Avivah Werner

Author: Avivah

  • Weekly menu plan

    This week I’ve made some nutritional upgrades to my menu, though I don’t know how immediately apparent it will be just looking at my menu.  I want to increase the amount of coconut oil and bone broths we eat daily and minimize grains and flours.  Instead of grains as a side dish, I’ll be increasing the amount of vegetables served with the meals, in addition to regularly serving fermented vegetables with the lunch and dinner meals.

    I do some of this to a degree but not nearly as much as I’d like to, and now is a good time to improve our nutritional habits since I’m easing back into actively running things.  I’ve been sleeping late in the mornings, and breakfast hasn’t always been what’s planned but what is quick (oats with milk and eggs are our typical easy breakfasts).  For that reason we haven’t been soaking flours before using them since to do that you have to prepare ahead, and we’ve gotten into the habit of using the freshly ground flour as is.  There are worse things a person could eat, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

    I’m also noting in the menu the fruit and milk/kefir being served with breakfast, as well as the vegetables being served with the other meals (though I don’t generally plan which vegetables to serve until the night before – it often depends on what most needs to be used).  I realize that leaving that out gives the impression that our meals are more sparse than they are.

    Sun – breakfast – shakes; lunch – green popcorn; dinner – turkey hash, roasted yams, peas and carrots

    Mon – b – coconut pudding, cherries, milk; l – cauliflower quiche (double recipe), sliced tomatoes sprinkled with fresh oregano; d – zucchini beef bake, brown rice

    Tues – b – banana/peanut butter shakes; l – cauliflower quiche, Mexican corn and peppers; d – Avgolemono (Greek egg-lemon soup), falafel balls, Israeli salad

    Weds – b – breakfast tacos, kefir, fruit; l – green beans and potatoes with sour cream; d – stuffed cabbage soup

    Thurs – almond blueberry muffins, milk, fresh pineapple; l – stuffed cabbage soup; d- CORN (clean out refrigerator night)

    Today I’m planning to soak the raw pecans I bought a few days ago, and then they can dehydrate overnight.  I’ll soak some flour for banana bread, and hopefully get some fermented vegetables going – I want to try a couple of new recipes.  I’m pretty wiped out today, though, and the 5 oldest kids are out, so what I want to do and what I actually do may end up being very different. 🙂

    Avivah

  • How to freeze bananas

    When you have bananas that are starting to get a little too ripe, don’t think you have to eat them all or throw them away!  By freezing them at that point, you’ll be able to get lots of use out of them at your convenience.

    There are several different ways to freeze them, and the way that works best for you will depend partially on what you want to do with them when you take them out of the freezer.  My preference is to 1) peel them, and freeze them whole in large ziploc bags to prevent freezer burn.  Some people like to 2) peel them, and then slice them before freezing – it probably does make it easier to defrost and use a smaller amount.

    Another choice is to 3) peel the bananas and mash them.  Package them in small amounts in plastic bags or freezer containers, putting the amount you would use for a recipe into one bag (eg 1 cup).  This is perfect for having prepped bananas for banana bread or cake.  You can add a tiny bit of lemon juice if you’re concerned about them discoloring. 

    The last choice is to 4) freeze them in the peel.  I don’t like this option, but some people do.  One thing that has been said as a benefit of this is that the peel protects them from freezer burn (though my peeled bananas in bags do fine); it also elimates any prep time.  The reason I don’t like it is: a) the peels get brown and look unappetizing, b) it takes up more room in the freezer, and c) it’s lots easier to peel fresh bananas than frozen.

     But if you do want to freeze your bananas unpeeled, here are some tips for using them: 

    Score the peel lengthways with knife and gently open.  It can take up to 2 hours for them to defrost, and will be very mushy when thawed.  If you don’t want to peel the banana, you can cut off the top and squeeze out the banana mush.  It may sound unappetizing but it works. 

    I’ll try to write another post on some ideas of how to use all of these frozen bananas!

