1. Simple Slow Simmered Collard Greens Recipe

12 cups cleaned chopped collards

6 slices of salt pork or thick bacon

1 yellow onion, diced

1 ham hock or meaty ham bone

salt and black pepper to taste

Be sure the collard greens have been well washed and rinsed.  Then pull the leaves from the stems (discard the stems) and lay the leaves in a pile.  Roll them up and chop them with a sharp knife; set aside.

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, cook salt pork or bacon until crispy, remove to a paper towel covered rack and set aside.

Add to the Dutch oven the collard greens, cooked salt pork or bacon, onion, ham hock or ham bone, salt, and pepper.

Add enough water to cover the collards and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Immediately reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer very gently until collards are tender, about 2 to 3 hours.

Serve hot with sprinkles of pepper vinegar if desired.

2. Southern Chow-Chow Pepper Relish Recipe

2 sweet onions, diced fine

1 celery stalk, diced fine

4 or 5 hot chile peppers (cayenne peppers), diced fine

2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/2 Tbsp salt

1 tsp granulated sugar

Put all the ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat, bring just to a boil, immediately turn heat to very low and simmer, stirring often, for about 1 to 2 hours. The vinegar should have been reduced quite a bit to form a thick relish.

Remove from heat and let stand at room temperature.

Store in tightly sealed glass jars or plastic storage containers in the refrigerator.

3. Crawfish Gumbo Omelet Recipe

2 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup diced green bell pepper

1/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup diced onion

1 Tbsp flour

1 can (15 oz) stewed tomatoes

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

3/4 to 1 lb. cleaned crawfish meat

5 eggs, beaten

3 Tbsp heavy cream

pinch cayenne

salt and black pepper to taste

oil or butter to cook omelet

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until butter melts, then add the green bell pepper, celery, and onion, stirring and cooking until vegetables just start to soften.

Sprinkle the flour over and stir constantly until sauce forms and thickens and flour cooks and turns golden yellow.

Add the stewed tomatoes and tomato paste in saucepan, stir and cook until tomatoes are heated through.

Reduce heat to low, add the crawfish and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often; keep warm.

In separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

Put a skillet over medium-low heat, add enough oil or butter to cook the omelet (about 2 Tbsp) and heat the oil until just hot.

Gently pour the egg mixture into the skillet; shift the pan around and lift the edges to allow for the wet egg mixture to seep under and set up.

When eggs in skillet are just set, spoon the crawfish filling into the center, fold omelet over, remove from heat, cover skillet and let sit for 1 minute.

Serve hot.

Will serve 2 to 3 people.

4. Fill ‘er Up Mixed Jambalaya Recipe

1 large onion, diced small

1 large green bell pepper, diced small

2 celery stalks, diced small

2 Tbsp cooking oil

1 lb chicken meat, diced

1 lb pork sausage

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 reg can tomato paste

1 reg can stewed whole tomatoes

1 reg can tomato sauce

1-1/2 cup water

1-1/2 cups uncooked rice

1 lb small to medium shrimp

1 box (10 oz) frozen corn, thawed

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and black pepper to taste

2 Tbsp butter

Put onions, bell pepper, and celery in a large Dutch oven, add oil, and put over medium-low heat; cook until vegetables are starting to get soft. Remove veggies to a bowl; set aside.

Add chicken and sausage to Dutch oven and cook over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked and sausage is no longer pink.

Add back in the vegetables, add the garlic and cook, stirring until garlic is just fragrant.

Add the tomato paste, whole tomatoes, tomato sauce, and uncooked rice.  Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot, stir thoroughly.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover the Dutch oven, and simmer for 30 minutes or until rice is tender.

Add in the shrimp, corn, brown sugar, cayenne, salt, black pepper, and the butter, stir to combine and simmer over low heat until shrimp is pink and cooked thoroughly; about 5 minutes.

Serve hot in bowls with crusty bread.

5. Cajun Alligator Meat Sauce Recipe

3 lbs alligator meat, cubed

1 envelope French salad dressing mix

1 large onion

1 medium green bell pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp Cajun mixed spices

2 (8 oz size) cans tomato sauce

1 large (2 lb+ size) jar spaghetti sauce

2 Tbsp hot sauce

cooking oil

hot cooked rice or pasta for serving

Put alligator meat in a plastic food bag, add the envelope  of  French

dressing mix, shake and refrigerate  overnight.

The next day when ready to cook, in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons cooking oil, add the marinaded alligator and lightly  brown; remove and set aside.

In Dutch oven, add the onions and bell pepper, cooking until they start to soften, then add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, add the Cajun spices, and heat, stirring, for about 30 seconds.

Add both cans of tomato sauce, turn heat down to very low, cover the pot, and simmer, stirring often, for 30  minutes.

Add jar of spaghetti sauce and hot sauce, taste and adjust seasoning, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Add the alligator meat, stir, cover pot, and continue to simmer over very low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over hot cooked rice or pasta.

Will serve 8 to 10.

6. Fried Okra Seafood Gumbo Recipe

1 cup + 1 Tbsp peanut oil

5 cups fresh okra, sliced

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 Tbsp flour

1 1/2 cups finely diced celery

3 cups finely diced white onions

1 cup finely diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped green onions, including green tops

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned

1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 quarts homemade shrimp stock (or stock you have on hand)

2 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 tsp cumin

3 lbs medium size shrimp, cleaned

8 oz crab meat

cooked white rice for serving

In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, heat 1 cup peanut oil until hot.

Add the okra and fry hot until they start to crisp and the stringy texture disappears; remove to a bowl, salt well, and set aside.

In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, make the roux – melt the butter, stir in the remaining 1 Tbsp peanut oil, sprinkle in the flour and whisk to blend. Stir constantly over medium heat and when the color turns to the shade of a nut (medium brown) remove pot, but continue stirring until the roux has cooled slightly.

Put the pot with the roux back on a burner, turn the burner on medium-high, and add the celery, onions, and green pepper, stirring constantly to cook until veggies soften slightly.

Add 1 tsp salt; stir.

Add in the green onions and garlic, reduce heat to medium and cook about 3 to 5 more minutes or until the veggies are soft; stir well with a wooden spoon while it cooks so you scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.

Add the chopped tomatoes, sprinkle in about 1 teaspoon of salt, stir, and continue cooking over medium heat until sauce thickens, stirring frequently; about 5 minutes.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, stock, water, bay leaf, and cumin; stir, taste, and add more salt as needed.

Bring mixture to a simmer, turn heat down to low, cover and cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Uncover pot and add fried okra, shrimp, and crab meat, stir to combine.

Set cover back on pot and let gumbo simmer over very low heat for about 7 to 10 minutes or until shrimp is cooked completely.

Stir, taste, and add more salt if needed.

Serve in bowls with a scoop of rice on top.

7. Cajun Catfish Parmesan Recipe

8 catfish filets

1 Tbsp melted butter

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup butter, softened

6 Tbsp mayonnaise

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

dash Tabasco hot sauce

Put rack in oven on second from the top position. Turn broiler on and preheat.

Arrange catfish in a broiler safe baking pan and brush with the 1 Tbsp melted butter.

When broiler is ready, put the catfish under and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until fish browns slightly (it doesn’t have to be cooked through); remove from broiler and set aside.

Turn broiler off and turn oven on to 375 degrees.

Put the remaining ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined.

Brush the Parmesan cheese mixture on top of the broiled catfish in the baking pan.

Put catfish in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese melts and fish flakes easily with a fork.

Remove and let stand 3 minutes before serving.

8. Corn Zucchini Fritters Kissed With Basil Recipe

1 medium sized zucchini, coarsely grated

2 yellow squash, coarsely grated

2 cups corn kernels

2 large eggs

1 green onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cups all-purpose flour

salt and black pepper to taste

Drain the moisture out of the grated zucchini and grated yellow squash by putting it in a large mesh colander and letting it sit over a bowl. Take a big spoon and press down from time to time to help squeeze out the liquid.  Let the squash drain for at least 15 minutes before starting to make the fritters.

When ready to prepare, put the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until frothy.

Add the drained zucchini and yellow squash, and the remaining ingredients; mix together with a big spoon or spatula until combined.

In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, pour about 3 inches of high-heat oil.  Bring temperature up to about 350 degrees, or until it sizzles with a drop of water.

Form the fritters with about 2 tablespoons each of the mixture, rolling around gently to compress.  Drop fritters in the hot oil (don’t overcrowd), and fry about 5 minutes or until golden brown, then turn and fry the other side until golden brown.

Remove as they brown to a paper towel covered cooling rack, salt generously.

Continue dropping in fritters and frying until they are all fried.

The basil adds a lot of flavor and goes well with any tomato-based dipping sauce.

9. Andouille Red Beans And Rice Skillet Recipe

1 cup rice

6 oz andouille sausage, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced small

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/2 to 1 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp dried thyme

1 can (15 oz size) kidney beans or pinto beans, drained

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Prepare rice according to package directions; set aside.

Put a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add andouille sausage and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until nicely browned; remove sausage from skillet and set aside.

Add the red bell pepper, onion, Cajun seasoning, and thyme to the skillet and cook, stirring often, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until onions soften.

Add to the skillet the cooked rice, sausage, kidney beans, and the parsley, stir and cook until heated through.

Serve hot right from the skillet.

10. Spicy Spinach Shrimp Orecchiette Recipe

2 cups uncooked orecchiette pasta

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped shallots

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp black pepper

1 cup white wine

1 cup diced plum tomatoes

1 lb medium shrimp, cleaned

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

Cook orecchiette pasta according to package directions; drain, set aside.

Put butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, and when the butter is melted, add the shallots, garlic, green onion, Cajun seasoning, and black pepper, stir and cook about 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Add the the skillet the wine, tomatoes, and shrimp.

Stir and cook until the shrimp are pink.

Add the cooked pasta, stir, cover skillet, turn heat to low, and simmer about 2 minutes or until heated through.

Stir in the spinach and heat mixture until spinach just wilts.

Serve hot.

11. Creamy Cajun Spiced Chicken Tomato Salad Recipe

2 lemons, juiced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 cup plain yogurt

3 cups diced, cooked chicken

1 cup chopped green onion

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup diced celery

3 cups diced fresh tomatoes

whisk together in a bowl the lemon juice, garlic, thyme, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cumin.  Add in the yogurt and whisk until combined.

Add the diced chicken, green onion, bell pepper, and celery, stirring to coat well.

Add the tomatoes and gently stir to combine.

Chill at least 1 hour in refrigerator before serving.

May serve this over a bed of large leaf lettuce.

Will serve 4 to 6.

12. Andouille Egg Scramble Recipe

1 tsp cooking oil

1/2 lb andouille sausage, chopped small

1/4 tsp garlic powder

pinch cayenne pepper

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup diced green pepper

1/4 cup diced fresh tomato

4 large eggs

salt and black pepper to taste

In large heavy skillet over medium heat, add the oil, sausage, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, onion, and green pepper and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables soften and sausage browns slightly.

Add the tomato and cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid is evaporated.

Turn heat to low.

Whisk together the egg, salt, and pepper until just blended.

Pour the eggs slowly over the sausage mixture in skillet.

Lift and shift the mixture around until all the eggs have a chance to set up.

Serve immediately.

Will serve 2 but is easily doubled or tripled.

13. Hearty Shrimp Stew Recipe

1/2 cup peanut oil

1/2 cup flour

2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped green onions

1/3 c chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 to 3 tsp salt, to taste

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

3 bay leaves

1 tsp dried thyme

2 lb vine riped tomatoes, coarsely chopped

3 cups water (or shrimp stock if you have it)

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 lbs boiling potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), scrubbed or peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 lbs fresh shrimp, cleaned

In a large heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Whisk in the flour and continue cooking and whisking until the oil/flour turns a golden color; remove pot from heat immediately.

Add the onion, green onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic, stirring to combine.

Set the pot over low heat and continue cooking and stirring frequently for about 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened.

Add the salt, black pepper, cayenne, bay leaves, thyme, tomatoes, and water (or stock), and mix well. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the diced potatoes and simmer 15 minutes longer.

Add the shrimp, cover the pot, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes longer or until shrimp is pink and potatoes are tender.

Remove bay leaves and serve immediately.

14. Cilantro Sauced Crab Cakes Recipe

crab cakes:

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

1/2 red bell pepper, diced fine

1/2 green bell pepper, diced fine

2 green onions, chopped fine

1 lb lump crab meat

2 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs, divided

pinch red pepper flakes

salt and black pepper to taste

cilantro sauce:

1 cup dry white wine

1 shallot, minced

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut up

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large skillet over medium heat, pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil, add the red and green peppers and cook until almost soft, then add the green onion and cook until all vegetables are softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove vegetables from the skillet and set aside to cool.

In a bowl, put the lump crab meat, the cooked peppers, the beaten eggs, and 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.

Form crab cake patties – divide the mixture into 8 equal parts. Dampen your hands and pat each portion into a patty and set on a plate. Cover with parchment paper and set in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.

To prepare the crab cakes:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove crab cakes from refrigerator.

Put remaining bread crumbs into a shallow bowl, add salt and pepper to taste and mix together.

Press each crab cake into the bread crumbs, covering both sides well.

Put the remaining 1/4 cup oil in a large oven-proof skillet and put over medium-high heat.

Place crab cakes in skillet and fry on first side until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then carefully turn the crab cakes over and place the skillet in oven.

Bake about 10 to 12 minutes or until the top is golden brown just like the bottom. Remove and keep warm.

To prepare the sauce:

Put wine and shallot in a medium stainless steel saucepan over low heat and simmer until the wine is reduced to about 1/3 cup.

Remove saucepan from heat and slowly drizzle in the heavy whipping cream, whisking constantly.

Put saucepan back on very low heat and simmer slowly, whisking frequently, until cream is reduced by half.

While whisking the thickened cream, start adding in the pieces of butter, and continue whisking while adding the remaining butter.  The sauce will be light in color and thick.

Pour sauce through fine mesh strainer into a bowl, then stir the cilantro into the sauce in the bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set bowl over pot filled with warm water to keep the sauce warm.

Serve warm crab cakes over a few large leaves of romaine lettuce and drizzle the sauce over the top.  Or, you may wish to pour the sauce into little serving cups and set them along side on each plate.

Makes 8 crab cakes or about 4 serving sizes.

15. Crawfish And Cheese Filled Potato Boats Recipe

8 baking potatoes

olive oil to coat potatoes

salt and pepper

all scooped out potato insides

1 lb crawfish meat

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

16 oz shredded Parmesan cheese

4 oz shredded Cheddar cheese

2 tsp Louisiana hot sauce

1 garlic clove, minced or grated

4 green onions, chopped, including green tops

8 slices Provolone cheese

garnish: paprika and chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Scrub the potatoes very well, then cut a slice lengthwise in the top of each one, just breaking the skin.

Rub the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place on a baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until potatoes are soft when you press them with your fingers.

Turn oven off. Remove potatoes and let cool until you can handle them.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise.

Carefully scoop out the cooked potato ‘meat’ from the insides into a large bowl. Leave a little of the potato ‘meat’ attached to the skin, about 1/8 inch or so.  You don’t want to cut through the skin or weaken it.  The skin forms the ‘boat’ that you will be filling. Set the skins aside in a large shallow baking pan.

In the bowl with the potato ‘meat’ add the crawfish, butter, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, hot sauce, garlic, and onion, stirring until well mixed.

Spoon this mixture evenly into the potato boats (skins.) The boats should be heaping full.

Lay a piece of the Provolone cheese on top of each potato boat, folding it to fit if necessary, then sprinkle lightly with paprika and chopped parsley.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake the stuffed potatoes for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through and provolone cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Makes 16 potato boats.  You can use smaller potatoes or larger potatoes, which ever suits your purpose.

16. Southern Pride Dirty Rice Recipe

2 Tbsp peanut oil

2 Tbsp flour

1 lb ground pork sausage

1 cup diced yellow onions

1/2 cup diced green bell peppers

1/2 cup diced celery

1 lb chicken livers, trimmed clean

1 can (14.5 size) chicken stock or broth (about 1 3/4 cup)

salt and cayenne pepper to taste

5 cups cooked long-grain rice

3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

3 Tbsp finely chopped green onions (white and green parts)

In a Dutch oven or heavy bottom soup pot, whisk together the peanut oil and flour. Put over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until you get a ‘milk chocolate’ color roux.  Be sure you whisk constantly.

Remove from heat immediately when the roux reaches the desired color, and keep whisking for a couple minutes to bring the temperature down a bit; set aside.

In a heavy skillet, put the pork sausage, onions, green bell peppers, and celery over medium heat and cook until pork is no longer pink and the vegetables soften. Then scrape out into the Dutch oven with the roux.

In the same heavy skillet over medium heat, add the chicken livers (add a little oil if needed) and saute until the chicken livers are tender and cooked through.  They should be slightly browned (crispy) around the edges but don’t over cook.  Just cut one open to check.

When liver is cooked, spoon out onto a work surface, allow to cool, then chop up very fine. You can put it in the food processor and pulse several times if this is easier.

Add the liver to the Dutch oven with roux/sausage/veggie mixture.

Pour the chicken stock into the skillet you cooked the liver in, put over medium heat, bring to a gentle boil, stirring up the browned bits, for about 2 minutes; then pour this into the Dutch oven.

Add the salt and cayenne pepper to taste to the Dutch oven, stir, cover, and put Dutch oven over very low heat.  Simmer slowly for about 20 minutes, stirring several times.

Add the cooked rice, parsley, and green onions to the Dutch oven, stir well, then simmer together over low heat just until rice is hot.

Stir before serving.

Serve hot.

17. Seafood And Cheese Stuffed Fried Pistolettes Recipe

1/2 lb butter

2 cups chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green onions, including the tops

3 cups evaporated milk

1 lb smooth melty cheese, cubed (mild Cheddar, American, or Velveeta works)

1 cup water

3 lbs cooked shrimp

1 lb cooked crabmeat

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cayenne powder

12 pistolettes

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, add the onions, bell pepper, and celery; stir and cook until veggies soften.

Add the green onions, stir and cook 30 seconds longer.

Turn heat to low and slowly pour in the evaporated milk, whisking as you pour until the milk is incorporated fully.

Add the cubed cheese and stir until cheese melts.

Stir in the water, shrimp, crabmeat, and seasonings.

Simmer slowly until heated through; remove and set aside, keep warm.

Prepare fried pistolettes:  Fill a deep heavy skillet with enough oil so it comes up halfway on the pistolettes.  Heat oil to 350 to 360 degrees or until drop of water sizzles.  Lower the pistolettes in the hot oil, fry for 1 minute or until golden brown, flip, and brown the other side. Remove to cooling rack covered with paper towels.

To fill, make a cut in the end and open the pistolette up.  Carefully spoon the cheesy seafood mixture into the opened pistolette until full.

Serve warm.

Feeds 10 to 12 people a nice lunch.

18. Sweet Potato Smash With Whole Roasted Garlic Cloves Recipe

2 lbs sweet potatoes, scrubbed

1 small to medium size whole garlic bulb

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large lemon, juiced

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub the sweet potatoes, cut a slit through the skin on top, set on a baking sheet covered with tin foil.

Bake in preheated oven for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how big the sweet potatoes are.  They are done when you can squeeze them and they give way easily. (You’ll be baking the garlic at the same time as the sweet potatoes, instructions follow.)

Meanwhile, cut the top off the garlic bulb just enough to expose the garlic cloves inside.  Set the bulb on a sheet of heavy duty tin foil and form a packet. Drizzle the olive oil over the exposed garlic cloves, seal up tin foil packet.  Put in with sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes; remove and set aside.

When sweet potatoes are done baking, remove and cool just enough to handle.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half and take a spoon to scoop out the insides into a serving bowl, add the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper, and smash with potato masher.

Take the garlic bulb and squeeze it upside-down over the sweet potatoes, scattering the cloves over the sweet potatoes as they pop out, along with the olive oil the garlic cooked in.

Serve warm.

Serves 4 to 6.

19. Louisiana Chili Time Recipe

1 lb andouille sausage, diced

1 lb ground pork

2 Tbsp peanut oil

2 Tbsp flour

2 big onions, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 oz size) can crushed tomatoes

1 (15 oz size) can diced tomatoes

1 (28 oz size) can kidney beans, drained

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

dash or two hot pepper sauce

pinch instant chicory or coffee (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat, cook the andouille sausage and ground pork until pork is lightly browned; break it up as you cook it.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In the same Dutch oven over medium heat, pour the peanut oil and whisk in the flour; keep whisking until you have a copper color roux.

Keeping the Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onion, both bell peppers, and celery, and stir, cooking until veggies all start to soften.

Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.

Add the cooked meat back into the Dutch oven, add the remaining ingredients, stir well, taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Cover Dutch oven, reduce heat to very low, and simmer (stirring occasionally) for 45 minutes. Don’t let it boil during this time. You can add a bit of water if you want your chili to be thinner.

Serve hot with crusty bread on the side.

Will serve 8.

20. Barbecued Chicken And Andouille Potato Hash Recipe

2 Tbsp cooking oil

2 cups cooked potatoes, diced small

1/4 cup diced onion

1/2 lb andouille sausage, diced small

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 lb cooked chicken, diced small

1/4 cup favorite bottled/prepared barbecue sauce

(optional: serve a fried or poached egg on top)

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the cooking oil, and when hot add the potatoes.  Cook, undisturbed, until potatoes get golden brown and crispy on the bottom, then flip and cook until potatoes golden brown and crispy on the other side.

Add the onions and andouille sausage and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring until onions soften.

Add the garlic and the chicken, stir and cook for 1 minute more.

Stir in the barbecue sauce, turn the heat down to low, and let cook together for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Serve on a plate and cover each serving with a fried egg if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

21. Classy Catfish With Crab Sauce Recipe

1 1/2 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

2 tsp oregano, divided

1 garlic clove, minced

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

4 catfish filets

2 Tbsp butter

6 oz to 8 oz crabmeat

1/4 cup shredded carrot

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp cornstarch

3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In saucepan over medium heat, stir together the wine, 1/4 cup

green onions, 1 teaspoon oregano, garlic, bay leaf and salt

and pepper to taste; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

Set the catfish into a glass baking dish and pour the wine mixture over the fish.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered, or until fish is easily flaked with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then add the remaining green onions, remaining oregano, the crabmeat, carrots, and lemon juice; stir and heat over low until onions soften.

In a separate little bowl, mix together the cornstarch and milk until cornstarch dissolves completely.

Stir the cornstarch/milk mixture into the crabmeat mixture, stirring and cooking over low just until this crab sauce thickens; remove from heat and keep warm.

When fish is ready, serve on plates and spoon the crab sauce over each serving.

22. Crazy Layered Catfish Etouffee Recipe

5 lbs catfish, cut in large chunks

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3 Tbsp cooking oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup parsley, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp flour, divided

1 1/2 cans tomato sauce, divided

1/4 tsp thyme

1 bay leaf

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup water

rice for serving

Put the cut-up catfish in a plastic bag, add the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and shake well until fish is well coated with seasoning.

In a heavy Dutch oven or soup pot, put oil in, then layer half the catfish pieces on top of the oil.

In a bowl, toss together the garlic, parsley, celery, onion, and bell pepper, then spread half this mixture over the fish in the pot.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the flour over the vegetables.

Spread half of the tomato sauce over next.

Repeat the layers.

Sprinkle the thyme evenly over the top, add the bay leaf, then cover with the lemon juice and finally pour the water in around the edges.

Put pot on a burner set on very low, cover pot, and simmer slowly for 1 hour or until the catfish flakes easily.

You’ll want to carefully shake the pot several times during the cooking time.  Don’t stir the pot or the catfish will break up too much and disappear into the mix.

Taste and add more salt and other seasonings as desired, then spoon over a scoop of cooked rice in large bowls and serve hot.

Will serve 8.

23. Cajun Shrimp Italiano Recipe

1 cup olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed or chopped

1 tsp Cajun seasoning blend

3 bay leaves

4 garlic cloves, grated

2 lbs large size fresh Louisiana shrimp, cleaned and butterflied

1 cup dry white wine

crusty bread for dipping

In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and all the seasonings and cook for just 30 seconds, stirring, until garlic gets fragrant, then immediately add shrimp and fry fast until shrimp is just nice and pink; this will take about 6 or 7 minutes tops.

Turn heat down to medium-low and slowly stir in the wine.

Simmer gently (turn heat down more if you need to) until the liquid is reduced by about 1/3 to 1/2.

Dump the shrimp and all the juice into a large bowl, and serve down-home style with a pile of crusty bread for sopping up the juice.

Makes an appetizer that will serve 4 people easily.

24. Southern Twang Sweet Potato Salad Recipe

2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced small

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

1-1/2 tsp salt, divided

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/3 cup olive oil

3/4 cup chopped sweet onion

1/3 cup finely diced celery

Start by cooking the sweet potatoes.  Put in a large pot, cover with cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil; turn down to a gentle rolling boil and cook until knife tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and put in serving bowl and set aside, keeping warm.

Make dressing by whisking together the vinegar, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and crushed pepper; keep whisking and drizzle in the oil until dressing thickens.  Pour over the sweet potatoes and toss gently to coat well. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

When room temperature, add the remaining salt, the onion, and the celery and toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

This may be refrigerated, but if you do, return the salad to room temperature before serving.

Will serve 4 to 6.

25. Bayou Country Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz chicken thigh meat, chopped

1 (14 oz size) can stewed tomatoes

8 oz cooked smoked sausage, diced

dash or two of hot pepper sauce

2 1/4 cups buttermilk baking mix

3/4 tsp dried thyme

1/8 tsp black pepper

2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Heat oil in 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

When hot, add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until veggies soften.

Add the garlic, stir, then add chicken meat and cook, stirring until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 or 2 minutes.

Pour in the tomatoes, add the sausage and hot pepper sauce, stir, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.

While that cooks, get out a bowl and mix together the buttermilk baking mix, the dried thyme, black pepper, and the milk, stirring until just combined – don’t over mix.

Drop this buttermilk batter by big tablespoons in piles over the chicken mixture in the skillet.

