I enjoy salads, but I am burned out on romaine lettuce . . . and spinach . . . and even that great box of organic mixed greens at Costco.  So, I would buy all these things and then never make salad.

Then I read Wardeh’s post on slaws… and it’s changed me.

Up to now, the only way I’ve known how to prepare greens was to cook them.  I’ve never considered eating them raw.  After making many of Wardeh’s recipes, I have come to trust her judgement and I dove in.

I recently started ordering from Azure Standard and bought five pounds of beets.  I love canned pickled beets, but I didn’t have a plan for what I was going to do with five pounds of fresh ones.  One night I considered just eating them raw and so I grated them up, added them to the slaw and wha-la… my favorite slaw/salad!  I now make enough slaw for 2-3 days and keep it in the fridge, mixing in a variation of Wardeh’s vinaigrette right before serving.

I put in whatever sounds good at the time: apples, beets, carrots, collard greens, kale, celery, raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts, broccoli, green and red peppers, red or green cabbage, other dried fruit or nuts, and greens that I see at the market that I don’t even know their name.  Some of these veggies need to be hand chopped – the greens, peppers, celery – but the rest can be grated in the food processor, saving me a ton of time.  The thing that is so great about these slaws is that everything is cut up so finely that you get a variety of different flavors with every bite.  Adding the sweetness of beets, carrots, apples, and raisins might make it easier to introduce this dish to slaw-spicious family members. 

I just love this slaw and my body feels fantastic now that I’ve eaten it almost every day for the last couple weeks.  If that is not enough, my tummy is flatter and I’ve lost 4 pounds.  I’m sure it’s because I’m substituting this low-calorie, high-fiber slaw for other foods that, while healthy, still have more calories.  Due to the high-fiber content, your tummy does feel nice and full, so you don’t leave the table hungry.

Jen’s Crazy Raw Beet Salad

• 2-3 collard green leaves, including stalks, finely chopped
• 4-5 kale leaves, including stalks, finely chopped
• 2 beets, peeled and grated
• beet greens, finely chopped
• 2 apples, including peel, grated
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 cup raisins 
• 2-3 celery stalks, finely chopped

Chop, toss, and devour!

My Favorite Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoon raw honey or raw agave
• 2 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar

I make this recipe in a recycled sesame oil bottle and it fills it up.  (I like to reuse glass bottles & jars.)  I simply put a funnel on the bottle, add the ingredients, and shake!  This amount is good for about a week for my family.  I like the extra zing of the apple cider vinegar and the super mild flavor of grapeseed oil, but use whatever vinegar and oil you enjoy.

The first step is to remove the labels.  Simply bring a large kettle of water to a rolling boil, turn off the stovetop, add the jars, without lids, and make sure that the labels are fully submerged.  Then let the jars sit in the water for several hours until the water is room temperature.  Some labels will just fall off.  For others, I use a nylon scrapper to scratch the label off and then baking soda to scrub the last bit of glue off.  Once the outsides are clean, I throw them in the dishwasher for a final cleaning.  It might sound like a lot of work, but I have found so many uses. 

My latest favorite use, is making dry beans in the crockpot and then freezing the beans in the jars.  Since a typical 15 oz can of beans only contains about 7 oz of actual beans (I know, isn’t that annoying?), I eyeball about 7 ounces in some bottles and then 14 or 21 ounces in others so that way I always have the amount I need and put the jars directly in the freezer.  When I’m ready to use the beans, I either put them in the fridge in the morning to thaw throughout the day, or I will use the defrost feature – without the lid – of my microwave.  Using glass jars to freeze items reduces my ziplock usage.  Just beware when freezing liquids in glass jars.  Liquids expand while freezing, so be sure to leave ample room at the top of the jar to accommodate this expansion.

I also use recycled jars for:

• Cooking Light’s Kansas City Dry Rub (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Garam Masala (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Asian Dry Rub (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Berbere (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Homemade Curry Powder (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Ras el Hanout (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Creole Spice Rub (old spice jar)
• Greek Seasoning Mix (old spice jar)
• Salt Free Cajun Seasoning Mix (old spice jar)
• Cooking Light’s Memphis Barbecue Sauce (Trader Joe’s Organic Grade B Maple Syrup bottle)
• Alton Brown’s Chili Powder (Dundee orange marmalade jar)
• Grainy French-Style Mustard from Joy of Cooking (pickle jar)
• Cooking Light’s Thousand Island Dressing (Trader Joe’s Salsa Authentica jar)
• Cooking Light’s Spiced Cranberry Sauce (TJ Mayo jar)
• Joy of Cooking’s Teriyaki Sauce (TJ Maple Syrup bottle)
• Homemade Asian Sesame Dressing (Sesame Oil bottle)
• Bulk combining of dry ingredients for future use (store full jars in freezer):
  • GNOWFGLINS’ Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Bar Cookies (32 oz/1 qt jar – such as mayo)
  • GNOWFGLINS’ Flatbread Mix (32 oz/1 qt jar – such as mayo)

