March 2011 Part1 QUINOA! Ideas for FS,

QUINOA - the cereal of the Gods

I don’t know how many of you have seen the “grain” called “QUINOA”   now sold in places like COSTCO etc.

 

It is a  “pseudo” gain that has been cultivated in the Andes of Bolivia nd Peru for thousands of years

But only in recent decades has it began to enter mainstream  here in US and around the world.

 

It is a highly nutritious grain – and is very versatile in its use..

When boiled – it almost :”dissolves” into a  oatmeal like consistency.

It does not require grinding.

 

Quinoa is very versatile – and can be used in soups, breads, flours, cookies, cereals and much more including “meat like patties”.

 

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Ancient+Inca+grain+becomes+prized+food+for+health+watchers/-/539444/1116996/-/4ixxt3z/-/

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiuOA0MzHDk&feature=related

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa

 

Here is a recipe for quinoa patties

http://cookinginside.wordpress.com/2010/07/16/quinoa-patties/   

 

and here are some other recipes

http://www.cookingquinoa.net/quinoa-recipes/

 

Quinoa FAQ

[ KEEN-wah ]

Although quinoa is new to the American market, it was a staple of the ancient Incas, who called it "the mother grain." To this day it's an important food in South American cuisine. Hailed as the "supergrain of the future," quinoa contains more protein than any other grain. It's considered a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids. Quinoa is also higher in unsaturated fats and lower in carbohydrates than most grains, and it provides a rich and balanced source of vital nutrients. Tiny and bead-shaped, the ivory-colored quinoa cooks like rice (taking half the time of regular rice) and expands to four times its original volume. Its flavor is delicate, almost bland, and has been compared to that of Couscous. Quinoa is lighter than but can be used in any way suitable for rice-as part of a main dish, a side dish, in soups, in salads and even in puddings. It's available packaged as a grain, ground into flour and in several forms of pasta. Quinoa can be found in most health-food stores and some supermarkets.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

 

What is quinoa?

Quinoa is a broad-leafed, annual herb that is part of the grass family. At maturation, the tall plant is topped with large plume-like seeds that can be vivid red, orange, yellow, black or white in color. Mild and nutty in taste, ready-to-cook seeds are white or beige. Naturally high in calcium, iron, and phosphorous, quinoa is a vegetarian source of complete protein, containing all eight essential amino acids. It is also gluten-free.

Where does quinoa come from?

Native to the high plains of South America, quinoa grows best at altitudes between 7,000 and 9,000 feet. Quinoa has been cultivated for thousands of years in the high Andes of Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Recently, quinoa has also been planted in the Colorado Rockies of the United States.

How do you pronounce “quinoa”?

Quinoa, believed to be a Quechuan word native to the peoples of the high Andes, is pronounced “keen-wa” or “kee-noo-ah.” It can also be spelled quinua or quinwa.

Does quinoa contain gluten?

Quinoa is naturally gluten-free.

Whole quinoa normally takes about 12-15 minutes to cook. Use two parts water to one part quinoa.

Stovetop cooking directions:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil.
  Add 1 cup raw whole quinoa. Cover. Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once, until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Remove from heat, stir, re-cover, and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Microwave cooking directions:

• In a round 2-quart microwave-safe casserole dish or bowl, combine 1 cup whole quinoa and 2 cups water.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap.
• Microwave at HIGH 10-12 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed.
• Remove from microwave. Stir once. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.

Flaked quinoa normally takes about 60 seconds to cook. Use 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa.

Instant cooking directions:

• In a heat-safe bowl or cup, combine cereal blend with _ cup boiling water.
• Let rest for 60 seconds.
• Stir to combine and enjoy!

How can I use quinoa in my everyday cooking?

Quinoa is considered a kitchen staple in many South American countries. It is used much as we use rice in the United States – in stuffings, puddings, and soups, or as a compliment to fish, chicken, or beef.

As you would with rice, add a bit of butter or olive oil while cooking for a richer flavor. For a Middle Eastern twist, toss cooked quinoa with raisins, apricots, cinnamon, pine nuts, and fresh basil. Quinoa makes a particularly good companion for salmon or swordfish.

