Vegetables: Fresh or Frozen or Canned

Which form of vegetables is best for you and yours? Fresh is considered best, of course: however, those fresh veggies lose a lot of their nutritional value if you boil them in water for long. Better to steam them.

It's all about the nutrients. Both Vitamin C and folic acid escape quickly: in raw vegetables, both will start vanishing after only a few days.

Research has found that canned apricots, spinach, and pumpkin provided more vitamin A per serving than those cooked while fresh. Canned asparagus, potatoes, and spinach also proved to outrank or equal fresh-cooked for vitamin C. However, freshly cooked tomatoes had higher vitamin C and fresh carrots, more vitamin A, than either canned or frozen.

The researchers explain that processed (canned and frozen) veggies can be nutritionally superior to fresh produce because the processed ones are chosen at optimal harvest, when nutrient content is at its peak. This is very important for finding vitamin C in green veggies.

Since processing seeks to maximize nutritional content, the debate becomes: frozen or canned?

Both are preserved when the vegetables are at their nutritional best, at the peak of their harvest. Canned vegetables do have a salt problem, unless you check the label and buy a "no-sodium" or "lo-sodium" variety. (Canned fruits, likewise, have that sugar issue.)

What's the difference? It's in the preparation...

Canned: cans (or glass jars), machine-filled with vegetables, as well as brine or liquid, are pre-heated and then automatically sealed. Then, they are cooked under standardized times and temperatures, assuring the veggies will store without refrigeration. Once cooled, they stay in warehouses until they reach the store shelf. You need only re-heat.

Frozen: Freshly harvested veggies are first slightly pre-cooked to keep their natural appearance and flavor during the long time they'll be stored. Otherwise, they'd brown. Then, they're placed into polyethylene bags or fiber cartons which are wrapped in marketing labels (veggie name, company logo, etc.) and placed in freezers. They still need some cooking time.

When you're at the store ...

If you buy vegetables in a can, make sure that the can isn't leaking or buckling anywhere. Swells mean spoiled. A little dent is okay.

As for vegetables from the freezer, their packages should be solid. Any package that's wet or weak means it's defrosting -- and any package that has a stain on the outside or that has an icy crust means the package was defrosted and refrozen. Doesn't mean they're toxic, but it does mean some taste has been lost. Choose something else.

Once you're home ...

Store your canned veggies at a temperature no higher than 75°F., and they'll keep for at least a year. Even after a couple of years, they'll still be safe to eat, but some taste will be lost. Open a can, put any unused portion in the fridge: they'll stay good for a couple of days. Frozen veggies need to be kept at 0°F. or lower. Open a package, put the remainder back on ice asap. If it defrosts, use it now.

Bottom line: Between the two processing options - frozen or canned - it apparently comes down to taste as a general rule. I like frozen peas better than canned, for example. Fresh remains the optimal choice: which means those Spring-time Farmer's Markets can't open a moment too soon.


Sources: allrefer.com, US Dept. of Agriculture, British Foodservice, Colorado State University Extension Service.

Food as Medicine: Juicing

Jack LaLanne swears by juicing so much that he's got his own juicer on the market. There's also Jay Kordich aka the Juiceman, who has spent his lifetime promoting juicing of raw fruits and vegetables as a health necessity.

Of course, there are skeptics. They argue things like you get too much sugar, too rapidly, from juicing. They argue that there's a reason to chew, it's healthy to do so. Things like that.

However, juicing proponents are not arguing that juicing should substitute for eating foods (as opposed to drinking them). They are encouraging juicing as an addition to the diet, usually to increase intake of foods otherwise avoided or eaten rarely, or to combat specific maladies. Juicing gets more fruits and vegetables into the daily diet, as well as optimizing certain nutrients that fight against certain maladies (e.g., cabbage helps heal ulcers in part due to its high percentage of vitamin U).

At HPS Health, there are lists of recipes for juices (combinations of raw fruits and vegetables with some fresh herbs) to address specific ailments such as headache, anemia, fatigue, and gastric ulcers. Other recipe sites include ones promoting delicious taste (this one has a V8 recipe) and those that have, well, interesting combos.

And, for the skeptics, there's a site that gives recipes as well as advice on choosing a juicer. The site? The Stanford Cancer Center, part of the Stanford University Medical System.

According to Stanford, "The best selection of juices comes in nature’s own containers: fresh fruits & vegetables. Fresh juice is loaded with cancer-fighting phytochemicals and vitamins, in a state easily absorbed by the body."

Choosing a juicer is the next step. Short answer: get the highest powered motor you can afford, and make sure the components are easy to clean. Juicing is a messy job.

Shown: Jack LaLanne at age 84.

Menu Planning 102

When planning a family menu, you're really planning a collection of meals. And each meal is a collection of portions. The question of how much do you have to cook for a meal translates into how many portions do you need (or want)?

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta
1 slice of bread
1 tortilla
1/2 bagel or 1/2 English muffin or 1/2 pita
1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal
1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta

Vegetable
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or chopped raw
1/2 cup of vegetable juice

Fruit
1 medium apple, banana, orange
1 cup berries, cubed melon
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
1/2 cup of fruit juice

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese
1 cup milk
1 cup yogurt (artificially sweetened)
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup cottage cheese or ricotta
1 ounce cheese

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts
1 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
1/2 cup of cooked dry beans or 1 egg counts as 1 ounce of lean meat.
2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1/3 cup of nuts count as 1 ounce of meat.

Fats
1 teaspoon oil, butter, margarine, mayonnaise
1 tablespoon salad dressing, cream cheese

Another form of reference:

Fist or baseball - a serving of vegetables or fruit
A rounded handful - about one half cup cooked or raw veggies or cut fruit, a piece of fruit, or ½ cup of cooked rice or pasta
Deck of cards - a serving of meat, fish or poultry
Golf ball - one quarter cup of dried fruit or nuts
Tennis ball - one half cup of ice cream
Computer mouse - the size of a small baked potato
Compact disc - the size of one serving of pancake or small waffle
Thumb tip - one teaspoon of peanut butter
Six dice - a serving of cheese
Check book - a serving of fish

For fun, try the Portion Distortion Quiz - it's very enlightening, if somewhat scarey.

