Menus

basics
Originally uploaded by Contrary Goddess.

These are real menus from real meals eaten by this family of six in the last little bit. I was going to do a week of meals but we went out for dinner twice last week -- once to town as a gift & treat for the family from a very good friend, and once to a neighbor’s for a dinner discussion of mutual business. So, since I didn’t have a week, I did more.

salt ham steaks
red eye milk gravy
biscuits (whole wheat, butter as the shortening)
spinach sautéed with onions
baked white sweet potatoes
(I hear some soulless people do not know about or love biscuits and gravy, and I feel very sorry for you since it is the very favorite food of the Gods, behind chocolate)

cowboy beans (beans, onions, browned ground meat, BBQ sauce)
slaw
corn cakes

veggie soup made on deer broth (lots of collards, onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, green garlic)
corn cakes

meatball subs (on home made sub rolls)
dill pickles
salad

salmon cake patty on home made roll with dill sauce and spinach
fried sweet potato rounds w cinnamon honey butter dipping sauce
slaw

boiled dinner (road kill deer roast, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions)
green shelly peas
corn gems

baked potatoes
salad

white bean soup made on salt ham broth
corn gems

stir-fry (small amount of chicken, small amount of leftover turkey frozen from xmas, various veggies featuring lots of snap peas this time)
rice

baked chicken & rice
steamed broccoli
lima beans

I am, as always, struck by what isn’t here. We do several Mexican dishes that we haven’t had lately. Often we’ll have more soups than this reflects. Stuff like that.

It is our habit to eat eggs and toast for breakfast most days so long as we have eggs and toast, one depending on the chickens (and kids gathering skills) and one depending on my having made bread the day before. Or we might have grits and eggs, or oatmeal (steel cut), or pancakes or corncakes.

All our grains are whole (or as whole as is practical, as with the oats, hulled barley, etc.) and either grown ourselves (corn mostly) or bought in bulk. All our bread is home made. Most suppers are served with milk to drink. Also because of the milk animals, cheese, sour cream, butter and yogurt are pretty much always available. Between breakfast and supper it is catch as catch can, eat as you are hungry and whatever is available -- leftovers from breakfast or previous suppers and fresh fruit mostly. In summer we are more likely to make a meal mid-afternoon and snack late so that we can work until late (like 10 pm often).

I guess part of this is to say, this is what I think eating healthy looks like. It is varied. Everything is not overcooked (and everything is not raw -- moderation in all things). It is hearty because by gosh, we work hard and burn some calories.

But it is also cheap. Very cheap. If you look at it, even if you bought everything, it is cheap to eat well. It is only expensive to eat if you eat junk, or if you insist on Big Organic.

We don’t try particularly to eat entirely local (the bought salads and citrus, as well as grains, are examples -- but then I bet most people who are doing the 100 mile diet aren't counting where their grains come from -- or the grains to feed their meat) but then again, most of the meat, all of the dairy, a good percentage of veggies and fruit that we’re eating is mostly from 100 yards away, not 100 miles.

Yesterday I made a batch of cheese so that tonight we can have pizzas. Whole wheat crusts. Lots of raw milk cheese. And whatever the creative muses of what’s in the fridge/freezer/cabinets inspire. Time to go throw the crusts in the air.

(there is a practical reason for throwing crusts in the air -- the gluten strands are tight & are relaxed by concussion. Now isn't that fascinating!)