BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub

Subject: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 09:46 PM

Criteria:
1. Can survive 8 hours in a car OR
2. Can be bought at any mom-n-pop grocery store AND
3. Can be made in short order AND
4. Doesn't spark common food allergies AND
5. Requires no condiments/ingredients from host AND
6. A large quantity is not only easy to make and serve, but is affordable AND
7. Goes well with beer AND
8. You['ve made it once successfully at home AND
9. - 10. Other requirements?


Oven-Roasted Potatoes
Bring:
A bag of russet or red potatoes,
A box of tinfoil,
A small bottle of canola oil,
A packet of dry seasoning/soup mix/salad dressing mix,
A box of toothpicks.

At meal time, wash equivalent of two small potatoes per person expected; dice to 1" cubes. Put in a large mixing bowl and towel them dry.

Drizzle with oil and add seasoning to reasonable degree of coverage.

Leaving excess oil in bowl, lay out potatoes in a single layer (on hosts' cookie sheets if available or in easily-handled tinfoil packets if not).

Bake at about 350 degrees till cubes are soft on the inside and browned on the outside.

Serve alone with toothpicks; as a side-dish in hosts' bowl; or spoon warm cubes on top of someone's salad.

Take home and recycle the used foil if possible.

Leave balance of ingredients and foil, etc. for hosts.


Our version tonight was dry salsa mix-- mmm!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 09:58 PM

Meatballs Bavarian

1. Make a whole bunch of little meatballs from ground meat.

2. Put them in a crockpot or in a large pot on a stove set on "simmer."

3. Add equal parts cheap beer and tomato ketchup (or catsup).

4. Simmer, covered, for five or six or more hours while you do other things, periodically taking off the grease.

5. Serve as an whores de over with toothpicks, or over rice or noodles as a meal.

6. Tell everyone you worked for hours on the recipe.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 10:55 PM

Cook noodles. Lots.

Add Cream of Mushroom soup, or Cream of Celery, etc.

Add cooked ground meat or not--as you prefer. There is milk in the recipe so there's the complete protein. If you don't use milk, use water and eat some peanuts on the side.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: CarolC
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 11:18 PM

All of those recipies sound great. Since one of the requirements listed is that they shouldn't trigger common allergies, and as someone who lives with food allergies, I probably ought to point out that prepared foods like ketchup and canned soups, and also dairy products would all fail that requirement.

I know it's really difficult for people to know what to avoid if they don't have to deal with the specific allergies in question. It's very tricky even for those of use who live with them. But I thought I probably should point that out so people would know what they're dealing with if they want to try to avoid triggering people's allergies.

Substituting dried herbs and olive oil for the seasoning mix with the potatoes would probably be allergy proof. Also substituting tomato paste sweetened with honey and flavored with herbs and spices would probably be an allergy free substitute for ketchup for the meatballs. The cream of mushroom and/or celery soup contain dairy, so maybe a vinaigrette made from lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs would be a good allergy proof substitute for the canned soups on the noodles.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 11:20 PM

Sorry, Carol. Wasn't thinking. Good suggestions on your part.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Oct 05 - 12:17 AM

Good job Carol- I was consciously trying, but yeah, ya got me on the dry mix. Consider the recipe amended.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Oct 05 - 12:27 AM

Reminder--

1. Can survive 8 hours in a car OR

This thread ain't just-any-ole-party food, it's for a Mudcat Gathering and some people come a fur stretch for that. Rap, how does the crockpot dish survive the trip? Easy-- add the steps of degreasing once chilled, then freeze it in the original crock, for transport. It will be cold enough at the edges and only partly thawed in the center, upon arrival. Nuke it to defrost and reheat, minus the lid if plastic, and put crock back in electric part of crockpot to keep at serving temp.

And Peace, that noodle thing-- make it when you arrive, is that the deal?

