Upon leaving my parents' house the other night, I decided I needed to issue myself a challenge- to clean out the cupboards, fridge and freezer, and finish off the contents that are just sitting there, taking up space. It's time to use up some of those winter stores.
The Winter Stores Challenge is a multifaceted New Year's resolution.
1) Dietary- it means eating at home, not splurging on treats or take-out. It's a great way to get back on the wagon after the holidays. If your cupboards are like mine, it's probably healthy food so you won't be living on junk. If it's junk food in your cupboard, you should see about Mark's Daily Apple, and adopting the Primal Blueprint way of life.
2) Decluttering- We're cleaning out the old clutter to make room for new, or perhaps adopting a more minimal lifestyle.
3) Financial- You're gonna save a boatload of money.
So what exactly IS this challenge?
No groceries, from January 1st to February 1st. You have to live on what's in your house already.
The rules:
Don't go stocking up on a month's worth of food before it starts. If you need to buy a few provisions to make certain meals work, buy just a little. Set yourself a budget. $20 is more than enough to buy odds n' ends like salt, or a couple cans of tomatoes, or a few sweet potatoes, or a bag or two of frozen veggies. If you've only got 3 eggs left, go pick up 1 or 2 dozen. Just don't go overboard. You want this to be a challenge, to force yourself to eat what's piled up over the year.
(I did go to the store. I bought a couple cans of diced tomatoes, a couple cans of mackerel, 4 sweet potatoes, and some Thai vegetable stock.)
Do not eat out at restaurants every other night. If there's a special occasion (as in my case with birthday celebrations) that's ok, but no stopping at Applebee's or ordering Chinese take-out. Nuh-uh. That's cheating. A cup of coffee at Dunkin' won't hurt, just not every day, unless you do that anyways.
People cannot drop food off for you, or leave it on your doorstep. You laugh, but when I told my friends and family I was going to do this, my dad wanted to hide carrots in my fridge while I was at work, and one friend suggested she might leave a container of Fage on my doorstep. People cannot supply you with any sort of food. Sorry guys, that's cheating too.
That's it. That's all there is to it. This is more of a mental challenge than a physical one I believe. I'm going to post up pictures every day, or every couple of days to keep track of what I've eaten, to keep it honest, and to see how my menu (may) devolve as the month goes by. The trick in all this is keeping the food as palatable on day 26 as it was on day 6.
Take the challenge with me, feel free to comment and update on your successes, dilemmas, or just let us know how you're doing. Keep track of how much money you saved this month, or what you'll do with all that extra fridge/cupboard space.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
A Most Thoughtful Gift
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I am happy to say that I did. I have so many lovely friends and family that I was blessed to spend my holidays with, and I received so many thoughtful gifts- many of them food related. Cook books, butchery books, pork jowls, small appliances, knives... even bacon-related clothing! There's one gift in particular I wanted to share with you all though, and when you see the picture you'll know why.
First though, I have to share a couple other photos with you. This year for Christmas dinner my dad decided to try his hand at Prime rib...
There was so much delicious food this weekend. My mom did an insane amount of baking. There were meats, cheeses, shrimp, dips, roasted chestnuts, several colors of potatoes, eggnog... oh my... so much food.
So about that Most Thoughtful Gift... my Lil Sis has really outdone herself and got me this, a custom leather recipe book, in a beautiful bag, with "Wilderness Childe" branded into the cover. Isn't it absolutely gorgeous!?
I couldn't wait to start adding recipes!
I did realize that many of my recipes are much longer than will fit on the cards, which means getting a little creative (and learning to be more concise) in my instructions. This is something that I'm very much looking forward to passing down someday.
Thank you Sis, for such a thoughtful gift.<3
First though, I have to share a couple other photos with you. This year for Christmas dinner my dad decided to try his hand at Prime rib...
 |
| Is this not the most beautiful hunk of meat ever? Well done, dad! |
 |
| The apple didn't fall far from the tree! |
So about that Most Thoughtful Gift... my Lil Sis has really outdone herself and got me this, a custom leather recipe book, in a beautiful bag, with "Wilderness Childe" branded into the cover. Isn't it absolutely gorgeous!?
I couldn't wait to start adding recipes!
I did realize that many of my recipes are much longer than will fit on the cards, which means getting a little creative (and learning to be more concise) in my instructions. This is something that I'm very much looking forward to passing down someday.