Bake in preheated oven (in the skillet) until biscuit top is golden brown and the chicken mixture is bubbling hot, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Remove and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

26. Pecan Plantation Pie Recipe

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup Sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1 cup light corn syrup

1 1/4 cup pecans

1 Unbaked 9 inch pie crust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat eggs, vanilla, sugar and salt together.

Add the butter and corn syrup, stir until combined.

Add the pecans and stir.

Pour mixture into the unbaked pie crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the filling has set and starting to get browned a bit around the edges.

Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

27. Pecan Crunch Creamy Frosted Red Velvet Cake Recipe

cake:

2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 oz red food coloring (more or less as desired)

1 tsp distilled white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

frosting:

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese , softened

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 lb box confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease-flour two (9 inch) cake pans.

Cake: In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until light and frothy. Add one egg, beat, add second egg, and beat until blended well.

With beaters running slow, start alternating adding the flour mixture, then the buttermilk, then more flour, then more buttermilk, until all is blended.

Add the food coloring and vinegar, beat.

Add vanilla, beat.

Turn the batter into the prepared cake pans.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes (in center rack of oven) until middle of cake springs back when touched.

Remove and let sit at room temperature for 3 minutes, then tip out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:  In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until fluffy, then add the vanilla and beat until blended.

With rubber spatula, stir in pecans.

Set one layer of cake on serving plate.  Frost top of first layer with frosting, set second layer of cake on top, and continue frosting the cake.

28. Down South Chess Pie Recipe

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs, beaten lightly

1/4 cup milk

1 Tbsp plain white cornmeal

1 unbaked pie crust

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set unbaked pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan and crimp edges.

In a bowl, mix together butter, both sugars, salt, and vanilla.  In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs, then to the eggs add in the sugar mixture; stir to combine.

Add milk and cornmeal to the bowl; stir to combine.

Pour this mixture into unbaked pie crust in pie pan.

Bake in preheated oven at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn heat down to 300 degrees and continue to bake pie for 40 to 45 more minutes or until pie is golden brown.

Remove and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

29. Sweet Potato Pecan Crusted Beignets Recipe

2 medium sweet potatoes, baked

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed tight

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp allspice

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 egg whites

Oil for frying

1 cup finely ground pecans, put in shallow bowl

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Bake the sweet potatoes in a hot oven for about 1 hour, or until soft. Cool, then cut in half and scoop insides out into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until well blended and as smooth as you can get them.

Add the egg yolk, brown Sugar, flour, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg; use a hand beater or masher and mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold the egg whites into the sweet potato mixture in bowl. Be gentle when you fold in the egg whites so you don’t deflate them.

In a large deep heavy skillet or saucepan, heat about 2 inches of frying oil until hot, but don’t allow to get hot enough to smoke. Use a high heat oil, such as peanut oil.

Form the beignets by dropping a spoonful of sweet potato batter into the pecans in the shallow bowl, rolling it around until it’s coated with the pecans.

Carefully drop the balls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, turning once; about 4 to 5 minutes total time.

Be sure not to overcrowd the saucepan or the oil will cool and the beignets will get soggy.

Remove each beignet as it browns and put it on a paper towel covered cooling rack; sprinkle with sugar.

Keep warm if you wish on a baking sheet in an oven set on low.

30. Bourbon Black Strap Pecan Pie Recipe

3/4 cup black strap molasses

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup bourbon

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

Place oven rack in the middle position of oven.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Flour a work surface, lay pie crust out, and roll until smoothed out, then gently place in 9 inch pie pan, crimp edges and set aside.

In a saucepan, put the molasses, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt. Set on stove burner on medium heat. Stir mixture until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.

Turn heat up to high and bring mixture to a gentle boil; let boil undisturbed for 1 minute.

Remove immediately from heat and pour into a bowl; set aside to cool to room temperature.

When the molasses/sugar mixture is cooled, add the beaten eggs, vanilla, and bourbon, whisking to combine.

Add the pecans and fold in with a spatula or large spoon.

Pour the mixture into the pie crust.

Bake in preheated oven until the filling is set, about 55 to 60 minutes.

The pie is done when the crust is golden brown, the filling is dark in color, the edges are solid, and the center doesn’t jiggle a lot when you give the pie pan a wiggle.

Remove and cool completely at room temperature before serving.

31. Pecan Praline Macaroons Recipe

3 large egg whites, room temperature

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a cold mixing bowl, put the egg whites and beat with a mixer until they form peaks. Then, with mixer running, slowly add in the brown sugar, beating until you get stiff peaks.

Carefully fold in the pecans using a rubber spatula.

On a cookie sheet, drop heaping teaspoons of mixture allowing for room to spread.

Bake in preheated over for 30.  Keep your eye on them.  You want the macaroons to be hard and still shiny.

Remove and allow to cool at room temperature on a cooling rack.

You should end up with about 24 macaroons.

32. Smooth Mississippi Mudslides Recipe

2 pints (about 4 cups) chocolate ice cream

1 cup milk

1/2 cup bourbon, or Kahlua, or Bailey’s Irish Cream

optional garnishes: whipped cream, chocolate syrup, chopped toasted pecans, chocolate shavings, sprinkles, little marshmallows

Put the chocolate ice cream, milk, and alcohol in a blender; pulse a few times until blended and smooth.

Pour into milkshake style glasses.

Garnish as desired.

Serve cold with straws and long spoons.

Will make 4 drinks.

I just discovered  a fantastic tool to help me manage my time, get things done, convert my ideas into practical doable steps, keep me accountable and feel a sense of accomplishment. And best of all it’s free! I just had to share it with you – it’s Google Calendar!

Some of the things I like about Google Calendar:

• Easy to use
• Can plan in half hour slots
• Sends reminders before the task is about to start – by email, pop-up and even by SMS to your mobile phone!!!
• Did I mention it’s free!!

It’s already helping me and I hope it will help you too! Take care and God bless!

More time management and goal setting tips

There are many options, but here are some simple solutions:

1. Wix

Sign up for free. Build your great looking website by choosing from some great looking templates and customizing it with your content. When you’re ready you can pay and get your very own .com  domain name.

Pros:

• Great looking templates to choose from.
• They now have HTML5 templates.

Cons:

• Will take some time to figure out how to customize it with your content.

2. SiteBuildIt

All the tools you need to learn and create a successful website. Try for 90 days risk free.

Pros:

• Great for learn how to create a successful website.
• All the tools and resources you need in one neat package.
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Cons:

• A lot to read.
• Site Builder may take some time to learn.
• Templates not so great looking

3. WordPress

Wordpree is a blog software which allows you to easily manage the content on your website. Buy hosting and a domain name. Install a WordPress blog.  Hostgator hosting allows you to easily install WordPress. Try out WordPress for free on the WordPress.com website.

Pros:

• Low monthly cost. Only pay for hosting.
• WordPress does well on the search engines.
• WordPress has plenty of free plugins and templates to choose from.
• WordPress keeps improving.

• May take some time to figure out the technicalities involved. You may want to get a web designer to set it up for you initially.
•  Sometimes WordPress gets hacked. You will then need to restore your site. A good hosting provider should be able to help you.

4. Joomla

Joomla is a website building software which allows you to easily manage the content on your website. Joomla Demo

You will need to buy hosting and a domain name (.com or other). Install Joomla. Build your site on Joomla.  Hostgator hosting allows you to easily install Joomla. You can also easily buy a .com or other domain name from them.

Pros:

• Low monthly cost. Only pay for hosting.
• Joomla has plenty of free extensions and templates to choose from.
• Joomla keeps improving.

•  Sometimes Joomla gets hacked. You will then need to restore your site. A good hosting provider should be able to help you.
• May take some time to figure out the technicalities involved. You may want to get a web designer to set it up for you initially.

We can truly be free from strongholds of:

• fear
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• not seeing ourselves as God sees us

1. Spiced Tilapia With Sweet And Savory Relish
2. Fresh Harvest Gumbo
3. Tomato Mushroom Chicken Skillet
4. Zucchini Crust Pizza Pie
5. Parmesan Garlic Encrusted Pork Tenderloin
6. Ginger Mustard Marinaded Pork Tenderloin
7. Savory Orange Pork Cutlets
8. Chicken Capers Piccata
9. Healthy Chicken Cheese Quesadilla
10. Poached Chicken And Brown Rice Rainbow Salad
11. Zucchini Kale Sausage Egg Casserole
12. Easiest Chicken Cordon Bleu
13. Garden Veggie And Ginger Beef Stir Fry
14. Lemony Turkey Cutlet Skillet
15. Thai Curry Fish
16. Asparagus Double Cheese Quiche
17. Cheese Puffed Broccoli Broil
18. Fresh And Easy Zucchini Tomato Skillet
19. Tangy Hot Bacon Spinach Salad
20. Crunchy Fresh Veggie And White Bean Salad
21. Faux Potato Picnic Salad
22. Marinaded Mix-Up California Salad
23. Asian Inspired Jicama Salad
24. Tangy Chili Jicama Salad
25. Microwaved Healthy Breakfast Burrito
26. Sausage Bundled Eggs
27. Layered Fiesta Dip
28. Amazing Asparagus Guacamole
29. Crockpot Mushroom Soup
30. Crockpot Coconut Milk Mixed Mushroom Soup
31. Crockpot Pot Roast And Vegetables With Savory Gravy

Spiced Tilapia With Sweet And Savory Relish

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

4 (4 oz each) tilapia fillets

1 1/4 cups pineapple in own juices (diced or crushed, canned or fresh)

1/4 cup diced sweet onion

1/4 cup diced plum or Roma tomato

1 1/2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 fresh lime, juiced

In a small bowl, pour the olive oil, cumin, and paprika, stirring to combine well.

Brush or rub this mixture over tilapia, coating evenly; place tilapia on broiler pan.

Turn on oven broiler (or grill) and cook fish until white and flaky, about 6 to 9 minutes. Remove and set aside, keeping warm.

In a bowl, put the relish ingredients (pineapple, onion, tomato, vinegar, cilantro, and lime juice) and stir together until blended well.

Spoon this relish mixture over the warm fish and serve immediately.

Fresh Harvest Gumbo

2 slices bacon, diced

12 Roma tomatoes, diced small

1 lb fresh okra, cut up

2 small eggplant, washed and diced

2 small yellow squash, washed and diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup diced smoked sausage, your choice

1 cup cleaned shrimp, small to medium size

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

In a large pot, fry the bacon until crisp; remove, but leave bacon fat.

With heat on medium, add all the cut up vegetables and the seasoning and bay leaf, bring to a boil, then immediately turn heat to low and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring often. Put a lid on the pot, but keep it tipped slightly.

Add the sausage and let heat for 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and let heat for 3 to 5 more minutes or until just pink.

Serve in large bowls, skipping the traditional rice to avoid added carbs.  Between the eggplant and okra, you’ll have plenty of body in the soup to not even miss the rice.

Tomato Mushroom Chicken Skillet

2 to 3 lb chicken parts

salt and pepper

1/4 cup almond flour

3 Tbsp light oil, for frying

1 can (28 oz size) diced tomatoes

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1  medium onion, sliced thin wedges

1/2 cup  sliced black olives

1/4 cup soy Sauce

Season the chicken well with salt and pepper.

Coat the chicken completely with almond flour.

Heat the oil in large heavy skillet and fry chicken until well browned; remove to platter as it browns, then add more chicken.  Don’t crowd skillet.

When all chicken is browned and removed from skillet, add the tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, onion, olives, and soy sauce, stirring to combine.

Arrange chicken pieces over the top of the ingredients in skillet.

Cover the skillet with lid or foil and seal.

Turn heat down to low and simmer gently for 40 to 45 minutes or until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked through.

Serve by scooping veggies onto plates and topping with chicken.

May add mixed green salad to plate before adding hot veggies on top.

Serves 4.

Zucchini Crust Pizza Pie

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided

1/4 lb ground meat (beef, pork, turkey, chicken, or omit)

1 small onion, diced

1 cup tomato sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp fresh (or 1 tsp dried) oregano

other pizza style toppings as desired

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and oil a pie pan with olive oil or cooking spray.

Mix the shredded zucchini with salt in a bowl and let stand for 15 minutes.

Dump the zucchini into a colander to drain liquid, then take paper towels and squeeze zucchini to absorb more of the liquid.

Put dried zucchini into a bowl and add the egg and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, mix well to combine.

Press the zucchini/mozzarella mixture into the pie pan, evenly pressing it on the bottom to form a ‘pizza crust.’

Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly browned and set up. The cheese and egg will bind the zucchini together. When baked, remove and let stand at room temperature; keep oven on.

Meanwhile, put the meat and onion in a skillet and brown meat.

Add the tomato sauce, garlic, and oregano and stir to combine; remove from heat.

Spoon the tomato mixture over the cooled zucchini crust and cover with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.  Add any other toppings you’d like at this point.

Put back in 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly hot and slightly browned.

Remove and let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing to serve.

Will serve 4 to 6.

Parmesan Garlic Encrusted Pork Tenderloin

1 lb pork tenderloin

1 tsp salt

1/2 Tbsp garlic flakes

1/2 Tbsp onion flakes

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp olive oil

* serve over spinach or mixed green salad, optional

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Get out an ovenproof skillet. If pork tenderloin is in two pieces, take butcher string and tie it together.

Put the salt, garlic flakes, onion flakes, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a bowl and stir together until well blended.

Apply this seasoning rub to pork and gently press it on to thoroughly coat the pork.

Set skillet on high heat; when skillet is hot, gently set pork in skillet and sear, turning pork over to brown all sides.

When browned all over, set skillet in preheated oven (do not cover) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove skillet and take pork out and set on cutting board – cover loosely with a tent of foil and let rest for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cut into thin slices and serve warm.

Will serve 2 to 4, depending how many side dishes you have.

*You can make a quick hot salad dressing by deglazing the skillet after removing the pork.  Put the skillet over low heat and pour in apple cider vinegar or a good balsamic vinegar, or red or white wine, and stir to remove the browned bits.  Add a little olive oil if you wish.  Then place salad greens on a plate, pour this hot dressing over, and serve the pork tenderloin slices alongside.

Ginger Mustard Marinaded Pork Tenderloin

1.5 lb pork tenderloin

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp fresh ginger root, grated

2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

* serve with sauteed shredded cabbage, optional

If pork tenderloin is in two parts, tie together with butchers string.

Put the soy sauce, mustard, garlic, and ginger in a large ziploc plastic bag and shake to mix.

Set the pork in the plastic bag and shake around to coat pork well.

Place the pork in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours (overnight is fine), turning plastic bag over several times to make sure pork is marinaded evenly.

To cook:  Remove the pork from bag, letting marinade drip off; set pork in dish and evenly sprinkle with black pepper.

Preheat grill or oven and cook until internal temperature of pork reaches 150 degrees.

Remove and let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into thin slices to serve.

Will serve 4.

For a side dish, saute shredded cabbage (cole slaw) in hot skillet until just tender.  Sprinkle a touch of soy sauce in skillet and stir into cabbage to season.

Savory Orange Pork Cutlets

1 large orange, peeled, segmented

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped

1 small garlic clove, minced

1/2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 lean, boneless pork cutlets

1 Tbsp light vegetable oil

In a bowl, put the orange segments, olives, garlic, and olive oil; toss to combine then set aside.

Salt and pepper the pork cutlets.

Put oil in a skillet and heat over medium heat, then add pork cutlets and cook until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through; remove pork cutlets and set aside, covering to keep warm.

To hot skillet, add the orange mixture, stirring to warm and incorporate the brownings from the bottom of the skillet.  Cook just until heated through.

Serve by putting pork cutlets on plate and spooning orange mixture over.

This may be served over mixed greens salad.  Just arrange greens on plate, set pork cutlet alongside, then spoon orange mixture over both the greens and pork cutlet.

Serves 2.

Chicken Capers Piccata

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise so you have 8 thin cutlets

black pepper to taste

3 Tbsp whole-wheat or almond flour

3 Tbsp cooking oil

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp capers

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Season chicken to taste with black pepper.

Put the flour in a plastic food bag, add the chicken cutlets, and shake to coat.

Put a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the cooking oil, and when pan sizzles, add the cutlets, browning both sides (about 3 minutes each side or until nicely browned.)

Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the lemon juice and broth, bring to a gentle boil, stirring to bring up the fried pieces from bottom of skillet; turn heat to low and add the capers; stir.

Arrange the chicken evenly into the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and sprinkle parsley over chicken.

Serve by putting chicken on plate and pour sauce over chicken.

You can serve 2 cutlets on each plate to feed 4 a full meal, or 1 cutlet on each plate to serve 8 a light lunch.

May be served over a bed of mixed greens to stretch your low carb meal.

Healthy Chicken Cheese Quesadilla

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, or Pepper Jack if you like the heat

8 small low-carb tortillas

8 oz cooked chicken, shredded

2 roasted red bell peppers, chopped

2 Tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

Lay 4 tortillas out on work surface.

Evenly divide the cheese and sprinkle 1/2 of each portion over the tortillas.

Spread even amounts of the chicken, peppers, and cilantro over the cheese, then top with the remaining cheese.

Set the remaining 4 tortillas over the filled tortillas, press to close.

Spray a non-stick skillet with a little cooking oil.

Put over medium-high heat, then set each quesadilla in skillet, cooking 2 minutes, or until browned slightly, then flip and cook another 2 minutes.

Remove and continue with each quesadilla.

Cut each in half and serve warm.

This will serve 4 a full meal or cut in half will serve 8 a light snack or lunch.

Add any other veggies you’d like, just making sure you cut them very small so they heat during the short cooking time.

May serve with a dollop of sour cream and stay within your low carb diet.

Poached Chicken And Brown Rice Rainbow Salad

2 cups brown rice

4 cups water

2 tsp dried crushed sage

2 tsp dried cumin

2 tsp garlic flakes

2 Tbsp black pepper

4 chicken breasts

1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 box (10 oz) frozen peas

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Put the 4 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil; stir in brown rice, cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes until water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, poach the chicken by filling a large pot with water, add the sage, cumin, garlic, and black pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and when water reduces to a ‘shimmering simmer’ lay chicken breasts in and cover pot loosely, making sure the water does NOT boil again.

Simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from pot, set aside to cool.

Put veggies in pot with poaching water and simmer for 3 minutes; drain, then return veggies to same pot; set aside to cool.

Shred the cooled chicken with a fork, put in pot with veggies.

When rice is fully cooked and fluffed, add the rice to the pot, add the lemon juice to the pot, toss altogether to combine.

Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Turn out into a serving bowl.

Serve room temperature or cooled.

Will serve 4 to 6.

Zucchini Kale Sausage Egg Casserole

1 lb bulk breakfast-style sausage

1 Tbsp olive oil

4 cups kale, chopped

2 zucchini, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper, divided

7 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil an 8 inch square baking pan.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up and cooking until almost done, not browned.

Spoon sausage into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly in pan, press with back of spoon to pack down.

Put skillet back on burner over medium heat and pour the olive oil into the skillet, then add the kale, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, salt, and 1/8 tsp of the black pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the liquid evaporates a bit, about 8 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and let cool slightly, then with a slotted spoon, spoon the vegetables over the sausage in the baking pan.

In a large bowl, put the eggs, milk, cheese, and the remaining black pepper and whisk to combine, then pour evenly over the veggie mixture in the baking pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Remove and let sit at room temperature for 5 to 8 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Makes 4 good sized servings for a filling meal.

Easiest Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 thin chicken cutlets

4 thin ham slices

4 oz Bleu cheese

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup Parmesan cheese

* spinach salad, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and oil a shallow baking dish.

Lay chicken cutlets out on work surface, lay one piece of ham on each cutlet, then place even amounts of the Bleu cheese on top of each slice of ham.

Roll the cutlets up and secure with a toothpick.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the olive oil and egg.

In a shallow bowl, put the Parmesan cheese.

Take each cutlet roll and first dip in egg mixture, then roll in Parmesan cheese and place in prepared baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  (Cooking time will depend on how thin the cutlets are.)

Remove and allow to cool slightly at room temperature before serving.

Makes 4 servings.

* Serve on a plate alongside a simple spinach salad, lightly dressed with balsamic vinaigrette.

Garden Veggie And Ginger Beef Stir Fry

1 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup frying oil

8 oz lean beef, sliced thin

1 cup carrot, cut into thin strips

1 bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 small onion, sliced into thin strips

2 cups broccoli, small florettes

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

Cooked brown or wild rice, optional

In a small bowl, put the soy sauce, garlic powder, ground ginger, and water, and mix together; set aside.

Heat 1/2 the oil in wok or large frying pan, when hot add beef and stir, cooking quickly; remove beef.

Put remaining oil in wok and add the carrots, cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add the remaining vegetables and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften slightly.

Pour in the soy sauce mixture you made earlier, stir, reduce heat, and cook for another minute until hot and bubbly.

Remove from heat, add beef back into the mixture, and stir.

Serve over cooked brown rice or wild rice if desired.

Serves 4.

You can omit the rice if you want a lower carb count. Serve instead over a bed of mixed lettuce, spinach, or finely shredded cabbage, or just serve alone.

Lemony Turkey Cutlet Skillet

2 turkey cutlets, pounded thin

2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

1 Tbsp cooking oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped fine

* salad for serving

Season both sides of turkey cutlets with lemon pepper.

Get out a large skillet, pour in oil, and put over medium heat; preheat until oil sizzles.

Place turkey cutlets carefully into hot skillet and cook until turkey browns, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side, removing cutlets to a cooling rack covered with paper towels.

In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, Worcestershire, Dijon, and parsley until well blended.

In the skillet over medium heat, add this mixture, and stir, blending in the browned bits from the turkey; cook until hot and bubbly.

Serve turkey cutlets on plates with the sauce poured over.

Serves 2.

Place a salad on the plate and serve the turkey alongside with sauce poured over turkey and salad if desired.

Thai Curry Fish

3 Tbsp red curry paste

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp Asian fish sauce

1 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice

4 filets white fish

salt and pepper to taste

oil for frying

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the red curry paste, vinegar, oil, cilantro, fish sauce, and lime juice; set aside.

Put an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, add enough oil to fry fish.

Season the fish filets with salt and pepper to taste, then put in skillet when the oil is hot and cook until fish is browned lightly, then flip and cook until second side is browned; this will take about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake fish until thoroughly cooked and fish is flaky, about 8 to 10 minutes depending on thickness of the fish.

Remove the skillet from the oven, and pour the curry sauce over the fish in the skillet; let sit 1 minute.

Serves 4.

Asparagus Double Cheese Quiche

1 1/2 lb asparagus, washed, woody ends trimmed off

2 1/2 cups cottage cheese

1 green onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 whole egg

3 egg whites

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 oz Mozzarella cheese

1 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a quiche pan (or large pie pan) with oil or cooking spray.

Cook asparagus in a steamer until just tender; remove and cut off asparagus heads; set aside. Take the stalks and chop them up small.

Put the cottage cheese, onion, parsley, whole egg, egg whites, mustard,  and Mozzarella into food processor and pulse to combine well.

Spoon out the quiche mixture into a large bowl and add the chopped asparagus stalks, folding gently to combine.

Pour the mixture into your quiche pan.

Evenly arrange the asparagus tips on top of the quiche mixture.

Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until quiche sets up completely.  Test with a toothpick, making sure it comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before cutting to serve.

Will serve 4 to 6 people.

Cheese Puffed Broccoli Broil

2 bunches broccoli (about 3 lbs)

2 egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Trim tough ends off broccoli, then cut into spears.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then set broccoli in and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until just fork tender; drain.

Arrange cooked broccoli in a shallow broiler-proof baking pan.

Put the egg whites and salt into a mixing bowl and beat (with electric mixer) until stiff peaks form.

In separate bowl, mix together the cheese and mayonnaise.

Then, with rubber spatula, gently fold in cheese/mayonnaise mix, being careful not to ‘deflate’ the egg whites.  Don’t be too concerned about getting the mixture evenly blended – some globs of cheese/mayonnaise are okay.

Spoon this mixture evenly over the broccoli in baking pan.

Set rack in oven so baking dish will be 6 inches from broiler element.

Turn oven on BROIL on highest heat.

When broiler is preheated, set baking pan in oven and broil for 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese/mayonnaise turns golden brown.

Remove and serve hot.

Will serve 4 to 6.

Fresh And Easy Zucchini Tomato Skillet

1 Tbsp vegetable oil, for frying

1 small onion, sliced in circles

4 small zucchini, washed and sliced in circles

2 medium tomatoes, sliced in circles

1 tsp dried basil

salt and black pepper to taste

In a large skillet, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat.

Add the onions and cook in skillet, stirring, until just starting to get clear.

Add the zucchini and cook until they just start to get translucent, but not soft; don’t over cook the zucchini.

Add tomatoes and continue cooking until the tomatoes are hot, which will only be a couple minutes.

Sprinkle on basil, salt and pepper to taste, stir, and serve immediately.

Will serve 2, and can easily be doubled.

If desired, sprinkle finished dish with shredded Parmesan cheese before serving.

Tangy Hot Bacon Spinach Salad

4 slices bacon, diced

1/2 cup diced onion

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

salt and black pepper to taste

4 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried well

4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

hot pepper flakes or smoked paprika for garnish

In a skillet, cook bacon pieces until crisp; remove to paper towel to drain.

To same skillet with bacon drippings, add the onion, cooking until just starting to get clear, then add the apple cider vinegar, stirring to combine and get brown bacon bits from bottom of skillet.

Turn heat to simmer, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

To serve, divide washed spinach between 4 salad plates, immediately drizzle hot dressing from skillet over each serving, tossing slightly.

Sprinkle bacon pieces over each serving evenly, and finally arrange the egg slices evenly over the top. If desired, sprinkle a few hot pepper flakes over each salad or a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Makes 4 servings.

Crunchy Fresh Veggie And White Bean Salad

3 Tbsp good olive oil

1 Tbsp good balsamic vinegar, or other good vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1 can (15 oz size) cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed, drained well

1 small green bell pepper, diced

1 small yellow or red bell pepper, diced

1 small sweet onion, diced

1 medium Roma tomatoes, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Put the olive oil and vinegar in a large salad bowl and whisk until dressing thickens slightly.  Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Add the remaining ingredients to bowl and toss gently until ingredients are coated with dressing.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Chill for 15 minutes before serving.