I really enjoy making my own spice mixes rather than buying them at the store because I usually have all the ingredients and it’s easier for me to make it rather than go to the store with the kids.  Plus, it’s way less money.  You can easily spend $3-$6 for some of these spice mixes and why do that when you can just make it yourself for just pennies?

Some jars do hold onto the odor of the food they once held, such as pickles, so beware.  I suspect if you put your chocolate chip cookie mix in this jar, you might detect a slight pickle flavoring, I know, delicious, but I haven’t tested this.

There are a ton of crafts that can be made with glass jars. but, since I’m not a super-crafty mom, I haven’t gotten that far yet.  Click here to get started: Google Search: craft idea glass jars.  A really simple idea: buy craft glass paint and let your kids paint their own jar to store pencils, crayons, etc.  Or you can have your kids paint the jars that you will use to package a gift.

I still have the desire to spend all that time lovingly chopping various pieces of produce and leisurely planning a menu, but the reality is with two small kids, I’ve had to either change my plan of attack or eat out of a can.  So while I’ve used my crock pot over the years, it has been working overtime the last few months.  I sometimes make things even easier by prepping the food the night before, after the kids are asleep, so in the morning, I can just put it in the crock pot and turn it on!

My family likes flavorful food using flavors from around the world and sometimes the world of crock pots… well, can be bland.  Since we have eaten our fair share of bland food, I thought I would share some of my favorite crock pot recipes.

Many of these dishes are served over rice, but I’ve started serving them over organic quinoa or buckwheat groats (both complete proteins).  Both are tasty grains that are as easy as rice to make.  Per the suggestion of the ever brilliant Wardeh, I’ve started making a big pot of grains at the beginning of the week and then they are easily incorporated into meals.  That is a huge time saver.  I also chop a few onions when I can and put them in the fridge so I can just measure and add to recipes.

New to the world of grains?  Read Wardeh’s Grain Primer where you can learn a bit about various grains as well as how to cook them.

Also check out nutritiondata.com where you can get the most comprehensive nutritional data I’ve ever seen, complete with charts and graphs (I so love charts and graphs!!) on buckwheat groats, quinoa, and anything else you can ever imagine.

I like to buy meat in bulk and then freeze it so that I can easily make any one of the meals below without having to go to the store.  I simply put the meat in the fridge a day or so before to thaw and then in the crock pot to cook!  Very, very easy.

I buy the following items from CostCo and stock my freezer:

• Shortribs
• Frozen or fresh chicken thighs and breasts
• Chuck roast
• Ground organic beef
• Whole organic chickens

I also buy organic peeled baby carrots, broccoli, and organic mixed greens or romaine lettuce from CostCo.  We snack on the veggies throughout the week and then I steam them for a quick dinner side dish.  Also, you can take extra broccoli (it is like a 5 lb bag), and freeze it as-is in a ziplock.  I’m all for tricks that enable me to go longer between grocery shopping trips.

With those few basics, you can make so much very easily.

Here are my favorites…

From Cooking Light

• Mexican Black Bean Chili

• Rioja Chicken

• Chipotle Corn & Two-Bean Chili

• Slow Cooker Meat Loaf with Shiitake Mushrooms

• Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork Roast

• Apricot & Lamb Tagine

• Beef Goulash

• Spicy Black & Red Bean Soup

From Mable Hoffman’s Complete Crockery Cookery.  Many of these recipes, I couldn’t find on the internet, so support Mable and buy her book.  (And you can support this site by clicking through that link to buy her book.)

• Beef Burritos – Buy some tortillas, sour cream, and a block of cheese from CostCo and you have dinner!

• Spaghetti Meat Sauce – I’m making a double batch of this tomorrow and then plan on freezing it in dinner-size portions.  Will be the perfect fix for those evenings when I just don’t want to cook.

