Fasting recipes for single Orthodox

[27B6]

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[Gxg (G²)]

I can attest that Buddhist monastery cooking is very good, having eaten at some vegetarian restaurants in Korea and other parts of Asia. Most of the recipes fit well with Orthodox fasting rules.

Just ran across this site which has a slew of fairly easy recipes to consider with pictures.
Buddha Gate Monastery

Didn't know Buddhist food was that good to eat for vegetarian. Sweet to know now It just seems odd taking the diet of something from Buddhist culture and using it for a fast...but it's still beautiful to see. Will have to bookmark the site you gave for more review later

 

[gracefullamb]

I can attest that Buddhist monastery cooking is very good, having eaten at some vegetarian restaurants in Korea and other parts of Asia. Most of the recipes fit well with Orthodox fasting rules.

Just ran across this site which has a slew of fairly easy recipes to consider with pictures.
Buddha Gate Monastery

Too funny, I have actually been to that monastery.

 

[gurneyhalleck1]

I went to a few Buddhist monasteries in China in 1990. China was super duper atheist at that point. Needless to say, those places were pretty empty.

3 years later went to Thailand. Those Buddhist sites were overflowing!

Too funny, I have actually been to that monastery.

 

[gracefullamb]

I went to a few Buddhist monasteries in China in 1990. China was super duper atheist at that point. Needless to say, those places were pretty empty.

3 years later went to Thailand. Those Buddhist sites were overflowing!

I know the one near my home is always packed. I live in "China's home away from home." True story I saw a sign stating that about my hometown when I was in China. I was so exited after reading the sign, I shouted out loud. Everyone around me thought something was wrong and I had to explain, that is my hometown on that sign. Okay so it easy to make me excited, as well as amuse me. When I tell people where I am from they always come back with, "Oh I know where that is, its up near San Francisco." I got that from someone who lived two cities over from me, so even people in my neck of the woods have never heard of my hometown.It is depressing really.

ETA: I apologize for hijacking the thread and promise to come back later with some actual recipes.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Spoilage has always been my number one challenge, particularly for fruits and vegetables. This site looks worth a look.

StillTasty: Your Ultimate Shelf Life Guide - Save Money, Eat Better, Help The Environment

Placing food in jars like a lot of folks did in the old school with farming makes a world of difference. Lived with an elderly family when I was younger that grew their own crops and had a basement full of food they stored away - and it was amazing just how well their crops did.

Thanks for the resource, as it helps during the fast to learn of other ways to make eating more cost-effective.

 

[27B6]

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[27B6]

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[27B6]

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[Gxg (G²)]

Obviously, I'm not endorsing the Buddhist worldview! But yes, Buddhist monasticism has been vegetarian from the beginning, so they can certainly contribute good cooking ideas to Orthodox. I could be wrong but I believe that monastics from all three major traditions, Therevada, Mahayana , and Vajrayana, practice vegetarian diets. I don't know if they allow dairy, however. Would be interesting to know.

Indeed..although there are aspects of the Buddhist worldview that are indeed present within Eastern Christianity and it's one of the reasons many Buddhists have come over into Orthodoxy...but yeah, they've been vegetarian from the beginning and thus have a lot of things to consider with the dinner plate

I think you're right in noting where all 3 major traditions are vegetarian and abstain from meat. I think milk is actually allowed,

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I thought that site had some good info as well.

I know quite a few people that still can their own food from the garden or from bulk purchases at farmer's markets. Even people living in the city or suburbs could do it so long as they have a home kitchen. Maybe someone here can dig up some good online resources for canning? Now that you bring it up, I can see how canning would be an excellent way for singles to prepare for and better manage the fasts. I might try that, actually.

Folks who are into Urban Agriculture are amazing when they can foods and grow gardens to work with - seeing how much food at the market is unhealthy and is stored improperly.

Canning is a skill and something I need to invest more time in for the future...

 

[gracefullamb]

I thought that site had some good info as well.

