Help Wanted - Creativity in the Kitchen

Week 2

Day 5: Morocco 

Plan: Morocan-style Pizza - $4 for 4

Final Total: $3.92

Story:  We were not very creative last week, by our own standards, and while Africa is an enormous continent, with a wide variety of cuisine, we got kind of stuck in old ruts. Between Africa and Asia, our kitchen fare of the last two weeks, there are many meals served on rice or with beans with potatoes, carrots and onions served up in a variety of ways. There are lots of brown sauces; some more red, some more orange, some more green.  For as highly seasoned as we love our food, sometimes the palate tires of such high seasons.

Some of the quoteable quotes from last week included:

"If I were a refugee, I would be grateful."

"If I were a refugee, handed a box with these ingredients, I would make something else."

"What is our next region? Are we going to get to have pasta soon?"

"This taste like soap. I don't think you can give the leftovers to the chickens."

Friday night, I knew we needed something more familiar, and if not truly African, at least Africa-infused. There are recipes for Moroccan pizza all over the Internet. We met many Moroccans when our Egyptian friend and guest teacher lived with us. I know they would approve of this meal, and it's intent toward eating cheap, crossing cultures, and bringing comfort to the family table. 

                          

                      

  

Super Easy Crust for 1-14" Pizza

1 Tbsp yeast - $0.05

1 tsp sugar $0.02

1 cups warm water

2 1/2 cups flour $0.20

2 Tbsp olive oil $0.25

1 tsp salt  

$0.52

                          

                 

    

Toppings

1 cup seasoned Tomato Sauce - $0.25

1 Tbsp homemade chutney - $0.15

1 cups feta cheese - $2

1 cup diced Spinach - $1

Dash curry pdr, chili pdr, cumin 

1 diced spicy Pepper - free from garden

2 large cloves garlic, minced - free from garden

$3.40

Pizza Total - $3.92

Directions 

1. Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer.  When a soft, wet dough is achieved, let rest covered for 15-30 minutes.  

2. Preheat oven to 500*.  With floured hands, turn mound of dough onto floured parchment, or floured baking pan.  Work dough into a circle using floured hands.  Finish shaping to desired thickness with a rolling pen.  

3. Cover with favorite toppings.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  

College Prep in the Kitchen

Week 1: Region - Asia

Day 3: Local Cuisine - Japan - Not a country known for its poor or exiled, but, I lived three years of my youth there and learned some "incredible" (read, "My Japanese peers laughed at my unconventional approach) to some inexpensive Japanese cuisine. 

Plan: Tuesda Dinner - $5 for 5 family members - Yakisoba or "Fried Ramen"

Final total: $4.05

Story:  We are doing a lot of college prep at our house these days, and tonight we move from the computer to the kitchen to get ready for what's coming. KC is our chef this evening and is leaving for college in a few short months (boo, hoo, hoo).  She is all about flavorful, fast, and friendly food that is easy to make (she wins "Fast and Friendly" in her work at Zupas Cafe at least once a month). She is certain her meal is going to win "Best Dollar Dinner of the Week" according to our new ratings scale. We shall see. 

                      

Cheap Cheater's Yakisoba (cheating because it's not the real, fancy deal, it's the college girl hack)

1/4 head of broccoli or cauliflower, chopped - $0.60  

1/4 head cabbage, chopped $0.30  

2 cups carrots, sliced $0.75  

1 medium onion, sliced $0.50  

3 tbsp canola oil - $0.30  

3 tbsp sesame oil - $0.60  

5 packets ramen noodles and seasoning - $1(cheaper when on sale, I normalized this cost)

Meal total - $4.05  

Instructions:

1.  Prep all veggies while heating electric skillet. Add oil to skillet, then veggies and 2 ramen seasoning packets.  Cook over medium high heat until desired tenderness.   

2.  Boil ramen until noodles are pliable, but still firm. Drain.   

3.  Add 3 tbsp sesame oil to electric skillet. Over medium heat toss noodles in the skillet until covered in sesame oil. Add remaining ramen seasoning packets.  Toss until noodles are evenly covered with spice mix. Add veggies to the noodles. Toss again and serve.   

                     

 Ratings:

1. Quantity

On a scale of 1-5, 1. being, "I was still hungry" and 5. being "i had plenty to eat," was there enough food? 

Me: 5 - Plenty of food. A full serving of leftovers which I will eat for lunch tomorrow. 

Don: 5 - Yes, enough food

KC: 5 - Leftovers

Caleb: 5 - Full

Hannah: 4 - No comment

Category Average: 4.8

2. Uniqueness

On a scale of 1-5, with 1. being, "We've eaten this same thing a bunch ," and 5. being, "This is unique in our experiment," how unique would you say this meal was? 

Me: 5 - This is beyond rice and beans. Most people don't eat ramen this way so I call it very unique. 

Don: 2.5 - Not so unique for us. 

KC: 2.5 - We eat this a lot. 

Caleb: 1 - I've eaten this my whole life. 

Hannah: 3 3/4 - 

Category Average: 3.7

3. Variety

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being, "This meal has no variety bite for bite," and 5 being, "Every bite was a symphony," how would you rate the variety offered in this meal. 

