Sometimes its simply a matter of looking OUTSIDE the proverbial box. This quick quiche loaded with protein and vegetables is eaten like a pizza. I call it QUICHE PIZZA, and it is a delicious, nutritious dinner that you hope to have leftovers of so you can eat it for lunch again tomorrow! It’s just as good cold.
This recipe serves four people with two eggs each. I use a family sized pie plate and two tortillas. If you want to make less in a smaller pie plate, just adjust accordingly. Shoot for two eggs per person, and the rest is up to you.
The vegetables: Use what you have on hand. I like to use chopped onions, red peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, and of course spinach. I add spinach to almost everything it seems. These are vegetables I always have on hand because I mostly use freeze dried vegetables – but if you have fresh out of your garden, AWESOME! Use those.
ingredients: 8 eggs 1 cup cottage cheese, beaten into the egg mixture 2 large tortillas seasoning salt of your choice assorted vegetables, suggested: diced red peppers, chopped onion, sliced mushrooms, broccoli flowerets, spinach shredded cheddar or blend of cheddar and pepper jack
directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs till frothy Add cottage cheese and beat it into eggs till well blended Arrange tortillas in a large pie plate. Cut the 2nd one into half or even quarters to arrange in pie plate making sure all of the plate is covered. Pour egg mixture in. Assuming you’re using the same vegetables I use, begin by arranging about 1/2 – 3/4 cup mushroom slices in the bottom of the egg mixture. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup chopped onions on top of them. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup red pepper slices over top of the onions. Arrange small broccoli flowerets in some empty places between the red peppers. Sprinkle a layer of spinach on top of everything else. I put quite a bit on (about a cup of freeze dried spinach) If using freeze dried vegetables, use a fork to gently submerge all vegetables into the egg mixture so that they’re moistened by it. Season with salt and pepper. Add a layer of shredded cheese. Be generous. 1-2 cups.
Place into heated oven in the middle rack, and set the timer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes test the middle to see that it is no longer liquid – ‘jiggly’. If it needs a few more minutes, lower the heat to 325 and lay a sheet of aluminum over top to prevent the tortilla crust from over cooking.
Watch it carefully at this point so that you don’t over cook it. When the center is firm, remove from oven and let the ‘pizza’ rest on a rack for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from pan and cut into wedges as for a pizza. Serve. Enjoy. You can eat it with your hands, and it’s pizza so DO.
Here’s my Secret: When I make this quiche pizza (or anything similar to it), unless I have fresh garden vegetables, I use freeze dried vegetables. But not just any freeze dried vegetables. After trying many different brands over the years, I now use Thrive Life freeze dried vegetables. There’s a good reason for that, and its a very important one to me (actually a few good reasons, but I’ll tell you five of them).
1. Thrive Life guarantees that their produce is picked ripe (at the peak of what nature intended that fruit or vegetable to be), AND guarantees that in less than six hours from harvest (usually two to four hours), that produce is washed peeled, chopped and flash frozen! Locking in the colour, texture, taste and ALL the natural goodness. In that frozen state (-40 degrees Celsius), it is transferred to a facility where it has all the remaining moisture removed without it thawing. That’s the second step in the two-step process of freeze drying.
2. Thrive Life fruits and vegetables are as organic as you can get without them being ‘certified’ organic. They monitor the process of planting, growing, harvesting, freeze drying and packaging from beginning to end. It’s part of what they call their NUTRILOCK Guarantee and its something they take very seriously.
3. Because of this attention to detail, Thrive Life foods are the BEST in the world and that is no empty claim. They have always been the best, but as of the beginning of 2024, they are also the biggest freeze dried company in the world. They literally are “Fresher-than-Fresh”, or what we frequently refer to as ‘fresh’ – the produce in our grocery stores, which are picked green if possible and are subjected to long travel times to get to us – anything but ‘fresh’.
4. Thrive Life freeze dried food has a 25 year shelf life, making it the most dependable, shelf stable, nutritious food on the market – the perfect choice for anyone interested in emergency preparedness, and long term food storage. So that means I always have fruits and vegetables in the pantry, ready any time I might decide I’d like to have spinach in my homemade quiche, or cheese on a homemade quiche, or mangoes in our yogurt, or blueberries on top of cereal or . . . . . well, the list is endless. And its always there because once you open that can, you can count on it being perfectly good for about a year afterward.
5. The other important reason I use Thrive Life freeze dried food is the convenience. Those vegetables are already washed and chopped. I just sprinkle the onions from the can, distribute the sliced mushrooms or red peppers from the can, add a layer of spinach from the can. It’s quick and easy. And guess what else? They even have freeze dried eggs! I literally had this recipe ready to go into the oven in less that ten minutes. With zero mess!
There now you have it. My secret. How I do things. And make no mistake – I’m all about down home goodness, and doing things from scratch. These are not ‘processed foods’. These are CLEAN, WHOLE FOODS and nothing but. Making dinner from scratch still counts even when you’re using freeze dried food. Don’t let anyone tell you different.
I hope you’ll try this easy recipe for a great dinner, lunch or brunch. Whether you use garden fresh, freeze dried or a mixture of both as I do much of the time.
First of all, let me state for the record that I am a die-hard, back-to-basics kind of a cook in my own kitchen. I prefer everything homemade, and I’m not opposed to spending a lot of time on the creation of certain meals. I am not a fan of prepared meals or processed food, and normally I avoid ‘mixes’, at least commercial mixes. But I am also not willing to spend inordinate amounts of time or inconvenience if there is a homemade alternative that promises to shorten my kitchen time without compromising nutrition. Enter in all sorts of mixes, dressings and sauces to make my life easier.
Let me share some of my favourites that I think you’ll enjoy. Each recipe closes with my suggestions on: how to use it in a dish, how to store it, and how to use it up (when you have leftovers that you’re trying to use up). I hate wasting things.
I’m all about using FRESH foods in season, but will use preserved foods as long as nutritional value isn’t compromised. For this reason, I often use FREEZE DRIED options when I can. This serves three purposes: a) I ALWAYS have it on hand as it is very shelf stable having a shelf life of 25 years. With proper rotation, I can always count on it. b) Freeze dried produce is highly nutritious and I have found a company who’s standards are so close to my own, it was a natural fit. Thrive Life has a 40+ step process of ensuring the highest quality, and only after completing those 40 steps, do they put their iconic NUTRILOCK symbol on that item. They call that the NUTRILOCK guarantee. You’ll do well to remember this term. c) Freeze Dried food is exceptionally easy to handle, easy to refresh and delicious. I often refer to it as FRESHER than FRESH because it is picked ripe and flash frozen within 2-4 hours of harvest.
DRY MIXES
PANCAKE MIX a basic pancake mix generally contains flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk, egg and oil. The types of flour, sugar, milk, eggs and oil are up to you, but for the purpose of a shelf stable mix in my pantry I use certain ones. Flour – if making from scratch, I always prefer freshly ground whole wheat flour, but whole wheat flour has wheat germ oil in it and is best if used fresh. So for a pancake mix I use UNBLEACHED flour. Actually I only ever buy unbleached flour – as opposed to all purpose flour which is ‘bleached’. All purpose flour goes through a chemical process to make it white, and that alone is enough for me to not use it. Yes I know it’s cheaper, and more common, in fact sometimes I can’t find unbleached flour, but the few dollars more and the inconvenience of looking for it is worth it to me. Baking powder – is a leavening agent, and it’s the secret to fluffy pancakes. Sugar – just a tablespoon of sugar is all you’ll need for subtly sweet pancakes. Salt – a pinch will always enhance the flavour Milk – as opposed to water or juice, adds moisture and richness to pancakes. Eggs – add more moisture, richness and helps bind the batter together. Butter or Oil – adds richness, moisture and produces a lighter, more flavourful result
Mix: 15 cups unbleached flour 1/2 cup + 2 T baking powder 2 cups white sugar 1 1/2 T salt 1 1/2 cup Thrive Life Scrambled Egg Mix 3 cups Thrive Life Instant Milk powder
Store mix in a large container with a tight fitting lid. Should be shelf stable for up to a year.
to prepare pancakes: 2 cups mix 1 + 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup oil mix oil and water, pour into dry mix and stir only till moistened. Makes 10 – 4 inch pancakes
Annie and me in the kitchen in the morning
BISCUIT MIX
6 cups flour (you do you, but I always use unbleached flour for mixes) 1 cup shortening powder or butter powder 2 Tablespoons baking powder 1 T salt 1/2 t baking soda 1/2 cup sour cream powder Whisk all together till thoroughly combined.
Store mix in a large air tight container in a cool dry place for up to 4 months. This is because of the shortening powder. If you use the butter powder, you can extend that up to 6 months.
to prepare biscuits: 3 cups mix 1 cup milk Stir only till moistened. Roll lightly on floured board till 1/2 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter or knife. Bake 425 F oven 8-10 minutes
CORNBREAD MIX recipe makes 2 gallon sized cans (#10 cans) 6 cups cornmeal 3 cups Thrive Instant Milk (yes, it really IS better than any other milk powder you can buy) 8 cups flour (I always used unbleached) 1/2 cup baking powder 1 Tablespoon salt 3 cups sugar * 1 cup sour cream powder(not necessary, but adding it makes it nicer and more cake like) 1 cup Thrive Scrambled Egg Mix (freeze dried eggs, and yes, this brand is the BEST tasting eggs out there. I am inserting a video below of my brother and sister who could not tell the difference between it and FRESH eggs gathered the morning of) Whisk all these powders together completely and store in a marked jar in your pantry.