Will serve 2 to 4.

Faux Potato Picnic Salad

1 head cauliflower, divided into small florettes

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp coarse ground or spicy brown mustard

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp finely chopped pickles

2 green onions, chopped

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

paprika for garnish

(optional: other potato salad favorites, like crispy bacon pieces, radishes, finely chopped celery, etc.)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add cauliflower florettes, and cook at a gentle rolling boil JUST until KNIFE tender; drain immediately and dump cauliflower out onto paper towels to dry and cool  thoroughly.

While cauliflower is cooling, prepare dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, and chopped pickles (may use relish if you have a low-carb variety.)

Put cooled cauliflower in a salad bowl, stir in the dressing mixture, then top with onions, eggs, and add salt and pepper to taste, stir and adjust seasonings.  Add any other ingredients you want, adjust seasonings, then sprinkle with paprika for a pretty finish.

Refrigerate until cold, then serve.

Will serve 4 small salads.

Marinaded Mix-Up California Salad

3 nectarines, chopped

4 oz fresh mushrooms, quartered

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1 can (3 oz) sliced black olives, drained

1 can (8 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, liquid reserved

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme)

In a large bowl, put the nectarines, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, olives, and artichokes.

In a separate bowl, pour the reserved liquid from artichokes, add the olive oil, lemon juice, and thyme, and whisk together until well blended.

Pour this dressing immediately over the salad ingredients, toss together, then put in refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours to marinade well; stir a couple times during this time.

Serves 4.

Asian Inspired Jicama Salad

1 pound jicama

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tsp Asian fish sauce

3 Tbsp chopped lemongrass

1 to 2 cups mixed lettuce greens

kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Peel jicama and slice into small, thin shoestring style strips.

In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, and lemongrass.

Add the jicama and the mixed greens to the bowl and toss to coat well.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4.

Tangy Chili Jicama Salad

1 large lime, zested and juiced

1 small orange, zested and juiced

1 tsp honey (optional)

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium or 2 small jicama

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 green onions, chopped

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

In a large salad bowl, put the lime zest and juice, orange zest and juice, honey, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and olive oil, and whisk together until well combined; set aside.

Peel the jicama and cut into thin strips, like shoestring potatoes.

Put jicama into bowl with dressing, add the bell pepper, onions, and cilantro, and toss to coat.

Cover bowl with plastic food wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for flavors to blend.

Remove and toss again.

Serve cold.

Serves 2 to 4.

Microwaved Healthy Breakfast Burrito

6 Tbsp egg whites (equals 2 eggs, separated)

1 Tbsp favorite salsa

1 Tbsp finely shredded Cheddar cheese or Parmesan cheese

1 small whole wheat or low-carb tortilla

Spray a small microwave-safe bowl with cooking spray or lightly coat with olive oil.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg whites, salsa, and cheese, then pour into the oiled bowl.

Microwave on HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes (will vary depending on microwave.)

Remove when egg mixture is solid.

Spoon egg mixture onto a small tortilla and roll up.  Serve with a little more salsa if desired.

If you’re on the road, many hotel rooms have microwaves.  With just a few ingredients, you can mix up a quick, healthy breakfast.

You can use whole eggs if you wish, or you can use Egg Substitute.

If you can’t find whole wheat or low-carb tortillas where you are, don’t worry. The carb level isn’t terrible.  Just read the nutrition level on your tortilla.  Of course, you can skip the tortilla entirely and just serve as is.

Serves 1.

Sausage Bundled Eggs

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cooled

1 lb ground breakfast-style sausage

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup almond flour or whole wheat flour

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds or almond meal

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the sausage, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper together.

Divide the sausage mixture into four equal parts.

Take each egg and wrap sausage mixture around, sealing with your hands.

Roll each wrapped egg through the almond flour or whole wheat flour.

Roll carefully through the beaten egg.

Roll the eggs through the chopped almonds or almond meal.  If you only have almond flour, use that.

Pour oil into skillet up to about 1/8 inch; heat skillet over medium heat or until a drop of water sizzles.

Gently set egg bundles into hot oil, brown, rolling to brown the sausage all around.

Remove each egg to a shallow baking pan and put in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until sausage is cooked through.

Serves 4 as snack or light lunch.

Layered Fiesta Dip

8 oz sour cream

1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise

1 pkg taco seasoning

2 cans black bean dip

1 cup guacamole dip

1 bunch green onions, chopped, including green tops

2 Roma tomatoes, diced fine

1 small can sliced black olives

8 oz finely shredded Cheddar cheese

Stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, and taco seasoning in a bowl; set aside.

In a large shallow glass dish, spread the black bean dip over the bottom of the dish.

Evenly spread the guacamole over the black beans, then spread the sour cream mixture evenly over.

Scatter the tomatoes on top, then the onion, and finally the shredded cheese.

Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Serve with celery sticks or other veggies for dipping.

You can make your own guacamole and black bean dip if you wish, but there are many premade varieties that fit needs of a low carb diet.

Amazing Asparagus Guacamole

1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed, chopped, and steamed

2 tsp fresh lime juice

3 Tbsp chopped sweet onion

1 large tomato, diced

1/2 tsp salt, more or less to taste

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

dash hot sauce, more or less to taste

1/3 cup sour cream

In a food processor, put all the ingredients and blend until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Spoon into a bowl and cover tightly.

Refrigerate overnight for flavors to develop.

Makes 3 cups.

Serve as a snack.

This is a fun alternative for avocado guacamole and it tastes great!

Crockpot Mushroom Soup

2 Tbsp light oil

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced or grated

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup half-and-half

salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese optional

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the mushrooms and cook until soft and slightly browned.

Add the onion, cooking until transparent.

Add the garlic, cooking for 1 more minute.

Scrape this mixture from the skillet into your crockpot.

Add the chicken broth, stir.

Cover crockpot, set heat on LOW, and cook for 5 to 6 hours.

Turn heat off, remove cover, stir, and add half-and-half, stir.

Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

Let sit for 5 minutes, then serve in soup mugs.

Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Will serve 2 to 4.

Crockpot Coconut Milk Mixed Mushroom Soup

2 lbs fresh mixed mushrooms (choose a variety)

1 cup boiling water

1 small onion, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 Tbsp fresh thyme, rough chopped

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 bay leaf

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk, natural not sweetened

4 Tbsp coconut oil

In a heat-resistant glass bowl, put the mushrooms, pour in the boiling, and let steep for 30 minutes.  Drain mushrooms through a fine metal mesh colander or sieve, reserving liquid.

Put mushrooms on a cutting board and dry with paper towels, then chop up fine; set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, put 1 Tbsp of the coconut oil and heat until melted and hot.

Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until mushrooms brown slightly and liquid evaporates.

Transfer mushrooms to crockpot.

In same skillet, add the remaining 3 Tbsp coconut oil and heat over medium heat, then add onions and cook until just softened.

Pour reserved mushroom liquid into skillet with onions, and add the garlic, thyme, salt and black pepper, and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.

Transfer this mixture to crockpot with mushrooms.

Add bay leaf, broth, and coconut milk to the crockpot, stir.

Cover crockpot, set temperature to LOW, and cook for 6 to 8 hours.

Uncover, remove the bay leaf, discard, and serve hot in soup mugs.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Crockpot Pot Roast And Vegetables With Savory Gravy

3 lb boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and tied with butcher string to secure

coarse black pepper to taste

light oil for browning meat

3 large carrots, peeled and coarse cut

3 stalks celery, coarse cut

1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 cup dry red wine or beef broth

1/3 cup tomato paste

1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp crushed dried thyme

2 large bay leaves

salt

(optional: 1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp cold water, or substitute almond flour mixed with water.)

Sprinkle roast all over with black pepper. (Add salt if desired.)

Spray a heavy non-stick skillet with cooking spray or coat with oil.

Put skillet over medium-high heat.

When skillet is hot, add the roast and sear until browned well, flipping after side is browned – do not flip continually, just once per side. Brown all over, not just 2 sides.

Arrange the carrots on the bottom of the crockpot, then the celery, then the onion, and sprinkle the garlic over all evenly.

Set the browned roast on top.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the wine, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, thyme, and bay leaves, then pour gently over the roast and vegetables.

Cover the crockpot, set the heat to LOW, and cook 8 to 9 hours or until beef is fork tender.

When done, remove beef and vegetables to a platter.  You may thicken the gravy at this point if desired.  Turn heat on crockpot to high.  Mix the cornstarch and cold water (or almond flour and water) in a cup until dissolved, then stir into the crockpot and stir until liquid thickens; turn heat off.

Spoon vegetables on each plate and serve thin slices of beef alongside.  Spoon the thickened gravy over all.

Cornstarch is not low carb, but the almond flour option is low carb. Another low-carb option is to add okra to liquid and allow to cook together for 5 minutes.  Eggplant is another low-carb thickener.

Serves 6.

A Quick Study Of The Theory Behind The Low Carb Diet

Our society has become overrun with fast food restaurants, microwave dinners, and unhealthy eating habits.  It’s no wonder obesity and other health issues have become a scary reality for many people.  All this bad news has us looking for the perfect diet to live a healthier lifestyle and lose that excess weight.

There is a ton of information surrounding any type of diet, but it seems the low carb diet has more than its fair share of confusion.  When it comes right down to any diet program, we just want to know if it works.  But, knowing HOW a diet works will help us decide if it’s the right diet for our needs.

Why has there been so much hype behind the low carb diet?  When we hear the term ‘low carb diet’ we may think ‘Atkins’ or ‘South Beach.’  But even low carb diets differ.  Many of us have moved away from the old traditional low-fat, calorie-counting diets and embraced these newer low carb diets, and I might say with great weight loss success.  But, will a low carb diet work long-term?  And, is it truly healthy and safe?  To answer these questions, we need more information.  Let’s take a look at a few basic theories of the low carb diet:

ñ     Carbohydrates are a source of fuel, producing energy for our bodies to run on.  When we reduce the amount of carbs we take in on a daily basis, it is believed that the body will start burning fat as that source of energy instead.

ñ     We are required to eliminate ‘bad carbs’ from our diet when following a low carb diet.  All foods with added sugars and empty calories are no longer permitted.  It makes sense that we are going to lose some weight due to just these simple changes in our eating habits.

ñ     Proteins and fats tend to make us feel fuller for a longer period of time.  Thus, we should be able to avoid overeating and snacking between meals because we feel satisfied and do not crave more food.

ñ     A low carb plan is easier to stick to than some other diets out there.  A dieter is going to track carbs rather than fat intake and calories.  Foods that are higher in fat and calories are often okay as long as the total carbs remain low.  For this reason, we can still enjoy some of our favorite foods on this diet without feeling like we are cheating.

The low carb diet plan has been around for some years, and there has been much debate on whether or not the long term effects are good or bad.   If you do any type of research, you will find success stories, but also concerns about heart and kidney problems, nutritional imbalance, and a multitude of other issues.  Before beginning any diet, take the necessary steps to become familiar with all aspects of it.  Consult your doctor and see if this plan fits your particular situation.

Remember to use common sense when dieting.  This may seem so simple, but many people who have weight or health issues can get excited about finally finding the right diet.  Then they go overboard and remove all necessary nutrients from their diet in hopes of losing weight.  No matter how many debates, studies, or theories arise from research, the key is to know your own body and determine what is right for your own health and fitness.  And, remember to consult your health care professional before beginning any diet program.

Navigating Around A Low Carb Diet To Fit Your Needs

I find that the hardest thing to do when starting a diet is trying to decide what foods to target. You want to make sure that you get enough of the good carbs, but which ones and how much?  I know you have to eat the right types of carbohydrates, but is it just a guessing game?  And what about special health concerns or needs?

Some people mistakenly believe it is best to avoid all carbs and only eat from the other food groups for the entirety of their dieting life. This method is really only suggested as a means to kick-start a diet, such as the popular South Beach Diet.  In this diet, avoiding all carbs is a technique to stop the sugar/carb cravings.  You really shouldn’t do this longer than two weeks because your body does need carbohydrates to operate and be healthy.  In most cases, eating ‘good carbs’ during your low carb diet is the healthiest choice.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rules and you should follow your doctor’s advice first over the advice of any diet book, or me for that matter!  Let’s take a look at some of the issues that affect your decision to eat low carb, and what is involved in designing your personal program.

ñ     Celiac disease requires the elimination of wheat or wheat gluten. The ‘good carbs’ that are reintroduced as a part of a low carb diet would need to come from ‘gluten-free’ sources, such as brown rice, corn, or potatoes, to name a few.  The list of ‘good carbs’ in a low carb diet book may include whole grain bread and pasta, but for someone with this condition, it doesn’t fit.  This is a whole separate topic, but I wanted to cover it briefly just as a heads up to discuss this diet with your doctor before laying out any kind of low carb diet.  Low carb diets and gluten-free diets can look similar, but there are definite differences.

ñ     Diabetes is another condition that requires special attention to the amount and types of carbs eaten.  A food that is high in carbs but not high in fiber will cause a spike in blood sugar levels.  This spike causes the pancreas to release insulin. The insulin helps to control the sugar levels in the bloodstream.  When blood sugar levels continually spike up and down, it causes damage to the body – heart and arteries included.  Another reason to consult your health care professional before proceeding with any diet.

ñ     Physically active people need carbs.  Many people who start low carb diets also start a rigorous exercise program, since they most likely chose to diet to lose weight.  Muscles are fueled by the carbs you eat.  Your muscles will use these carbs for energy.  Avoiding ‘bad carbs’ (simple carbohydrates), and eating ‘good carbs’ (complex carbohydrates), along with regular exercise, will give your muscles what they need to perform without adding to fat stores.  People who are very physically active, whether on the job or at play, need more carbohydrates to maintain the health of their muscles, but they still need to eat the right kind of carbs to stay healthy.  Even very active people will gain weight if they eat too many simple carbs and not enough complex carbs.  For a person who needs their muscles to function well (and who doesn’t!) eating only ‘good carbs’ is the right thing to do.

So, what are ‘bad carbs’ and ‘good carbs?’  To break it down simply, ‘bad carbs’ are found in refined flour and sugar products; think white bread, pastas, and sugary desserts.  Those are the easiest to understand ‘bad carbs.’  Complex carbohydrates or the ‘good carbs’ may include whole grain and multi grain breads and pastas, along with long grain and brown rice, wild rice, vegetables and greens that are high in fiber, along with some fruits and berries.

However, some low carb dieters also start out by avoiding what might be considered healthier choices; foods like bananas, corn, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and rice, for instance. These ‘good carbs’ are higher in sugar content.  See why it’s so confusing?  And that’s why you need to get all the information you can, consult your health care professional, and listen to your own body when starting a low carb diet.

Put simply, just about everyone can fit a low carb diet into a healthier eating plan, once you know what to eat, what to avoid, and what carbohydrates are right for your particular case.  With special health concerns or physical needs, this requires an understanding of how your body works, as well as a doctor-approved approach.  Then, after all that research, there’s one thing you must never forget – MOVE!  All the healthy food in the world won’t help you if you don’t get your heart pumping and blood circulating.  Start today by selecting an easy to follow diet and exercise program and your body will thank you!

Taking The Right Steps Toward Success With Your Low Carb Diet

Getting started on any diet can certainly be overwhelming.  A low carb diet is no exception.  It’s important to recognize the key components of your low carb diet, and do the necessary research before you begin. The following are a few suggestions to help you get started with the right mindset, which will allow for the greatest success with your low carb diet.

Talk to your doctor or dietician.

It is important to consult a doctor, dietician, or other health care professional when beginning any kind of diet.  You need the right information to make sure your body will be receiving the proper nutrients to remain healthy during your diet.  A big downfall potential dieters make is trying to construct a diet plan on their own, often ending up eating or eliminating the wrong foods for their particular needs.  This only leads to frustration, which typically ends up with stopping the diet altogether.  Let’s not quit before we even begin.  Talk to your doctor or health care professional and get the information you need so you can take it from there.

Do your research.

After consulting a doctor, you will most likely have a good idea of the foods you can eat and how to proceed.  Everyone is different, however, and you need to find a way to construct your low carb diet to fit your lifestyle and what is most comfortable for you.  There are a variety of books and loads of information on the internet that will give you lots of tips and advice how best to live a low carb lifestyle.  Check out books at your local library, visit bookstores, both online and physical, and read, read, read.  Start by understanding the difference between simple carbs and complex carbs.   Check out nutrition facts.  Knowledge is key when it comes to starting something as crucial to your health and well-being as a new diet.

Create your meal plan for the week or month.

Schedule your meal times and plan a menu so you know when you are going to eat, and what foods you will be eating at that time.  Having a set schedule makes it less likely that you will snack on items that do not fit the diet guidelines.  Take time to gather low carb diet-friendly recipes.  Start with a few and give them a try, then find a few more.  Soon you’ll have a collection of tasty low carb dishes you will turn to again and again.  Successful diets start with good food.  Getting bored with bland food is a sure way to end up abandoning your low carb diet.  Planning out your meals will keep you well fed and on track.

Make your grocery list ahead of time.

Before even attempting to step foot through the doors of a grocery store, you need to have your list made out and ready to go.  This will help keep you from succumbing to impulse buying and following old shopping habits.  Eliminating those ‘bad carb’ foods from your list will probably be difficult for the first few weeks simply because you are so accustomed to shopping a certain way.  Habit may lead you to the bread and pasta aisle, but with your grocery list in front of you, you’ll be able to stay on track and easily head over to the fresh produce and healthy protein aisle without flinching.  You may have to put blinders on for the first few trips to get past the bakery, but don’t worry.  You’ll soon be over that craving if you follow your low carb diet closely.

Don’t starve yourself.

The purpose of any diet is to create a healthier, more energetic lifestyle.  If you begin starving yourself, eliminating the nutrients your body needs, you’ll risk becoming sick, fatigued, and may even be unable to function properly.  Follow the advice of your doctor and your diet plan and eat what you need to stay healthy and still lose weight.  Avoid straying from the meal plan due to excessive hunger by including nutritious low carb snacks throughout the day.  Your low carb diet will allow for plenty of delicious snacks, including crunchy vegetables, cheese, and nuts.  Even a can of sardines or tuna mixed with spicy mustard is an acceptable snack.  If your stomach is rumbling, don’t pout and don’t starve yourself.  An empty stomach has a mischievous side;  it will lead you to bad food choices if you let it.  Instead, in between meals, reach for one of the many tasty snacks you can enjoy on a low carb diet.

Remember, there is not one specific diet to follow, not even one specific low carb diet.  You have to evaluate your own lifestyle and find what is best for you and your overall health.   Get the information you need, be realistic about your goals, prepare your plan, and give yourself a break when your diet plan goes astray.  Determine what you want to get out of your diet plan and how much effort you want to put into it.  Get started on the right foot and with the right mindset so your low carb diet plan will be a tremendous success.

Low Carb Diet Guidelines In A Nutshell

The guidelines of any diet can be a confusing mess if you don’t have a clear understanding what the diet is all about.  Why are certain foods permitted and others are eliminated?  What are these ‘good’ foods actually doing for your body and your health?

Low carb diets focus on omitting the bad carbs (simple carbohydrates) from your diet, and replacing them with good carbs (complex carbohydrates.)  Since carbohydrates provide a source of energy for your body, it’s important to remember not to eliminate all carbs from your diet.  This is often a mistake among excited dieters when they don’t have all the facts.

Another mistake sometimes made by overly enthusiastic low carb dieters is thinking you can meet all your body’s needs by eating just protein.  Again, good carbs provide the fuel to burn for energy.  You need protein and a lot of it, but you also need to feed your body good carbs to stay nutritionally in balance.  Let’s sort through some of the basic guidelines for eating a low carb diet.

Bad Carbs

It’s easy to understand why foods that have added sugars such as soda, candy, cookies, and syrups are on the bad carbs list.  Sugar is sugar, right?  But then you’ll find white bread, pasta, cereals, rice, and potatoes on the same bad carb list.  Why?  Because refined flour and starchy foods actually are sugar – or at least your body thinks they are and treats them like sugar.  Bad carbs give the body a quick energy boost, but drops off just as quickly.

Now, if you’re thinking “That’s everything I like to eat!” you are definitely not alone.  When you factor in your fast paced life, along with convenience foods, it’s no surprise we get into the habit of eating foods that aren’t always healthy.  However, if you discipline yourself and start thinking about eating healthier as a life-altering process, or even a life-saving process, eliminating those bad carbs from your diet doesn’t seem so hard to do.

Good Carbs

These foods are generally higher in fiber and sometimes in fat, too, but good fat.  Like bad carbs, good carbs give you an energy boost, but it’s slower to come.  Unlike bad carbs, the energy boost lasts longer, preventing those dangerous spikes in blood sugar.  So, what’s on the good carb list?

Depending on the particular low carb diet plan you are following, you’ll be able to eat many foods you already enjoy.  You’ll be eating a variety of vegetables, fruit and berries, along with nuts and some whole grains in order to get your good carbs.  These will include non-starchy vegetables such as celery, cucumbers, mushrooms, bell peppers, onion, broccoli, eggplant, tomatoes, jicama, all sorts of greens and some root crops, just to name a few.  Whereas bad carbs have little or no nutritional value, these foods provide the nutrients your body needs to maintain good health and prevent illness and disease.

Healthy Proteins

Of course, a low carb diet also means a diet rich in protein and healthy fats.  This will include fish, poultry, meat, cheese, nuts, and eggs, along with vegetarian choices such as tofu, beans, legumes, and even broccoli and Brussels sprouts.  Not only are proteins important for your health, but the fat provided in some proteins is also necessary to help you feel full after eating.  This prevents over-eating and unhealthy snacking.

The portion of protein versus good carbs varies from diet to diet.  Again, you want to consult your health care professional to see how your particular health needs will be met.  Also, not every protein is desirable in your healthier diet.  You may want to avoid red meats, or cook leaner cuts, for instance.  Cooking your proteins properly is another consideration.  That lean cut of protein or seafood won’t be healthy if you cook it in saturated fat or cover it in sugary sauces or glazes.  Eggs are considered a perfect protein but if they’re fried in butter, your low carb diet will be sacrificed.  Choose your protein, then choose your cooking method using good fats and you’ll be on the right track.

Quick Tips

Starting a new diet may be difficult, but the hard part really comes when you are trying to stick to it.  In the beginning, you’re all excited about the possibilities.  As time goes on, you may lose momentum, or interest, or both.  There are a few ways to help you stay on track through the ups and downs that come with any diet.  Let’s tick off a few here:

ñ     Schedule your meal times and plan your menus in advance. This makes it easier to stick with a routine and not stray from your diet.  With this, you’ll also be making out grocery lists for your menus.  Shopping with this list will help you avoid impulse buying.

ñ     Ease yourself into healthier eating habits so you don’t feel deprived.  Cutting out your favorite ‘bad carbs’ all at once can be stressful and leave you feeling hungry and sad.  Keeping some potatoes and pasta in the house isn’t the worse thing you can do.  Just make them sweet potatoes and whole grain pasta to be on the healthier side.  Even having a few crackers or a cookie or two isn’t the end of the world.  If this dieting ‘safety net’ is helpful, go ahead.  After a while, you won’t want them around anymore.

ñ     If you’re craving carbs, try eating good carbs before you eat the bad carbs.  Wait twenty minutes, eat more good carbs, wait, and continue.  If your craving continues, go ahead and indulge in your craving.  Don’t beat yourself up just because you ate a snack that’s not on your diet.  Enjoy it, then let it go.

ñ     Make a list of  ‘good carbs’ and keep it with you at all times.  This is especially helpful when you don’t get your menu plan written and find yourself in the grocery store, spinning around, uncertain of which direction to go – and hungry!  Without direction, your hungry tummy will lead you into the sweets, starch, or bakery aisle.  So, be prepared.

Keep in mind that if you’ve been eating a steady diet of bad carbs, so breaking this old habit won’t be easy and there will be setbacks.  You don’t have to make the change all at once.  Take baby steps if you need to at first.  Make small changes in your eating habits and lifestyle.  This can help you feel less deprived, which could save your diet in the long run.  A healthier, more energetic lifestyle will be well worth your effort.

Examining The Pros And Cons Of A Low Carb Diet

We have an unlimited supply of information at our fingertips, whether at the library, bookstore, or the internet.  It’s easy to find research on diet plans.  The hard part comes as we sift through all the pros and cons of the diet.

Avoiding information overload can be difficult when trying to decide if the good actually outweighs the bad.  The key is to understanding the difference so you can choose the best diet plan to promote your healthy lifestyle.  Let’s take a look at some of the information so you can make your decision:

THE PROS

Weight Loss – The reason a majority of people begin dieting is to lose weight.  Low carb diets focus on eliminating the bad carbs which include white bread, potatoes, pastries, soda, and candy.  These foods have either added sugars, starch, or empty calories.  These bad carbs are not easily burned off so they just as easily turn into fat in the body.  Eliminating the bad carbs from your diet and replacing them with good carbs and lean proteins will typically result in weight loss.

Health Benefits – Replacing bad carbs with good carbs in your diet helps regulate spikes in blood sugar which in turn may lower blood pressure and promote heart and circulatory system health.  For those who have diabetes, this is a critical part of their healthy eating plan.  Eating low carb may also help promote low cholesterol levels.  Many diets that help you shed those pesky pounds will also help improve your cardiovascular health.

Mindset Shift – With any diet, we set a goal to start eating better and living a healthier lifestyle.  But, when other diets may fail because they’re all about limits, the low carb diet is more about eating healthier foods.  After all, we all know sugar and empty calories are bad for you.  The low carb diet plan goes beyond limits and focuses on the good foods you can enjoy.  Counting calories, weighing your food, and looking at a plate of lettuce for dinner just doesn’t work long-term for most people.  Having a wide variety of good carbs, proteins, and yes, fats, is definitely the way you will experience the proper mindset for a healthy lifestyle.

