your waste receptacles easy to access, and separating your recyclables is another great way to reduce clutter. How often do empty juice bottles sit on the counter, waiting for someone to take them to the recycling bin in the garage? Eliminate that aspect of clutter with stackable recycling bins. These recycling bins provide an economic, odor-reducing design for recyclables and trash. The bins’ lids are recessed slightly for easy stacking and condensing. The color-coded dials allow you to label the contents of each bin, and they fit beneath most counters for out-of-the-way storage.

Make Frequently Used Items More Accessible

Recognize what you use most often, and make those items easily accessible. Infrequently used items, like the roasting pan that you only use during Christmas and Thanksgiving, can go on high shelves or in the back of cabinets. They can even be stored outside the kitchen in the garage or attic. Store frequently used utensils together, separating stirring spoons and steak knives in easy to reach places, and put the melon baller and lemon zester in the far back of the drawer! Utilize drawer organizers to help separate utensils that are used frequently from the ones that are not. The same goes with pots and pans.

Free up Cabinet Space by Hanging Items and Utilizing Alternative Storage

Items like pots and pans can be hung underneath shelves and cabinets, freeing up cabinet space for other items. Organizers like a shelf pot rack keep kitchens clean and clutter-free in true restaurant style. These racks instantly free up cabinet space, offer easy access while cooking and look fantastic. Plus, these racks easily install into drywall, with no studs required, and are made of steel.

Other handy products like a xix-tier kitchen wall rack helps to relieve clutter on tables, counters and drawers. This rack has a slim, understated design, but the strong steel frame holds anything from cookbooks to cans of food. Standing 45-inches high, this rack provides great storage in a place where you might never think to utilize space.

Create Convenient Centers of Activity

Store related utensils, food items, and devices close to where they will be used. If you can successfully break your kitchen down into practical centers of activity, this will greatly assist you in reducing kitchen clutter. Whether you store foods in a pantry, cabinet, a closet, or someplace else entirely, don’t forget to go through periodically and clear out items that are hopelessly old or will never be used.

Stacking and condensing items in this area can be very helpful. Items like a stackable roll down can rack saves space and organizes canned food and drinks on easy to access shelves for fast retrieval and restocking. The rack’s compact shelves will fit neatly in either your pantry or cabinet, and stack or separate for custom fits.

Your cooking area includes your stove, oven, and the utensils that go with them. Make sure to store pots and pans, pot holders, spoons and spatulas in this part of your kitchen. A great item for this area is the Pan Tree, which organizes up to 14 pieces of cookware, including six pans, four lids and a Dutch oven conveniently. The Pan Tree easily stores in a cabinet or on a countertop.

Kitchen organization can be a daunting task. Remember to pace yourself. Unless you are moving in, don’t try to organize your kitchen all at once. It will be much simpler to go drawer by drawer, shelf by shelf, reducing clutter and creating the ideal kitchen

It is really a pleasure to cook in a kitchen that is well organized and has nice pots and pans in the cabinets. Some people prefer to hang their pots and pans from the ceiling so that they can grab them and go with the flow of their fast paced kitchen environment. There may be tiered racks filled with garlic and produce items that are used on a day-to-day basis.

The view of an organized kitchen is refreshing and inspires cooks to go the extra mile in giving their families tasty treats in record time. The timing is possible because the cook can find everything that is needed to prepare many dishes at one time. For the seasoned cook, there may be a stationary food processor that greets them every time they enter the kitchen.

Of course, a cook always likes to start the day with a good cup of coffee and will certainly have a coffee grinder in easy reach to grind and brew in minutes. Organized cooks may also have a spot in the kitchen drawers for a large set of serving spoons and mixing spoons that are perfect for certain jobs.

Every organized kitchen looks clean and splatter screens may be the reason why. A good cook knows that what stays in the frying pan does not make it onto their floor and walls, and their cleaning time is cut in half by a simple screen. Other cooks prefer to use a pot large enough for the entire gang. A self-serve night is truly a memorable night for a cook who only prepares a soup that the entire family can enjoy.

In colder climates, cooks prefer to use stove top grills in place of the backyard variety and get the same results in the comfort of their cozy kitchen. A quick steak and a baked potato and salad would be all that is needed to tide everyone over for the night. Again, clean up would be a breeze and there would still be plenty of time left over for the family to enjoy a good movie together, complete with popcorn from their high fashion popper at the end of the night.

Home life can be very entertaining if you know how to use your kitchen as the fun portal throughout the home. A clever cook can surprise their kids with cookies that are uniquely decorated by their own hands, on a crisp Winter morning, that they can present to the teacher before the first bell rings. These decorated masterpieces will certainly add fun to the day and the teacher will be very appreciative of your effort.

Keep your kitchen stocked with cutlery, pots, griddles and kitchen tools that can be used in so many ways. When an entertaining project approaches a organized cook will not even blink twice. They know they have what they need to get the job done, and they also know that it will be done right every time. The kitchen collection that you are so fond of would make excellent gifts for other people in your life. With your rave review of any item found in your kitchen, how can they go wrong using it in their kitchen.