Friday, June 09, 2006

Friday (MwM entry)

I tried to post this yesterday as a MwM posting, but I couldn't get in to the dashboard. I can now so here we go and I am at home, so I can cook and continue to share from my kitchen and get inspired by other blogs.

QUESTION:
Has anyone ever used whole candied oranges? I found these in the oriental section. The oranges were the size of grapes. The package called them oranges, not kumquats.

Ever seen or used black rice noodles or mung bean noodles (same packaging and noodle shape as soba). I'd love to do something that would allow a dramatic or pretty presentation.

SHOPPING:
To stock the refrigerator in my hotel room I stopped at the Hy-Vee Food Store. I was impressed with the wide and varied selection, espeically accomodating to various cultural cuisines and very vegan friendly AND wonderful prices. I think Hy-Vee is mainly a midwest grocery chain and the prices are very pleasant, for example I found agave syrup there for $2.79 a12 oz squeezie bottle. I purchased their brand of organic vanilla soymilk for 88 cents (store special), organic raisins, limes, carob spirulina squares, organic black bean salsa bread, Naked pomegranate juice, two small boxes of tea (bombay chai and sweet ginger peach), and at last my favorite find-noodles. The raisins are sitting on top of them, but I found organic whole wheat soba noodles for $1.69, and corn noodles, mung bean noodles, and black rice noodles. What an awesome way for grain rotation! The unique noodles were $1.59/ pkg (6 servings).

The last evening I stayed in Ames I decided to wander around the main square to see the interesting shops. Although there were many cute shops two impressed me the most (besides a natural health food store and Wheatsfield Organic Grocery), one was a "paint it yourself" ceramic shop and the other a world fair trade goods store ran by volunteers. At the paint it yourself ceramic shop I found an oriental bowl with a rim that had a raised side. The raised side had a whole that allowed chopsticks to sit in it.... the chop sticks rest on top of the bowl, but the whole allows the chopsticks to poke through so that they don't fall off. I was so impressed. The bowl was unfinished and I would have to paint it myself, and they would kiln it so it would be ready in one week. I didn't have the time to go through their process, I have got a STRONG urge to go back up and make the time. Unfortunately with the cost of gas, the bowl, the painting, ect... the bowl would cost me $75 by the time I was able to bring it home - bummer, DH would say we will not go where no common man has ever paid that high of price for a bowl before.

FINAL THOUGHT:
I am thinking of starting to prepare my blog (or a paid site) for educational purposes, both homeschoolers and a high school foods class that I get to teach this fall, I have a multicultural food fair with resource links theme going on in my mind. I found out that I will also be teaching a Child Development class and Intro of FCS at the high school I have been placed. I'm so excited!

And at last... pup and the new kitten (unnamed still) are the closest of friends now. The kitten was actually licking pup when I took this picture. My daughter desires to name the kitten Jugueto'n, meaning playful in spanish, "Huegie" for short. Kitten likes to hide under the sink to jump and attack. DH struggles with saying anything more than, "OUCH! Quit attacking my feet cat!".

It looks rainy today, our garden needs it. Have a good day!

For more information about contact Harmonia.

7 comments:

MeloMeals said...

Great finds! I remember Hy-Vee from when I lived in Iowa.. sure seems like they have evolved. I've never heard of black rice noodles, but love the mung bean noodles..

That pic of the dog and kitten is too cute.

btw, do you think the Quinoa Oat Muffins would work with other grains like Millet, Barley or Brown Rice? I also want to try them with my organic wheatberries. I'm really enjoying them.. I've been eating a slice in the morning with a little bit of peanut butter. I'm shocked that they're still so moist (the half I've left out.. the other half is frozen)

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

ooh, i wish we had a hy-vee here ~ some outstanding finds @ amazing prices! the organic black bean salsa bread is really calling me. dori, i'd be extremely interested in the educational site your thinking about. hope you cook up something yummy to show us!

Catherine Weber said...

Sweet kitty! Hooray! (I did not adopt my kitty until he was 9 months old, so I missed out on the cuteness of him as a kitten, but also the naughtiness of him as a kitten!)

And I LOVE Naked juices, although they make me slightly nervous because they aren't pasteurized. I suppose it's not much different than eating a whole piece of fruit that I've washed well; still, there's something else about turning over the washing responsibilities to someone else. :) I love both the mango one and the red berry one.

Dori said...

Melody - Yes th emuffins will wokr with other grains.... the only problem with HARD wheat berries and using the blender is you must soak them first.... if you are into sprouting using them that way would be best. The hard wheat is as opposod to soft pasty wheat berries which has less protein.

Although I don't have the exact recipes right in front of me, my daughter made a similar recipe using millet and soft pastry style wheat berries, we also do oat and barley muffins, quinoa and barley.... sometimes the muffins may get a little crumbly depending on the blend. If you want a few more recipe variations I'll post some ... I'm out to the science center and a titantic display this evening, followed by a movie at the IMAX theatre. I think blogger is supposed to be down this afternoon for a time.

Dori said...

Vicki, the bread is superb. It has a bite the dd doesn't like, but the rest of our fmaily loves it. I served it in thin slices like a crostini and we dipped, spread or broiled. I even made a baby seitan sandwich out of one.

Hi Catherine and Jane!

Oh - and about getting some variation recipes posted... I 'll try tommorrow afternoon.

Dori said...

Another thing, if you ever try the pomegranate juice, it is a bit tart. I would use it for a recipe maybe, but I wouldn't just drink it for the pleasure or the nutrition, it is about 130 cal with a little fat for 1/2 bottle. I dont think orange juice is 100 cal a cup... not as high and sweeter than.

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