Three Simple Summertime Treats to . . .

Cool You Off by Bringing On the Tastes of the Tropics  
in the Scorching  Days of Summer

When we had our first official "summertime" meal last Monday we served the Bowl of Sunshine and the coconut pudding as dessert. However this fruit bowl combo is perfect and refreshing at any time, beginning with the first meal of the day. 

Bowl of Sunshine

There are no precise measurements --- simply adjust to your taste and the amount you need.  The pineapple and orange juices keep the bananas from turning dark.  I cut the oranges over the bowl so their juices drip onto the other fruit.  

In a non-metal bowl combine:

1 can crushed pineapple

bananas cut into bite-size pieces

orange segments cut into bite-size pieces

Store covered in refrigerator.

When Dave and I lived on a remote atoll for six months we learned that the coconut palm tree is truly the "tree of life."  The islanders did not carry bottles of water on their treks. They knock down coconuts when they were thirsty.  They told us the liquid of the fresh coconut is so pure it can be used intravenously if necessary. We learned that the coconuts we purchase from our stores (and then  laboriously dig out the chewy meat) are basically what they discard. The interior of a fresh coconut is very smooth and custard-like. It is the perfect food for their infants and ill and elderly. The closest we have found to duplicating the taste and feel of fresh coconut  is the following popular tropical pudding.

Helen's Haupia (Coconut Pudding)

3 Tablespoons Cornstarch

3 Tablespoons Sugar

2 cups canned Coconut Milk

Combine cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan.

Add a small amount of the coconut milk and stir until 

the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining coconut

milk and cook, stirring constantly until mixture

is thick.  Pour into 8x8 inch glass dish or a bowl and refrigerate.

We love iced herb tea when the weather is hot. There are many great flavors but our favorite is "Lemon Zinger" by Celestial Seasonings. After making tea the usual ways ("steeping" in boiling water or hours in the sun) before the impatient waiting for it to get cold, we came up with a quicker way by simply cutting out the middle step.

Simply Iced Tea

You can adjust number of herb tea bags to suit your taste.

We put 5 herb tea bags in a large pitcher and add 

two quarts (8 cups) room-temperature water.

Place in refrigerator until cold.  The hot water/heat

part is not necessary. It will start  "steeping" before 

you even get it to the frig!)

'til we eat again,

          Simply, Gail

Simple Summertime Feast plus . . .

a better burger ---  with all the  fixins' EXCEPT     
the Burger!


We had our first-of-the-summer meal last night --- with much of it coming directly from our garden. 


The menu looks long but it was all Simple! Healthy! Attractive! Fun! Delicious! and Quick!


MENU
Three "burger" varieties
Whole-wheat slider or dollar-size buns
Plate of pea pods, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and olives
Plate of tomato, onion and cheese slices, romaine lettuce and pickles
Catsup, mayonnaise and mustard
Shake and Eat corn on the cob http://thecreativecheapskate.blogspot.com/2012/04/cob-corn-in-natures-own-microwaveable.html

Marinated multi-bean salad


The "burgers" can all be made ahead of time. They reheat very quickly in the microwave.


Chris' Cottage Burger
Combine in large bowl: 
1 slightly beaten egg 
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup regular rolled oats
1 package (or 5 Tablespoons*) dry onion soup mix
Form into patties and fry in olive oil --- about three minutes on each side until well-browned. Drain on paper towel.


Black Bean Burger
(We used S&W Caribbean Recipe Black Beans for a spicier taste)
Combine in large bowl:
1 slightly beaten egg
1 can well-drained and rinsed black beans - "smashed or squished"
1 cup regular rolled oats
1 package (or 5 Tablespoons*) dry onion soup mix
Follow directions above.


*http://thecreativecheapskate.blogspot.com/2011/08/classic-name-brand-onion-soup-mix.html


Grilled Zucchini Burger
(perfect use for overgrown zucchini)
Unless it is so big the skin is tough, you do not need to peel them!
Slice large zucchini into slices 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick  
Rub with olive oil and season as desired
Grill on outdoor grill or George-Foreman-type indoor grill


Marinated Multi-Bean Salad
This is a great salad to have on hand at all times. It keeps well for days and you can continue to add more veggies to the remaining marinade.  