• Shortcut Chuck Roast with Mushroom Sauce

• Glazed Corned Beef – One of my favorite things… I make thousand island dressing, my husband makes the best sauerkraut… swiss cheese… toasted rye bread… YUM!

• Corned Beef

• Spicy Brisket Over Noodles

• Teriyaki Steak

• German Short Ribs

• Indonesian Pork

• Plum Glazed Chicken

• Cranberry-Orange Turkey Roll – Instead of a turkey roll, I used chicken thighs which I cooked in the crock pot for 4 hours

• Baked Beans with Canadian Bacon

• Spicy Pintos on Tortillas – This makes so much that we have enough for lunchtime bean and cheese burritos and quesadillas for days.

• Lentil Casserole – I made it in a saucepan in 20 minutes.  I love the earthy taste of lentils.

That is how I feel about GNOWFGLINS™.

I’ve spent the past hour bouncing on my yoga ball trying to get my baby to sleep and, while my back was burning and my patience waning, I past the time with my new best bud Wardeh.

A brief description:

We choose to eat healthfully as a way of praising our Creator for His perfect design. As our designer, He knows best how to nourish our bodies. Those foods are God’s Natural, Organic, Whole Foods, Grown Locally, In Season.

Here are some of my favorite posts:

• Use Less Plastic Challenge
• Reheating Foods Without A Microwave
• Fruit Smoothie Formula
• Raw Nut Milk ~ Almond or Hazelnut
• Chocolate-Almond Milk
• Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free)
• Gluten-Free Natural Tollhouse Bar Cookies
• Vanilla Coconut Ice Cream
• Dark Chocolate Ice Cream — Non-Dairy, Naturally Sweetened
• Pumpkin Ice Cream — Non-Dairy, Naturally Sweetened
• Coconut Cumin Chicken
• Whole Wheat Bread Baking — Picture Tutorial
• Raw Applesauce

Now, I’m a meat, dairy, gluten, white sugar eating woman… but I am buying more and more organic and raw items.  I love the way organic sugar just looks.  That soft brown color… how all the granules are slightly different sizes… how the color can differ bag to bag.  It’s just so darn pretty, I feel decedent stirring into my half-caf coffee! 

But just because I eat everything, doesn’t mean I would pass buy a chocolate ice cream recipe that uses coconut milk instead of dairy.  (That is pure brilliance!)  And I’m fascinated to make those Tollhouse Bar Cookies.  And the Pumpkin Pie… yum, yum, yum! 

I love cooking because I love eating, but I also enjoy working with new stuff and combining ingredients in novel ways.  Take new types of flour.  I’ve cooked with your basic everyday white, bleached flour, whole wheat and rye.  That’s it.  She has a whole list of grains that she mills and I’ve love to cook with them all.  Tonight!  But I’m pooped.  DH is getting K down and then he and I are going to enjoy some sour gummy bears… not real “raw” or “organic” of me huh?

So, I’ll see how the weekend goes.  I picked almost the last of the plums this morning and was cutting them in half, removing the pit and then freezing them in gallon freezer bags.  I still have a few pounds to process.  But I have two cans of coconut milk chilling in the fridge waiting for me to have a moment to make that Chocolate Ice Cream!

Delia Smith’s Spiced Plum Chutney was so easy to put together… diced the apples and onions in the food processor and then almost everything else was weighed at the store from the bulk bins, so I just pored all that in… and it smelled so good cooking.  I almost wished someone was going to just stop by so they could smell it!  Now we wait 3 months while it mellows… yum!

Country Plum Pie was my favorite kind of pie… simple and all about the fruit.  A couple spices, some minute tapioca, a bit of sugar (I don’t like super-sweet pies… overpowers the fruit) and, well, I had two slices.  A la mode.  Must go running tomorrow morning!

Spiced Plum Butter was the perfect thing tonight because I had sliced all these plums yesterday and was concerned that if I didn’t cook them up tonight, they wouldn’t be good tomorrow.  Since the recipe calls for 4 lbs of plums, I used the ones in the fridge up and then had the quarter 12 more ounces.  Extra bonus: I got to use my cool immersion blender which made quick work of those cooked plums!  I usually make homemade cranberry sauce and spoon that over plain yogurt or cottage cheese, but I’m going to be using this plum butter in its place for a bit.

