The idea was to give him lots of choices for food for a week, [...]]]> “Baon” means packed food in Tagalog. Last trip Dad took this was the pile of food, seen here cooling/chilling in the snow-cold outside air in the patio. (No room in the fridge, and he’s leaving in a few hours anyway.)

The idea was to give him lots of choices for food for a week, he had a separate container for heating things up in the hotel microwave, then his trusty bento to pack himself a nice hot lunch to take to work. Lots of cooking time for Mom prior to his leaving, but it also gave us lots of leftovers so I didn’t have to cook much at all last week. It was good to take a break from the kitchen.

1. Brunswick Stew
2. Huevos Rancheros — need to use up that masa harina! — haven’t made this since 2002!
3. Moroccan Lamb Tagine over couscous / rice
4. Mexican Tamales for Candlemas + Atole;
5. Mussels with Lemon – Iska’s recipe
6. Afghan Okra and Split Pea Stew [...]]]> Lunches/Dinners:

1. Brunswick Stew
2. Huevos Rancheros — need to use up that masa harina! — haven’t made this since 2002!
3. Moroccan Lamb Tagine over couscous / rice
4. Mexican Tamales for Candlemas + Atole;
5. Mussels with Lemon – Iska’s recipe
6. Afghan Okra and Split Pea Stew (to go with studies on Afghanistan)
7. Lumpiang Toge (Bean Sprout Spring Rolls)
8. Cumin Braai
9. Leftovers:)
10. Fried fish/steamed/baked depending on what I find at the market tomorrow/Saturday
11. Wakame sushi with daikon/carrot salad

Desserts/Snacks:
1. Ube pastillas (planned for last week but didn’t make)
2. Grass jelly and tapioca
3. Filipino sago’t gulaman if I can find me some screwpine leaves
4. Yogurt Cake (another planned one for last week)
5. Fresh fruit
6. Carrot sticks
7. Barm brack — meant to make this today (Feb. 1) but I didn’t finish my research on it — for St. Brigid’s Day

Whoops, and Meredith asked us to list the five most important/favorite things in our pantry:

1. Rice and rice noodles!!! Can’t live without it. We like Thai Jasmine, but I also keep basmati, short grain for sushi, bomba for paella, etc. For rice noodles — both Asian (Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese) and Tinkyada (for Italian pasta dishes)
2. Muir Glen or Bionaturae tomatoes in various forms — whole, diced, pureed
3. Organic beans, dried and/or canned — chickpeas, soy beans, cannelini, mung beans, black beans, etc.
4. Alternative flours and grains (wheat free) like oats and oat flour, almond flour, etc.
5. Really good cocoa and dark/bittersweet chocolate

And of course, a variety of sauces, seasonings, oils and vinegars to spice things up!

PS I’m moving servers! So excited! Thank you to my “bosses” at b5! More changes coming soon, but will have to wait to write about that…

PPS I’ve updated Menu for the Week #1 with a couple of links to recipes…. the others are waiting to be posted — but I can’t find the pics! I hope they’re in the SD card I gave Aisa to take to St. Lou with her… argh. I’ve got a bunch of nice ones there — eel sushi, puttanesca, crockpot chicken, etc.

The solutions, listed here.

Where can I find Certified Humane?

“Demeter is a leader of Biodynamic® certification and awareness, investing in and activating self-sustaining resources that make an impact on farm communities and the consumers they serve.” Their website is here but it still [...]]]> Why we don’t buy factory farmed meat.

The solutions, listed here.

Where can I find Certified Humane?

“Demeter is a leader of Biodynamic® certification and awareness, investing in and activating self-sustaining resources that make an impact on farm communities and the consumers they serve.” Their website is here but it still needs major work.

Niman Ranch. It’s been a while since I’ve ordered from them since I’ve been able to find local or regional sources, but if I really need something and don’t know where to get it, I won’t hesitate to buy from them again.

Food Alliance, another recommended site, but their info is sorely lacking.

Eat Well Guide, easy to navigate!

more listings

If you really have to do mail order…

In Cincinnati:

Gorman Heritage Farm

Red Sun Farm, a bit hard to navigate, but does have show a listing of what’s in season

The Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association

Robert K Harris Farm listing

Meredith just started a Carnival of Menu Planning — so exciting! — round up is here — hopefully this will help all of us with planning our meals with a little less stress. So I’m taking a half-hour this evening to bloghop and see if I can incorporate some of [...]]]>

Meredith just started a Carnival of Menu Planning — so exciting! — round up is here — hopefully this will help all of us with planning our meals with a little less stress. So I’m taking a half-hour this evening to bloghop and see if I can incorporate some of the other gals’ meals into ours….

As usual, I’m embarrassingly late. Posting this this am instead of yesterday. I’ll try to do better next time.

This week’s a little different, as I’m not preparing food daily — hubby’s leaving for a bit soon, so I’m doing most of the cooking and baking today, packing and freezing stuff. This is so he doesn’t have to eat out (except for the occasional dinner out with colleagues) while he’s there. He’ll take his bento with him and pack himself a lunch daily, and he’s also got enough for dinner, and a bit for breakfast to give him a break from cold cereal. If he doesn’t get to eat the stuff for breakfast he can always have it as a snack after work or as dessert after dinner. We’re keeping the extras, so I don’t have to cook for the next few days.