I'm hoping for a thread full of options for Mudcat Gathering habitues to consider. Cuz I will plan a Spring MudGather, and EVERYONE will be asked to bring somthing yummy.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: CarolC
Date: 27 Oct 05 - 12:42 AM

Oops. I just caught a mistake on my part as well. I'm not too allergic to gluten, so I tend to forget about that when I think about allergen-free foods. In order to avoid triggering allergies in people who are allergic to gluten, the noodles in Peace's recipe would need to be rice noodles.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: CarolC
Date: 27 Oct 05 - 01:10 AM

Rice and Bean Salad -

Canned beans (unflavored), could be red, black, garbanzo, or a mix of all of them

Instant brown rice

Pre-mix a vinaigrette of olive or sunflower oil, honey, lemon juice or sulfite-free wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, and whatever herbs you like, and bring along in a tightly sealed plastic jar

When you get there, drain the canned beans and set to soak in the vinaigrette mixture (should soak at least a half hour or so) and prepare the instant rice according to instructions on box. Then mix everything together and let sit for fifteen minutes or so, mixing occasionally to marry the flavors. Serve at room temperature.

Julliened carrots, red and/or green bell peppers, and celery can also be added to soak with the bean/vinaigrette mixture and included with the salad if there is time and it's not too inconvenient.

This dish has complete protein, and if the veggies are added, it makes a complete meal.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 27 Oct 05 - 11:37 PM

refresh

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Metchosin
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 03:26 AM

and the other nice thing is the red peppers are really visible so you can pick 'em out. Love 'em but they no longer love me.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 03:33 AM

I used the freezer method when I went to Towersey Festival this year. Precooked a batch of meals, put them into containers and froze them. Took them out of the freezer and into the coolie bin (chilly bin or cooler) where they acted as extra ice packs. They were still frozen the following day (Thursday), partially frozen the next, cold on Saturday and Sunday and by Monday were perfectly defrosted. They actually stayed frozen longer than the icepacks!

For Gathering foods the important things to remember are to avoid meat that goes off dangerously quickly (pork, chicken), to avoid things like rice that need to be cooled quickly and thoroughly reheated and to make sure your storage is clean and secure (don't want to be scraping gravy off the back seat of the car now, do we?!)

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 06:14 PM

4 kilos spuds
1 Litre oil
Salt. (Stop once at fast-food restaurant and swipe 200 packets)

Peel (or not) slice & fry. Season. Stand clear.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 06:23 PM

Can't ever avoid all allergies. Chili.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 06:29 PM

That Texas chili, Sorcha, or are you risking the beans? ;o)

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 06:40 PM

Take a look here when you have a few minutes, Carol.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Sorcha
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 07:06 PM

I add beans, and put ingredients on pot. Keep list of persons allergic to what.....

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Helen
Date: 28 Oct 05 - 07:31 PM

I have cooked this for a folkie weekend away. You could either make it and take it with you, which is a good option because it improves with a day or so to meld the flavours, or you could take the ingredients all cut up, maybe fry the onion & garlic before you leave home, and then throw it all in a pot just before meal time, and cook it for 25 minutes or so.

It makes a sloppy sort of dish which soaks up into the bread you use to wipe the plate clean. :-) When it first starts to cook the smell of the corn & pepper & tomato clashes horribly, but as it nears the end of the cooking time the smell changes as the flavours meld together.

Pumpkin Succotash

4 slices bacon, chopped (optional) OR olive oil for frying.
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 green pepper, seeded & finely chopped
3 cups peeled, seeded pumpkin, cut in 3/4 inch cubes
1 can (OR 1 lb) tomatoes
1 cup uncooked, sliced green beans
1 package (10 oz0 frozen whole kernel corn, thawed (I use either a can of corn kernels or fresh corn scraped from the cob)
salt
Dash of pepper

Fry bacon until it is crisp; drain and reserve. Measure drippings and return 1/4 cup to frying pan or use olive oil. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, and pumpkin; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans (I prefer to put the beans in about 10 minutes before the end so that they don't overcook), corn, salt & pepper. Cover & simmer until pumpkin is tender (about 25 minutes). Serve topped with bacon (if used).
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 08:06 AM

Take plastic bottles of appropriate sizes and shapes (square sided ones pack well - use milk or fruit juice ones) and almost fill with saturated salt water - swimming pool salt is very cheap. Leave space at the top for expansion and freeze upright for a week or so. They will stay cold longer than ordinary water, but you can't drink it, of course. Mark as "SALT WATER - Do Not Drink" for safety.Once you have calculated the correct amount of liquid, you could glue the bottles closed, excluding all air, they will shrink when thawed. ABout a cup per litre is right.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Rapparee
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 04:28 PM

Exactly. It's a recipe you can fool with.