THE CONS

Eating Fats – With a low carb diet, bad carbs are replaced with good carbs, and lots of protein is permitted.  But, along with the protein, comes the fat.  And not only the fat that comes with meat, poultry, or fish, but other sources, as well.  You’ll find cheeses, mayonnaise, and even cream on the list of healthy foods on some low carb diets.  Nuts and oils, along with whole eggs are also included.  Depending on your individual needs, this fat may be undesirable.  Foods high in fat, even the so-called ‘good fat’ may raise cholesterol levels.  Even within the low carb diet world, opinions differ greatly as to whether or not fats are allowed.

Health Problems – Wait.  Didn’t I just say there are health benefits to this diet?  Yes, I did.  But, with any diet there are going to be risks.  Following a diet to the letter is difficult, and people make mistakes or get overly ambitious with the diet plan.  For instance, if you cut carbs too much, you may experience headaches, fatigue, and other health problems.  Eating the fat allowed in a low carb diet may increase cholesterol levels.  Fruits are not allowed in the first phases of some low carb diets, causing some dieters to miss out on certain nutrients if they are not replacing them with vegetables.  Red meat is a great source of protein in a low carb diet but is another concern for cholesterol.  In some people with digestive problems, eating great amounts of vegetables along with dairy products, both acceptable foods on a low carb diet, may cause flareups.

Just like any diet, eating low carb has good points and bad points.  It’s imperative to talk to your doctor and do your research to decide what sort of diet fits your lifestyle and your health needs.  Every diet needs to be approached in a commonsense way.  It’s most important to focus on mindset, discipline, and changing your bad eating habits if you really want to succeed.

Learn The Magic Fiber Formula For Your Low Carb Diet

Trying to figure out whether a carb is good or bad isn’t difficult.  We all can agree that eating white sugar and white flour in any form is eating bad carbs.  But after that, it can get complicated.

If you’re following a low carb diet, you know that you need good carbs in your diet.  Good carbs come from many vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, brown rice, quinoa, beans, legumes, and whole grains.  The confusion comes when you’re trying to keep your carb consumption below a certain amount of grams per day and a food that’s considered ‘good carbs’ also has a high carb count.  What do you do then?

Fiber Carb Trick

Good carbs are not always low carb at first glance.  For instance, if you look at a bag of legumes or beans, you may be surprised to see this ‘healthy’ food contains anywhere in the vicinity of 30 or 40 grams of carbohydrates in a serving.  How can these foods be on a low carb diet?  It’s all about the fiber.

Plant foods that are nutritious and rich in fiber are an important part of the low carb diet.  Slow burning carbs (good carbs) help give you energy without producing damaging blood sugar spikes, unlike fast burning carbs (bad carbs.)  That’s why good carbs are vital to your health.  And that’s why we can’t avoid eating them even when we see 30 grams of carbohydrates on the nutrition label.

Here’s where the fiber ‘carb trick’ comes in.  When counting carbs for your diet, you need to take into account the fiber content.  Simply put, you take the total grams of carbs, subtract the total grams of fiber, and arrive at a ‘net carb’ count.  These ‘net carbs’ become the carbs you are actually ingesting.

Take for example a package of tortillas I found.  Total carbs are 13 grams.  Total fiber is 10 grams.  Your net carbs end up being only 3 grams.  See, you didn’t have to avoid that tortilla after all!

In a cup of raw almonds you’ll find around 20 grams of carbs, but you’ll also find around 12 grams of fiber.  That’s going to result in about 8 grams of net carbs.  That amount will almost certainly fit in your low carb diet, and the nutrition is indisputable.

Jicama is another surprise.  Go online and check the nutrition data for jicama and you’ll see the carbs are a little higher than you want; 11 grams in a cup of raw jicama.  Doesn’t look like you want to snack on jicama, now does it.  But then you see the fiber; a whopping 6 grams!  That’s not only about a quarter of your recommended daily allowance for dietary fiber, but it brings that cup of jicama down to a diet-friendly 5 net grams of carbs. You just found yourself a new low carb snack!

More than Carb Counting

But, eating low carb and high fiber is not all about losing weight.  Foods rich in fiber, and low in carbs, help protect the body from developing metabolic disease, diverticulitis, IBS, diabetes, other digestive disease.  This same combination of low carbs and high fiber has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.  This explains why following this kind of diet has been endorsed by The American Heart Association.

You may find foods that have fewer grams of carbs than other foods, but what about the fiber?  The trick is finding foods that have good carbs and high fiber.  You need both slow burning carbs and dietary fiber for your body to function well.  We have so many excellent food choices if we just explore the possibilities.  Start by avoiding processed and refined foods, and improve your eating habits to include fresh produce and proteins.  Learn the ‘net carb’ formula to enjoy all the delicious foods at your disposal on your healthy low carb diet.

That’s My Low Carb Diet And I’m Sticking To It

What’s the hardest part of any diet?  Sticking to it.  But in order to stick to your diet plan you have to start by having a plan.  There are plenty of resources that can help you choose which foods to eat and develop a plan based on which route you go with your low carb diet.  But, sometimes the vastness of the information just makes your head spin.  At least, I know it does mine.

Sure, you should check out as much information as you possibly can, but there are also simple basic strategies you can learn to make the low carb diet process easier.  Let’s look at some suggestions that will hopefully get you started in the right direction without spinning out of control, and help you stick to your diet in the long run.

Join a low carb diet forum or other community.

Whether online or in person, you will meet others who are taking this dieting journey right along with you.  Not only can you share your concerns, but you can get recipes and ideas for meal planning.  You will discover how others have gotten past their setbacks and maneuvered through their dieting obstacles.  You will receive some much needed pats on the back when you’ve hit a goal.  These communities are a way to reach out and get the support you need from others who are experiencing the same thing.  You will also be held accountable for the goals you set, which will keep you on track.  So, along with the pats on the back, expect a few nudges.  It’s all in the spirit of support.

Design your master grocery list.

Routinely making out your grocery list ahead of time will quickly make you an expert low carb shopper.  You will want a master grocery list that consists of the acceptable foods on your low carb diet.  Items on the list should include proteins such as poultry, lean meats, fish, and other seafood, as well as canned tuna and sardines.  Your dairy list will include eggs, cheese, and milk.  Depending on your exact low carb diet, you will list specific food items to enjoy often.  Of course, you’ll want your ‘good carb’ food list to include lots of fresh vegetables, some fruits, and nuts.  This list will come in handy when you’re in a rush and haven’t made out your meal plan, but it also comes in handy as you do your menu planning.  Refer to this list often and you will soon become familiar with all the foods permitted on the low carb diet you are following.  Soon, you’ll be able to rattle the list off from memory and buzz through the grocery store in no time flat.

Learn how to read nutrition labels.

It’s important to become familiar with food labels and know how to read them.  On any low carb diet, you will need to pay attention to the total carbohydrates, the dietary fiber, the calories from fat, and the serving size.  This helps you become familiar with calculating ‘net carbs’ and keeping track of your daily carb intake.  If a permitted food doesn’t have a nutrition label, such as fresh produce, check online by searching ‘nutrition of ____’ and you’ll find nutrition information.  These searches are important because you may discover foods that seem high in carbs until you find out how much fiber they have.  The ‘net carbs’ then fall within your daily intake and you have found a new food to enjoy.  Also look at the nutrient levels for food items.  Remember, a few extra complex carbs aren’t bad for you if you are also receiving mega doses of vitamins, minerals, or protein.

Plan meals and snacks ahead.

Even a few days of meal planning can help prevent that midnight cookie jar raid.  Get out your master shopping list and hit the grocery store.  Stock your refrigerator and pantry with foods that you can throw together for easy meals and snacks.  Always have snacks on hand so you don’t feel deprived, which is a dieter’s disaster.  Have plenty of washed and cut up vegetables and fruit ready to grab, as well as proteins like nuts, meat, and cheese.  The idea is to have low carb food prepared or ready to prepare so you aren’t reaching for the potato chips or breadsticks when your tummy rumbles.  If hard-boiled eggs and tuna salad are ready and waiting, your diet remains on track.  When you have time, sit down with recipes and plan to shop for the ingredients.  Take a day to prepare a few dishes you can stick in the freezer.  Plan, prepare, and you’ll never go hungry, or fall off your diet.

The key to success in any diet plan is to make it easy and tasty.  Getting support, understanding your diet, knowing what foods are good for you, developing a master list of those foods, and planning ahead all lead to one thing – success.  Once you’ve reached a comfort level in this basic strategy for sticking to your diet, then expand your horizons.  Try new recipes, share more with your community or forum, and enjoy your new healthy lifestyle.

The Importance Of Planning Simple Low Carb Snacks

The best way to have any luck with a low carb diet is to PLAN, PLAN and PLAN SOME MORE!  When most people start a low carb diet, they jump in with both feet and don’t really see the importance of planning.  Why is it so important to plan not only your meals but your snacks?  And what can I plan for snacks that won’t bore me and my taste buds?  Let’s take a look.

Why plan for snacks?

There is danger in not planning for snacking on a low carb diet because an empty tummy is a sure disaster for any diet.  If you allow yourself to get really hungry, you’ll start reaching for the first food  you can find.  And I guarantee it won’t always be the healthy, low carb item you should have had.  Your mind does a crazy trick on your body when you’re hungry.  Breads, pastas, cookies, and cakes beckon you, while that piece of chicken sits mute.

By the time you get so hungry you don’t care what you eat, you grab those bad carbs and chow down, not only eating poorly, but over eating as well.  Why?  Well, in the beginning of your diet when you are just starting to eliminate bad carbs from your body, you tend to crave them even more.  Now, this won’t last forever, but in the beginning of your diet your body hasn’t learned that it’s okay not to have all that sugar and starch.  It wants that instant boost and doesn’t care about the end results.

What can I snack on?

Until you let your body know it’s okay not to saturate it with bad carbs, you will feel some cravings.  That’s okay.  But, you don’t want to give into those cravings or they will never end.  Here are some ideas for quick snacks so you can properly plan ahead of time before the cravings hit.

One thing I found early in the game is the great advantage of having a regular supply of  hard-boiled eggs in the fridge.  This is a diet game changer.  This is not only a tasty snack, but also a protein powerhouse.  They are quick and easy to make.  Pick a slow morning and put a batch of eggs on to boil and you’ll be ready when your hunger pangs hit.  I peel mine all at once, too, and keep them in a bowl in the refrigerator.  When I’m hungry, I don’t even have to stop to peel it.  If that sounds bland to you, a shake or two of hot sauce or a dab of coarse ground mustard will change your mind.  Now that’s a go-to snack!

Another super easy protein snack is cheese.  Buy cheese sticks and they’re easy to grab and go.  Buy bulk cheese, cut it up when you get it home, and wrap each snack size piece in a little plastic food bag.  Now you’ve got a snack that’s easy, filling, and healthy for your low carb diet.

I also like to keep a good supply of cooked chicken, turkey, or other meats in the refrigerator.  I will just grab a slice and eat it ‘as is’ if I’m hungry enough.  Or, I may make a little low carb lunch by wrapping the meat up in romaine lettuce with a little mustard and perhaps a bit of onion for crunch. That really fits the bill.  And don’t forget that canned tuna or sardines in the pantry.  Get creative to enjoy these super proteins any time you need a quick boost.

More great choices for quick snacks to have on hand is almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, pecans, walnuts, and macadamia nuts.  Notice I didn’t mention cashews.  They are one nut that is high in carbohydrates, so also beware of buying mixed nuts which often include cashews, too much salt, and, yes, even added sugar.  Be sure to read the labels if you’re buying canned nuts and seeds, and don’t forget to deduct the fiber from the carbs to evaluate your net carbs.  Buy raw nuts when you can and roast them yourself to give them a nuttier flavor.

And, did I mention celery?  Wow!  Celery is an awesome snack full of fiber and nutrients.  Celery is good all by itself but makes a wonderful ‘vehicle’ for other foods, too.  Fill your celery sticks with natural peanut butter or cream cheese mixed with mustard and onions.  YUM!  And while you’re digging around the vegetable crisper, pull out those cucumbers, slice them up and dip them in hummus.  Dice some tomatoes and mix in some balsamic vinaigrette for a cooling and refreshing snack.  Or how about just a couple crispy dill pickles?

Looking for a snack to fill your tummy and warm you up at the same time?  I love to microwave asparagus for just a minute or so and sprinkle with Italian seasoning.  You can do this with other veggies as well.  The salty goodness is satisfying and the fiber in the vegetables fills you up and is so healthy for you.  Also, try making pepperoni ‘chips’ in the microwave.  Just heat on a paper towel until they get crispy.  Top with a bit of cheese for a nice ‘nacho’ treat.  You can use the oven for these snacks as well.

Just remember,  the most important tip to take away from all this is to PLAN, PLAN, and PLAN SOME MORE.  With just a few snack ideas, you and your diet will live happily ever after!

Learning To Slow Down And Enjoy Your Low Carb Diet

The diet in America tends to include a lot of refined flours, sugars, and bad carbs.  Unlike other parts of the world where life is a bit slower paced, we in the United States want everything fast, and we want it now, and we’re used to getting it now.  We want the convenience of fast food, instant food, frozen food, prepackaged food, and microwaved food.  And we get it.

We are so busy with our lives that the majority of us don’t put our healthy eating first.  This is also the reason our country is growing quickly into an obese nation.   An uncomfortably large percentage of our population eat the wrong types of food and lead sedentary lifestyles.  Then, there are others who are really trying to eat healthy, but are confused about how to eat right.  These folks may not have all the information, but are trying to make wise choices.

Many of us have been hopping from one fad diet to another.  Guilty.  At one point, it seemed those little frozen ‘diet meals’ were the best way to lose weight and get healthy.  Then I learned to read nutrition labels and I realized there was no fiber, high amounts of sodium, and unhealthy additives.  Those easy weight loss plans quickly lost their appeal.  What are we to believe and what do we really need in our diets to eat healthy and lose weight?  Let’s compare what works and what hasn’t worked:

Food and Fitness in Europe

If you visit northern Europe, you’ll see people are walking the trails alongside all of the roads.  Many people do not own cars; they walk, ride bikes, or take public transportation.  There are ferry boats, buses, and company vans that pick up crowds of people to bring to work.  Getting from Point A to Point B is somewhat of a task, which takes some energy, aka burning calories.

Shopping at the corner store, you’ll find freshly baked whole grain breads wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine.  There are fresh whole chickens and meats available only at the butcher counter.  There are fresh fruits and vegetables almost on every corner.  Barely any processed and refined foods are to be found.  Oh, and don’t even think about soda pop!  The only ‘pop’ or ‘cola’ available is in the  occasional convenience store that caters to the American tourist, where you may find a bottle at three or four times the cost as in the United States.

You will not only notice people eat cleaner and healthier, with more raw organic foods that are farm-grown or raised, but our European neighbors also stay active in general day-to-day activities.  In fact, in much of the world, people do not lead sedentary lifestyles like many of us in the United States.  Of course this is a generalization, but statistics still prove this to be the sad truth.

Food and Fitness in America

The way we want things here, convenient and fast, has caused food manufacturers to add plenty of refining, processing, preservatives, and food additives into our food to get the job done.  We speed up the production of food so we have a lot more food to fill the grocery store shelves.  In order to do this, we fatten up animals with hormones to grow faster, faster, faster.  We treat produce with chemicals so they get bigger, bigger, bigger.

Couple this super-charged food production with the fact that most Americans hop in their car to drive even a few blocks to the grocery store, and you can see why we have a serious health an obesity problem.  Fast food filled with bad carbs purchased while sitting in a car driving through a pick-up window is a formula for disaster when it comes to your diet and health.  Again, it boils down to wanting it fast, wanting it all, and wanting it now.  But, there’s more.

Another factor for ‘fast, all, and now’ is CHEAP!  We can’t ignore the fact that you can buy a frozen pizza at your local grocery store for $1.50 when to make that same pizza with fresh, nutritious, high fiber foods could cost around $4 to $5.  We also can’t ignore the fact that stretching a meal to feed a family is easier and cheaper to do with macaroni and white bread than with protein and produce.

The thing is, what do you want – to eat a lot of empty calories or to eat healthy?  We can read labels, prepare ahead of time, and budget properly to get more of the high nutrition, high fiber foods into our diets and avoid or limit the bad carbs from our diets.  Becoming aware is the first step.  Bad carbs aren’t only about putting on pounds.  A diet of bad carbs is creating a nation of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and a host of other health problems.

I think that’s reason enough to take a lesson from those who live a slower lifestyle, choose more natural foods, and spend more time on their feet than their bottom.  When you stock your pantry with nutritious, high fiber, low carb foods, you are taking a step in the right direction.

I know you want it all, you want it fast, and you want it cheap… but when it comes to your health, that mantra just doesn’t work.  You’ve taken the first step by just becoming informed.  Now take the second step.  Congratulations on choosing a healthier lifestyle!

Ridding Your Life Of Those Bad Carbs

If you are reading this, chances are you are curious about what all the hubbub is about ‘good carbs’  versus ‘bad carbs.’  You may be thinking of starting a low carb diet and want to know where the dividing line is.  You may even be wondering what specific foods contain bad carbs and why do you have to get them out of your pantry, refrigerator, and life?  First a short lesson in Bad Carb 101 and then we’ll get to the specifics.

The Basic Bad Carb Breakdown

Let me give you a quick review of what bad carb foods look like: bagels, muffins, bread, crackers, and pasta all made with white flour.  Of course, anything containing white sugar is on the list: cookies, cake, candy, pies, and some cereals.  Then we have the starches:  rice and potatoes.  Think ‘white flour’ and ‘white sugar’ and add ‘starchy foods’ and you have a general knowledge of bad carbs.  That’s the simple explanation.  But there’s more.

When we eat a lot of refined foods that have high carbs and low fiber, we are eating sugar.  Yes, carbs are sugar.  Sugar metabolizes quickly causing a spike in the bloodstream and allows us to quickly get a boost, and just as quickly get hungry again.  Why?  After the sugars enter the bloodstream, the pancreas releases insulin.  The insulin helps us to convert that sugar spike into instant energy and we feel a jolt or ‘sugar high.’  Then, after our body has released enough insulin to counteract the ‘sugar high,’ we feel the CRASH.

What happens next?  More sugar is craved to offset the CRASH, which could result in the shakes, fatigue, headaches, hunger, and cravings.  What cures these problems?  More sugar.  The cycle has begun.  This sugar roller coaster not only causes these physical reactions, but wreaks havoc on our internal organs and circulatory system.  You can only stop the cycle by eliminating the sugar in the first place.  But how did all this sugar (aka bad carbs) craving get started?

Many of us were raised with these foods because our families were stretching the dollar. The foods we refer to as ‘bad carbs’ tend to be cheaper.  We learned to love these foods and now we crave them – macaroni and cheese anybody?  Stacks of white bread and dinner rolls were common on most family tables.  It’s a great food to stretch the meal a little further.  But, times are changing.  We are returning to a time when we grew vegetables, ate mixed grain breads, and had fresh eggs for breakfast.  Eating these types of foods is exactly what a low carb, high fiber diet is all about.

Yes, you will need to give up the bad carbs, which are all the refined, processed foods that you currently find so convenient.  But, you will then fill the pantry and refrigerator with the good carbs that are higher in fiber.  Once you make the decision and learn how to plan your meals and snacks, you’ll find you don’t even miss those bad carbs.  Here’s where I can almost hear you say…

But How Will I Live Without My Carbs!

I know.  It’s not easy to cut ties with those bad carbs.  Nor is it easy (at first) to see an alternative.  When you go to the drive-thru to get a burger, there isn’t often a healthy alternative.  Just see how many organic farm-raised lean beef burgers with a multi-grain bun you can find at a fast food place. What do we get instead?  A suspicious processed product called a hamburger on white flour, sugar added, processed and refined bun.  These are the carbs we can’t live without?  No wonder the obesity rates and correlating health problems in America have reached a dangerous level.

How will you live without your carbs?  The answer is; “You don’t have to.”  The fact is, you will be eating carbs, but not the carbs that are responsible for the weight gain and health problems you’ve been concerned about.  Let’s get down to the nitty gritty and check out your new direction.

Turning a Healthier Direction

Making the decision to eat a low carb diet means you have to remove some (or most?) of the food you’ve been used to eating, and replace it with healthier alternatives;  namely good carbs.  Start by getting rid of the white processed breads and pasta made with white flour.  Replace these with multi-grain and whole wheat breads as well as whole wheat pastas.  Replace any white rice with long grain brown rice and wild rice.  Look for breads, pastas, rice, and bagels that are darker and denser because they are better for you than their ‘enriched white flour’ or other refined counterparts.

There are some new specially made low carb breads that are on the market that are high in fiber which results in a lower ‘net carb’ per serving.  You’ll even find low carb pita breads, multi-grain hamburger and hot dog buns, hoagie rolls, tortillas, crackers, and pasta.  Your new best friend in your low carb diet will be the nutrition label.  Get to know it very, very well.

Strive to get at least 5 to 6 servings a day of vegetables and 3 to 4 servings of fruit or berries in your low carb diet.  This recommendation will vary with whatever diet you are following, so use it as a rule.  Of course, these servings should all fall within the ‘good carb’ category.  Adding at least 10 servings of dietary fiber each day will help you keep your carb count where you want it, and will keep you feeling full and satisfied.

Generally speaking, the darker, richer colored veggies, fruits, and berries are higher in fiber content which lowers the net carb count.  Steer your choices toward vegetables like spinach, kale, collards, mustard, broccoli, beet greens, tomatoes, cucumber, arugula, snap beans, celery, radishes, and asparagus.  For fruits and berries choose citrus and dark berries, but stay away from the tropical fruits like banana and mango as they are quite starchy with very little fiber content.

Do the research on fruits and vegetables and you’ll learn you do have choices.  For instance, apples are high in carbs, relatively low in fiber, and very high in sugar.  Compared to jicama, also sweet and crunchy, which has a relatively low amount of carbs, is loaded with fiber, and very low in sugar.  Also (and here’s why I read my nutrition data), jicama has 4 times the amount of vitamin C and iron as an apple.  Not a bad alternative!

Let’s not forget about nuts.  Almost all nuts, with the exception of cashews, will fit into your low carb diet.  Be sure to read the label if you are buying a mix, as many mixes include cashews.  Try to buy raw nuts.  You can always roast them yourself to bring out more of that nutty flavor.  Then, there are dried beans, lentils, and peas.  These foods do have a fair amount of good carbs which, at first glance, may not seem to fit in your daily carb limit.  But, don’t forget the magic fiber!  Subtract the fiber from the carbs and you have a net carb count that is very respectable.  Eating some form of these food items (think hummus) may add about 10 grams of fiber per day and keep you safely in the low carb zone.

Living without those bad carbs in your life starts with a decision.  Have you decided to rid yourself of the unhealthy eating practices you have become accustomed to?  If so, I can tell you that you will feel better, and look better, than you ever have before!

Tips For Successful Low Carb Eating At A Restaurant

Just because you are eating low carb doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a lunch or dinner out with family or friends.  Most eating establishments have figured out that they need to coax dieters in their doors.  So, they have started to bend and twist their menus to suit their patrons looking for alternatives.

The low carb diet has been so successful that, now when you go to a restaurant, it is easy to find what you need to stay well within your dietary needs.  But there are still tricks you can do to ensure that once you take a look at the menu, you aren’t swayed by all the high carb offerings.  Here are a few ideas that I have used to help me stay on track with my low carb diet while dining out at a restaurant:

Snack Before You Go Out

Before you go out to eat, eat a high fiber and/or protein snack. Do this about 20 minutes prior to arriving at the restaurant and you won’t have an empty stomach making your food decisions for you. If you are starving when you arrive at the restaurant, your stomach will tell your brain what to order, and it won’t be low carb.  Studies have shown that when we eat before we leave for the restaurant, choosing a high fiber and/or a protein snack, it starts the connection from the belly to the brain that we are not, in fact, starving.  Yes, your brain likes to know these things.

I like to grab a handful of almonds, or a piece of cheese, or even a slice of turkey or ham.  Then, when the server brings that warm bread basket to the table, I don’t automatically dive in.  Yes, I know the bread is warm and yummy and smells so good.  I get that.  But, think of the carbs in that bread and where those pounds will land once that quick trip through the tummy is over.  “A minute on the lips,  then straight to the hips!”  I know it’s difficult to pass up the high carb goodies, but having that snack beforehand will help you think clearer and make better choices when reading the menu.

Order a Glass of Water

Always start your meal off with a big glass of ice water.  As a matter of fact, don’t order your meal until you’ve finished that entire glass.  Once you feel full, place your order.  It’s amazing how satisfying a big salad looks after your stomach is full of water.  Also, once your meal comes, you won’t over eat.

Studies also have shown that ice cold water speeds the metabolism because your body is trying to warm itself up.  Blood is flowing to the stomach because it’s cold there!  Also, drinking water throughout the day helps keep your metabolism at optimum levels because you’re hydrated, keeping all your systems operating smoothy.  Remember, the human body is about 60% water.  About 80% of our blood is water.  The water in our blood helps digest our food and transport waste.  Sounds like keeping our body ‘watered’ makes sense on any diet.

Start with Salad

I know your mom has told you how important it is to eat your veggies.  Okay, the fact is, I didn’t always believe her.  Sometimes I would think she was being ‘old school.’  But, there is more truth to mom’s sage advice than we might have guessed.  Working veggies into our meal when we eat at a restaurant can really save your low carb diet from disaster.

Start your meal with a salad and ask for a simple oil and vinegar dressing.  Forget the creamy dressings as they typically are high calorie, high carb, and contain artificial flavorings and MSG, which is another bad carb culprit you should avoid on your low carb diet.  MSG is usually made with a beet base, so has a high sugar content.  And don’t forget to ask your server to omit the croutons, and while they’re at it, throw on a few extra tomatoes.

Even lettuce has a high fiber content which brings the net carbs for the meal down. If spinach salad is an option, choose that. Spinach is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.  So, along with avoiding the bad carbs in the bread at the beginning of your meal, you are adding the healthy benefits of veggies.