Sources: about.com, mealsmatter.org, National Institute of Health.

Personal Post 1 - Life Without the Microwave

In April 2005, I tossed the microwave and I thought I'd report on that event, and its aftermath, as my first official "personal post" here at Everyday Simplicity.

Long story short: haven't missed it. Not even once.

Why did I do it?

In Spring 2005, I read The Maker's Diet and that led me to surfing the web, learning about the safety (or lack thereof) of microwaved food. Skeerey stuff, more details on that down below.

How'd I do it?

Well, first, I prepared myself for what I perceived to be a tremendous sacrifice. (I gave myself permission to sigh a lot, and I ate more chocolate.) Then, I kept a list of how I used the machine - kept it up for a couple of weeks.

What a revelation: I only used it to heat water for tea, and once to defrost some chicken. I was surprised. So, on the last day of the month, surprisingly without angst, I unplugged it and toted the thing out to the alley, for garbage pickup. Away it went.

Today, I can report that I'm glad it's gone. Not only for the health benefits (again, all those details are still to come), but it increased my quality of life. Seriously.

Now, I boil hot water in a wonderful blue tea kettle, and listen for the whistle. Then, I use one of a collection of tea pots to brew tea for the daily pitcher of iced tea or I have a pretty tea mug at the ready, for a single cup.

Sure, I'm not standing at the counter waiting for a ping, but I've got the time to take care of a little thing while I'm waiting for the whistle. I get the paper, I unload the top rack of the dishwasher, I water some plants. We're not talking a big time differential here - the mug has water for tea within three minutes with a kettle.

Defrosting means thinking ahead or revising the dinner menu if I forget. That's okay. I've found that over time, I'm not forgetting anymore - it's like I've settled into something here. I'm cooking at home for almost all my meals now, something I wasn't doing in April 2005. But I suppose that's the topic of another post.

Back to the 'wave. I do admit to getting a toaster oven, so I could heat or cook or toast without firing up the big Westinghouse oven. In 5-10 minutes, I have hot food that has real brown marks on it and no rubber corners.

I think that this one change has influenced other positive changes in my life, albeit in a small way. My mornings feel cozy when that kettle sounds, and the three minutes instead of 50 seconds for the mug in its own way forces me to keep a slower, steadier pace. There's a ritual here that I see in old movies, read about in books set in the English countryside. Suddenly, I'm a part of all that.

It's a simpler way of living, and I like it.

Now, about the health issues of microwaved food.

1. "People who ingested microwaved foods showed a statistically higher incidence of stomach and intestinal cancers, plus a general degeneration of peripheral cellular tissues and a gradual breakdown of the function of the digestive and excretory systems. Due to chemical alterations within food substances, malfunctions occurred within the lymphatic system, causing a degeneration in the immune system's ability to protect the body against neoplastic (cancerous) growth. Microwave exposure caused significant decreases in the nutritional value of all foods studied, most significantly in the bio-availability of Bcomplex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotropics (substances that prevent abnormal accumulation of fat). Heating prepared meats in a microwave sufficiently for human consumption creates the cancer-causing agent d-nitrosodiethanolamine. Cancer-causing free radicals were formed within certain trace-mineral, molecular formations in plant substances -- particularly in raw root vegetables. Ingestion of microwaved foods caused a higher percentage of cancerous cells within the blood serum. Microwaving foods alters their elemental food substances, leading to disorders in the digestive system. The use of microwave ovens was banned in Russia in 1976." -- Cambridge University

2. "From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, we will conclude this article with the following:

1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].
2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.
5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.
7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.
8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence."

- Dr. Joseph Mercola

See:
BBCNEWS.com ("Cancer Risks in Microwaved Food")
CambridgeUniversityNet ("Health Risks and Dangers of Using Microwaves in Food Preparation")
Mercola.com("Hidden Hazards of Microwave Cooking")

Illustration: The Mad Hatter's Tea Party, by John Tenniel, appearing in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

Food as Medicine: Healing Arthritis

Here, in its entirety, an article by Dr. Ruth Yale Long of the Nutrition Education Association, as shown on ghc.health.com, quoted in its entirety there by Dr. Ellen Tart-Jensen:

Healing Arthritis
Dr. Ellen Tart-Jensen

There has been a request from one of our students this
month for me to write about arthritis. Dr. Ruth Yale Long from
the Nutrition Education Association wrote, “Arthritis is a
nutritional deficiency disease. If we all eat the nutrients we
need, we can live out our lives without the misery of
arthritis.” Indeed, Dr. Bernard Jensen, my late father-in-law,
traveled into Russia and met people over 100 years old
completely free from arthritis. He said that some of these
people rode up to greet him on horseback, very limber and
agile. Why did these people not have arthritis? They lived
close to nature, growing their own gardens, picking their own
vegetables and eating them. They went barefooted on the earth
and worked outside in fresh air and sunshine. They were happy
and contented.

How can we prevent arthritis? And if we have arthritis,
how can we heal it? First of all, let’s examine some of the
causes of arthritis. When people eat denatured foods that have
been canned, preserved, packaged and nuked, there are no
vitamins and minerals left in them. The joints need minerals in
order to stay lubricated. The joints are lined with lymph
fluid. That lymph fluid is the same fluid that makes up our
tears when we cry. Have you ever tasted your tears? They are
very salty. Organic sodium is necessary to keep the lymph
healthy. Organic sodium helps to hold calcium in the bone.
When calcium comes out of the bone, crystals form in the joints
causing pain, inflammation and swelling. Soon the joints become
enlarged and hardened.