To use for a batch . . . . preheat oven to 350 degrees F 4 cups mix 1 + 2/3 cup water 1/3 cup vegetable oil Add oil to water and pour into the dry ingredients. Stir to moisten all. Set aside for 3-5 minutes to moisten cornmeal. If you need to add a little more water, do so to get the consistency you prefer. Pour into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for approximately 40 or until center bounces back when touched. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes before cutting into it. * We really like cornbread waffles. Pour 1 cup batter into HOT and slightly oiled waffle iron. Cook for 4-5 minutes before removing. Perfect to serve alongside a bowl of chili or taco soup, or homemade tomato soup.
HOMEMADE INSTANT OATMEAL PACKS This almost seems blasphemous to me, because nothing is as wholesome as a bowl of old fashioned oatmeal, but there are times (like when you’re camping) that the kids would like instant oatmeal. I confess that I buy instant oats for lots of other things, and there IS a convenience that I appreciate. I just don’t like all the sugar in the commercially boughten packs, so when I make them up for the kids, (another confession), I add 1/4 cup regular quick oats to their bowl. They don’t seem to notice and it makes me happier. Instant oatmeal is also a great after school snack – nutritious and satisfying. So buy yourself a bunch of small 1/2 pint jars and make some up. in each jar layer: 1/2 cup quick oats 2-3 T Instant Milk powder (Thrive Life is the BEST) 1 T brown sugar or honey granules or your choice of whatever you use *optional: your favourite ‘additive’ – raisins, freeze dried peaches, apples, mangoes, apricots, or blueberries, crumbled cranberries raspberries, blackberries, or whatever you like. Or nothing at all.
Store them in little baggies, or jars. That’s it! To make your oatmeal, pour each package into a bowl, add 1 cup boiling water and stir. Give it a couple of minutes to thicken up and ENJOY. * Consider: mixing up a whole quart of instant oatmeal with quick oats, powdered milk and brown sugar. When you want to make a bowl, shake up the jar (as the milk and sweetener may have settled), and scoop out 3/4 cup. Add your own fruit if you want, then boiling water. How does it get any easier? STORE in your pantry for 6 months to a year – depending on whatever fruit you may have added.
BASIC WHITE SAUCE or CREAM SOUP BASE
2 cups Thrive Life Instant Milk powder (you’ll be disappointed if you use any other brand of powdered milk because not a one tastes as good as Thrive Life’s – just sayin’) 1 cup Thrive Life Sour Cream Powder 1 heaping Tablespoon of Thrive Life’s Chef Choice Seasoning or your favourite seasoning 2 cups Cornstarch 1/3 cup Thrive Chicken Bouillon (or your favourite powdered Chicken bouillon) 1/2 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Chopped Onions. You cannot substitute dehydrated onions, unless you powdered them first in a blender 1 teaspoon black pepper
Sift together all dry ingredients till completely mixed and store in a air tight container. I double the recipe and Store in 3 glass quart sealing jars for about a year.
To use for white sauce: Whisk 1/2 cup into 2 cups water. Bring to a boil whisking all the time to prevent lumping. Reduce heat and simmer gently 3-5 minutes till nicely thickened. To use for base of cream soup: I prepare the same way, and just slowly whisk into your soup.
I love to make cream soups by preparing the white sauce, adding milk or broth and then adding freeze dried vegetable crumbles or powder. Lightly simmer for a few minutes to soften the vegetables and till you’ve reached the desired consistency. Cream of Tomato Soup – whisk in a Thrive Life Tomato Powder (approx 1 T per cup of soup) Cream of Mushroom Soup – saute some fresh mushrooms in butter (mmm), then add to the prepared sauce. OR add some Thrive Life freeze dried Mushroom pieces and some mushroom powder from the bottom of the can. Cream of Celery Soup – add some finely diced fresh celery and simmer long enough for them to become tender to the fork and share their flavour. OR add some Thrive Life freeze dried chopped celery. I crush these pieces up in my hand because I like smaller pieces. If there is any powder at the bottom of the can, throw that in too – its loaded with flavour. Cream of Chicken Soup – add Thrive Life freeze dried Chopped Chicken and some powder from the bottom of the can. Cream of Asparagus Soup – add Thrive Life freeze dried Asparagus and some powdered asparagus from the bottom of the can. Cream of Broccoli Soup – add Thrive Life freeze dried Broccoli and some broccoli powder from the bottom of the can. Maybe add some shredded cheddar if you want. The list goes on – you can make whatever cream soup you want. recipe link
SEASONING MIXES
Homemade Taco Seasoning 4 T Chili Powder 3 T Cumin Powder 1 T Smoked Paprika 2 teaspoons EACH salt, garlic powder, onion powder 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes – this combination will give you approx. 3/4 cup seasoning. I usually use 1 T at a time, in most recipes. Don’t be afraid to try new combinations of your own.
Curry Seasoning Combination(I try to have 2 small jars of this combination in my cupboard at any given time so I don’t have to dig every ingredient out to make it up for a recipe) 1 t garam masala 2 t chicken bouillon powder 1 t black pepper 1 t cumin 1 t ginger powder 1 t paprika 1 T curry powder 1 T turmeric * 1 t cayenne powder IF you like it a little spicy 3 T tomato powder (OR substitute in 1/4 cup tomato paste when making up the recipe) 1 T brown sugar layer seasoning in small (1 cup size) jar. Put the lid on tight, label with recipe name, and set aside to have ready.
CURRY COCONUT CHICKEN This recipe is very similar to traditional “Butter Chicken”, a chicken curry dish that is so popular outside of India, it is sometimes mistakenly believed to be a western invention. It was however, originally created by the chef at Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi in 1947. Although it’s name Murgh Makhani translates to “chicken butter”, its name has less to do with butter and more to do with how much yogurt and butter are used in its original recipe. There are probably as many variations as there are Indian moms or restaurants, but this one uses coconut milk and is a favourite in our house. When you use freeze dried produce, it takes less than 10 minutes to put together.
Recipe for Curry Chicken (using freeze dried vegetables OR substitute fresh): 1 1/2 cup freeze dried chicken pieces OR equal amount cooked chopped chicken 2 cups water (OR if using regular chicken, only 1 cup water) 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup freeze dried sliced onions 2 T freeze dried garlic OR 2 cloves garlic minced 1/2 cup freeze dried peas 1/4 cup freeze dried diced green chilis 1/2 cup freeze dried green peppers 1/2 cup freeze dried red peppers 1/2 cup freeze dried zucchini spice mixture above 2 cans coconut milk – cooked rice to serve it over –
Directions: Cover freeze dried chicken in 2 cups warm water and set aside to refresh for about 15 minutes. Cook rice, set aside. In the meantime, prepare everything else – having it ready to add one right after the other. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic till aromatic, stirring all the time to prevent scorching. Add chicken and remaining water, continuing to stir. Add vegetables one at a time, stirring all the while. Add seasoning mix and stir to completely blend in. Add coconut milk and stir to completely till all is blended perfectly. Let simmer till all is heated through. Serve over rice.
FRESH MAYO and Salad Dressings
FRESH MAYO Not only is fresh mayo a great alternative if you run out of the more ‘shelf stable’ mayonnaise from the store, but it can be a game changer in terms of flavour and texture. And its so easy to whip up (in 5 minutes) you may wonder why were so dependent on the store bought version all your life. You can expect it to last about two weeks in the fridge.
In its basic form, mayonnaise is an “emulsification” oil into other ingredients, but it helps to understand the process. Emulsification happens when two substances that don’t want to mix are forced to mix. In the case of mayo, oil is emulsified into a mixture of lemon juice or vinegar, mustard, egg, and salt by whisking it in drop-by-drop at the very beginning—and vigorously. The droplets of oil become tiny enough, and evenly suspended in the liquid creating a creamy, almost fluffy texture.
There is much opportunity for slight flavour variations in mayonnaise. 1) ACID – You choose the type of acid you want: lemon/lime juice or whatever vinegar you prefer (white, apple cider, herb infused vinegars . . . ). You will get different flavoured mayo in the end. It doesn’t take much acid, so you can be brave and experiment with different kinds to find different flavours. Perhaps in the beginning while you’re still getting the ‘hang of it’, stick to a plain white vinegar or lemon juice, and then go from there.
2) OIL is what make mayonnaise – MAYONNAISE, but you get to choose what kind. For a neutral flavoured mayo use neutral flavoured oils like canola or vegetable. For a richer, more flavoured mayo, use olive oil. Or use another oil if you have a favourite, or use a combination.
