On a Working Gal's Budget: Proper Food Storage (VeganMoFo)

Cutting your grocery bill doesn’t stop when you get home from the store.  Proper food storage is essential (vital, crucial, mandatory!) to getting the most out of all the food you spend your hard earned money on.  Knowing how best to store and organize your food will help you use it before it goes bad and stop you from throwing your groceries and green into the compost bin.  I’d like to share some things I’ve learned along the way that have stopped me from doing just that. 

It’s important to know how best to store precious produce, especially since this is what tends to spoil the fastest.  Because most of my produce comes from a biweekly CSA, I need to make sure that it lasts me the full two weeks.  The amount of goods I get is enormous and apart from a couple meals that I cook for my man each week, I am basically the only one nomming on it.  What follows are some tips on how to keep your goods good using proper storage methods. 

1.  Invest in proper fruit/vegetable storage:  For this I use Tupperware Fridgesmarts.  I am a Tupperware lady at heart.  Many people gawk at how pricey these containers are, but I have saved plenty when the amount of food I’m NOT throwing away is considered, not to mention the time and gas I save by not having to make emergency trips to the store because my fill in the blank went bad.  Check out Amazon for great deals on Tupperware.  If you are not a Tupperware fan, there are other containers specially made for storing fresh produce that you can get at your local Target or what not.  The important thing is to get your produce out of the plastic bags from the store or your own reusable mesh produce bags and into something that will help it last longer (look for containers with airtight seals that are designed to prevent produce from sitting in its own moisture).

2.  Know how and when to care for your produce:  Berries and delicate fruits/vegetables shouldn’t be washed and then stored.  For the most part, I wait to wash my produce until I am ready to use it or pack it in a lunch.  When I get a huge trough of strawberries from the farmers market I throw them straight into an airtight container and keep them in the fridge.  I then wash what I want, the day I want it.  This gives me a few more days to eat them before they go bad. 

3.  Make sure your storage is organized and everything is visible:  In my experience, food that I can’t readily see doesn’t get eaten.  For this I use as many clear containers as possible and I label everything, even in the fridge.  A roll of masking tape and a permanent marker work wonderfully and won’t leave gunk on your storage.  Each week or so when you are about to make a grocery trip, go through your fridge and clean out anything that is no longer good and stuff that you may want to freeze for later.  Fridge space is precious.

4.  Know what’s best for the fridge, the freezer and beyond: 

Fridge - Most vegetables are going in the fridge.  See some exceptions below.  Fruits that should be refrigerated are berries of all kinds and grapes.  Fruits can be refrigerated to slow down the ripening process as well.  I leave mangos out but if they have ripened and I can’t eat them that day, I’ll stick them in reefer.  This goes for kiwis as well. 

Outside your Fridge – Onions, potatoes, yams, tomatoes and eggplant should not take shelter in your fridge.  Most fruit I keep out of the fridge as well.  Store these items in a rad looking bowl and put them on your dining table or countertop.  With them in your sites, you will probably eat them faster.    

Freezer -  Bread and such like tortillas and wraps should be frozen, especially if you live alone or don’t go through bread really quickly.  My bread can start collecting mold within 2 days of being out on the counter, especially during the warm seasons.  Bread and tortillas are so easy to just defrost what you need when you need it.  Nuts and seeds should also be stored in the freezer when you bring them home.  The oils in nuts can go rancid and it is not a pleasant taste.  These guys are also rather pricey so you don’t want those valuable dollars spent in vain!  Keeping nuts and seeds in the freezer allows you to keep a wide range on hand for various recipes (see Sweet Nut Puree Fruit Topping).    

Special Note on Mushrooms:  Mushrooms go in the fridge and should not be cleaned until you are ready to use them.  They should be wiped clean, rather than placed under running water.  When you get a package home from the store, remove the plastic wrap and place the container in a brown paper bag.  I reuse the same brown paper bag over and over for this.  The brown paper bag prevents the mushrooms from getting slimy. 

Get saving!

VVG

Latest CSA Loot and a Sandwich (VeganMoFo)

This batch of goods from my CSA was populated by lettuce!  I got two heads of romaine and one head of butter lettuce so I need to get lettuce chomping!  The dragon beans are definitely the stand-out of the loot.  Suzie’s Farm seems to be very proud of these guys.  They posted a recipe for an updated version of green bean casserole using dragon beans that I am looking forward to trying with these beauties (and hopefully posting about). 