Me: 4 - the different veggies allow for variety I each bite. 

Don:  3 - the variety is okay since it had veggies. 

KC:  4 - veggies

Caleb: 3.5 

Hannah: 3 3/4

Category average:  3.65

Note: "Hannah, do you do decimals?" Caleb asks.  "Nope," she says, "I do fractions."  "Good thing I do math," is my response. Anything to keep me on my toes. 

4. Enjoyment

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being, "Please never serve this again," and 5 being, "Lets make this again soon," how would you rate you overall enjoyment of this meal?

Me: 5 - I've loved this ramen hack since I learned to make it as a teenager in Japan. 

Don: 3 - It's okay. (He never loves this meal)

KC: 4.5 - I like it, man.

Caleb: 4 - Num, Num  

Hannah: 4 - I like it better than lemony lentils. 

Category average: 4.1

Total meal rating: 4.065

Lemony Lentil Soup and Why We Do the Things We Do

Week 1: Region - Asia

Day 2: Local Cuisine - Syria - War has torn through this country for over 4 1/2 years. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), "Over 3 million have fled to Syria's immediate neighbors Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. 6.5 million are internally displaced within Syria." (a.). We learned tonight, all those refugees have really hard lives. 

Plan: Monday Dinner - $5 for 5 family members - Lemony Lentil Soup

Final total: $4.68

        

   

Story: Tonight's dinner is brought to us by Caleb, our 14-year-old head chef for the evening.  This was an incredibly quick meal to throw together. We seven made a video to show you how fast it could all get together in the rice cooker. 

I'll let the rest of the post show you what happened with this meal, but I will say these experiments help us appreciate the plight of the poor and exiled around the world.  It is funny to me how we always have some sort of a melt down on the second day of a new experiment. Also, melt downs lead to growth and motivation to learn more and do more.  We really want to up our giving to people in need locally, to food banks, and to Humanitarian Aid. 

Here's the recipe, a link to the video, and the rest and how it went. I promise you a good laugh:

      

Lemony Lentil Soup from Syria

1 lb Red lentils - $1

3/4 cup lemon juice (we used lime, and this was too much for us) - $1.15

3/4 cup butter (should have used a cup) - $1

2 tbsp veggie (or chicken)broth bullion - $0.33

2 tsp garam masala $0.10

2 tsp cumin $0.10

1 tsp smoked paprika - $0.50

10 small cloves garlic, crushed (it wasn't too much) a free from the garden

Topping:

More paprika and toasted croutons - $0.50

Meal total - $4.68

1. Add all ingredients to rice cooker, cover with 6 cups water, and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. 

2.  Serve piping hot. Top with paprika and croutons. 

Note:  We adapted this recipe from a book called Soup for Syria. The Chef/Author/Photographer who compiled the recipes in the book has an amazing story this blog post can't do justice for. I plan to write a full review of her book when I get it. 

This is the Rest of the Story

                       

Ratings:

1. Quantity - On a scale of 1-5, 1. being, "I was still hungry" and 5. being "i had plenty to eat," was there enough food? 

Me: 4- Just Enough

Don: 4 - Pretty good amount

KC: 3 - there was more than enough but I didn't eat until I was full...Soooo

Caleb: 5 - I ate Ike three bowls plus KC's

Hannah: 2 1/2 - I couldn't eat until I was full

Category Average: 3.7

2. Uniqueness - On a scale of 1-5, with 1. being, "We've eaten this same thing a bunch ," and 5. being, "This is unique in our experiment," how unique would you say this meal was? 

Me: 5 - Very. I've never had a soup so tart. 

Don: 3 - Only semi unique

KC: 4 - We eat lentils a lot, but,  lemon.

Caleb: 3 - lots of lemon, actually lime, is what made it different. 

Hannah: 3 1/2 - I tried to tone down the lemon with milk. It ruined it. 

Category Average: 3.7

3. Variety - On a scale of 1-5, 1 being, "This meal has no variety bite for bite," and 5 being, "Every bite was a symphony," how would you rate the variety offered in this meal. 

Me: 3 - the croutons save the soup and offer variety

Don:  2 - not much variety

KC:  2 - it was one dish, but there were croutons

Caleb: 3 - croutons

Hannah: 3 1/2 - paprika and croutons

Category average:  2.7

4. Enjoyment - On a scale of 1-5, 1 being, "Please never serve this again," and 5 being, "Lets make this again soon," how would you rate you overall enjoyment of this meal?

Me: 3 - I could eat it again in a few weeks, but I would add the right amount of butter and decrease the lemon

Don: 4 - I would like to eat it again, just with much less lemon, more savory.

KC: 2 - I'm just not a fan of refugee food 

Caleb: 3 - I would eat it again at some point

Hannah: 2 3/4 - Hmm. I wouldn't ruin it next time.

Category average: 2.95

Overall Meal Rating - 2.61

It was nourishing and tasty, but too tart for some, and didn't offer enough bite-for-bite variety for most. 