3) SEASONING is not necessary but nice. Use it or not. I like pepper, but if you want a pure white mayo then use white pepper. You can also use dried chiles, ginger, paprika, garlic, chives, a dash of sesame oil, . . . no end to the possibilities. For a standard all purpose mayonnaise, I just use pepper, but a little more than you might. If you use a lot of mashed garlic, your mayo becomes something wonderful called AIOLI.
recipe: 1 large egg 1 T lemon juice or vinegar (your choice – remember) 1/2 t dry mustard 1/4 t salt 1/8 t pepper 1 cups oil Combine the first five ingredients in a blender, turn on high and begin adding oil SLOWLY in a steady steam, turning off blender to scrape down sides once or twice if necessary during the process. Stop blending as soon as mixture is fully emulsified and thick. Makes just over 1 cup mayonnaise. Store in refrigerator. Personally, if I’m going to go to the trouble, of washing my blender, I’m going to double this recipe and end up with about 2 1/2 cups mayo, especially if I know I see dishes like potato salad, tuna sandwiches, or toasted pesto mayo tomato sandwiches in my immediate future. Store – You can expect it to last about 2 weeks in the fridge so plan accordingly. link to recipe
HOMEMADE SALAD DRESSINGS
Yes there’s something to be said about the convenience of store bought salad dressings, but really – try buying a few different vinegars instead and make your own. It is SO easy to make your own salad dressings at home – you’ll wonder why you ever thought you needed to buy them. The benefits are taste, and control over all the ingredients – simple, whole food. That’s what its about. Nothing you can’t pronounce. Make them as you go and then they’re always fresh. 🙂
ASIAN SALAD DRESSING 1/4 cup soy sauce 3 T sesame oil 2 T honey 3 T rice vinegar 2 t freshly grated ginger root 2 cloves garlic minced 1-2 T lime juice sprinkle sesame seeds over top the salad can Store in fridge for a week
SESAME GINGER SALAD DRESSING 3 cloves garlic minced 1 3inch piece of fresh ginger root (peeled and grated) 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup sesame oil salt and pepper Toss dressing into salad. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds. can Store in fridge for a week Salad: 1/2 small cabbage finely sliced or chopped about half as much fresh kale finely chopped 4-6 small Persian cucumbers coarsely chopped or 1 large English cucumber 1 or 2 peppers (your choice of colour) coarsely chopped
TACO SALAD DRESSING 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayo 1 cup tomato salsa 1/2 t chili powder Stir with a spoon and chill till ready to serve on top of Taco Salad. can Store in fridge for a week Salad: romaine lettuce – large chunks of tomatoes and cucumbers – black beans – taco flavoured ground beef – shredded cheddar – tortilla chips
variation to use in a fajita rice bowl: I use the sour cream and mayo to make a nice light white dressing that cools the hot chili spice. I add the salsa on top of it for extra flavour, colour and zip. In this picture, I have drizzled a little candied jalapenos (Cowboy Candy) over top.
RED RASPBERRY POPPYSEED DRESSING 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar 2 T sugar 1 t salt 1 t dry mustard 1/4 cup water 1/2 onion finely chopped (I use 1/4 cup Thrive freeze dried chopped onions) 2 T honey Blend all ingredients EXCEPT RASPBERRIES AND POPPY SEEDS in blender. Pour into serving container. Add 1 cup fresh raspberries (I used 1 cup Thrive freeze dried raspberries) 1 t poppy seeds. Gently stir to blend berries and seeds throughout and serve. can Store in fridge for a week.
Homemade BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE (I love the powerful taste of dark balsamic vinegar – it stands alone) 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar juice of one lemon (2-3 Tablespoons) 2 cloves of garlic minced 1 T honey salt and pepper Put all ingredients except salt and pepper into a pint mason jar with a lid. Shake well till honey dissolves. Taste, then decide if you want to put in about 1/4 t salt and 1/4 t pepper. Shake again. Taste again. This makes about a cup, but will Store in the fridge for a week or two so make a bigger batch if you want. Just shake it up when you want to use it again.
Substitute the olive oil for TAHINI to make it creamy and rich. Add 2-3 Tablespoons of water if it’s too thick.
Tahini is ground toasted sesame seeds similar in texture to peanut butter, in fact, it is sometimes used as a substitute for peanut butter. Rich is protein and trace minerals it is a healthy addition to add to your salad dressings.
CURRY TAHINI DRESSING 1/2 cup tahini 1/4 cup olive oil Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup) 1/4 cup water 1 T honey 2 cloves garlic minced 1-2 teaspoons curry powder (start with lesser amount then taste test before adding more) 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon ginger (start with lesser amount then taste test before adding more)
Whisk in pint bottle till honey is dissolved.
RHUBARB SALAD DRESSING 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1/3 cup honey 1 cup vegetable oil – your favourite 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh garlic chives – or regular fresh chives if you don’t have them 1 cup finely chopped rhubarb Whisk the vinegar, honey and oil together to totally dissolve the honey. Add chives and garlic and mix well. Set aside for at least an hour to combine flavours. Stir as you serve to keep garlic and chives incorporated throughout. can Store in fridge for a week
BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING 1 cup buttermilk* 2/3 cup mayo 2/3 cup sour cream 1 clove garlic minced 1 T minced onion or Thrive freeze dried chopped onion 1 T chopped fresh chives 1 T fresh or frozen dill greens 1 T chopped fresh parsley or half that dried parsley crumbled 1/2 t each: salt and pepper Mix all ingredients and let sit 30 minutes before serving. Reduce buttermilk to 2/3 cup to make ranch dip. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
*making buttermilk from Thrive Instant milk powder is easy. 1/4 cup Thrive Instant milk powder 3 Tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice 1 cup water Mix well and let stand for 5 minutes. Use in a recipe as you would buttermilk.
AVOCADO LIME DRESSING 1 avocado 1/2 cup sour cream (I use Thrive sour cream powder) 2 T mayo 2 T lime juice or 1 T limeade powder 1/2 t salt 1/2 cup water Add everything to the blender Dressing perfect for salad or for Chili Lime Chicken Tacos can Store in fridge for a week
CILANTRO LIME DRESSING 1 cup cilantro 1/2 cup plain yogurt 1 clove garlic minced 1 T apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1/3 cup mayo 1/4 t salt 1 T Thrive freeze dried chopped onions OR 1/2 teaspoon onion powder juice of 1 lime Puree in blender. Chill till ready to serve. can Store in fridge for a week
LIME VINAIGRETTE 1/2 cup cilantro 3 T olive oil 2 T apple cider vinegar juice of 1 large lime 1/2 t each: salt, cumin, chili powder, black pepper 1 lg clove garlic 1 T tomato powder Puree in blender till smooth. Chill till ready to serve. can Store in fridge for a week
Savoury Sauces, Salsas, Dips and Spreads
TERIYAKI SAUCE 1 cup water 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 T honey 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger 1 garlic clove minced OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 T cornstarch mixed into a slurry with 1/4 cup cold water and set aside
Combine everything except cornstarch slurry into a small sauce pan. Bring to medium heat and whisk ingredients till thoroughly combined. Slowly add cornstarch slurry whisking constantly till its thickened to desired consistency. Use as you would any other teriyaki sauce. Make ahead and Store in a glass jar in the fridge for 4-6 weeks.
HOISIN SAUCE Hoisin sauce is a thick, dark, fragrant sauce commonly used in Chinese cooking, in a stir fry, or as dipping sauce for Asian dumplings. Lots of different recipes – give this one a try. 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 T dark molasses 2 T honey 1 T toasted sesame oil (darker and more flavourful than regular sesame oil) 2 T rice vinegar 1/4 cup peanut butter 3 cloves garlic finely minced 2 T sriracha sauce or your favourite hot chili sauce 1/2 t black pepper 1 T miso paste 1/4 cup water with 1 T cornstarch made into a slurry
Directions: In a small saucepan over medium high heat, whisk together everything except cornstarch slurry. When sauce is bubbling, whisk in cornstarch slurry continuing to stir and simmer till it begins to thicken. When it is the desired consistency, remove from heat. Makes almost 2 cups. Pour into a pint jar and allow to cool. STORE in fridge for 4-6 weeks. Use it to glaze salmon, ribs, chicken, shrimp – a little goes a long way as it is highly concentrated.
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE Sweet and sour sauce is a exactly what its name suggests: sweet AND sour. Many people use a splash of red food colouring to give it it’s signature red colour. Don’t do that! Use my secret ingredient to get a full bodied flavour, and an all natural, gorgeous red colour.
I grew up on sweet and sour meatballs or short ribs – complete with food colouring. It was the way of things in those day. You could go out and buy a bottle if you crave that food colouring, but it’s SO easy to whip up your own. It tastes better. is free of all those nasty “unpronounce-ables”, and it’s cheap. Great to use as a Dipping sauce for ribs, egg rolls, and dumplings. Great to serve your meatballs in, or to even add to your pulled pork dish. Great to use in your stir fried vegetables and chicken over rice. Great to use as a glaze when grilling chicken pieces, hamburgers or porkchops. Great to even use as a pizza sauce for an Asian twist. Be creative.