Flaked quinoa tends to work better with sweet or breakfast applications. Substitute quinoa flakes for instant oatmeal or instant cream of wheat. Serve with milk, chopped cranberries and walnuts, and a sprinkle of brown sugar. Add it to cookie recipes – substitute quinoa flakes for up to 1/3 of the flour for a lighter texture, or use them to replace instant oatmeal in recipes.

Experiment with your own recipes and have fun!

Cooked quinoa has a little “tail” – what is it? 

Every seed has an endosperm. It is the food storage area that surrounds the baby seedling. It is also responsible for quinoa’s crunch. The bran surrounding the tail stores quinoa’s fiber.

 

How to Use Quinoa in Gluten-Free Baking

 

by eHow Food & Drink Editor

Introduction

Quinoa, known scientifically as Chenopodium quinoa, is a species of goosefoot which has edible seeds. It has been grown as a food crop for at least 6,000 years and is native to the Andean region of South America. Quinoa is a complete food and contains a balanced set of amino acids for humans. It is also gluten-free and therefore easy to digest. Here's how to use quinoa in gluten-free baking.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Steps

Step One

Buy quinoa commercially. Prepackaged quinoa usually has been polished and rinsed but residual saponin dust frequently remains. Quinoa has a high concentration of these bitter-tasting compounds which makes it unpalatable in its raw state.

Step Two

Remove the saponins. The grain must be soaked in water for a few hours, the water changed out and soaked again. Alternatively, it may be wrapped in cheesecloth or some other fine filter and rinsed thoroughly. Continue washing until the grains no longer taste bitter.

Step Three

Combine quinoa flour with other flours. Mix three parts quinoa, three parts sorghum, two parts potato starch and one part tapioca for a common gluten-free baking mix.

Step Four

Observe that gluten-free flour will not make leavened baked goods because yeast need gluten to grow. Quinoa flour may be mixed with wheat flour to produce a low-gluten flour which will rise.

Step Five

Store quinoa in glass jars in the refrigerator or freezer. The grains should be used within a year and the flour within three months. Otherwise, the relatively high fat and oil content will make the quinoa become rancid.

 

Some recipes that I have tried and found delicious

 

Curried Quinoa

 

Serves Six to Eight

1 Cup Quinoa

1½ Tbsp. Vegetable Oil

½ Onion Diced (about 4 or 5 ozs.)

1 Tsp. Grated Fresh Ginger Root

½ Fresh Green Chile (Finely Chopped)

1 Heaping Tsp. Turmeric

1 Heaping Tsp. Coriander

¼ Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

½ Tsp. Salt

1¾ Cups Water

½ Cup Fresh or Frozen Peas

1. Rinse quinoa with cold water. Use a fine mesh filter or coffee filter. If you're a klutz like me use the fine mesh filter or a lot of quinoa is going to wind up in the sink!
   
   Quinoa is coated with a natural substance called saponin that protects the grain by repelling insects and birds. Rinsing the quinoa is important to avoid a raw or bitter taste. You can tell if there is saponin by the production of a soapy looking "suds" when the seeds are swished in water.
   
   Place oil and diced onions in a heavy saucepan. Saute the onions on medium high heat for four to five minutes.
    
2. Add the ginger root, chile, and quinoa. Cook for one minute stirring constantly.
   A fine, white spiral appears around the grain as it cooks.
    
3. Stir in the turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for one minute stirring constantly.
    
4. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
    
5. Stir in peas. Cover and cook for four or five minutes or until peas are tender and all the water has been absorbed.
    

Fluff with a fork before serving.

Optional Ingredient for Curried Quinoa: 1 to 2 Tbsp. Chopped Cilantro. Exercise caution on this ingredient. There are two kinds of people - those who love cilantro and those who hate cilantro. Nobody is in between. So, if you know you like cilantro go for it! If you don't know whether you like it add it at your own risk. You might break some leaves off of fresh cilantro in the grocery store. Crush it between your thumb and finger and smell it. If it smells good you're probably a cilantro lover. If it smells like old gym shoes you probably hate it. My advice? Make the curried quinoa without it and see how you like it. If you do wind up adding cilantro, you add it at the very end when you're fluffing the quinoa with a fork.

