Try sprouts this winter season and find out what you have been missing!
Happy Sprouting!!!
Showing posts with label Vegetable. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegetable. Show all posts
Monday, September 13, 2010
The end of another Season
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Well it's the end of another season; you know the one that we call summer, and with that means the end of a couple of things, one of which is the end of gardening. In Japan the rice is being harvested, in Idaho it's the potatoes, and somewhere around the Nebraska area the corn is being husked. All of this signifies the end of the heat season while waiting for the cold winter season to settle in. During this time the prices on things such as apples and strawberries, lettuce and tomatoes all rise and we become meat eaters, simply because the prices on produce are high enough to make one broke.
But what about our vegetables? What about the healthy stuff that keeps us sane? Since it's too cold for crops and gardens to survive outside, Basic Living has equipped themselves with a few products that will keep you healthy and happy this winter season. By simply adding some healthy greens that can easily be grown indoors you will be eating healthier this winter season. Sprouts are a great way to add variety and greens into your life. They can be grown indoors and can be used in soups and salads or even added to a sandwich if such is desired. From the wonderful easy sprout or the Kitchen crop Sprouter you can be growing sprouts in a matter of days. The interesting thing about sprouts is that there is such a wide variety to choose from. Just a few that can be used in these wonderful little sprouters and grown anytime of the year include: Alfalfa, curly cres, daikon radish, and green peas. More options are available and prices vary but can be found at Basic Living all year long.
Try sprouts this winter season and find out what you have been missing!
Happy Sprouting!!!
Try sprouts this winter season and find out what you have been missing!
Happy Sprouting!!!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
How To Select A Juicer
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There are many factors that determine which of the many juicers out there is the best juicer for you. Some of the factors that you need to consider are:
- Juicer Types
- Produce most likely to be juiced
- Cleaning
- Power
- Noise Level
1. Juicer Types
There are six main types of juicers that are available today. They are Centrifugal Juicers, Citrus Juicers, Manual Press Juicers, Single Gear (a.k.a. Masticating Juicers), Twin Gear (a.k.a. Triturating Juicers), and Wheat Grass Juicers.
- Centrifugal Juicers: Centrifugal juicers are the most affordable and popular choice available to people looking to buy a juicer these days. These juicers use a shredding disc to spin out the juice and a strainer basket to hold the pulp in the machine.
- Citrus Juicers: A citrus juicer provides the convenience of juicing citrus fruits at home so you can enjoy the benefits of fresh squeezed citrus juice any time.
- Manual Press Juicers: Since the juice is pressed through cheesecloth, the juice is virtually pulp free, but can be a slow process. Requires produce to be shredded in order to be pressed and squeezes the juice out of the produce with pressure.
- Single Gear (a.k.a. Masticating Juicers): These produce less foam, and can be utilized to make baby food, sauces, and sorbets. A slow turning single auger is used by these types of juicers to crush the produce into the walls or screen of the juicer.
- Twin Gear Juicers (a.k.a. Triturating Juicers): These juicers have two gears that shreds, then presses the juice out of the produce. These types of juicers are liable to be more expensive than other types of juicers, but twin gears juicers are the most efficient and can extract larger volumes of juice from fruits and vegetables.
- Wheatgrass Juicers: Wheatgrass juicers can extract the juice out of the blades of wheatgrass either manually or automatically. Wheatgrass is a concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, and enzymes. This is a specialized type of juicer since normal fruit and vegetable juicers will not juice wheatgrass.
2. Produce most likely to be juiced
If you are likely to be juicing fruit and vegetables in equal quantities, then a centrifugal juicer is your best option and some models also feature attachments that will allow you to juice citrus as well. However, those juicers do not juice leafy vegetables well. For juicing mainly vegetables a single auger juicer would be the best option, but they produce rather thick juice from fruit, almost sauce-like, since they are designed for juicing stalk-like vegetables.
3. Cleaning
The time it will take to clean a juicer after you used it will depend on the complexity of the juicer as the average juicer has between four and seven parts requiring cleaning. This means that while a citrus press can be cleaned with a quick wipe down, a juicer with more functionality will take longer to clean. Also a check should be made as to whether the components are dishwasher safe, unless you are happy to hand wash the parts.
4. Power
The amount of power you need depends on the hardness of the produce you are juicing. The harder the produce, the more power you will need, but anything over 400 watts should be more than sufficient. The stronger the motor is, the longer it is likely to last. Also a check should be made as to whether the motor is guaranteed by the manufacturer.
