Common Cuisine |

Here’s a fancy trick I learned recently, for dressing up a salad. Can’t wait to surprise everyone at Thanksgiving (everyone who doesn’t read about it here first, anyway!). These bowls can be made early in the day, and filled at mealtime.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shredded (not grated) Parmesan cheese into skillet, creating a uniform round shape. Use less cheese around the edges so the sides of the bowl will be more delicate.

Cook until cheese is light golden underneath. Remove from skillet with spatula, and drape, golden side up, over an inverted glass or jar. Gently shape cheese to form a bowl. Allow to cool.

Have you heard the word about flaxseed? This tiny seed has been making big waves in nutritional and medical circles, due to its ability to speed up the ol’ GI system, as well as potentially help prevent some common cancers and health conditions.

Nutrition and Health
Flax contains relatively high amounts of fiber, which does more than just help our bodies digest and eliminate food more effectively, leading to both a better sense of well-being and a reduced risk of colon cancer. Fiber is also shown to lower cholesterol and fight heart disease.

Flaxseed contains measurable doses of omega-3 fatty acid, which nutritionists have identified as a key to reducing not only heart disease but arthritis, migraines and even osteoporosis. A recent study at the Mayo Clinic also demonstrated that regular flax consumption (about 40 grams per day) can reduce mild symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, fatigue, and mood swings.

It is entirely possible that flax can contribute to cancer prevention and even cure. Flaxseed seems to have some estrogen-like qualities that have been shown to slow growth of breast-cancer cells in mice, by more than 30%.

Another study using human subjects found that men with prostate cancer who consumed flaxseed a day for a month before surgery had a lesser rate of tumor growth. Apparently flax slows the rate at which cancer cells divide.

Storage and Preparation
Have I sold you on this wonder seed yet? Maybe by now you are wondering how to get your hands on some. I find mine at the grocery, in the baking aisle next to all the specialty flours. They may also be found in the health food section of the store, or at the specialty health food store.

Flaxseed is available both ground and whole. The human body cannot digest whole flaxseed, so to get the health benefits be sure to add ground to your diet. Ground flaxseed can be stored tightly closed in the refrigerator or freezer for up to a month. But the oils in flaxseed lose potency and get a funny flavor quickly, so I recommend buying whole seeds and grinding them yourself if possible. I have a dedicated coffee grinder just for nuts, seeds and spices, but you can also use your regular coffee bean grinder after spinning a small handful of rice in it to remove the coffee flavor. Another alternative is to grind the seeds by hand with a stone mortar and pestle.

Ground flaxseed can be added to yogurt, hot and cold cereal, cookie dough, muffins and more. A recommended therapeutic dose seems to be anywhere from 25 to 40 grams (about an ounce) per day; however, my husband and I can feel the nutritional effects of as little as 10 grams once a day. One word of advice when consuming foods with a high fiber content: be sure to drink plenty of water with them, to prevent any discomfort from constipation or bloating.

For a fun way to get started adding flax to your diet, check out my Chocolate Flax Muffins recipe.

Sometimes you’re just in too much of a hurry to dig your measuring cups out from the bottom of the pile of dirty dishes in your sink, and wash and dry them before measuring. Here are a couple of quick and easy estimates that can help.

Dry ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon is the size of a chestnut
• 2 Tablespoons are the size of a pingpong ball
• 4 Tablespoons (¼ cup) are about the size of an egg
• 8 Tablespoons (½ cup) are the size of a tennis ball
• 12 Tablespoons (¾ cup) are the size of a baseball

Liquids:

• 1 Tablespoon is the size of an ice cube
• 1 Lemon makes 1 ½ tsp zest and 1 to 3 Tablespoons juice

Other:

• 1 tsp grated zest (orange, lemon, etc) is the size of a quarter
• 1 medium tomato makes about ½ cup chopped
• 1 handful of greens or hergs is about 1 cup
• 2 medium garlic cloves make 1 tsp mince

Are your kids picky eaters? Young children are notoriously finicky when it comes to eating stuff that’s good for them, but parents and caretakers are still in a position to influence the eating habits of the next generation. I read the other day that the primary vegetable consumed by the under-5 crowd is french fries. Don’t know about you, but that gives me a bit of a shudder as I think about the future.

