It's jucing time again!

Whole food vitamins are expensive unless you can find a good sale, and organic fruit is good for you, but sometimes goes ripe too fast to consume. The family doesn't like to eat all their 5 servings fo fruits and vegetables. So....I have wanted a Jack La Lane Juicer for many years, and I have been scouring second hand stores for one but to no avail. However, just yesterday it showed up on my front door step!

My mom used to work in a Commisary doing those food demonstrations and was able to buy the tools she needed at a discounted price, so she began collecting different kitchen items. She left that job a number of years ago and wondered if I would like a juicier as it is just sitting on her counter. Of course a resounding YES was the answer!

So it arrived on my doorstep yesterday and I made my first batch of Veggie juice last night. What a blessing! This juicer is soooo quiet compared to my old unit, and the pulp comes out much more dry and in turn much more juice is produced as well.

A juicer is a wonderful way to get your kids, or your family to "drink" their fruits and veggies.
I can't tell you how many times I have bought fruits and veggies just to have them go bad in the veggie bin! What a waste! Now I can turn those fruits and veggies into juice, and also pulp that can be used in healthy breads and muffin recipes. The juice made at home is also much better and fresher than store bought juice stored in plastic bottles, as the longer the juice sits the less nutrients it contains.

Now I am on the look out for great fruit and veggie sales.

Thanks sooo much mom!

PS: Dear Husbands reply was...Lord have mercy! :)

Frugal Friday Soup

Frugal is as frugal does...sorry it was a Forest Gump moment.
It's cold enough for some homemade chicken noodle soup!
I've learned to stay away from canned soups for many reasons
1. MSG
2. Way too much sodium
3. Preservatives
4. and in my case Gluten

We grew up making our own soups at home when I was young, so I don't think twice about de-boning a chicken for the meat or the chicken broth. For some out there who have asked for details let me say let's make it easy, however just so you know up front, you will have to touch a chicken. Not to worry though, God did give us meat on this earth to eat, and it's ok to remind others of that.

Crock Pot Chicken
1. Buy one large fresh (organic) chicken. (Perhaps someone can go hunting for a fresh one :)
2. Unwrap the chicken and take out the innerds and rinse the chicken well under cold running water and place in a crock pot.
3. Rub the chicken with a small amount of oil
4. Wash your hands...no samonella here!
5. Season the chicken...I sprinkle it with dry ranch dressing mix, real salt and pepper.
6. Add one cup water to the crock pot
7. Set crock pot to low overnight (I then turn off the crok pot in the morning and by the time beakfast is done it is cool enough to handle)
8. Wash your hands, and reach right in there for the meat, it should just fall right off the bone.
9. Seperate the meat from the bones and pour off the broth.
10. Refridgerating the broth before using solidfies the fat that floats to the top and it can be scraped off before using in soups or recipes. (if you want to use the broth right away, carefully float a paper towel on top of the broth to soak up much of the fat.
11. Refridgerate the meat for use in recipes.

Why go through all this work?
a. the meat is preservative free
b. no msg
c. much more frugal and economical than luncheon meats or canned soups
d. tastes better
e. meat cooked on the bone is much more nutrient rich than most processed foods in our markets.

Chicken Noodle Soup

One cup freshly cooked chicken
Two cups broth
One cup water
2 tablespoons Braggs Liquid Aminos
2 cups fresh pealed chopped carrots
1 tablespoon dried Rosemary

2 cloves freshly chooped garlic
handful of chopped celery leaves
1 cup homestyle pasta noodles
or gluten free homemade noodles
Salt and pepper to taste
Cover and simmer until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes and serve warm with homemade bread or crackers.Enjoy knowing that your family is being served a nutrient rich meal free of all sorts of preservatives and other harmful additives.