5. Noise Levels
This is dependent on the power of your juicer's motor. The more powerful the motor, the higher the noise levels produced. The importance of this factor is guided by personal preference and your sitation. If you have no one around to complain about the noise and you don't mind the noise, then it is unimportant; but if you mind a loud noise or people around you do, then it is a consideration. But it must be weighted up against the effectiveness of your juicer.
Click here to check out the juicers at basicliving.com!
Happy Juicing!!!
by Mechele Eckman
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Juicing for Health
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Image via WikipediaTo be blunt, Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. For example, although the National Cancer Institute recommends 5 servings of vegetables and 3 of fruits each day, the truth is this: The average American eats only 1 1/2 serving of vegetables and, on average, no fruit on any given day.
Benefits of Juicing
No matter what our age, it is never too late to start drinking your fruits and vegetables. Juices can flush toxins from your body, are good for your weight, heart, circulation, and overall well being. Juices contain saturated fats or added sodium and can be helpful in lowering your cholesterol.
-Juicing breaks cell walls of whole foods including tomatoes and carrots. This way you make it easy for your body to absorb all the wonderful nutrients of the vegetables and fruits.
-Juice is absorbed within 20 minutes. You don't have to waste energy do digest the foods. Nothing energizes you quicker than juice.
-Best way to consume high volumes of greens. Some people wonder, how they can ever eat all the greens that are recommended. Juicing is the solution.
-Greens are the most alkalizing, mineralizing and healthiest foods. But not always the most palatable. By juicing vegetables you can mix with apples or carrots for better taste.
-Juicing only takes a few minutes. More than blending but still quick and much faster and easier than cooking.
-No pans to scrub. Juicers are relatively quick and easy to clean - especially the centrifuge juicers.
-Juicing is easy to learn and you an make and adapt recipes easily.
How to Juice
Image via WikipediaTo be blunt, Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. For example, although the National Cancer Institute recommends 5 servings of vegetables and 3 of fruits each day, the truth is this: The average American eats only 1 1/2 serving of vegetables and, on average, no fruit on any given day.Benefits of Juicing
No matter what our age, it is never too late to start drinking your fruits and vegetables. Juices can flush toxins from your body, are good for your weight, heart, circulation, and overall well being. Juices contain saturated fats or added sodium and can be helpful in lowering your cholesterol.
-Juicing breaks cell walls of whole foods including tomatoes and carrots. This way you make it easy for your body to absorb all the wonderful nutrients of the vegetables and fruits.
-Juice is absorbed within 20 minutes. You don't have to waste energy do digest the foods. Nothing energizes you quicker than juice.
-Best way to consume high volumes of greens. Some people wonder, how they can ever eat all the greens that are recommended. Juicing is the solution.
-Greens are the most alkalizing, mineralizing and healthiest foods. But not always the most palatable. By juicing vegetables you can mix with apples or carrots for better taste.
-Juicing only takes a few minutes. More than blending but still quick and much faster and easier than cooking.
-No pans to scrub. Juicers are relatively quick and easy to clean - especially the centrifuge juicers.
-Juicing is easy to learn and you an make and adapt recipes easily.
How to Juice
- Wash the vegetables and fruits.
- Depending on the kind of raw food or juicer, you might have to pre-cut.
- Juice the soft fruits and veggies first. Then the harder and tougher ones (like carrots). the latter will push the softer ones through.
- The best way to begin a regular juicing routine is to do it the same time each day and only begin with the vegetables and fruits that ou enjoy eating whole.
- Fresh fruit and vegetable juices should be consumed right away because if you store them they can lose their nutrition value very quickly.
- It is best to clean juicer right after use.
- The first thing to consider is whether or not to make your own juice. Preparing your own juice will save you money and it will be the freshest it can get. You can buy bottled juices but some of the nutrition is lost in bottling.
- Choose a juicer that does not create excess heat that will destroy valuable nutrients in fruits and vegetables. For juicing green vegetables and grasses - use a twin gear juicer. For juicing harder vegetables such as carrots or soft veggies such as cucumber, it's easier and quicker to use a centrifuge juicer.
- Whenever possible, organic produce should be used for juicing to avoid consuming concentrated amounts of pesticides with your healthy juices.