Curried Quinoa serving suggestion: This dish is great with pork tenderloin and peach salsa. It's also great with fish.

 

 Lemony Quinoa

SUBMITTED BY: MBLASSNIG

"Quinoa is a high-protein, good for you grain, it can be substituted for couscous and makes a lovely side dish. This recipe is a crunchy, lemony, healthy dish that can be used as a side or as a light meal."

 

PREP TIME	15 Min
COOK TIME	10 Min
READY IN	25 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• sea salt to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Toast the pine nuts briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat. This will take about 5 minutes, and stir constantly as they will burn easily. Set aside to cool.
2. In a saucepan, combine the quinoa, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly, then fluff with a fork.
3. Transfer the quinoa to a serving bowl and stir in the pine nuts, lemon juice, celery, onion, cayenne pepper, cumin and parsley. Adjust salt and pepper if needed before serving.

QuinoaPilaf

SUBMITTED BY: J. BUCK 123

"A delicious and easy quinoa recipe. Serve with a salad and crusty bread for a complete meal."

 

PREP TIME	10 Min
COOK TIME	25 Min
READY IN	35 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion in oil for 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add carrot, and cook 3 minutes more. Stir in quinoa and vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender and fluffy.
2. In a bowl, toss quinoa together with walnuts and parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Quinoa Pudding

SUBMITTED BY: Graycat      

"Quinoa is a high-protein grain native to South America. You can find it in most health food stores and some grocery stores. This is a simple, delicious vegan recipe full of plump raisins, and sweetened with apple juice. Serve with berries, sliced bananas and maple syrup."

 

PREP TIME	5 Min
COOK TIME	35 Min
READY IN	40 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups apple juice
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
• salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Place quinoa in a sieve and rinse thoroughly. Allow to drain, then place quinoa in a medium saucepan with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover pan with lid, lower heat, and allow to simmer until all water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Mix in apple juice, raisins, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Cover pan and allow to simmer for 15 minutes longer. Stir in vanilla extract. Serve warm.

 

Quinoa Vegetable Soup

SUBMITTED BY: Tiffany

"I had never heard of quinoa until I went to Peru and discovered a delicious, traditional soup. There are a lot of ingredients, but it is worth the work!"

 

PREP TIME	35 Min
COOK TIME	25 Min
READY IN	1 Hr

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup quinoa
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 (15 ounce) cans chicken or vegetarian broth
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/4 head cabbage, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Stir in the quinoa, carrot, celery, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
2. Pour in the chicken broth, water, tomatoes, and cabbage. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the quinoa and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley before servings.

Quinoa Chard Pilaf

SUBMITTED BY: ASTROPHE      

"This simple vegan dish combines the distinctive, nutty flavor of quinoa with chard, mushrooms, and lentils. Try using rainbow chard for a colorful effect!"

 

PREP TIME	20 Min
COOK TIME	20 Min
READY IN	40 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup canned lentils, rinsed
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Mix in quinoa, lentils, and mushrooms. Pour in the broth. Cover, and cook 20 minutes.
2. Remove the pot from heat. Shred chard, and gently mix into the pot. Cover, and allow to sit 5 minutes, or until chard is wilted.

 

Quinoa and Black Beans

SUBMITTED BY: Hilary

"Very flavorful alternative to black beans and rice. Quinoa is a nutty grain from South America."

 

PREP TIME	15 Min
COOK TIME	35 Min
READY IN	50 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

 

Uncle Bob's Soybean Bread

SUBMITTED BY: Bob Tankersley

"I use an old large slow cooker for my mixing bowl, this way I don't need to dirty up a bunch of different bowls or counters. The soybeans and quinoa give this bread great texture. I use an electric coffee grinder to grind up the soybeans."