Gingery Plum Jam is a not-super-sweet jam.  The first preserves we made, from the Williams Sonoma cookbook, was 4 lbs of plums to 7 cups – over 3 lbs – of sugar.  Since it was the first time I made jam, I didn’t know how much that was until I saw the Gingery Plum Jam recipe: 4lbs of plums to 3 cups of sugar.  I like it because the jam is a little tart and the ginger comes through so delicately.  It is yummy!

We will want to make the wine and liquor as well as the barbecue sauce.  I also want to mass produce the Baked Plums Madeira and then can it… I don’t know how much liquid it creates, so I might have to pack it in a simple syrup which might dilute all the baked plum goodness… I’ll keep you posted.

My criteria:

• uses loads of plums
• can be mass produced
• can be preserved via canning, freezing, or fermenting in alcohol

Below are my favorite finds.  I think tomorrow we will bust out a few Plum Pies and freeze them and then make some conserve, chutney, plum wine & liquor (yum!!), baked plums, barbecue sauce…  Well, we will see how much we are able to do with two small kids, but hey, that’s what my didymos wrap and Strawberry Shortcake DVDs are for, right?  In all honesty, what we will probably do is get all the ingredients prepped and then have our 4 year old help combine it all together and THEN put on Ms. Shortcake to entertain while we do the rest.

I also discovered a few ingredients that I’ve never heard of before which I love… so for those who are similarly fascinated, I’ve included links so that you to make walk the way of the food nerd!

• dry yeast – for making plum wine, which is different than the yeast used for baking
• ‘eau de vie’ – for making plum liquor
• demerara sugar – for making plum chutney
• dessertspoon – as in “a dessertspoon of whole cloves” for the same chutney

Which reminds me of one of the ways that I incorporate homeschooling with food.   We pull out the Food Lover’s Companion and read about whatever we are eating.  It’s a great way to learn about history, geography, and expand our vocabulary.  We usually end up reading another entry, looking things up on the Internet and permitting our natural curiosity to be the catalyst to new information rather than just learning what was on the schedule for the day.  What a fun way to learn instead of cooped up in a room with 30 kids!  But I digress… onto the recipes!

From http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/001162plums.php:

Plum Conserve – not-too-sweet jam. Yields: 6 pints

7 cups tart plums (about 3 lbs.) unpeeled, seeded and sliced
4 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups raisins
1 lemon, thinly sliced, including rind
1 orange, thinly sliced, including rind
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Prepare fruit jars. In a large kettle (6-8 qt.), stir together all the ingredients except the walnuts; heat to boiling. Stirring frequently, boil gently 20 to 25 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Stir in walnuts. Fill jars, Seal, cool, store.

Plum Pie

20 or so plums
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 to 2 tablespoons cinnamon (yes, it sounds odd. No, it’s not strong of cinnamon! Amazing)
1 9 inch pie shell, unbaked
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 425

Wash and dry plums, cut in halves and remove pits (I would skin before cutting if I were making for company or a competition of some sort). Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/4 of this mixture over bottom of pie crust. Overlap plums in circles over mixture (In my experience, this shrinks down so much you can put them nearly standing up, really pack them in there, the mixture that gets sprinkled on top thickens juices. Start on the outside edge, and work inward, it’s easier than the reverse, since the plums can lean against each other and the side of the pan, and you can make them look more pretty when it’s nearly full). You do want them kind of “reclining” back in the pan, you want the cut side pointing up just a wee bit. Sprinkle remaining mixture over top, dot with butter, and bake at 425 for 10 minutes, reduce to 350 and bake 30-35 minutes longer. Check crust though and put a foil collar around the edge if it gets too dark. If you’re oven temp is accurate, it shouldn’t.

Plum Wine

5 kilo’s plums (pitted)
2 liters water
5 grams dry yeast
1 kilo sugar

Heat the water and add sugar and yeast. Stir and mix with the plums. Put in a large plastic or earthenware container for about 10 – 15 days.
Strain. Return into the container for another week.
Put thru a fine sieve and bottle.

Liqueur de prunes (sweet prune liquor)

1 kg plums (no seeds)
1 kg white candy sugar
1 liter ‘eau de vie’ 40%

Put the washed plums, sugar and eau de vie in an air tight container. Place in a dry and dark place for 6 months. At the end of this period strain, and put into bottles.
Instead of this you can use the plums as a delicious condiment for your deserts. It will also do wonders with a ball of vanilla ice cream.