Try using tiny smoked sausages (or chunked up sausage), chopped up sweet onion and sweet pepper in your favorite barbecue sauce. Cook for hours, like the meatballs, degreasing as you go. Serve as before.

Taboli salad is also good and travels well.

As for allergies -- prop up a sign listing the ingredients. (I'd do it anyway because of folks' religious restrictions.)

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: My guru always said
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 06:25 PM

Having an unusual allergy myself, I always check what's in a dish as a matter of course - wouldn't other allergy sufferers?

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 06:28 PM

They do, but it's also nice to try to include a few dishes likely not to be on anyone's allergy list.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 06:31 PM

... just as, at church events, we try to remember we have a LOT of diabetics in our community, so the dessert table always includes some fruit. And just as, being a church hosting several AA groups, we don't make alcohol the focus of events at the church. Yeah, people are responsible for themselves-- but it's nice to be thinking about what might be appreciated, if one is trying to be hospitable to one and all.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: My guru always said
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 06:45 PM

Sure is! *smile*

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 06:50 PM

Easiest way to allow for people with allergies is to find out everything they are allergic to in the way of foods and not use that stuff in the meals. Pretty unimaginitive 'chef' who can't work around that.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 06:51 PM

What's your allergy, mgas?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Helen
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 07:56 PM

Peace,

It can be a challenge, though, if someone has multiple allergies. I lived with a bloke for a while, about 20 years ago, whose son was an asthmatic, with eczema, and an allergy to eggs, so he couldn't eat dairy or acidic foods or egg-based foods. It meant no cheese, milk, yoghurt, tomatoes, citrus, or omelettes or other egg dishes, or foods using eggs like cake etc.

It was a major challenge trying to make dishes which were balanced, yet interesting, and I tried to cook one meal for all of us where possible rather than having to cook separate meals.

I think that putting signs near the food with a list of ingredients is good, but also I wouldn't try to limit every dish to beingallergy-free to every allergen, but make sure that there are various dishes available which allow for different allergies or food preferences.   Pre-planning with others to make sure that at least one substantial dish is available for each need would mean that it doesn't all fall on your shoulders.

As an example, the succotash recipe above can be made without the bacon so it is vegetarian and it is egg-free as well. It wouldn't suit someone who doesn't eat acidic foods, though. The type of bread or accompaniment can be chosen from a range of alternatives, e.g. gluten free bread, or pasta or rice, or couscous, or whatever, So the dish itself is fairly simple, yet tasty, and can be modified in various ways if necessary but the individual with the allergy can choose the appropriate accompaniment to suit his/her needs.

Helen

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: CarolC
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 09:25 PM

One of the problems for allergy sufferers is that there are a lot of common (and some less common) allergens that are hidden in prepared foods like seasoning mixes, canned soups, ketchup, salad dressing, and things like that. So using prepared foods as ingredients pretty much guarantees that people with allergies won't be able to eat what you brought. If everyone is including those kinds of ingredients (and most people do, because it's easy and convenient), that means that allergy sufferers won't be able to eat anything there, except for what they bring themselves. If you want to try to avoid triggering allergies, it's best to not use prepared foods in your recipe.

Peace, I don't know yet what to make of that site you linked to, but this part concerns me...