Some people reading this will think they need to eat
lots of salt. This is far from the truth. Salt dries up the
lymph fluid. Table salt is much different from natural, organic
sodium. Table salt is made from salt rocks and is mined from
the earth. This salt is nearly impossible for the body to
absorb. So, you may ask about sea salt. Most sea salt does
come from the sea, but it has been heated to high temperatures
and all the minerals are destroyed. In order to get natural,
organic sodium, we must get it from plants or goat whey. Plants
stretch their roots far into the earth and absorb the salt that
is there and transmute it to a form we can absorb. Goats eat
those plants and the organic sodium goes into their milk. Goat
whey is the clear fluid that is in the milk. It is separated
from the milk solids during the cheese making process and is
very rich in organic sodium. Dr. Jensen insisted that every
person with arthritis, take goat whey to help dissolve the
arthritic crystals and help them be reabsorbed by the bone. The
organic sodium in goat whey also helps to relieve inflammation.
It can be taken in powdered form in a cup of hot water. It
tastes salty much like bullion. Goat mineral whey also comes in
capsule form.

So, the first cause of arthritis is neglecting to
consume the foods we need that are high in organic sodium and
organic minerals. The second cause is consuming “foods” that
actually drain the body of the sodium, calcium, minerals and B
vitamins that are already there. Some of these “foods” are
coffee, sugar, table salt, black tea, chocolate and sodas
(sweetened with sugar or nutra-sweet). In order to process
these unnatural foods, the body has to use up its reserves of
sodium, calcium, minerals and vitamins and these unnatural foods
have no nutrients in them to give back to the body. Over time
the body is in a deficit of nutrients just like an empty bank
account is in deficit of dollars.

The third cause of arthritis is long-term stress.
Stress causes the body to burn up nutrients very rapidly and if
one is not eating properly to replace these nutrients, arthritis
can occur. Organic sodium and B vitamins in the body are the
first elements to be used up under stress. Without natural
sodium in the body, inflammation takes place. Without B
vitamins the nervous system and the adrenal glands become weak.
Stress weakens the adrenal glands so they are no longer able to
produce normal amounts of cortisol. A lack of cortisol also
causes inflammation. When people go to the doctor with
arthritis, they usually receive cortisone and it may reduce
their symptoms. After a while, if they don’t change their diets
and lifestyles and they continue taking the cortisone, they can
have very bad side effects.

To prevent arthritis or to help it to heal, one needs
organic sodium and all of the B vitamins in the form of a B
complex. Foods high in sodium are: GOAT WHEY, celery, dark
green leafy vegetables, beet tops, dandelion greens,
strawberries and okra. Foods high in the B vitamins are RICE
BRAN SYRUP, brown rice, rice bran, oats, Brewer’s yeast,
cornmeal, almonds and alfalfa. ALFALFA TABLETS are high in B
vitamins and minerals. They are also high in chlorophyll that
cleans the blood and liver and fiber that cleanses the bowel.
Because of all of the wonderful nutrients in alfalfa tablets,
they have been known to help arthritis tremendously.
Glucosamine Sulfate helps to support the joints and build
healthy connective tissue as well. Tumeric, aloe vera juice and
white willow bark also help to relieve inflammation and pain.
One must also avoid all of the foods listed in this letter that
are completely deficient in nutrients.

Soaking in hot baths with three cups of Epsom salts can
be very soothing for those with arthritis. Epsom Salts are high
in magnesium and help the muscles relax. Castor oil packs on
affected areas can truly help to relieve pain and dissolve
crystals. Dr. Christopher’s Complete Tissue and Bone Cream
combined with Eucalyptus or Peppermint oil rubbed into aching
joints has helped many. Arnica cream has often helped as well.

Finally, review your life. Let go of what is stressful.
Balance stress with deep breathing, nice music, relaxing walks
in nature or reading a pleasant book. Avoid loud and aggressive
people. Do things that bring you joy!

CASTOR OIL PACKS
Warm castor oil in a small pan. Do not boil. Dip a
cotton or wool flannel cloth into the oil and apply to affected
area. Cover first with plastic wrap and then a towel. Place a
heating pad on top of the pack. Turn the heating pad on and
leave it on for about an hour. Castor oil packs can work
miracles."

Fear: How Scared Are Americans of the Economy These Days? Massa, Glenn Beck, the Survival Seed Company, and Lisa Scottoline

Yesterday, I veered from my usual day-in, day-out writing schedule and its corresponding mental whip of meeting my Word Count quota because a pal had let me know that Ex-Congressman Eric Massa was going to do two interviews, and the first would be on television that afternoon, on Fox's Glenn Beck show.

I waited for Massa to become a Congressional Whistleblower.  It didn't happen.

I rationalized this, work-wise, since one of my long-term projects is working with a book editor and an author on a whistleblower memoir (easiest way to describe it, "Enron-esque") and if Massa was going to jump onto a live TV show to be a Congressional Whistleblower on some mysterious corruption stuff, well - there was some sorta work correlation there.  Sorta. 

Nothing much happened during this Hour of Massa, however, whistleblower-wise.  Beck looked as disappointed and frustrated as those Congressmen during the Michael Corleone hearings, where the brother from Italy appears in the room, sitting next to Michael and suddenly, the snitch knows noottthhhing.  Remember that?  Godfather II.  Great movie. 

Then I Saw the Survival Seed Company Commercial During the Glenn Beck Show

What got me during the show were the commercials.  Lots of gold sales, that's not new.  But for the first time, I saw an ad for SEEDS.  That's right.  Seeds, as in gardening.  And, they weren't promoting the seeds for the beauty of the fruit, or the nutrition of the vegetables, or the size of the blooms.  Nope.  They were trying to sell me these special seeds as BARTER.  Better barter than gold, in case of Doomsday here in the USA.   The company is the Survival Seed Bank, and when I surfed around about them this morning, I found that others are pondering this event, too.  Places like BoingBoing and Steve Pendlebury over at AOLNews.