Classic Quotes from This Meal:

"If I was a refugee I would love this. And, I would be grateful.  I just don't like lentils and mushy food. I don't like cinnamon except in dessert. I like poor people food; beans, potatoes, rice, I just don't like all of these spices. And, lentils.  Like this." --KC

"There's no dessert?  Well, maybe if you guys hadn't put so much lemon in we could have made something like lemon bars." --Don

"It was actually lime." --Caleb

References:

a. syrianrefugees.eu

$1 Dinners - Indian Fare For All

Week 1: Region - Asia

Day 1: Local Cuisine - India - Home to 1.25 BILLION beautiful souls. 75% of the population lives near or below the poverty line, earning less than $78/month.  Only 11% own a refrigerator (a).  There are over 14 million men, women and children trapped in slavery in India (b).  

Plan: Sunday Dinner - $15 for 15 - Samosas, Chutney, Dahl, Riata

Final total: $14.97.  We barely made budget, but we did it!

       

 Story:  It is a cherished nephew's birthday. We are the hosts. Somehow curry has become a distinct favorite in our families with vegetarian children. My sister brought an amazing array of curry sauces, but Don was head chef for our portion of tonight's shared fare. The longest prep was boiling the rutabaga for the samosas, everything else went quick, especially when we applied the adage "many hands make light work."

Firmer and less sweet than potatoes, but milder than turnups or horseradish, rutabagas are slightly bitter and cabbagey. They added interesting texture and flavor to the meal, and while were the most expensive addition, they were by far the most nutritious ingredient, which was Don's whole aim. One medium rutabaga has 33% of your potassium, 36% of your fiber, 160% of your vitamin c, and 20% of both magnesium and b6. Who knew one little root vegetable that can nestle in a root cellar comfortably for months could pack such a powerful punch.   Also, lentils were an awesome addition: 65% of fiber, 18 grams protein, 36% iron, all in one cooked cup. 

                                       

   Good job to the dad and food scientist in our house for pushing us out of the familiar box of hum drum veggies and into the more adventurous side of the cellar. 

Counting the Costs:

Samosas

Oil for frying -  2 cups - $1

Won Ton Wraps - $2.60

2 potatoes - $0.50

2 rutabaga - $3.20

1/2 c dried spinach - $0.50

1/4 c dried onion - $0.25

2 tbsp oil - $0.05

1 tbsp lemon juice - $0.10

1 large clove garlic - free from garden

1/2 powdered ginger 

1/2 teaspoon garam masala spice blend

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon red chile powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Samosa Total - $8.2

     

  

1.  Peel and chop rutabaga for boiling.  Heat water and add rutabaga, bring to a full boil.  Peel and chop potatoes. 

2.  When rutabaga are half way done (after maybe 15 minutes), add potatoes. Cover and boil until all potatoes are nearly ready for mashing. Add dried spinach (fresh spinach will work, too, just chop it finely).  Drain veggies and pour them into a medium bowl. 

3.  Add remaining ingredients to the bowl. Mix on medium speed with hand mixer until potatoes are mashed. Rutabaga may still be chunky. No problem. 

4.  Put abt one teaspoon of samosa filling in the center of a won ton wrap.  Wet edges with water and fold into a triangle. 

5. Fry samosas in hot oil over medium high heat. When the first side is golden brown (about two minutes) flip and fry the other side. Place on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels. Serve hot with chutney or raita. 

       

   

Dahl

2 cups lentils - $1

1 tablespoon olive oil - $0.12

1/4 c dried minced onion - $0.25

2 tbsp vegetable stock powder - $0.33

1 teaspoon garlic, minced - free from the garden

1 large bay leaf

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

6 cups water

salt as needed, after lentils are cooked

2 tbsp yogurt after lentils are cooked $0.20

Dahl total - $1.95

1.  Add all ingredients into rice cooker. Cook until tender. 

2.  Pour lentil mixture into a medium bowl. Add yogurt.  Mix with an electic mixer until smooth. Salt as needed. 

3. Serve with rice, raita, samosas, chutney, naan, or any other side. 

Mint Chutney

1 bunch fresh cilantro - $0.70

1 bunch fresh mint leaves - $2.20

1 small onion, cut into chunks $0.25

1 tablespoon lemon juice $0.10

1 spicy chile pepper - free from the garden

1 clove garlic 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 cup water

Chutney total - $3.25

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor. Blend on high for one minute. Chill.

2. Serve with samosas, naan, or any happy snack you can think of. 

       

       

Raita

1 1/2 cup plain yogurt - $0.95

1/2 grated cucumber $0.50

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro $0.12

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground curry powder 

1/2 tsp salt 

Raita total - $1.57

1.  Add all ingredients into a medium bowl. Mix well. Chill and garnish with fresh cilantro and chili powder. 

2. Serve with curry as a coolant for spiciness, or to add a little tang to any dish or side. 

     

  

Dinner total - $14.97

References

A. http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/02/asia/india-poor-census-secc/

B. http://www.globalslaveryindex.org/country/india/

Day 4 - $2 A Day

      

      

Today, everyone got up late, so we really only had 2 meals. I felt myself getting edgy and anxious before dinner.  I'm due for my quarterly migraine/hormone shot. It could have been that. Or, I was just hungry.   Either way, I probably should have had a snack. All the kids seemed fine today.  The waffles for brunch were served pretty close to noon, were made of whole wheat, and seemed to carry everybody (except me) just fine until dinner. No real contention or longing not to be on experiment.  Although, there were a few mozzarella references, everyone was really happy we had cheese and sour cream with our dinnerl.  