The following daily menu is representative of the types of foods that would be included in a strict Allergy Avoidance Diet:

Breakfast:

    * Hot rice cereal with maple syrup, sliced pears, and chopped cashews

I don't think cashews can really be considered a good "strict allergy avoidance" food. For one thing, it's not uncommon for them to have some peanut oil on them, and also because cashews themselves can trigger some people's allergies.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 10:17 PM

I wouldn't try to limit every dish to being allergy-free to every allergen...

I wouldn't either, but I know two Catters with corn allergy, and they are right-- there is either corn oil, or corn syrup, or corn starch in just about everything! So I count that among the common allergens I prefer to avoid if I am making a dish for Catter fare.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 10:34 PM

I have met people who are allergic or say that they are to almost any food that one can name. Add foods barred because of religious reasons, and personal dislikes- "I won't eat fish bait" (suchi).
The only way to be 100% safe with guests is for them to bring their own grub.
Off hand-
Wheat flours
Celery
Cucumbers
Black pepper
Oranges
Sulfites (someone mentioned bacon, above- most cured meats from your grocery or deli have it)
Cheese
Eggs
Vinegars
Milk
Red wine
Yogurt
Peanuts
Corn
Sulfites (in most commercial cured meats)
Dyes in foods
and lots of other stuff as mentioned by Carol C.
Canola cooking oil

(mine? vinegar)
Once had a fellow employee who became seriously asthmatic if someone peeled an orange in the next room. And a boss who was affected the same way by cucumbers.

Succotash- haven't had it for a long time- I bought a fine, big yellow flesh squash yesterday, and I think I will make some.
Firm, yellow Squash is so easy- Cut in half, microwave until just soft, mix with butter and salt for a veg.- or mix with butter and demerara sugar for a dessert. And good hot or cold.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 10:45 PM

Sufferin' Succotash!

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Oct 05 - 11:04 PM

I don't think anyone is trying to say we can make it "safe" for everybody. I think the point is to have enough variety that most everybody can find something that works.

And by the way-- how many of you "why bother" posters have actually hosted a Mudcat Gathering, or brought something to share, to one? Guess what. A lot of people don't bring anything to share at all. If no one else brought anything, or the host didn't roll out some grub, there'd be no eats.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: My guru always said
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 12:54 PM

WYSIWYG: my allergy is pretty complicated by lots of food phobias & dislikes which have evolved since Year 1. I've never been able to bring myself to discuss it with the medical profession as the allergy has ownership of me. However, in the early 80's I came across a homeopathic nutritionalist who went through the whole thing with me & found that the basis of my food problems is an allergy to alkaline-forming foods. It could also be something to do with my remaining kidney & what it can cope with.

The rest has been 'learnt along the way', as it were. Phobias developed due to being teased mercilessly at school as I couldn't eat fruit - so apple cores in my desk were a daily challenge. As this had been since babyhood I'd developed a fear of anything I couldn't eat & literally ran away from people eating fruit. Even the thought of it would make me queasy.

I've improved a lot in the past few years, but as you can imagine I have been stifled by my own food problems. Foreign travel has been difficult and I've very rarely 'eaten out'. Social dining is almost impossible & I've learnt to 'make do' with Bread & Cheese at buffets.

Apologies for all this personal info & thread creep, it's not something I've ever really talked about, so writing it here has opened a bit of a floodgate for me. I'll close it now, but thanks for asking.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 01:59 PM

Thanks for telling-- we'd make room for you at OUR table. And yes, I understand kids being awful. Understatement.

I see your post as saying that you have determined what works for you and that you make life-oriented choices despite having been taught somehow that you don't deserve that. Fuggem! I always admire people who get on, despite conditioning!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 02:19 PM

The site I linked to was more for recipe ideas and not specifically allergy-free diets. I will try to give an example.

Some one tell me what you're allergic to and I will try to come up with a complete-protein meal that uses no foods that irritate the allergy. The meal will be interesting and good to look at, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: GUEST,The Secret Santa of My Guru Always Said
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 03:26 PM

Aaahh! More info for my Secret Santa files! Thank you MGAS! Now I can think more carefully about possible presents. I know you mentioned this in your hints but you have given me more information here.