Later, I'm Reading Lisa Scottoline's new book, Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog, laughing away ....

Skip to evening.  Look, the truth is that most of my time is spent reading or writing, I'm such a dull girl, and last evening, I was reading through Lisa Scottoline's new book, Why My Third Husband Will Be A Dog. 

This is one hilarious book - it's a collection of essays from Lisa Scottoline's "Chick Wit" column at the Philidelphia Inquirer.  Funny, funny stuff.  (Read or listen to some of this book here.)

And suddenly, Lisa S is writing about going to a website -- she provides the reader with its address in the book, it's http://www.whatsyourrq.org/ , and writes about taking the test and finding she's zero on the scale (and the average American scores a 4). 

The Readiness Quotient Test

Wow.  Oh, yeah, sure -- of course, I'm going to go over there and take the test.  At the site, I'm told that its the first test of its kind, to let me and other Americans evaluate their readiness for all sorts of disasters -- they mention natural disasters and terrorist attacks -- as well as providing info on what I/we need to do ... to be ready. 

(Lisa Scottoline is particularly funny answering the question, ready for what? Check out the essay "Disasterous" in the book. Page 191.)

Here's what I'm pondering:  how afraid are we Americans today? 

We've got commercials about seeds for barter, we've got a great writer - humor and thriller - describing her experiences with a Readiness Quotient. 

I don't want to be a lemming.  Neither do I want to be the proverbial frog who is placed in the pot of cold water and dies rather than jump out when the water heats to boiling.  What I do know: fear is a dangerous thing.  Clouds your thinking, monkeys with your response, all sorts of destructive things both individually and collectively arise from a spirit of fear. 

I haven't finished pondering all this, but I thought I'd share this much with you today, Dear Reader.  Fear is a powerful, sneaky enemy of which we should all be aware.  Looks like it's here. 

Image:  The Scream. Edvard Munch 1893, from PublicDomainClipArt.

Happiness Prevents Heart Disease According to New Study

In today's news, there's a lot of media coverage of a new research study done by American researchers and published in the European Heart Journal that happiness prevents heart disease.

In other words, happy people don't get heart attacks, according to these findings.

Now, we've already heard about eating more fruits and veggies, eating whole grains, and avoiding bad fats to avoid heart disease.  And there was recent news coverage of another study that pointed to adequate levels of Vitamin D as preventing both heart attacks and diabetes. 

Well, seems to me that living a life of simplicity could be said to prevent heart disease, too.  Living a simple life, as least as I've been doing it, means things like:

Getting some sunshine every day (sunshine is an excellent source of Vitamin D);
Eating lots of fresh vegetables and fruits (even juicing them);
Getting stress out of your life (and keeping it out); and
choosing to live a life that is peaceful, focused, and appreciative of daily blessings.

Juicing for Health: Carrot Beet Apple Spinach Juice Tastes Good. Really.

I've had a great juicer for years - high powered motor, easy to clean - but I had stored it in a cabinet awhile back and just forgotten about it. And juicing.

Then, I was surfing around and there was this discussion about the nutrients that are available in raw vegetables and fruits, things that get lost by the time they get into bottles or cartons or cans or bags. That's right, I remembered: I own a really nice juicer - why aren't I using that thing? (Slap of forehead.)

So, this week I pulled that puppy out and went to the store and bought organic beets, carrots, Fuji apples, and baby spinach. Some cilantro, too - but I also made pico de gallo, and the cilantro escaped the juice machine.

Today, I'm back in a routine of juicing daily and I feel the better for it. I've posted on this before (Food as Medicine: Juicing) and you can find links for lots of detailed information there. Right now, I just want to share how easy and fun this is, and here's my recipe (and a couple of tips):

Reba's Daily Raw Carrot Apple Beet Spinach Juice

8 small carrots or 6 regular/medium size
2 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves (don't skimp)
2 medium sized Fuji apples
1 medium sized beet (about the same size as one of the apples)

Wrap the spinach around the carrots to juice, it works better (the leaves can be hard to juice). Keep your working area clear and clean as you go: that beet juice will stain stuff (including your tee shirt).

I drink this over ice and with a straw. It's a pretty purple color.

For more on what this provides, read the links given with the ingredients above.

Probiotics Info - You Don't Have to Eat Yogurt to Get Digestive Help

Probiotics - everyone seems to know all about digestive bacteria that help enrich our daily lives (ahem).  What are probiotics?  Probiotics are bacteria -- microorganisms that live within your gut, helping to break down foods and support your digestive tract.   They're such a big deal that there's even an International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. 

If you like yogurt and you're not lactose intolerant, then eating yogurt (especially that brand promoted by Jamie Lee Curtis) seems like and easy and simple answer.  But what if you're lactose intolerant?  Or you just hate yogurt?

Well, there's other ways to get probiotics into your system -- and into your family's digestive systems, too.  In fact, some are promoting eating more than one kind of probiotic for maximum health benefits. 

Foods Containing Probiotics

Yogurt (if it has ""Live Active Culture" on the label)
Buttermilk
Acidophilus Milk
Kefir
Kombucha
Fermented Bean Paste (Miso, Tempeh, Doenjang)
Sauerkraut
Kim Chi
Brewer's Yeast
Soy Sauce
Pickled Vegetables (yes, including pickles)

And don't forget your PREbiotics....

Prebiotics are foods that your body cannot digest and which boost the work of those probiotic microorganisms there inside the colon.  Essentially, prebiotics feed the probiotics inside your intestine, allowing the probiotics to remain and thrive there - a good thing.  Together, prebiotics and probiotics are called "gutflora."

