Author: foodfreedomradio

Fun to learn of Lazy, Good Food ways of cooking at the first day of the Minnesota State Fair!   This idea for Dilly Beans comes from – Sue Bembenek

Dilly Beans. Brine is 1c water, 3/4c white vinegar, 1t sugar, 2t salt. Bring to boil and just cook till all is dissolved. Meanwhile in 2-16oz jars, place in EACH JAR 1 clove sliced garlic, bunch of fresh dill or 1t dried dill, 1/2t whole coriander, and 1/8t of crushed red pepper flakes and 1/4t dried mustard seeds. Fill with fresh green beans, cleaned and tips removed. Large green beans that are over large work well too. Keep beans long, and lay along side of jar until filled. Put cut pieces in to fill the top. Pour brine over all. Cover and keep in fridge. Keeps for a long time. Tastes like pickles Also very good on other vegetables like carrots, cauliflower. Crunchy vegetables. Maybe beets would be good too. Enjoy. Can start eating the next day! 1/4 jar has 83mg of sodium, 14 calories, 3g carbs, 1g fiber, and 1g protein. I put them in grilled cheese sandwiches and where ever pickles are used.

Using a can of organic chickpeas is a quick way to get great food.   Yet using dried chickpeas is cheaper and in my humble opinion tastier.   The key is to soak overnight.

Step one:  Soak chickpeas.  I use a quart mason jar.  Fill the jar half full of dried chickpeas and add water to the top.   Cover.  In 8 to 12 hours,  the dried chickpeas will expand to fill the entire jar.   Drain water and rinse chickpeas.

Step two: Boil chickpeas.   There are many ways to do this and it is important to have beans well done.  I boiled for 20 to 30 minutes and then put in my “Wonderbag” for eight hours.  You can use a crockpot.    I have not tried the version where the beans are left on the stove for hours.

Meals with chickpeas:

Meal One:  Add chickpeas to lettuce salad

Meal Two:  Add chickpeas with cucumbers, onion and mint  for a quick salad

Meal Three: make vegan chickpea soup.  Saute onions & garlic & veggies in olive oil, add broth and then add chickpeas

Meal four:  Saute fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil & onion in oil add chickpeas serve over pasta.

Staying healthy on the road is difficult.   Diced veggies and protein drinks help but what else?   Do you have ideas?  Add  on comments!

Foraging greens can be fun and super simple.   The mint and chives are available most days as our mustard greens & kale.   Three meal options:

1. Scrabble greens with an egg or two
2. Make a  Miso Soup – Saute greens add Miso and water
3. Use foraged greens as a base for hotdish or stew.

Total cooking time about 1 hour  Total servings 15 to 20

Day One – I used the Chick Pea pasta to make a basic crab salad.  Onions & Celery from garden, imitation crab meat, pasta, vegan mayo and organic peas.  Simply mix together.  If no chopped onions & celery are available or I feel too lazy to get out that knife – I use celery seeds & dried onions.  I love the new healthier versions of pasta now at the co-ops. I prepared the entire package of lentil, used half and refrigerated half of the pasta.

Day Two – As it was a bit cooler for the summer, it was a perfect day to make my basic vegan soup.

Basic Vegan Soup – make a little different each time.

Step One: Survey what is available whether in the garden or the refrigerator and pantry

Step Two: Typical start – onions, garlic, celery, carrots and spicy peppers in oil, Saute for 3 to 5 minutes so flavors mix.

Step Three:  add veggies you like – this time zucchini & broccoli

Step Four:  Add Broth – many options here including adding a box of pre-made soup!  I used one bouillon cube, half a container of V-8 with an equal amount of water

Step five:  Add grain & legumes.   This time I used quinoa and orange lentils that we buy from the co-op’s bulk section.   Both of these cook really fast.   I rinse the orange lentils very well before using but I simply eye ball how much I want to use.

Ready in about 20 minutes.  Makes great leftovers!   Can be frozen for left over meals.  I use this basic recipe to preserve the abundant harvest.  If I have enough garden tomatoes I do not use any V-8.  Cut veggies – put in big pot and cook for awhile.

Still had the left over 1/2 box of chick pea pasta.  The simple dish I made tasted amazing!   I diced one small eggplant, 1/3 of a zucchini, 1 small tomato and some onion and garlic.  Saute the veggies with quality olive oil from Vinaigrette Minnesota and then added my left over pasta and topped with herbs & cheese.   The fact that the knife and cutting board were out already from my vegan soup saved time.

Store-brought Ingredients: One tomato, 1/2 can black beans and 1 cup frozen diced squash    Oil & vinegar to taste

Laura’s Garden ingredients fresh greens & onions

Directions: Go outside and get fresh greens & onion.  Dice a tomato, add the left over 1/2 can of blackbeans and some frozen squash. top with Oil and Vinegar.