Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Showing posts with label Organic Foods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Organic Foods. Show all posts

Friday, February 16, 2018

Frugal Tips for Buying Organic Ingredients

I may be repeating information in this post, but I was reminded how wonderful it's been by adding dehydrated organic mushrooms to soups, pastas and stews this winter.

Of course this is in addition to all the frugal tips I've shared.


Olive Oil

Olive oil is expensive if you are buying it organic and non-gmo.  Olive oil should taste like olives. If it says it comes from more than one source, you are not getting true olive oil.

If organic and non-gmo are important to you and your family, consider buying it by the gallon.  Especially if you thrive to be self-sufficient, and use it for infusing (to make homemade lip balms, lotions, creams, balms, etc.).

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Random Tidbits

Sunday, just as we sat down at the front porch for our dinner, the deer came out for their dinner.  This time she brought two youngin's with her.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Hot chili for a cold day

Considering I was on the go for the last few nights, we have not had a good hot meal. I opened the freezer and pantry, and whipped up a crock pot of chili.  

Over summer I did not have enough jalapenos to pickle any, so I sliced and froze them in baggies.  For the chili, I simply took out some, and finely chopped them while frozen.  They chopped so nicely too.

I am thrilled with the tomato paste I canned too.  I was saying my thanks for every item we where blessed with over summer, and stocked up, as I made the dinner.


Everything that went

Sunday, September 28, 2014

So Good!



I just tasted our first batch of applesauce.  I enjoyed it with a sprinkle of organic cinnamon.  Absolutely delicious. 

Friday, September 26, 2014

Homemade Applesauce


I was starving for a good breakfast, so I tossed onions, potatoes, green pepper and zucchini in a pan to cook for

Thursday, August 21, 2014

The "How to" on Home Canned Ketchup



This is how I make my ketchup.  

I do not peel my tomatoes because I use a sauce maker (you could also use a food mill).  Wash, trim and slice up 10 pounds of paste tomatoes.  I simply cut my paste tomatoes in 4th's and toss them in the pot.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Fire Starters and Random Tidbits

There were a few requests on how I made these fire starters.  I do write another blog regarding the use of scraps of just about anything, and creating something new, useful or even art. 

Friday, June 13, 2014

Homemade Frozen Yogurt


I have one kiddo who loves frozen yogurt.  However the stuff you buy in the store is processed with unhealthy ingredients (high fructose corn syrup etc).  I decided to buy some yogurt, and toss in some honey and my homemade vanilla. 


The kids churned it in our ice cream maker.  As a kid, my siblings and I, always churned ice cream (on special occasions) with a hand crank ice cream maker.  I love my ice cream maker too.  We made goat's milk ice cream in it last year. 

The results?

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Easy Steel Cut Oats ~ Go Kart Repairs ~ Chicken Alfredo


Sharing another steel cut oat recipe. This smells so good when it's cooking.  Sorry for the bad photo, it was not the best time of day to take one indoors.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Millet ~ The Secret Ingredient

Millet cannot be bought in stores here, so I did/do have to order this online.  Funny thing is, is that it arrived timely with Hubby's sugar issues.   This brand is non-gmo as well as organic.

Millet is what they call a "smart carb" so I wanted to try it for a healthy grain in our meals.  It is said to help maintain blood sugar levels.  And of course, it has a lot more benefits than that.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Mexican Chicken


Years ago, we discovered a recipe that was a family favorite.  However, it contains three cans of condensed cream of chicken soup and one of celery soup.  Needless to day, I have not made it in many, many years.


Yesterday I made the recipe, and used homemade soups, organic chicken, and organic tortilla chips (which were made with non-gmo oils, believe it or not).  It took a few days to make my soups ahead of time, but it was worth it. 

Here is the recipe.  

Friday, April 25, 2014

Broody Hen ~ Pie Pan "Bird Bangers" ~ Canned Tuna


We have one hen that refuses to get off the eggs.  The problem?  Well, Sparta is in the dog kennel, so the eggs have zero chance of fertilization.  Go figure.  It's the perfect time to let her sit on some, but we can't.  Sparta has a lot of healing to do first.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Chicken Necks ~ Stress Related to Allergies? ~ Canned Tuna


I finally took the chicken necks from my freezer the other day, and today I will make homemade broth.  I will freeze it instead of can it, and most likely use about half of it before the current chickens are butchered.

I have never made broth from scratch (strangely), so this is a new step for me.  I've always purchased it (gmo-free, organic) from the grocer.  However, prices have gone up to over $4/box.

Friday, April 18, 2014

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Honey-Jalapeno Grilled Chicken Tenders



I made Honey-Jalapeno Grilled Chicken the other day.  I have to say, it was pretty good.   

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Chicken Succotash with Gingered Sweet Potato Toss

I'm sharing this recipe, that I found in a November/December 2010 issue of Clean Eating (so I am very behind in reading through magazines I bought at a library sale many moons ago.....).  I did look on-line but the recipe was not on Clean Eating's site.  So here you are.

It's a penny pinching recipe too!  