Breakfast/Snack/Dessert Items:

1. Filipino champorado
2. Allergy-Free Brownies
3. Allergy-Free Blueberry Crumble
4. Cold cereal and Rice milk
5. Soy-Ube Pastillas
6. Carrot Sticks
7. Peaches and Pineapples (canned)

Beverages:

1. Green Tea Kombucha from Yogi Tea

Lunch/Dinner Items:

1. Allergy-Free Minestrone
2. Pot Roast with Green Beans
3. Kabayaki (Eel) and Cucumber Sushi
4. Cambodian Mee Souah
5. Crockpot Chicken
6. Eggplant something, still deciding
7. Hearts of Palm salad
8. Daikon and Carrot Salad
9. Broccoli something, still deciding
10. Roasted Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes

Other Items on the Menu this week (may or may not be allergy-free):

1. Yogurt Cake
2. Jello Playdough (not for eating!)
3. Thai Breakfast featuring tapioca and grass jelly
4. Refried Bean Burritos with Rice Cheese
5. Jackfruit Popsicles
6. Tinkyada Spaghetti with Tuna Arrabiata or some other spicy variation

Oh, and re the variety — we don’t always eat like this. It’s just that I have a bunch of stuff in the freezer and pantry that needs using up! I’ll be updating this post with links to the recipes…

FDA approves more meat additives

And this is a repeat of everything that I’ve read/heard re organic products and labeling, but it is a message that bears repeating.

1. Lentil soup, made from a base of the leftover chili last night (the chili recipe will be at LTC — finished off with what else? A squeeze of lime
2. Rice, as usual — I asked him and he wants it in the BIG container LOL
3. Sliced [...]]]> Lime theme today:

1. Lentil soup, made from a base of the leftover chili last night (the chili recipe will be at LTC — finished off with what else? A squeeze of lime
2. Rice, as usual — I asked him and he wants it in the BIG container LOL
3. Sliced grilled flank steak — marinated overnight in lime juice, garlic and salt and pepper
4. Pan-fried plantain banana slices, glazed with maple syrup and lime juice

+ Gypsy Cold Care Tea

Other MHBBs
What is MHBB?

1. Chicken broth with chicken strips, carrots and celery
2. Moros y Cristianos a.k.a. black beans and rice, recipe to be posted at LTC
3. Sauteed Mushrooms in Red Wine Sauce, leftovers:D — recipe to be posted at LTC as well
4. Sliced peaches

Breathe Easy [...]]]> From the bottom up:

1. Chicken broth with chicken strips, carrots and celery
2. Moros y Cristianos a.k.a. black beans and rice, recipe to be posted at LTC
3. Sauteed Mushrooms in Red Wine Sauce, leftovers:D — recipe to be posted at LTC as well
4. Sliced peaches

Breathe Easy Tea

Other MHBBs
What is MHBB?

1. Bak Kua, a pork “jerky” — recipe coming to Noodles and Rice soon.
2. Rice
3. Stir-fried broccoli, in dried shrimp and garlic
4. Allergy-free pineapple upside down cake, courtesy of 15-yo dd — recipe here.

+ Gypsy Cold Care Tea

Other MHBBs
From the bottom up:

1. Bak Kua, a pork “jerky” — recipe coming to Noodles and Rice soon.
2. Rice
3. Stir-fried broccoli, in dried shrimp and garlic
4. Allergy-free pineapple upside down cake, courtesy of 15-yo dd — recipe here.

+ Gypsy Cold Care Tea

Other MHBBs
What is MHBB?

Shepherd’s Pie

Except I’ll do both the traditional meat, and the lentil filling, mixed together. But no croutons.

1. Leftover bean and collard greens soup
2. Rice and chicken rotisserie with Rothschild’s dip
3. Sliced up orange
4. Sliced up pear

+ 1 banana and a pocket of Stash White Christmas Tea
What is MHBB?

1. Rice topped with Adobo flakes
2. Bean and collard greens soup, recipe to be posted…
3. Carrot sticks with Robert Rothchild’s Roasted Red Pepper and Onion Dip & Relish
4. Sliced up apple

+ a banana & a packet of green tea
[...]]]> Day 2, from the bottom up:

1. Rice topped with Adobo flakes
2. Bean and collard greens soup, recipe to be posted…
3. Carrot sticks with Robert Rothchild’s Roasted Red Pepper and Onion Dip & Relish
4. Sliced up apple

+ a banana & a packet of green tea
What is MHBB?

I’m starting MHBB, “My Hubby’s Bento Box“, so I can keep track of what da hubby eats on a daily basis. I got him this for Christmas:

because I was getting frustrated with the single Rubbermaid and Tupperware containers we [...]]]> Unless anyone wants to join me, that is.

I’m starting MHBB, “My Hubby’s Bento Box“, so I can keep track of what da hubby eats on a daily basis. I got him this for Christmas:

because I was getting frustrated with the single Rubbermaid and Tupperware containers we had here that could only hold one or two types of food. He needs a greater variety.

The Zojirushi Bento box has 4 containers, 1 really large one and 3 other smaller ones. I’ll try to get pics in, but I have not mastered the art of Bento box packing, so they won’t look as pretty as Japanese lunches.

Day 1, from the bottom up:

1. “Vietnamese” beef and bean sprout stir-fry, I’ll link to the recipe when I have it posted at N&R
2. the largest container: Banh Pho (again, recipe will be at N&R soon)
3. rice
4. sliced up pear

+ a banana and a packet of green tea