Of note:  Hannah made most of the evening meal herself.  I chopped onions, peppers, and cilantro. She made Spanish rice, seasoned black beans, and semi-fresh salsa (canned tomatoes, everything else from the garden or the fridge). Quote of the day - "You know, cooking is just adding a bunch of stuff together in a container or a pan, mixing and stirring, adding here and there, and maybe heating it up until it tastes right."  Yep! So, take credit for your mixing, stirring, spicing-it-up contribution, girl!

Brunch - 

Whole wheat Waffle mix - $0.85

Syrup - $0.50

Strawberries - $1.25

Brunch total - $2.60

Dinner -

Chips - $2.30

10 corn tortilla - $1

Sour cream - $1

3 cans blacks beans - $1.95

Cheese ($2.60x.5)- $1.30

1/2 onion - $0.25

1 bunch cilantro - $0.70

1 can rotel - $1

1 can diced tomatoes - $0.65

1/2 lb cabbage - $0.17

Leftover rice - free

Spices and Peppers - free

Dinner total - $10.32

Daily total - $12.92

Day 2 - $2 a Day

                     

Today, Hannah and I went to the allergist. She endured some pretty good poking and prodding, so we got a shake and a diet coke (i endured watching her being poked and prodded) from McDonalds when we were done. It's a good thing it was a low budget day. Our first treat cheat fit in no problem, but we weren't sure it would. We decided to declare it either way, just to keep ourselves honest.

Hannah had a major hand in every portion of the meal tonight beginning with the plan. She made the bread with only minimal final resting place help from me. She sliced all zucchini and insisted on making the marinara on her own. KC helped her with dredging and I did the frying, but she was master chef. I love that when I tell her, "Make a chiffonade," whether for basil or chard, she knows exactly what to do.

What we've learned so far - 

1. Hannah says, " Pasta is way easier than curry." I ask, "like between the marinara and the masala sauce?" Caleb responds, "The whole shebang." Hannah agrees. 

2. "It is great that we can use so much of our own stuff," Hannah adds. meaning, the most nourishing parts of our meals were from our garden or hen house. This would be really hard to do in the winter unless you had a greenhouse. Also, chickens. 

3. Leftovers are key. Because we didn't divide the cost of yesterday's dinner for multiple meals Several of us ate free lunch figured from curry and rice leftovers. Tomorrow will be the same except with pasta and sauce.

Breakfast - 

Eggs - free from our chickens

2 granola bars $0.40

2 Cups Milk $0.20

1 Cup Choco Milk $0.20

1 Cup Juice $0.20

Breakfast total - $1

Lunch -

Curry Leftovers - free lunch- already accounted for

1 Cup Milk $0.10

1 Cup Juice $0.20

Cup o noodles $0.50

Lunch total - $0.80

Dinner -

Homemade whole wheat bread 

    3 cups flour - $0.30

    1 tbsp yeast $0.05

    Salt and water - free

    Butter $0.25

    Jam from the neighbor, traded for eggs - free!

Sautéed chard 

    Rainbow Chard - free

    4 tbsp Butter - $0.25

Zucchini Parmesan

    Zucchini - free 

    1 cup flour (1/3lb) $0.10

    Parmesan cheese $1

    Egg & Spices - free

    1/2 cup Oil for shallow frying - $0.50

Marinara - 

     1 can tomatoes $1

     1 can tomato paste $0.50

      Herbs from the garden - free

1 lb Pasta - $1

1 cup homemade ranch dressing $0.50

3 cups chocolate milk $0.60

Dinner total - $5.90

Daily meal total - $7.85

McDonalds Cheats on Family Funds - $3.85

Daily total - $11.70

Goal >$14

Totally met!

P.S. After all meals were enjoyed and cleared away, KC chose to treat us all to half-price creme brulés from her work. If we counted it we would be $1.50 over budget. She said we shouldn't have to count it because it was her personal money, not family funds. A gift. Moral ambiguities and true confessions. You judge for yourself how you would handle it. Feel free to share your thoughts.

Day 1 - $2 A Day

Hannah at the Helm...Again

Heaven on Earth around the Dinner table. 6 of these beautiful people belong to me.  I claim the other two, as well.      

I won't lie. It was bit of a rocky start as we got this budget into place. Hannah and I went shopping last night for several items we would need. The rule is $2 per per person per day, and we are counting 7 people because we frequently have that many, even if our newlyweds don't join us. Tonight there were 9 of us. Still $2x7 = $14. We spent $12.56 at the store, then subbed some of the ingredients out for things we had here.

Another confession. There were a few minutes of heartburn figuring out how much each granola bar costs and if we really had to count them, Or the ice cream one might want in the evening, or any number of miscellaneous food items we might ingest that aren't necessarily meal related. There were several utterances of "I really don't want to do this experiment." But, before dinner was on the table, Hannah had the days budget figured down to the dollar, and when she answered the door for company and said, "I was just working on the day's budget," there was a clear note of pride in her voice. And, when she finished making the meal and crunching the numbers, her sense of accomplishment was evident.