Chicken Succotash
With Gingered Sweet-Potato Toss

4 4-oz boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
8 oz. green beans, trimmed and rinsed
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into 1-inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, sliced into thin rounds
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp. ground ginger
8 oz. frozen corn
Pinch sea Salt
Sweet Paprika, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste.

One:  Remove any visible fat from chicken, cut breasts into 1-inch cubes, and set aside.

Two: Fill 2 medium pots halfway with water and bring to a boil.  Add beans to 1 pot and turn heat down to medium.  Simmer beans for 5 minutes; drain and set aside.  Add potatoes to second pot, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes; drain and set aside.

Three: In a small nonstick pan, saute garlic in 1 Tbsp. oil over medium-low heat for 2 minutes.  Add ginger and cook for 1 more minute, then remove from heat immediately.  In a small bowl, mash garlic-ginger mixture with a fork until it's a smooth paste.  With same fork, stir paste into potatoes.  Chop cooled beans into 1 inch pieces.

Four: Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.  When oil is just beginning to sizzle, add chicken and saute for 3 minutes.  Add gree beans and corn and continue to cook for another 2 minutes (The chicken will finish cooking by method of poaching, thanks to the liquid from the vegetables).

Five: Using a slotted spoon, lift vegetable-chicken mixture from pan, letting liquid drain out, and place 1 cup mixture onto each of 4 plates.  Season with salt, paprika, and pepper.  Serve alongside 1/2 cup potatoes.


NOTE:  I did not slice my garlic.  I simply minced it and it worked fine.  I used organic chicken of course, and corn and beans we blanched over the summer and froze.  

Taste?  Well, we thought the main dish was bland in taste, so I minced garlic into it while it was finished cooking (chicken, bean, corn mixture).  You may want to taste test and season with your favorite spices/herbs. I did not measure my corn, I simply pulled a bag that I froze and used all of it.  Same with the beans.


However, my kids devoured this and ate all of their sweet potatoes!  That's a bonus for budget meal, and being able to provide a very healthy meal too.

It is a lot of stove-top cooking, but worth it.     
 

         

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Brussel Sprouts ~ Eating Healthy ~ Pinching more Pennies


There is more to be said for organic, or chemical free, foods.  I have been reading "......" and learning even more lately.

Did you know that organic ketchup contains 3 x the lycopenes that regular store brand ketchup contains?  That's a bonus, in addition to being chemical free.  I use a lot of ketchup to make homemade sloppy joes.

Did you know that 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon contains 18 calories?  I knew it was good for you, but was not aware of the calories in it.

Well, I am really enjoying reading Chef MD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, by John La Puma, M.D. and Rebecca Powell Marx. 

We did not grow brussel sprouts this past summer.  I think we simply over looked it.  I realized, that without growing them, I didn't serve them for meals.  This book highlights foods, and breaks down the contents of each, and the benefits of each.

I went in search for frozen, as fresh are not in season here, and found them.  I partially thawed 2 - 12 oz. bags (simply because that was the size they were packaged in), sliced them in half, and tossed them with olive oil, chopped onion, and minced garlic.  I roasted them for about 40 minutes.  


These were not only delicious, but smelled soooooo good when they were roasting.  These will be served more often now.  They are packed with goodness, and protect the body in many ways.  Even my kids ate them.

This morning we are trying Oatcakes for breakfast.  This is not only a penny pincher meal, but adds healthy grains to our diet.  I'll be back with an update.  The recipe only uses 1 Tbsp. of sugar and 1 egg. 


 

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Applesauce Chicken Dinner

(Applesauce chicken cooking in the crockpot)

Hubby and I are officially back to the gym.  The means frugal and easy meals, that are also healthy.  Although pioneers didn't have crockpots, this meal is very self-sufficient.  It could easily be cooked over a fire using cast iron pans too.

First, I went searching for cookbooks on meals using applesauce, but I didn't find any (just baking cookbooks).  I found a crockpot dinner recipe on-line, using chicken and applesauce.


Anyway, back to the frugal dinner.  If I don't raise it, I do buy organically grown chicken.  It's not frugal, but worth our healthy lifestyle. And of course I buy when it's on sale or clearance, and freeze it too.

Then I needed a side dish.  Red Quinoa? Yep, but after checking the cupboard, I was out.  Sweet potato fries?  Yep, but not conducive to working out at the gym, and expecting kids to turn the fries every 15 minutes.  Hmm?  My side ended up frozen carrots that we grew and froze over summer - a  self-sufficient, chemical free meal.

I used the recipe that I linked (above), but used organic apple cider vinegar, organic cinnamon, home canned organic applesauce, organically grown chicken, etc. I may be making homemade hot sauce next season too. Cayenne and hot sauce are a great substitute for store bought hot red pepper flakes.

This was very good, and all of the family loved it.

   

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Better Butter


I told hubby, we could skip buying the cow and just make regular trips to the bakery that sells this butter.  It's a 2 1/2 - 3 hour drive, but we all need to get away right?  


I haven't convinced him yet, so we may just have to buy the cow some day soon.   I am already searching for a butter churn.


I am really enjoying the taste of this growth hormone free butter.  It's tastier than organic butter I find in stores here.