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 Diabetic Recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diabetic Recipes. Show all posts

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Cabbage Lasagna ~ New Recipe Tried ~ Sauce Maker Issues and other Tidbits

 



Although not the typical dinner for such hot weather, I tried a new recipe.  I had thawed the meat, and had the cabbage, so it was made.  It was delicious!  It was some work, but instead of boiling the cabbage first, I am told you can freeze your cabbage and thaw it, and it will be soft and pliable.  Is this true?

Either way, we did not miss the pasta.  I used home canned tomato sauce (herbed) in place of Marinara sauce.  It was very good, and of course perfect for my husband's health (and mine).  I will be making this again.  Recipe is from Sugar free Mom online.



 I'm still canning.  I canned another half batch of tomato sauce yesterday.  See that white bowl in the upper left?  My husband dropped it and broke part of the pour spout off, and the handle is cracked about 2 inches downward.  The smaller matching bowl was also broken.



I went to look up the price of another set of these, and they are now $109.00 for the set of 3!!  Crazy!!  I will be looking for other options. 

The one on the left is the original, the one on the right was the replacement a year ago.  The bottom gasket for it, where it goes into the inside of the sauce maker, and where the handle goes in from the outside, has been out of stock.  I have to wrap a towel around the base to collect all the liquid that drips out during the process when I crank the handle on the sauce maker.

The replacement for these are up to $22.00.  I found one similar to it on Amazon (saving me $7.00), that is made for a different brand of sauce maker, and it works.  It's slightly smaller, but it works, and hopefully will keep working until this canning season is done this year.

In the midst of looking for something, I found this box that was packed up during the kitchen renovations.  Daughter K made it for me.  I am keeping my leftover bits of cotton yarn in it, along with a crochet hook.  I can now work on small scrap projects while watching the canner pot.

We had some thunderstorms come in yesterday, but it was still very hot and humid.   They say it will cool down now, and I am looking forward to that.




Saturday, June 10, 2023

Buttermilk Biscuits ~ The Biscuit Experiment ~ Einkorn Flour Biscuits

 I apologize in advance.  I printed this recipe from a blog I follow, but failed to write down which blog.  It was a while ago too.   You know me, I'm a sucker to try a new recipe.




I gave the recipe a try, and here is how mine turned out. These baked pretty well, considering my baking powder was expired (gulp).  I haven't been doing much baking around here lately.

These were delicious freshly baked, but next day very dense.  Good, but the white flour is not good on our meal plan. 

So....

I played around with einkorn flour the other day.   Einkorn will not spike my husband's blood sugar levels. I see that Jovial has a drop biscuit recipe, but it calls for a full TBSP of baking powder (?) and maple syrup.

If you make einkorn biscuits without any sugar, please tell me how you make yours and if I need to change anything.

I prefer to use recipes directly from Jovial, but they only have two biscuit recipes on their site.

Here is what I did:

Einkorn Biscuit Trial #1

2 1/2 cups all-purpose einkorn flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

8 Tbsp butter (see note below), cold (organic)

3/4 cup milk, cold (I used organic whole milk)



I did my typically biscuit mixing, but with einkorn I like to sift it, so I sifted it with the baking powder and salt.  I cut in the butter with a pastry blender, then added the milk.  I only knead until it's all together, then I cut with a biscuit cutter.  I did these with a 2 inch.

Baked at 400°F for about 17-18 minutes.

They came out crispy on the bottom and a teensy crispy on the sides/top, but the center was soft.

Should I make any changes?  Add more milk, cut back on flour, change the baking powder amount?  The Jovial recipe for their drop biscuits calls  for 2 cups flour and 1 Tbsp baking powder and some cream of tartar.

Also, is there a way to still get a nice biscuit without baking powder?  Another healthier way to get that rise in the biscuit?

Baking soda and cream of tartar?

Buttermilk and baking soda?

Any ideas?


Note:  I either cube my butter and put in the fridge to keep cold, or put the butter in the freezer, then grate it for biscuits.  I have also grated it first (which does make a greasy mess on your hands, but works too), then froze the grated bits.


Results:  My husband said, "well, their biscuits" ha ha!  Not the best tasting, but a healthy alternative for when we have biscuits and sausage gravy (which is not very often).


Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Healthy Banana Cookies ~ New Dinner Recipe and Tidbits

I baked us some healthy banana cookies.  It takes organic oats, bananas, oil and I used diced apples in place of the dates.  I have no access to my  home canned applesauce to cut the oil, but anyway....



They tasted great.  Good enough to eat more than one, but I will add more cinnamon and nutmeg next time.   Recipe is from Allrecipes, called something like Healthy banana cookies?  Anyway, my husband loved them and the oats did not make his sugar go up thankfully.  They say oats can affect people differently.

I also make a new dinner recipe called chicken bruschetta casserole.  You dice the chicken and cook it first, layer it in a 8 x 8 baking dish, and top with goodies.  I simple used a 1/2 pint of "Bruschetta in a Jar" I canned, then added some mozzarella cheese.  It was good, but I think it would be more beneficial to simply can canned tomatoes and add the garlic, fresh basil etc. to the dish.  I forgot to take a photo, but will can tomatoes by the pint vs. half pint.  We needed more tomatoes, and I cannot get to them until the floor is in, in the living room.

I have two people now in line to quote us for the removal of our old popcorn ceiling.  We are praying it will not be expensive, as they don't have to worry about furniture or curtains in the process.

Another day has gone by and no word from the person to clean our gutters.  Getting frustrated as the weather is changing.