KC keeps us honest. She said, "I think we need to do more of making the meals fit the budget of the day rather than just seeing what happens when we get to the end of the day. It should not be an option to go over."

So, we took that to heart, chose our curry recipe that didn't call for coconut only used one can of garbanzo beans when I thought we needed two, and we came in just under where we needed to be, making room for chocolate milk.

Tonight's dinner was in honor of Malala, the 18-year-old Pakistani girl, who at 15 was shot by the Taliban for daring, as a girl, to go to school. At 17, won the Nobel peace prize. And, just last week, in honor of her birthday, opened a school for Syrian refugees, especially welcoming girls. KC made a cake to celebrate! We are still looking for a cause to support with the funds we save through this experiment. Malala reminds us that by small means, great things can happen. If you are considering a $2 a Day Challenge, here's some food for thought. Also, this is our accountability, all figured by Hannah:

Breakfast - 

Waffle mix - $0.85

Syrup - $0.50

Milk - $0.50

Juice - $0.25

Butter - $0.25

Breakfast total - $2.35

Snack - 

Granola bars - $0.40 

Chips - $0.50

Salsa - $0.50

Snack total - $1.50

Submarine total so far: $3.85

Dinner 

Tikka masala 

Onion - $0.20

2lbs potato - $0.40 

1 can tomatoes - $1

1 can garbanzo beans - $1

Cream - $1.30 

Carrots - $0.40

Yogurt dip - Dip - $1 

Rice - $1 

Naan - $2

Cake - $1.25

Milk - $0.70

Spices and garden veggies don't count on budget!

Dinner total - 9.55

All together for the day - $14

Right on!

                                    

3 in 1 Real Foods Recipes

Butternut Chickpea Tikka Masala

This is really three recipes in one.  Don't be afraid of the ingredients listed or the steps in the process.  Each recipe could be paired with lots of things, and two of the three could be enjoyed totally on their own.  All of them are inspired by fond memories of the wedding we celebrated for our son last year, our No More Grocery Shopping Experiment, and The 52 New Foods Challenge.

First, the wedding!  

A year ago, I'm sitting at the table with Brennan, our oldest child, and Marissa, his fiance.  Their wedding is less than two months away and it is time to get serious about the menu for the festivities. 

"We were thinking curry," she says.  Bren and Marissa are both vegetarian and Indian food is one of their favorite cuisines.

"Yeah, remember when we made a huge pot of Tikka Masala curry for the homeless kids?" Bren asks.  "We could just do something like that.  Right?"  

"Yeah," I laugh.  "Feeding the homeless and feeding a bunch of  wedding guests are pretty much the same thing."  But, I don't laugh too hard, because, with this thrifty pair and their' taste for delicious, inexpensive food, we really don't need to switch our culinary gears to get wedding-worthy results out of  homeless shelter fare.  I'm glad about that, and I know they are, too.

"The thing is, we only made one recipe for the homeless shelter.  What are you hoping to do for your wedding dinner?"

"Well, we have several kinds of curry we love.  I guess it would come down to what is cheapest and easiest to make," my daughter-in-law-to-be says.  She's a keeper.  No trace of BrideZilla here.

"Okay, what would you say are your very favorites?  Let's list them out and go from there."   We make a list of curries and other Indian cuisine.  Tikka Masala is at the top.  After weeks of experimenting we have a bride-and-groom approved recipe.  It was amazing, and many people left saying it was the best wedding food they had ever eaten.  This recipe is just part of what we did, it comes in three parts and it is worth replicating!

        

Garlic Ginger Jumble

20 cloves garlic, peeled

6 inches ginger root, peeled and chopped

3 tbsp coconut oil

Salt and pepper

      

1.  Peel all that garlic.  As an easy tip, break all the cloves away from the bulb and throw into a large bowl that has a tight lid.  Cover the bowl with the lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. The skins will slip right off.  It may take a minute or two of additional shaking,  but it's good exercise and way quicker than standing there peeling each clove.

      

2. Peel the ginger root and cut it into one inch pieces.  

3. Add the garlic and the ginger,  along with the oil, into a blender or food processor and grind to a paste or poultice.  

4. Saute up and use in curries, lentils and rice dishes.  Refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Second, The 52 New Foods Challenge

Hannah trying her hand at butternut squash and the 52 New Foods Challenge     

I love this book.  I hope you buy it, read it, practice its precepts and slowly convert your family to a renewed habit of conscious eating. You have 52 weeks to do it in, for crying out loud.  Jennifer Tyler Lee inspires me to look at old favorites in new ways (ever try Brussel Sprout Chips, for instance?) in fact, the garlic ginger jumble above came as a result of asking how other cultures use these familiar additions to their food.  A Pakistani friend you'll meet at the end of this post says that is a regular recipe in his kitchen. Now, it is a staple in mine as well. 

