Food senstivities

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Meal Planning – Strategies for stress-free, healthy, home cooked meals – no complicated apps or planners needed!

Made from scratch, home cooked meals are the ideal goal of many a homemaker. If you have a garden and can add fresh, homegrown food to that, all the better! But the slog of deciding what to make every day can be overwhelming. Some days it’s just decision overload. When your days are filled with school, housework, cooking, kids’ activities, volunteer work, and life, sometimes something’s gotta give.

I can honestly say, that I don’t think I would have survived the last year if I hadn’t been faithful to plan out my meals each week. My diet has become more and more limited in the last year, so that coupled with our increasingly busy schedule, weekly meal planning has saved my sanity.

I’ll be right upfront with you though and say that I hate it. I never used to plan meals more than a day or two in advance. I’d look in the fridge and freezer, see what we had and throw something together. But before we moved last year, I realized that I wasn’t going to survive the weeks leading up to moving day if I didn’t plant out my meals. I knew I would have just been too distracted to keep food on the table, and with all our food allergies and restrictions, convenience meals or eating out wasn’t an option for us.

Now, I’ve said that I hate meal planning, (anyone else 🙋🏻‍♀️), and I do. When I come home from church on Sunday night tired and ready to crash, the last thing I want to do is sit down and think about a week’s worth of meals. But I make myself do it because I know that I won’t make it through the week if I don’t.

Here’s my method. It’s simple and it doesn’t require any complicated apps or planners.

Weekly Meal Planning for those with food allergies:

So, what’s my secret?

It’s nothing earth shattering. I simply use the notepad on my phone.

I keep this weekly breakdown at the top of my phone (photo above). Each week, I highlight and copy it and paste it underneath and fill it in to plan the upcoming week’s meals. So my current week is always at the top with the last week’s meals moving down the app in reverse date order.

Because of our food restrictions, our breakfasts are pretty standard so we stick to our regular routine on those, so I don’t plan each breakfast out separately, but you could easily add in a line for breakfasts if you wanted to do that. (Just in case you’re wondering, our breakfasts consist of large batches of waffles, biscuits, or sourdough bread made once or twice per week with sausages, eggs, or a nut butter for protein based on who can eat what.)

Sample Meal Plan:

Here’s a sample of my meal plan for this week:

Meal Planning Method:

Here’s my what I do…

I fill in what meal is planned for each day and if any modifications need to be made for anyone who has dietary restrictions. In italics I make note of anything that needs to be thawed the day before, or any prep that I might need to do in advance. Then at the top, I write anything I might need to buy at the grocery store that week in order to have everything on hand for the meals that I have planned. Then we print it out and put it in the fridge and write in names of anyone else that may be helping with prep or doing part of the meal. For example, last night my husband grilled, so his name was written in for that on Saturday night and my daughter was written in making roasted potatoes so I got the night off from cooking. Yay!

Why this works:

This method works for me because it saves me during the week. I don’t have to stop what I’m doing to figure out what we are going to eat at the last minute. And because it’s on my phone, I can easily make changes if I see a meal won’t work for some reason, or if I need to look up what I was supposed and to shop for when I find myself at the grocery store.

Make a Meal Rotation!

Recently though, we’ve taken it one step further. To give me my Sunday nights back from working out the meal plan details, my husband suggested creating a two week rotation of our favorite meals that we just repeat over and over again. This works well for us as most of our evening activities are on an every other week rotation so we can usually slot in the same meals over again pretty easily. To keep it from getting boring, every other week when we have a free Friday night, we make a Wild Card Friday where each kid gets to take a turn picking a meal of their choice to mix it up a bit and work in some of the meals that might take a little more time and effort to prepare.

Why should I meal plan?

Is meal planning work? Yes! But it makes the work of getting through your busy week that much easier. Give it a try. The relief of having the pressure of deciding what to make every day removed is immense for me. Your plan will look different from mine based on your family’s tastes, food restrictions, and schedule, but I hope that you’ll give it a try.

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Gluten-Free Graham Cracker and Graham Cracker Crust

I admit that I typically do without when it comes to some gluten-free items. I often assume that they just won’t be as good and I’ll just skip it. I may need to change my attitude on that though. I was skeptical at going to the trouble of trying this GF graham cracker crust, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is flavorful, the correct texture, good leftover even after sitting with filling in it for two days, and it held together. And honestly, my non-gluten-free family preferred this pie to the one I made for the rest of them with regular graham crackers.