Choose one of the following dressings, according to your taste. 


1. Combine 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 3 T. oil, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. sugar and black pepper to taste.


2. Combine in a blender: 1 scant cup sugar, 1 cup apple cider, 1/4 to 1/3 onion (cut into chunks), 1 tsp. mustard, salt and pepper to taste.
You can add oil if desired---we don't.


Pour over your choice of beans, cover and refrigerate. We use varying (or sometimes all) combinations of green, yellow, kidney, black and garbanzo beans. We also add sliced onions and chopped cucumbers. Plus, sometimes, slightly pre-cooked crookneck and zucchini squash, sliced banana peppers and have chopped tomatoes on the side to add to individual servings (because they get mushy in the marinade.) 


Sometimes I will serve it on lettuce leaves --- topping it with croutons and cheese cubes --- for a meal in itself!

Make the most of  the season's fresh produce ---
especially great when you can grow your own or find Farmer's
Markets or local stands where they sell what they have grown. 

Check back Friday and I'll share what we had for a Simple! Refreshing! Dessert and a quick hint for making cold herb tea.


'til we eat again,
          Simply, Gail     


  

Simple Steps to Healthier Eating

It is summer! Our garden is thriving and we have just picked our first handful of peas and three cherry tomatoes. 


It is the perfect time for Dave and I to   once again recommit ourselves to    healthier eating. 


Last August 18th my post listed four of my favorite books.  One was a tiny book Food Rules: an eater's manual ---- full of wit and wisdom for healthier eating.   For details click  http://thecreativecheapskate.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-love-to-read-and-have-enjoyed-these.html

This past week I discovered the new, expanded, and cheerfully illustrated version of the same. Michael Pollan is the author; Maira Kalman, the illustrator.

The first Food Rules . . . was hatched from Michael's  hunch "that the wisdom of our grandparents might have more helpful things to say about how to eat well than the recommendations of science or industry or government."


"The deeper I delved into the confused and confusing thicket of nutritional science, sorting through the long-running fats vs carbs ward, the fiber skirmishes and the raging dietary supplement debates the simpler the picture gradually became....


"Nutrition science got started less than two hundred years ago...and is today approximately where surgery was in the year 1650---very promising, and very interesting to watch but are you ready to let them operate on you? 


"Populations that eat a so-called Western diet --- generally defined as a diet consisting of lots of processed foods and meat, lots of added fat and sugar, lots of refined grains, lots of everything except vegetables, fruits, and whole grains --- invariably suffer from high rates of the so-called Western diseases: obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer....


Maira's illustrations are simple and thought-provoking.

It's a Fact!
People who Get Off the Western Diet
see Dramatic Improvements in their Health

While Michael Pollan refers to them as rules, he says they are really personal polices --- not hard-and-fast laws. Heavily processed foods present risks to our health and those he prefers to call "edible food-like substances."

The book is divided into three sections:

I. What should I eat?  (Eat Food)
"Edible food-like substances, are highly processed concoction's designed by food scientist consisting mostly of ingredients derived from corn and soy that no normal person keeps in the pantry, and they contain chemical additives with which the human body has not long been acquainted. Today much of the challenge of eating well comes down to choosing real food and avoiding these industrial novelties."

Rule #14 - Eat Only Foods That Will Eventually Rot


Rule # 21 - If it Came from a Plant, Eat it; If it Was Made in a Plant, Don't


Rule #24 - When You Eat Real Food, You Don't Need Rules


II. What Kind of Food should I eat? (Mostly Plants)
"Instead of an eight-ounce steak and a four-ounce portion of vegetables, serve four ounces of beef and eight ounces of veggies."