Foods that contain varying levels of prebiotics include:

onions
leeks
asparagus
garlic
artichokes
Jerusalem artichokes
wheat/sprouted wheat
oats
soybeans.
honey
Apple Cidar Vinegar (with the mother)
tomato

The Shopper’s Thrill of the Great Bargain Find: Dollar Tree and Great Books (For a Buck)

 I’ve been living the Voluntary Simplicity lifestyle for many years now, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve lost that thrill of stumbling upon a great bargain while shopping. It’s just that the store names have changed, and the amount that I’m willing to pay is lots (LOTS) less now.

That zing in your heart strings, or purse strings, when you find something great for a low price? It’s still there.

Like it was for me last week.

Go back with me, Dear Reader, as I was pushing my little green shopping cart through the aisles of my local Dollar Tree, which in my opinion is the nicest dollar store out there. (At least in my neck of the woods, San Antonio.) Sure, there’s the need to eagle eye the products here, as in any bargain paradise (be it thrift store, flea market, garage sale, or WalMart) - you have to discern quality from crud.

Dollar Tree is My Favorite Dollar Store -- I Shop Dollar Tree Once a Month for Bargains

There are quality items to be found at Dollar Tree, and the reason that I prefer this chain to the others is two-fold: if I pick it up, I know it’s $1.00 or less (unlike some other “dollar” stores) and there’s more quality stuff at the Dollar Tree chains. At least, this has been my experience. Plus, they’re clean and their workers are friendly and helpful.

I visit Dollar Tree once a month without fail because I find great things there, like this week: 

1. Brillo sponges (not pads), blue, with a scruffy surface on one side (package of two for a buck). 
2. Index cards (200/$1.00)(I love using index cards for lots of things, it’s Old School, I know). 
3. Plastic flowers for my outdoor wreathes (amazing quality, these plastic blooms - very slow to fade). 
4. Betty Crocker kitchen stuff (got a primo pasta spoon for $1.00). 
5. Baskets and bins (sweet, big reed basket for a buck - perfect for a gift basket). 
6. Gift bags (this store doesn’t have the great selection I have seen in other D-Trees, but big bags for a buck is still nice). 
7. Tape (got Scotch brand clear tape, enough to last me a year at least, two rolls for a buck). 
8. Del Monte canned vegetables (two regular cans for a buck). 
9. Dog toys (I don’t buy their edible offerings, but the small stuffed toys are safe and my pups love them - for the 30 minutes it takes for them to tear them apart outside in the grass.) 
10. Books. That’s right, Dear Reader. BOOKS. 

My local Dollar Tree has some wonderful finds - and I thought I’d share with you the books I’ve bought this month at Dollar Tree: 

• The Emerald Cat Killer by Richard Lupoff (Hobart Linsdey and Marvia Plum Series #10)(read my book review here, WHAT a great find): in hardback, same book being sold on Barnes and Noble for $25.99; 
• Four to Score by Janet Evanovich(Stephanie Plum series): New York Times Best Selling Author, in paperback, same book being sold on Barnes and Noble for $8.99;  
• High Five by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum series): New York Times Best Selling Author, in paperback, same book being sold on Barnes and Noble for $8.99; 
• Queen of the Night by J.A. Jance (Brandon Walker and Diana Ladd Series #4): New York Times Best Selling Author, in hardback, same book being sold on Barnes and Noble for $25.11; 
• Hell Gate by Linda Fairstein (Alexandra Cooper Series #12): New York Times Best Selling Author, in hardback, same book being sold on Barnes and Noble for $25.89;  and
• Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson Series #5): New York Times Best Selling Author, in hardback, same book being sold on Barnes and Noble for $24.07.

Is This Unfair to the Author? Geez Louise, I Hope Not 

I’m not the only one who has discovered great reads at the dollar store. Lynn Viehl writes of buying up some of her author/friend’s books upon discovering them at a dollar store in her April 2005 blog post - and she explains the reasons why finding books in a dollar store might make an author cringe.

 I love authors, I love books, I don’t want to hurt writers in any way. However, without Dollar Tree I would not have known about Richard Lupoff - nor would I read Linda Fairstein (even though I have heard of her name before).

Are these writers making money off my Dollar Tree buys? Nope; these are “remaindered remainders” as Viehl explains. Jance, Fairstein, Evanovich, Briggs, and Lupoff will make no more from their artistry and hard work on my copies than if I’d borrowed their books from the library.

However, they’ve gained a fan in me through DollarTree, and that’s got to be worth something, right? Especially when you consider that these are all series reads, where I’m going to be searching for the rest of the series? (Well, except for Plum. I’ve got almost every Stephanie Plum already.)

Plus, I like to think it’s better to scoop up these great finds at the Dollar Tree than to leave them there. I mean, the only thing worse than finding these books at the dollar store would be to discover that no one bought them there, right?

My Favorite Simplicity Blog Posts of the Week

When I'm not writing this blog, and when I'm not writing for a living, and when I'm not reading for work or for pleasure, as well as eating, sleeping, cooking, or talking (sometimes, listening), I'm surfing around reading other people's blogs.  Here are five posts that I really liked and/or got something from this week:


The Health Ranger's Living Juice Recipe
Great thing about this recipe, you don't have to use a juicer, you can go with your blender.  I've found that eating raw and organic fruits and vegetables (I try to follow the greens and beans approach) really makes a difference in how I feel the same day that I eat/drink it.  It's kinda the reverse of eating bad stuff, and getting lethargic, or a headache, or heartburn.  Eat good stuff, feel good.  Try it, it works!!

Drip Beef, Two Ways (Sandwich Recipes)
I love the Pioneer Woman's stuff, especially how she gives you all those photos to follow along with what her recipe is doing.  Here, there are two unbelievable meat sandwich versions - just in time for the Super Bowl parties.  Reading the one with the pepperoncinis actually had my mouthwatering.  Seriously.