Here’s the recipe. Try it out. It was certainly a treat for me to have dessert that I could eat and even feel good afterwards.

Gluten-Free Pie Crust Recipe:

Begin by combining the following in a small bowl…

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

1 cup teff flour (or millet if you prefer a lighter color)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

4 tsp cane sugar

Note: This dough will be dark in color because of the teff. If you prefer a lighter color cracker or crust substitute millet for the teff flour.

In a separate bowl combine the liquid ingredients.

2 egg yolks

1 tsp molasses

4 tbsp melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

3-4 tbsp milk

Combine the wet and dry together. It should be thick and soft dough. Err on the side of it being sticky rather than dry.

Roll or press on to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Try to get it thin – like 1/2” or thinner, but don’t worry to much about it being even. They still turn out to be tasty even if they are different thicknesses. And if you plan to turn these into a crust then it really doesn’t matter anyway.

Cut through the dough to make cracker sections using a knife or pizza cutter. Then bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Check and if they haven’t browned, turn the heat up to 350 or 400 for 5 minutes.

Remove and let them cool before breaking into crackers. If making a graham cracker crust follow the instructions below.

Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crust Recipe:

Place your most of your crackers in a food processor and grind into a crumbs and add the following…

1 tsp sugar

3-4 tbsp butter

Blend adding more butter until the crumb mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers.

Press the mixture into a pie plate using the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Remove and cool before adding your filling.

I made an eggnog custard for this pie and it turned out delicious! Enjoy!

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Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cookies with Egg-Free and Dairy-Free Substitutions

These are moist and hearty. They make a nice dessert or a high protein snack.

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe:

Whisk the following in a small mixing bowl until combined and creamy.

3 egg yolks (Sub: 2 tbsp ground psyllium husk and 1/4 cup water for egg-free)

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter (or almond, cashew, or sunflower butter)

1/2 cup honey

Then add…

1 cup heavy cream (Sub: water and 1/3 cup oil for dairy-free)

Whisk until smooth.

Now with a rubber spatula stir in the following flours:

1/3 + 1/4 cup tapioca starch (or arrowroot powder)

1/3 cup millet flour (or oat or sorghum)

1/4 cup teff (or quinoa)

1.5 tsp baking powder

Mix until all the flours are combined and there are no lumps.

Let the batter sit for 15 minutes and then re-evaluate its texture. It should be just slightly thicker than a pancake batter.

Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Cool and store in a plastic bag or airtight container.

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5-Minute Biscuit Bread, Low Histamine Recipe

My youngest is struggling with a restricted diet at the moment due to high histamine levels which means she can’t have yeast or sourdough bread. So, I’ve been scrolling back through my recipes to try to think of what to make for her. This one is just the ticket. I refreshed this old recipe and just pulled a loaf out of the oven for her this morning. My house smells delicious and now my only problem is how to keep the other kids from eating it all before she gets some.

5 Minute Biscuit Bread Recipe for Low Histamine Diets:

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the following:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat or spelt (best if freshly milled)

1 tsp salt

2.5 tsp baking powder

Give it a quick stir and then add…

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp molasses

1/4 cup oil

2 cups water

Stir until all the ingredients are just moistened. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat and bake for 50 minutes or until it tests done in the center with a toothpick.

This recipe mixes up super quick and is a great alternative when you can’t have yeast or sourdough but want a yummy slice of bread.

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Three-in-one recipe: Gluten-Free Egg Nog Biscuits, Cinnamon Roll Biscuits, or Gluten-Free English Muffins

This recipe came about by accident. I was experimenting with recipe that I could use for Christmas morning as a gluten-free sweet roll option, and happily my mistake turned out delicious. The nice thing is that this recipe is really a three-in-one recipe. With the same base recipe you can make a delicious gluten-free sweet roll or biscuit either egg nog or cinnamon roll flavored, but one little tweak and it is an excellent whole grain gluten-free English Muffin.

So if you have any leftover egg-nog from Christmas Eve, pull it out of the fridge and give this recipe, or one of its variations a try.

Gluten-free Sweet Egg Nog Biscuit Recipe:

Combine the following into a bowl:

1 egg yolk

2/3 cups egg nog

3 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp lemon juice

Whisk to combine.