 

PREP TIME	30 Min
COOK TIME	45 Min
READY IN	5 Hrs 50 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 1 -9x5 inch loaf

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup bread flour
• 2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup dried soybeans
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons quinoa
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl or crock pot, dissolve yeast and 1 cup flour in water. Cover with plastic wrap or a pot lid and let stand for 2 hours.
2. Coarsely grind the soybeans in a food processor or blender. Stir soy beans and 1 cup flour into the yeast mixture. Let stand for 2 hours.
3. Stir in the salt and remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out of the slow cooker and knead 1 1/2 tablespoons quinoa into the dough. Form into a loaf and place in a lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining quinoa on top of the loaf. Brush or drizzle on the olive oil. Cover and let rise until loaf is just above the top of the loaf pan. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Let cool before slicing.

 

Mystic Mushroom and Quinoa Chowder

SUBMITTED BY: Hoggwild      

"A tasty soup with mushrooms and quinoa; great as a first course or a wonderful accompaniment to a salad or sandwich for a meal."

 

PREP TIME	10 Min
COOK TIME	30 Min
READY IN	40 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 (8 ounce) package button mushrooms, chopped
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2/3 cup chopped fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup creme fraiche
• chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS

1. Toast quinoa in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat until fragrant.
2. In a large saucepan or stockpot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Stir in onions, and cook until caramelized, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in quinoa, mushrooms, and molasses; cook until mushrooms release their liquid, adding a little chicken stock if necessary to facilitate cooking. Add remaining chicken stock, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, and let simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked.
3. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook shiitake mushrooms in butter until softened; set aside.
4. Puree soup in a food processor or blender, and return to saucepan. Stir in cream, and heat (DO NOT BOIL). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with creme fraiche, shiitake mushrooms, and chives.

 

Two recipes from http://thebakehouse.blogspot.com/

California Quinoa (sushi) Rolls

Last Thursday I picked up my buying club order and brought home a 5 lb bag of white organic quinoa and also a 5 lb bag of organic red split lentils. They were on a special sale because they were packaged differently and considered a new product. I have had small quantities of these two products in my kitchen before, but I've never done anything seriously with them . After seeing Vicki's (Vegetarian Family Blog) Quinoa Salad I decided to give it a try. I made my quinoa in the rice maker. It took 20 minutes using a 1 part grain 2 part water ratio and salt. I am SO very impressed. This is a non allergen for my son and high in protein and has so many other benefits I don't know why I haven't used this grain sooner. I really like this stuff and these ecclectic sushi rolls I made with it.

RICE MAKER MIXTURE:
2/3 C quinoa grain, 3 Tbsp red split lentils (opt), 1/4 C seasoned rice vinegar (it's sweet), 3/4 tsp salt, about 1 cup diced veggies (4 shredded baby carrots, chopped canned mushrooms, and shallots sliced thin), and 1 1/3 C water. Click on and wait about 20 minutes, use when freshly done (while the grains are still somewhat wet and clumpy a little, after a bit they will separate to be more like a pilaf grain). Oh, don't use a cheap (non high temp) "rubber" spatula to get the grains out of the rice maker pot. I'm not telling why or posting pictures.


I was so happy to FINALLY pull out the bamboo mat that I got for Christmas last year (along with a book titled sushi for dummies). I scooped about 1/3 C quinoa grain onto my 1/2 sheet seaweed. Laid 2 thin sliced carrot, celery, and mushroom onto it and rolled. After making 4 rolls, slice into 1/4 - 1/2"pieces with a very sharp jagged knife. Here they are served with a side of my homemade pickled ginger (thanks for a food network pointer from amy's comfort kitchen) and Newman's Lite Sesame Ginger dressing. I really didn't think I liked this dressing until I dipped one of these into it and then decided to make a salad from the leftover quinoa. I added about 2 cups more chopped, shredded, or diced veggies to it and 1/4 cup of the newman's dressing. I will do this again. Good stuff, just don't expect to frig them and eat them later, they seem to dry out.

Homemade Pickled Ginger
2 cups rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup sugar (or sub 1/2 tsp KAL brand stevia extract powder)
1 small red beet, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves 1/2 tablespoon white peppercorns
2 cups ginger slices, peeled (1/8-inch thick)
Combine everything but ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add ginger and turn heat down to a simmer for 1/2 an hour. Pull off heat and let stand until cool, about 1 hour. Place in jar and refrigerate overnight. Will keep for 1 month.