    Avivah

  • Coconut oil as sunscreen

    >>I just wanted to let you know that I ordered 5 gallons of  extra virgin coconut oil and after calling Omega, I think I got a good deal. the price was $226.89 with Free shipping and no tax! http://www.organiclivingfood.com/pc-56-1-coconut-oil-virgin-cold-pressed-organic-raw-kosher.aspx

    The price of mountain rose herbs is still much better, but they were out. If I remember correctly you weren’t sure about a hechser, but it says they are certified: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/OQK.html Is it just that you don’t use that hasgacha?<<

    Thanks so much for sharing this information!  It can be discouraging to see how expensive coconut oil is, and finding good deals is very helpful.  Even the good deals are a lot of money, though; it helps to remember that when you buy such a large quantity, it will last you a long, long time! (Edited to add – I just called Mountain Rose Herbs and as of today, Friday June 19, it’s back in stock – $149 for 5 gallons, $37 for 1 gallon.)

    As far as Mountain Rose Herbs, their price was much better (I don’t know what it is now, and when I checked last week, they were out of stock and the price wasn’t listed).  I called them about the hechsher, and whatever it was, it wasn’t something I’d rely on for most other things. However, extra virgin coconut oil is very minimally processed and even this minimal hechsher was fine (according to those we ‘hold’ by); some say that it doesn’t need any hechsher  – as always, ask your LOR.

    Since I’m posting about coconut oil, I’ll share something that’s useful to know for the summertime.  Did you know that by eliminating your intake of harmful oils (like typical vegetable oils such as canola or soy, margarine) and adding coconut oil to your diet, you will improve your skin’s sensitivity to the sun?  A lot of people who were fair and used to burn all the time found that they began to tan instead due to the coconut oil and the beneficial affects on their entire bodies.  If this sounds like an impossible connection to you, then I’d just comment that what goes into our bodies affects every aspect of how they function.  You know the computer term GIGO (‘garbage in, garbage out’)?  It applies very much to people and their health, and though we may not see the direct connection, the connection is there.  If you have bad fats in your diet, do you think that it will affect how your skin reacts to the sun?  Or to aging?  Of course.

    I’ve also read that it can be applied as a sunscreen and is effective in that way, too.  Since the skin absorbs what is put on it, this is an equally viable way to use coconut oil (and could be a good option for those who want all the health benefits but don’t like the flavor).  That’s one reason I’ve been opposed to chemical sunscreens for years – I have almost never put them on my kids – all those poisonous chemicals to ‘protect them’ from the sun (especially since I think the sun is beneficial), isn’t a good trade off in my mind.  One year the counselor in my dd’s camp refused to let her swim because she hadn’t brought any sunscreen, and I had to call and tell her that I would take responsibility for the results of my dd swimming for a half hour without sunscreen.  She probably thought I was a neglectful and ignorant parent.  One of my kids did once get a slight sunburn on the back of his neck – it was my ds7, who is the fairest of us all.   That was only once and that was before we made these changes to our diet; though I’ve never used coconut oil as a sunscreen (heard about it after last summer), that’s what I’d use now if I felt there was really a need for it.

    One thing I’m not clear about is if expeller pressed coconut oil is as effective as extra virgin in this regard.  It seems like it should be helpful, even if not as beneficial, just as it is when used as a food.  Since the expeller pressed is so much less expensive, I’d rather use that for applications such as these.  If any of you know more about this, please chime in and educate me!

    Avivah

  • Restocking the pantry

    It was so nice to do a big shopping trip today and stock up on some things that I wanted!  I wasn’t exactly out of anything – except eggs, cheese, and some vegetables, which I picked up yesterday – but I felt like I didn’t have what I needed to make any dish I could think of.  And I wanted to add some things that I haven’t used much of before – specifically, I’m interested in using less grains and trying out nut/coconut flours for baking with, in addition to upping the kids’ intake of protein and good quality fats.  With that in mind, I bought a 50 lb bag of unsweetened dried coconut that I plan to grind up to use in place of coconut flour (it won’t be the same but it should be close enough to be comparable), as well as a 30 lb bag of pecan meal and 30 lb of almond meal.  And 25 lb of raw cashews.  After all, why bother with small amounts? 🙂