Rule #30 - Eat Animals That Have Themselves Eaten Well


Rule # 33 - Eat Well-Grown Food from Healthy Soil


Rule #38 - Eat Sweet Foods as You Find Them in Nature


Rule #39 - Don't Eat Breakfast Cereals That Change the Color of the Milk


III. How should I Eat? (Not Too Much)

Rule #55 - Stop Eating Before You're Full


Rule #56 - Eat When You are Hungry, Not When You are Bored


Rule #67 - Buy Smaller Plates and Glasses


His rules have short explanations when needed - many stand alone!  He is not saying we should not have occasional treats but rather to "treat treats as treats." He asks that we give some thought to where the food we are about to consume came from.

Rule #4  states 
Eat All the Junk Food You Want as Long as You Cook it Yourself  - because we would eat a lot less if we had to take the time to prepare and then clean up after the preparation. . .

Think french fries, fried chicken, chips, cakes, pies, ice cream. . .

Michael Pollan states  "Enjoy these treats as often as you're willing to prepare them --- chances are it won't be everyday."

Included in last August's post  is another book that helped us along our path:  "Twinkies Deconstructed"  It is a easy and fascinating read---and you will think twice before ever eating another one.  (None of the ingredients are "real" and several are actually GRAS (generally regarded as safe) by the Food and Drug Administration!!! I did find a recipe and made them myself.  And, while good, they weren't worth the effort.

We found more "help" in the documentary Food, Inc. and the latest pink slime disclosures.

The food manufacturers and processors do not keep coming up with "edible food-like substances" for our well-being although they present them as healthy alternatives that save us valuable time.


Whether you have your own garden or not, summer is a great time to get on the path to healthier eating.
Hopefully the excerpts from this book have encouraged you or at least intrigued you enough to give the food you and your family eat the consideration it deserves. Check out farmer's markets, co-ops and local vegetable stands.

Small changes can make a BIG difference.

Food Rules . . . are simple suggestions and I am
                        Simply, Gail

A Noteworthy Holiday: "JUST BECAUSE"

Hopefully you will be able to handle one more of my "reminisce-ings."  I started writing a weekly column for a Midwestern newspaper in early 1996.  It probably won't surprise you that the title of the column was Simply, Gail and I wrote about mom-hood, and ways to make do with little or nothing---i.e. creative cheapskate-ness!   The only difference between then and how is the color of my hair!

One day I came home to find that Dave had commandeered my tiny box-like Macintosh. (I hadn't even realized he knew how to use it!)  What he wrote was good and it was my column for that week. It is still good and I think it is worth repeating.

You won't find "JUST BECAUSE"                                  on any calendar

          Gail went off and left her computer on again. If I hurry I can get something written before she gets back.             
          Another Mother's Day has passed.
          I'll tell you what I got Gail for Mother's Day this year. Nothing. The same as last year, and the year before that, and . . .                                                            Well, you get the idea. However, before you start looking for the lynch rope let me explain, she doesn't give me anything for Father's Day either.  
          We're just not much into holidays. Now Christmas and birthdays we do, and we remember our anniversary, but we just don't make a big deal of that. I'm sure this would bother some of you but for us it's just not a big thing. Since our anniversary falls right before Christmas it kind of gets lost in the bustle of the holidays. 
          I'll tell you what we do celebrate instead. We celebrate any day that takes our fancy.