Weird maybe, but I've been throwing some slices of this into my salad, topping with some lemon juice, sweetener, salt and pepper. I'm not raving about it, but it was pleasingly different. Maybe a little coconut will take this salad to the thai extreme.

Quinoa Burgers

I have had this recipe for quite awhile in my basket, but since I have never been into quinoa much before now so it just sat there . Today, it's time in the public eye has come. This recipe originated from a booklet that I downloaded from the internet several years ago called "Soymilk and Okara Recipes" (c) by Vickilynn Haycraft 2003. For this recipe I used okara which is left over from making soymilk in my soyajoy soymilk maker, but I believe that any well mashed cooked legume could work just as well. The burger turned out nice and firm, a nice quality that I haven't seen in bean burgers I have tried previous. Plus it also uses quinoa, which I happened to have an abundance of right now. I have been turned off by quinoa a little in the past because I had to pay $4-5 /lb for it, but I got a five pound bag of organic for $9.76 from my buying club.

In the picture I tried to show the wet mixture in the bowl as well as the cooked burger in the pan. DH has never expressed much liking for any bean based burger I have made before, but he gave a thumbs up to this one. It smells good while it's cooking. Here's my version of the recipe (I veganized it and played with the seasonings of the original recipe): 1 C cooked quinoa, 1 C okara (or mashed beans), 1/3 C flaxmeal and energ egg replacer whipped (or 2 egg whites), 1/4 cup tomato based sauce, 1 Tbsp spicy brown mustard, 1 1/2 tsp garlic granulated, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 2 Tbsp horseradish, 1 C bread crumbs, 3 Tbsp, 1/4 C green chiles (I used chopped leeks), 3 Tbsp vital wheat gluten (opt), salt and pepper to taste. Shape into 4 1/2" patties and pan cook until browned and firm... thay will firm more when left set to cool for about 5 minutes. I ate mine in a lettuce leaf with homemade ketchup and homemade mustard with an onion and pickle slice. DH ate his in between two slices of wheat bread.

LEFTOVER SERVING IDEA:
The next day I ate this burger on whole grain bread with a sauteed seasoned mushroom and onion topping and shredded vegan gruyere (see my previous post for the seasoned mushrooms recipe "mushroom heaven").

Quinoa Recipe


1 cup Quinoa
1 tomato
1 avocado
1/2 can red kidney beans

Sauce/Dressing
1/2 a lemon
Basil (I have frozen cubes of from Trader Joes- I used 3 cubes and I'm going to guess-timate that is about the same as one large handful of fresh basil)
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This is an extra simple recipe. Practically no cooking involved if you do it the way I did. I cook my quinoa in a rice maker (it's exactly the same as if you were cooking rice).

While the quinoa does it's thing, prepare the dressing.
If you do not have the cubes of basil I suggest using a food processor to make the dressing.
In the food processor combine the juice of 1/2 a lemon with some chopped basil (or 3 of your basil cubes- put in the mircowave for about 20 seconds to melt them). With the processor still on, slowly pour in the oil. If using cubes of basil, simply stir in the oil slowly with a fork.

Chop up your tomato and avocado into bite sized pieces.

Add the tomato and the dressing to your quinoa (I put it directly into the rice maker.) Stir to make sure every bit of quinoa gets dressing. Add the avocado last (they turn mushy if you try to stir them too much).

Now enjoy

 

 

Savings Experiment - Bottled Water

Video:
Here's how to break the bottled water habit and save money on H2O! For more great videos, visit WalletPop.com
http://video.aol.com/aolvideo/aol-personal-finance/savings-experiment-bottled-water/817368589001

Need some ideas for space for your storage?

Check these out! There are tons of videos. Have fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCnXfO7YMfk  rotation/etc.

Need some ideas for How To storage?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZTA4AheYNw&NR=1  eggs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro-7-RfpKZw&NR=1  eggs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppiWt9jvQh4&NR=1  eggs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmmyS7z1UNI&NR=1&feature=fvwp butter

 

Preparedness, One Buck at a Time

By Carolyn Nicolaysen

Meridian Magazine

 

With the advent of many stores that sell items for a dollar or 99 cents, assembling your own Emergency Kit has never been easier or less expensive. I decided to make a trip to our local store where nothing sells for more than a George Washington dollar, just to see for myself what I could find. I was pleasantly surprised.