In a separate bowl add…

1/2 cup sweet rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1/3 cup teff

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp frozen or hard butter, grated into flour

After the butter has been stirred into the flour add your liquid ingredients and stir until all the flour is combined and the batter has a light and fluffy texture. It should be the texture of a thick cake batter. Add more flour or liquid as needed. Cover and let the batter rest for 30 minute. Don’t skip the rest period or the final texture will be sub-par.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour into greased crumpet rings laid out on a cookie sheet over parchment paper. (I like reusable parchment paper. Have you tried it?)

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Gently remove from rings and cool on a wire cooling rack.

These are delicious served warm with butter and a little sugar sprinkled on top.

Cinnamon Roll Biscuit Recipe:

For this version make the following changes to the above recipe.

Add 1 tsp cinnamon to the dry ingredients.

Use 2 egg yolks rather than one, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup of milk, and 4 tsp of sugar in place of the egg nog.

Gluten-Free English Muffin Recipe:

Follow the base recipe at the beginning of this post adding 2 egg yolks and subbing 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup of milk for the egg nog plus 1/2 tsp of sugar.

Whichever variety of these recipes that you choose, they will turn out dark in color due to the teff, so they will have the appearance of whole grain biscuits. If a lighter appearance or flavor is desired substitute millet for the teff flour.

Enjoy and Merry Christmas everyone! 🎄

If you missed the launch of The Art of Gluten-Free Homemade Bread, this is the gluten-free book that I wrote for Homesteading Family. It was so popular that it sold out in less than a week but you can get the digital copy or sign up for the wait list for a physical copy at the link above.

Other Gluten-Free Recipes You Might Like:

5 Minute Gluten-Free Crumpets

Gluten-Free Popovers or Dutch Baby Pancakes

Gluten-Free While Grain Seedy Bread

Gluten-Free Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Batter Bread

Make Your Own Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter from Scratch!

Note: This Post contains affiliate links.

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Instant Pot Breakfast Millet Porridge

The WSJ had an article on millet in this weekend’s paper bemoaning how this ancient grain has no taste. I must beg to differ with them. I’ve been eating a lot of millet lately as my breakfast options are limited, and on its own it has a pleasant nutty flavor and dressed up with some butter, honey, and fruit it’s quite a tasty, hearty grain that fills me up and doesn’t spike my blood sugar. So pull out your Instant Pot for this hot, quick, and easy breakfast.

Instant Pot Breakfast Porridge Recipe:

1 cup whole grain millet

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups water

Seal your lid and set your Instant Pot to high pressure for 15 minutes. Quick pressure release when done and you now have a hearty, hot breakfast.

Spoon your hot millet porridge into a bowl, add a pat of butter, drizzle some honey or molasses, and top with fruit or nuts of your choice. I like to add a little bit of heavy cream and blueberries to mine. My kids like theirs with peanut butter and chocolate chips. 😂 Add what tastes good to you.

Make ahead…

This recipe can be set up in advance or even the night before in the IP using the delay start feature. I like to set mine when I first get up and then breakfast is ready by the time I’m dressed.

If you liked this recipe, check out some of my other Instant Pot recipes:

• Pumpkin Quinoa Porridge

• Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

• Chocolate Raspberry Breakfast Quinoa

• Instant Pot Rice Pudding

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Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Potato Soup

I use my Instant Pot all the time to make mashed potatoes. It’s so much easier and faster than waiting for a full pot of water to boil. This recipe works for mashed potatoes or potato soup. Simply adjust the amount of milk you add.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Potato Soup Recipe:

I have an 8 quart Instant Pot, but you can make either of these recipes using a smaller size Instant Pot. Simply reduce the amount of potatoes that you use so that they don’t go above the max fill line on your IP liner.

8 Quart Instant Pot Recipe:

5-8 pounds of peeled potatoes

2 cups of water.

Place a wire trivet or mesh steamer basket inside your Instant Pot. Put all your peeled potatoes on top of the trivet or inside the basket. Add 2 cups of water. Seal the vent, set to High Pressure for 12 minutes for large potatoes, 10 minutes for medium potatoes, and 8 minutes for small potatoes. The warm setting should be off. The potatoes should be fork tender when done.

Drain the water from the Instant pot and remove the trivet or wire basket. Add your desired amounts of salt, pepper, butter, and milk and mash directly in the liner.

You just made mashed potatoes!

Instant Pot Potato Soup Recipe:

Follow the steps above but simply leave the water in the IP and add more milk or cream when you mash until your desired soupy texture is reached.