Start with Soup

If you don’t want to start your meal with a salad because you are planning on a salad as your entree, then choose a clear soup for a starter.  When you eat broth based soups, a couple things happen;  you put a large amount of liquid (aka volume) in your stomach, you give your brain the signal that your stomach is filling up, and your taste buds are busy.  Sometimes we find ourselves reaching for the breadsticks simply because our taste buds want to be happy.

Soup is an excellent choice for all these reasons.  But, remember to stay away from cream based soups which are often, but not always, loaded with starches and carbohydrates.  You can always ask the server how the soup was made to be sure.  Choose a healthy soup for a starter and your tummy will feel full, your taste buds will be happy, and your brain will know that you are not starving.

Chew, Chew, Chew

People tend to eat less when they eat slowly and give their brain a chance to catch up with their belly. They enjoy their food more when they savor the flavors and chew their food.  Along with the enjoyment comes the ability to put the brakes on.  When you take the time to chew slowly and enjoy your food, you feel satisfied, not hungry, and not deprived.

Take the time to enjoy the new flavors and fresh foods that you are choosing now over those unhealthy choices from before.  Begin to train your belly that it doesn’t need massive amounts of high carb food to feel satisfied.  Take your time to eat.  Don’t forget the brain needs to tell the belly, “Hey, she’s feeding you, so calm down already!”  Think about your food while you are chewing.  Eating slowly gives your belly time to send the message to your brain that the food is good and it’s filling you up.

Choose the Best Restaurants

By ‘best restaurants’ I don’t mean the fanciest;  I mean the restaurants where you will have the best chance of finding low carb dishes on the menu.  Typically, I have found that Italian and Mediterranean cuisine offer some of the best choices.  But, you’re thinking, isn’t that all about pasta, which I can’t eat?

Picture how these European countries eat.  In America we love our ‘super-size’ portions and we want them fast!  Am I right?  In Europe we picture people eating leisurely meals, in small portions, over a glass of wine while enjoying the company of their friends.  Mediterranean restaurants tend to have dishes that are loaded with vegetables, herbs, and spices, along with fish, lean meats, beans, and olive oil;  perfect for low carb eating.  If your favorite recipe happens to be served over pasta, ask your server to skip the pasta and put a bed of mixed greens on your plate instead; a favorite low carb diet trick.

When you go out to eat, and open the menu, do you panic?  That’s okay.  Relax.  I know starting a low carb diet can be confusing, even stressful.  Taking away your enriched white flour and refined sugar seems like tough-love.  But, honestly, once you get past that basket of bread, you have a world of wonderfully rich, spicy, aromatic dishes that will delight your taste buds.  I guarantee you won’t miss the white bread when you have a pile of grilled shrimp or a juicy steak sitting in front of you!

Tips For Successful Low Carb Eating On The Road

When eating out at a sit down restaurant, it’s rather easy to make good choices for your low carb diet.  It appears restauranteurs have picked up the idea of healthy eating rather quickly and are offering menu choices that suit the needs of the low carb dieter.  Why not?  They want our business, too!

But what about when you’re driving through fast food places?  These establishments have been a bit slower in figuring out that we want fast AND low carb.  But, we keep going.  Why?  Because it’s so convenient to stop on the way home and grab burgers, tacos, or something similar for the kids, especially after spending hours on the road chauffeuring between school, sports, music, dance, and ‘ad infinitum.’

One of the reasons obesity is on the rise in America is because we don’t take time to make smart food  choices, especially when we’re in a hurry… and when aren’t we in a hurry?  I am here to tell you that even in a hurry, you can choose low carb alternatives.

The Fast Dash

When you pull up to place your order, what jumps out at you?  Buns, bread, breading, and everything BUT fresh.  If you’re like me, you’re trying to stay on track with a low carb mantra like; “veggies, protein, veggies, protein, veggies, protein…” and nothing on the menu looks like it fits.  What can you do?

The best bet, and the one I usually turn to, is the salad, but not one smothered in creamy dressing or with breaded chicken on top.  Choose an oil and vinegar dressing (or none at all) and the grilled chicken.  You can also choose a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce and tomato and throw out the bun.  Tell them to skip the creamy spread, and you’ve got nothing but protein and veggies.  Your low carb diet is still intact.  Be prepared to have the server look at you like you are nuts, like the time I had to repeat myself three times because the server kept saying, “You don’t want the BUN?”

Your Own Take Out

However, the best bet if you are on the go is to bring food with you.  Yes, skip the drive-thru altogether.  You’ll need to plan ahead, but this is a great method for having food available for you and your family as you drive hither-and-yon.  Find a small cooler and keep it in your car.  Place a few frozen-gel packs in your freezer, or just freeze a couple bottles of water.  Then, PLAN AHEAD and prepare a supply of food and snacks to keep in the cooler as you travel through your day.

Grab a supply of ziploc bags or plastic food containers and fill them with cheese, nuts, veggies, and a variety of cooked meats.  Make rollups using sliced turkey and cream cheese with cucumbers.  Cut some chicken cutlets into thin slices, coat with almond meal, and oven fry them for ‘chicken fingers.’ Mix cream cheese and smoked salmon and roll in romaine lettuce leaves.  All these snacks can go in your cooler and will be ready when hunger hits.  The trick is to have these snacks ready ahead of time so you can grab them and throw them in the cooler with ice as you run to get the kids and hit the road.

Low carb dieting is not about starving yourself.  It’s about eating foods that turn into energy, not fat.  It’s about feeling better, looking better, and getting healthier.  Yes, you can eat on the road without succumbing to sugar and starch laden foods.  Choose wisely, plan ahead, and you CAN eat healthy on the road!

How to Host a Festive Party On A Tight Budget

Contents

Ask Yourself 3 Questions Before Planning Your Holiday Meal

Guest List Size Matters For Your Holiday Budget

Fun Frugal Food To Please Every Appetite

Change The Rules And Say Goodbye To Costly Traditions

Plan An Impressive Main Course Even On A Tight Budget

Create Holiday Decorations Your Way

Shop Smart To Find Frugal Holiday Gifts

How To Politely Send Your Party Guests Home

Holiday Entertaining Budget Busters

Keep The Workplace Party Frugal And Fun

Ask Yourself 3 Questions Before Planning Your Holiday Meal

The difference between taking the time to really plan your holiday meal, and flying by the seat of your pants, is that the first way will typically result in an amazing dinner and a great time with family and friends.  The second way, not so much.  You’re bound to feel the stress, frustration and quite possibly end up serving a less than splendid meal. Failing to plan wisely will inevitably lead you to spending way beyond your budget, in both money and time.  In order to avoid this undesirable outcome, there are three points you must focus on; your time, your guests, and your skills.

How Much Time Do I Have?

It’s quite likely that the first time the phrase ‘time is money’ was uttered was during preparations for a holiday gathering. Being aware of how much time you have to prepare your holiday meal is of the utmost importance. If you don’t get a good idea of how much time you can spend on the feast, you could end up having to skip parts of the menu.  Or you could end up spending extra money to change your menu to speed things up to fit the time you have.  So, be completely honest with yourself when you figure out how much time you have. No, you do not possess super powers.  It’s better to get that straight right now so you aren’t trying to magically bend and stretch time later.

Yes, you have to realistically figure out how much time you have. But, there’s more. You also have to know how much time the food takes to go from store to table.  If you have ten hours you can spend to prepare your holiday feast, and the menu takes twenty hours to shop, cook, and serve, something’s got to give. If you think you can squeeze twenty hours worth of food preparation into ten hours, then you are a magician and don’t need any help from me!  However, if you’re not a magician and you’re still going to try this trick at home, it’s quite likely you will find yourself rushing around spending valuable time trying to gather ingredients to substitute for menu items you wanted to have but ran out of time to prepare. This could put a huge burden on your time, your money, and your sanity. Don’t make the mistake of under-estimating how much time it takes to prepare for your feast and celebration.

What Do My Guests Want And Need?

You would think this is a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how something so simple can make such a big difference in the way your holiday feast turns out.  For instance, do your guests like to snack, mingle, chat, and then snack some more?  If so, why not focus on that approach rather than a huge sit-down meal?  After all that nibbling and mingling, if you lead your guests to a big seven course dinner, you may be putting a halt to the fun and putting your huge meal away untouched. However, if your guests are the kind who like to come in, sit down, and dig into a big meal, then by all means skip all the appetizers and get your meal on the table.  This keeps you from wasting money preparing a bunch of snacks when it’s the meal everyone is looking forward to anyway.

Knowing your guests also means knowing their likes and dislikes. This doesn’t mean you have to cater all your dishes to individual tastes, but try to reach a general consensus so you don’t feel like you’re running a restaurant, or spending money like a restaurant. Skip the rosemary potatoes if your guests are lukewarm with their responses when asked.  And, yes, I did say ask.  It’s quite appropriate when you issue an invitation to a dinner to ask your guests if they have any preferences, dietary needs, or even allergies.  Go ahead and be specific and tell them what you plan to have on the menu and if anything could cause a problem.  It’s all part of being a good host.

Where Do My Skills Fit In?

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to cook an over-the-top meal and dumping it into the trash just because you reached way beyond your skills. Avoid creating culinary disasters by knowing your abilities. You don’t want to spend a lot of money, or time, on a holiday meal that is a vision of loveliness in the foodie magazine but has no basis in reality in your kitchen. The holiday meal is no time to experiment.  Find trusted recipes and use them.  If you want to try something new, stay within your range of skills and try them out beforehand if possible.  If you’re the least bit nervous, stick with what you know. Your guests will always appreciate your tried-and-true dishes.

By being aware of your time, knowing your guests, and being true to your skill set, not only will you have a great holiday meal, you will also keep your budget intact. And that all leads to a fun, relaxing holiday celebration for everyone, including you!

Guest List Size Matters For Your Holiday Budget

No matter what kind of party you’re planning, one of the most common ways to blow your budget and spoil a party is to either over-estimate or under-estimate your guest list. Let’s take a look at what happens when you don’t figure your numbers correctly.

Too Much of a Good Thing

We have all been there, right? We plan for thirty people to show up, and the last thing we want to do is run out of food.  So, we cook for forty just to make sure nobody is wanting.  Then twenty people show up.  There’s a big difference between cooking for forty and cooking for twenty.  Now, you have food to spare.  What do you do with it?  Most likely you will send it home with your guests because you never have that much room in your refrigerator to store leftovers.  Even if you do have the room to store the leftovers, you’ll never eat it up before it goes bad.

This is the problem when we over-estimate our guest list. Over-estimating your list means that you will inevitably go through more stress and financial burden.  You’ll not only be frustrated and worn out preparing for more people than necessary, but eventually you’ll see your hard earned money either walking out the door in containers or going out with the trash.

Less is Better Doesn’t Work

On the other hand, under-estimating your guest list is almost as bad, if not worse. Under-estimating your guest list means that you don’t cook enough. Say you invite thirty, but assume that only fifteen will come, but they all show up.  Now, what do you do?  Assuming that a lot fewer people will show up is a dangerous assumption to make, especially when it comes to food.  Even though you don’t have to worry about throwing out or giving away extra food, the reverse is just as bad.  You have guests now eager for something to snack on and your appetizers are woefully meager.  And that lovely turkey you have that will feed fifteen beautifully just looks pitiful.

You can only boil up so many more potatoes to help stretch a meal. So, you do what any good host does; you send someone out to the deli.  The cost and stress of running out for more food can really upset your day.  Instead of cooking for the thirty people you invited, now you’re buying pre-made appetizers and dinner items for fifteen more people. It didn’t have to be that way if you had just cooked for your invited guest list to begin with.

Verify your Guest List

Since both over-estimating and under-estimating lead to serious consequences to your budget and stress level, it is best to avoid both of these situations. One of the easiest ways to make sure this doesn’t happen is to do what all good hosts do – verify your guest list.

The simplest way to verify a guest list is to put an RSVP on your invitation.  Some people may feel silly or uncomfortable about this if you’re hosting a more casual holiday gathering.  But, don’t give that a thought.  Any party, big or small, fancy or casual, benefits by an RSVP on the invitation.  Your guests will appreciate the thoughtful regard you have given to them. After all, an RSVP just ensures that you, their host, will have plenty of food and drink when everyone arrives, and isn’t that what being a good host is all about?

If your guests are slow in responding to the invitation, then take it upon yourself to pick up the phone and give them a call to confirm that they are coming to your event.  You can use this opportunity to double check on the time, diet concerns, or if there is anything else either you or they need to know.

Whether you’re planning a small gathering or a large one, get your guest list in order, verify it, then stick to your numbers. If you have twenty people RSVP with a ‘Yes’ then cook for twenty people.  You don’t want more and you don’t want less, because doing either one is a waste of money and can be a real party pooper!

Fun Frugal Food To Please Every Appetite

If you have ever hosted a holiday party, you know how difficult it can be to please everyone on your list. There are so many different expectations, likes and dislikes, that it can almost seem impossible to plan for all your guests’ preferences. But this can be done and your budget doesn’t have to suffer. Let’s take a look at a few ideas for providing your guests with the foods they love while staying within your budget.

Plenty of Special Little Choices

If you have a lot of people coming over for your holiday meal or party, this is one of the easiest ways to ensure that you please them all.  Providing a wide variety of food in small portions is the perfect way to please them all.  Finger foods, hors d’oeuvres, cheese trays, fruit plates, vegetables with dip, and the like are perfect for a party that is all about nibbling and mingling.  However, a holiday party requires a special touch. If you are familiar with tapas, this might be a good time to search for recipes specifically served for these ‘small bites’ parties.  You’ll get a lot of ideas for delicious dishes to serve, both hot and cold.

Now is the time to rethink some of your classics. You can dress up your pinwheel recipes with over-the-top ingredients for your holiday party.  Rather than use ham and Swiss cheese, choose smoked salmon, arugula, and Gruyere cheese, for instance.  Wrap diced honeydew melon in pancetta and broil for a surprising bite.  Make tiny meat and vegetable bundles inside thin layers of fillo dough. Spoon spiced shrimp into Romaine lettuce leaves. Those are just a few ways to turn familiar appetizer foods into something special and enticing for your guests.

Be sure to have more than enough little serving plates set all over the room so your guests can sample a few bites, walk away, sample another couple dishes, and keep moving.  Guests are bound to set their plates down often, so just be ready with more.  Keep the food interesting with a lot of variety and no one will feel they didn’t get what they wanted to eat. This is also great for conversation because everyone is anxious to talk about the tasty item they discovered over on the other side of the room.

The Potluck Makes a Comeback

A wonderfully old-fashioned way to both host a holiday party and make sure you please your guests is to throw a potluck. This is one way to ensure that the dishes you serve will be what your guests will want to eat.  Because, after all, your guests are bringing their favorite dishes! Here you are, providing your guests with bragging rights to their great-grandmother’s plum pudding recipe while, at the same time, pleasing your guests tastes and keeping your budget under control. If that sounds sneaky, it’s not. Everybody knows the score! Your guests will love providing their favorite dish just as long as you provide the place and the basics for the meal.

When you issue the invitation, keep it casual. Say something on the order of; “You’re Invited to a Holiday Potluck,” then explain that you want them to bring a favorite dish of theirs.  Also, let them know to keep their dish small since everyone will be bringing something so you’ll have more than enough for everyone. This keeps them from going overboard making way more food than is needed. Be sure to ask what dish they are bringing so you can orchestrate the meal at least a little. You don’t want an endless supply of gelatin salads or pinwheels and no sweet potato casserole or veggie tray, for instance.

This is also a great way to start conversations between people as they find their favorite dishes and talk about the recipe. You can also ask your guests to bring recipe cards if they would like to share.  Perhaps you could gather the cards and put them together in a book for your guests as a little Thank You gift for coming and sharing in your potluck party.

Capture Their Attention With Comfort Foods

When planning a party, you naturally want to please everyone’s taste buds.  And what’s more pleasing than comfort foods?  Building comfort foods into your menu helps you make sure there is something that everyone likes. Comfort foods are generally inexpensive, can be prepared with ease, and are recognized and loved by most everyone.

Think of your classic comfort foods and you’ll usually think of cheesy macaroni, green bean casserole, wild rice mushroom bake, and maybe some creamy mashed potatoes. A fragrant sage stuffing is another food that just makes you go ‘ahhhhhh.’

Whatever your comfort food, if you decide to include one or more with your meal, just have it match the style of the dinner.  For instance, if you are serving a variety of ‘small bites’ for your meal, go ahead and make the comfort food, but instead of making it in a big casserole, create tiny bites in mini-muffin tin cups. Tiny bites of sage stuffing will match the finger food style of the party but still offer the comfort you and your guests are craving.

When you are trying to please a lot of people, there are three main options you have for making sure everyone is satisfied even when you have a limited budget. Offer a lot of choices in the ‘tiny bites’ style, host a potluck, and finally include comfort foods that satisfy most everyone.  Your job as host is to make sure your guests are well fed and happy.  With these options, you can tweak your menu and style in ways that will have your guests very pleased indeed.

Change The Rules And Say Goodbye To Costly Traditions

Holiday traditions become traditions for a reason – we love them.  But sometimes our budget doesn’t love them quite so much.  When you get trapped into doing certain things and having certain foods during holiday gatherings, spending beyond your budget is a distinct possibility. How can you get away from paying more than you want to for these traditional foods and holiday entertainment year after year?  It may be a bit uncomfortable at first, but when you see the savings, you’ll be glad you learned to break away.

Traditions May Have To Fall

It is very often difficult to break with tradition, especially during the holidays.  However, if you’re hosting a holiday gathering and you have a budget to consider, you may have to step on some toes. I won’t say it’s going to be easy. The struggle may be internal, in your own mind.  Or, the struggle may be external, family members telling you that you “simply can’t” skip Grandma’s special six-hour-twelve-layer-dessert that cost as much to make as Junior’s orthodontist bill.

Personal feelings can play a big part in these traditions. If you break the news to the family that you can’t see your way clear to make something or do something, and you’re met with shrieks and tears, then suggest that someone go ahead and take on that particular tradition.  You don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but be honest.  Then, if someone wants to take up the mantle, by all means, let them. Everyone wins, tradition is intact if someone feels it should be, and you are off the hook for the expense. And remember, not everyone in the family is in love with the tradition that you’ve been trying to figure out how to eliminate from your plans.  Do a fact-check in your family and find out before you spend the money and time on something nobody really wants.

Brainstorming New Traditions

If you and your family agree that a tradition must be lovingly set adrift, it is time to begin anew. This is where everything starts getting interesting, and fun. It’s time to get everyone on board and start brainstorming. So the question is put to the family; If we’re going to let go of the huge meal and all the other expense surrounding a holiday, what do we replace it with?

A fun idea to break away from tradition is to set a theme for your holiday dinner.  Have everyone bring one dish that they feel is consistent with that theme. For instance, make your dinner about the immigration of people from all over the world.  Feature dishes and decor from any region you think would be interesting. Choose areas of the world that are unknown to you, or celebrate your own heritage, or share a dish you enjoyed from your travels. Have fun with the variety that a themed event can provide. But, don’t stop there.  How would you like to host a beach party for Christmas?  Or a picnic for Thanksgiving?  Or a traveling meal, going between a few houses instead of one person responsible for the entire meal? The brainstorming session is all about throwing ideas on the table for everyone to consider.  Let your thoughts run wild and have fun with this new experience.

You Don’t Have To Do It Again

Now that you are excited about brainstorming new ideas, it’s time to remind everyone that even THIS new tradition doesn’t have to be a tradition.  Next year you may forget the theme and just have hot sandwiches and movies.  The following year maybe you will host a Christmas breakfast instead of dinner.  Nothing is written in stone – even traditions.

The idea is that if you have the privilege of hosting a holiday gathering for your family and friends, then you have the say about exactly what sort of event it will be.  Are you going to tote out Grandma’s celery seed biscuits again, and throw them all out again, or are you going to get creative?

You don’t have to stick to traditions when they don’t workout for your budget.  And when you try new traditions, you don’t have to do it again. Don’t let traditions dictate your budget.  Find a way to break free and enjoy what’s really important – spending time with people you love and having some fun!

Plan An Impressive Main Course Even On A Tight Budget

When you’re planning holiday meals, the main course could very likely add up to more than the rest of the whole menu. The star of the meal is important, to be sure, but how can you present a gorgeous main course when you’re on a tight budget?  There are some things to consider, so let’s explore a few options.

Let the Sales Guide You

When it comes to expensive items like meat, it helps to be mindful of special sales and giveaways that are in your area. For instance, if you’re planning on having pumpkin pie for dessert, and a grocery store is offering a free honey ham with the purchase of pumpkin pie ingredients, why not let that determine what you serve for your main course?  You may have been thinking about duck or a rib roast, but when it comes to your budget, a free ham sure sounds delicious!

Smart merchants offer big savings on traditional meats and other main course proteins because they want to get you in the store for the other ingredients.  Watch the sale brochures early so you don’t get stuck in a panic and spend full price when time runs short.  And don’t forget your local butcher or independent store.  Smaller shops stock up for holiday meals and don’t want to get stuck with anything after the holiday is past.  Keep in mind ‘supply and demand’ – grocers lay in a large supply while the demand is high and can ask any price, but they want to move their stock before the demand ends, so watch closely for this price break to happen fast, and be ready.

Know the Proper Serving Size

The USDA guideline for meat serving size is about a quarter pound of meat per person.  However, holiday meals usually call for a more impressive serving size.  But don’t go overboard!  Figure the serving size somewhere between a quarter pound and a half pound per person.  Remember, you will be having all your favorite side dishes, as well.  It’s so easy to over-estimate when it comes down to picking out your main course. Keep in mind when you choose your protein that if you are buying a bone-in meat, you need to take that ‘waste weight’ into account and buy closer to the half pound per person serving size.

Choosing a big turkey, duck, goose, or chicken will take some estimating when it comes to serving size.  You can actually make an assumption to help you calculate the servings per bird.  Deduct about twenty percent from the total weight and that should give you a good weight in actual meat.  Of course, you’ll want a good amount of both white meat and dark meat.  If you’re serving a large group, sometimes it’s better to cook two smaller birds instead of one big bird.  Start by calculating the amount of meat you’ll need, then shop for the best price per pound whether you are buying meat, poultry, fish, or other seafood.

Choosing Quality or Quantity

If you just can’t bring yourself to put a smaller piece of meat on your holiday table, then by all means buy a larger cut. This means, however, that you will need to shop around for less expensive cuts to make sure your main course still fits your budget.  For example, if your budget is limited but you want to serve a big beef roast dinner, you will need to walk away from the prime rib or tenderloin.  Choose instead several nice chuck roasts and cook them low and slow so they are cut-it-with-a-fork tender. No one will care that your beef isn’t expensive just so long as it’s juicy and delicious.  You can do that with less expensive cuts of meat if you cook it right.

The same goes for poultry or seafood.  Compare the price per pound of several poultry options.  If you can’t afford to buy a goose or duck, choose a turkey or chicken.  A large turkey that has been roasted beautifully will impress your guests as much as, if not more than, a smaller (and much more expensive) goose. But, you can also do both, serve quality AND quantity, if you shop and plan wisely.  If you really want that beautiful duck on your table, go ahead and choose a small one, then roast another bird so you have enough meat to serve.  Think of the expensive protein as a side dish and buy a smaller size.  In other words, you don’t have to serve your guests a half pound of expensive protein.  Plan your main course with a less expensive protein and serve your luxury protein in smaller bites.

You want your holiday table to feature a wonderful main course, but meat, poultry, and seafood can be expensive. There are ways to still present a beautiful main dish without breaking the bank. Be sure to watch the sales in your area and introduce yourself to the butcher or fishmonger. Also, be mindful of the portion sizes and the number of people you are serving. Don’t over-estimate and spend more than you have to.  And remember, quality isn’t always about spending more money.  It really all comes down to serving the tastiest dish you possibly can, and you can do that on any budget.

Create Holiday Decorations Your Way

Once you get the menu planned for your holiday celebration, you most likely will start thinking about decorating.  But when you think of the price of decorations, you panic.  How will you be able to create a festive atmosphere on a tight budget?  It’s not difficult if you keep in mind that sometimes simple is best.  Let’s take a look at how you can create decorations you love while staying within your budget.

Stay True to Your Style

It’s a fact that when decorating for a holiday, the fewer pieces you buy the better.  Not only will your budget thank you, but it’s often true that less-is-more.  But, along with keeping your decorations simple and focused, your decorations should also reflect your style.  Not only will this make your guests more comfortable in your home, the decorations will also fit in your home for many years and seasons to come.

Choosing the ‘Now’ or ‘It’ styles touted by stylists doesn’t typically work for most people, especially people on a budget.  If you can’t afford to swap out your decorations every year, then you shouldn’t go with the latest fads.  Do you really want to be stuck with mauve color silk floral wreaths, lights, and ribbons all over the house if your style is more on the natural, earthy, rustic side?  It costs a lot of money to replace boxes and boxes of previous years’ decorations simply because you just can’t stand putting them out again.  Look around your house now.  What style are you?  Now look for inspiration and choose the décor that fits your style and will make you happy for years to come.

Be Inspired

Now you need inspiration, but don’t go to the mall yet!  This is a common mistake. Don’t get stuck in the décor aisle in the big department store without knowing what you’re looking for. You are bound to start grabbing things that are pretty, and then paying a pretty price for way too much stuff.  Instead, know what you’re looking for before you shop, or create.  Take the time to look through the glossy design magazines and pull a few ideas that you like.  Your public library will have these magazines to borrow, so you don’t even need to spend any money, except a few cents to run the photocopier perhaps.  Tune into the home and garden television shows, too.  Again, find one or two themes that fit your style and make notes so you can build your holiday décor around them.

A newer place to find inspiration to get your creativity flowing is the online site called Pinterest. Pinterest is an online bulletin board that allows people to share pictures with anyone who chooses to log on.  There are virtually millions of images to scroll through and be inspired by.  It’s easy to start finding inspiration on Pinterest. Just set up a free account and begin your search with something easy like ‘holiday decorations.’  Once you start finding your way around, you’ll have enough inspiration to start designing your own festive holiday decorations as easily and as frugally as you want. And, as opposed to getting caught up in impulse buying at the store, this inspiration doesn’t cost you a dime.

