The Dirty Dozen – When To Buy Organic and When To Skip It If Your Budget Does Not Allow It

We all know that we really should buy organic as much as possible (it’s healthier for us and it supports the small scale farmer).  But there are times when one simply cannot afford to totally go organic.  Thankfully research has been done from the Environmental Working Group and below in ranking order of fruits and vegetables from worst with pesticide residue (buy organic at all costs) to the best with the least amount of residue (OK to buy non-organic). Detailed data sheet can be found here.

Rank (worst to best)

Buy Organic At All Costs

1 Peaches 
2 Apples 
3 Sweet Bell Peppers 
4 Celery 
5 Nectarines 
6 Strawberries 
7 Cherries 
8 Lettuce 
9 Grapes – Imported 
10 Pears 
11 Spinach 
12 Potatoes 

Rising Cost of Food & How To Go Local

My day job has been on major slow-down for the past few weeks and we are paying dearly for the big birthday bash that my hubby was so gracious in letting me put on for myself (he is off the hook for the next 35 years). After gas prices hit $3.35 for regular and one of us has to commute two hours a day we are really starting to feel the pinch. My nerves really started to go on edge when I read this blog post and this article to know that I am not alone.

What does this have to do with food? A lot, really. Food that is imported from other states and countries need fuel for transportation. At the time of this writing, oil is at $117 per barrel!

We are now more determined than ever to make sure the NOTHING will go to waste regarding our CSA produce, and gradually start converting as much as possible to a regional/seasonal diet. I found a very good web page that gives tips this very subject. Mind you, the web page is mainly directed at Northeasterners, such as myself. I also know that going to a more vegan-based vegetarian diet (and we are what is commonly called a semi-vegetarian, meaning we eat fish & fowl) might help with food bill, albeit a very small portion. Good thing we are not allergic to soy and nuts.

Over the next few months I will do my best in posting tips and sites that I find to help stretch your hard-earned dollar bill and ways that will avoid as much food as possible to going to the compost. Here’s a couple of tips off the top of my head that I do or should do.

Tip #1: Start A Veggie Garden
Your veggie garden does not require acres of land. In fact you might be surprised to know that my garden is only 4×4 feet using a method called Square Foot Gardening. I am not as active with the gardening as much as I’m used to since I have been using the CSA, but this can be geared to most people, even those who have no experience in gardening! Before joining the CSA I would have veggies (with the help of a 73 green house over the garden) from April going into November. If you live in an apartment with a balcony, use large pots, plant a tomato plant and add stagger over a week or two a couple of lettuce seeds around the tomato plant and it will love the shade! Instant salad. If you have absolutely no space, find a community garden. You meet some great people and exchange gardening tips and if you must, share your bounty with others.

Tip #2: Buy In Bulk
I do not do this often enough, but right off the top of my head, I would buy my poultry when it goes on sale in minimum batches of 3lb trays and divide them up into 1lb sections and freeze. It is also suggested to also buy flour, sugar, nuts, dried fruits, chocolate chips, and coffee in bulk as well and keep in air tight containers (not zip lock bags as they do not keep fresh and possibly subject to critters).

Tip #3: Save the skin & bones
Want to make some amazing broth and stock? Get out your slow cooker, add your left over skin/bones/meat from your chicken or turkey (never tried beef but can’t hurt, I’m sure) and fill with water. Using a cheese cloth, wrap some fresh thyme, rosemary, 1/4 of an onion, and parsley. Tie together and add to pot. Cook overnight on low. Next morning remove carcass, bones, and spice wrap and strain through a sieve. If you want to remove a goodly portion of fat, no kidding use a non-bleached #4 coffee filter in the sieve. When liquid cannot go through, it is too full of fat and replace with a new one until all the liquid is strained. Freeze in batches of 1 cup, pop out of container and freeze in zip lock bags. Pull out what you need in single cups.

Let’s hear from you regarding your best tips and sites!

Egg Substitutes

Ever have one of those days when cooking up a recipe and requires an egg and ::gasp:: you have none? The store is too far away and that neighbor of yours might have an egg but is a little on the creepy side? I found some great tips from Pioneer Thinking that could save the day!

Ener-G Egg Replacer – follow directions on box.
2 tbsp corn starch = 1 egg
2 tbsp arrowroot flour = 1 egg
2 tbsp potato starch = 1 egg
1 heaping tbsp soy powder + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg
1 tbsp soy milk powder + 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg.
1 banana = 1 egg in cakes.

I might add that if you are making a meatloaf that requires an egg, 1/2 can of tomato paste works wonders in addition to adding a beautiful color to the loaf.

Recipe Plagairism on The McCain Campaign Trail

I will not go into politics on this blog, and I have not been keeping up with the news lately enough to get the full details of the fiasco. I think it has something to do with the three presidential candidates to submit their favorite family recipes somewhere…I have no idea.

Turns out that the McCain campaign got caught in a little bit of plagiarism of claiming a number of Food Network recipes as their own word-for-word. Campaign blames it on the intern. C’mon! In this world of busy lifestyles, many do not have recipes that have been passed down. All they had to do was admit that they had no family recipes per se, and post & cite great recipes that they tried elsewhere. Come to think of it, have they even cooked these recipes? Unlikely.

For the record, if Clinton and/or Obama pulled the same stunt, shame on you too!

Japanese Pickled Daikon With Easter Radishes

The Easter Radishes is really just a bunch of radishes in various color.  Any garden variety radish will work fine.  Dirt easy to make and not too potent.  Even my  3yo daughter can’t get enough of them.

Ingredients:
 

• 2 lbs of daikon, peeled, cut crosswise, then halved
• 3 bunches of easter radishes (about 30 pieces), cleaned, leaves removed*, cut lengthwise, then in thirds to make 6 wedges each
• 2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar, unseasoned
• 6tbsp unrefined sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger sticks peeled and cut into size of matchsticks

Directions:
Cut daikon and radishes according to directions above and place in a non-metal bowl.  With your hands toss with kosher salt and let sit at room temperature for at least an hour, tossing occasionally.  Drain in a colander, do not rinse.  Return to bowl.  In a separate non-metal bowl, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and ginger sticks and stir until sugar is completely dissolved.  Add to radishes and stir well. Divide radishes into two air-tight containers.  Shake well and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, shaking occasionally.  Good for about three weeks. Awesome with sushi.Picture to come sooner or later when my camera phone works again. 

* Remember those radish leaves?  Soak them in water for about and hour to thoroughly get the dirt and grime off.  Pat dry and saute in olive oil and three thinly sliced garlic cloves.  Add a dash of coarse black pepper and you have hot salad for two, not to mention nothing gone to waste.