Allergy-friendly tip for those who need to add cooked milk:

If you have a milk sensitivity or allergy like my son, and you need to add cooked milk to your mashed potatoes so that they can eat it, then let me tell you about an Instant Pot tip that will make your lives so much easier. For years I’ve scaled milk on the stove to add to mashed potatoes. It’s such an inconvenient step, it takes so long, and I usually end up scrubbing burned milk off the bottom of my pan. Well, let the Instant Pot change your life on this one. Use the recipe above until the potatoes are cooked and you drain the 2 cups of water from the liner. At this point you can leave the potatoes on the trivet, and simply pour 2-4 cups of milk (I use about 4 for 8 pounds of potatoes) into your liner, put on the lid, and select the Yogurt setting. It will heat your milk to the pasteurization temperature of 160 degrees. Once your IP reads “Yogurt” your milk is heated, you can remove the trivet, and mash as normal. 😊

Mashed Potato or Potato Soup Fixings:

Dress up your mashed potatoes or potato soup with bacon, cheese, chives, or cilantro.

Or use the Pesto recipe I shared last week to make a delicious Pesto potato soup. 😋

Add some delicious homemade cheese to your soup!

Join Carolyn Thomas with Homesteading Family for a free Dairy Webinar. No cow needed. All recipes can be made with store bought milk.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

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Super Easy Gluten-Free Baked Crumpets – 5 Minutes, 5 Ingredients

The stress of moving and just life this summer resulted in me cutting out wheat products from my diet. I found that wheat was aggravating my stress symptoms.

Those of you that are gluten-free know that your options for good bread, buns, biscuit options are limited. This is a quick and easy recipe, and the best thing is that it only uses 5 main ingredients, and you can bake it in the oven!

The only piece of equipment that you need are a set of crumpet rings. This set of six crumpet rings is nice since that is about how many crumpets or biscuits this recipe makes. I only have a set of four rings so I have to bake in two batches. Get the set of six. It’s easier.

Crumpet rings are traditionally used for steaming wheat crumpets, but these rings are the perfect tool for baking this gluten-free recipe as they provide the structure that these need to bake properly. If you don’t have crumpet rings, you’ll need to bake this as a flatbread in a skillet, or you might be able to get away with using the rings from canning jars but they aren’t nearly as tall as crumpet rings so you would have to use less batter in each ring and your resulting crumpet or biscuit would be quite thin.

This gluten free crumpet slices easily and makes a great breakfast sandwich topped with egg and bacon. It is a great option for those that need to eat gluten-free and need an alternative to traditional wheat buns, biscuits, or rolls.

Gluten-free Crumpet Recipe:

1 cup heavy cream

3 egg yolks

1/3 cup tapioca starch

1/3 cup sweet rice flour

1/3 cup millet

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

Whisk together the egg yolks, cream, and salt. Add the flours and baking powder and stir until combined.

Let the batter sit for 15 minutes to fully hydrate. This step is especially important for gluten free baking as some of flours, like rice flours, take longer to absorb the liquids. If you skip this step, your end product may be grainy.

Texture after a 15 minute rest.

After the 15 minute rest, check the texture of the batter. It should be like a thin cake batter. You may need to add more flour if yours is too thin. If so, add 1/4 cup of either millet or tapioca flour, stir, and then re-evaluate the texture. If you want more of a biscuit texture, then add a little extra flour for a thicker batter. The more flour you add the heavier and drier the end product will be. For a lighter crumpet/English muffin type texture, aim for a thinner batter.

Baking Your Gluten Free Crumpets:

Once your batter is the right texture, preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and grease your crumpet rings either with butter or spray with olive oil. Set up your crumpet rings on a baking sheet and pour the batter quickly filling the rings about halfway full or a little more depending on how thick you want them to be. A little of the batter will probably leak under the bottom edge, but that’s okay. Don’t worry if it leaks under. Just pop them in them in the oven and they will bake up fine.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. They are done when they are golden on the top.

These gluten free crumpets have a light buttery and nutty flavor and are delicious with butter and jam, they make a great PB&J, breakfast sandwich, or can even sub as a gluten free hamburger bun.

Enjoy! Don’t sacrifice the foods you love just because you can’t have wheat. 😊

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Make Ahead Pantry Mixes – Healthy Options for the Sweet Tooth

Last week I shared how to mix make ahead rice mixes using ideas I got from from this little book:

Quick Fix Healthy Mix

I saw it recommended in Homesteading Family’s Homestead Kitchen Community. It’s become a good reference because even though I can’t use the recipes included in it because of all our allergies, I can use them as inspiration and modify them to suit our needs.