    In addition to the regular stuff, like 50 lb of potatoes, 40 lb of yams, 50 lb of oats, 30 lb brown rice, and raw milk, I also got some nice fruits – 2 cases of blueberries, 1 case of cherries, 40 lb bananas, and 9 pineapples (they were $1 each).  I was out of butter (unless you count the butter that I canned, which I haven’t yet used), so I bought another 40 lb; 35 dozen eggs, 5 or 6 lb of cream cheese, 36 lb of ricotta, and 25 lb of organic unsweetened peanut butter.  I also got a lot of pecans (one of my favorite nuts), and four cases of frozen vegetables (okra, green beans, and peas and carrots).  I got some not so ideal food, too – 10 boxes of whole wheat/rice/flax pasta, and 12 boxes of blintzes (144 blintzes – half blueberry, half potato); it’s not the kind of thing I’d serve every night, but it’s nice for a easy dinner once in a while. 

    As usual, putting everything away was the hardest part – I’m like the kid who’s eyes are bigger than his stomach – I see all these bargains and I buy it and hope that I’ll somehow find a place for it, even when it’s really unrealistic.  Before we left for our trip, I checked to see how much freezer space was available and there was just one empty shelf.  Dd14 rearranged the entire freezer to figure out a way to fit a lot more stuff in.  And I’m doing my part by using the turkey carcasses that were taking up freezer space to make more room for the new stuff.  Tomorrow I’ll be dehydrating some of the frozen vegetables that couldn’t fit (amazingly, only 5 lb) and canning the broth since the fridge is jam packed and there’s no possibility of finding an inch of space there, let alone room for a large pot. 

    It was nice after all of that work unpacking to sit down to a quick and yummy dinner.  We heated spinach tortilla wraps (got a few packs today for a treat) and then the kids spread on mayo, added lettuce, pinto beans cooked in turkey broth (prepared yesterday), and some home pickled vegetables.  We finished off our meal with a big bowl of fresh Rainier cherries – I never bought these before (always got Bing) and the kids really liked them.

    My husband was concerned when I told him I’d like to increase the protein and veggies for the family that I’d max out our food budget and it wouldn’t be sustainable long term.  I can’t say long term how it will work out because I don’t have the power to see into the future, but for now found that I was able to get all the nuts/nut flours and proteins that I wanted without going over my monthly budgeted amount.  It’s by continuously buying in bulk that this is possible – I didn’t need to stock up this month on a lot of grains and beans, for example, because I had plenty from last month – so that freed up money for these things.  Next month I’ll get the staples that I didn’t get this month, since I have enough of the bulk purchases from today to hold me over until then. 

    At dinner my dd12 said that it’s so much work unpacking that she understands why people go shopping all the time instead of shopping like we do. I pointed out to her that while she’s right that it’s a lot of work unpacking so much food, it’s only a couple of hours once every 1 – 2 months, with a little here and there in between. But we’d be spending a lot more time on a regular basis dealing with buying and putting away food if we were shopping weekly. 

    Now that I’m stocked up again, I’m looking forward to trying out some new dishes for the coming week’s menu!

    Avivah

  • Checking vegetables for insects

    I asked my husband if he would describe how he checks various vegetables so I could share the details with you since I’ve been asked more than once how I check different vegetables that I mention using.  This afternoon he emailed me the following link and suggested that it would be helpful for my blog readers:

    http://www.kashrut.com/consumer/vegetables/#WASHING

     I’m glad he sent me this, since I prefer not to make halachic suggestions – I’d rather people check with their rabbis for themselves.  (We follow the Star K guidelines that are linked on the page above.)  Hopefully this will answer those questions about cauliflower, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, and anything else you may have wondered about but not asked!

    Avivah

  • Buying cheese by the block

    I think I’ve been suffering from food shopping withdrawal without even knowing it!  Today I went shopping for the first time since the baby was born; it was so fun to be out and about again!  First I headed to the vegetable store and loaded up on produce – I got a full cart of fruit and veggies for $53.  I want to increase the amount of vegetables we’re eating and decrease the grains somewhat, so I shopped with that in mind.