 

Bandanas, 2/$1.00: A while back I wrote an article and advised that you put a "uniform" for each family member in all your Emergency kits. This could be matching bandannas which you tie around your neck, use as a headband, or tie around your arm. This will help you find a family member if you have been separated - people are more likely to remember someone with a bandanna than just another cute little boy with blond hair and blue eyes or brown hair and brown eyes.

 

Baseball caps $1.00: Again, these would be great "uniforms" for family 72-hour kits, and would provide shade in the summer and warmth in the winter. You can further brand your uniform by decorating the caps - which are solid colors - with a stencil, or splatter paint them. This will make them unique and easy for people who have seen them to remember.

 

Crayons, coloring books, puzzles, playing cards, beach balls and crossword puzzles: All of these can be found for a dollar and can provide hours of distraction time when you are confined to a car in a traffic jam as you evacuate, or in a shelter or hotel room later. During Katrina and other disasters, many evacuated and still found themselves without power 50 miles of more away from the disaster area.

 

Pencils, 12/$1.00 and Notepads 3/$1.00: Together these are a communication line as you leave messages for rescue workers and family and friends. They also provide another form of amusement.

 

LED push light and or flashlight $1.00: LED lights make great night lights when the power goes out and they are small and easy to stash in an Emergency kit, car kit or office kit. Inexpensive flashlights are perfect for a child's kit.

 

70 foot rope, $1.00: This may not be the strongest rope in the world but it is great for a clothes line and perfect for making a lean-to or sun shade when combined with a tarp.

 

Clothes pins, $1.00: A rope and clothes pins are not only important for the obvious but also after a flood or other disaster that causes water problems in your home. Hanging wet documents and photos to dry on a line can prevent them from being lost forever.

 

Pet dishes, $1.00: I found a set of two good size heavy plastic bowls that would be perfect for a water and food dish for a pet. Pets are family members too.

 

Work gloves, $1.00: These are a must in every adult kit, the kits of older children, auto kits and workplace kits. The $1.00 variety may not be the most durable but they will provide protection during the early hours of clean up and can provide warmth if you are ever stranded in a cold environment.

 

Pack of three Bungee cords, $1.00: Pull yourself together. Need I say more?

 

Tools, $1.00: Utility knife, screwdriver sets, mini screwdriver set for fixing glasses and other items with tiny screws, and a set of hex keys. All great additions to all of your kits.

 

Toothbrushes with cap 3/$1.00 and a family size toothpaste also a dollar and of course dental floss. Dental floss has lots of uses during an emergency when supplies may be limited. See your April 2010 issue of the Totally Ready Newsletter.

 

Hygiene items, $1.00 each: Deodorant, shampoo, shaving cream, 6 combs, or 3 large bars of soap. All these only a dollar each and all large sizes perfect for lasting a minimum of five days.

Medical needs, $1.00 each: antibacterial cream, cortisone cream, bandages, and 2 pack hand sanitizers. 

 

Teething gel is available and a great addition to kits even if you don't have a child; adults get toothaches too and a dentist may not be an option for a day or two. There was also a first aid kit perfect for children with basic supplies but no medications.

 

Five glow bracelets or 2 glow sticks, your choice $1.00: Glow bracelets are the perfect way to provide a little light at night for children and a great way to keep track of them in a crowd. Glow sticks can provide light that is safe without running down precious batteries.

 

Baby wipes, $1.00: Great for cleaning up after working or eating as well as for use with a baby.

 

Two child ponchos, $1.00: These ponchos are good for a single use and come in a 2-pack. You may want to put two in each backpack if you are in an area where a weather emergency such as flooding, heavy rains and snow may be your disaster.

 

Magnifier reading glasses, $1.00: When you can't afford a second pair of prescription glasses or you just need a little help for reading, these are a real money saver. Also valuable for any good first aid kit - ever try to remove a splinter without a good pair of glasses? Add a pair to all your kits.