From http://www.deliaonline.com/messageboard/7/27673/thread.html:

Delia Smith’s Spiced Plum Chutney (from the Complete Cookery Course)

You will need a very large pan, a 12 inch (30cm) square piece of gauze, some string and six 1lb (450g) preserving jars, or jars with plastic lined screw top lids.

3 lb (1.3kg) plums
1 lb (450g) cooking apples
3 large onions
3 cloves garlic
2 heaped teaspoons ground ginger
1 lb (450g) seedless raisins
1 lb (450g) soft dark brown sugar
1 lb (450g) demerara sugar
2 pints (1.2 litres) malt vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
2 small cinnamon sticks
1 oz (25g) whole allspice berries
1 dessertspoon whole cloves

Wash & dry plums, then slit down natural line of fruit and remove the stones – putting the halved plums into the pans as you go. Next core and mince the apples (with the peel left on) and add them to the pan, then peel and mince the onions and add them as well.

Now crush the garlic and add that, followed by the ginger and raisins, the sugars and the vinegar. Sprinkle in the salt and stir everything thoroughly. The cinnamon, allspice berries and cloves should be wrapped in the gauze and tied loosely to form a little bag, which should then be tied onto the handle of the pan and suspended into the middle of the rest of the ingredients.

Bring everything to the boil, then lower the heat and let the chutney simmer very gently for 2 to 3 hours, stirring it occasionally and rather more often towards the end to prevent it sticking to the bottom. When almost all the vinegar has disappeared and the chutney has thickened to a soft consistency, it’s ready. It will thicken more when it has cooled, so be careful not to overcook it, and remember the narrower the top of the pan, the longer the chutney will take to reduce.

While it is still warm, pout it into jars (washed, dried and put into a moderate oven to warm through first). Cover with waxed discs and seal down with a screw lid. Label when cold and store in a cool, airy cupboard. Leave to mellow for at least 3 months before eating.

Note – you can use a food processor instead of a mincer.

From http://www.nikibone.com/recipe/fruit/plums.html:

Country Plum Pie
Pastry for double crust pie:
6 cups thickly sliced prune plums, unpeeled
1 teaspoon coarsely grated orange rind
2 teaspoons orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons quick cooking tapioca
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon coriander
Roll out bottom pastry and fit into 9 inch pie plate. Do not trim. In large bowl, combine plums, orange rind and juice. In a small bowl, combine sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and coriander. Add sugar mixture to plums and let stand 15 minutes. Spoon plum mixture into pie shell, mounding slightly in the center. Melt butter and drizzle over filling. Roll out pastry top and prepare lattice top if desired. Trim and flute edges. Bake in 425F oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 375F and continue baking for 35 minutes or until pastry is golden. Let cool on rack and serve while still warm.

Plum Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup onion; chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup chile sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
16 1/2 ounce can purple plums, drained, pitted and finely chopped
6 ounces frozen lemonade; thawed
Cook onion in margarine in 2 quart saucepan stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Makes about 2 cups of sauce.

Swiss Plum Kuchen
Sweet Pastry Dough:
3 cups flour
2/3 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup butter
3 eggs
Almond Filling:
2 cups blanched almonds
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup butter
3 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 pounds prune plums
2/3 cup sliced almonds
Butter a 12 by 18 inch pan. Set a rack in the lowest level of the oven and preheat to 350F. For the dough, combine dry ingredients in bowl of food processor and pulse several times to mix. Cut butter into 12 pieces and add to work bowl. Pulse 8 or 10 times, until mixture is a fine powder. Add eggs and pulse until dough forms a ball that revolves on blade. Remove, wrap and chill dough. For almond filling, place almonds in food processor with sugar and pulse until finely ground. Add almond extract and butter and pulse until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, pulsing between each addition. Scrape bowl and blade and add flour; pulse until evenly mixed. Roll dough on a floured surface and line prepared pan. Trim and flute edge of dough. Spread evenly with filling. Rinse, pit and quarter plums and arrange on filling, cut side up. Strew evenly with the sliced almonds. Bake at 350F about 45 minutes, until dough is baked through and filling is set. Cool in pan on a rack. Cut in 3 inch squares to serve.

From Cooking Light:

Baked Plums Madeira


6 ripe plums (any variety), pitted and quartered
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
3 tablespoons Madeira or fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Preheat oven to 450°.