In small saucepan, dissolve 1/2 cup brown sugar in 1 cup pineapple juice Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Create a cornstarch slurry with 1 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons water. Pour into the pineapple juice and stir while it simmers and begins to thicken. Add 3 Tablespoons of *TOMATO POWDER* and continue stirring to completely dissolve. Add 2 Tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 cup rice vinegar, continuing to stir. When its the perfect consistency, turn the heat off and serve!
Pour into a pint jar and allow to cool. Makes almost 2 cups. STORE in fridge for 2-4 weeks.
TZATZIKI Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip made from simple ingredients including thick yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and fresh herbs. It is primarily used as a dip or a topping. Traditionally of course, fresh cucumbers are used, but I most often use freeze dried cucumber dices. Makes it so much easier! If you’re using fresh cucumber it needs to be grated and strained so get to that right away. * 1 medium cucumber finely shredded, tossed in 1/2 t salt. Set in colander to drain about 30 minutes. Squeeze excess moisture out as much as you can. Set aside. I skip this step entirely because I use Thrive Life freeze dried diced Cucumbers. Start with 1/2 cup and add more as desired one T at a time so you don’t add too much.
1 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or another nice thick plain yogurt) 1 T lemon juice or 1/2 t Thrive lemonade powder 2-4 T fresh dill chopped (I freeze fresh chopped dill in the summer and use all winter long) 1-2 cloves garlic minced 1/4 teaspoon black pepper * if you’re not using the fresh salted, strained cucumbers, add 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 T olive oil Mix everything except cucumbers. Add at the end and gently toss cucumbers in. Set in the fridge for an hour or so to blend flavours. Can Store in the fridge for several days; if you’re using freeze dried cucumbers, it will keep up to a week.
HOMEMADE KETCHUP It’s ironic that in most cases, condiments were homemade at first, and then commercially reproduced to taste as close to homemade as possible. Not really possible – but we become so accustomed to it that we now try to make the homemade version taste like commercial. How backwards is that? The homemade version is all about natural flavours and ingredients. Super easy, and tastes so much better than commercial if FRESH tasting is important to you.
1 c. *Tomato Powder 3 1/2 c. water 1/3 c. honey or sugar – your choice 1/2 c. Cider Vinegar 2 tbsp. THRIVE freeze dried Chopped Onions 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. garlic Powder 1/2 tsp. black Pepper 1/2 tsp. dry Mustard 1/8 tsp. ground Allspice
directions: In a medium sized pot combine all the ingredients. Stir to mix and bring to a boil, continuing to stir frequently. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently till ketchup reaches the perfect consistency for you. Expect that to be about 45 minutes – depending on thickness desired. Pour into glass jar and refrigerate. , continuing to stir frequently. Reduce heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently till ketchup reaches the perfect consistency for you. Expect that to be about 45 minutes – depending on thickness desired. Pour into glass jar and refrigerate. Mine yielded 2 pint jars. Best to let it sit for a day to allow flavours to fully blend. STORE 2 – 3 weeks in the fridge. Use as you would normally use regular ketchup.
PLUM SAUCE 1 1/2 pounds fresh plums, pitted and chopped 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1/3 cup brown sugar 2 T soy sauce 2 cloves garlic minced 1-2 T grated fresh ginger or 1-2 teaspoons ginger powder 1/2 t red pepper flakes (optional) Put all together in medium sauce pan, bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer 25 minutes till sauce is thickened slightly. Puree if desired (I don’t. I prefer the chunky texture but I know some like it smooth) Store: without canning, it will be good in your fridge for about a week. I highly recommend multiplying the amount if you have a good source of plums, and canning in pint jars. Process 15 minutes in a hot water bath for pints. Once canned, label and date the jars; Store for about a year.
CHEESY BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP I could never figure out what made hot chicken wings “buffalo chicken wings”. Didn’t make any sense. I kept thinking there’s gotta be a good reason, but in the end, it’s stupidly simple. The hot sauce gets its name from it’s origin: the Anchor Bar in, you guessed it – Buffalo, New York. So why don’t they call it Anchor Sauce? Who knows? 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use Freeze Dried chopped chicken refreshed) 3/4 cup of your favourite hot sauce 2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese, cubed 1 cup ranch dressing (I use 1 cup Thrive Life Sour Cream powder with 1/2 cup water) 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (I use the same amount of Freeze Dried Cheddar refreshed)
Skillet method: In large skillet over medium heat, pour hot sauce and add chicken. Stir to coat evenly and heat through. Add cream cheese cubes and ranch dressing. Cook to melt cheese, stirring occasionally. Lower heat and cook till hot and bubbly. Slow cooker method: Add all the ingredients into slow cooker set on medium. Stir occasionally to keep from scorching until all is blended, cheese is melted and sauce is hot and bubbly – aprox 45 minutes. Serve with a loaf of crusty sour dough bread or fresh vegetable wedges. Can Store in fridge for a week.
SPINACH DIP Personally, I choose NOT to add any seasoning to this dip because I don’t want it to over power the subtle taste of spinach (which I love). But you do you. If you have a favourite seasoning, then go ahead and use it. 2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese 1 cup sour cream (I use 1 cup Thrive Life sour cream powder + 1/3 cup water) 1 cup mayonnaise optional – 1/2 cup freeze dried chopped onions (you won’t see the onions but you’ll get their wonderful taste) OR 2-4 chopped green onions lots of Spinach slight steamed and wilted, then chopped and strained (make sure you get all the liquid out of it). I used Freeze Dried Spinach straight from the can. A LOT easier and more nutritious than store bought spinach.
Blend the cream cheese with hand mixer till smooth and creamy. Add sour cream continuing to blend till completely mixed. Add mayonnaise, mixing the whole time till completely combined and smooth. I add spinach a cup at a time, mixing with a spoon. The steamed chopped spinach will be wet of course, the freeze dried spinach (my preference by far) will be dry. I add as much spinach as I can, judging by texture, colour and personal preference. I don’t want it to get too dry, but if I’ve added too much FD spinach, I simply add a little water to moisten. Can Store in fridge for a week.
PEANUT SAUCE (for Spring Rolls) 2/3 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup T rice vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup liquid honey 2 T sesame oil 4 cloves garlic minced 1/4 – 1/3 cup water (start with 1/4 cup and add a little more if needed Whisk together to make creamy but dip-able sauce. Can Store in fridge for a week.
*I use this sauce to pour over or as a dip for Spring Rolls, but the truth is – I could eat it by the spoon its so good. I may have done that from time to time. Spring rolls can seem intimidating, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly and be a pro in no time. It’s kinda like folding a burrito but tighter. The first few won’t be perfect, but don’t stress out – you’re just gonna eat ’em anyway. *BONUS – Spring Roll recipe filling: thin rice noodles, finely shredded: lettuce, cabbage, carrot; long thin cucumber wedges; chopped green onions, fresh cilantro and fresh mint. Small amount of sesame oil and little bit of salt. Cook noodles in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Test. DON’T over-cook. Drain and rinse immediately in cold water. Drain again. OR soak them in warm water (not cold, not hot) for 10-15 minutes till softened. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again. Toss 2 T sesame oil over top and 1 t. salt to keep from sticking together. Set aside. *hint: have everything ready to go so that you can focus on the rice paper and folding. wrapper: Rice Paper Sheets building the rolls 1- lay a round rice paper sheet one at a time in a pie plate of cool water – 10-20 seconds till pliable. Lay on a clean tea towel and place a few pieces of lettuce about one-third from the bottom of the wrapper. You want to leave a couple inches open on the two sides for wrapping. 2 – Add remaining ingredients in whatever order you prefer, but I like to do – lettuce, cabbage, carrots, green onions, topped with a couple wedges of cucumber and then sprinkled with the chopped herbs . Leave the top third of the wrapper open for wrapping. 3 – Gently pull the bottom of the wrapper up and over the filling. Try to keep the filling as tight as you can as you roll upwards, until the filling is enveloped. Pull the sides over to enclose the filling completely. Continue rolling till fully wrapped. The more you do, the tighter they’ll get. You may have to eat the first one to get rid of the evidence of it.
Salsas and PESTOS
MANGO CUCUMBER SALSA with LIME 2 cups Thrive Life freeze dried mangoes OR fresh mango diced 2 cups Thrive Life freeze dried cucumbers OR fresh cucumber diced 1 cup Thrive Life freeze dried red bell peppers OR fresh pepper diced 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried chopped onions OR 1/2 medium red onion diced finely 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup water if using freeze dried OR 1/4 cup water if using fresh 1 T Thrive Life Limeade powder OR juice of one lime (don’t be afraid to add more LIME) 1 1/2 T Thrive Life honey crystals OR 2 T honey 1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
Combine all produce. Prepare dressing on the side and drizzle over top. Let sit for a few minute before serving. When you’re using freeze dried ingredients you can prepare this ahead in a jar, all except for the liquids. When you’re ready, just pour into a bowl, add water and oil, stir to combine and presto! You’re done. You’ll have to forego the fresh cilantro, or add it later. This is wonderful for me because I can have ‘fresher-than-fresh’ mango salsa any time it appeals to me. recipe link Mix can Store in a sealed jar for 6 months to a year. Prepared, it can Store in fridge for a week
FRESH RHUBARB SUMMER SALSA click link for recipe I call this ‘summer salsa’ because of the many other ingredients that are plentiful in a summer garden, but not so plentiful in the spring as early as rhubarb is ready. This combination is terrific, delicious all by itself. Who said rhubarb has to be sweet? When you use it as a vegetable, you’re a little more willing to use less sugar. Only 1 tablespoon of brown sugar with over 8 cups vegetables.