- If you are juicing primarily for health, use 50-75% greens like spinach, kale, chard, parsley or broccoli as the base of your juice recipe. Fruit juices tend to be higher in sugar and lower in nutrients than vegetable juices. In general, you can get about 8 ounces of juice from a pound of raw produce.
- If yo want juice with no pulp at all, you can use cheesecloth or a coffee filter to further strain juice after it goes through your juicer. As a final juicing tip, consider that the softer the fruit or vegetable, the thicker the juice will be. In fact, the juice extracted from very soft fruits like pears, peaches, strawberries, and apricots is known as nectar.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Victorio Stainless Steel Steam Juicer
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Extract the natural juice of grapes, berries, and other high-liquid fruits with the power of steam. Just boil water in the bottom container and place fruit in the top container. Natural concentrated fruit juice drips in the center pan where it can be extracted through a surgical-quality, heat-resistant tube. Use it for making jellies or store as concentrate for healthy natural fruit juice. The Steam Juicer is also perfect for cooking soups and stews or steaming vegetables.
Steam Juicer Capacities:
Steam Juicer Capacities:
- Over all height is 16"
- Diameter is 10.5"
- Colander - The part the fruit or vegetables go in - 9.5 QT
- Juice Kettle - The part that catches the juice during the steam juicing process - 2.5 qt
- Water pan - bottom pan of water that boils to create steam - 4.5 QT
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Presto 23 Qt Pressure Cooker/Canner
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Let the canning begin!!!
Pressure canning, the only method recommended safe by the U.S.D.A. for canning low-acid foods, allows you to preserve meats, vegetables, and fruits. Presto pressure canners feature an easy-to-read dial gauge for accurate pressure control and extra strong, warp-resistant aluminum construction. The air vent/cover lock allows pressure to build only when the cover is closed properly and prevents the cover from opening until pressure is safely reduced. Includes cooking/canning rack and complete instruction/recipe book. 22-Quart Liquid Capacity (20.9 Liters).
Find your steam pressure canner at Basic Living!
Also, check out our article on Steam Pressure Canning!
Let the canning begin!!!Pressure canning, the only method recommended safe by the U.S.D.A. for canning low-acid foods, allows you to preserve meats, vegetables, and fruits. Presto pressure canners feature an easy-to-read dial gauge for accurate pressure control and extra strong, warp-resistant aluminum construction. The air vent/cover lock allows pressure to build only when the cover is closed properly and prevents the cover from opening until pressure is safely reduced. Includes cooking/canning rack and complete instruction/recipe book. 22-Quart Liquid Capacity (20.9 Liters).
Find your steam pressure canner at Basic Living!
Also, check out our article on Steam Pressure Canning!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Planting a Garden
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As I have watched the news lately, I have become even more alarmed at the cost of food. Prices have risen astronomically, and it is scary to think about. It’s not really an optional item in anyone’s budget. We all need to eat. So what are we to do? I, for one, can think of a lot of options, and none of them include not eating at all. Most of us have within us an ability to work. Quite a few of us have a little space, or a lot of space, that we could use for a garden. I have heard a lot of people complain that it’s not worth it to grow a garden, and that they can get the food cheaper at the grocery store when they consider their time and all. Perhaps to them it’s the better option, but I, for one, could not afford to purchase all that my family can eat. And besides, we have an affinity for fresh berries, and we would have to take out a loan to buy what we eat every year just in that category.
It is true that many foods are readily available at a reasonable cost during the case lot sales. But that may not always be true, and prices will continue to rise. Certainly, there are some things that we need to purchase, but there are a lot of items that we can grow ourselves. The idea is to make the funds available to us go as far as possible. And a little hard work really doesn’t hurt anyone, even children, although they may sometimes have a different opinion.
In order to maximize the usable yield from our gardens, it is important to start with a plan. What does your family really like? What won’t they touch? How much of something will they eat before they get tired of it or it goes bad? There isn’t much sense in planting a whole row of radishes if your children would rather play kick ball with them. Perhaps a few would be fun because they come up fast and grow fast, but mix them in with the carrots, and they don’t take any more space because they are ready to pull before the carrots get big.
Are carrots a big thing in your family? Can they eat a five-pound bag in a week if there is veggie dip? Then maybe one row wouldn’t be enough. My sister- in-law pulls carrots, leaving the fluffy green top on, and tells her children they are “What’s up, Doc?” carrots, and the kids think they are so cool. We plant lots of carrots so we can eat all we want during the summer. Then we are sure to have enough left over for drying and cold storage through the winter.