Despite getting this CSA box on Sunday, I have yet to do much cooking with the produce.  I hope to dive in later this week.  For now I will leave you with a tofu sandwich I made, using the CSA lettuce and tomatoes as condiments.  This is my favorite kind of at-home sandwich.  The tofu is pressed and then marinated overnight in a mixture of BBQ sauce, soy sauce, olive oil, chili paste and liquid smoke.  I then baked it at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, flipping it half way through the cooking time.  I loaded my baked tofu onto toasted wheat bread that I smothered with some of my homemade tartare sauce then I added a slice of vegan cheese, radish sprouts and the CSA stuff.  It really hit the spot.    

Happy Eating!

Cheezy Golden Crackers care of "Have Cake Will Travel" (VeganMoFo)

With an omni Halloween party potluck to attend over the weekend, I had to keep in mind a set of criteria for what I would bring.  I wanted it to be festive, it had to be savory (just about everyone else brought sweets), it couldn’t be too “weird” (for the vegan skeptics) and it of course had to taste great.  Without time to make a special grocery trip for this, I also had to make use of ingredients I had on hand.  I opted to try Have Cake Will Travel’s Cheezy Quackers.  I had been wanting to try these for the longest time!  I even bought a set of mini cookie cutters a few months back specifically for this recipe and others that have been popping up like it. 

I am no baker, yet these crackers were rather easy to make.  The most tedious part of the process is just the cutting because you are making so many of the little guys.  The taste is quite reminiscent of the traditional gold fish crackers of yore.  It took all kinds of will power to not gobble up half the batch before I even made it to the party. 

I opted to use my plain mini oval shape cutter and attempted to fashion grooves to make the crackers look like pumpkins.  My artistic skills didn’t really translate so the crackers didn’t look much like pumpkins, but oh well.  People appreciated that I tried and that is why they are my friends.  

Pantry Staple Ingredients

Dough Ball

Before Baking

Post Bake

The crackers were a big hit at the party!  I even got a recipe request.  There is also the bragging right factor that comes from boasting that you made crackers from scratch.  I will absolutely be making this winning recipe again, perhaps I'll add some cayenne pepper for a spicy version.  Very much appreciated, Have Cake Will Travel.   

Nom nom nom

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread (VeganMoFo)

My go-to recipe for banana bread is the version found in La Dolce Vegan but when I’m in the mood for something a bit more decadent, I make my Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread.  This is a recipe that I adapted from a non-vegan version I found long ago in Vegetarian Times magazine.  It’s rich and delicious and just plain wonderful, although there’s really nothing plain about it.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup natural sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 ripe bananas

1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Cooking spray (or vegan butter)

Equipment:

Medium - large mixing bowl

Small - medium mixing bowl

Oven preheated to 350 degrees

Loaf pan

Procedure:

1.  Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in your mixing bowl. 

2.  In the smaller bowl, mash the two bananas and combine with peanut butter, canola oil and applesauce. 

3.  Pour the banana mixture into your dry ingredients and mix well.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

4.  Spray a standard loaf pan with non stick cooking spray or rub with vegan butter.

5.  Pour batter into loaf pan and distribute evenly. 

6.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester can be inserted in the middle of the loaf and come out clean.  Allow to cool before slicing.

7.  Enjoy with coffee or hot tea.

Zucchini "Crab" Cakes with Tartare Sauce and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes (VeganMoFo)

I got the idea to make zucchini crab cakes from fellow MoFo-er Alisha of Pink Spatulas.  It just so happened that after making Vegan Dad’s Creamy Zucchini Farfalle I had 2 zucchini left – the exact amount that Pink Spatula’s recipe calls for.  How serendipitous!  Using the Pink Spatula recipe as a base, I put my own spin on the idea.

Zucchini Cakes

Ingredients:

2 zucchini, shredded
1 small potato, shredded
1 small rib of celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 1 tablespoon hot water (for the “egg”)
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Spike seasoning (any all-purpose blend would work)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 bay leaf, crushed
Flour for dredging (I used whole wheat mixed with a bit more nut. yeast for this)

Equipment:

Mixing bowl
Heavy bottom skillet (or oven preheated to 400 – see Notes)

Procedure:

1.  Combine all ingredients except the flour in a medium to large mixing bowl. 

2.  Form into patties and lightly coat in your flour mixture.

3.  Pan fry in canola oil until golden brown on both sides and cooked throughout.

Notes: 

While these zucchini cakes didn’t fall apart in the pan like so many veggie burgers do, I think I’ll bake them next time.  I’m sure either way will work but for me, baking is my go-to method.  I always seem to have issues getting the inside of a patty to cook enough without burning the outside.  You’ll notice my zucchini cakes are a bit burnt (gasp!).  It didn’t affect the tastiness at all though.  When baking burgers and such I usually opt for a 375-400 degree oven and spray patties with a bit of olive oil on each side so they brown. 