Wanda's Diary - 02/06/10 Warsaw
Wanda Urbanska and her husband are living in Poland right now, and this diary entry describes some of the ways that Poles are saving money, living more simply, as a cultural norm.  I found it interesting that the escalators automatically turn off when no one has used them for one minute.  Makes you think ....

The Perils of Prosperity and Christian Anarchy
First part of a two-part posting considering a Newsweek article entitled "The Perils of Prosperity," written by Robert J. Samuelson - from a Christian perspective.  Actually, the perspective of "Christian Anarchy."  I'm waiting for the second part of the article, but this first part is fascinating to me because it's doing what I'm not seeing all that often:  proactively challenging the news we're hearing with a forceful, Christian response. 

Friday Fiscals from Mighty Bargain Hunter
I love the Mighty Bargain Hunter, just a great blog and such a wonderful gift to us all.  Thank you, thank you, MBH.  And in his usual generous manner, Mighty Bargain Hunter has his own list of great blog posts of the week, all dealing with various aspects of finance and budgeting.  Some great info here. 

Have a great weekend!!!

15 Tips for Maximizing Your Food Budget

This month, the Center for Nutrition Policy issued a new pdf: "Low Cost, Medium Cost and Liberal Food Plans - 2007," revising a previous version of alternative food budgets. (The low cost plan is designed to work with someone feeding a family on food stamps.)

It's too hard to read, and I'm not sure what to think about all its data, anyway. So, I've compiled this list of 15 tips for maximizing your food budget:

1. Buy store brands - they're cheaper.

2. Use coupons - take an hour a week to track them down in the newspaper, mailbox, and online. Organize them according to area of the store (dairy, meat, etc.) and within that category, by expiration date. (If you're lucky, your store has its own promotional coupons, too - here in San Antonio, HEB has lots of promos plus a coupon kiosk near the customer service area). It doesn't take that long, and you can use the rest of the time to plan meals.

3. Shop on double coupon day. (Here in SA, that means Sun Harvest; HEB doesn't offer double coupon days.)

4. Plan your weekly menu to maximize the coupons.

5. Shop with a grocery list and stick to that list.

6. Do not buy junk just because you have a coupon. If the kids hate powdered donuts, don't buy them just because they're on sale. If you are into eating organic, then don't compromise just because Cocoa Puffs are 3 for a dollar. Rule the coupons, don't let them rule you!

7. Compare the unit price. Something on sale with a coupon may still cost more than the store brand.

8. Cook from scratch as much as possible: the more preparation in the item, the higher the price.

9. Organize your kitchen (freezer, fridge, pantry) as well as a little storage area elsewhere. A big sale on toilet paper may be worth stocking up - but you will need the extra space. Similarly, cooking a big batch of chili or stew may mean you freeze half for later: it's better to have an organzed freezer (not only to have a place for the item, but to remember it's there and not have it hidden for archeologists in the back right corner ...).

10. Eat your leftovers. Rework them if your family is picky about this - Food Network's Robin Miller (contributing editor for Health and Cooking Light ) has an entire show dedicated on revamping a food item in 3-4 ways for use during the week. Chicken breasts one night become shredded bbq chicken sammies the next, etc.

11. Keep a Food Journal. Yes, this sounds hokey -- but it can be a simple spiral notebook and it's purpose is to keep track of what's working and what's not. It doesn't have to be pretty. If the family loved your Organic Mac and Cheese Bake, then make a note of this. If they hated the 12 grain bread, note it. Slowly, you'll build a list of recipes that the family likes and this will make menu planning a lot easier. The Journal should also keep track of big sales -- stores tend to put things on sale on a schedule and as you gain control of this info, you'll be able to plan ahead for the sale items. I also take my journal with me to Sam's, HEB, etc. and write down prices for things that I buy a lot. It's helped me discover that the paper towels at Walmart are a better deal than Sam's, and I was just assuming that Sam's had the best deal.

12. Cook in batches. Buying in bulk (like at Sam's or CostCo) can get you a better unit price. You can break these apart and freeze parts. You can also stretch these buys through cooking a big batch and then freezing part of the entree for later. Examples: a big pot of chili, freeze half; a huge meatloaf, freeze half; broccoli-rice casserole, freeze half. You get the idea.

13. Learn to cook great vegetables that are cheap. Cabbage, greens, turnips, beets, yams, these are great foods, they are cheap foods, and you need to take advantage of them. A big pot of greens on a cold winter day, with cornbread and sweet butter? There's nothing better. Like Chinese food or Thai? Lots of cabbage potential there. Explore.

14. Find alternatives to meat. Beans and rice together make a complete protein. Cajun recipes and TexMex recipes combine them both. A favorite in my house are bean cakes - they can be crispy and spicy and very delicious as an entree and again as a sammie. Lots of variety here, lots of nutrition, and soooo cheap.

15. Reward yourself for a job well done. This whole thing should be fun, not a chore. Find the joy in all this ... it's there. Great food, great nutrition, and great savings.

Angel Food Ministeries - Quality Food for Low Cost

Angel Food Ministeries is a national organization that is growing by leaps and bounds, coordinated by churches across the country to distribute high quality food in once-a-month deliveries, based upon orders received in the prior month.

From their site, "[w]ith a heart to help others and a generous spirit, Joe and Linda Wingo founded Angel Food Ministries in 1994 to provide food for friends and neighbors who were struggling financially. Today, they are still doing the same thing. The Angel Food program now is helping provide food relief to more than 500,000 families each month."


Here's how it works:

You order based upon a menu. First, there's the menu's basic package which varies from month to month, and provides a variety of special, additional offerings, too.

This basic package costs around $30.00 - and you can buy more than one if you choose to do so. The specials cost about $20, and you have to buy a basic to buy any of the specials. (Holidays are dealt with in the specials, you'll see turkeys and ham for the December menu, etc.)

