Hey fellow members. We probably face the full gamet of circumstances as a group. Some of us are home with the family, some of us are isolating by our lone selves...Probably some of us will catch this thing as well...
Here are some things you can do to keep well nourished and enjoying meals. heaven forbid you are sick, The point here is to make everything very easy to do... Forget the oven, the microwave even if need be, we are talking dire.
In my line of work I often have to travel to San Francisco. I know how it can be when your options for preparing food are limited. And whats the point of getting food delivered? that is a risk! My goal is to show up for the family having taken no risks whatsoever.
So here is a compendium of things you can do:
1) Forget the Hype about food that can be stored for years on end, Just buy some canned food goods. You have everything from spaghetti Os, which I am actually quite fond of lol, to organic pasta rings with sauce. Just but a bunch for those times you need something quick.
2) If you can get to Trader Joes, they have a product that is in the Jerky section. It is Buffalo meat with uncured bacon mixed with a fruit compote...berries of one sort or another. This product is a take off on Pemicon. Pemicon is a native american food source that is incredible, super nutrition. The Indians used Salmon and the fat of the salmon with berries, or Buffalo meat with another fat source... The trader Joes product is called "Epic" it is around twobucksfiftycents per a bar. It has the right proportion of fat, protein and even ruf***e (the cranberries) to sustain one. Each bar has 130 calories.
In a real crisis, I have a package of these...they taste on the Gamey side, but for their weight and price the nutritional content is fantastic...You could live off these in a pinch for a while. I would buy a case.
3) Instead of buying a gallon of water here and there, if you can, buy a big blue plastic jug. These are usually used for machines, but you can buy a dispensor that goes right on top at Home Depot. These are all about 8 gallons and a few if them could make a big difference. You can store them, even if they are heavy. You can also refill these at some stores...
BUy the way, in a real pinch? If you have about ten of these jugs you can actually make an incredible raft that is very durable. Its so easy, you just cut a small hole in the bottom of one, and put the mouth of the other in the hole. then you either heat weld it, find some kind of a gasket ring, anything that keeps the pieces together. These are handy to have around for many reasons. Water flotation, raft, water storage, if you had enough you could even build a small structure....Just kidding on the last one lol.
4) Cooking: So what you want to do is get a slow cooker, you can buy one in a thrift store, or most rice cookers can be used as a slow cooker now. Make sure you get one that is a good size, it will make life easier.
When you go shopping, you can grab cuts of meat that many pass over. The trick is to buy early in the day, grab carrots, onions and if you want a fennel bulb, and/or celery.
Grab an all purpose seasoning, whatever one is fine, they are all basically the same. get some sugar, salt and a source of pepper. This can be hot sauce, or just black, or red pepper.
But a condiment sauce like Terriyaki. you want something that has balance...Something with some sugar along with other ingredients.
All you have to do now is season the meat, fix the hot pot with water, the condiment sauce, and some of the hot... Take the seasoning mix and *******ly douse it in the meat. The meat you buy should be something that takes a while to break down, like a pork shoulder, or a chuck roast. A brisket, or hanger steak is ok as well.
The meal will take a while but will be substantial. You can buy prepared potatoe or macaroni salads. Also when you buy your veggies, wash them good, and eat some of them raw. this will give you a nice balanced meal.
For cutting the vegetables, learn to hold the vegetable and turn it around the knife in your hand. This allows you to cut it without a cutting board.
You can also keep the sauce you make good. Just keep it warm...The next day? If you see some oxtails? season them and throw them in the sauce for the next day. You can do chicken this way as well... It does not hold up quite as good as red meat.
Now, for you vegetarians? Simple... substitute the meat for a variety of mushrooms. Mushrooms take on a nice meaty taste and are delicious with the same seasonings.
You can also put these dishes on Ramen, instant rice cups, etc. You can garnish with green onions. You can throw some pasta in and make a soup.
This can keep you well fed. If you cannot do much of anything you can literally throw all the ingredients together after washing and peeling vegetables, and it will still come out very nice.