I’m sure these don’t taste much like actual crab, though I wouldn’t really know.  You see, I am deathly allergic to all shell fish so even when I did eat meat I had to avoid crustaceans like the plague.  To make these fishier, you may try adding a bit of kelp powder to the mix.

Tartare Sauce:

I’ve never had real tartare sauce but I thought I’d make a version to go with these cakes since I think fried seafood is usually paired with the stuff.  It was delicious!   I wouldn’t skip it for this dish because it really was a great accompaniment to the cakes.  From what I read, traditional tartare sauce has a mayonnaise base.  Since I just made a fresh batch of sour cream, I used a sour cream base.  I doubt it made much difference.  Use whichever you have on hand.

Ingredients:

½ cup sour cream or mayonnaise
½ tablespoon relish
1 tablespoon chopped capers
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice (more necessary if using mayonnaise instead of sour cream)

Combine all ingredients and use as a dip for your vegan crab cakes, fish sticks, calamari, etc. 

Again, I took Pink Spatula’s suggestion and enjoyed my zucchini crab cake with some roasted potatoes.  I flavored them with fresh rosemary and nutritional yeast.  These were the best roasted potatoes I have had in a long, long while.  I was worried that the amount of rosemary I used wouldn’t be enough to do anything, but the aroma filled my apartment as these baked and the rosemary flavor really shined. 

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes, cut in quarters
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
½ tablespoon nutritional yeast
Healthy sprinkle of garlic salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Equipment:

Oven preheated to 400 degrees
Glass baking dish
Foil to cover

Procedure:

1.  Take each of your potato quarters and about four deep slits in them.

2.  Place your chopped rosemary sprigs in the slits of your potatoes

3.  Drizzle with olive oil then top with garlic salt and pepper

4.  Cover with foil and bake for 20 – 30 minutes

5.  Remove foil and break your potato quarters up a bit with a fork.  Sprinkle with nutritional yeast, then bake for another 15 minutes or so, uncovered.  

Sweet Nut Puree Fruit Topping (VeganMoFo)

I often make this sweet nut puree when I have fresh berries on hand.  Because my farmers’ market continues to carry troughs of ripe, juicy strawberries, I have been devouring them like mad.  My latest batches of strawberries have been divine in Homemade Pop Tarts with coffee over the weekend and straight up as a snack, but my favorite way to enjoy these berries at breakfast lately has been topping them with this sweet mixture of raw nuts, sweetener and spices. 

This has been a great work breakfast for me because it requires no heating and is filling enough to get me to lunch.  I change up the kind of nuts I use for this depending on what I have in my freezer, although I almost always include cashews in the mix.  

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups raw nuts, soaked overnight (my favorite combo is cashews, pecans and slivered almonds)
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup, or other sweetener of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
Water or non-dairy milk, as needed

Equipment:

Medium bowl with lid of some sort
Food Processor or high speed blender

Procedure:

1.  In a bowl, cover your nut mixture with filtered water.  Place lid or plastic wrap on bowl and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.

2.  Drain your nut mixture the next morning.  Add to a food processor or high speed blender with the rest of the ingredients.

3.  Blend until fairly smooth, adding a splash of water or milk for a thinner consistency. 

4.  Place a healthy dollop on top of fresh fruit for a satisfying breakfast or afternoon snack. 

Creamy Zucchini Farfalle care of Vegan Dad (VeganMoFo)

Vegan Dad is probably the blog I frequent the most for online recipe ideas.  For me, Vegan Dad and Susan from Fat Free Vegan are like the wonderful vegan mama and papa of the blogosphere.  Their recipes have never let me down. 

I bookmarked Vegan Dad’s recipe for Creamy Zucchini Farfalle for my next batch of zucchini.  It wasn’t long before my CSA delivered and I was able to have a go at another Vegan Dad recipe.  

Minor Changes I made to Vegan Dad’s recipe:

I added one large clove of garlic to the zucchini, tofu mixture before blending.  Several people left comments on his post saying that this added more flavor.  I think next time I’ll up this to two cloves.  Meat eaters may say that everything is better with bacon, but I think everything is better with garlic.  I also added a fresh tomato to my helping.  I’m going to have major tomato withdrawals after being so spoiled by CSA and homegrown (thanks Mom!) tomatoes all summer.

This sauce is actually quite healthy since it gets its creaminess from tofu and has no added oil.  Boyfriend enjoyed this dish too, even though he claims he doesn’t care for zucchini.  Thanks for yet another winner, Vegan Dad!