You place your order online, or in person at your closest distribution site. Then, on the delivery date, you bring your own containers (boxes, bags, laundry baskets, coolers) to the distribution spot and take home your goodies. Angel Food's home office says that the basic package should fit into a medium-sized box.

You can buy as many basic packages, and as many specials, as you want.

Is this a Welfare Program?

Nope. It's for anyone who has enough savvy to take advantage of this offering. Pride doesn't stretch a dollar, and in this economy, AngelTree can make a big difference in a monthly budget.

You pay and you buy.

No one is going to ask for any personal information from you, and you can buy for yourself; for family members or friends; for a senior citizen or single mom you know could use the help; or you can just buy a package and leave it to the distribution center to give it to someone they know would be well-served by the gift.

Who is Buying AngelTree packages?

I know of several schoolteachers that buy AngelFood packages, as well as social workers, single moms, retired folk, and seniors. Last week, my cashier at Sam's Club was telling me all about the chicken nuggets she got in her Angel Food package - apparently, my nuggets purchase paled in comparison in both quality and price.

What Do You Get?

You get restaurant-quality food; no seconds, nothing skimpy. The packages vary by month. For example, in August 2008, the basic package contains:

1.5 lb. of Ribeye Steaks (4 x 6 oz.)
5 lb.of Chicken Leg Quarters
28 oz. of Chicken Breast Nuggets
28 oz. of Salisbury Steak Dinner Entrées
32 oz. of Breaded Chicken Breast Filets
16 oz. of Smoked Sausage
16 oz. of California Blend Frozen Vegetables
16 oz. of Frozen Carrots
16 oz. of Frozen Chopped Spinach
10 ct. of Frozen Waffles
16 oz. of Bean Soup Mix
1 lb. of Rice
9 oz. of Instant Potatoes (14 servings)
15 oz. of Sliced Peaches
32 oz. of Borden Shelf Stable Milk
One Dozen Eggs
One Dessert Item

Each month's menu also offers specials. The August menu offered:

AUGUST SPECIAL #1 is the "7 lb. Family Assorted Grill Box - $20.00"
(1.5 lb Baseball Cut Sirloin Filet (4 x 6 oz.) (Thick-Cut)2 lbs Juicy Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast2 lbs St. Louis-Style Ribs1.5 lb Hamburger Patties (4 x 6 oz.))

AUGUST SPECIAL #2 is the "4.5 lb. Steak and Meat Combo - $20.00"
(1.5 lb. New York Strips (2 x 12 oz.)1.5 lb. Bacon-Wrapped Beef Filet (4 x 6 oz.)1.5 lb. Bacon-Wrapped Pork Filet (4 x 6 oz.))

AUGUST SPECIAL #3 is the "4.5 lb. Stuffed Chicken Breast Combo - $18.00"
(1.5 lb. Cordon Bleu (4 x 6 oz.)1.5 lb. Broccoli Cheese (4 x 6 oz.)1.5 lb. Chicken Breast Kiev (4 x 6 oz.))

AUGUST SPECIAL #4 is the "Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box - $18.00" (4 Red Delicious Apples; 4 lb Bag of Oranges; 1 Cello-wrapped Lettuce; 1 Large Cabbage; 6 Russet Potatoes; 2 Cucumbers; 1 Cantaloupe; 1 Honeydew Melon)


What Do You Pay?

You choose your items from the menu, and pay when you turn in your selection to your distribution point (the website has a long list of places - usually churches - that serve as distribution points).

The website also accepts online credit card payments. The distribution sites accept cash, check, Credit/Debit Cards or food stamps. You bring your receipt (or your friend's) on the delivery date to show proof of purchase.

How Much Do You Save?

As for savings, the basic package is priced at $30 per unit, and while the menus change each month, Angel Food estimates that you receive restaurant-quality items that would otherwise cost you (retail value) around $60-$70. So, the food is about HALF the price of retail.

How Long Will It Last?

Angel Food estimates that one basic package will feed a family of four for about 1 week, and for a single senior, about 1 month. (You'll have to add some perishables to that food budget, of course - Angel Food doesn't offer much in the way of fresh dairy products and produce.)

What About Feeling Ashamed?
Living a simple life means letting go of the idea that the approval of others should control your happiness and peace. Approval isn't love, and it isn't acceptance.

If AngelFood can help your family's budget (think about cutting that food bill in half, if you plan your menus right), then why not? It's a tough economy, and being smart is never, ever shameful.

Food Codes

Even fresh fruit and vegetables are coded, and it's good to know what those codes mean. "PLU" stands for "Price Look Up" and these PLU codes reveal if the fruit and veggies are (1) conventionally grown -- these have a code of four numbers; (2) genetically modified - these have a code of five numbers, all beginning with the number 8; or (3) organic -- these have a code of five numbers, beginning with the number 9.

What is genetically modified? "GM" foods are engineered foods: the genetic make-up of food is altered by scientists, without the protection that selective breeding allowed in the past. It is science's own form of instant gratification.

GM foods are very controversial - there are lots of safety concerns. Meanwhile, Dr. Mercola points to an ABC News piece which informs us that 75% of all processed food in the United States is now made, in part if not in whole, from GM crops.

Organic foods, meanwhile, must be free of anything GM.

If you'd rather avoid GM foods, then (1) don't eat processed foods and (2) buy organic. That means, all your fruits and veggies should have codes starting with the number 9.


See: PLUCodes, mercola.com, HowStuffWorks.com, Human Genome Project.

Menu Planning 101

Grocery shopping becomes more efficient, faster, and cheaper when you plan your week's meals in advance. Your family's health gets a boost, too, if you include a focus on nutrition as you plan. The problem: it's hard to do, and it takes time. The good news? Life can become more balanced, and simpler, once you conquer weekly menu plans.