 

Sun glasses for children and adults, $1.00: Sun glasses are vital in a kit to help not only in sunny weather but also if stranded in the snow. They will help to prevent snow blindness which can be a very serious hazard.

 

We have not even begun to list all the items you can purchase for your self-reliance General Store in you home. Our favorite maple cookies are purchased at a store where they sell for $1.00. The grocery store variety is $2.89. As always, when purchasing a new item or brand, take it home and test it with your family before you purchase several. Even at a dollar it's not a bargain if you throw them away, but you can find some real deals if you are willing to experiment.

 

You do not have to spend a large sum of money to assemble a great Emergency kit for each family member to carry in their car or to keep at work. Begin by gathering items from around your home and then hop in the car and check out your local one dollar store. Stop putting it off or making excuses. Begin today.

 

Prices are going up, and in a few months even these store may have to adjust their selection or raise prices.

 

Just as one day not long ago there were still stores called "The Five and Dime", I am sad to say that soon there may be new interest in the old $2 bill for such stores as these. 

Food prices. Watch this video to an eye opening situation.   "Behold I speak for mine elect’s sake; for nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." JS—M 1:29       http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/02/27/gps.what.world.food.cnn?hpt=T2

 

Grains and Flours Used in Bread Baking: If you know your ingredients you will  know what to keep on hand and have much better bread baking success.  I recommend you keep the whole grains rather than flour because the nutritional value remains in tact until the grain is ground into flour.

Hard Winter Wheat -planted in the fall, usually dry-land wheat grown without irrigation. Tends to be lower in protein than hard spring wheat and used for 100% whole grain bread may result in heavier breads.  Used for yeasted breads only.

Hard Spring Wheat - planted in the spring. It is not irrigated thus yielding a high protein and low moisture content wheat kernel. This wheat tends to be more expensive because of the high protein content and makes the lightest whole wheat bread.  Available in red or white wheat - they are nutritionally equal.  The white wheat is what I store.  Used for yeasted breads only.

Soft Spring Wheat - Usually this wheat is irrigated. It has a larger yield than hard wheat but is lower in protein. It is used for making cakes, cookies, muffins, pancakes, pie crust, pastries and baked goods that use baking powder. Be sure to pack this flour into a measuring cup if it is freshly milled to get accurate measurements.
Durum Wheat - used for making pastas. Semolina is a grade of milling for Durum wheat.
Pastry Flour - Has lower protein/gluten and is milled from Soft wheat. Used for baked goods that contain baking powder.

Whole Wheat Flour -Commercially ground whole wheat flour is coarse -textured and should be stored in the freezer to protect against rancidity. Whole wheat flour is rich in Bk-complex vitamins, vitamin E, protein, and contains significantly more trace minerals and dietary fiber than white flour. Bread Flour - contains greater gluten strength and is generally used for yeast breads produced by commercial bakers. It is now widely available in grocery stores for bread machine enthusiasts.
All-Purpose Flour- the finely ground endosperm of the wheat kernel minus the bran and the germ which contain the highest concentrations of B-vitamins and Vitamin E. The flour is widely used for all home baked goods but devoid of nutritional content. It is generally enriched with flour B vitamins but not the original concentrations.

Other Grains and Seeds to Store
Store a variety of other grains you think your family will enjoy, including hard wheat, 7-grain mix, millet, quinoa, oatmeal or oat groats (whole grain oats), millet, brown rice, barley, Kamut, spelt, sprouting seeds and rice.
A variety of grains can protect you from allergies and boredom.  Try preparing grains in a variety of dishes to see which ones your family likes.

Store what you eat, eat what you store.
Rotate, Rotate, and Rotate!

 

Grain Storage Basics
Use food grade pails or buckets that hold up to 45 lbs of grain.  Store the pails in a basement, pantry, or garage.   These handy buckets keep moisture and critters out of your food.  The way to keep grain good for years is to store it in a cool, dry, location. 

This might require that you move some pails seasonally.

Use your grain storage as your own grocery store, and fill 2 qt containers to store smaller amounts of grain in your kitchen for everyday use.

 

OK. Here is part 4 of the Food Shortage Series: 

http://www.preparednesspro.com/blog/food-shortage-series-part-4/

 

Stress Free Cooking - an ebook.