Thank you Sis, for such a thoughtful gift.<3
 |
| My silly Lil Sis, looking like the Grand Poobah. |
Monday, December 19, 2011
Bachelor Soup
This wasn't originally called Bachelor Soup, but it was unanimously renamed at my last party, for two reasons. No... three reasons.
1) The ingredients are ridiculously cheap. You can make a big kettle for just $8.00.
2) It's so easy, a man can make it. In fact, it was a man who originally taught me to make it.
... and the final nail in the coffin...
3) It makes a fabulous post-party hangover breakfast, lunch AND dinner.
Truly. It does.
The ingredients are simple. There are no measurements. Eyeball it.
You will need:
Kielbasa
Potatoes
Green beans
That's it. Use standard potatoes, red ones, big ones, little ones... doesn't matter.
Use fresh green beans, frozen, canned... still doesn't matter. Personally, I prefer French cut frozen, but that's just me.
Chop up the kielbasa into bite-size pieces. Put it in a big pot.
Chop up the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Put it in the big pot.
Chop up the green beans into... you get the picture.
Add water to cover.
Salt.
Pepper.
Get fancy and throw in a bay leaf or something.
Maybe some more pepper.
Heat on medium for a long time until the potatoes are all soft and the fats and salt renders from the meat.
Eat it.
PS- the longer it cooks, or the more times you re-heat it, the thicker and yummier it becomes.
Really, that's it. It's so stupidly simple, but amazingly delicious. The party people loved it, and it was a godsend the next morning for those of us who went a tad overboard with the jello shots.
1) The ingredients are ridiculously cheap. You can make a big kettle for just $8.00.
2) It's so easy, a man can make it. In fact, it was a man who originally taught me to make it.
... and the final nail in the coffin...
3) It makes a fabulous post-party hangover breakfast, lunch AND dinner.
Truly. It does.
The ingredients are simple. There are no measurements. Eyeball it.
You will need:
Kielbasa
Potatoes
Green beans
That's it. Use standard potatoes, red ones, big ones, little ones... doesn't matter.
Use fresh green beans, frozen, canned... still doesn't matter. Personally, I prefer French cut frozen, but that's just me.
Chop up the kielbasa into bite-size pieces. Put it in a big pot.
Chop up the potatoes into bite-size pieces. Put it in the big pot.
Chop up the green beans into... you get the picture.
Add water to cover.
Salt.
Pepper.
Get fancy and throw in a bay leaf or something.
Maybe some more pepper.
Heat on medium for a long time until the potatoes are all soft and the fats and salt renders from the meat.
Eat it.
 |
| Yes, that is a Styrofoam bowl and plastic spoon. Bachelor-chic. |
PS- the longer it cooks, or the more times you re-heat it, the thicker and yummier it becomes.
Really, that's it. It's so stupidly simple, but amazingly delicious. The party people loved it, and it was a godsend the next morning for those of us who went a tad overboard with the jello shots.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Carrot Raisin Cupcakes, With Cream Cheese Frosting
Who doesn't love a good cupcake? Especially when it's a fairly good for you cupcake!? I don't know about you, but I ain't saying "No" this Christmas to a quality treat. Sometimes... sometimes you just gotta have one. Or three. (Kidding.)
Seriously. You gotta try these.
Carrot Raisin Cupcakes
6 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup raisins (or currents, or dried cranberries)
1/3 cup diced apples (optional)
In a bowl, whisk together coconut oil and honey. Whisk in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix coconut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix completely. Fold in carrots, raisins, (and apples.)
Line a muffin pan with liners. Pour batter into muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pound cream cheese
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup softened butter
1/8 tsp lemon juice (optional)
a pinch of salt
Whisk ingredients together. Cover and chill until use.
I made them both with and without apples. I served them up to my non-Primal friends and got numerous compliments. My family is already requesting that I bring these cupcakes to our family Christmas gathering, which will be the true test. I have some very devoted SAD eaters to impress.
I don't think that'll be a problem.
Seriously. You gotta try these.
6 eggs
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup raisins (or currents, or dried cranberries)
1/3 cup diced apples (optional)
In a bowl, whisk together coconut oil and honey. Whisk in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, mix coconut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix completely. Fold in carrots, raisins, (and apples.)