          From time to time, and for no logical reason . . .
notes appear in my lunch, or a special treat for my desert that Gail knows I like really well. She brings things home to me that she thinks I might like. No special occasion required. In turn, my token to her is usually a flower. Perhaps one red rose. (I'm too cheap to buy more.) Or a pot full of daisies. I've been told that, "Daisies don't tell." Now I've never been told what it is that daisies don't tell but I believe it anyway, so I go ahead and give them.
          Same occasion, none. In fact we'd be really surprised if we received something on a "special" occasion. The point of this is that we display our love and respect for one another on an ongoing basis, not controlled by anyone's calendar, including our own. 
           Now before I get in trouble over that statement let me explain that what is good for us is not necessarily good for everyone. But you know a spontaneous gift or note does go a long way to put spark in an old relationship, or a young one for the matter.
           We used to write notes to each other with soap on the bathroom mirror, but it didn't take us forever to discover that then we had to scrub the soap off. We are practical people after all. We also share in mowing the lawn, and doing the dishes. Working together and playing together seem, to us, good ways of expressing our feelings.
           What I hope for each of you is that your Mother's Day (or other special day) was a special one, that you were remembered in a special way. Or to the men that read this, and I hope there are some, that you paid special attention to the woman/women in your life. Even though not all women are mothers all women deserve to be recognized for the awesome contribution each makes to us and our society. 
          Not many women are like Mother Theresa who aids thousands of people, and gets the accolades of the entire world. But each of you makes your own contribution, and none of them are small. And each of you deserve your own personal recognition, and I hope this day brought it to you. We men are terribly remiss if we have let this opportunity go by. Using the system we discussed earlier in the column there is always an appropriate time to do so. We don't need to wait for the next "occasion."
           To paraphrase Robert Frost, "We love the ones we love for what they are." That is, the things which they do for us, for the way they make us feel, for the joy they bring into our lives. Consequently we owe them the very best we can be. 
           In my opinion, real love is a relationship in which both individuals are better as a couple than they are as individuals. Our concern for those we love must be greater than our concern for our self. Recognizing that all of us have what Gail and I call "in-spite-ofs" (those little things that we'd like to see gone), love is going to look beyond those and rule the relationship, and joy and happiness will prevail in every home. At least that's my dream.
          I know Gail often includes recipes with her columns. Here is my recipe for this column: Take one or more sheets of paper and a pen or pencil. Now, applying the writing utensil to the paper, express to the person of your choice your genuine appreciation for all they bring into your life, and express your love for them. I promise you'll feel good after doing it, and I know they will too.


Dave

Mother's Day: Remembering a Time Past

I know raising a family is hard and I know how worn out you get. Things grow old and children grow up.
Trust me when I say the time will pass more quickly than you can ever imagine possible.

I wrote the following many years ago, although the older I get the more it seems like yesterday.  It was written as a birthday wish but it seems fitting for this time of year. Possibly some of you will be able to relate.

          I am so very tired. I don't think there is one drop of anything left in me for anyone. Mary, down the street, has the flu and her whiny, runny-nosed four-year-old and belligerent three-year-old have spent the entire day badgering our whiny, runny-nosed four-year-old and our belligerent three-year old. My head pounds. I burnt the stew I was making for Mary's family's dinner and I burnt my hand in my efforts to salvage it.


          Mr. Roger's sweetness drones from the television in the adjoining room---nauseating sweetness combined with seemingly unlimited patience that somehow keeps the kids occupied and blissfully quiet for a few minutes. 


          A familiar tune comes to my ears. Dave is walking up the driveway whistling his signature greeting. Opening the back door he quickly takes in the disarray, crosses the room in two quick strides, kisses me gently on the forehead and while holding me close, kindly asks me about my day. He pretends not to notice the sudden welling of tears that make my eyes sparkle.


          He loves me and he tells me so. My birthday is next week, on Saturday, and he asks me what I would like. We don't have much money but what I want at this time, more than anything in the world, doesn't cost a dime. Dare I tell him? Dare I? Yes. He loves me and he will understand.


          "What I want," I begin hesitantly and in a slightly choked up voice, "is to have you take the kids somewhere for the whole day so I can have the entire Saturday to myself."


          He looks sad. Have I hurt him? He doesn't understand.


          He holds me even closer and starts to speak. He stops. He has to clear his throat. Maybe he does understand but if he does, what can be so hard for him?  It won't cost anything; well, maybe a little if he takes them to a show or for a burger. But it won't cost much and he enjoys spending time with the kids. He is very thoughtful and good at taking them on occasional outings when I am busy.


          Yes, he is very thoughtful and therein lay his dilemma. 


          "I can't give you that for your birthday. A birthday is a very special occasion, especially for kids. How would they feel if they knew that what you wanted was a day, all by yourself, without them? I understand, but they could not."


          Yes, he is very thoughtful and very wise.


          Many years and many birthdays have passed. The kids are grown now and would fully understand the desire of a tired young mother to have a day to herself; would understand that it was not a reflection of her love for them but rather a chance to renew and refuel, that she could continue to give.