 

You can download it here:  http://www.menuplanningcentral.com/StressFreeCooking.pdf

 

NEVER ALLOW DESPAIR TO OVERCOME YOUR SPIRIT . . .

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTVECvTYpN0&feature=related

 

 

IF YE ARE PREPARED YE SHALL NOT FEAR

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSQcJcnO_CY

 

Getting Older! Day by day! Here is a plus!

http://www.giftcardgranny.com/blog/senior-discounts/

The Foundation of Preparedness Under Attack

...I believe we can still have a hope that our Founding Fathers did more to protect us than we may realize at present. But I promise you that if you will make obtaining this kind of knowledge a part of your preparedness efforts, you will find that pot at the end of the rainbow to be just as wonderful as they intended it to be.... Read the entire article:

http://www.preparednesspro.com/blog/the-foundation-of-preparedness-under-attack/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PreparednessProBlog+%28Preparedness+Pro+Blog%29

 

Save on Gas for your Car

Gas prices are high enough that anything you can do to squeak more mileage from your tank is a real bonus. If you can't afford a hybrid car, there is still a lot you can do.

How to get cheaper gas and use it wisely -

• The first thing you want to look at is your car itself. A well tuned vehicle will use the gasoline more efficiently. Do you need a tuneup, or at least a preventative oil change?
• Clean out your air filter or replace it. A clean filter will ensure you are sending cleaner air into your fuel mixture. Don't waste gas combusting dust and grit from the road. Again, you want your expensive gasoline to burn as clean as possible. If you can't afford a new air filter today, then take out the one you have and knock it against the road to clean the folds out a bit. Then mark your calendar to get a new air filter when you can.
• Keep your tires in good shape. If your balance, tread and alignment is off, then your car is fighting itself to drive smoothly. It's like making your engine run extra miles. A lot of gas gets sucked up correcting misalignments. See if your tire shop offers free balancing, rotating, or alignments - and take them up on the opportunity. Look into replacing tired treads with inexpensive retread tires (and make sure you ask about free balancing and rotating so you can use what you have to their best potential). Tire alignments can be expensive, so ask your local shop how off your current alignment it. It might be time to pull out the savings for this one. Don't make a long trip on inefficient tires.
• If your car is as good as you can afford it to be, your next step lies in finding the least expensive gas. Don't splurge on extra octane gas or additives unless your car manual specifically tells you to. The cheap gas from Maverick is the same as the expensive Shell and Chevron crude.
• Look around at your local gas stations - the ones near your home, near your workplace, and near where you shop. There are even websites and smartphone apps that can tell you exactly the current price differences, and what gas stations are located where. Gasbuddy.com is a great place to bookmark on the web. Learn where your cheap gas is and use those stations.
• Use your gas club cards. I have a Maverick Gas card that saves me pennies on each gallon. It adds up. I have a card that saves pennies at Flying J and Pilot gas stations. If you have a Sam's Card or Costco Card, use those to get the cheaper fuel. Don't forget the shopping store discounts! Safeway, Fry's and other large shopping centers give you as much as ten cent a gallon discounts on their food receipts after you spend enough money in their stores. Use these discounts before they expire! They offer great savings!
• Plan your travels better. Group errands so you drive less miles. Use the freeway more - in-town driving eats up more gasoline than running smoothly along the highway. Avoid rush hour traffic by any means necessary. There are great free smartphone apps to help you avoid bad traffic, and even GPS devices offer reroute suggestions.
• Ease up on the throttle. Try to drive smoother. Jerking around on the brake and gas pedals sucks gas into oblivion. Drive slower speeds if you are not in any particular hurry. Slower driving uses less gas.
• Ditch the car when you can. Order needed supplies online so you don't have to drive around for your household needs and staples. Can you walk or bike more to get around? Can you use public transit for some errands? It's not only better for your car and your wallet - it's better for you!
  
  We can all do much better in stretching out our gasoline. By staying focused on keeping your car in shape, planning your driving routines better and by ditching the car when you can, you will see big savings in your gas budget!

Jill Florio
BellaOnline's Frugal Living Editor