FRESH RHUBARB CHUTNEY click link for recipe I love the sweet spicy smell that fills the house with this gorgeous spiced rhubarb chutney. So delicious, you can eat it straight. Personally I wouldn’t can it, simply because I’d prefer not to cook it that long, but you can always freeze the fresh rhubarb so that you can make this a few times in the off season. So quick and easy, and the bonus is that your house will smell GREAT! Lovely served over pork roast, beef or chicken– or wherever you use chutney.
PESTO I am a huge fan of PESTO – in fact, many PESTOS. I grow a lotta Basil for the sake of Pesto, but don’t limit yourself to just basil. You can use many different green herbs, or a combination of some of them. A whole new world of pesto awaits. I have a few different Pesto recipes elsewhere on this site, so instead of pasting them all here – I’m including the links. basil pesto oregano pesto nasturtium pesto radish green pesto I hope you’ll go check them out, and even make up a batch or two in the summer when all is fresh and green.
SOMETHING SWEET
CONDENSED MILK or EVAPORATED MILK This is the milk my mother’s generation prepared baby formula out of. My mom and all my aunts diluted it with boiled water and put it into baby bottles. It was the opinion of the time that enlightened western women did not need to breast feed anymore, as it was “quite inconvenient” and cows milk was just as good, in fact some considered it better. Evaporated milk was the first food of every child I knew – certainly myself, my siblings, and my cousins. That generation of western women was fully indoctrinated that bottle feeding and cow’s milk was better, and it took a lot of convincing to turn the tide back around. Not an easy sell. I was one of the few young moms of my peers who chose breastfeeding against the better judgement and advice of most older women I knew – including nurses on the maternity floor. My in-laws considered it quite a radical move, but they were becoming accustomed to my ‘radical’ ways and just rolled their eyes.
Nevertheless, there is a place for condensed/evaporated milk, and from a food storage perspective it can be a good resource – ie: a substitution for half and half cream in recipes. Yes, you can use ‘fresh’ milk and reduce it over heat – but you don’t need me for that. You can find a recipe for that online. However, making it from your shelf stable INSTANT Milk powder is super convenient since you already have everything on hand. 1 cup Thrive Instant Milk 1 1/4 cup water. Blend thoroughly in blender or with whisk. Makes 12 ounces Evaporated milk. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK (not to be confused with ‘Condensed’ milk or ‘Evaporated milk’) An alternative to spending $4.99 – $5.99 for a 10 oz (300 ml) can of sweetened condensed milk, this takes less than 5 minutes and costs pennies. You can even make *Dulce de Leche from it, the same way you would regular canned Sweetened Condensed Milk.
2 Tablespoons butter 1/2 cup HOT water 1 cup Thrive Instant Milk powder 1 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Put your butter in the blender and add your HOT water. Blend on low, gradually adding 1 cup white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Continuing beating till completely incorporated, scraping down sides as necessary. Makes 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk. Pour into a glass jar with a lid and refrigerate till needed. Mixture will thicken a little as it cools. May be Stored for up to two weeks in the fridge.
Personally, I don’t use sweetened condensed milk a whole lot. Maybe once a year if that. But when I do, I don’t want to have to run out to buy some, and I don’t use it enough to justify having it in my food storage. But since I have the milk and sugar on hand all the time, this is my best option.
*what is Dulce de Leche? Also called: caramelized milk or milk candy, it is a popular confection in Latin America, France, Poland and the Philippines – prepared by slow boiling an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours. The resulting substance is a sweet, gooey caramel coloured, spreadable, thick sauce (hence the name caramelized milk). Use as a spread in layered cake or buttery sandwich cookies, a filling for dessert crepes (topped with whipped cream to add to the calories lol), in homemade cheese cake filling, or as a topping for classic cheese cake, to sweetened home made eggnog, or in any number of sweet and delicious ways.
STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE DIP for fruit, graham crackers, sugar cookies, bagel wedges or apple wedges
8 oz package cream cheese softened 2 T honey 2 T milk 2 cups freeze dried strawberries In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, honey and milk until smooth. Add strawberries and continue to beat another minute or two – until strawberries are broken up and dip is a beautiful strawberry colour and taste. If it appears dip is getting a little dry, add another tablespoon or two of milk (one at a time to test texture). Let sit for ten minutes to completely refresh the strawberries. Can Store in the fridge for up to a week.
WHY MAKE YOUR OWN?
The biggest advantage of making your own mixes is that you know exactly what’s in them. It allows you to control salt, eliminate MSG and every other artificial or harmful ingredient. Consequently the storage time will be shorter, but in most cases, they’re so quick to make up – using ingredients that are common in most kitchens, that you can whip them up in minutes.
The other advantage is that I don’t have to run to the grocery store for common things we’ve become accustomed to using. Once we get over the fact that we’re also “accustomed” to store bought taste, we can replace that – and get used to – the natural homemade goodness of FRESH.
The video I promised to include about Thrive Scrambled Egg Mix (freeze dried eggs). And yes, they really are better than other ‘powdered eggs’. Much better!
Really? No, I mean REALLY? How is this possible? You can take my word for it. They taste THAT good.
*What is Tomato Powder? Made from dehydrated tomatoes, ground into powder, tomato is exactly what it purports to be. It adds the gentle acid of tomatoes to the full bodied, concentrated flavour of a tomatoes in all your favourite dishes. You can make your own – you go girl! – or buy it from a good natural source. My favourite is from THRIVE LIFE.
A few years ago I discovered “meals in a jar”, and at the risk of sounding overly dramatic, it kinda changed my life. In a good way. What exactly IS a meal in a jar (MIJ)? Its a good, healthy meal, ready in a matter of minutes, prepared ahead for such a time as this. The variety of options is endless, limited only by your imagination. If you’re short on imagination at the moment, scroll down. I’m giving you a few of my favourite recipes below, with some suggestions for adjusting as seems appropriate.
6 different MIJ – Meals in a Jar
Food storage has been a way of life for me, all my adult years. Why? Because it’s the SMART thing to do, that’s why. I saw the example in varying degrees throughout my childhood, but Dan and I took it to a whole new level as we practiced and learned, and increasingly saw the value of having a food storage. Not everybody’s food storage looks the same. With encouragement, suggestions, and the kinship one feels with other likeminded people, I developed my own plan that fit into our lifestyle. The best piece of advice I absorbed came from Spencer W. Kimball, who counselled “Store what you eat, and EAT what you store.”
When freeze dried food became more readily (and increasingly) available, storing high quality food became easier, and more nutritious. It also opened up a whole new world of possibilities for convenience. Yes, convenience and healthy, and long term shelf stable, can all exist on the same table at the same time. True, we generally focus on food storage as an emergency resource, but consider the innumerable minor emergencies that happen in the regular course of our week. Those days when you’ve been crazy busy, but the family still needs to eat supper. Those days when you just don’t have any good ideas or energy, but the family still needs to eat supper. Those days when you’re sick, and need to leave dinner up to someone else. Those times when money is short, and the fridge is bare, but the family still needs to eat. . . . You get the picture.
Meals in a jar (MIJ), properly sealed can last an easy five years, but personally I’m not interested in them lasting five years. With freeze dried food, I already have an excellent food storage that will last 25 years. What I’m looking for with MIJ – is convenience. I want a few meals our family will enjoy IN the pantry, close and handy for the day I need it. I want a few meals I know I can count on, that I can pass on to a friend or neighbour who could use a helping hand from time to time. But its gotta be healthy. That’s my one big criteria, my non-negotiable. No artificial additives. I still run with the motto “If you can’t say it, don’t eat it“, so homemade with ingredients I can trust is essential.
How long can you expect a MIJ to last with a good snug lid on it? Six months to a year is how long I keep mine, and I’ve never had a problem. MIJ are great options to keep on the shelf for THOSE emergencies! If you’re of a mind, and if you have a vacuum sealer, go ahead and seal them for longer shelf stability. But in the meantime, consider them part of your routine: your emergency dinner-to-the-rescue, to pull out when you need to get dinner on the table quick!
Sausage Corn Chowder on the table with broccoli cheese biscuit
Ingredients:
Most MIJ recipes require freeze-dried foods of course, with perhaps some dehydrated ingredients. These are ever more readily available in stores and to order directly. Truth is, not all freeze dried food is the same quality, so do your homework when picking a reliable source. Personally, I prefer the quality of THRIVE LIFE foods – just Simple, Clean Food. The quality of your MIJ and the confidence you have in it’s shelf stability, can only be equal to the quality of the ingredients you use, and the care and attention you give to cleanliness when packing it.