Here are some ideas for how you can work together with your young ones to develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.

1. Plant a garden. Even something as simple as a few potted herbs in your windowsill can be a source of fascination as kids experience the thrill of planting a seed, watering it, watching it grow, and then using bits of it in meal preparation.

2. Expose children to veggies frequently. A plate of cut up strips of bell pepper on the counter before dinner may be met with upturned noses; but if no other options are given, it just may disappear into young tummies wandering through the kitchen in search of snacks.

3. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Continue to expose your children to veggies and healthy choices over and over, and what was once a strange new food will eventually become familiar. Kids are not fans of new and strange, but may more readily attempt something they have seen on their plate several times before.

4. Set a good example. For some reason, my kids will scarf food off of my plate, when they have already rejected the exact same food on their own plate. When kids see you eating lots of veggies, whole grains, and plain yogurt, they are more likely to develop a taste for it themselves.

5. Build your meals around vegetables, instead of making them an afterthought. An appropriately built meal consists of half a plate of veggies, with the other half divided between protein and grain foods. Get out your spice box, and utilize that herb garden to vary the flavor and smell of your veggies.

With patience and persistence, your kids will expand their tastes and develop healthy eating habits that will benefit them throughout their lives.

For the third week in a row, I went shopping yesterday with a plan and a goal. The plan was a list almost entirely made up of sale items, involving four stores. The goal was to spend less than $100. I really need to look at some old bank statements since I don’t have a clear idea how much I was spending on food each week before that. But I know that every single week I go over my goal, and I have a sense that it’s by $30 to $50 if not more.

THE PLAN
At Sam’s Club I got 3 lbs of bananas and 4 packages of english muffins (we go through about a package a week), for a total of $9.40. I also try to gas up my car there, but had just made an emergency stop the day before, so did not this time.

At HEB I bought some deli roast beef to get free deli cheese and spicy mustard. I got strawberries, green beans, asparagus and honeydew all on sale. I brought the green beans home, washed and cut off the ends, and will use them for snacks for the kids this week. I also picked up olive oil with a $1 coupon attached, and local coffee beans for less than the national brand. This is also where I picked up organic apples. Total: $37.92 except the receipt didn’t show the right discount for the cheese and mustard, so I went to the customer service desk and got $1.07 returned to me. I decided to call that my “Eagle Eyes” money and put it in a jar for a special occasion. Revised total: $36.85.

At Albertson’s I collected yogurt (their store brand is Justin’s favorite), crackers, Zatarain’s, bratwurst and deli turkey on sale, as well as sale cookies plus coupon giving me 2 packages of Fudge Stripes for $1.17 each. Next time, I’ll skip the turkey sale, as it was not in line with my standards. My standard in deli meat is to stick with the kind without fillers, such as Boar’s Head and Kretschmar. It doesn’t go on sale more than 50 cents a pound, but that is one of those areas I have decided not to compromise. Total at Albertson’s was $19.39.

I finished up at Kroger, where I typically save 10% with my Kroger card without trying too hard. This time the receipt showed a bottom line savings of 33%. I chose all items that were on sale, such as kiwi, limes, cherry tomatoes, butter gold potatoes, and cheese. I also chose this week to stock up on SunChips and granola bars on sale. I used a coupon to get a $2.99 toothbrush for $1.19. At Kroger, I spent $34.34.

THE GOAL
After adding it all up, I see I spent a grand total of $101.05 but taking into account my Eagle Eyes correction of $1.07, I squeaked in under my goal at $99.98! It was very encouraging to see that despite visiting four locations, I was still able to spend less overall.

