Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

Ambersuccubus

It occurs, re: the calcium situation, that the "recommended guidelines" are based on a standard western diet (lots of meat, dairy etc). This is generally FAR too high in protein for good calcium absorbtion, so the reduction in meat enforced by the lack of cash may mean that (if we are near the limits, but still under), the benefits in absorbtion would mitigate this.

My other thought when reading all of this was "what about kale/spring greens/dandelion leaves/other dark green leafy veg"? All good for calcium, all "bulky" and fibrous, good for making you full and lots of vitamins - much better than spinach or similar expensive "high status" leaves...

ceridwen

homegrown_life wrote: »

re chicken stock. Have googled and as fivenations says vinegar helps release calcium. I've also seen from this site that crushed egg shells can be added for more calcium too. Might be helpful for the veggie plan.

edit - not really suggesting this, but this site is interesting!!

You mightn't ha' been - suggesting it that is - but I've duly saved that webpage on my private blog to go back some time and have a try-out on it.:D:rotfl:

ceridwen

Fire_Fox wrote: »

I was a bit nervous of coming back today, as I thought I'd really messed up the plan with the calcium calculations. Glad to see you are taking it as a challenge!

Regarding linseeds/ poppy/ sesame seeds and calcium: I would have thought these would have to be crushed or ground to release the minerals, in the same was as they do to release the essential fatty acids?

Quite possibly - as in crushing them. I thoughta that I read somewhere that seeds that small HAVE to be crushed actually - or else they just "head straight through" if you get my drift:cool:

Perhaps someone else can confirm on this?

Sian_the_Green

weezl74 wrote: »

feedback from sian much apreciated here:

You mentioned that other meats were cheaper than the pork mince, and I agree and will be looking to make cut backs to accomodate 'Calcium Gate'!

If we used beef mince for the burgers, then I'm guessing the apple sauce is a bit weird. Would beef mince burgers with the onion marmalade as a kind of sause plus veg accompaniments work do you think?

Seems a shame to chuck the recipe, I think we should write it up anyway since it is so frugal and obviously nice....:)

I think it's a good idea; though I think the pork burgers were nice there shouldn't be a problem subbing something else in

What about using this?
or perhaps this?

The former could still be done with the apple sauce as it is still mostly pork. The latter may need something else. The onion marmalade would be nice but may need to make it a little more like a gravy, if you weren't making the onion sauce you could just use a stock cube and some of the potato water like I did anyway.

On a slightly different note, when I made the apple and onion sauce I peeled the apple in long strips and put them in whilst the sauce was cooking, only fishing out at the end so I got all the flavour in the sauce.

ceridwen

weezl74 wrote: »

Also I've been meaning to ask you since this challenge began! The post on Mark's thread where you talked about your subsistence diet project (mostly beans and oats) can you say a bit more about what quantities were required? I'd love to cost it up as a comparator to Bob and shirley's

Thats not a thread I follow regularly - so unaware of this. I'd also be interested to hear more about it purlease:)

homegrown_life

ceridwen wrote: »

Quite possibly - as in crushing them. I thoughta that I read somewhere that seeds that small HAVE to be crushed actually - or else they just "head straight through" if you get my drift:cool:

Perhaps someone else can confirm on this?

I've been trying to google, farly unsuccesfully, inbetween baking. I'll let you know if I find anything out. Flax seeds would need to be ground anyway for the omega3, but everytime I search about grinding seeds it just brings stuff about flax. Sure I'll find something though.

ceridwen

weezl74 wrote: »

Well! At one level reading the eggshell linkie makes me think, well we're there then! The eggshells plus lemon juice when processed as per method 3 of that there linkie would give all the family their entire calcium requirement.

I can't believe it. Since the eggshells and lemon juice are already on the list, we'd need no extra cash.

However, I'm aware that I am extreme!:rotfl: I'm guessing no-one else thinks this is a good idea?

xxx

At a very quick scan/glance at that linkie - I think I recall the eggs have to be free-range (not the battery ones I presume Bob/Shirley are using?) - as otherwise the poor hens arent getting THEIR range of nutrients - so WE in turn wouldnt get our full range of nutrients from them.

My memory may be deceiving me about the first bit that hit me in the eye there and my thought to myself of "I could do it then if I wish (as I use F.R. eggs) - but others couldnt".

I'll go back for a better read of that later..

hornetgirl

Survey problem alert.

I made the weetabix cake today, and when I try to complete the survey, it tells me my answers to the last two questions are in an invalid format. How do I need to enter them please?

I made the cake exactly as per the recipe and we had it still slightly warm for pud with a dollop of sour cream on it. We both rated it 8/10. I have a fan oven and cooked it for 50min at 180. It needed a bit of foil over for the last 20min.

General verdict - very tasty, would eat again. Will probably be nice cold with butter.

ceridwen

Reet....now been shopping and about to head nervously for the kitchen for Carrot Cake Version 2 - notta quite sure about that there evaporated milk - but will give it a go and I'm guessing that I will use it to replace some/all of the oil?

Oh well...here goes nuttin' ....:cool:

grandma247

Fivenations wrote: »

Re calcium in chicken stock - my grandmother would soak carcass overnight in water with 1 or 2 tablespoon of vinegar. I've since learnt that it helps to break down the bones and release calcium.

You beat me to it. I was going to say I add 2 tbs vinegar to my chicken bones and water at the start of cooking to dissolve some more of the calcium and other minerals. It is supposed to be the same principle as dissolving egg shells in vinegar.
I found a link to a site that helps explain it.
http://www.westonaprice.org/Broth-is-Beautiful.html
scroll down to where it says attention to detail.