Corn is very popular at our house. We can eat it at dinner for several weeks and not get tired of it too fast. We also freeze a lot of it. We don’t like the taste of home canned corn, though. So when we plan how much corn to plant, we think of three things. First, how much do we want to freeze? Then how much do we want to eat? Third is how to stagger the ripening of the ears. Either we plant it in two or three plantings about two weeks apart, or we use three different varieties that take a differing numbers of days to mature. For fresh eating we want it to ripen gradually, but when I freeze it, I would rather it all ripen at once so I can get the job over with. We are also very careful to plant corn in blocks instead of single rows so that they are pollinated more thoroughly.
We like to grow enough pumpkins to let each person in the family either carve one or draw on one for Halloween, according to age. We also want a few more for pies and breads. However, I don’t really think we need five dozen of them, although I am sure the neighbors would be happy to help us dispose of them if we did end up with that many.
That brings up another point. Gardeners are fond of sharing. I think it’s partly because they like to be good neighbors, but I also think that there may be some bragging rights involved. We had a neighbor who grew onions the size of basketballs, and I am not exaggerating. They were huge! He loved sharing them with friends and neighbors. My bragging rights come from handing our tomatoes to neighbors in June from the plants in our greenhouse, while their plants are still only ankle-high. I love to share what I have grown, and I love to be the recipient of someone else’s bounty. I have found great new varieties this way, and have learned some new techniques. Never be afraid to ask someone for advice. Gardeners love sharing information too!
Our family likes peas, fresh and frozen. We plant a lot of them too, but not as many green beans, even though we can a bunch every year, and eat some fresh. We don’t do much with kohlrabi or turnips, but we should. Broccoli is great to have, but I don’t seem to be able to grow much of it.
Potatoes are a big crop for us. We eat a lot of them, and the children love to go out with Dad to dig them up in the fall. It’s a treasure hunt for them. But we are always careful to plant some red potatoes that will be ready to eat much earlier, when the peas are on, so we can have the old family favorite dinner of peas and potatoes. We plant several rows of potatoes.
Consider planting cucumbers, summer squash, cabbage, tomatoes and peppers, among others. I like to plant a lot of tomatoes. We like them in tacos, BLT sandwiches, and I make lots of salsa and spaghetti sauce. I have a few children that will eat them like one would eat an apple. I certainly don’t want to run out of them! I also grow the onions and peppers for the salsa, and I need to grow lots of onions for freezing and drying. That makes it easy to throw a handful of them into a soup.
When I set out our garden, I take the needs of our family into consideration and plot out our available space with what is most important to us. There is no reason to waste time and space on something that they won’t eat. But then, maybe a little of something new would be good for them. Just don’t turn half of your garden into a brussels sprouts patch if your family will mutiny if you serve them more than once a year.
Think about staggered planting, or two crops in one season, such as lettuce or peas. How much does each foot of row produce? How much do you really need? Remember that the first year that you raise a garden is a learning experience. Also remember that the twentieth year that you raise a garden is a learning experience. You will always find new and better ways to do things, and you will also find out what really doesn’t work for you. You will be able to experiment with different varieties of vegetables, and perhaps some wonderful neighbor will share some heirloom seeds with you. Gardening is definitely an adventure!
Our children, as they fill their tummies with fresh bread and fresh homemade raspberry jam and an apple or carrot on the side, or with still-warm peas from a sun-kissed pod, talk about how wonderful their life is. It really makes me smile. What they are eating is quite inexpensive, but very good for them, and they are probably also content remembering that they helped weed, water and pick the produce, and that gives us all a great deal of satisfaction.
By Donna Howard
56 East Main Street
Rexburg, ID 83440
info@basicliving.com
888-656-0411
www.basicliving.com
www.survivalsuperstore.com
It is true that many foods are readily available at a reasonable cost during the case lot sales. But that may not always be true, and prices will continue to rise. Certainly, there are some things that we need to purchase, but there are a lot of items that we can grow ourselves. The idea is to make the funds available to us go as far as possible. And a little hard work really doesn’t hurt anyone, even children, although they may sometimes have a different opinion.