Time spent shopping was about 2 ½ hours, including driving time (of at least 30 minutes). My toddler escort did pretty well, although he was laying down in the cart trying to fall asleep by the last stop. Time planning was not well organized as I was simultaneously clipping coupons, going through the sales flyers, meal planning and making my shopping lists. I estimate it took me about two hours to do all of that, but I think as I do it more frequently, I will develop a system. Once summer comes in a few more weeks, a friend and I are going to spend Monday mornings doing this project together, while our kids play together.

CONCLUSION
By carefully choosing sale items, I was able to save a lot of money while only using two coupons for a total of $1.75. As you can see, that was still an important factor as it kept me under my goal. But I definitely think I am on the way to developing a system with hitting the different stores, and planning meals from the sales instead of independently.

This shopping trip is only part of the equation. Now I need to stay out of the store for the rest of the week by managing the amount of food I have in stock. Then I need to do it again for the next two weeks in order to stay on budget for the month. It takes work to plan this much, but I feel like a valiant warrior when I save money for my family.

From the previous list and what I already have in stock, I have come up with food not just for next week but through the end of the month! I am excited to think that next week I only need to purchase about five fresh items, plus the usual milk and bananas.

I don’t plan more than four meals in a week because there are nights we just want nachos, or have a potluck dinner, or feel obligated to clear out the fridge to make room for more.

Week One:
Greek Salad
Romaine Lettuce
Cucumber
Red Onion
Feta Cheese
Olives
Chicken on the Grill

Taco Ring
(I’m going to have to make a special post about this one. I will do that when I make it this week. Let me know if you are ready for the recipe before I post it!)
Crescent Rolls (I bought these last week)
Taco Meat (Pulling some out of the freezer)
Lettuce
Tomatoes
serve with Corn Cake

Pork Chops
(we already had these in the freezer from a sale 2 weeks ago)
Marinate overnight in Italian Dressing, then grill.
Oven roasted potatoes (cut 6 potatoes into 1″ cubes, put in gallon bag. Pour 2 Tbsp olive oil in bag, then 1/2 packet dry onion soup mix. Roast at 375 for 35-45 minutes)
Steamed broccoli

Artichokes
steam for 45-50 minutes
serve with rice and pineapple

Week Two
Teriyaki Pork Stir Fry
Dice the leftover pork chops and allow to soak in teriyaki marinade 30 minutes to overnight.

Add in fresh sugar snap peas, red pepper strips, and whatever other vegetables you desire.
Use Make Your Own Stir-Fry for guidance, substituting more of the teriyaki marinade instead of the sauce listed.

Spaghetti
Ragu Sauce, add in cooked crumbled italian sausage and mushrooms.
Serve with Salad and a loaf of French Bread

Smoked Sausage & Beans
Use your imagination, half of the dinner was free!

Chicken Pot Pie
Serve with salad.

Weekly sales fliers came out yesterday. I went ahead and made my list, in case anyone wants to take advantage of my time already spent.

I am going to publish my shopping list and meal plans for this/next week. If you find this useful, please drop me a line to let me know, as that will motivate me to continue it!

Monday is shopping day, but these sales are valid through next Tuesday. Items with * are on sale. Items marked with (S) are ones I will not be needing in the next two weeks, but are a good price for stocking up. Hope it’s helpful!

Sam’s Club
Bananas
Romaine lettuce hearts (unless I get to the FM this weekend)

HEB
*cucumbers
*mango
*greenhouse tomatoes
*athenos feta cheese
*(S)ground chuck
smoked sausage (w/ coupons for:)
*tortillas (free!)
*ranch beans (free!)
Kraft string cheese (w/ coupon for:)
*lunchable (free!)
HEB yogurt 4/4oz packs)

Albertsons
*seedless watermelon
*(S)Ragu sauce
*DiGiornio Pizzas (3 for $10)
*(S)ground turkey

Kroger
*pineapple
*broccoli crowns
*(S)rice-a-roni
*tortillas
*fritos
*Kroger yogurt
*artichokes!!!!!
*organic strawberries
*celery hearts
pie crust
olives
spaghetti noodles
canned mushrooms