What I'd like to know is what sort of foods are alkaline-forming?   A sample list would help.

Thanks,
Your Secret Santa

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 03:29 PM

Alkaline-Forming Foods

Avocados
Corn
Dates
Fresh coconut
Fresh fruits (most)
Fresh vegetables (most) Honey
Maple syrup
Molasses
Raisins
Soy products

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: GUEST,MGAS's Secret Santa again
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 03:38 PM

I've googled the answer to my own question, so please forgive me for asking. Also, I am really happy that you feel comfortable enough at Mudcat to share your personal pain. I have found Mudcat to be a really loving and giving community and it is my virtual village in a lot of ways.

Thanks for sharing with us. I'm really touched by that.

Your Secret Santa

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: My guru always said
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 04:00 PM

Many Thanks, Peace, for that list - I've never looked as I've always been repelled by the foods I can't eat, which is why I haven't tried a lot. Funny though as there are at least 3 items on there I have eaten. I heard once that an alkaline-forming food becomes an acid-forming food by cooking with sugar, not sure how true that is though.

Thanks too WYSIWYG & also to My Own Dear Secret Santa, this does seem a safe place to be with some real nice Folks (Hey Santa - you followin' me? We're creepin' here!)

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 04:03 PM

Dear Mgas:

If you google alkaline-forming foods, there are a gang of sites to choose from. Alergies are no joke. However, we tend to use the term loosely. In your case it seems to be the change in the PH level of your body. "Normal" is from 6 to 6.8 or so. I don't envy people who have to watch what they eat. Also, there are sites that explain the problem better'n I ever could.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: CarolC
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 04:56 PM

Interesting challenge, Peace. Yer on...

I'm allergic to:

Corn (this includes all of the additives made from corn, including   citric acid, dextrose, various texturizers, flavor enhancers, etc.)

Peanuts
Almonds
Chocolate
Cocoanut
Sulfites
Monosodium Glutamate
Dairy
Eggs
Hops
Aspartame

And I don't eat any kind of meat, poultry, or fish.

It's quite possible that I have forgotten something, but I think that's the complete list.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 04:59 PM

Carol, thank you.

One question: do you eat wheat?

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: bobad
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 05:04 PM

CarolC

I'm curious as to how it was determined that you were allergic to these foods. Were you subjected to some sort of allergy testing specific to these items?

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 05:13 PM

BTW, no problem.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: CarolC
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 05:48 PM

Yes, I can eat wheat. I'm not very allergic to gluten, except when it is in very concentrated form, like in fake hot dogs and things like that. I also just remembered that I am allergic to black pepper.

Many years ago, bobad, I was tested and found to be allergic to many things. I don't remember what the results were from those tests, because there wasn't much I could do about them at the time, and I didn't realise then the extent to which they were making me sick. Plus, I don't think my allergies were anywhere near as severe back then as they have since become.

More recently, I have used the elimination diet to find out what I'm allergic to. I eliminated things from my diet to see how I would feel, and then I added them back again to see how I would feel.

For a while, before I discovered that I'm allergic to corn, I was in a perpetual state of free-floating anxiety attack. It got to the point where I couldn't eat anything at all without having one, and believe me when I tell you, they are dreadful. You feel like you're going to die, and you fear it, and you wish you could die all at the same time. And I would be sick and too weak to move almost all of the time. I didn't realise at the time that I was having an anaphylactic response to the things I was eating. I've been to the emergency room three times because of anaphylactic responses to food, and nobody ever figured out that that was what was wrong with me.

After I started avoiding corn in all of its forms (and the other things I'm allergic to), I stopped having the anxiety attacks. And now, although I still don't feel entirely healthy, and I am not as strong as I could be, I am making very good progress in getting gradually better.

Of course, I still experience setbacks because there are a lot of allergens hidden in foods that I am not aware of until after I have a bad response. For instance, I bought a whole bunch of Newman's Own spaghetti sauce a while back, because the labels showed no corn or corn products present in the sauce. I ate some, and it made me sick. I checked the Newman's Own website and saw that they do, indeed, use corn products in their sauce. I sent them an email and they confirmed this. So I was eating something I was allergic to even though the product label said otherwise.