In order to maximize the usable yield from our gardens, it is important to start with a plan. What does your family really like? What won’t they touch? How much of something will they eat before they get tired of it or it goes bad? There isn’t much sense in planting a whole row of radishes if your children would rather play kick ball with them. Perhaps a few would be fun because they come up fast and grow fast, but mix them in with the carrots, and they don’t take any more space because they are ready to pull before the carrots get big.
Are carrots a big thing in your family? Can they eat a five-pound bag in a week if there is veggie dip? Then maybe one row wouldn’t be enough. My sister- in-law pulls carrots, leaving the fluffy green top on, and tells her children they are “What’s up, Doc?” carrots, and the kids think they are so cool. We plant lots of carrots so we can eat all we want during the summer. Then we are sure to have enough left over for drying and cold storage through the winter.
Corn is very popular at our house. We can eat it at dinner for several weeks and not get tired of it too fast. We also freeze a lot of it. We don’t like the taste of home canned corn, though. So when we plan how much corn to plant, we think of three things. First, how much do we want to freeze? Then how much do we want to eat? Third is how to stagger the ripening of the ears. Either we plant it in two or three plantings about two weeks apart, or we use three different varieties that take a differing numbers of days to mature. For fresh eating we want it to ripen gradually, but when I freeze it, I would rather it all ripen at once so I can get the job over with. We are also very careful to plant corn in blocks instead of single rows so that they are pollinated more thoroughly.
We like to grow enough pumpkins to let each person in the family either carve one or draw on one for Halloween, according to age. We also want a few more for pies and breads. However, I don’t really think we need five dozen of them, although I am sure the neighbors would be happy to help us dispose of them if we did end up with that many.
That brings up another point. Gardeners are fond of sharing. I think it’s partly because they like to be good neighbors, but I also think that there may be some bragging rights involved. We had a neighbor who grew onions the size of basketballs, and I am not exaggerating. They were huge! He loved sharing them with friends and neighbors. My bragging rights come from handing our tomatoes to neighbors in June from the plants in our greenhouse, while their plants are still only ankle-high. I love to share what I have grown, and I love to be the recipient of someone else’s bounty. I have found great new varieties this way, and have learned some new techniques. Never be afraid to ask someone for advice. Gardeners love sharing information too!
Our family likes peas, fresh and frozen. We plant a lot of them too, but not as many green beans, even though we can a bunch every year, and eat some fresh. We don’t do much with kohlrabi or turnips, but we should. Broccoli is great to have, but I don’t seem to be able to grow much of it.
Potatoes are a big crop for us. We eat a lot of them, and the children love to go out with Dad to dig them up in the fall. It’s a treasure hunt for them. But we are always careful to plant some red potatoes that will be ready to eat much earlier, when the peas are on, so we can have the old family favorite dinner of peas and potatoes. We plant several rows of potatoes.
Consider planting cucumbers, summer squash, cabbage, tomatoes and peppers, among others. I like to plant a lot of tomatoes. We like them in tacos, BLT sandwiches, and I make lots of salsa and spaghetti sauce. I have a few children that will eat them like one would eat an apple. I certainly don’t want to run out of them! I also grow the onions and peppers for the salsa, and I need to grow lots of onions for freezing and drying. That makes it easy to throw a handful of them into a soup.
When I set out our garden, I take the needs of our family into consideration and plot out our available space with what is most important to us. There is no reason to waste time and space on something that they won’t eat. But then, maybe a little of something new would be good for them. Just don’t turn half of your garden into a brussels sprouts patch if your family will mutiny if you serve them more than once a year.
Think about staggered planting, or two crops in one season, such as lettuce or peas. How much does each foot of row produce? How much do you really need? Remember that the first year that you raise a garden is a learning experience. Also remember that the twentieth year that you raise a garden is a learning experience. You will always find new and better ways to do things, and you will also find out what really doesn’t work for you. You will be able to experiment with different varieties of vegetables, and perhaps some wonderful neighbor will share some heirloom seeds with you. Gardening is definitely an adventure!
Our children, as they fill their tummies with fresh bread and fresh homemade raspberry jam and an apple or carrot on the side, or with still-warm peas from a sun-kissed pod, talk about how wonderful their life is. It really makes me smile. What they are eating is quite inexpensive, but very good for them, and they are probably also content remembering that they helped weed, water and pick the produce, and that gives us all a great deal of satisfaction.
By Donna Howard
56 East Main Street
Rexburg, ID 83440
info@basicliving.com
888-656-0411
www.basicliving.com
www.survivalsuperstore.com
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