Equipment:
Containers: I use wide mouth quart jars for family sized meals, and pint jars for smaller meals. I like glass because you can SEE – easy to know what is in there, and that they are airtight with a good lid. Make sure they’re clean and DRY. And store in a cupboard away from light so the vibrant colours are not faded by the sun. Jar funnel: Not necessary, but sure comes in handy to get everything INto the jar. Measuring cups and spoons: Measurements are pretty important when you’re trying to fit it all into a jar. Label: just something to write basic information like the name of the dish and how much water to add of course, but I learned a good lesson about including directions. One day when I had some visiting grandchildren, I was not well. Dan was working during the day, but when he got home, he pulled out a MIJ to whip up a quick and easy dinner. Occasionally, if I am intending to give the meal away, I’ll also include a list of ingredients on the label.
How to create your own recipe:
Fill up these jars with different Meals to keep on hand. I usually make at least two of each recipe, and try to have 6-8 MIJ in the pantry at any given time
Once you have prepared a few MIJ’s, and have stored them and used them, you’ll become more familiar and comfortable with things you like about them. It will become easy to create your own recipes from existing favourite recipes. For instance: in a magazine while waiting to get my hair cut a few years ago, I came across some soup recipes that looked appealing. The one that caught my eye was for a “Bacon Corn Chowder”, using potatoes, corn, onions, celery, and bacon. As I reviewed it, I realized that I had all the necessary ingredients in my pantry (except the bacon). I could make this meal today, and better than that, if we liked it, I could create a MIJ for future meals. One of my favourite MIJ recipes came from adapting that one. I used Freeze Dried Sausage Crumbles instead of bacon. Perfect! When I try out a brand new recipe I’m developing for a MIJ, I make two. One meal goes straight into the pot for dinner today, and the other, straight into the jar. This accomplishes two important things: 1) I want to TRY the recipe to ensure we like it before I invest too heavily 2) I want to see how it all fits together in the jar, so that I can make notes as needed. Ideally, I can fill many future jars from that recipe, so I want to ensure I’m happy with it. Don’t forget a pen and paper to work out amounts and make corrections during the process.
* You can layer your ingredients in the jar in any order you want. If you put the bigger pieces in first, and end with the powders, you can shake the powder down through the other ingredients at the end and get more ingredients into the jar. Very practical but not very visually appealing. I’m all about ‘pretty’, so I prefer to begin my layering with the powders and then transition into bigger pieces as I get to the top. It looks much nicer. But, you be you; do what you want.
Recipes
sausage corn chowder
Cindy’s Sausage Corn Chowder This is the one that originated from that magazine recipe. Layer into a wide mouth quart jar: 1/4 cup Thrive Life Instant milk powder 1/4 cup Thrive Life Sour Cream powder 2 T Thrive Life Chicken Bouillon 1/3 cup Thrive Life Bechemel Sauce (or homemade cream soup base) 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, crumbled by hand 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried chopped onions 2 T Thrive Life freeze dried celery, crumbled by hand 2 T Thrive Life dehydrated carrots (*I’ve tried a few varieties, but Thrive Life is by far the best) 1 cup Thrive Life dehydrated potato chunks* 1/2 cup Thrive Life Sausage Crumbles Fill the remaining room with Thrive Life Sweet Corn Secure lid, label and store in cool dark place.
* do NOT use freeze dried potatoes as they’ll just fall apart in the length of time you’ll want to simmer this chowder
to prepare: Dump jar ingredients into a pot with 2 cups of water. Turn medium heat on and bring to a slow boil while stirring to prevent clumping or scorching. When everything is beautifully combined and is beginning to thicken, pour remaining 3 cups of water (total of 5 cups). Bring back up to a slow-low boil and then reduce heat to simmer till potatoes are tender – 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent lumping or scorching as it thickens. When potatoes are tender, remove from heat and let sit for five minutes before serving.
Cindy’s Taco Soup in a Jar in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: 1/2 cup Thrive Life Tomato Powder 1 T taco seasoning 1 T Thrive Life’s Chef Choice Seasoning (or your fave all purpose seasoning) 1 teaspoon cumin powder (I always put in more, but you’re the boss, you do you) 1 teaspoon salt 1 + 1/2 cup instant red beans 1 cup Thrive Life ground beef 1/3 cup dehydrated or freeze dried chopped onions 1/3 cup dehydrated peppers 3/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Sweet Corn Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Dump contents into 8 cups of water. Bring to boil, stirring frequently to prevent scorching bottom. Reduce heat, add up to 2 more cups water and bring to a and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes till beans are tender. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes to thicken. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar if desired and replace lid. Serve with corn bread or taco chips. Enjoy!
Zuppa Toscana in a Jar in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: 1/2 cup Thrive Life Sour Cream powder 2 T Thrive Life Veloute Sauce (chicken gravy) 1 T Thrive Life Chicken Bouillon 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 teaspoon freeze dried garlic 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) 1/2 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Spinach 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried chopped onions 1 cup instant refried beans 1/2 cup Thrive Life Sausage crumbles 1 cup Thrive Life dehydrated potato chunks Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Dump contents into 8 cups of water. Bring to boil, stirring frequently to prevent lumps or scorching bottom. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes till potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes to thicken. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and fresh bread on the side.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup in a wide mouth quart jar layer the following: 1 cup Thrive Life Bechemal Sauce (white cream sauce) 1 T Thrive Life Chicken Bouillon 1/4 cup Thrive Life Sour cream powder 1 T dried sage crumbled 1/4 t pepper 1 T parsley 2 T Thrive Life dehydrated carrots 1/3 cup Thrive Life freeze dried chopped onions 1 cup Thrive Life dehydrated potato chunks 1 cup Thrive Life chopped chicken 1/2 cup Thrive Life freeze dried peas 1/2 cup Thrive Life freeze dried sweet corn Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Add contents to 6 cups of water. Bring to a slow boil, stirring frequently to prevent lumping or scorching. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes stirring once in awhile to keep from scalding on bottom. Remove from heat and let sit 5 or 10 minute to thicken before serving.
what about meals that are NOT soups? no problem!
Shepherd’s Pie in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: 1/4 cup Thrive Life Bechemal Sauce (creamy white sauce) 2 T Thrive Life Tomato Powder 2 T Thrive Life Beef Bouillon 1 teaspoon freeze dried garlic 1 teaspoon crumbled dry oregano leaves 2 T Thrive Life dehydrated carrots 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried chopped onions 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried celery (crumbled by hand) 1+1/2 cup freeze dried vegetables of your choice (here I did a combination of freeze dried peas, corn, green beans, and butternut squash, but you can also add broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, spinach, asparagus, kale . . . etc) Top off the jar with a few more vegetables if needed. Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
This becomes the base of your Shepherd’s Pie. You’ll want to cover with a layer of mashed potatoes, sprinkled with shredded cheese of your choice.
to prepare: Pour contents of jar into casserole dish, add 2+1/2 cup boiling water and stir to completely mix everything evenly, and to refresh it. Spread evenly in pan. Make up some instant mashed potatoes according to package directions (Thrive Life makes the best and purest instant potatoes I’ve ever tried). Layer the mashed potatoes over top and sprinkle with shredded cheese. (Thrive Life also has shredded cheese) Bake in 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes to heat through and melt the cheese.
Beef Stroganoff in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: ½ c. THRIVE Life Instant Milk ½ c. THRIVE Life Sour Cream Powder 2 Tbsp Cornstarch 1 tsp Garlic Powder 1 Tbsp THRIVE Life Beef Bouillon ¼ c. THRIVE Life Butter Powder 1/3 c. THRIVE Life Chopped Onions 1/3 c. THRIVE Life Celery – Freeze Dried 2/3 c. THRIVE Life Mushroom Pieces – Freeze Dried 2/3 c. THRIVE Life Diced Beef – Freeze Dried 2 c. Elbow Macaroni , rotini, egg noodles – your choice Top off the jar with a few more vegetables if needed. Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Throw and Go. Add all ingredients to 6 cups hot water and bring to a boil. Stir a few times to prevent sticking. When liquid comes to a boil, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 12 minutes. Stir from time to time to prevent sticking. When pasta is cooked, turn heat off. Stir and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken. *Option 1: For variety – substitute Egg Noodles for the pasta. Use a little less water and adjust cooking times slightly as egg noodles don’t take as long to cook. They also take a lot more room in the jar, which is why I usually use macaroni. *Option 2: For the vegetable lover, add ½ c. THRIVE Life FD Red or Green Peppers in the last minute of cooking. You don’t really need to cook them, you just want to plump them up and heat through. *Option 3: For a gorgeous Florentine Stroganoff, stir in ½ c. THRIVE Life FD Spinach after you turn off the heat. *Option 4: Substitute THRIVE Life FD Ground Beef or THRIVE Life FD Shredded Beef for the meat. * DO NOT use freeze dried pulled pork, as the shelf life on pulled pork is considerably shorter (it being a high fat meat).
When you pour your stroganoff into your serving dish, generously sprinkle with Parsley and freshly ground pepper, or better yet, THRIVE’s Chef’s Choice All Purpose Seasoning Blend. Enjoy!