Line a muffin pan with liners. Pour batter into muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pound cream cheese
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup softened butter
1/8 tsp lemon juice (optional)
a pinch of salt
Whisk ingredients together. Cover and chill until use.
I made them both with and without apples. I served them up to my non-Primal friends and got numerous compliments. My family is already requesting that I bring these cupcakes to our family Christmas gathering, which will be the true test. I have some very devoted SAD eaters to impress.
I don't think that'll be a problem.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Primal Eats: Mate Factor
Mate Factor, a Primal Review.
For well over a year I've been itching to try out the cuisine at Mate Factor in Ithaca, New York. I can't think of a single little town that has as many fine restaurants as Ithaca, and Mate Factor promised to be no disappointment. The restaurant itself is absolutely fascinating to me.
Run by a Messianic Community called The Twelve Tribes of Israel, Yerba Mate is so much more than an eatery. I went to their website to find out more about those that run the restaurant, only to find there's so much more than I could ever explain in a simple blog post. It's an amazing, beautiful culture that I admit part of me would love to join- if I weren't so darn attached to my current lifestyle, of course.
I highly encourage you to read up about the Twelve Tribes on their website.
So about the restaurant...
Wow.
First of all, from the outside it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL. It's even more beautiful on the inside. It's very earthy and rustic. It definitely has a very old-world feel to it. I absolutely loved the music they play! To call it welcoming would be an understatement. You can see some of their photos HERE. I thought it might be rude to start snapping photos in the middle of opening rush. Speaking of which...
Yes, there was an opening rush on Sunday afternoon. It's as if everyone within 3 square blocks was waiting for them to open up that day. Luckily we stepped in just minutes after they opened, otherwise we might have been waiting in line just a while, and wouldn't have gotten quite as cozy a table. It's easy to say this place is popular with the locals!
The menu honestly isn't very Primal-friendly, but that doesn't mean a Primal eater can't enjoy a meal here. I did find some things I could eat, and several things I would happily go off-plan to eat!
First- The Chai.
Absolutely the most delicious chai I've ever had. I'm not joking here. It's better than my yoga teacher's chai. (Sorry Retha!)
It was heavy on the ginger and perfect. Ok... almost perfect. I do like a little more pepper in my chai, but really couldn't complain about the bowl of chai they served me. It was absolutely decadent and I felt spoiled just drinking it. I'm quite sure that if I find myself in Ithaca on a Sunday, I will be coming here for chai.
Second- The Soup.
The soup of the day was tomato. I haven't had tomato soup in ages. It was hot, creamy and tomato-ey, with chunks of vegetable in it, and it was topped with cheese and scallions! The flavors were perfectly balanced. Not too creamy, not at all bland, and not acidic like tomato soup sometimes can be.
This soup practically begged me to order grilled cheese on sourdough. Typically it comes with a side of French bread, but I wisely swapped it out for coleslaw. I don't even like coleslaw, but this one was pretty darn tasty!
Third- The Salad.
With four salads to choose from, it was a tough decision, but I eventually opted for the House salad, which includes spring mix, grilled chicken, sprouts, tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, mixed nuts, and kalamata olives. I went with the house dressing- a creamy tahini, and I'm so very glad I did. I could have also gone with a balsamic vinaigrette or Greek and I'm sure I would have liked either. The salad also came with French bread, which I again opted out of. Part of me wishes I hadn't.
Important note on the salad: The chicken was not dry. In fact it was seasoned and delicious. I'm usually skeptical about chicken on salads. You often end up with dry little pieces of microwaved bits from a plastic package. These are not it. If they are, I would be shocked.
When looking at Mate Factor from a Primal standpoint, they really don't have a lot to offer. The menu is comprised of bagels and bagel sandwiches, muffins, various wraps and sandwiches, and smoothies. For Primal fare you could unwrap a wrap or de-bread a sandwich (and many of these options DO look tasty) or go for one of their offered salads- House, Tuna, Greek or Tossed. Soup is sort of by chance of what they're offering that day. Mate Factor does offer a number of choices from an espresso bar, several teas, and for those not worried about carbs, their smoothies are all made from frozen fruit with a banana base. All in all, it's a very "clean" menu and I can honestly say I wouldn't feel the least bit guilty cheating a bit here.
However, as you can see... a Primal meal CAN be had.