Place plum quarters in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine sugar, orange rind, Madeira, orange juice, and cinnamon. Drizzle orange juice mixture over plums. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Serve plums over yogurt; top with pine nuts.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 4 plum quarters, 1/2 cup yogurt, and about 1/2 teaspoon pine nuts)
CALORIES 178 (21% from fat); FAT 4.2g (sat 1.7g,mono 0.9g,poly 1.4g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 10mg; CALCIUM 103mg; CARBOHYDRATE 33.7g; SODIUM 34mg; PROTEIN 4.3g; FIBER 1.5g
Cooking Light, JULY 1998

Roasted Spiced Plums

These go well over low-fat ice cream or pound cake.

4 plums, halved
Cooking spray
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon slivered almonds, toasted
Preheat oven to 450°.

Place plum halves, cut sides up, in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine orange juice, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and cardamom, and stir well. Drizzle orange juice mixture over plums. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes. Top with toasted almonds.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 plum halves and 3/4 teaspoon almonds)
CALORIES 96 (13% from fat); FAT 1.4g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.3g); IRON 0.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 22mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.4g; SODIUM 4mg; PROTEIN 1.1g; FIBER 1.7g
Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 1997

Spiced Plum Butter

This recipe goes with Pork Roast With Plum Glaze, Moroccan-Spiced Leg of Lamb

3/4 cup orange juice
4 pounds plums, quartered
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Combine juice and plums in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until tender. Place plum mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Press pureed mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl; discard solids.

Combine plum mixture, sugar, and remaining ingredients in pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1 hour or until thick, stirring frequently. Cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 months.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon)
CALORIES 45 (6% from fat); FAT 0.3g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.1g; SODIUM 0.0mg; PROTEIN 0.4g; FIBER 0.9g
Cooking Light, OCTOBER 1997

Gingery Plum Jam

4 pounds ripe purple-skinned plums, pitted and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 24 plums)
1 cup water
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 (3-inch) strips julienne-cut lemon rind
Combine plums and water in a Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, juice, ginger, and rind. Cook over medium heat 40 minutes, until thick or a candy thermometer reaches 210°. Stir mixture occasionally. (Do not overcook or mixture will scorch.) Cool. Discard lemon rind. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
Yield: 4 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon)
CALORIES 51 (4% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.0g); IRON 0.0mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 12.9g; SODIUM 0.0mg; PROTEIN 0.2g; FIBER 0.6g
Cooking Light, JULY 1998

Plum Chutney

This recipe goes with Cumin-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Plum Chutney

1 jalapeño pepper
1 poblano chile
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
5 cups chopped plums (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Preheat broiler.

Place jalapeño and poblano on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil 10 minutes or until blackened, turning occasionally. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel jalapeño and poblano; cut in half lengthwise. Discard seeds and membranes; coarsely chop.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, ginger, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add jalapeño, poblano, plums, and next 6 ingredients (plums through black pepper); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer an additional 15 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Cool completely. Stir in cilantro.
Yield: 16 servings (serving size: about 1/4 cup)
CALORIES 51 (23% from fat); FAT 1.3g (sat 0.2g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.2g); IRON 0.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 11mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.4g; SODIUM 78mg; PROTEIN 0.7g; FIBER 1.1g
Cooking Light, JUNE 2003

Plum Barbecue Sauce

Drape this zesty sauce over food after it’s cooked, or brush it on during the last minute or two of cook time. Serve with grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, or burgers. Or add to a slow cooker with pork or beef roast. Smoky chipotle chile powder is a fine substitute for smoked paprika.

1 3/4 cups chopped plums (about 6)
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Bring plums, ketchup, shallots, and remaining ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Uncover and cook 15 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Cool 10 minutes. Place mixture in a food processor; process until smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Yield: 2 cups (serving size: 2 tablespoons)
CALORIES 41 (4% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.1g); IRON 0.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.2g; SODIUM 176mg; PROTEIN 0.5g; FIBER 0.5g
Cooking Light, MAY 2007

Getting Started

Why buy grass-fed beef? 

Chart of typical beef distribution in pounds.

How to cook it.

Map of grass-fed farms in CA.

American Grassfed Association – Features a list of farms producing grass-fed beef, poultry, dairy, goats, and lamb

EatWild – The #1 Site for Grass-Fed Food & Facts

A funny post on “pastured hippy meat vs agri-industrial meat”

Farm vs Local Stores

If I lived within driving distance of a farm, I would buy grass-fed beef, no question.  However, since I don’t, the shipping costs do make it extra pricey.