Mac n Cheeseburger in a wide mouth quart jar, layer the following: ½ cup Thrive Life Instant Milk (the very best) 2 T cornstarch 3/4 cup Thrive Life Cheese Sauce 1 T Beef Bouillon 1/3 cup Thrive Life Freeze Dried chopped onions ½ cup THRIVE Life FD Ground Beef 2 cups elbow macaroni Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
to prepare: Pour contents of jar into 6 cups hot water in a ‘big enough’ pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. When liquid comes to a boil, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer 10-12 minutes till pasta is tender, stirring once in a while to prevent sticking. When pasta is tender, turn heat off. Stir again, and let sit 5 minutes to thicken. *option: add 1/2 cup FD shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese for an even cheesier dish *option: add 1/2 cup FD peas about 5 minutes before pasta has finished cooking
Fresher than Fresh Berry Muesli This recipe has been adjusted to fit into a pint jar for a smaller, more portable serving. So quick and easy to prep, and portable to throw in your bag to take for lunch or eat on a road trip.
In a wide mouth pint jar, layer the following: 1/2 cup Quick Oats 1/4 cup Thrive Life dehydrated Applesauce 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Blueberries 1/4 cup Thrive Life freeze dried Raspberries 1/4 cup Thrive Life Strawberry Slices Jar will not be completely full, which is what you want to be able to stir the apple juice in later. Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place. to prepare: Add 1+ 1/2 cup apple juice, and stir in to completely moisten everything. Let it sit aside for up to five minutes to assure everything is completely absorbed. Enjoy! – link to full recipe –
Smoothie in a Jar now smoothies can be totally portable! For a long time (before RUVI became available) , I would blend small amounts of freeze dried fruits and vegetables in the blender and make a “smoothie-in-a-jar”. Convenient and nutritious to take when I was on the run and didn’t have time for a meal. Those are the times you’re tempted to pick up fast food right? But that’s exactly what I don’t want to do. Did you know? 1 Tablespoon of powdered vegetable = 1 serving. ? I just add a little cold water, shake up the jar and drink it. 4 servings of fruits and vegetables with all the nutritional goodness they have to offer. What a gift. You can use any combination you want but my favourite was the following. 1 Tablespoon pineapple powder (made from Thrive Life FD pineapple) 1 Tablespoon peach powder (made from Thrive Life FD peaches) 1 Tablespoon spinach powder (made from Thrive Life FD spinach) 1 Tablespoon kale powder (made from Thrive Life FD kale) layer it or shake it up to mix. This is POWER in a Jar. The natural enzymes of pineapple, the vitamin C of the peaches (and pineapple). The vitamin A, minerals and antioxidants of spinach and kale.
* Did you know?Thrive Life peaches have 21 times MORE Vitamin C than so called ‘fresh’ peaches from the grocery store in the middle of summer. Not even kidding. You read right – 21X more. Wanna know why? Because unlike the peaches we buy in the grocery store, which are picked green, Thrive Life fruits are picked when they are completely RIPE and at the height of nature’s perfection, being nutritionally complete. Everyone knows that produce begins to deteriorate within the first hour after harvest, so eating it ‘fresh’ is ideal. Thrive Life ensures that not only are those peaches picked ripe, but they are picked, peeled, sliced and flash frozen within 6 hours of harvest. That is why they retain 95% (or more) of their original natural goodness. * Did you know? Spinach loses 100% of its vitamin C within 4 days of harvest! Yup, sad but true. When you buy so called ‘fresh’ spinach from the grocery store, there is ‘0’ (ZERO) vitamin C left in it. Thrive Life Spinach is picked, washed, chopped and flash frozen within 6 hours of harvest, retaining pretty much ALL its vitamin C plus a whole lotta other goodness. Up to 95%!
* hint: the natural sweetness of the fruits will eventually cause the fruit powder to compress. The vegetables will not, they’ll stay loose. So mixing up everything might not be as pretty, but it is more likely to stay loose. Your choice. You be you.
so what about desserts? Can you put those into a jar too? Absolutely!
Lemon Pound Cake from your pantry this cake is good for so many reasons, and for so many things: from a simple elegant lemon pound cake, to a gorgeous berry lemon trifle, and everything in between. And its the perfect choice for a MIJ (except its not a ‘meal’). Just add water.
measure the following ingredients into a clean dry quart jar 1+1/2 cups flour 2 t baking powder 1/2 cup Thrive Life Butter powder 3/4 cup white sugar 1 T Thrive Life classic lemonade – or up to 2 T for those exceptional lemon fans 1/4 cup Thrive Life scrambled egg mix 1/2 t salt 3 T Thrive Life Instant milk Secure lid, label and store in cool, dark place.
Blueberry Lemon Cake (made w the crumbled blueberries left in the bottom of a can of Freeze Dried Blueberries)
to prepare: preheat oven to 350 F. Dump contents into a mixing bowl and with wire whisk, gently mix all ingredients till thoroughly combined. Form a well in the center and pour in 1+1/2 cup water. Stir just until everything is moistened. Pour into greased 9×9 pan and placed in center of oven. Bake about 40 minute, until center is done. Test by gently tapping center, then by inserting clean toothpick. When it comes out clean, remove from oven and set aside to cool. Cut and serve. Enjoy.
* option: drizzle with lemon glaze while still warm. Mix 1 T classic lemonade powder with 3 T water and slowly cream in sifted icing sugar to desired consistency. Drizzle over top. Or use 3 T of fresh lemon juice. * option: add 2 T poppy seeds into dry ingredients * option: add 1/2 cup freeze dried blueberries and a little extra water
Do you make Meals in a Jar already? If so, I’d love to hear about your favourite recipes. It’s always good to share. If you haven’t yet, I hope you’ll give it a try. If you don’t have enough freeze dried foods to get started, here’s what THRIVE LIFE has available. They are the biggest freeze drying company in North America, and their quality is second to NONE.
If you’d like suggestions of best ways to purchase, or if you have any questions on particular products, ask away – I use them ALL, and I can suggest best ones for MIJ.
Super foods do not have to be exotic, and blueberries are the perfect example. These sweet, nutritious and wildly popular berries are NATIVE TO NORTH AMERICA. Yay! They are low in calories and incredibly nutritious, and so convenient to eat by the handful. They are primarily a northern fruit, and as a northerner, I am pretty happy to lay claim on these hardy, dark blue berries.
The list of the health benefits of Blueberries is almost too good to be true. And far be it for anyone to exaggerate those kinds of things right? But a little research should help disperse the nonsense from the credible. You’d be surprised at how many credible and documented benefits there really are. We don’t need to exaggerate. For example, its been well documented for decades that blueberries are good for your eyes, and health periodicals have sang their praises my whole adult life. Nevertheless, I was a little surprised when my eye doctor advised me to eat 1/2 cup of blueberries a day as part of a preventative regime for two genetic eye diseases I am in line to inherit: macular degeneration and glaucoma. I believed it before, but it felt good to have her further testimony. And yes, I try to eat a few handfuls every single day.
But wait, there’s more! Blueberries help lower your cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart disease. Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, blueberries are high in potassium and vitamin C. They are also anti-inflammatory. Since inflammation is a key factor in all chronic diseases, blueberries can and should be your personal BFF (best friend forever).
Blueberries have been the subject of medical studies related to vision for over a century, and blueberry extract, (high in compounds called anthocyanosides), is found to slow down visual loss. (hence my doctor’s recommendation) The anti-oxidant properties prevent or delay all age related ocular problems like macular degeneration, cataract, myopia and hypermetropia, dryness and infections, particularly those pertaining to the retina. Imagine a superFOOD — not a drug — powerful enough to do that! Truly, “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.”
inside colour of a ripe blueberry
If you are among the few not familiar with the taste of blueberries, this is my best description: small, but juicy. Mild, slightly sweet with a tiny bit of acid. Unripe, they’ll be a little sour. And they aren’t actually a true blue, but rather more of a deep blue/purple, which is the colour of the antioxidant “anthocyanin” found especially plentiful in them. The inside however, is a light greenish yellow. A good rule of thumb is, the darker the berry skin, the richer the antioxidants.
So that brings us to their availability. Fresh, I can find them in local grocery stores in 10 pound boxes for about six weeks in the summer; and in the off season, they are often available trucked in, in smaller clam-shell containers. Kinda pricey in the winter, and if you know me at all, you know that I am a big proponent of seasonal eating (mostly for nutrition’s sake). Just because we can buy it, doesn’t mean we should. Personally I don’t buy ‘fresh’ blueberries in the winter. The use of the word ‘fresh’ in the off season, is misleading at best. Frozen blueberries are an excellent alternative, and are even more nutritious than produce section options in the off season. Why? Because produce destined for the freezer, are frozen QUICKLY, sealing in valuable nutrition. But as you know, frozen blueberries are not so convenient to consume. Who wants to eat them frozen? And worse, who wants to eat them thawed and soggy? I take it one step further, and buy only FREEZE DRIED BLUEBERRIES for those other ten months of the year.
