Fasting recipes for single Orthodox

Make ahead freezer burritos:

Fix rice in a rice cooker and also add tomatos, onions, and green peppers with it. Also, cook beans in a crock pot. Then using a bunch of flour tortillas (heating first so they're pliable) you can add the rice and beans plus fresh cilantro, salsa, quacamole, and whatever else you can think of to fill them and roll them up. Wrap them in saran wrap and place them in a gallon freezer bag. When you're ready to eat, pull them out and heat them for 2 minutes in the microwave. If you'd rather use the oven, heat at 425 and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

27B6 said:

Thanks for the info on canning. It looks pretty straightforward as long as you do it right.

Sounds to me like the safest bet would be to just use pressure cook canning for all foods, even the high acid recipes? Or does the higher temperature have a negative effect on some foods, overcooked?

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No, not the temperature but the increase of pressure will affect the foods. You can do things like jams, jelly, and sauces in the pressure cooker but you have to drop the pressure to 5 lbs. If you are doing something like pickles or relish the increase in pressure causes the foods to loose the crunchiness.

gracefullamb said:

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.

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More than understand.

Nonetheless, for the majority of folks who've had that brought up to them and don't get a pressure cooker - be it the elderly who are very much into habit or those who simply cannot afford to get one when they're already getting by on some things (and for many, 70$ isn't what they're able to set aside when they're already making due with the rent, medication, taking care of their kids or, for elderly grandmas, taking care of multiple kids - it does seem that many have adapted to what they have.

Depending on what culture one comes from, one can be either very receptive of something or not really focused on it. Within West Indian culture that has happened often when it comes to others involved in Herbal Medicines/Naturopathic medicines as opposed to what others in the scientific world have often offered...and the same with the meats/ways of preparing them My mother has noted that often in light of my great-grandfather and great-grandmother who grew up as stewards of the land/growing their own food and cooking it often in certain ways - and health was good for the most part (as great-grandfather is 102yrs currently going on 103 next August ) - as much as we don't think all things done naturally are the best (especially when what's claimed to be "natural" is far from it - more discussed in #84 /#29 ), we respect how they did it and see the benefits that many in the scientific world are still amazed by when it comes to resiliance. The same things have actually happened often when it comes to being in the West Indies as a non-native and others often telling people not to eat food on the local street side since it's not "healthy" - even though we alongside other Jamaicas or Bajans ate the food (jerk or curry chicken, ox -tail, fish, mango, etc.) and never felt ill due to how our bodies were used to it and adapted for it as opposed to others.

And seeing how the food was cooked in the West Indies in some ways that'd make a lot of Americans uncomfortable I'm always amazed at how good it turned out and how strong the people were on multiple levels. Some things, especially for believers, involve a level of the supernatural when it comes to trusting in the Lord in times of low resources (as many in some cultures have alongside extreme impoverishment).

Same dynamics have also occurred within many parts of South-Eastern Asia when coming over her to the states/utilizing the cooking methods they did and not only surviving but thriving.


Some have challenged others often on the dynamic that scripture shows when the prophets and other ministers did well despite a lot of circumstances - and in one of the books I am reading currently (entitled In the Heart of the Desert: The Spirituality of the Desert Fathers and Mothers ), I was fascinated seeing how other Eastern Christians have noted how those who were Desert Monastics (when it came to fasting/ascetism) had to often deal with a lack of what we have available today - and yet they were living miracles in the ways their bodies never seemed to look like they were beat up. Father Anthony noted that often when it came to how he handled himself - with him living a long time as well (100yrs) and testified to by St.Athanasius.

seashale76 said:

Make ahead freezer burritos:

Fix rice in a rice cooker and also add tomatos, onions, and green peppers with it. Also, cook beans in a crock pot. Then using a bunch of flour tortillas (heating first so they're pliable) you can add the rice and beans plus fresh cilantro, salsa, quacamole, and whatever else you can think of to fill them and roll them up. Wrap them in saran wrap and place them in a gallon freezer bag. When you're ready to eat, pull them out and heat them for 2 minutes in the microwave. If you'd rather use the oven, heat at 425 and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

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Gotta stock that one recipe away..

Okay, I gotta share this pot pie recipe. This was my first time making it and it was super easy. I found the recipe on-line- but made a few modifications. I made one for dinner tonight, and froze a second one for later. It's really good.

Ingredients:
• 1 cup chickpeas, cooked (canned does the trick)
• 2 cups vegetable blend (carrots, lima beans, peas, potatoes or any vegetable blend- I used canned potatoes and peas but fresh limas and carrots)
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped and caramelized
• 1 teaspoon seasoning (I used a combo of ground cayenne pepper, parsley, rosemary, thyme, ground black pepper, and ground sea salt)
• 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup (this is one can)
• 2 tablespoons soy milk
• 2 9-inch pie crusts (frozen kind)
Directions:
Mix all ingredients, except pie crusts. Fill pie with mixture. Top with additional crust, slitting to allow steam to release.

Bake at 425 for 30-40 minutes.

Lacto-fermentation is traditional method of food preservation before canning, delicious foods like sauerkraut, kimchee, kefir, pickles--all good fasting foods.

not really cooking but nutella (I am pretty sure is Lenten), bananas, a little honey, and wheat bread.

A video for you all explaining pressure canning. Pressure Canning

Slow Cooker Bean Soup

1 (20 oz) package of dry bean mix (I use a 16 bean mixture)
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 small head cabbage, shredded
3 stalks celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (8 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
large slow cooker

1. Soak bean mix overnight (according to package instructions).
2. Place the bouillon cube in a large slow cooker, and fill it half way with water. Set to high.
3. Add other ingredients to the slow cooker.
4. Drain and rinse the bean mix (according to package instructions), and add to the slow cooker. Stir all ingredients to mix.
4. Cover and cook for two hours on high. Then, reduce heat to low, and cook for six to seven hours.

This recipe makes a lot of soup. However, it is easy to freeze.

Fruit Galette

1 frozen pie crust
2-3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
any fruit you have handy that may be close to spoiling

1. Make sure the pie crust is at room temperature.
2. Cut fruit into slices and place around bottom of pie pan. (I tend to use apples, pears, plums, or berries of some sort. Usually one type of fruit at a time- but you can experiment if you like.)
3. Sprinkle sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the fruit mixture.
4. Fold the crust down over the fruit mixture.
5. Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes.

This takes care of your spoiled fruit problem. I don't like mine too sweet, so I don't use a lot of sugar, but you can put in more if you like things sweeter.

ETA: Also- here's a really handy link that lists all the foods you can freeze: http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/2011/02/10/freezable-foods/

Sweet potato kale soup

1 bunch of kale chopped
1 onion chopped
1 can vegetable broth
1 lb. peeled, cubed sweet potatoes
1 can white kidney beans, rinsed
1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp salt
1 clove garlic minced

Sauté onions and Italian seasoning 3-5 minutes. In a Dutch oven, mix sautéed onions, with broth, beans, sweet potatoes and kale and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer about 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Spiced chard & chickpeas

2 cloves garlic, minced
½ sweet onion, minced
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp thyme
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup golden raisins
1 tbsp organic tomato paste
1 bunch chard chopped (8 oz.), center ribs removed
1 cup chickpeas & 1 ¼ cups of cooking liquid or 1 can chickpeas & ½ cup water
¼ tsp cayenne

Sauté onions and garlic over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, cumin, turmeric, thyme, salt, and cinnamon and cook for a few minutes. Mix with the remaining ingredients in dutch oven and cook for 20 minutes.