Do you have a sweet tooth and wish you have a healthier option from store bought cake mixes? Here’s your answer. Below, you’ll find make ahead mixes that will sit on your shelves for months until you need them.

Make Ahead Sweet Tooth Cake and Quick Bread Mixes:

Homemade Chocolate Cake Mix Recipe:

This recipe will fill two regular 24 oz spaghetti sauce jars or quart size canning jars. It yields two 9” cakes.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

Combine all the above in a bowl, transfer to two glass jars, and label with ingredients, what to add on baking day, and baking instructions.

On Baking Day Add…

1 cup of milk

2 eggs

1/3 cup of oil

1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Cake Baking Instructions:

Grease and flour two cake pans. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Mix Recipe:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all the above in a bowl, transfer to a glass jar, label with ingredients, what to add on baking day, and baking instructions.

On Baking Day Add…

3/4 cups milk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup oil

1 tbsp vinegar

Coffee Cake Topping:

Store this mixture in a baggie in the mouth of your jars. Pour topping mixture into a bowl and cut in 4 tbsp of butter. Then sprinkle on the top of your cake just before baking.

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup oatmeal or flakes spelt

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Coffee Cake Baking Instructions:

Bake in greased 9” cake pan, or 8×8” casserole on 350 for 35-40 minutes.

Homemade Banana Bread Baking Mix Recipe:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Optional: Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

Combine all the above in a bowl, transfer to two glass jars, and label with ingredients, what to add on baking day, and baking instructions.

On Baking Day Add…

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

1-2 ripe bananas

Banana Bread Baking Instructions:

Bake in a greased 8×8” casserole on 325 for 1 hour until a toothpick comes out clean.

Shelf Life of Homemade Baking Mixes:

Shelf life is for all baking mixes is 4-5 months if kept cool and dry. See the note at the bottom of this post for how to extend the shelf life for a longer period.

I hope you’ll try some of these recipes. And guess what? If they sound good to you right now, there’s not need to wait for later. Go ahead and mix up a something sweet right now!

Pro Tips for Making Your Own Baking Mixes:

Pro Tip #1: Always use dried spices, never fresh as the moisture contained in fresh spices will cause your mixture to mold.

Pro Tip #2: Save your empty spaghetti sauce jars to fill with dry pantry mixes to give away to friends. That way you won’t have to give away your good canning jars.

Pro Tip #3: If using canning jars, use this little hand held vacuums sealer with this handy jar attachment to suck the air out of your jars and really increase the shelf life of the dry mixes that you make.

Preserving 101: Homesteading Family is currently running a Preserving Challenge in their Homestead Kitchen Community. Check it out if you want to learn more about stocking your pantry with shelf stable, natural foods. The challenge includes canning, dehydrating, freezing, fermenting, and freeze drying.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

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Make Ahead Pantry Mixes – Savory Rice Mixes at the Ready

We mixed up a box full of these shelf stable pantry mixes last week to send to an ill family member who we thought might need some convenience meals.

We got the idea from this little book:

Quick Fix Healthy Mix

I saw this book recommended in Homesteading Family’s Homestead Kitchen Community the other day. It’s become a good reference for me as we can’t buy any packaged convenience meals, spice blends, cake mixes, and so on because of all of our unusual allergies and food sensitivities. But this book has been a great help to me because even though I can’t use the recipes included in it, I can take them as a starting off point and modify them to suit our food restrictions.

Here’s the ones we came up with. We decided to try two savory rice mixes, and three sweet ones. Comfort food you know… 😊

This week I’ll give you the instructions for the rice mixes, and next week I’ll share the sweet recipes which will include Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Chocolate Cake, and Banana Bread – all as shelf stable, make ahead desserts!

So, let’s get started!

Make Ahead Savory Rice Mixes:

Orange Rosemary Rice Mix Recipe:

This recipe will fill a regular 24 oz spaghetti sauce jar or quart size canning jar.

2.5 cups uncooked brown rice

1/4 cup dried orange peel

2 tsp dried chives

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1.5 tsp dried rosemary

1 tbsp parsley

1/2 tsp onion flakes

Herb & Spice Rice Mix Recipe:

This recipe will fill a regular 24 oz spaghetti sauce jar or quart size canning jar.