    Then I popped into the kosher supermarket for some eggs and cheese – well, it was supposed to be a quick trip, but I didn’t plan on meeting three people and shmoozing with them all!  So my short trip became a lot longer; I had to remind myself to stop chatting since I don’t want to have an unhappy baby waiting at home.  While I was there, I got a bunch of turkey wings on sale (.79 lb) and a lot of ground beef (3.49 lb).  I checked the prices on turkey gizzards, which I thought I had remembered being expensive – and they are. They were something like 3.69 lb, which is more than I pay for whole turkey or ground meat!  So not an economical choice for me – that just underscores the point that I’ve made before, that there’s no food that is cheap for everyone.  You have to find what’s a good deal in your area and make the most of it.

    The cheese wasn’t on sale, so I decided to pass on it.  But when I went by the dairy appetizer section, I noticed the least expensive cheese (they slice for you from large blocks) was cheddar at 5.49 lb.  That beats the $7 -8 per lb. of the 8 oz or 1 lb. blocks.  As I was standing at the appetizer counter, it occurred to me to ask (after 7 years of shopping at this store) if there’s a discounted price for buying a large block of cheese. She told me it would be $1 less per pound – and 4.49 for a pound of kosher cheese is pretty darn good, in my opinion!  I ended up getting a 5 pound brick of mozzarella, which was slightly more expensive (4.69) and a couple of pounds of sliced cheddar at the regular price.  If you buy in the block, they don’t slice it for you, and there isn’t much of a savings if you end up using lots more of it than you would otherwise.  But I’m going to divvy up the 5 lb block into 1/2 lb. blocks to use for meals, and I think that will work well to help me portion it out efficiently. 

    In the end my quick little shopping trip wasn’t so quick or so little, but I do have lots of poultry and meat for the month, as well as veggies for the next week or two.  Tomorrow I’m going to do my big monthly shopping and will hopefully get us stocked back up – I haven’t been since a week after Pesach and my supplies have dwindled more than I like.  I’m hoping to find lots of great bargains!

    Avivah

  • A successful end to baseball season

    Though both my ds15 and ds10 have been playing league baseball this season, I’ve hardly been to any games.  It’s not that I haven’t wanted to, but the season this year coincided with me having a baby and they play on days that I haven’t had a car; on the days I’ve been able to go, the games have been rained out!  Fortunately, my inlaws have been taking ds15 to his games, and my mother has been taking ds10 to his games, and usually different siblings go along with each of them so they still have their own cheering sections. 🙂

    On Friday I finally got my first opportunity.  Ds15 was voted one of the top 4 players of his team by his teammates, and as such, participated in the league All Star game (the best 4 players from each of the six teams played in the same game together).  It was scheduled for 5 pm which on a Friday isn’t ideal timing, to say the least, but I was so glad to finally be able to see him play!  I took along most of the other kids, too (dh took ds10 and 7 swimming).  As I watched him play, I thought about how important it is to actively support your child’s interests.  Sure, I asked him about his games when he got home and tried to listen to the details attentively, but there’s nothing like being there in person. 

    And it meant so much to him that I was there.  He knew why I hadn’t been able to be at the previous games and knows that taking all of the kids out late on a busy erev Shabbos isn’t what I would generally choose to do for fun, but he really, really appreciated me coming to his All Star game – he thanked me so sincerely afterwards for being there.  Kids don’t generally feel unusually loved and nurtured when you give them what they take as a matter of course, but when you do something that they feel is extra, it’s like a deposit in the relationship.  This was a big deposit for ds and I didn’t have to say a word – just being there spoke volumes. 

    It was a wonderful game to watch, and of course it was nice to see that even of all the top players in the league, he was one of the very best.  More than that, though, I was able to appreciate how well he handled himself under pressure, how he interacted with his teammates, and see how he genuinely enjoyed the game.  I had a lump in my throat watching him at certain points, a lump that comes from feeling grateful to H-shem, not from being sad. 

    Tonight was the last game in the season, the World Series, a game between the top two teams in the league.  The last two years he played, ds was put on weak teams because he was a strong player, presumably an effort by the administration to keep the teams balanced. But it was a lot of pressure for him to feel like he was carrying the team in every game, and frustrating for him because one person can’t win by himself.  And those two years his team rarely won a game, which was discouraging, too.  Then last year he didn’t play at all.  So he especially appreciated being on a good team this year, and his past experiences simultaneously helped him be sensitive to the losing team and not be arrogant about winning. 