Some stores do carry grass-fed beef.  The only local store in my area, to my knowledge, is Henry’s and while I love shopping there, sometimes their markup is huge.  (For example, I recently purchased peppermint extract there and it was $4.99 only to discover that Trader Joe’s sells it for $0.99.  That’s right, one fifth the price.)

Another option, is to start requesting grass fed beef at CostCo whose maximum markup is 15%.  They pay a living wage, they are good for communities, and have even been dubbed “the anti-Wal-Mart.”  I’ve noticed that my local CostCo has been carrying more and more organic food and products: ground beef, bread, milk, whole frozen chickens, body wash, peanut butter, frozen mixed vegetables, frozen blueberries, fresh mixed greens, diced canned tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, shampoo, and organic clothes all at your reasonable, everyday CostCo prices.

Based on their current organic inventory, which is growing by the month, I think they would carry grass-fed beef if enough people requested it and bought it.  You can request items via their suggestion “section” (usually by the return area), which is what I intend to do.  I wonder if they did carry grass-fed beef if they would sell it for less than $8.75 per pound (more on this later.)   And if you do notice grass-fed beef there, tell your friends, so it sells and CostCo knows to restock it!  If you don’t live close to a CostCo, search their website for organic products.  I recently saw organic baby/crib mattresses for $120.

Grass-Fed Farms in California

As I started collecting information from farms, I just started organizing it here so I could quickly refer back.  As you can see, this information is by no means comprehensive, but it’s a start and I thought I would share.  As I research more farms, I’ll add that information below.

Beer River Valley, Ferdale

Split Half – $6.30 per pound – (approx 125 lbs)
This is a quarter of beef that contains equal proportions of the cuts from the front to the back.

Half – $6.15 per pound – (approx 250 lbs)
This contains all of the beef cuts from either the left or right side.

Whole – $6.00 per pound – (approx 500 lbs)
This contains all of the beef cuts.

All packages include an assortment of steaks, roasts, ground beef and stew meat. Weights are not exact. Weights depend on the carcass size. Prices include cut, wrap and freezing. Final price is based on packaged weight of delivered beef. Prices do not include delivery or shipping.

All of our beef is USDA inspected.

In addition you can choose to order Organ Meats (depending on availability – sold on a first come first served basis)

I emailed them asking for a quote on shipping a whole cow and they quickly replied (within a couple hours) and quoted $1200.  (Note that shipping prices vary depending on where in the country you are.)  Assuming that the total cost of $4200 was split amongst 8 families, that would be $525 for approximately 60 pounds of meat at $8.75 per pound requiring 2.3 cubic feet of freezer space to store.

Ennes Ranch, Brentwood (only available for pick-up)

What packages are available?

A. Split quarter (15 pounds steak, 40 pounds ground beef, 25 pounds roasts & stew). Weights vary depending on the animal and the size of the cuts.

B. Split quarter (15 pounds steak, 30 pounds ground beef, 35 pounds roasts & stew).

C. Half (weight can vary from 200 to 300 pounds)(custom cuts & package size options).

D. Other – please ask.

How much will it cost?

Meat sold in large orders is $5.50 per pound, regardless of cut

We ask you to give us a deposit, $150.00 with your order.

Balance is due after the meat is processed, frozen, and ready for pick-up.

How is the beef is prepared for customers?

Animals are processed from May until August.
Slaughtered at a USDA inspected facility.
Hung for a minimum of two weeks.
Cut and packaged professionally

How to Order:

Choose package A, B, or C.
Contact Ennes Ranch for availability.
Send deposit with your name, address, phone number, and email address
We will notify you two weeks before the meat is ready to be picked up at Austin Meats in Ripon, California

Fair Oaks Ranch, Paso Robles

Flat rate of $7.50/pound.

Here is a link to their brochure.

All meat is vacuumed packed for long freezer life.
Customer pays for shipping.
Approximate yield on a 1200 lb steer is 40% yield of meat
or 480 lbs packaged weight.

USDA CUT AND WRAP
NO ADDED HORMONES OR ANTIBOITCS USED

Call for current prices and availability. Deposits required with each order.

Hearst Ranch, San Simeon (doesn’t sell whole cows, only cuts and rather pricey at that)

Paicines Ranch, Paicines

You have to email or call them for cuts and prices, but they are a CSA partner (aka Eating with the Seaons, which is really cool if you live in Central California.

Lindner Bison, Valencia

I love how they have so many ways to buy!  You can get a steak or a whole bison!

