Comments on: Day 10 of happiness – getting in control with food inventories

By: Mrs Green

Mrs Green — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 19:24:55 +0000

@Alissa: thank you so much; I real your delicious recipe and am itching to try it out!

By: Alissa

Alissa — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:33:04 +0000

If you’ve still got the molasses lying around, you could try making a delicious molasses Parkin for bonfire night?

By: Mrs Green

Mrs Green — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 10:07:31 +0000

@Rachel: Hmmm, my bread made with wholemeal flour has never worked out and it's been inedible - more the sort of texture you'd build a house from than eat. I think I'll just gradually add it in a 3:1 ratio to crumble toppings. You make a great point about the longevity of food: The eggs, citrus and root veggies were only put on the 'use within a week' because they'd already been hanging around; I reckon usually to get 3 weeks out of these foods.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:40:33 +0000

Wholemeal flour? Make bread! The other things on your help list are things I’d have in the back of the cupboard for years, too. Butter beans could be used to pad out a stew, but I think Small Footprints’ suggestion sounds a lot nicer! I think molasses is much the same as black treacle, which I use in Christmas cake, but not much else, so one tin lasts me quite a few years. None of these things will go off any time soon, so if they’re not getting in the way, they might as well sit there until you come across that Indian recipe that calls for coconut cream and mango, at which point you’ll be delighted that you have those things at the back of the cupboard!

Speaking of shelf lives, unless those they’ve been in the house for quite a while already, I’d question some of the things on your ‘within a week’ list. Eggs, citrus fruit and root vegetables all last considerably longer than that. I’m busy harvesting my potatoes, which I expect to see me through the winter, if properly stored. Pistachio nuts will certainly last longer, especially if they’re salted. Use-by dates are a tyranny invented to keep us shopping!

By: Mrs Green

Mrs Green — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 06:24:03 +0000

@Small Footprints: I absolutely agree with your ideas about feeling peaceful and free when things are organised. And that's a good thing, right?! Thanks for all your lovely ideas, I especially like the sound of the butter beans.

By: Small Footprints

Small Footprints — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 18:45:57 +0000

I like that … “enjoying certainty”! I feel so much better when my life is reasonably organized. Oh, it’s not that I can’t be spontaneous … but there is something peaceful and “freeing” when things are organized … it’s like I don’t have to think about them because they are as they should be.

Okay, ideas: We’ve found that mixing Wholemeal plain flour with other flour works better than using it by itself. It tends to be “tough” alone but mixed in with other flours give one the fiber without the toughness.

We love mangoes … I’d use the mango puree in a smoothie, heated and drizzled over pancakes/waffles, as a topping for ice cream, in a curry dish or added to a cake recipe (just adjust the other liquids).

Butter beans are one of my favorite foods. An elderly woman taught me how to cook them. She said to fry a little garlic in some olive oil, toss in a little oregano, salt and pepper and then add the beans, tossing to coat them with all the great flavors and warm them through. Mmm! The key is not to overcook them as they have a lot starch and will get mushy. We typically include them in our “Buddha Bowl” which is a bowl with rice, kale (or any greens available) and beans … with a drizzle of ginger sauce over the top. Very calming food and great for one’s liver and digestive tract.

I use coconut cream in a really great cauliflower & fava bean curry dish (would be happy to send you the recipe if you’d like).

Molasses … I don’t use it much but it’s supposed to be really healthy. My mom mixed it into her baked bean dishes for that slightly sweet flavor.

Hope that helps!