After reading the book, I should say I made a discovery, and it is this:  there are ways to prepare an old standby so it seems new.  Take butternut squash, for instance. Not usually my favorite of the squashes.  And, my kids don't like it either.  My husband, on the other hand, will eat it any way he can, but he usually falls back on soup or mashed butternut.  YUCK!  No offense butternut soup lovers of the world.  It might as well be pumpkin pie soup If you ask me.  Always too sweet and creamy to believe it should be a main player at the dinner table.  

However, the 52 New Foods Challenge inspired me to try something new with butternut. I wanted it to be so savory it could stand on its own or be a meat substitute in tacos, curries or pastas.  I wanted it to be something easy enough for an 11-year-old to make. I was honestly doubtful every step of the way until they came searing hot out of the sauté pan into the serving dish.  One taste and I knew we had hit on something we were going to look forward to in many meals to come.  Thanks, Jennifer.  Here is the recipe:

     

Curry Peppered Butternut Squash

2 cups butternut squash cooked and cubed

1 tsp chili pepper

1/2 tsp yellow curry 

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1. Cut Squash lengthwise, deseed, lay face down on a cooking sheet.  Cook for 30 minutes at 350*.  When it's finished peel squash, and cut it into one inch cubes.Toss cubed squash in a bag with spices, shake to coat well

2. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil in a medium sauté pan.

3. Sear squash in the pan with oil until all sides are browned

4. Set aside and try not to eat it all before you get the rest of your meal done.  Serve on top of rice, in curry, or on its own.

      

Finally, No More Grocery Shopping.  

We were 25 days in to our 40 day grocery store fast when we have Hedar, a friend of KC's, came over for dinner.  Hedar is a Pakistani exchange student.  Pakistanis love curry.  Hedar, homesick for food from his homeland, especially loves Tikka Masala.  When I realized he was coming on the day of my photo shoot of all these great recipes, I sort of panicked.  What if I didn't have a key ingredient? What if I couldn't get the curry just right with whatever I had on hand?  What if he hated the whole meal?  I confronted the first question with my Trusted Advisors - could I go to the store just to get a few items for this special meal for the photos, and for the Pakistani boy.  "No!" Was pretty much the resounding answer.  "You can barter for your missing ingredients."  I traded a whole meal in exchange for some yellow curry powder, ginger and coconut. The caramels I bought at the gas station for the dessert I made later were declared a cheat by every kid, my husband and my trusted advisers.  I thought the loophole was clear.

When our guest arrived, he could smell all the garlic, ginger and curry in the air.  "What did you make for dinner?" was his first enthusiastic question when he came in the door.

"Well, I made a bunch of stuff.  Syrian rice, Babaganouj, Hummus, and Tikka Masala."

"You made Tikka? I love Tikka!" He said, wonder and homesickness in his voice.  I was immediately intimidated by the prospect of having screwed it up.

"No! Actually, it is just a random curry sauce.  See this one over here?" I ask, lifting the lid of a different pan, trying to divert his attention from what may be a very disappointing version of his beloved dish.  "This is Syrian rice.  Have you ever had this?"

"Yes.  We have this.  But, why do you say this is not Tikka?" he asks, wondering if I know my own mind.

"Well, because, it probably isn't the tikka masala you know.  Maybe it's too American.  I have never fed this curry to a person who would really KNOW.  Here," I say taking the lid off of the curry pot, "see what you think."

Before I even hand him the spoon, he takes a big whiff of the steam coming off the curry.  He smiles broadly.  "THIS IS TIKKA!" he exclaims.  "I know it is!  I can smell this in the air.  I smell the masala spices."

He is so excited.  I hand him the spoon.  He tastes.  "TIKKA!" is all he says.

So, with bartering and bargaining, and no trips to the grocery store, I was able to pull of a very authentic dish.  Yay!

        

Butternut Chickpea Tikka Masala

1 onion, diced

2 tbsp garlic ginger jumble (recipe above)

1 hot chili, minced

2 cups veggie broth

3 potatoes diced

1 lb baby carrots whole

1 tbsp yellow curry

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cumin

2 tsp paprika

1 Tbsp red pepper

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cinnamon

1  28oz can of petite diced tomatoes

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 1/2 c cream

2 cups prepared butternut squash (recipe above) 

        

1.  Sauté onions and garlic ginger jumble and pepper in a large pan over medium-high heat. 

2. In a separate pan, potatoes and carrots in two cups of veggie broth.  When veggies are steamed but still firm, add them, along with the broth to the onions and garlic.  

3. Add spices and stir well.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add all additional ingredients.  

4. Simmer to a gentle bubble for 15 minutes.  Serve piping hot over rice.

30 Days Down

We've finished 30 days of our 40 day fast from the grocery store.  I have documented the 4th week of meals, Hannah's wrap up of being head chef in the kitchen, but I still have to price it all out, and that is very tedious.  There is no real plan for the next ten days, other than we are not going to the grocery store, or the farmers market, or the dairy.  Eileen was right.  I should have quit at 30. This is no-man's land! And, i am terrified!