Create it Yourself

Now that you know your style and have your inspiration, it’s time to decorate.  When it comes to getting your decorations together, it may be more cost efficient to design your own. If you pulled inspiration from Pinterest, be sure to click through to the websites that feature the design you like.  There are often DIY instructions to create similar decorations. Most magazines also offer a website to find more detailed information about their décor choices.

Keep an open mind.  If you can’t invest in the fancy tablecloth you spotted online, see if you can create something around the same look.  If, for instance, you love the embroidered fall leaf design, recreate it with fabric paint and stencils or stamps on a plain white tablecloth.  If you love the glitter and glow of a fireplace mantle lined with dozens of designer candles and glass beads, buy a big box of candles at the dollar store and boxes of clear tree ornaments and create your own sparkling decoration on your mantle. These decorations are inspired by designer elements, but you add your own touches making them true to your style, and budget!

Holiday decorating doesn’t have to be expensive if you find the inspiration you need to create your own festive atmosphere.  Choose the style that fits you and create it yourself for less money, as well as the added benefit of making it uniquely yours.  Your guests will be comfortable in your home because it’s warm and inviting and fits your style.  And that’s what decorating is all about!

Shop Smart To Find Frugal Holiday Gifts

It can be very easy to run up a big bill when it comes to buying gifts for the holidays.  When you have a tight budget, you can reach your limit fast!  How can you stretch your budget so you can still give your family and friends gifts that they will love?  Let’s take a look at a few simple ideas for giving gifts on a budget.

Buy Off Season

One of the most effective ways to stay within your budget when buying holiday gifts is to actually do most of your shopping during the off season periods. If you keep a list of gift ideas on hand, you can shop the real deals, and not the ones that the stores like to entice you with just before the holidays.  As we get closer to the holidays, prices tend to climb, then you’ll get a few teaser sales that look good but really aren’t.  If you watch the sales throughout the year, you are bound to find deals that are real, and not the inflated prices during the height of the holiday shopping season.

Search Online

If you haven’t gotten acquainted yet with online shopping, now is the time.  Companies are in hot competition to get your business so they are offering not only lower prices but free shipping, and even free returns!  There are plenty of coupon sites to check out, too, but many companies are just skipping right by the coupons and giving you the deals directly.  It really pays to shop around, and there are even sites that do that for you, too.  Start early so you have plenty of time to send items back if they don’t work out for you.  Remember, it’s all about customer service so be picky and find companies with great websites, deals, and shipping options that you like. If you prefer to go to the store to buy, you can still use the website to find the deals.  Many websites will find the nearest store to you and tell you if the item is in stock.  If you don’t like something about the website or store, move on to the next one. You are in total control because there are just so many to choose from.

Dig into the Clearance Bin

The clearance bin can be your best friend when you’re looking for a bargain. A toy that was a top seller last year could very well end up deeply discounted this year. Clothing, household items, decorative items, etc. all end up in the clearance bin at some time or other.  If you’re at the department store, look for the signs and head that way.  You have to be patient and be prepared to spend some time digging through the items if you want the best deal.  If you’re shopping online, click that CLEARANCE button and start scrolling. Things move fast on the sale racks, so be ready to shop when you find an item.

Use your Phone

It is amazing how much money that phone in your pocket can save you. They call it a smart phone for a reason. Don’t be afraid to use it when shopping for your holiday gifts. If you find something at a store while you’re out shopping, why drive around to see if you can find it cheaper elsewhere?  Pull out your phone, download an app and you can have your own personal price checker. Not only will it tell you where to go for the lower price, many of the apps tell you who still has them available and gives you the opportunity to call the store and have them hold the item for you. If you don’t have a ‘smart phone’ don’t fret. Your phone is still your best friend. Call the store and ask. If they are not willing to help you, then they don’t need your business. Either way, your phone has helped you make a decision and you didn’t need to drive around.

Make it Yourself

When you can add the label “Handmade Especially For You” on a gift item, you know it will be well received and greatly appreciated. What are your talents? Can you put them to work to create gifts for the holidays?  Perhaps you can learn a new talent.  There are plenty of DIY books, magazines, and websites that can help you get started creating one of a kind gift items.  Not only are these handmade gifts special, but they ordinarily are much cheaper.  If you’re trying to give special gifts on a budget, handmade items are very often the way to go.

If you’ve ever found yourself standing dazed, in the middle of a store around the holidays, you most likely didn’t plan ahead.  Gift giving is not easy, or cheap, when you do it on the fly or at the last minute.  Plan ahead, shop smart, and try these tips to give the perfect gifts this holiday season, even on your tight budget.

How To Politely Send Your Party Guests Home

When the party’s over, the party’s over… or is it?  If you’ve had trouble in the past getting your guests to pack it in for the night and go home, you may need a new approach, or two.  There are ways to politely clear your guests, but you need the right timing, as well as a simple strategy in place.  Take a look at the following techniques for easing your guests out the door.

Avoid Open Ended Invitations

Probably the easiest way to send your guests home is to have an end time right on your invitation. Make sure you clearly state that your party will begin and end at a certain time. This way, you should only have to walk around and declare something like; “Will you just look at the time!”  Since all your guests saw the end time on the invitation, this will click fast. The end time puts you in a place to politely move your guests out the door with style.

Enlist the Help of Other Guests

In any group of guests, there are usually some who are very punctual, both coming and going.  When you look at your guest list, keep this in mind. The guests who naturally leave on time are often those who are paying a babysitter or who have to work the next day. When you see these guests getting ready to leave, be sure to make a point of getting their coats and walking them to the door, rather noticeably.  As your guests watch you escort other guests to the door, they will quickly see that the party is winding down. This is a subtle way to start moving all your guests toward the exit; they will naturally start gathering their belongings as you are saying goodbye to your departing guests.

Honesty is the Best Policy

Being honest with people is a simple way to wrap up a party. This doesn’t mean being rude and nasty.  Instead, you will just tell your guests how thankful you are that they were able to come and what a great time you had, and… let me get your coat and walk you to the door.  Who can argue with that?  If a guest is still slow to move toward the door, you can fill in with a few comments about having to work in the morning and the kids will be up at the crack of dawn.  No one will miss the point when it’s honest and direct, but still polite. Simply stating the facts in terms everyone understands will work for most guests and in most instances.  Party stragglers who miss the subtle hints typically get it when you use the honest approach.

Ask About Plans for Getting Home

Asking your guests about their plans for getting home is a subtle way to move the conversation in another direction; namely out the door.  Some guests may need you to call a cab.  Perhaps a guest is waiting for a ride from someone.  Do they have a driver on the way?  Maybe your guest would appreciate it if you moved their car up closer to the house.  Simple questions like this can begin to get your guests thinking about heading home, which means that you can think about wrapping up the party and enjoying some much needed rest.

Start Cleaning Up

Nothing says ‘time to go’ like the host disappearing into the kitchen to do dishes.  When you start to clean up, everyone notices that you are ready to wind down. Of course, you don’t want to be rude, but if you have a few guests who simply haven’t followed the other guests out the front door when they should have, then rattling those pots and pans may be justified.  If they still don’t take the hint, then ask them to join you in the kitchen and put them to work.  At this point, your guests will leave or they help with the dishes, which isn’t bad either way.

Ruin the Mood

I saved this one for last because it’s really a last resort. Blow out the candles, turn up the lights, put away the decorations, and turn off the music.  Don’t forget to pick up the snacks and put away the wine!  This is a bit harsh, to be sure, but it is very effective for even the most stubborn straggler.  Sitting under bright lights in a house devoid of all festive spirit is going to drive any guest to the front door. Short of shutting off the lights, locking the door, and going to bed, this strategy seems to work even with the most oblivious guest.

Hosting a holiday party is exhausting. You put a lot of time and effort into planning the party, preparing for everything, and then finally welcoming your guests.  Being the good host that you are, you’ll be spending lots of time making sure that everyone is having fun.  Although you are enjoying yourself, too, by the end of the party, you are ready to wrap it up and send your guests merrily along their way.  With these ideas for subtle, and not so subtle, methods for moving your guests toward the door, your party will end just as smoothly as it started.

Holiday Entertaining Budget Busters

Everyone knows there are some things that just blow your holiday budget out of the water. If you know what these things are, they can be avoided and your budget can remain intact. But the trick is identifying and then stopping these budget busters before they happen. Let’s take a look.

Poor Planning

When you don’t spend enough time planning for your event, you may end up running around at the last minute trying to fill in for things you’ve forgotten.  If this means more food, it usually means prepared food from a deli or caterer, which means a lot more money spent than originally planned. On the other hand, spending too much time planning can also result in over spending. If you go over and over the menu, you are bound to keep adding more food. If you review the guest list over and over, you’ll start second guessing yourself, which usually means adding more people, not removing any. A lack of planning as well as too much planning are both bad for the budget.

Unexpected Guests

When people show up unexpectedly at your party, it’s a strain on the budget you set.  Pulling up another chair to the table and filling another plate definitely produces a burden. The best way to keep your guest list accurate is to include an RSVP on the invitation. Of course, there are bound to be a couple guests who forget or ignore the RSVP, so be sure to word your invitation properly so the RSVP is taken seriously.  If you have guests who haven’t responded, simply give them a call.  Another issue may be a misunderstanding with the invited guest. Be clear if you intend your guest to bring a guest of his or her own. Your invitation should state EXACTLY who you wish to attend the party.  If there could be any confusion about who is invited, state the obvious.  For instance, if you’re throwing a party for grownups only, make sure the invitation states that kids are not invited. Don’t leave room for confusion on the invitation.

Big Dreams

Paging through glossy magazines featuring designer parties is a fun pastime, but not a good basis for your holiday party.  If you start dreaming about throwing a designer-style party, your budget will never catch up. Keep your dreams in check and reasonable when you are planning your party and your budget and bottom line will appreciate your diligence. However, when you’re dreaming big, you can  grab a couple ideas from those designers.  Choose some unique decorations or recipes and include them in your budget version of the fancy party.  You can add a lot of flare with just a few touches from that big dream.

Shopping Fail

Once your party is planned, you’ll need to shop for food, decorations, gifts, and whatever you may need.  Heading to the store without doing some research first will result in spending way more money than you need to, or intend to.  Paying full price for any or all of the items you need will put a serious dent in your budget, and is so unnecessary.  With all the coupons and sales, there’s no reason to over pay.  Go online and check the deals for your local area.  Shop early so you have enough time to shop around.  Waiting for the last minute will surely result in making hasty choices and spending way beyond your budget.

Hosting a holiday party can be fun and festive without breaking the budget, but only if you avoid these pitfalls.  Simple errors like these can create a stressful situation instead of a delightful holiday celebration. Now that you know what to avoid, go ahead and plan that perfect party!

Keep The Workplace Party Frugal And Fun

Anyone who has a limited budget knows how difficult work parties can be on the wallet. Work parties can include many expenditures; a dish to pass, a gift, a collection for the boss, and maybe a charity.  Now, these things each by itself is not going to destroy your budget, but when they start piling on, it could get pretty discouraging.  And what if you have more than one party to attend?  You want to be up and positive, but you also want to pay the bills and feed the family.  How can you enjoy the work party and not come off being the company Scrooge?  Here are a few tips.

Sign-up Fast

This is definitely a time when you want to be first in line. Signing up fast for the potluck meal is an advantage when you’re on a budget.  Why?  Because you can choose your food item to bring from a wider range of goodies.  You can shop early for the ingredients and maybe snag a few sale prices.  If you wait until the last minute to sign up, you are bound to find yourself in the deli the day of the party paying premium prices for a prepared dish that you could have easily made at home for half the price.

If that happens, your dish not only cost way more than you budgeted, but the presentation looks cheap. It looks like you don’t care enough about your fellow workers to give your dish any thought at all. There sits your plastic deli containers right next to those beautifully decorated homemade sugar cookies.  And, the fact is, those sugar cookies cost a fraction of what you brought, but look and taste so much better.  So, get your name on that sign-up sheet the moment it comes out to save yourself the embarrassment and the expense.

Stick with Traditional Food

Holiday potluck parties at work are not the time to try out a new recipe.  Nor is it time to bring your most complicated dish. Stick with traditions that are tried-and-true.  If your coworkers see a ‘mystery dish’ on the table, something they’re not familiar with, they will pass it by.  No one’s going to embarrass themselves or others by asking; “What’s that?”  If you’re serving something with a bunch of complicated sauces, it just gets clumsy figuring out what to put with what. Keep your dish simple, easy to serve, and delicious and everyone will appreciate the effort you made.

Keep the Gift Exchange Simple

As far as a gift exchange goes, keep it simple and inexpensive.  Having complicated gift exchanges where everything is topsy turvy and no one understands the rules is a recipe for disappointment.  Do simple ‘take away’ games for small gifts that are suitable for everyone.  Put small wrapped gifts together and draw names for each gift.  Don’t make the exchange too unusual.  Play games that are familiar to everyone so the party keeps moving smoothly and no one feels left out.  Plan your gift exchange early so you can agree on a dollar limit and everyone will have time to shop.  And remember, it’s about the fun, not the gift.  So, keep the dollar limit very low so everyone can enjoy the festivities without worrying about the expense.

Out On the Town

Some work parties are planned out of the office.  These parties can be more entertaining than a simple potluck office party, but they can also be very expensive.  If you are on a limited budget, you may find it difficult to justify splurging on such a party.  This is where being a part of the planning committee will come in handy.

You will need a strong voice in your workplace, an advocate for you and your fellow coworkers who want to keep the expense down.  If the decision is made to have the party at a restaurant, then be sure to do your research.  These establishments are going to want your party, so they will be willing to deal with you.  Review menu and drink choices, then begin the negotiating.  When it comes to a party outside the office, it’s all about getting the right prices.  Stay away from ordering off the menu and having an open bar.  Choose two or three dinner options, negotiate a price with the restaurant, then have a cash bar.  Each person can then enjoy the party within their own budget.

The workplace is no place to throw caution to the wind when it comes to your holiday budget.  You need to watch your wallet just like you do while planning your family holiday celebrations.  When the holidays roll around, jump right in and be a part of the planning so you can ensure your frugal voice is heard.

Frugal Holiday Entertaining Recipes

Contents

1. Tis The Season Eggnog Pancakes
2. Old Fashioned Holiday Breakfast Cornbread
3. Cranberry Orange Nut Bread
4. Easy Cheddar Nut Rolls
5. Broccoli Egg Potato Nests
6. Bountiful Breakfast Herbed Hash Browns
7. Crunchy Kid-Friendly Potato Bake
8. Nutty Roasted Brussels Sprouts
9. Hearty Granny Smith Stuffing Casserole
10. Ginger Sage Pumpkin Risotto
11. Grape Goodness Wild Rice Casserole
12. Holiday Harvest Apple Berry Salad
13. Easy Three Step Broccoli Cranberry Slaw
14. Snappy Cranberry Pecan Green Bean Salad
15. Snuggled Up Italian Meatball Appetizers
16. Chicken And Sweet Pepper Egg Rolls
17. Company Ready Deviled Eggs
18. Mixed Pepper Quiche Bites
19. Mini Crust-Free Spinach Quiches
20. Easy Cheddar Cheese Snack Ball
21. Blissful Bleu Cheese Walnut Spread
22. Roasted Garlic Avocado Spread
23. Toasty Spiced Rosemary Cashews
24. Broiled Bacon Bundled Walnut Stuffed Dates
25. Cranberry Chili Meatballs
26. Holiday Sprinkled Snickerdoodles
27. Easiest Christmas Cookies
28. Apple Citrus Spirited Wassail
29. Egg Nog Cranberry Punch
30. Kitchen Kahlua

Tis The Season Eggnog Pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups good eggnog

2 large eggs, beaten

Put a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl; put all the dry ingredients in the sieve and shake to sift into the bowl.

Add the eggnog and eggs to the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined – don’t over mix, you should see some lumps just like any pancake batter.

Lightly oil your griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.

Drop batter by ladle or measuring cup out onto hot griddle, wait until bubbles form on the surface of the pancake, then flip and brown the other side.

Serve warm with syrup or fresh fruit topping.

Old Fashioned Holiday Breakfast Cornbread

3 Tbsp cooking oil

2 cups yellow or white cornmeal

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 large egg, beaten

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pour oil into a 9 inch cast iron skillet and place in preheated oven.

In bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then add the egg and milk and stir until just incorporated – do not over mix.

Take the hot skillet out of the oven, and tip it several times to distribute the hot oil around the bottom and sides.

Carefully pour the batter into the hot skillet and return the skillet to the oven.

Bake cornbread for 15 to 20 minutes or until the edges brown and pull away from the cast iron skillet.

Remove and let rest for a few minutes before slicing into wedges to serve.

Drizzle with maple syrup or any berry syrup for a sweet old fashioned holiday breakfast meal that is super easy and frugal.

Cranberry Orange Nut Bread

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp orange zest

3/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

2 Tbsp melted butter

1 egg, beaten

2 cups fresh cranberries, chopped roughly

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Put a metal mesh sieve over a large bowl and Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda through the sieve and into a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, melted butter, and beaten egg.

Slowly add the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined – do not over stir.

Add the cranberries and the walnuts and fold in until combined.

Pour into prepared loaf pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 55 minutes to 60 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand in loaf pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and let rest for several hours before serving.

Makes 1 loaf.

Easy Cheddar Nut Rolls

1 pound loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

1 cup finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided

2/3 cup chopped nuts, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking oil.

On a floured work surface, put the bread dough and pat out until you have about an 8×12 inch rectangle.

Sprinkle half the cheese and half the nuts evenly on top of the dough, then roll into a log (rolling the long side so you have a 12 inch log.)

Cut the log into 12 slices.

Put the slices (cinnamon roll style) into the cake pan, then evenly sprinkle the remaining cheese and nuts evenly over the top.

Leave out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to allow the dough to rise.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove and let cool slightly, then tip out onto a cooling rack before serving.

Serve by pulling apart into individual rolls.

Makes 12 rolls.

Broccoli Egg Potato Nests

2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed and drained well

1 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 large eggs

2 Tbsp milk

1 cup frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained, and finely chopped

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/2 cup red onion, diced small

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Get out regular muffin tin and spray 4 muffin cups with non-stick cooking oil.

Put the thawed hash browns into a bowl, add the flour, salt, and pepper and toss with a fork to coat well.

Put a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil, and when it sizzles, scoop 1/4 cup of potato mixture into skillet, spread out and flatten to about a 5 inch disc, then repeat with remaining potato mixture until you have 4 discs in the skillet. Cook until lightly browned, flip and cook until other side is lightly browned.

Remove from skillet to a paper towel covered surface, but don’t let cool off. While potato discs are still warm, gently press into the prepared muffin cups until you have little potato nests; set aside.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together, then add the broccoli, black olives, onion, and cheese, and stir until combined well.

Divide the egg-broccoli mixture evenly between the 4 potato nests.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the eggs are totally cooked and lightly browned.

Remove and allow to cool slightly before removing from muffin tin.

Tip out onto rack and serve warm.

Bountiful Breakfast Herbed Hash Browns

4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed and drained

2 green onions, chopped

1 cup sliced black olives

1/4 cup chopped parsley, divided

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

oil for cooking

In a large bowl, toss together the thawed potatoes, onions, olives, 2 tablespoons parsley, sage, salt, and red pepper flakes.

Put a large heavy skillet on stove on medium-high heat, pour in enough oil so you have about 1/4 inch deep in skillet.

When oil sizzles, dump the potato mixture into the skillet and spread out into one layer.

Let potatoes fry for about 5 minutes, without turning them.

Peek underneath to see if the potatoes are browned, and if they are, go ahead and flip them over with a spatula and fry again, undisturbed, for another 5 minutes until they are browned and crispy.

Top with the rest of the parsley and serve.

Serves 4 people as a side with eggs.

Crunchy Kid-Friendly Potato Bake

4 large potatoes

1 cup milk

2 cups flour

2 cups finely crushed saltine crackers

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp onion salt

3 Tbsp seasoned salt (any you like)

3 Tbsp melted butter

Set oven at 375 degrees to preheat and oil or butter a baking dish.

Scrub and cut potatoes into thin slices.

Pour milk into another shallow bowl.

Mix the dry ingredients together in a shallow bowl.

Dip potato slices in milk, a few at a time, then dredge in flour/cracker mixture, then lay in prepared baking dish.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

Uncover baking dish and pour 3 tablespoons of melted butter evenly over the potatoes.

Slide baking dish back into oven and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes more or until edges start to brown and crisp.

Will serve 4 people, but go ahead and double or triple this recipe for a holiday meal.  It is not fussy or hard to make and kids seem to like it a lot, probably because they don’t run into any onion pieces.

Nutty Roasted Brussels Sprouts

2 lbs fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

1 cup pecans, rough chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to combine and coat well with the oil.

Arrange evenly on a large baking sheet.

Put in preheated oven and bake until Brussels sprouts are fork tender and slightly browned, about 20 to 30 minutes, turning the Brussels sprouts with a spatula at least once during the baking time.

Remove and serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6.

Hearty Granny Smith Stuffing Casserole

1 loaf hearty bread (multi grain), toasted lightly then cut into 1 inch cubes

4 Tbsp butter

2 onions, diced

4 stalks celery, diced small

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced small

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup fresh chopped parsley

1/4 cup fresh chopped sage

2 large eggs, whisked well

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Get out a large casserole dish and coat the insides all over with butter or oil.

In a large pot over medium heat, add the butter, stir until melted, then add the onion, celery, salt, and pepper, cooking and stirring until both are softened; about 7 or 8 minutes.

Add the apples, stir and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add the broth, stir and bring to a gently rolling boil, then remove from heat.

Put the bread cubes in a large bowl, add the apple-broth mixture from pot into the bread cubes, add the parsley and the sage, and toss well to combine, making sure all the bread is moistened.

Drizzle the beaten egg over the bread mixture and toss well to distribute egg throughout mixture.

Spoon into casserole, put on cover, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for an addition 5 to 10 minutes or until stuffing browns slightly and pulls away from the sides of the casserole.

Remove from oven and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes.

Serve warm.

Serves 6.

Ginger Sage Pumpkin Risotto

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped leek

3 cups diced cooking pumpkin

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage

1 1/2 cup Arborio rice.

1/2 dry dry white wine

5 cups vegetable stock, heated and kept warm

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup Parmesan

sea salt and black pepper to taste

freshly chopped parsley and toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

In large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add leek, pumpkin, and ginger, and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.

Add the sage and Arborio rice, stir and cook until the rice starts to become translucent.

Add the wine and stir, cooking until the wine is fully absorbed.

Now, start adding the warmed vegetable stock a ladle at a time, stirring and cooking each ladle full until absorbed, then adding another ladle and cooking until absorbed, adding another and continuing in this fashion until the rice gets creamy but still al dente; this will take about 20 minutes, more or less. Don’t rush this process.  You want the rice to absorb the stock slowly.

Add the butter to the rice, stir, and heat through for 1 minute.

Add the Parmesan cheese, stir, then remove from heat and let rest a couple minutes before serving.

Salt and pepper to taste, stir, and garnish with parsley and pumpkin seeds.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Will serve 2 to 4 people.

Grape Goodness Wild Rice Casserole

1 can (14 oz) chicken or vegetable broth

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup brown rice

1/2 cup wild rice

1 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/2 cup diced tart apple

1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cups seedless red grapes, cut in half

salt to taste

In a large pot with a tight fitting cover, put the broth, water, brown rice,and wild rice, stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer slowly for 45 to 50 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

Just before the rice is done, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and get out a 2 quart casserole and butter or oil the insides.

Get out a large skillet, add butter, put skillet over medium heat, and add onion, celery, and apple, stir and cook until everything just starts to soften.

Add the sage, black pepper, grapes, stir and heat through.

Remove skillet from heat.

Add the rice to the skillet, stir, taste and add salt if needed.

Turn the mixture out into casserole, cover, and bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Serves 4 to 6.

Holiday Harvest Apple Berry Salad

2 medium size Granny Smith or other tart apples

1 tsp lime juice

pinch Kosher salt

2 Tbsp dried currants

2 Tbsp dried cranberries

1 Tbsp honey

3 Tbsp plain yogurt

2 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Wash and core apples. Do not peel. Dice apples into bite size pieces and put in large salad bowl, add lime juice and pinch of salt and toss well.

Add currants, cranberries, honey, and yogurt to the bowl and toss to coat well.

Put walnuts in a small, dry (no oil) skillet over medium heat and toast lightly, just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the toasted nuts to the salad and serve immediately.

Easy Three Step Broccoli Cranberry Slaw

2 (12 oz each) bags broccoli coleslaw mix

1/2 to 1 cup (more or less) prepared dressing, your choice

1 (8 oz) package dried sweetened cranberries

2 cups pistachio nuts, chopped slightly

salt and pepper

Put both bags of broccoli slaw in a large salad bowl, add some of the dressing, and stir to coat well.  Taste and add more dressing if desired and stir again.

Add the dried sweetened cranberries and pistachio nuts, toss to combine, taste and salt and pepper as needed.

Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so flavors blend.

Serve cold.

Will serve 4 to 6 people.

Snappy Cranberry Pecan Green Bean Salad

1 lb fresh green beans

1/4 cup dried cranberries (sweetened or not)

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 fresh lemon, juiced

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Trim and cut green beans in half on the diagonal into similar sizes.  Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil, prepare an ice bath in a bowl.  When water comes to a boil, drop in the beans and let boil for 1 or 2 minutes, then drain and put beans in the ice bath to stop the cooking process.

When the beans are cold, drain and dump out onto a paper towel covered wire cooling rack.

Mix up the dressing while waiting for the beans to dry.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper.

In a large salad bowl, put the drained beans, cranberries, pecans, and onions, drizzle on the dressing and toss to combine well.

Serve immediately.

Will serve 2 to 4, and may be easily doubled.

Snuggled Up Italian Meatball Appetizers

16 frozen Italian-style meatballs

1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1 tube (8 count) crescents rolls

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 and get out a baking sheet.

Take frozen meatballs out of bag and leave them out to thaw completely.

Put the Parmesan cheese in your food processor and pulse until very fine, then dump into a shallow bowl.