2 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice

2 tsp dry oregano

1/2 tsp dried Basil

1 tsp dried parsley

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp marjoram or thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

Mixing and Storage Instructions for Rice Mixes:

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Once combined, fill your jar, secure the lid, and label with ingredients and cooking instructions. Shelf life is 6 months it kept cool and dry. See the note at the bottom of this post for how to extend the shelf life for a longer period.

Cooking Instructions for Rice Mixes:

Add 2 cups of water for every cup of rice. Simmer covered for about 20 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

I hope you’ll try some of these recipes. And guess what? If they sound good to you right now, there’s not need to wait for later. Go ahead and mix up a batch of rice to go with dinner and something sweet for dessert.

Pro Tips for Making Your Own Baking Mixes:

Pro Tip #1: Always use dried spices, never fresh as the moisture contained in fresh spices will cause your mixture to mold.

Pro Tip #2: Save your empty spaghetti sauce jars to fill with dry pantry mixes to give away to friends. That way you won’t have to give away your good canning jars.

Pro Tip #3: If using canning jars, use this little hand held vacuums sealer with this handy jar attachment to suck the air out of your jars and really increase the shelf life of the dry mixes that you make.

Preserving 101: Homesteading Family is currently running a Preserving Challenge in their Homestead Kitchen Community. Check it out if you want to learn more about stocking your pantry with shelf stable, natural foods. The challenge includes canning, dehydrating, freezing, fermenting, and freeze drying.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

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Make ahead Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Porridge – an easy and allergy friendly breakfast!

I have made this in a couple of years, but it’s been one of those weeks and I need something easy for breakfast in the morning. Try this easy make ahead breakfast. You can set it up the night before and it’s ready and hot when you wake up. Get the recipe here!

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Mexican Coleslaw – three different ways…. Plain, Creamy, and Fermented

Sometimes your best meals come for what is lying around in your pantry waiting to be used.

Such is the case with this recipe.

I had leftover pinto beans and hamburger to use up for lunch one day this week, and I was trying trying to think of how to make it a little different or special since we had just eaten the same meal for lunch the day before.

What do I have I asked myself?

I had a Napa Cabbage that needed to be used up. What could I do with that. Well, I could make coleslaw, but traditional cole slaw doesn’t really fit with this meal, and only one of my kids really likes it.

Cross that off the list.

What about Mexican Coleslaw. Yes. That might work.

What can I put in it.

Cabbage, red onion, garlic…. The recipe started formulating in my mind. Here it is for your enjoyment.

Mexican Coleslaw:

Cabbage (green or Napa work well), chopped or grated. Grate the amount needed for the dish you are serving this week and the number of people in your family.

1 cup red onion, chopped

4-6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/8 cup salt for every 4 cups of cabbage

Black pepper, a few good shakes

1/2 tsp chili powder for every 4 cups of cabbage

1.5 tsp cumin for every 4 cups of cabbage

Juice from 1 lime, or 2 tbsp of bottles lime juice per every 4 cups of cabbage

Throw it all in a bowl and toss together.

Now this is where your options come in.

Mexican Coleslaw Three Ways:

1. Plain: Eat it as is. This is what we did. We used it as a topping for our Mexican lunch in place of lettuce. If you find it a bit dry, drizzle a little bit of olive oil to distribute the spices and moisten it up a little.

2. Creamy: Add mayonnaise. If you want a creamier slaw, add a little Mayo at the end and mix in. This would be wonderful on top of Mexican food as well.

3. Fermented: If you haven’t added oil or Mayo, this is where it gets interesting. You can add more salt and turn it into a Mexican lacto-ferments sauerkraut. This could be done with any leftovers that didn’t get eaten at your meal, or with the whole batch if you desire. Add about 1 tsp of good sea salt per every 4 cups of cabbage. Go by taste. It should be salty, but not so salty so that you don’t want to eat it. Taste as you go when adding salt. Once salted, pack into a clean jar, cover with a follower (glass weight, sterilized rock, ziplock baggie filled with marbles). Cover with filtered water so that all the food contents are submerged. Cover loosely with a lid. Label and date. Loosen the lid at least once a day to release any gases. Eat at any point, but allow it to ferment for 1-2 weeks or until the taste is to your liking before transferring to cold storage.

I enjoyed mine with a taco bowl topped with my homegrown, fermented cherry tomatoes (see lead photo).

For more information on fermented foods visit the Pantry. Or for a more thorough resource, I highly recommend Shannon Stronger’s Traditionally Fermented Foods book (affiliate link).