      

So, for now, let me tell you where we stand as far as what we have on hand -

Fresh Produce: 

Cucumbers

1.5 lbs Carrots

2 Cabbage

5 Onions

8 Multi-colored peppers

One half of a precious little bunch of cilantro

Dairy:

1 and 1/2 gallon 2% milk

1 qt egg nog

4 lbs butter

10 slices provolone

8 slices Munster

2 cups mozzarella

1 lb fresh feta

1 cup cream

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Misc.:

Juice

Coconut milk

Mustard

Mayo

Salad dressing

Jam

Freezer:

2 loaves bread

Bananas

Spinach

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Green beans

Edamame

Pantry/Storage:

Canned - milk, peaches, pears, tomatoes, black/white/kidney beans

Dry goods - rice, wheat, flour, sugar, legumes, barley

Veggie oil, vinegar, peanut butter

Cake/corn bread mixes

50 lbs of pasta

8 boxes Mac & Cheese

20 packs ramen noodles 

2 bags of tortilla chips

Popcorn

Dried apples and bananas

Some almonds and cashews, maybe 2 lbs total

5 lbs honey

Other Stuff:

Potatoes, herbs and peppers from the garden

1 spaghetti squash, a few butternut squash

Eggs from the henhouse

Fresh Garlic & Ginger

Tons of Spices

Actually, now that I look at the inventory, I am not afraid.  We are going to be just fine.  I think being low on milk and cheese, not really having much in the way of snacky food, and having less fresh produce than we're used to makes me feel insecure.  Salad is usually a staple around here. But, seriously! Look how much food there is to feed our family!

KC, 16, is in charge for this two weeks+.  I am leaving town for one week of her stewardship in the kitchen. She gets no budget and can't go to the store until Saturday, November 15.  She is on deck from Nov 3-18th.  she gets an extra day because i will be gone.  So, she's planning on her wits and creativity alone for the first twelve days of the fifteen days in her meal prepping duties.  

Here's what she has planned for dinners.  I don't have pricing, but you can see it is all pretty cheap stuff.

Whole wheat waffles with sour cream sauce

Brocolli cheese soup 

Veggie Curry and rice x 2

Pasta and veggies x 2

Roasted veggies and bread

Saag Shorba - spinach soup 

Pizza 

Navajo tacos

Rice and bean burritos

Yakisoba and edamame (stir-fried ramen with veggies)

That is her 12 meals of No More Grocery Shopping.  She is not afraid.  this is KC, and this is not her first rodeo!

                      

After our 40 day fast is up, on November 14, she gets to finish her shift with a trip to the store and three days of who-knows-what-treasures procured from our local market (surely milk and salad greens will be on the list.) 

Today, though, and for the next 10 days, we are roughing it,  using only what's currently in the refrigerator and pantry.  Since people joke about eating lots of ramen when they are on a budget,  let me share our favorite ramen recipe with you.

                          

Yakisoba - Stir-Fried Ramen for 6, Under $0.40/serving

8 packs ramen noodles, par boiled - $0.80

1 med onion, diced $0.30

2 cups carrots, diced $0.30

2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced $0.30

2 tbsp canola oil - $0.10

3 tbsp soy sauce - $0.56

Fresh cilantro, sesame oil and siracha sauce as toppings, optional

$2.36

1. Open ramen packages, set flavor packets aside.  Bring large pot of water to a boil. 

2.  When water is boiling, add all the ramen together in the pot.  Par boil noodles until they are just cooked, but still a bit firm.  Drain, drizzle with oil to prevent noodles from clumping together.

3.  In a large frying pan or wok, sauté onions in oil over high heat.  As they are turning clear, add the carrots.  As carrots are beginning to soften, add the red cabbage and soy sauce, cook until all veggies are crisp but tender.  

4. Add noodles to sautéed veggies.  Stir in 5 of the 8 seasoning packets.  Serve hot with chili sauce, sesame oil or freshly sliced peppers and cilantro.

 

The 52 New Foods Challenge - A Challenge Within a Challenge

So, as of today, DAY 25, we are more than halfway through our No More Grocery Shopping challenge.  We've also taken the SNAP challenge to keep our food expenditures under $4.50 per person per day (as an average).  Honestly, staying out of the grocery store is by far the more difficult challenge when compared to coming in under budget.  But, since I am committed to both, and we are doing reasonably well, I thought it would be fun to get another plate spinning in this whole food challenge circus side show.

Enter the 52 New Foods Challenge!  Jennifer Tyler Lee, creator of this engaging game and  300+ page recourse guide and recipe book, is a writer, a foodie, and a mom committed to helping build strong, healthy families through fresh food experiments.  As you know, my blog is all about experiments, especially with food.  So, Jennifer's mission immediately resonated with  me.  The 52 New Foods Challenge is built around 7 Principles, all of which are easier said than done.  However, as a mom of four, myself, I know that's the case with most things that are worth pursuing and family related.  It takes commitment, creativity and connection to see a challenge through, and I know Jennifer Tyler Lee understands this, too.  She never claims a quick fix though this process.  Rather, she suggests a systematic, planned approach to introducing new foods and recipes to your family.  That said, let me share with you two of my favorite principles from her book, and how we've incorporated them in our family over the years of raising children.