I know quite a few people that still can their own food from the garden or from bulk purchases at farmer's markets. Even people living in the city or suburbs could do it so long as they have a home kitchen. Maybe someone here can dig up some good online resources for canning? Now that you bring it up, I can see how canning would be an excellent way for singles to prepare for and better manage the fasts. I might try that, actually.

What are you looking for recipes that are good to can or technique of how to can? I do a lot of canning since I always plant way too much in my garden and I don't like wasting the veggies.

 

[27B6]

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[inconsequential]

Potato dumplngs:

Boil potatos till soft with margarine, salt and pepper added to taste.

Mix flour, salt and water into very stiff dough.

Cut off small chunks of dough with a spoon and drop into potatos.

Simmer 10-15 minutes on medium until dumplings sink.

Let stand 15 minutes to thicken, then serve. Yummy soul food and is better reheated than fresh.

 

[gracefullamb]

I've never done any canning, so I guess the answer is both! I'm sure there are others on here that might be interested so if you have some good resources, this would be a good thread for it.

This first link has some recipes on it that are easy to follow and tells you which way is best to preserve the food. I don't particularly like the videos on this site under getting started because they are more infomercial for their products than informative for newbie. On the second link for this site though, if you scroll down it will give you some guides that can be printed. The getting started guide will give you a list of type of foods that should be canned water bath versus pressure canning. There is also guides for step by step of how to water bath and pressure can that you can print out.
Canning Recipes | Home Canning Recipes | Ball Jars
How to Can - Canning Guide - Learn How to Can and Preserve with Ball®

This video I think is the easiest to follow for water bath canning. This is actually the easiest and cheapest form of canning to start out with. Most of what you need if you don't already have it in your kitchen will probably set you back $40 brand new, that doesn't include the jars of course.
Water Bath Canning

When I have a little more time I'll find you an easy video to follow for pressure canning. It really isn't that much harder to learn but I know some are intimidated by it so I'll find a good reference video for it. I know a lot of sites say that it is so much more expensive to get into pressure canning because a good pressure canner & cooker is $300+. This is not true, I have seen good quality pressure canner & cookers for about $70 on amazon, so it really doesn't have to cost that much more to buy the equipment.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I know quite a few people that still can their own food from the garden or from bulk purchases at farmer's markets. Even people living in the city or suburbs could do it so long as they have a home kitchen..Now that you bring it up, I can see how canning would be an excellent way for singles to prepare for and better manage the fasts. I might try that, actually.

Found something while I was going through one Orthodox resource I've utilized often and thought you'd be blessed by it:

• Ancient Christian Witness: Organic Gardening'
• Civil Eats » Blog Archive » The Art of Canning: A How-To

There was also another resource that is very handy on practical ways to can - as seen in The Art of Home Canned Pantry Items Video #13

The Art of Home Canning - YouTube

 

[gracefullamb]

Just a caution on the website Easy linked to, the woman states she only uses water bath canning. When you look at the food items she is canning this makes sense because that is how to can those items, but you cannot can every food item this way. The water bath will not get hot enough to kill botulism if you are canning meat, fish or low acid veggies. Keep in mind old recipes (pre-1989) are based on heirloom seed veggies, the hybrid seed veggies most are using today have lower acidity. To safely can these hybrid seed veggies you need an even higher temperature than stated in the recipe if it is pre-1989. You can only get that higher temperature that kills botulism in a pressure canner.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

This first link has some recipes on it that are easy to follow and tells you which way is best to preserve the food. I don't particularly like the videos on this site under getting started because they are more infomercial for their products than informative for newbie. On the second link for this site though, if you scroll down it will give you some guides that can be printed. The getting started guide will give you a list of type of foods that should be canned water bath versus pressure canning. There is also guides for step by step of how to water bath and pressure can that you can print out.
Canning Recipes | Home Canning Recipes | Ball Jars
How to Can - Canning Guide - Learn How to Can and Preserve with Ball®