Unroll the crescent roll dough onto a cutting board.

You’ll see you have 4 squares each with a perforated line through it.

Use a large sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut a line through each square forming an X right over the perforation, so you end up with 16 small triangles rather than 8; separate all triangles.

Roll a meatball through the Parmesan cheese, pressing so cheese sticks.

Set the meatball on a dough triangle and roll up, tucking in points, until meatball is covered completely; set on baking sheet.

Repeat until all meatballs are rolled up.

Use a soft pastry brush and cover each meatball bundle top with melted butter then sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, turning baking sheet once during cooking time to make sure they brown evenly.

When golden brown, remove and let rest for a minute, then slide off onto a cooling rack.

Serve warm on a platter (use long toothpicks) with spicy marinara or other sauces for dipping.

Makes 16 appetizers.

Chicken And Sweet Pepper Egg Rolls

2 Tbsp oil

2 large sweet bell peppers, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp freshly grated ginger root

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded with a fork

12 egg roll wrappers

oil for frying

Put a large skillet over medium heat, add oil and when hot, add the peppers and onion, stirring until softened slightly.

Add to the skillet the soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, stir and cook for 1minute, then add the chicken, lower the heat, and stir together, cooking until heated through and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and allow mixture to cool.

Lay out an egg roll wrapper on a work surface and spoon out a portion of the mixture into the center of the wrapper, tuck in one point, then another, and start rolling up and tucking in ends as you go. Continue filling all 12 wrappers.

In the large skillet, pour enough cooking oil to come up about 1/2 inch.  Heat oil over medium heat until it sizzles.

Gently set egg rolls in hot oil, frying until golden brown, flipping once.  Remove to paper towels for draining.

If you want to bake these instead of frying them, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, put egg rolls on a baking sheet, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, turning over once.

Cool slightly and serve with dipping sauces.

Makes 12 egg rolls.

Serve as a snack or a light main dish.

Company Ready Deviled Eggs

12 large eggs, hard cooked

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced

1 lime, zested and juiced

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cayenne

1 Tbsp capers, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

finely chopped flat leaf parsley and paprika for garnish

Peel the eggs, then cut in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks to a bowl and set the whites on a nice platter or plate.

Add diced avocado, lime zest, and lime juice to the yolks and smash together with a fork or a pastry cutter.

When mixture is pretty smooth (you really don’t want this to be chunky) add the mayo, mustard, cumin, cayenne, and capers, and mix together until smooth again.

Spoon this mixture into the egg white halves on the platter. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and paprika over each one for garnish and color.

Makes 24 appetizers.

Mixed Pepper Quiche Bites

1 pie crust

1 large egg, beaten

1 Tbsp sour cream

2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp finely chopped sweet red bell pepper

2 Tbsp finely chopped sweet green bell pepper

1 Tbsp finely chopped green onion

pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and get out a mini muffin tin with 12 cups, spray each with non-stick cooking spray, including spraying the top of the muffin tin.

Lay the pie crust out on a work surface and roll out until thin. Choose a 2 inch round biscuit cutter, cookie cutter or just a juice glass.  Cut out 12 circles out of the pie crust dough.

Carefully position the circles into the mini muffin cups; set aside.

Put the remaining ingredients in a bowl, and stir together until blended well.

Drop a spoonful of this mixture into each muffin, distributing the filling evenly between all 12 cups.

Put in preheated oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the egg sets and the crust is lightly browned.

Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

Carefully tip out of cups onto a cooling rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 mini quiches.

Mini Crust-Free Spinach Quiches

1 box (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and water squeezed out

3 strips bacon, diced

1 cup finely diced onion

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese

2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mini muffin tins by spraying with cooking oil.  Be sure to spray the tops of the pans, too.

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crispy, then remove with slotted spoon to a paper towel covered surface.

Leave bacon drippings in skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook until softened.

Add to the skillet, the spinach, black pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until moisture cooks away.

Remove from heat and add bacon to skillet, stirring to combine; set aside and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, put the ricotta, Italian cheese, Parmesan, and the eggs, and stir until combined well.

Make sure the spinach is cooled, then spoon the mixture into the bowl with the cheese and stir together.

Fill the muffin cups with this mixture about 2/3 to 3/4 full.  You’ll have about 3 dozen mini quiches depending on how full you fill the cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until solid and slightly browned and pulling away from the edges.

Remove and let sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, then tip out onto a cooling rack. If they don’t come right out, just take a thin knife and slide it around the cup to release the quiche.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Makes about 3 dozen mini quiches.

Easy Cheddar Cheese Snack Ball

2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature

8 oz. finely shredded Cheddar cheese

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp finely grated sweet onion

1/2 cup crushed pecans or other nuts

In a large bowl, put all the ingredients (except nuts) and smash with a fork or a pastry cutter until well blended.

Roll the mixture into a ball (or into two smaller balls) then roll in the nuts and pat down to make sure they stick.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour so flavors blend.

Remove about 15 to 20 minutes before serving so it softens just enough to make it easier to spread. You don’t want it to get warm, just a bit softer.

Serve on a platter with crackers or fresh vegetables, and put a cheese knife alongside.

Blissful Bleu Cheese Walnut Spread

2 cups Greek yogurt

4 oz bleu cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped, then toasted

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

In a glass bowl, put the Greek yogurt and bleu cheese, and stir together with a fork, smashing until combined well and smooth in texture.  Some bleu cheese chunks can remain, but they should be small.

Toast the walnuts by putting them in a dry skillet on low heat, shake skillet, until fragrant.

Remove skillet from heat, shake to cool down, then add walnuts to the yogurt-cheese mix and stir until combined well.

Cover the glass bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove 10 minutes before serving and let sit at room temperature.

Serve in pretty bowl with a cheese knife, and surround with tart apple slices and ripe but firm pear slices.  The bleu cheese and walnut flavors are perfect for these two fruits. You can include crackers and vegetables.

This recipe is easily doubled or tripled, but should then be put in several small bowls for serving so one large bowl doesn’t sit out at room temperature on a buffet too long.

Makes around 2 1/2 cups.

Roasted Garlic Avocado Spread

1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced

1 lemon, juiced

1 large (or 2 medium) garlic bulbs, roasted* (you want at least 10 garlic cloves)

1 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

dash dried oregano

*Start by roasting the garlic. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut top off bulb, exposing cloves of garlic (no need to remove all the papery stuff from the sides.) Set bulb upright in a square of foil. Drizzle olive oil over the cut top of the garlic. Fold the foil up over the bulb and seal. Set on a baking sheet and put in preheated oven and bake about 25 to 30 minutes, or until garlic bulb is very soft.

When garlic bulb is done, remove and let cool just enough to handle, then unwrap from foil, tip cut side down over a bowl, and squeeze gently to pop out all the garlic cloves in the bowl; let cool then smash with a fork.

In a separate bowl, put the diced avocado and give it a rough smash either with a fork or a pastry cutter.

Add the lemon, smashed roasted garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, and oregano, stir together, taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.

Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve as a spread on a vegetable tray or with sturdy crackers on a holiday buffet.

Toasty Spiced Rosemary Cashews

1 1/2 lbs roasted cashews

3 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Evenly spread cashews on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until just fragrant and warm.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, salt, and butter, stirring very well.

When cashews are warm, remove them from the oven and add them immediately to the bowl and toss to coat well.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Broiled Bacon Bundled Walnut Stuffed Dates

12 large dates

12 walnut halves

4 slices lean bacon, cut into thirds (so you have 12 pieces)

Get out a broiler pan and set the oven rack about 6 inches below broiler element. Turn broiler on.

With a small paring knife, make a little slice into each date (remove the pit) and put a walnut half in, squeezing the date around the walnut.

Wrap a piece of bacon around the date and stick a toothpick through.

Repeat with each date until all are used up.

Arrange the bundles on the broiler pan and place under preheated broiler. Leave oven door slightly ajar, and broil for about 9 or 10 minutes, turning several times, until bacon is crispy.

Remove to a paper towel covered plate and let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly.

Remove toothpicks and serve warm.

Makes 12 appetizers.

Cranberry Chili Meatballs

1 can (14 oz size) whole cranberry sauce

1/2 cup cran-apple juice

1 bottle (12 oz) chili sauce

1 bag (28 oz) frozen unflavored meatballs, thawed

1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Put whole cranberry sauce in food processor and pulse until blended smooth.

Pour the blended cranberry sauce, cran-apple juice, and chili sauce in large saucepan, stir, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring until bubbling hot and smooth.

Add the meatballs to the pot, stir, reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until meatballs are hot and mixture is fragrant.

During this time, stir a few times to keep an eye on it and keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Just before serving, add parsley and stir together.

Remove to a shallow bowl and serve with big toothpicks for appetizers.

You can put this in a small crockpot on low to keep warm, but watch them.  This isn’t an overly soupy or saucy mix.

If you want it saucier, add a bit more cran-apple juice.

Serving size is 2 per person, so you will have enough for about 24 people, more or less.

Holiday Sprinkled Snickerdoodles

2 Tbsp red sugar sprinkles

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon, divided

2 Tbsp green sugar sprinkles

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the sprinkles:  Get out 2 shallow bowls. In one put the red sugar sprinkles and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, in the other put the green sugar sprinkles and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Mix the sprinkles and cinnamon together; set aside.

Prepare the dough:  In large bowl, put the sugar, shortening, butter, and eggs and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.

With electric mixer running on low, slowly add the flour mixture until incorporated and a dough forms.

Using a melon baller or teaspoon, shape balls out of the dough, about 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter.

Roll the balls of dough through the sugar sprinkle mixtures, some in each, combinations of colors, or as you like.

Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet, keeping about 2 inches between each one.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove and let cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then remove to a cooling rack.

Let cool completely before putting away.

Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Easiest Christmas Cookies

1 box white cake mix

2 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

red and green sugar sprinkles

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Put a metal sieve over a bowl and pour the cake mix through, sifting into the bowl.

In a separate bowl, put the remaining ingredients and whisk together until combined well.

Add this wet mixture into the cake mix and stir together until blended well and dough forms.

Drop the cookie dough by a tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Put in preheated oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes until light golden brown.

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with red and green sugar sprinkles.

Let rest for 5 minutes, then slide onto cooling rack.

Yields about 2 to 3 dozen cookies depending on size.

Choose other sprinkle colors for different holidays.

Choose other flavor cake mixes for a variety of cookies.

Apple Citrus Spirited Wassail

1 gallon good apple cider

6 cinnamon sticks

1 lemon, washed and cut into wedges

1 orange, washed and cut into wedges

1 Tbsp whole cloves

1 Tbsp allspice

1 gallon white wine, room temperature

2 cups rum, room temperature

For garnish:

1 lemon, washed and sliced into thin circles, seeds removed

1 orange, washed and sliced into thin circles, seeds removed

cinnamon sticks

Put apple cider, cinnamon sticks, lemon wedges, orange wedges, whole cloves, and allspice into a large (non reactive) pot.

Put over low heat, stir, and simmer slowly for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Pour the liquid through a fine mesh sieve to strain, then pour back into pot.

Add the wine, rum, and the slices of lemon and orange, stir and serve.

If the wassail cooled down too much when you added the spirits and fruit, you can warm it up on low just until heated again.

Serve warm or hot in large mugs, making sure to get a slice or two of citrus in each serving. Add a cinnamon stick to each mug if desired for a ‘swizzle stick.’

Makes about 2 gallons of wassail or about twenty 12-oz servings.

Egg Nog Cranberry Punch

1 gallon egg nog

1 can (15 oz) whole cranberry sauce

1 bottle (750 ml) sparkling apple cider

3/4 cup spiced rum

Prepare the ice cubes:  Pour 2 cups egg nog and whole can of cranberry sauce into blender and puree until creamy and smooth.

Pour into ice cube trays and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight.

Prepare the punch just before serving:  In bowl you’re using to serve, pour the remaining egg nog, pour in the sparkling apple cider, stir in the rum, dump in all the ice cubes you made, stir, and serve immediately, making sure you have an ice cube or two in each glass.

Makes about 18 small servings of punch.

Kitchen Kahlua

1 bottle (750 ml) vodka

1 1/4 cups rum

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 lb whole coffee beans

1 vanilla bean

Put all ingredients in a large glass bottle (save one of those double size wine bottles with the twist off cap.)

Put a piece of food wrap plastic over the lip of the bottle, screw on the cap over the plastic until sealed tightly.  Shake gently to combine ingredients.  Don’t over shake!

Put a label on the bottle and date it.

Put the bottle in a dark, cool place and leave for at least 3 weeks.

Give the bottle a gentle shake a few times each week.

After the 3 weeks, open the bottle, discard the plastic wrap, and pour through a fine metal sieve lined with cheesecloth into a glass bowl to strain out stuff.

Pour finished product into clean glass bottles, seal well, and store in dark, cool place.

If you don’t have a big glass wine bottle, choose any good glass containers with an airtight lid, even a couple canning jars.

Keep in a dark, cool place.

You’ll end up with a little over a quart of Kahlua.

Citrus Summer Meals: Fresh Flavor Beyond A Simple Bowl Of Fruit

citrus fruits

Contents

1. What Everyone Ought To Know About Citrus.
2. Get To Know Some Unusual Citrus.
3. Revel In The Zest Of Citrus.
4. The Best Citrus Summer Beverages.
5. Freshen Up Summer Dishes With Citrus From Morning To Night
6. Baby Loves Citrus But Does Citrus Love Baby.
7. Purely Beautiful Citrus Is Perfect For Summer Decorations.
8. Create Your Own Homegrown Citrus Garden..
9. The Citrus Of Biblical Times.
10. Citrus Divides Medieval Classes.

What Everyone Ought To Know About Citrus

Everyone thinks they know about citrus. After all, we eat on an average at least several servings of citrus every week. But how much do you actually know about the juicy fruit you consume? Citrus has a rich background, some amazing health benefits, and some pretty awesome facts to go right along with it. Let’s examine what everyone ought to know about citrus and see what ways we can enjoy it even more.

History

The various species of Citrus are all believed to be native to the subtropical and tropical regions of Asia and the Malay Archipelago, and to have spread from there to other sections of the world. Citrus has been cultivated through the ages, and in some pretty remote places.

The history of the spread of citrus reads like a romance novel. Even in very early times, the appearance of both the beautiful tree and fruit attracted the attention of travelers and received mention in their written narratives. However, no matter how loved citrus was, the spread of the citrus tree from one part of the world to another was actually quite slow.
Around 310 B.C. the first member of the citrus family was introduced to Europe. For several hundred years this was the only citrus fruit known. A tile floor mosaic found in a Roman villa near Tusculum indicates that lemons and limes were becoming known in Italy.  Another mosaic in Rome, this one designed about 330 A.D. for Constantine the Great, indicates that, at least in Italy, oranges and lemons were being grown.
It is now known that the sweet orange had been grown for many centuries in China and had apparently reached an advanced stage of cultivation before it became well known to Europeans. Han Yen-chih, wrote in 1178 A.D. and translated into English in the Monograph on the Oranges of Wên-chou, Chekiang, 1923, named and described some twenty-seven varieties of sweet, sour, and mandarin oranges. He also described citrons, kumquats, and the trifoliate orange and discussed nursery methods, grove management, and diseases.

Of course, other areas with temperate climates started cultivating citrus as well.  Areas such as Spain and other tropical regions did their part to bring citrus to many lands, including the Americas. Through exploration and conquest, sweet juicy citrus found its way around the world.

Health Benefits

Citrus fruits have long been valued as part of a nutritious and tasty diet. The flavors provided by citrus are among the most preferred in the world, and it is increasingly evident that citrus not only tastes good, but is also good for you.

It’s well established that citrus and citrus products are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber that are essential for normal growth and development and overall nutritional well-being. However, it is now beginning to be appreciated that these and other biologically active, non-nutrient compounds found in citrus and other plants (phytochemicals) can also help to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.

Citrus is most commonly thought of as a good source of vitamin C. However, like most whole foods, citrus fruits also contain an impressive list of other essential nutrients, including both glycemic and non-glycemic carbohydrate, potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and a variety of phytochemicals. In addition, citrus contains no fat or sodium, and, being a plant food, no cholesterol.

Fun Fact

Moro oranges are also called blood oranges because of their deep red colored flesh. But don’t worry, it isn’t real blood – they’re really a sweet treat. After chocolate and vanilla, orange is the world’s favorite flavor. Christopher Columbus brought the first orange seeds and seedlings to the New World on his second voyage in 1493.

How to Eat

There are hundreds of ways to eat citrus. One of the most popular and easiest ways to enjoy citrus is to peel the fruit and separate it into individual segments.  Or you can just cut through the peeling and slice it into wedges and peel the juicy section out.

You can also juice your citrus for a fun and tasty drink.  Both the juice of citrus and the zest is used in cooking to create flavorful dishes.  Also, using whole segments of citrus in salads, or even grilled, adds a bright flavor to many meals.  Citrus makes a wonderful marinade for fish, meat, and poultry, actually breaking down the fibers and tenderizing it, along with flavoring the dish. With so many ways to eat citrus fruits, there is almost no way you can go wrong, or get tired of it.

Learn more about citrus by trying new varieties and using it in new ways. That glass of orange juice you enjoy in the morning is just the beginning!

Get To Know Some Unusual Citrus

We are all familiar with the typical varieties of citrus, but there are probably a few you are not aware of. Either they are not grown close enough to your region so you have access to them, or perhaps you never thought to seek them out. Let’s take a look at four unusual citrus fruits that might be worth getting to know.

Pummelo or Pomelo

The pummelo, also known as pomelo, is the largest of the citrus fruits. It is native to southeastern Asia and Malaysia and grows wild in Fiji and surrounding Islands. Dr. David Fairchild is credited with the introduction of the pummelo into the United States. He began trying to introduce the tasty citrus in 1899, but was unable to reproduce the satisfying fruit until 1926 when seeds of a cultivar in Kediri were collected and sent to the Citrus Quarantine Station in Bethesda, Maryland, and grown successfully.

Since then, the pummelo has never attained significant status. However, it is casually grown as a curiosity in private gardens in Florida and the Caribbean area. At least one fruit-grower in Florida raises pummelos on a small commercial scale. Hardly a large production, but the largest in the United States.

Minneola

The minneola is a cross between a tangerine and a grapefruit and can be recognized by ‘the little nose’ that distinctly sticks out from the fruit. It is actually a very specific type of tangelo (a cross between a Duncan grapefruit and a Dancy tangerine) and is marketed as an easy-to-peel citrus fruit.

Minneolas were first released as a sustainable fruit in 1931 by the USDA Horticultural Research Station in Orlando. It is named after Minneola, Florida, where it was originally developed.  It is also called the honeybell fruit by some growers in certain areas. The fruit matures December through February, and is at its peak of ripeness during the month of January.

Leech Lime

The lime is one of the most cultivated citrus fruits in the tropics. Shaped like lemons, limes are generally smaller and more acidic. The leech lime is a bit bigger than the traditional limes we see in the grocery store and have a wart-like skin. Leech limes are believed to be one of the most detoxifying of all fruits. So, if you want to cleanse your body, squeeze some leech limes into your water.

In Malaysia, a bit of folklore surrounds the juice of leech limes, as it is said to scare away evil spirits.  In modern times, the leech lime is basically either juiced for drinking and cooking, and the leaves are kept either fresh or dried, and are used to flavor soups, curries, and sauces.

Ugli

The intriguing name is enough to entice you to try this citrus fruit.  Uglis are a specific kind of tangelo, easier to peel because of the loose skin. The skin may also have brown and green spots. The light green surface turns spotty and orange when the fruit is at its peak of ripeness.  In essence, it looks pretty ugly.  If you didn’t know you were looking at an Ugli fruit, you might think you had a bad grapefruit in your hand.

The flesh is very juicy and the taste is often described as more tart than an orange and sweeter than a tangerine.  You might suspect from the flavor that the ugli fruit is a lemon-tangerine hybrid. The fruit is seasonal from December to April and peak distribution occurs in the United States between November and April.

You can fill the fruit bowl with oranges, lemons, limes, and tangerines, or you can surprise your family with a bowl of citrus they don’t recognize.  Enjoy their puzzled expressions while you can, because it won’t last once they dig in.  Then you’ll see nothing but smiles, dripping with juicy citrus goodness!

Revel In The Zest Of Citrus

Zest is a funny word.  We can use it in many ways.  Is zest a noun or a verb?  Let’s take a look at the essence of zest, what it can provide in the kitchen, and some techniques for gathering this tricky little super-flavor.

What Zest Provides

The outermost rind of citrus is where you find zest for cooking. It is valued for the intense, fresh, and brightening flavor it imparts to food. That is thanks to an abundance of aromatic oils in the rind.

However, there is a sub-rind, also known as the pith, which is white in color and directly under the rind. This pith is very bitter and not desirable at all when it comes to cooking. The pith serves only one purpose; to help protect the fruit from predators.

Citrus zest is added in recipes to either add color, intensely strong flavor, or both. There are a number of methods and tools available to harvest the fruit’s zest. You can purchase dried zest in the spice section of the supermarket, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the fresh zest you create yourself.

Zesting Techniques

Before starting, be sure to scrub the fruit with a vegetable brush and warm, soapy water. This will remove any chemicals or other contaminants which may be on the skin. Rinse very well under fresh, cold running water, then dry.

You want to remember when ‘zesting’ citrus, to be very careful about only zesting, or scratching off, the colorful outside layer. If you start getting into the pith, you have gone too far.

If you are using a traditional hand held zester, you will end up with long, skinny stands of zest. A traditional zester looks almost like a miniature back-scratcher. You can also use a pairing knife, but you will have to be incredibly careful only to get the colorful part of the zest and not the pith.

A micro-plane grater is basically a very fine hand held grater which can be used to produce finely grated zest. To use a micro-plane, simply rub the lemon or other citrus fruit against the small blades on the grater over a bowl. A micro-plane produces short pieces of zest which are ready to use without further chopping.

Of course, if you only have an old fashioned box grater, the type you know from grating cheese, you can zest citrus on that as well.  Just try the different grater levels and decide which works best for you.  There are times when you might want larger curls of zest and times when you want the zest to be tiny enough to be absorbed into a recipe.

When to Use Zest

Zest is a powerful ingredient you will want to get to know in the kitchen.  A little goes a very long way, so you have to know when to use zest.  So when should you use zest?  Your answer is easy – whenever you want to infuse a dish with incredible layers of citrus flavors.

For example, by folding a little citrus zest into ricotta cheese before making baked ziti or stuffed shells, you get a tangy note that works well with the pasta. Putting lemon or lime zest into olive oil and heating it until it begins to sizzle will give you an incredible infused olive oil suitable for many uses. You can also mix zest with brown sugar or honey to use as a glaze.  Or, try stirring zest into cake or brownie batter for a surprising flavor ‘pop’ on your favorite dessert.

Zest is an incredible ingredient to lift and brighten many dishes.  Considering that we used to just throw the lemon or lime or orange rind away, this is an ingredient that is like ‘found money’… or I should say ‘found flavor!’  Enjoy the zest of citrus to add more zest to your meals.

The Best Citrus Summer Beverages

Nothing says summer like a nice cold citrus drink. Maybe it’s because the citrus flavors just scream “Summer’s here!”  Or perhaps it’s because of the clean and refreshing taste.  No matter what the reason, summer and citrus go hand-in-hand with a warm summer night. So sit back and relax with these mouthwatering drinks that feature citrus at its finest.

Refreshing Drinks for All Ages

These drinks have no spirits, but they have lots of ‘spirit.’  They are easy to make, and very tasty.  With these recipes, you will never go back to powdered or canned drinks again.

Limeade

This is one of the all time classics when it comes to summer.  Limeade is a sweet and tart drink that not only refreshes, but makes a sunshine-drenched day even better.  If you’re looking forward to making a giant batch of limeade to share with your friends and family, this is a super simple method.

Juice four to six fresh ripe limes, then combine with one liter of lemon-lime seltzer water, which can usually be found on the soda aisle of your local grocer.  Add in some superfine (castor) sugar to taste. Once you have everything mixed, throw some ice in a glass and fill it up with this over the top refreshing concoction.

Lime Sherbert Punch

Looking for something fun the kids can enjoy on a hot summer day? How about a lime sherbert punch? Not only does it taste great, the green foamy drink makes for a pretty amazing party drink when the neighborhood decides to stop by for some fun in the sun.

Grab a big bowl and combine a quart of lime sherbert, one liter of ginger ale, a can of sliced pineapples including the juice, and sliced rounds of lemon and lime. So pretty and so delicious.

Sparkling Italian Lemonade

Not your average lemonade, this drink is a basil infused lemonade that will knock your swim-floaties off!  There are certain flavors that play off each other, and lemon and basil are two of them. You won’t ever go back to a plain old lemonade once you try this.  But , before you get too far, you’ll need to make the simple syrup.  Don’t worry; it’s simple just like the name says.  In a saucepan, put two cups of sugar, one cup of water, and a handful of washed and chopped fresh basil leaves. Over medium heat, cook this until the sugar melts and the liquid reduces just a bit. Then set aside and let the syrup cool.

To make the lemonade, take about 12 to 15 lemons and juice them.  You want about two cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice.  Put the juice into a pitcher and add in two cups of the basil infused simple syrup. Then pour in two cups of sparkling water, add ice as desired, and serve immediately.

Refreshing Drinks for Adults

These are the ‘spirited’ drinks meant for adults.  The freshness of the ingredients make these adult drinks stand out from the rest.

Mimosa Punch

As the dew rolls off the freshly cut grass, there is no more delightfully refreshing drink than a tall flute of mimosa punch. Mimosa punch is easy to make and even easier to drink at a brunch with your friends and family. Grab a can of orange juice concentrate, a bottle of club soda, and a bottle or two of sparkling wine or champagne.

Combine the thawed orange juice and about four cups of ice cold club soda and stir until they are well mixed. Once those two ingredients are together in a punch bowl, start adding the sparkling wine or champagne to taste, pour into flutes and serve with a fresh twist of orange and a sprig of mint.