Interestingly, the only way I was able to find out about my corn allergy was by spending a month and a half in Canada where you all don't put corn in everything. I found that I was becoming much healthier while I was there, and then I got sick again after returning to the US.

BTW, in the US, even iodised table salt contains corn.

Subject: Being Seen
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Oct 05 - 06:24 PM

Safe? Well, there's safe and then there's, "This is as safe as it gets." There will be people who misunderstand and take advantage, but it usually turns out by this time in life, that we are far stonger to deal with those little disappointments than we feel we will be.

Hats off to people who are "dealing" instead of "hoarding" their wounds. Fresh air can be a tremendous aid in itself.


Someone asked me a few weeks ago, how to grow a community. (I've done it a time or two, is why she asked.) In her case she was asking about a particular kind of community (a church). The answer, IMO, is the same in most any kind of comunity, and it's surprisingly simple.

People want to be SEEN. They want the inner person they feel they are, to simply be noticed. They want their inner experience of present time to be seen through the smokescreens we're all conditioned, in one way or another, to live behind. Once SEEN, they want to be respected. Once they know they are respected, they want to be HEARD. And when they know they are being heard, they will let you love them, and be able to love in return. Once loved, they probably will tell you the places they need help or applause for.

From this process flows the kind of relationship that can serve as a networked foundation for outreach; plus one sees the self-directed development of accurate community leadership from the ground up and across all differences.

Now, some folks are better at "seeing" than others.... but how much more quickly the connection can happen when one is willing to BE seen.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 31 Oct 05 - 12:30 AM

Bulgar burgers that contain carrots, cabbage, onion, fresh garlic, some hot spices (peppers) and chopped walnuts or pecans.

Vegetable soup made with fresh tomatoes, beans--navy, kidney and chick, carrots, parsnips, turnips, onions and basically whatever else ya like. There are ways to season with herbs that don't require salt. However, sea salt would work and it contains no corn syrup.

If you have a sweet tooth, yams sliced about 1" thick, greased with canola oil and topped with brown sugar.

Fresh buns (scones) made like bannock and with jam or fresh fruit mashed up and added the way one might jam.

Use a blender to do some water, orange, grapefruit and lemon. Add ice to chill it. Sweeten to taste with sugar.


Complete protein, balanced and very good to eat.

That's meal one.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 31 Oct 05 - 12:38 AM

Regarding bulgar. I love the stuff with various seeds or nuts added to it. If you are allergic to specific types of nuts or peanuts, leave 'em out. Make burger patties with it just the way folks make hamburger patties, and add sliced onions and tomatoes--like a regular burger. Make a relish using fresh chili peppers, brown sugar, cucumbers, cooked beans, sea salt. Use fresh-made burger buns or fresh bread. Nice light lunch. Fruit whips--fresh fruit in a blender, sweetened to taste.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: Peace
Date: 31 Oct 05 - 12:48 AM

Use eggplant instead of pasta. Slice eggplant "au julienne" (sp?) about 1/3" square and 8" long. Parboil for one minute. Dry thoroughly. Add to hot oil in fry pan. Fast fry until a bit brown. Remove from pan.

Use tomato sauce made from fresh tomatoes cooked with onions, garlic, herbs of your choice. Basil is a must in the sauce. Oregano is optional.

Side dish of grated fresh uncooked beets with lemon sprinkled over them, sugar added and don't get it on your new white blouse.

Whole wheat bannock to sop up the sauces.

Side dish of chick peas that have been cooked thoroughly then roasted in a hot oven. Sea salt as the condiment.

Another complete protein meal.

Subject: RE: BS: Goof-Proof Gathering Grub
From: CarolC
Date: 31 Oct 05 - 01:03 PM

Good stuff, Peace. I especially like the eggplant idea. How do you get the bulger burgers to stick together (to hold their shape and make a burger)?