The 52 New Foods Challenge           

Let Kids Lead

If you've followed this blog at all, you have seen the kids leading out. If you are new to this blog, you should know that they have they taken each meal for the last month from the planning stages to the table , including making all the purchases before we started this crazy 40 day fast from grocery shopping.  Through our experiments over the years, our kids have learned to do more with less, eat fresh on a dime, make a meal out of whatever is in the fridge even when you are exhausted at the end of a long day, and push the limits of their own creativity in the kitchen and in life.  

"Can we have breakfast for dinner a bunch of times during my turn?" our youngest child, Hannah, asks. 

"You can't do it a bunch of times because dad doesn't think breakfast for dinner is really a legitimate option, remember," responds her 16-year-old-sister, KC.  

"What's not legitimate about waffles?" Hannah asks.  The question actually inspires KC to go on a quest for hardy, not-your-regular-run-of-the-flour-mill waffle recipes.  She found some and made them.  They were legit.

They have also learned to tolerate frustration and failure to the point of trying again until they are happy with the results they get from a given recipe or experiment.  

"Mom, you made the curry without me?  it's my week and i suck at making curry.  i really wanted to make it." Caleb, 13 complains.

"Well, you were napping and i tried to wake you, but you just didn't get up.  So, I made it by myself.  I'm sorry.  And, how can you say you're not good at curry when poor, pregnant Aunt Katie tells me every time we talk about food how she craves that cilantro lime curry you made at her house this summer.  She dreams about it.  She loves it so much that even in restaurants she compares other curries to yours and they don't meet the standard."

"Well, she is pregnant," he replies, with a smirk.  "Anyway, that was Thai.  It wasn't as tricky as Indian curries, there are so many spices to keep track of, and I really wanted to learn the ones we did for Brennan's wedding."  Our other son got married last December.  We served Coconut Korma and Chickpea Tikka Masala, along with a lot of other highly seasoned menu items. 

"Fine, I'm making it again later this week to post on the blog.  If you are all caught up on school I'll keep you home for an hour so I can walk you through it."  He has straight A's for the first time in his life.  He mastered the Coconut Korma.

                                              

Cooking Together

While letting kids lead has gone a long way to teach our children new skills around meal prep, cooking, and budgeting, I have to say that the habit of  "Cooking Together" actually saved our family.  2 1/2 years ago, our oldest child, Brennan, became ill with what turned out to be chronic, recurrent mono.  Previously an avid eater and fan of all things foodie, he lost his appetite, lost 20% of his body mass, and lost his connection to most of the important things in his life - relationships, music, intellectual pursuits, food.  He was sick.  For a long time.  It was life-altering.  Still, throughout this trying time, we kept our habit of cooking together, entertaining a small crowd on Sundays, and planning food for special occasions .  I have to give him an immense amount of credit for his example to our family, because even though he rarely felt like it, he always participated in the kitchen as an effort, actually, as an act of hope, to one day reconnect with food and people and life as he knew it.  

During this time Brennan chose to become a vegetarian.  This gave our whole family an opportunity to learn new recipes and reimagine old favorites.  It also inspired us all to examine what we were eating more closely.   Since then, every kid in our house has chosen a vegetarian diet.  Caleb,  has also chosen to quit refined sugar. (I tell him, "that is a great choice," as i shudder at the thought of taking that on personally.) Here, I have to say, feeding a bunch of vegetarians is the easiest family challenge I have ever confronted.  My husband jokes about this because even though he still eats meat occasionally, he has always had more vegetation on his plate than anyone else, and hangs on to his "youthful figure" by consuming a colorful palette of fruits and vegetables.    Me, I pretty much only eat meat on my date night, always incorporate as much color as i can encourage into our various kid managed menus, and will always be trailing my husband as far as overall fitness goes.  

Wrap Up

So, here's what I've learned about family challenges: the bad news is, some of them you don't get to opt in and out of, and, sometimes they take a lot longer than you ever thought they would.  The good news is, when you have foundational practices in place, like letting kids lead, and things as everyday as planning and preparing meals as a family, or looking forward to Sunday dinner entertaining, you can pull through just about anything together.

And, now, for the Caleb's Coconut Korma, prominently featuring 52 New Foods Challenge Ingredients: Garlic and Cauliflower (so, the ingredients aren't new, but the final outcome is unique). 

Thanks, Dawni, for your beautiful photography.

         

Coconut Korma

2 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups cauliflower florets 

1 cup veggie broth

1 1/2  tbsp curry powder

1 1/2 tbsp garam masala

2 1/2 tsp salt

2 cups chickpeas

1 15oz can chopped tomatoes

1 15oz (regular size) can coconut milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 c toasted cashews

1/2 c golden raisins

2 tsp chopped chilis of choice

cilantro and rice to serve

1.  Sauté onions and garlic in a large pan over medium-high heat.  

2. In a separate pan, steam cauliflower in one cup of veggie broth.  When cauliflower is steamed but still firm, add it, along with the broth to the onions and garlic.  

3. Add spices and stir well.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add all additional ingredients.  

4. Simmer to a gentle bubble for 15 minutes.  Serve piping hot over rice.