    After a great season, tonight his team won their final game, and all came home with trophies (he also got a trophy for being in the All Star game – now we have to find a place where he can put them so they won’t be demolished by his younger brothers!).  I’m glad that he had the chance to play this year, and since this is the last year he can play in this league (due to age), I’m glad he had the experience of playing on a winning team. 

    I have a little maternal guilt niggling at me that I wasn’t willing to consider this league in the past.  The reason is that I wanted him to be in the league that was made up of all religious kids, even though he repeatedly asked to go to this league.  This league is more organized, the coaches actively teach strategy and sportsmanship, and the game is played on a higher level.  And all the parents of the players were so nice that I felt ashamed of myself for assuming the crowd would be less refined without checking it out for myself.  In fact, because of the guidance of the coaches, the behavior and attitude of the players in this league were better than in his old league – one more example of how kids don’t learn good social skills from their peers, but from caring and involved adults.  The reason I feel bad is that this is his final year, and he missed being able to play at all last year because he was too old for the other league.  He doesn’t ask for much and I’m sorry I wasn’t more open the last couple of years to sending him to the league he really wanted to be in. 

    Ds10 is now requesting to switch to this league for the coming year, and we’ve agreed that he can (at least for ds10 I won’t make the same mistake).  He started playing in his current league when he was 5, two years before the official starting age, since he was an athletic kid.  But by the time he was 7, the age most boys were just starting out and learning the rules of the game, he was already one of the best in his league.  Then last year as a third grader, some parents on opposite teams thought (and said something) he was unfairly playing in a league too young for him – but he really was with his same age peers.   Switching will mean he’ll get the advantage of active coaching and learn new skills, as well as being with other players who will challenge him more. 

    It’s been a busy baseball season, and as much as the kids have enjoyed it, I always breathe a sigh of relief when it’s over.  Just one more game to go for ds10!  And then we can begin the busyness of the summer activities!

    Avivah

  • Reminder – Torah Homeschool Conference – June 28

    Today is the last day to register for the Torah Homeschool Conference at the discounted rate of $15 per person/$25 per couple.  So sign up now and save some money!!  http://jewishhomeschooling.wordpress.com/

    I realized after speaking to a homeschooling friend a couple of days ago that many who would benefit from the conference might not realize that it’s suitable for them.  The conference is intended for those currently homeschooling, as well as any parents who want to learn more about if it’s an option for them.  Those who aren’t homeschooling, but want to know more or their children, those with young children but thinking ahead, those who appreciate a more family centered approach to education and parenting, parents who want to supplement their childrens’ afterschool time, those who keep their children home until a later age than typical (ie, 4 or 5 yr) – all of these would enjoy and benefit from the conference.  So please pass the word along to anyone you think will be interested!  For years, I’ve been hearing Jewish homeschoolers say how much they wish we had both practical and social support of homeschooling, and for the first time ever, there will be a homeschool conference geared to Jewish homeschoolers!   So let’s make sure we take advantage of the opportunity!

    There will be a full day of workshops given mostly by experienced homeschooling parents, on topics like how to creatively teach Hebrew reading and writing, how to teach Jewish subjects, socialization, benefits of homeschooling, etc, and even a veteran’s panel where you can ask questions and hear what’s working for parents who have been doing this for a long time!   A community rabbi will be speaking on the importance of educating our children ‘in their own way’, and a well known parent educator will be speaking on building connections with our children. There will be two simultaneous workshop tracks, so you can choose which topics are most interesting and relevant to you.

    The conference will be held at the Baltimore Park Heights JCC, on June 28.  If registration is completed by June 15, the cost is $15 per person/ $25 per couple.  So act fast to get that price!  After that, the cost will be $20 per person/ $35 per couple.  To register, email srayvy at yahoo dot com with your workshop selections and let her know how you want to pay.  For more details, check out http://jewishhomeschooling.wordpress.com/

    The school year is ending – now’s the time to come and get some inspiration for the year to come!