In case I haven't made myself clear, I highly recommend eating at Mate Factor!
Luckily, they have communities and eateries all over the world, so they could very well have one near you! If so, go check them out and experience their generosity and hospitality. It's a refreshing break from the usual.
Just don't try to go on Saturday. They're closed on Saturday.
For well over a year I've been itching to try out the cuisine at Mate Factor in Ithaca, New York. I can't think of a single little town that has as many fine restaurants as Ithaca, and Mate Factor promised to be no disappointment. The restaurant itself is absolutely fascinating to me.
Run by a Messianic Community called The Twelve Tribes of Israel, Yerba Mate is so much more than an eatery. I went to their website to find out more about those that run the restaurant, only to find there's so much more than I could ever explain in a simple blog post. It's an amazing, beautiful culture that I admit part of me would love to join- if I weren't so darn attached to my current lifestyle, of course.
I highly encourage you to read up about the Twelve Tribes on their website.
So about the restaurant...
Wow.
First of all, from the outside it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL. It's even more beautiful on the inside. It's very earthy and rustic. It definitely has a very old-world feel to it. I absolutely loved the music they play! To call it welcoming would be an understatement. You can see some of their photos HERE. I thought it might be rude to start snapping photos in the middle of opening rush. Speaking of which...
Yes, there was an opening rush on Sunday afternoon. It's as if everyone within 3 square blocks was waiting for them to open up that day. Luckily we stepped in just minutes after they opened, otherwise we might have been waiting in line just a while, and wouldn't have gotten quite as cozy a table. It's easy to say this place is popular with the locals!
The menu honestly isn't very Primal-friendly, but that doesn't mean a Primal eater can't enjoy a meal here. I did find some things I could eat, and several things I would happily go off-plan to eat!
Absolutely the most delicious chai I've ever had. I'm not joking here. It's better than my yoga teacher's chai. (Sorry Retha!)
It was heavy on the ginger and perfect. Ok... almost perfect. I do like a little more pepper in my chai, but really couldn't complain about the bowl of chai they served me. It was absolutely decadent and I felt spoiled just drinking it. I'm quite sure that if I find myself in Ithaca on a Sunday, I will be coming here for chai.
The soup of the day was tomato. I haven't had tomato soup in ages. It was hot, creamy and tomato-ey, with chunks of vegetable in it, and it was topped with cheese and scallions! The flavors were perfectly balanced. Not too creamy, not at all bland, and not acidic like tomato soup sometimes can be.
This soup practically begged me to order grilled cheese on sourdough. Typically it comes with a side of French bread, but I wisely swapped it out for coleslaw. I don't even like coleslaw, but this one was pretty darn tasty!
With four salads to choose from, it was a tough decision, but I eventually opted for the House salad, which includes spring mix, grilled chicken, sprouts, tomatoes, red onions, bell peppers, mixed nuts, and kalamata olives. I went with the house dressing- a creamy tahini, and I'm so very glad I did. I could have also gone with a balsamic vinaigrette or Greek and I'm sure I would have liked either. The salad also came with French bread, which I again opted out of. Part of me wishes I hadn't.
Important note on the salad: The chicken was not dry. In fact it was seasoned and delicious. I'm usually skeptical about chicken on salads. You often end up with dry little pieces of microwaved bits from a plastic package. These are not it. If they are, I would be shocked.
When looking at Mate Factor from a Primal standpoint, they really don't have a lot to offer. The menu is comprised of bagels and bagel sandwiches, muffins, various wraps and sandwiches, and smoothies. For Primal fare you could unwrap a wrap or de-bread a sandwich (and many of these options DO look tasty) or go for one of their offered salads- House, Tuna, Greek or Tossed. Soup is sort of by chance of what they're offering that day. Mate Factor does offer a number of choices from an espresso bar, several teas, and for those not worried about carbs, their smoothies are all made from frozen fruit with a banana base. All in all, it's a very "clean" menu and I can honestly say I wouldn't feel the least bit guilty cheating a bit here.
However, as you can see... a Primal meal CAN be had.
In case I haven't made myself clear, I highly recommend eating at Mate Factor!
Luckily, they have communities and eateries all over the world, so they could very well have one near you! If so, go check them out and experience their generosity and hospitality. It's a refreshing break from the usual.
Just don't try to go on Saturday. They're closed on Saturday.
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