This video I think is the easiest to follow for water bath canning. This is actually the easiest and cheapest form of canning to start out with. Most of what you need if you don't already have it in your kitchen will probably set you back $40 brand new, that doesn't include the jars of course.
Water Bath Canning

When I have a little more time I'll find you an easy video to follow for pressure canning. It really isn't that much harder to learn but I know some are intimidated by it so I'll find a good reference video for it. I know a lot of sites say that it is so much more expensive to get into pressure canning because a good pressure canner & cooker is $300+. This is not true, I have seen good quality pressure canner & cookers for about $70 on amazon, so it really doesn't have to cost that much more to buy the equipment.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Just a caution on the website Easy linked to, the woman states she only uses water bath canning. When you look at the food items she is canning this makes sense because that is how to can those items, but you cannot can every food item this way. The water bath will not get hot enough if you are canning meat, fish or low acid veggies to kill botulism. Keep in mind old recipes (pre-1989) are based on heirloom seed veggies, the hybrid seed veggies most are using today have lower acidity. To safely can these hybrid seed veggies you need an even higher temperature than stated in the recipe if it is pre-1989. You can only get that higher temperature that kills botulism in a pressure canner.

Thanks for noting that, as every food group is different and I wish it was mentioned by the woman that what she did was unique for those foods mainly. Makes you wonder, of course, on others who've canned food with bath water not knowing about it and didn't seem to note a lot of issues - probably due to not knowing there was really anything off with what they were doing and thus not looking to recognize the water as a factor...or thinking it was supposed to be as such.

I was specifically thinking back on the folks I lived with and whether or not they used bath water for all their food or differentiated for certain products - as it seemed at times it was more so them diving into things/doing a lot out of habit just like many in the South do with herbs/plants and working with what they got...as they were in their 70s/above and worked with pre-1989 seeds but probably also worked with others that were hybrids as well.

 

[gracefullamb]

Thanks for noting that, as every food group is different and I wish it was mentioned by the woman that what she did was unique for those foods mainly. Makes you wonder, of course, on others who've canned food with bath water not knowing about it and didn't seem to note a lot of issues - probably due to not knowing there was really anything off with what they were doing and thus not looking to recognize the water as a factor...or thinking it was supposed to be as such.

I was specifically thinking back on the folks I lived with and whether or not they used bath water for all their food or differentiated for certain products - as it seemed at times it was more so them diving into things/doing a lot out of habit just like many in the South do with herbs/plants and working with what they got...as they were in their 70s/above and worked with pre-1989 seeds but probably also worked with others that were hybrids as well.

High acid foods can be canned by water bath because you have the acid killing the botulism spores and don't need a higher water temperature. In a water bath the temperature will only get to about 180 F. For the low acid foods you need a minimum of 240 F to kill any spores in your food, because you don't have the acid doing that job for you. The pressure cooker allows you to obtain this necessary temperature. She does point out that low acid foods "may" need a pressure cooker or "may" need more time in the boiling bath. More time in the boiling water isn't going to matter, because the water isn't getting hot enough to kill botulism spores in your low acid food. This is not a case of "may," it is case of you need to use a pressure cooker or take a chance that your canned food is safe to eat.

A lot of older people or those who inherited grandma's recipe book are canning by water bath only. I don't think it is wide knowledge about the amount of acid in the foods or that those hybrid seed foods have even lower the acid than their predecessors. Add to this the argument of, "that's how it was done all the way back to the founding of this country and there wasn't that many that died of food poisoning," and your not likely to change their mind. Our scientists today know a lot more than the ones of yesterday and they have proved how important the acid level and temperature are in safely canning our food. Sure, in this country, in the past many didn't die of botulism, but really why would you want to chance it? If one cannot afford a pressure cooker now, put some money aside to eventually buy one, if you think you want to can low acid foods. As I stated earlier, a good quality one could be found, brand new for $70, so you don't have to spend as much as many claim and in the long run you will have earned that back.