4 easy ways to buy
- per package
- per 40 lb. or 20 lb. assortment
- per quarter, half or whole
- per 10 lb. burger
Call our toll-free number! 866-247-8753
STEAKS
1 Tenderloin
2 NY Strip Loin
3 Ribeye
4 Top Sirloin
5 Chuck
6 Cube steak
ROASTS
7 Chuck
8 Rump
9 Hump
10 Top round
OTHER
11 Fajita strips
12 Kabob mest
13 Stew meat
14 Burger, bulk
15 Burger, patties
MIX & MATCH
16 Meaty soup bones
17 Tongue
18 Heart
19 Liver & kidney
20 Oxtail & neckbones
21 RM Oysters
22 Jerky – Low sodium/No preservatives!
23 Short ribs
24 Marrow & Dog Bones

Mommies need recipes that are tasty, nutritious, easy to make, and maybe even have a component or two where your young child can help out, without making a ginormous mess for you to clean up later or requiring you to start making dinner at 2pm to accommodate for how long their portion will take.

With the addition of a cooking section, this website can now appeal to that niche of people who are seeking VBAC information as well as the perfect chocolate macaroon recipe – I know you are out there!  So, whip up a batch of those macaroons, make yourself a fabulous cup of coffee, put up your feet, and then you can peruse the rest of the site!

Or, if you are like any mommy I know, you are reading with an infant at your breast as your toddler is finally enjoying a rare quiet moment and you are frantically reading as quickly as you can… in that case, let’s just dive in.

The Game Plan

Let me preface this whole deal by saying the only way I was able to pull this off was because I had help with the kids and I spread the work over several days.  I had all the grocery shopping done by Thursday.  I baked the cake on Friday while the baby was napping.  My dad and husband took care of the two kids on Saturday as I made the frosting, tiramisu and macaroons and then crumb frosted the cake.  Then I did the final layer of frosting Sunday morning before the party.  Without someone else to hold the baby and contain my toddler’s endless energy, this would have been absolutely impossible.

1. Red Velvet Cake, from Cooking Light, frosted with a full-fat Cream Cheese Frosting, from FamilyFun Magazine.  This was the basis of my Princess Cake resulting in a red dress.

2. Princess Cake, from FamilyFun Magazine.  This wasn’t to hard technically, just took a long time to bake, cool, frost the crumb layer, refrigerate, frost the final layer of frosting, and finally frost the bodice of the doll.  I bought a “doll pick” from my local Michael’s and experimented with dusting gold shimmer dust on the dress.  To your right, is the picture of the cake compliments of FamilyFun.  Below it, was my creation… not quite as nice, but K was so thrilled.

3. Chewy Chocolate-Coconut Macaroons, from Cooking Light.  I have made this recipe for years.  It is easy, quick, and so darn delicious.  Plus your child will enjoy scooping the dough onto the cookie sheet.  I recommend using a size 70 disher to ensure your cookies are of uniform size and cook evenly.  I also recommend lining your cookie sheet with a Silpat so your cookies don’t stick.  I used wax paper, instead of the recipe recommended parchment, on the first batch and ended up trashing a whole tray of cookies because they were so stuck to the paper.  Well, I honestly didn’t trash them.  I put the huge mound of crumbled cookies in a bowl which I snacked on throughout the day… one more thing that kept me moving!  I made a triple batch of these – which required 7.5 cups of sweetened shredded coconut – but to cut down on sugar, I replaced 2.5 cups of that with unsweetened shredded coconut.  I didn’t even notice the difference and they were certainly still sweet enough! 

4. Tiramisu, from Cooking Light.  What I love about this recipe is that it doesn’t use the oven or eggs (so unlike other tiramisu recipes, you don’t have to cook eggs or beat egg whites), and it is so darn good.  The step that takes the longest is cutting all the lady fingers in half, but other than that, it’s just mix and layer.  There are three components to the dish which you can make at different times, as your schedule permits – cutting the lady fingers, making the espresso drizzle, and mixing the filling.  Your toddler can even help with the final construction by layering the lady fingers and spreading the filling.  Due to the nature of this dish, it doesn’t matter if your toddler does it ‘right’ since any errors can be easily camouflaged.  Mommy, simply smooth out that final layer of filling and then sprinkle liberally with unsweetened cocoa and shaved chocolate.  I made a triple batch in a 13×9 pan and it was almost all gone except for a sliver!