Thai Noodles with Chili Ginger Dressing

I LOVE Thai food and could eat it a couple of times a week.  However, it CAN be somewhat high in oil and sugar when commercially prepared.

Wanting a taste of Thai on this meatless Monday, this was my cold lunch - and it was SO good.  The dressing actually makes enough for one large or two single serving noodle salads.

To assemble - fill a single serving sized bowl with cold cooked linguini or rice noodles.

Top with a large handful of assorted:
carrots
snap peas
celery
red pepper
cilantro
a pinch or two of peanuts
lime for drizzling.

Then top with a wonderful ginger chili dressing (do in your food processor to incorporate the red pepper flakes into an emulsion, if you wish).

Chili Ginger Salad Dressing

1/4 vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. fresh grated ginger
1/4 tsp. dried chili pepper flakes
1 tsp. honey or Agave Nectar (natural sweetener)
1 tsp. Spring water
1/4 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste (optional)

Mexican Food Doesn't Mean 2000 calories

I had a craving for Mexican but I knew that if we went to one of the local restaurants I'd have a platter the size of New Jersey preceded by 2 pounds of fried chips and salsa.

Still, I wanted that taste and that crunch.

So I made homemade tostadas.

Rather than buy Tostada shells I just used corn tortillas and lightly sauteed them in a little hot oil, just until crisp, then patted dry to remove most of the grease.  They were topped with some fat-free beans ( pinto's smashed with a little cooking water and a dash of oregano), lettuce, a few strips of leftover chipotle seasoned veggie beef crumbles from a previous meal (you can also replace with Setain) a TINY sprinkle of dairy-free cheddar, fat-free sour cream substitute, mild salsa, a splash of hot sauce,  and a few slices of avocado I served it on a colorful salad plate to give it the appearance of being a larger serving than it was, a great trick I use all the time.

Yummy - and I didn't even miss the chips

Beeswax Candles and Handcrafted Honey - A Review of Raines Honey Farm

I love honey products, using beeswax candles in my home to clear the air which helps with both allergy and pet dander issues.

For years I used the typical decorative candle that smelled like apple pie or cinnamon or such.  I also attributed the constant sneezing and sniffing when I was burning a decorative candle to seasonal allergies.  But when I started cooking and canning and doing more things from scratch around the home, I looked into a better, cheaper option.  Well, beeswax isn't cheaper, not at first glance, but it is SO much better, and ultimately, a good value.

Hundreds of years ago, candles were made from beeswax.  Over time, those beeswax candles were gradually replaced by tallow (animal fat) candles, and then in the last century by paraffin candles.  If you look at the candles in your home, that's likely what you have. But what exactly IS paraffin?

Well, it's made from the goo found at the bottom of barrels of crude oil, which is then treated and bleached with chemical solvents such as benzene and toluene to "clean it up".  This is AFTER the stuff to make asphalt is extracted.  There's a reason such candles put out soot and smoke when you burn them, along with some tasty carcinogens.  To get around that natural "diesel fuel" smell the makers add synthetic fragrance oils, many of which can be toxic if burned.

No wonder I was sneezing and sniffing.  The minute particles of that sludge byproduct, over time, can also stain walls, and drapes.

Then I discovered 100% beeswax candles.

Not only do beeswax candles not put out the pollutants, they also help clean the air, for as the candle burns, negative ions are emitted that clean the air.  How?  Negative ions are drawn to positive, and positive ions attract and hold on to airborne things such as mold, dust, bacteria, viruses, and odor causing pollutants, and are suspended in the air.  The negative ions latch on to the "contaminated" positive ions and weigh them down where they fall to the ground.  It's similar to  the cleansing of the air you see after a thundershower a negative ionic event if there ever was one.

I have no hard science as to the allergy connection, but several friends for whom I gave beeswax candles as gifts, say they have seen a marked improvement in their allergies, burning a beeswax candle in their bedroom for about 3 hours before sleep.  I burn one for a few hours in my small home prior to a visit from a friend that's sensitive to pet dander and she says it helps immensely.

But LB!  You're part Scot!  You're a spendthrift!  You refinish and reupholster throw away curb furniture and bake your own bread.  Those candles are rather pricey!

100% Beeswax candles burn 3 times longer than traditional candles.  Considering that, they are quite competitively priced with most high commercially sold candles. It's dollars well spent.

Home Emergency Supplies - candles are a part of most smart folks ready reserves for a natural disaster or electrical outage.  Not only does the beeswax candle burn cleaner, nice in close quarters, but it has a flame that's much brighter than traditional candles, with the same light spectrum as a ray of sun.  I keep one in the glove box of my vehicle, in case of an on road emergency requiring a bit of natural light and heat without polluting the cab of the bat truck.

But (there's always a but).  Not all Beeswax candles sold are 100% pure. Labeling in the US requires only that they be 51% beeswax to be pure (much like some of our food labeling).  Look for the phrase "100% pure beeswax" and note the unique and fresh, subtle honey fragrance.

