My new Wed/Fri snack

by Newnameelizabeth

Mix snack size portion of favorite nut combo (mine’s almonds, pecans and soynuts) with half a teaspoon of tahini, then yummify with as little Nutella as tolerable.

Tahini, the Grapefruit of Nutbutters

by Newnameelizabeth

If I hadn’t been out of honey, I’d have preferred it to the dash of sugar I put in my Tahini-coated boiled wheat berries. It’s attraction is texture  more than taste, but at my age pipe cleaners suit better than processed sugar sludge. Maybe it’s time I give Grape-nuts another try, but at 47.2 grams, the carbs are off-putting.

by Newnameelizabeth

This recipe from cooks.com, perfect for cheese week, was delicious last night:

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SWISS CHEESE AND SPINACH QUICHE

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1 (9 or 10 inch) pie crust
Little bit of softened butter
2 c. heavy or whipping cream
4 eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
1 c. (1/4 lb.) shredded Swiss cheese
2 tbsp. minced scallions
2 tbsp. butter
10 oz. pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread little bit of soft
butter over pie crust. In bowl, mix with fork or wire
whisk, cream, eggs, and salt until well blended. In a
saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter; add scallions and cook
until tender. Into cream mixture, add butter and scallions,
cheese, nutmeg, pepper, and well drained spinach. Pour
mixture into pie crust. Bake 15 minutes; turn oven to 325
degrees and bake 35 minutes longer or until knife inserted
in center comes out clean.

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It took a little longer to cook in my oven.

I’ll withhold comment about getting ingredients from Walmart or recipes from anonymous people on the internet vs. old family or friends’ or parishoners’ old family or friends’ recipes. Except to say that I do not know if I don’t mind because of ambivalence, callousness, rebellion, forgiveness and openness towards universal redemption, estrangement, detachment, or lack of sentimentality. Nevertheless, it was truly scrumptious.

Lenten Preparations

by Newnameelizabeth

With the establishment of a couple of nearby monasteries, plus with the inspiration from some pious ladies, I’ve decided to order a couple of new head coverings. In addition to it being a minority component of my home parish, I have in the past found head scarves uncomfortable, distracting, and non-flattering. Actually, this sermon by Elder Zacharias also convicted me of my pride, another stumbling block. It’s not from this past weekend’s conference, which I unfortunately did not make it to, but of a sermon on Zacchaeus Sunday.*

Most head scarves are too heavy, long or slippery for me to comfortably tie and wear. I did a new search yesterday and found these triangular ones that have shorter ties and do not have to be folded. Hopefully they will be less obtrusive and thus less of a distraction.

Another Lenten preparation has to do with my research into Restless Leg Syndrome, which I believe I sometimes have. Apparently it can be eased by increased iron. Steak is high in iron, but with today being meatfare Sunday, it will not be on the menu for a while. I just found that tahini, a middle eastern paste made with sesame seeds is a very rich source of iron. Additionally:

• Tahini contains a living treasure of amino acids, vitamin and essential acids.
• Tahini is RICHER in protein than milk, yogurt, almonds, cashews, hazel nuts, walnuts, soya, sunflower, wheat germ, legumes and pecan nuts.
• Tahini is one of the richest sources of Methionine (an essential amino acid).
• Tahini also contains natural lecithin, which reduces blood fat levels and provides protection from environmental pollutants such as nicotine.
• Tahini is the best food source of Calcium. Unlike milk, Tahini is NON MUCOUS FORMING. Other important minerals include Potassium, Phosphorus and Magnesium.
• Tahini supplies excellent amounts of vitamin E which slows aging of body cells and helps retain proper focusing of the eyes.
• Tahini is one if the best sources of vitamin T (very few foods are). It improves memory and concentration abilities and in combination with the excellent amount of phosphorous present.
• Tahini provides a potent brain and nerve food. Vitamin T in combination with the mineral Iron develops healthy blood due to it’s purifying abilities.
• Vitamin F is an essential vitamin for our bodies to transfer oxygen.
• It combines protein and cholesterol creating collagen which in turn combats cholesterol particles, leaving you with a cleaner, healthier body.
• Vitamin A is also well supplied in the B group vitamins in particular vitamin B3.
• Tahini can be very easily digested within 30 minutes enabling a quick supply of essential nutrients.
• It also improves Stamina and Endurance to all muscles.

from this site. We’ll see how it tastes. It’s found in humus, but humus is kind of high in carbs. Tahini by itself is low carb, high protein.

My other Lenten activity is making Pysanki for our annual Church Pysanky sale. I use the candle, stylus, beeswax method, but have had a hard time finding replacement stylus nibs. Yesterday I found some at overstock dot com. As soon as all these items come in the mail, I’ll be set! We let Jared take our camera to Rome, so until I can find our old one or we get a new one I’ll not be able to share pics of Pysanky I’ve made this year.

*Most of my family did attend yesterday however. According to George’s account, Archimandrite Zacharias said that one can turn negative reactions to negative treatment into energy to pray, and through that process they can be transfigured into praise and thankfulness. Hopefully the talks will be available online.

New Lenten Staple

by Newnameelizabeth

I’ve bought expensive Boca imitation ground beef before, and enjoyed it, but with my family size, it’s not something I with good conscience can add to our beans very often. I did not know you can buy the stuff, or rather the substantial part, in bulk until I read The Ochlophobist’s post on Cheap Foods. Since I am probably out of the truck delivery route he uses, I googled Texturized Vegetable Protein and found this online store among others that are probably run by Mormons. My husband works with a Mormon gentleman who has encouraged him to stock up for some prophesied impending disaster. Who knows, maybe they’re right and the rest of us will end up trying to find a Mormon friend someday. I bought two 10# cans of imitation beef flavored TVP for about $10 a piece, not counting shipping. The bits are dehydrated, so when reconstituted it’s still less than a dollar a pound for ground beef feeling morsels which I don’t like straight, but are pretty good when added to refried beans and Rotel tomatoes, which we had in our haystacks/taco salad yesterday for lunch, and in our spaghetti sauce last night. I’ll be adding it to bean chili pretty soon.