    Avivah

  • Crustless Broccoli Quiche

    Here’s the recipe for the quiche that was such a big hit at ds’s birthday dinner this evening:

    Crustless Broccoli Quiche

    • 1 onion, diced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 c. chopped fresh broccoli (can use frozen, too)
    • 8 oz cheese, shredded or diced
    • 4 eggs, beaten
    • 1 c. milk
    • 1/2 c. mayonnaise
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Saute the onion and garlic in butter.  I cooked the broccoli in butter, too, but you don’t have to do that – I think it adds a good flavor, though.  Then mix the cheese, eggs, milk, mayonnaise, and spices together, and add to the vegetables.  Pour into a pie pan, and bake at 350 degrees for thirty minutes or until set.

    Alternatively, you can use 1 1/2 c. milk instead of a combo of milk and mayo – I’ve been using mayo in quiche since I was married, and like how it sets.  But if I was out of it, I’d use the full amount of milk instead of making a batch of mayonnaise just for this recipe. 

    We quadrupled this recipe, and it made three regular pie pans and one very full 9 x 13 pan.  That was just the right amount for dinner for us.  I also added a handful of chopped plantain leaves to the veggies that were sauteeing – nothing like having freshly harvested greens to add nutritional value to your meals!

    Avivah 

  • Celebrating ds’s 7th birthday today!

    Today my ds had his seventh birthday.  Though we keep birthdays low key, we do mark them with some kind of family celebration.  Last night my ds suggested to me that he should go to sleep early so that I could plan his birthday and start making special treats for him.  Amused, I asked him what he thought I should make, and he said in disbelief, “How should I know?  It’s supposed to be a surprise!”  🙂

    Well, it gets harder and harder to surprise anyone when they’re expecting something.  And maybe it doesn’t matter if it’s a surprise or not, as long as the child having the birthday feels nurtured and cared about.  But he was wasn’t expecting what we did for his birthday; here is how we did it.

    Dd14 slept over at her grandparents last night, so they baked a cake over there, and then frosted it.  They also picked up chips and fruit.  Early this afternoon, ds went to ds10’s baseball game, and directly from there, my mom took them to watch my ds15’s baseball game.  His game was being held at a regional park with picnic pavilions and a park, so we decided we’d have dinner there after the game for ds’s birthday.

    While ds was gone, this gave us a chance to plan the dinner menu and then the kids at home got busy making food without their brother being there to know what they were doing.  They made crustless broccoli cheese quiche, carrot sticks, corn on the cob, and popcorn popped in extra virgin coconut oil, and mixed up some orange juice from concentrate (we hardly ever drink juice) to drink.  (Together with the birthday cake, chips, and apples and peaches, this completed the picnic dinner menu.)  As soon as my husband got home later in the afternoon, we headed over to meet everyone else at the baseball field. 

    We got there just as the game ended and took the younger kids to the play area on one side of the park while the older kids set up dinner in a pavilion on the other side.  They managed to get the table set and everything in place just as ds returned with his siblings from the play area. 

    We greeted him by singing “Happy Birthday” and having him cut his frosted cake with the personalized birthday message on top.  Then we ate dinner together – my inlaws were there, too.  Everyone really enjoyed the quiche and after dessert, the kids had a great time running around and playing together.  A couple of his siblings gave him gifts.  It was a very relaxing and enjoyable evening – dh told me a couple of times what a nice dinner and outing it was.  I suppose we were at the park for about 2 1/2 hours before we headed back home, though ds7 didn’t come back home with us, since I agreed that in honor of his birthday he could have a sleepover at his grandparents house tonight.  I rarely agree to this during the week because it throws off the schedule the next day, and once I agree to let one person do it, then I have six others clamoring for the same privilege.

    I’m grateful that my kids are so happy with simple outings and dinners like these – all of the kids thought it was a very nice birthday dinner.  I realize that it doesn’t sound impressive, but that’s just fine with me, because impressing anyone isn’t any part of my goal!  I try to keep things as simple as possible, and focus on the heart of the celebration, making the child in questions feel special.   I find that keeping things simple allows everyone to enjoy our time together; often when you add more expensive or elaborate plans to the mix, they end up being distracting and taking the focus from the child and putting it onto the activity/food/entertainment.

    With this last baby being born in May, he’s added another month to the birthday celebration cycle (ie nine children born in nine different months).  This is a busy birthday season for us (the winter is the slow season – we’re still missing birthdays in Dec., Feb, and March) – just another 2 1/2 weeks until the next birthday….

    Avivah