Considerations include cost, time, your level of cooking expertise, and overlapping nutrition concerns with all of these as well as your family's taste preferences. Nutritional factors include things like the American Heart Association's daily requirements (6-11 servings of bread, pasta, and starchy vegetables) or the American Diabetes Association's Pyramid - which is slightly different than the Department of Agriculture's new MyPyramid. There are others: South Beach, etc.

Once you have your nutritional parameters determined, you're ready to plan. For one week, you will need 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners. 21 meals.

They don't all have to be that different. Plan a basic smoothie recipe, and then have a variety of frozen fruit to use during the week for variety. Breakfast is done for most of the week. Salads for dinner: have several salad bags in the fridge, with a variety of "inserts" -- chicken, nuts, egg, cheese, mandarin oranges, cranberries, carrots, tomatoes, avocado, etc. Ditto for pasta. On Sunday afternoon, cook a casserole or two and many of your week's meals are ready for you: leftovers are great comfort food. Remember gooey sandwiches are great: improvise. Meatloaf for dinner is a meatloaf sandwich lunch. Grilled chicken breasts for dinner can be a great honey-mustard chicken sandwich the next day. Get a slow cooker and you've got several meals at the ready.

Don't make menu planning harder than it is ... strive for excellence, not perfection.

For serious planning, Meals.com is a free site dedicated solely to meal planning. Susan Nicholson offers weekly plans, for free, with recipes and grocery lists, at uexpress.com. So does LightandTasty.com. ArcaMax delivers 7-day menu plans to your email inbox each week, but no grocery list. Pinespring offers a nice option: you input a food item, and it returns with various recipes to make with the item.

Finally, there's the paperwork. OrganizedHome offers a great selection of free downloads: from "freezer inventory" to "shopping list" to weekly and monthly planner sheets.

Food as Medicine - 1

Food One-a-Days -- if you eat the following each day, these health benefits result:

One-half cup cooked beans cuts bad cholesterol (LDL) by 10%.

Mushrooms, maitake or shiitake (if fresh, 3 oz., if dried, 1/3 ounce), cut bad cholesterol by 7 and 12 percent respectively.

One-half of a raw onion raises the good cholesterol (HDL).

One carrot cuts stroke rate in women by 68%.

Six servings of Fruits and Vegetables cuts stroke rate by 44%. Up it to nine servings, cut the rate by 66%.

Two tablespoons of cooked cabbage protects against stomach cancer.

One-half cup of spinach cuts macular degeneration odds by 43%.

Two to four stalks of celery cuts high blood pressure.

One ounce of fish oil cuts risk of heart attack by 50%.

One cup of yogurt boosts your immune system, as well as reduces colds and other respiratory infections.

Sources: baumanncollege.com, HNA.com, naturalways.com.

Spices: Saving & Storing

How long are those spices good that are stored in the pantry? Here's the answer from the executive chef of Gourmet magazine and one of the top internet spice suppliers:

From Sara Moulton, this advice:

"If spices are kept in a cool dark place they should last for at least 6 months. After that you can still use them but you will have to use more in order to get the same potency. You can tell when their flavor is fading because their color fades: paprika and red spices go from bright red to dull brown, dried green herbs go from green to dull gray. When you buy dried herbs and spices, buy them in small quantities."

Source: SaraMoulton.com


From online, reputable SpiceBarn.Com:

"Whole herbs and spices last much longer than crushed or ground. Many people prefer to buy the whole form and crush or grind as needed. Herbs and spices can be crushed with a mortar and pestle, or a coffee grinder. Check ground spices for freshness at least once a year. If no aroma is detected, the seasoning needs to be replaced. Heat, sunlight, and dampness cause herbs and spices to lose their flavor and aroma quickly.

1. Store away from moisture as dampness will cause caking and loss of quality. Store in tightly covered jars and use clean, dry spoons for measuring. If you live in a high humidity area you may experience difficulty with caking.

2. Store in cool place away from light. Do not store in a window or in sunlight. Do not store near heat sources such as the range, dishwasher or refrigerator. Spice racks are nice, but not the best way to store your spices.

Shelf Life: Whole spices----2 to 5 years; ground spices---6 months to 2 years; leafy herbs-------3 months to 2 years; dehydrated vegetables---6 months

Tip: Make a note of the date of purchase on the label; then check them once a year and replace as needed."

Source: http://www.spicebarn.com/storing_spices.htm

The First Post: Purpose and Contents

The purpose of this blog is to organize and consolidate information appearing around the web and elsewhere dealing with simplifying life. Everyday Simplicity seeks to help those considering a lifestyle change as well as those expert at living an abundant life in a frugal way.

Topics will include:

Shopping Tips -- from bargain hunting to thrift stores, the art of shopping well will be covered
Health Tips -- meeting physical, mental, and spiritual needs the Simple Way will be addressed
Beauty Tips -- natural cosmetics and fashion finds from a Simple perspective
Seniors' Tips -- seniors have unique needs that are addressed in a Simplified Way
Kids' Tips -- kids get special Simple attention, too
Saving Money Tips -- from insurance to the grocery budget, savvy saving the Simple Way
Investing Money Tips -- the most bang for your buck, the Simple Way
Food Tips -- outside of recipes, food is discussed from a Simple Perspective
Herb & Garden Tips -- growing herbs, vegetables, flowers, and great yards Simply
Time Tips -- some Simple ways to save that most precious commodity
Recipes -- an expanding collection of Simple Recipes
Freebies -- free stuff found on the web and elsewhere
Books to Read -- great reads that help on the Simple Path
Movies to See -- films that touch on living simply
Instances of Excess -- spotlights on the Uncontrolled to remind us of where we used to be
Simple Living Kudos -- attaboys for the role models
Inspiration & Encouragement -- quotations and remembrances and testimonies to cheer you
Great Simple Sites -- links to Simple Living Sites: we're cooperative not competitive here