          I no longer need a Saturday alone. I have many of them. Now I have an over abundance of self to give and no children nearby to give to.


          I hear a familiar whistle coming up the drive. He is so kind and so thoughtful and so wise. He opens the door, views the quiet and spotless surroundings, crosses the floor in two strides, tenderly takes me in his arms and kisses my forehead. My eyes are sparkling and he pretends not to notice the sudden welling of tears.


Thank you to our daughter and five sons for the opportunity to be a mother ----- YOUR mother.

Thanks to our four daughters-in-law who are great wives/mothers to our sons and grandchildren.

Special love to my mother and mother-in-law, now deceased, for their kindness, love, care, and understanding.

May our Heavenly Father's choicest blessings and comfort continue to be with all of us, whoever and wherever we are throughout the world, as we undertake this most important of all roles---Motherhood.

Simply, Gail

       

   

A Mother's Day Tribute to Our First Born

On Mother's Day, 48 years ago, I was nearing the birth of our first child.  It was an exciting time for Dave and I. . .even though neither of us had a clue as to what parenthood was all about.

Three months later we decided we wanted another, thinking that a one-year-old was "grownup."  (As I have admitted before, Dave and I are both the youngest in our respective families---hence the clue-less-ness!)

On Mother's Day, 47 years ago, I was approaching the due date of our second child!

Christmas 46-1/2 years ago*

We are alike in many ways.  This time of year has me recalling one of those ways ---- the discomfort of sitting in Church meetings each Mother's Day listening to glowing talks about perfect mothers while silently sinking lower in our respective pews reviewing our motherhood weaknesses.

This Mother's Day she and her husband will be sitting in a congregation in Colorado with their only daughter.

As I was considering this post, an old song, co-written and sung by my favorite singer of long ago came to mind.

At the bottom of this post I have included a link where you can listen to Harry Belafonte sing Turn Around from his 1959 album "Love is a Gentle Thing."  Please take a moment to listen to it.

It is a beautiful song, as is Heidi, the mother of four.

Where are you going my little one, little one

Where are you going my baby my own
Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four
Turn around and you're a young girl going out of the door
Turn around
Turn around
Turn around and you're a young girl
goin' out of the door

Where are you going my little one, little one
Dirndls and petticoats, where have you gone
Turn around and you're tiny, turn around and you're grown
Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of your own

Turn around, Turn around

Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of your own

Where are you going my little one, little one
Where are you going my baby my own

http://letras.terra.com/harry-belafonte/1183806/


Happy Mother's Day

* P.S. Heidi and Romm share the same May birthday, exactly one year apart!

What If . . . You Need to Light a Match in Adverse Conditions?

                                                                    

Have you ever tried to keep a match lit 
 in adverse conditions?

       Very difficult! Always frustrating! Often impossible!


                Unless you are using the simple-to-make 
                       5-minute match!


Perfect for times you need to start a fire when the wind            is blowing and/or you are lacking proper kindling.  


Quick and Cheap to make ---- 
invaluable to have!


Gather

• a box of wooden "strike anywhere" matches
• yarn cut into 18" lengths
• paraffin wax and
• a small empty tuna can or similar

1. Tie a piece of yarn just below the head of the match, then using a series of half-hitches (for the men) or chain stitches (for the women), wrap the entire length of the match stick with the yarn, leaving just enough area uncovered at the end of the  stick to allow you to hold the match. There should be a "tail" (or length) of yarn remaining.

2. Once the matches are complete, melt the paraffin wax in the can which is sitting in a pan of water over low heat. Watch carefully as wax is highly flammable! 

3. Holding each match by its remaining yarn "tail", lower the match into the melted wax. After a few moments remove the wax covered match and allow to dry on a piece of waxed paper or aluminum foil. Repeat the process.

4. When the wax is completely dry, cut the off the excess yarn and store the matches in a safe container. An empty plastic medicine vial is good for this.

I have yet to see one of these matches fail to light and have never needed to light a second one to get the job done!

I love quick, cheap and useful things you can recreate yourself. I hope you do also! I am 

          Simply, Gail