Lemon Cucumber Gin Punch

Can you really combine something fun, something refreshing, and something healthy?  That sounds like the perfect drink for summer.  Of course gin is not considered healthy, but the lemon and cucumber are so cleansing, it’s hard to not give this drink a little nod to healthy cocktail status.

Simply combine the juice of four lemons, along with the rinds, cut up a bit, into a bowl.  Add about a cup of sugar, more or less as desired. Let this ‘steep’ for about half hour to one hour, then strain, discarding the rinds.  Slice a large washed and unpeeled cucumber into thin rounds and put them to a pitcher.  Pour in the strained lemon juice.  Then pour in a full bottle of gin and let it steep for two hours. To serve, fill a tall glass with ice and pour punch into glass.

Whether you have a brunch planned at your house, or a pool party, or picnic, a refreshing citrus drink just fits.  Summertime is the right time to enjoy these fresh, cooling beverages.  Tweak them as you wish to suit your taste, then sip and relax!

Freshen Up Summer Dishes With Citrus From Morning To Night

Citrus brightens up good food and good conversation. Rather than cook the same old recipes, why not add some citrus twists to your dishes and give your guests something to fall in love with?  Let’s take a look at a few classics that are getting a real boost with a little citrus.

Citrus Infused Tea

What an incredible way to wake up!  Start a big pot of water boiling, then shut the burner off and add four green tea bags.  Of course, that’s good, but why stop there.  Add a thinly sliced lemon to the water and allow the tea to steep for four or five minutes, then serve hot by pouring into large mugs.  Sweeten if desired, then enjoy. The lemon adds even more nutritional value to your green tea, along with a real zing! You may even want to nibble on a few hot lemon slices.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Instead of your typical pancake mix, why not try a melt-in-your-mouth combo that is sure to start your morning off right? By substituting ricotta, lemon juice, and lemon zest in place of some of the liquid in the pancake recipe, you get a slightly sweet and fluffy pancake with a tangy hit of citrus. Serve the pancakes with either raspberry or boysenberry syrup, and you have an irresistible combination that your family will love.

Grilled Summer Vegetables with Citrus Splash Dressing

The grill? Yes, even the grill. Not only can you grill citrus, you can coat your summer veggies with dressing using the same marinade you soaked them in. Orange juice, orange zest, lime juice, lime zest, and a bit of honey make a great glaze for grilled vegetables.  Add a little chopped fresh basil or other herbs on top of your vegetables on the grill and you just became the new executive chef of your own backyard. Try serving these tangy, tasty veggies on top of a bed of crispy mixed lettuce for a filling lunch or light dinner.

Lemon Basil Chicken Stir-fry

Want to take your stir-fry dinners to another level? Try adding some finely chopped basil, lemon juice, and lemon zest to your pan before you begin to add your vegetables. The basil and zest will infuse the oils with flavor and coat the chicken as you begin cooking it. Once the chicken is cooked, the vegetables will soak up the remaining flavor bits in the pan when it is deglazed with added broth or wine. Whenever you stir fry, think beyond the ingredients and consider all the flavors, including citrus flavors, to brighten your dish.

Citrus Honey Ginger Pops

This cool treat is definitely tasty and something to help cool off after a long day of play, making it a perfect dessert, too. These pops are easy to make and are a billion times healthier than the ones you buy from the store. Use different types of citrus to give the pops a variety of flavors. Of course you’ll want to try orange, but also give grapefruit and lime a try. Just mix your favorite citrus juice and zest with honey and a small amount of grated ginger. The great thing is, this recipe is made to be tweaked. Mix and match your citrus to find new and exciting flavors.

From breakfast to lunch to dinner to dessert, citrus adds ‘zing!’ to your meals. There are so many places you can add fresh, flavorful, and healthy citrus to each meal of the day. The next time you’re shopping, don’t let the citrus scare you … bring it home!  Then put it to work in your kitchen to brighten up your meals, and your life!

Baby Loves Citrus But Does Citrus Love Baby

You have been slowly introducing foods to your baby.  But citrus has you puzzled and concerned.  You want to share an orange, water with lemon, or perhaps a bite of your grandmother’s delicious key lime pie with your baby.  Surely you want your little one to appreciate these treats as much as you do.  But when is it safe for your baby to have citrus?

Citrus and Baby Get Together

By the recommendation of pediatricians around the world, it is not wise for parents to give their children citrus before twelve months of age due to the high levels of acidity. This is to help prevent your baby’s sensitive skin from breaking out in a rash because of the acidic qualities. The high levels of acid can cause bad rashes on baby’s bottom as well as around the baby’s mouth, lips, neck, and face.

With that said, many parents have offered their younger infants tastes of oranges, orange juice, or other acidic fruits and have had no reactions. If you want to introduce citrus earlier than twelve months, talk to your pediatrician, then be on the lookout for possible reactions.  Also, always start with a watered down rendition of a citrus fruit juice even after you get your pediatrician’s approval. Squeeze some fresh oranges, add water, and let your toddler have a spoonful.  This way you can slowly introduce citrus in ‘light’ portions.

Best Beginning Citrus

Many pediatricians believe babies over six months of age, who are chewing or gumming well, can try to eat oranges or tangerines. These fruits can be offered as long as the membrane dividing the segments of fruit and all the white ‘pith’ is removed.  Of course, you’ll want to get your pediatrician’s go-ahead before you try this.  Any large piece of food is a hazard for choking, so take precautions.

With that said, citrus fruits like sweet oranges or those with lower acidity are generally the best place to start if you want your baby to try citrus. Other great citrus fruits to start on are clementines and tangelos, and even sweet lemon when mixed with other food and drink.  A can of Mandarin oranges is an easy choice for most parents. The fruit is clean, lower in acid than some citrus, and pretty easy to chew.  You don’t have to totally avoid citrus as long as you get your doctor’s approval and are smart about how to serve them.

Citrus to Avoid

While there are citrus fruits you can begin to try and enjoy with your young one, there are also a number of citrus fruits that you don’t want your child to try. Those citrus fruits with higher acid content such as limes and grapefruit should be avoided, in order to lessen the chance of reactions.

Normally, you can use your own taste buds as the judge.  If a citrus makes you pucker, it probably isn’t good to feed a baby under two years of age.  If the fruit is very sweet, like Mandarin oranges, Sweeties, tangerines, or sweet oranges, it could be alright for your toddler.  But, no matter what you assume, be sure to check with your child’s doctor before you try a new food.  And always be alert to changes in your child after consuming any food – not just citrus.

Food is an incredible adventure for kids.  You’ll want to introduce citrus to your child as soon as you can, but you want to do so properly and in a smart way.  Simple things like cutting the citrus up into small pieces, removing the membranes and seeds, and making sure there is no pith attached, are things you can do.  Then, after introducing any new food, wait at least three days before moving on to the next new food in order to monitor your child’s reaction and have some idea of what’s causing it.

Of course, you want your baby to experience all the pleasures of eating citrus. After a chat with your doctor, make a plan to introduce your baby slowly to a few varieties. Then get ready!  I suspect you’ll have a long, long future of making sure your kitchen is stocked full with beautiful fresh citrus.

Purely Beautiful Citrus Is Perfect For Summer Decorations

Citrus and summer go together in more ways than you might know.  More than just eating chilled orange slices and drinking ice cold lemonade, citrus is perfect for summer in other ways, too.  Because citrus is so visually appealing, clean, refreshing, and fragrant, a hot summer day just naturally gets better when you introduce citrus in your home décor.

So very vibrant and colorful, it’s a shame to not take advantage of the way citrus looks as well as tastes.  Along with the look of citrus, consider the wonderful aroma.  And if you’re trying to decorate with more natural elements, well, you don’t get much ‘greener’ than fruit! Let’s take a look at some great ideas for decorating with citrus for summer.

Simple Citrus Surprise Elements

Summer days just beg for simple elements in home décor, and flipping through any major magazine will second the motion. Getting complicated with summer decorating just doesn’t make sense.  It’s a relaxed season, so your decorating elements should feel relaxed, too. How about this for a simple decorating touch?  Simply stack citrus in clear glass containers to introduce another element of color and texture. This can be bright yellow lemons, intensely green limes, or even cute little kumquats.

You can also slice citrus to add to the vases with a floral arrangement.  Yes, mix citrus with flowers.  One of the most popular combinations is sliced limes in the water with giant bunches of lilac flowers. This is where decorating gets fun and creative without getting stressful.  By mixing vibrant citrus and flowers to compliment each other in a big vase, you add a surprisingly fresh and fun arrangement that adds color popping all over your room, all with very little effort.

Citrus Candle Holders

If you’ve ever carved a jack-o-lantern out of a pumpkin, you’ve got the beginning of a new summertime project in mind already.  Why not carve a grapefruit instead? Or, how about a little arrangement of carved oranges with tea lights inside for something fun and fresh? You can skip the carving and just use a nail to punch little holes all over the citrus, even spelling out words. If you want to go for something ultra chic, you can use smaller fruits like lemons or even key limes, and add small lights  such as a string of Christmas lights inside to make a serious impact.

The next time you juice a pile of citrus, take a second look at what you’ve got in your hand – a votive candle holder!  Arrange these citrus votives to create a zesty table-scape for a summer evening.  And you have a bonus. Citrus gives off an amazing aroma while setting the mood with delicate lighting.

And believe it or not, some citrus, because of the composition of the oils, can actually act as a candle. You get the wonderfully refreshing scent that will engulf your porch, patio, or kitchen in just a few minutes. Set an orange with the top cut off on a glass or other fire-proof dish, then bore a hole in the center, but not out the bottom, and push a candle wick in. Let the wick absorb the citrus oils until the tip is damp. Cut the wick down to less than ¼ inch away from the top of the orange so it doesn’t smoke too much. Depending on the amount of oils in the orange, you may have to experiment with this a bit, but it’s a lot of fun to try.

Citrus Wreath

Wreaths are not just for cold months. As a matter of fact, many people hang different wreaths year round because it is a great way to simply spruce up your entry door. Look for a metal, wooden, or styro-foam wreath form at your local craft shop. For a longer lasting wreath, you’ll want to use dried citrus, either purchased or dried yourself.  You can do a different wreath for each month, sticking with a theme of citrus.  June could be lemon and lime month, while July could be orange month, and August could be pink grapefruit month. Or you can do one wreath and combine as many citrus elements you have available. Don’t forget to stick in the bright green foliage, too, for a big splash of color.

You can also choose whole or halved citrus for your wreath. In the same way citrus looks great in a big bowl or vase, whole citrus is visually appealing when it is featured on a wreath. Because you’ll be using fresh citrus, this décor has a limited lifespan. But, for the effort and expense, a fresh citrus wreath makes a powerful statement either on your front door, or over the fireplace, or in the kitchen, or on a garden gate. Try a small wreath first, using lemons and limes, and then see where it takes you. You may also wish to halve the citrus and juice it before you attach it to the wreath frame. That way, you have the look of fresh citrus without wasting the juice, in essence, having your wreath and eating it, too.

If you are still struggling for ideas on how you should decorate with citrus, do some searches online and you’ll get all kinds of fun, and even wacky, ideas to start creating a crafty citrus project this summer. Now, when you stand in front of the fruit counter at the grocery store, imagine you’re looking at paint samples… very delicious paint samples, that is!

Create Your Own Homegrown Citrus Garden

There is something thrilling about growing a citrus garden at home.  It almost defies nature.  I think that’s because when you think of citrus, you inevitably imagine a sunny oasis where citrus trees line an orchard and the fragrance overwhelms you with every step.

But citrus is sometimes grown where the climate gets a little colder.  In these climates, the trees need to be brought inside until they are mature enough to keep them from getting too cold. So, yes, citrus trees are grown indoors.  Let’s take a look at how to start growing citrus from a seedling, how to grow citrus indoors, and finally, some interesting citrus garden fun.

Choose the Seeds

Growing citrus from seeds is surprisingly straight forward, and something that anyone can do if they have a warm, sunny windowsill. You can either get citrus seeds through a gardening supplier or, even easier, collect your own from the citrus you eat. Choose organic, naturally grown citrus as you will eliminate the added chemicals, especially the ones used to prevent seed germination, which you definitely don’t want when trying to sprout your seeds.

Cut the citrus open to expose the seeds. Remove the seeds and wash lightly. Place the ‘clean’ seeds into a bowl or glass of fresh water. This is in order to sort good seeds from bad seeds.  Discard any seeds that immediately float to the surface or are cut or split, as these are not going to germinate. Once you have culled your seeds, they can be either germinated or dried and stored in a paper envelope until you’re ready for them.

Time to Germinate

Citrus seeds require a period of dormancy in cold temperature in order to initiate germination. To get your seeds ‘in the mood’ to germinate, you’ll need to refrigerate them.

Prepare a little germination chamber by first laying the seeds on a paper towel, then fold the paper towel over the seeds, completely encasing the seeds inside.  Now slip the paper towel into a ziploc plastic bag or airtight food container, then place in the produce drawer in your refrigerator.  It should take about four to six weeks to germinate the seeds this way.

Time to Plant

When you unwrap your germinated seeds, you’ll see a little sprout.  It’s time to condition your seeds and prepare your pots. Put the seeds in cool, clean fresh water and allow to soak for a few hours. Meanwhile, prepare small pots, about 2 to 3 inch size, one for each seed. Choose a tray for draining that fits under the pots. If you have a somewhat sunny, not scorching hot, windowsill, a long narrow tray with several small pots works well.

Fill the pots with a handful of pebbles then a light, fluffy potting soil. Moisten the soil so it’s damp, but not waterlogged. Carefully take each seed, sprout side up, and push a hole in the soil, then drop seed in, making sure most of the sprout is above the soil. Tap down lightly around the sprout and gently sprinkle a little water in each pot.

Watch the sunlight and water carefully. The sprouts need to be warm, not hot. The soil needs to be moist, not  waterlogged.

The seedlings can be left in these pots until they are about 4 to 6 inches tall.  Then you’ll need to prepare bigger pots, but be sure to only go up one size.  A plant that has too much room for the roots won’t spend any time growing up.  It will put all it’s effort into growing more roots to fill the pot.  You need a good amount of green leaves for your plant to mature, so you want your plant to grow upward and not just into more roots.

Your Citrus Plants Grow Up

Once your citrus plants are in their next size pot, you can start to ‘harden off’ the plant if weather in your area permits.  This just means they can be moved outside to a sheltered area where they will get some warm, indirect sunlight and gentle breezes.  Remember, they’re still baby plants, so avoid hot sun and strong winds.

If you’re ambitious, you can take the plants out daily, then return them to shelter overnight.  It all depends on your weather and your set up. You will want to keep in mind your citrus plant’s native lands when you consider the environment you give them. Citrus plants like warm days and cool nights, so try to mimic that for them.

When the plants appear to be toppling over in their pots, you’ll need to transplant them again.  Remember just to go up one pot size at a time.  You may do this several times until your citrus plant has reached the desired size.  Most people who grow citrus fruit at home choose small varieties of lemons and limes to start with because the plants are smaller and easier to handle.

Once your citrus plant has reached a healthy size, you can choose a spot outside for it to live during temperate seasons. During months where freezing weather occurs, you’ll need to move your plants inside. You’ll just need to make sure they get enough sunlight and water.  You’ll also need to research fertilizers and choose one that works for you to keep the plant nourished and fed.

Blossoms and fruit may not appear for several years.  Don’t be frustrated.  Let the plant mature, keep it healthy, and you will be rewarded for your patience.

Indoor Citrus Gardening In a Nutshell

Your very own citrus garden will take planning and work, but it’s something you can do, even in very small spaces, and with very little experience. The following is an overview and a few tricks to help give you a citrus green thumb.

ñ  Pot plants correctly – A deep container, either clay or ceramic, works well. Citrus roots are fairly deep, so you’ll need a pot that allows roots to grow down deep. Be prepare to have about 3 or 4 pots in progressively larger sizes on hand for the transplants.

ñ  Use a sterile all-purpose potting mix – If you can’t find a potting mix designed especially for citrus, just make sure your potting mix is slightly acidic. Peat moss is a good additive to bring acidic levels up. If you’re unsure, ask at any garden shop and they can help you. You can also add citrus rind peelings to the soil to get the acid levels up.

ñ  Give mature citrus trees a chilly bedtime – During the day, you want a warm location, but citrus likes to be chilly at night. A temperature around 50 to 60 degrees is good for a citrus tree’s bedtime, but only after your citrus plant grows up.

ñ  Lots of the right light – A southeast facing window works well in most regions. The plant will get sunlight, but not get scorched, as they might in a southwest window.  If you don’t have enough natural light, think of adding plant lights to create a ‘grow station.’

ñ  Maintain an evenly moist soil – Don’t let the soil dry out between watering. Keep the soil moist, making sure you don’t add so much water that the plant is sitting in a puddle. Stick your finger in the soil and if it feels dry more than an inch below the surface, add water.

ñ  Keep the humidity high – Citrus plants want a humidity level around 50 to 60 percent. Keep that in mind when you choose the location for growing your citrus tree.  Mist your plants daily and group the plants together.  This helps both to make it easier for you to mist your plants, and it also creates a little ecosystem where the plants are sharing their humidity with each other.

ñ  Pest control – The most likely pests are white-flies and spider mites. Insecticidal soap controls virtually all the pests for houseplants. Do the research and choose a method that works best for you and your environment.

Best Outrageous All-Natural Citrus Planting Trick

Okay, you’ve got all the step-by-step instructions and tips for planting and growing citrus fruits from seed to tree.  But, do you want to do something a little bit off the grid?  Here’s a fun spin on planting citrus that you, and especially your kids, may enjoy doing.

Choose a large, thick citrus fruit.  A grapefruit works well, but a thick orange would work, too. Juice the fruit and take out enough of the membrane to form an empty bowl shape.  Separate a couple seeds and rinse them off.  Spoon some good potting soil into the ‘fruit bowls’ and place your seeds in the soil of both halves of the grapefruit, tamping the soil down lightly.  Water and place in a sunny area just like you would a regular pot. Make sure you provide lots of sunshine, warmth, and water so the seeds sprout.

When the sprouts turn into little plants, leafing out and getting tall, just pick up the entire grapefruit and plant it in a bigger pot filled with good potting soil. The grapefruit rind will decompose which actually helps fertilize the soil as well as adding acidity to the potting mix, which is often needed in a commercial mix.

This project is definitely a win-win situation.  The grapefruit ‘pot’ is pretty, totally biodegradable, and adds acid to the potting soil. You might even say this is an all-in-one garden starter kit in a nifty little package.  How fun is that!  Well, nobody ever said you had to take planting a citrus tree seriously!

The Citrus Of Biblical Times

Even though citrus is not directly mentioned in the Bible, varieties of citrus did grow during biblical times and became part of the the religious culture of the time.  Even though there was no word for “citrus” in ancient Greek or Hebrew dialect, we learn about this type of fruit, not in biblical text, but rather in written instructions for religious ceremonies in which the fruit mentioned appears to fit the category we know as citrus.  Take a look at how historians have come to understand the citrus fruit of biblical times.

Etrog is the Celebration Citrus

“And you shall take on the 1^st day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God 7 days!” Leviticus 23:40.

Described in the Bible as early as 200 B.C., etrog is commonly referred to as peri eitz hadar, literally translated to a ‘fruit of the beautiful tree.’  So even though there is no direct mention of the word “citrus” in this Bible verse, historians believe the ‘fruit of a beautiful tree’ would be this citrus fruit.

Through other historical writings and religious manuscripts outside of the Bible, it is learned that etrog, or ethrog, is an oblong fruit with knobby skin, which is light gold in color.  Jewish people were introduced to this fruit in Babylonia during their exile there and carried it back to Palestine.  Etrog,  a member of the larger class citron, became one of the ‘four elements’ (palm branch, willows, myrtle, and citron) in the religious Feast of Booths.

In traditional Jewish culture, the fruit must be as unblemished as possible for religious ceremony. This means extra care is needed to cut around the leaves and thorns to prevent scratching the fruit.  Also, if dust or dirt gets caught in the fruit’s stomata during growth, it will later appear as a black or brown dot on the fruit, which is unacceptable for religious ceremonies. This perfection wouldn’t very likely occur if the etrog was shipped, therefore making etrog a fruit that needed to be grown locally.

Of course, shipping containers have improved so Jewish families can find this fruit just about anywhere in the world today.  Harvesting techniques have also improved in order to provide enough etrog wherever it is needed for religious ceremony.  In order to ship properly, the fruit is picked while still green, taking advantage of the excretion of ethylene gas to further ripen the fruit in a controlled manner. This is the same gas that is naturally released from apples, so some growers simply put the fruits in the same box as apples when transporting.

For commercial use etrog is generally harvested no earlier than January when it is at optimum size.  As prescribed in religious writings, the fruit can only reach the size of a hen’s egg in order to be considered kosher, but as long as the etrog can be held with one hand, it will work.

Citron is a Varied Family

While the etrog is generally grouped under the larger classification of citron, there are numerous varieties. Some are ribbed and bumpy on the outer rind.  One variety even has finger-like projections, which is commonly referred to as ‘Buddha’s Hand.’

During biblical times, aside from religious ceremony, citron was used for medical purposes for combating seasickness, intestinal problems, and even as an antibiotic and antidote to poison.

The citron is unlike the more common citrus species we are familiar with today. While those more popular fruits are peeled to consume their pulpy and juicy segments, the citron’s pulp is dry, containing a small quantity of juice, if any. The main content of a citron fruit is the thick white rind which cannot be separated from the segments easily. Other than religious ceremony, today the citron is used for the fragrance or zest of its rind.

Papeda is a Peculiar Citrus Cousin

The papeda group includes some of the most tropical, and yet frost-tolerant, citrus plants. Because of this unique combination, it is believed that papeda may have been found in cold mountainous regions of Asia as well as hot, desert areas.  Biblical references to this particular citrus are not made, but as a member of the citron family, and because of the ability to grow in most of the lands of biblical times, papeda would very likely be a part of the fruit basket.

Many papedas are known for slow growth, small size relative to other citrus species, and thorniness. Though all papeda fruits are, in fact, edible, some varieties are considered too sour or bitter to actually want to eat. However, when food is scarce, this citrus fruit may have been consumed, but just nothing to write home about.  This could explain why it would probably not be written about in biblical times.

If you search for citrus fruits in the Bible, you won’t find any direct references, but you will discover some very unique uses for what was a part of the citron family.  Both religious and medical, when people of biblical times were given the gift of citron, or citrus, they made use of it to the best of their ability.  Because of the region, many varieties would have been grown and harvested.  You not find  Etrog, Buddha’s Hand, or Papeda in your neighborhood grocery store, but the uniqueness of these citrus fruits would be well worth the search.

Citrus Divides Medieval Classes

Medieval times may possibly have been some of the most fit times in our historical culture, but not for everyone.  Even though the era lacked the scientific knowledge we have now to explain nutrition and health, there was a natural occurrence that was keeping at least some of the people healthier. How was this possible?

While the noble classes were feasting on huge meals and languishing at extravagantly decadent parties, the peasant classes were busy working hard physically to provide for their family. One of these classes benefited from a healthy diet, while the other suffered. Let’s examine the role that citrus played in Medieval times.

The Clash of the Citrus Classes

The wealthy nobles of the Middle Ages ate little fresh fruit for several reasons. Simple fruit was not decadent enough for their station in life.  Also, unprepared food was viewed with some doubt, suspicion, and disdain because it came straight from the plant. Raw foods were considered unclean in aristocratic society.

Food was extremely important to the peasant classes. It had to be plentiful so they could continue to work hard and provide for their families. Peasants were not fussy when it came to food. Common people and the poor also didn’t possess cooking facilities to process food, so what could they do but eat what they could forage.

The nobles, on the other hand, could lay around all day gorging themselves with piles of rich foods.  For the nobles, the richer the food the better, since they equated opulence and decadence with power and wealth.  And, nothing says opulence like sugary, highly processed, rich, fatty foods. Certainly, citrus and other fruit did not fit this bill, unless it was baked in pies or other sugary treats.

Because of the lack of fresh fruit, the diet of the noble classes lacked the vital nutrients that citrus provides. This led to an assortment of health problems including bad teeth, skin diseases, scurvy, and rickets.

So, because nobility, or the aristocratic class, considered eating raw fruit beneath them, distasteful, and not at all suitable of their standing in society, fresh fruit was left to the peasants and the poor. Too bad for the nobles.

Sweet and Sour Medieval Citrus Cuisine

During the Medieval era, some citrus was readily available, but often looked upon with sheer disdain, especially by nobility or the upper classes. Bitter Orange, Sweet Orange, Lemon, and Lime are found in documentation during the era, but not all of it was used often, or if at all.

Bitter orange is a citrus fruit close to the orange, but very bitter. It must be cooked or candied to be good tasting and generally was avoided all together. The sweet orange that we know of today appeared only in the later part of the medieval era. When you read the word ‘orange’ in a medieval text, it almost always refers to the bitter orange, which wasn’t exactly welcome on most tables.

In 13th century Arabic culinary cuisine, sourness was being added to dishes. The use of sour apples, citron, and pomegranates, in addition to that of vinegar, started changing how people felt their foods should taste. Citron which was widely available, was not like the citrus we are familiar with today. It had extremely sour flavors and did not contain much pulp or juice like oranges and other citrus do today.

In Christian Europe, recipes with lemon juice, of Arabic origin, were called Limonia and they are found in the Liber de Coquina, or Book of the Kitchen, the Anonimo Toscano, the Anonimo Veneziano and the Modus. The Libre del Coch also uses lemon and orange juice for sauces and stews. Candied lemon was used in Arabian cookery, and was found again at the end of the 16th century in Lancelot de Casteau.

Citrus only really gained in popularity as the Medieval ages waned, for several reasons. Could we suppose that one reason was the nobles were dying off, suffering from illnesses brought on from lack of the nutritional benefits of citrus?

While citrus was considered by nobility too ‘dirty’ to touch, the health benefits alone kept citrus on the tables of the peasants.  Is it coincidence that the noble class started failing, while the peasant class grew healthier and stronger?  Perhaps not. The once disdained citrus, eaten only by the lower classes and the poor, has been lifted to super-food status in today’s society… and rightly so!