Hope this helps. I am cooking a brisket for myself and an east bay friend. Be safe everyone!
Here are some things you can do to keep well nourished and enjoying meals. heaven forbid you are sick, The point here is to make everything very easy to do... Forget the oven, the microwave even if need be, we are talking dire.
In my line of work I often have to travel to San Francisco. I know how it can be when your options for preparing food are limited. And whats the point of getting food delivered? that is a risk! My goal is to show up for the family having taken no risks whatsoever.
So here is a compendium of things you can do:
1) Forget the Hype about food that can be stored for years on end, Just buy some canned food goods. You have everything from spaghetti Os, which I am actually quite fond of lol, to organic pasta rings with sauce. Just but a bunch for those times you need something quick.
2) If you can get to Trader Joes, they have a product that is in the Jerky section. It is Buffalo meat with uncured bacon mixed with a fruit compote...berries of one sort or another. This product is a take off on Pemicon. Pemicon is a native american food source that is incredible, super nutrition. The Indians used Salmon and the fat of the salmon with berries, or Buffalo meat with another fat source... The trader Joes product is called "Epic" it is around twobucksfiftycents per a bar. It has the right proportion of fat, protein and even ruf***e (the cranberries) to sustain one. Each bar has 130 calories.
In a real crisis, I have a package of these...they taste on the Gamey side, but for their weight and price the nutritional content is fantastic...You could live off these in a pinch for a while. I would buy a case.
3) Instead of buying a gallon of water here and there, if you can, buy a big blue plastic jug. These are usually used for machines, but you can buy a dispensor that goes right on top at Home Depot. These are all about 8 gallons and a few if them could make a big difference. You can store them, even if they are heavy. You can also refill these at some stores...
BUy the way, in a real pinch? If you have about ten of these jugs you can actually make an incredible raft that is very durable. Its so easy, you just cut a small hole in the bottom of one, and put the mouth of the other in the hole. then you either heat weld it, find some kind of a gasket ring, anything that keeps the pieces together. These are handy to have around for many reasons. Water flotation, raft, water storage, if you had enough you could even build a small structure....Just kidding on the last one lol.
4) Cooking: So what you want to do is get a slow cooker, you can buy one in a thrift store, or most rice cookers can be used as a slow cooker now. Make sure you get one that is a good size, it will make life easier.
When you go shopping, you can grab cuts of meat that many pass over. The trick is to buy early in the day, grab carrots, onions and if you want a fennel bulb, and/or celery.
Grab an all purpose seasoning, whatever one is fine, they are all basically the same. get some sugar, salt and a source of pepper. This can be hot sauce, or just black, or red pepper.
But a condiment sauce like Terriyaki. you want something that has balance...Something with some sugar along with other ingredients.
All you have to do now is season the meat, fix the hot pot with water, the condiment sauce, and some of the hot... Take the seasoning mix and *******ly douse it in the meat. The meat you buy should be something that takes a while to break down, like a pork shoulder, or a chuck roast. A brisket, or hanger steak is ok as well.
The meal will take a while but will be substantial. You can buy prepared potatoe or macaroni salads. Also when you buy your veggies, wash them good, and eat some of them raw. this will give you a nice balanced meal.
For cutting the vegetables, learn to hold the vegetable and turn it around the knife in your hand. This allows you to cut it without a cutting board.
You can also keep the sauce you make good. Just keep it warm...The next day? If you see some oxtails? season them and throw them in the sauce for the next day. You can do chicken this way as well... It does not hold up quite as good as red meat.
Now, for you vegetarians? Simple... substitute the meat for a variety of mushrooms. Mushrooms take on a nice meaty taste and are delicious with the same seasonings.
You can also put these dishes on Ramen, instant rice cups, etc. You can garnish with green onions. You can throw some pasta in and make a soup.
This can keep you well fed. If you cannot do much of anything you can literally throw all the ingredients together after washing and peeling vegetables, and it will still come out very nice.
Hope this helps. I am cooking a brisket for myself and an east bay friend. Be safe everyone!
Comment