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Day Four arrived (as it usually follows Day Three 🙂 If you missed the last 3 days, you can find them here: Day One, Day Two, Day Three. I will continue to share my thoughts at the bottom of each day’s posts. If you have any questions for me, please send them to realfoodliving@gmail.com
My plan for using our storage is to use the fresh produce and perishables first, then the freezer and fill in with canned, dehydrated and freeze-dried foods.
Today we went out to vote, did laundry, homeschooled and performed regular chores.
Note: In our situation, we do not have farm animals (no goats, cows, chickens etc.) so, my strategies would be different from those of you who do have access to fresh milk, eggs and meat. Also, my local sources for free-range (non-GMO, non-soy) chicken eggs has dried up for the Winter. So, I’ll be using what eggs I have available sparingly and then moving on to other options. We are also at the end of our last bulk grass-fed beef supply and we were expecting to purchase another 1/4 – 1/2 cow in November, but if it is ready before our food funds can be replenished, we won’t be buying our beef (something we rely a great deal on).
Day Four
Beauty
I cut and styled my hair today. I have done this in the past and never been totally satisfied with the results, but it has some major benefits for me. Cutting my own hair is simple, fast and totally free. Caveat: My hair is thin and simply-styled and only usually about shoulder-length, so it is not a big deal to cut it. If I had longer, thicker hair or a more intricate style, I might not choose this option. I am somewhat satisfied (I do see some problems) with my cut this time and it is a bit shorter than I would have preferred, but my hair was way past needing to be cut, so it is a welcome change. And, the good thing? It always grows out 🙂 And yes, there is quite a bit of gray hair. In addition, I used to be bald (during chemotherapy) so bad hair days are nothing new to me!
I also cut my husband’s hair today. He likes me to cut his hair, and while I prefer for him to go to a barber (I’m not a professional), it saves quite a bit of money to cut his hair at home.
Kitchen
Hand-washed dishes with baking soda and water to remove oils. This works better than dish soap with surfactants. More on that in my Thoughts.
Removed dehydrated cooked pinto beans from the dehydrator and vacuum sealed them in jars for long-term storage.
Made 24 gluten-free, dairy-free muffins with raisins. I used coconut oil. Recipe here.
Made 2 pizzas for son to take to work for lunches this week. (Removed the homemade, pre-cooked pizza crusts and the smoked mozzarella cheese from the freezer on Day Three) I used leftover bottled sauce, which we usually never use, but the family bought some while I was in the hospital so they could have pizza using my homemade crusts. I was going to toss it and make my own sauce, but in the spirit of frugality, I used it because I had it on hand. I will make my own next pizza time.
Removed Sweet Apple Organic Chicken Sausage and Organic Beef Hot Dogs from the freezer to thaw. I buy them locally at Earth Fare.
Removed sprouted wheat tortillas (fajita size) from the freezer.
Spiralized potatoes into curly fries and oven-roasted them. (Drizzled olive oil and salt and roasted at 450 degrees until browned) *I used the new model of this Spiralizer, the 4-Blade, but my review should be published in Prepare magazine next month.
Roasted green beans. (I buy frozen organic green beans and place them still frozen in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and salt and roast at 450 until they are browned, about 30 minutes or more.) I roast the green beans and the oven-fries at the same time.
After supper, I placed the leftover chili onto fruit leather dehydrator sheets and I will dehydrate it to place in storage. I did not use any fat in this recipe, so it can be stored long-term. (Fat causes rancidity in dried foods.)
Menu
Breakfast
Most of us ate gluten-free muffins. Son ate a turkey sandwich on a bagel.
Lunch
Matzah Ball soup (the end of it!)
Supper
Grilled chicken sausage and hot dog wraps with leftover chili, homemade ketchup, honey mustard, Monterery Jack cheese rolled up in warmed sprouted wheat tortillas.
Roasted spiralized curly fries
Roasted green beans
Apple juice
Baked 2 pizzas for son’s lunches.
Thoughts: I use a LOT of baking soda around here. I find it works well for so many things. I use baking soda and water to wash my dishes and even remove oily, greasy gunk on pans. Today I washed out a bucket that had contained the coconut oil I used today for the muffins. I only used baking soda and water to remove ALL the oil. I did repeat the baking soda scrub several times, but I prefer using baking soda to commercial dish soaps with surfactants. I can smell the dish soap residue in container and I can even taste it in my food although the dish soap we have used is very diluted. I am very happy using only baking soda. I buy baking soda in bulk and I strive to keep a stock of it at all times. It is very inexpensive, yet does so many different things in cooking, cleaning, beauty, health and more. I consider baking soda an essential.
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About Vickilynn Parnes