Today's new beeswax candle comes from an Illinois beekeeping family:

• Raines Honey Farm

The Raines family has been beekeepers for the past 19 years, expanding their business to keep up with the demand for their premium honey.  Their hives are placed on family farms across Northwest Illinois and Southwest Il.  A small one-family operation they produce some of the tastiest honey I've had in years.  Sure, premium honey costs more than store bought but once you try it you'll view store honey like "really bad coffee".  There is that much of a taste difference.  The Raines honey is pure, raw, and natural with a sweet flavor that comes from local flowers, mostly clover.  They never cook, pressure filter or add anything to their honey nor do they use any chemicals in their beehives. 

Ordering online is easy and it's also found in a number of stores in North Central Illinois.  I did an online order and I got my package promptly delivered to Chicagoland, wrapped securely with bubble wrap to avoid damage.  In addition to my new candle, I got two kinds of honey, both regular and whipped (I love that on my morning bagel) a beeswax balm stick (great on dry heels and elbows and as a travel moisturizer since it's solid the TSA won't take it away), a scented bath soap. and they gifted me a new lip balm as a thank you for my first order. All of their products are vegetarian and are only tested on friends and family, NOT animals.

Now I can add a new animal candle around my tub now instead of those Ikea tub o'tealights for ten bucks, which just sooted up my bathroom. These candles produce NO smoke and last SO long, while your drapes, walls, and air stay fresh and clean.

Whether you are a candle lover, a homesteader, someone who loves their "Calgon Take Me Away" candle accompanied baths, or live in an area with power outages, add some pure beeswax candles to your supplies and order up some yummy honey from the Raines family while you are at it. You'll be glad you did.

Be Warned - Appetizer Crack

Looking for something to serve at a family outing or take to a party that you can nibble on without guilt?  The first time I made this for three friends, they ate the whole bowl - and it was a BIG bowl. We ended up putting the enchiladas I made for the main course in Tupperware for everyone to take home.

It's easy to make but for some chopping, fat free and vegan.  For a Paleo friendly dip transport celery sticks work great.  This does have beans and corn so it's not perfectly Paleo but it's a lot better for you than all of those heavy cheesy dips.

Around here it's known as Appetizer Crack

(easily cuts in half measurement wise)

2 cups roasted corn, chilled before blending with other ingredients. (honestly, you can  use the Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn and no one will be able to tell the difference)

2 cans black beans - rinsed and drained

2 red peppers

2 green peppers

2 Roma tomatoes - chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and finely diced.

1 cup chopped cilantro. (I'll be honest, I don't like cilantro but I loved it in this dish).

1 medium to med/large red onion - chopped (but not one of those Jabba the Hut sized onions).

DRESSING

juice of 4 limes (if you must use bottled lime juice, try and find the Key West brand, use 8 tablespoons).

2 Tablespoons APPLE CIDER vinegar

1 clove garlic (if you used the minced fresh in the jar, the amount to equal a clove is on the jar, about 2 tsp).

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika (there's sweet and smoky types, get the sweet)

few grinds of fresh pepper,

1/4 (roughly) teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder (I used Penzey's, their stores are in many Midwest cities and you can buy on- line, very reasonably priced). Some stores carry other brands. If you absolutely can't find it, use regular chili powder.

2 Tablespoons honey

1/2 cup  extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Wash all the produce well. Chop and combine all the fresh veggies, the corn and the beans. Chill while mixing dressing. Mix all dressing ingredients except the olive oil. In a thin stream, while using a whisk like you mean it, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whipping it until it is emulsified (if you want to be boring you can use a blender).

Pour over veggies and stir well, chill at least two hours, re-stir and serve.

Why Healthy Eating is So Hard in 2017

Vegan Crockpot Sloppy Joes

I decided to do something different than our usual pizza night as my husband had been fed pizza several times lately while working late in a plant in another city that needed the advisory engineer.

I also had a busy work week and didn't want to fuss in the kitchen OR heat up the stove when it was 90 degrees out.

Crockpot Sloppy Joes!

But I wanted to make a lower fat version that, other than sweetener, had simple ingredients.

I know you can buy a can of the sloppy joe sauce at the store.  But have you ever looked at the ingredient list of the most popular brand?

Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Distilled Vinegar, Less than 2% of: Salt Sugar, Dehydrated Onions, Dehydrated Red and Green Bell Peppers, Chile Pepper, Tomato Fiber, Spices, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Dehydrated Garlic, Carob Bean Gum, Natural Flavors. 

I think I will pass.

You'll start with a pound of TVP or veggie "beef crumbles.  Add that to 1/2 chopped onion (or a small handful of chopped celery) that you have sauteed until golden.o not add seasoning as you are going to rinse when done to get rid of as much fat as possible.

In your crockpot mix:

1 and 1/2 cups ketchup (or use tomato sauce if you are cutting back on sugar)
dash of salt and pepper
3 shakes crushed red pepper
1 tsp dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic (optional)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon Molasses
2 and 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (I use Braggs, with the "mother")
3/4 cup water (note:  this makes a fairly "saucy" sauce, if  you like it nice and thick reduce to 1/2 cup)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste.

Add in protein/onion mix and a large handful of chopped red, yellow, and green peppers

Cook on low until heated through and the veggies have softened, at least 4 hours.