How is that possible? Well, for one thing, the word “fresh” is a relative term. Fruits and vegetables begin to deteriorate in the hour they are harvested, so getting them from field-to-table as soon as possible is very important. By the time our “fresh” fruits and vegetables are picked, packed, shipped, distributed and shelved, several days have elapsed. Nobody’s fault. Its just part of the process that allows us the great privilege of food variety we enjoy. But, the reality is that it is no longer at its best by the time we see it. Then we buy it, and put it in our fridge for several more days. . . . . . . I think we get the picture.
Introducing FREEZE DRIED BLUEBERRIES
As it implies, freeze-drying is a two step process. It is flash frozen, then transferred to a facility where it can have all the remaining moisture removed through a vacuum-like process. While the two step process is pretty standard, producing a higher quality product, there are additional steps that can be taken to further ensure the highest quality result.
– It is critical that the fruits or vegetables be the highest quality to start out with. – It is critical that they be flash frozen quickly after picking. – It is also critical that those fruits and vegetables be picked ripe, with all the nutrients that nature designed present and fully developed.
The result? Beautiful crunchy blueberries! That can be eaten out of hand, over top cereal or yogurt, in smoothies, baked in pies or muffins, . . . . . . any way a fresh blueberry can be eaten. Any. Day. Of. The. Year! And get this: they have a shelf life of over 25 years! How is that even possible? Zero moisture, packed into a sealed zero oxygen container = no way to decompose. So not only is the nutritional value an unprecedented 95+% of the original freshly picked value, it has a completely stable shelf life. You can enjoy that kind of quality today, tomorrow, next year, in ten years, and so on. Once you open the can, simply keep a tight seal on it, and you can expect it to last a good year in most climates. (not that there will be any left in a year, but that’s not the point lol)
There is a North American company that stands out from the rest when it comes to the highest quality of freeze dried food. THRIVE LIFE operates by a self imposed list of requirements they call “The Nutrilock Promise“. By adhering to these requirements, they have raised the industry standard to new heights that no other company has been able to come close to. There are over 40 steps in the process, and compromises are never made.
Other Health Benefits of Blueberries:
– A bowl of blueberries can help in boosting immunity and can reduce the risk of diabetes, obesity and heart disease. – Consuming as little as 1/2 cup of blueberries daily helps strengthen your metabolism and prevent any kind of metabolic syndrome and deficiency. – It has been observed that daily intake of blueberries can help reduce hypertension, inflammation, high cholesterol, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. – Blueberries are also known for improving cognitive skills such as attention, memory, and information organization.
Where do they grow?
Blueberries typically grow in humid, northern climates that have cold winters and mild summers. They prefer slightly acidic soil. This makes them the perfect northern berry, and it is not surprising that they are native to North America. They are also successfully grown in the more temperate areas of North American, including coastal regions, and have been introduced to several European countries as early as 1940.
Canada is the world’s largest producer and exporter of both wild and cultivated Blueberries. The majority of Canadian blueberry production is in British Columbia, where water and soil seem to be perfectly suited. Most of that is exported. New Brunswick is Canada’s second largest blueberry producing province, accounting for 30% of the country’s total production.
in varying stages of ripeness
They grow on dwarf shrubs of the heath family, with small, whitish drooping flowers that turn into the beautiful dark blue berries we know and love so much. I grew up picking wild blueberries in the summer, and though those days are over for most of us, market-garden-blueberries are very available. Having said that, if you live in rural areas, wild blueberries can still be found in abandoned fields, along roadsides, in forests and on mountains. They spread through seeds and the development of rhizomes, (underground stems). They are becoming more available in garden centres for those adventurous gardeners who want to have them closer to home.
Ways to Use Blueberries
#1 is FRESH out-of-hand of course. When that is not possible, freeze dried out-of-hand is a very close second. A new favourite way for me to enjoy them in the winter time, was introduced to me by my friend Reese Wolsey. Blueberry tea. Simply pour boiling water over a handful of blueberries in your mug. Let steep for a few minutes and drink. SO good. And when the cup is drained, eat the blueberries. Blueberry preserves for pancake and waffle topping. I just add a little water and simmer gently, mashing with a potato masher. Add a little sugar if desired, but not necessary. If you want to make more of a syrup, add a little more water and thicken with cornstarch. Also great for ice cream topping. Fresh over top of cereal. Blueberries in your oatmeal. Blueberry cheesecake. Blueberry muffins. Blueberry pancakes or waffles. Blueberry pie. Blueberry cobbler. Blueberries in your coffee cake, and added to lots of other baking too. Blueberry yogurt bowl. Blueberry ice-cream. Blueberry jam. Blueberries in your green salad with a little crumbled feta. Oh my goodness, there is no end to the ways you can incorporate them.
Blueberries have been my husband’s favourite fruit for as long as I’ve been married to him, but up till recently we could only enjoy them for a relatively short time in the summer. Now that we can enjoy them ‘fresh’ in the summer, AND freeze dried (in most cases, fresher-than-fresh), all the rest of the year – they have become an important (and welcome) part of our household diet. They are the #1 Fave Snack of ALL our grandchildren, and I’m totally okay if some of their best childhood memories involve eating freeze dried blueberries at Gramma’s house. Even if I do have to limit them most of the time. Seriously, they inhale them if left unsupervised.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on blueberries. And different ways your household enjoys them.
okay be honest now, how many servings of fruits and vegetables do you get a day? Go ahead count ’em. How many did you get yesterday? How many so far today? And what about the variety?
The new Canada Food Guide says that at least half of what we eat in a day should be fruits and vegetables. . . . . uh, wait a minute while I soak that in. I believe I eat more fruits and vegetables than most people I know on most days, but I’d be hard pressed to say it is consistently half of what I eat. The recommendation is for an adult to have at least 10 servings a day! What does that even look like?
Vegetables: 2 cups raw leafy vegetables 1 cup cooked leafy green vegetables 1 cup raw vegetables 1/2 cup cooked vegetables 1 medium potato or sweet potato 1/2 cup vegetable juice
Fruit: 1 cup raw fruit 1 medium apple, orange, banana 1/2 cup fruit juice
If 5 of your servings in a day came in the shape of a watermelon . . . well, good for you, I love watermelon too. But variety is where we’re going to get the assortment of nutrients we need for good health. 3 apples a day might be great once in a while but we NEED variety. And a good variety of ‘fresh’ (as in picked within a day or two) is almost impossible for most of us. Are you eating your colours? . . . enough cleansing greens? enough immune enhancing yellows and oranges? enough heart healthy reds? and enough deep antioxidant rich blues and purples?
If you’re like so many North Americans, you’re lucky to get a quick bowl of cereal, bagel or cup of coffee in the morning. You make it to lunch with zero fruits or vegetables. And then it goes down from there. For me, I have to FOCUS on making sure my diet includes enough Fruits & Vegetables. If I am not intentional about it, before I know it, I’ve slipped into old habits and I can easily make it to dinner time – lucky to have eaten an apple.
sigh ….. what to do?
If you’re still reading this, I am willing to bet you’d like to be eating better. And you probably even try hard to make sure your family does. And you are likely better than average, but 10 a day? Come on, that’s hard for anyone on a consistent basis. Especially in the winter (which is a long season in my part of the world). Did you know that 80% of us don’t get enough nutrition from plants? Sadly our SAD way of eating (Standard American Diet) causes severe health problems: 40% of North American adults (and 20% of young people ages 2 – 19) suffer from obesity, which puts them at risk for heart disease and stroke and type 2 diabetes, as well as tooth decay, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, osteoporosis and many types of cancer.
that’s a big yikes! and it deserves our attention
I think we all know a thing or two about the importance of fruits and vegetables and the reasons they should make up the majority of our diet, and yet . . . . . here we are. What holds you back from eating more fruits and vegetables in the day? Here are some of the typical answers North Americans give. Do any of them describe your situation? * don’t know how to prepare them * too much time to prepare * too much energy, its easier to eat non vegetable meals * don’t like the taste * scheduling issues * haven’t made it a priority * too expensive * too much waste when we don’t eat it quick enough. …. And millions turn to supplements to compensate for our lack of nutrition. Supplements instead of real food. I am not anti-supplements, but they’re only intended to ‘supplement’ good eating, not replace it. That’s why they’re called s.u.p.p.l.e.m.e.n.t.s.
Divide the 10+ servings into your day. That means consuming 3 – 4 servings at every meal with some nutritional snacking along the way. I know that sounds like: how can I even eat that much food? Well, the idea is that if you’re eating enough fruits and vegetables you won’t have enough appetite for the junk, or the less nutritious options. It’s not as hard as you might think. Here’s the HACK: it’s called “RUVI” – from the root for “Roots of Life”. (Ru = Roots, Vi = Life)
* most helpful HACK for consistently eating more fruits & vegetables
Not a supplement. Not a juice. Ruvi is fruits and vegetables. Nothing more (really, nothing added) and Nothing less. Seriously, all the natural fibre you’d get if you ‘ate’ those fruits and vegetables, except you drink it. I know right! How easy is that? Each of the four blends contains the equivalent of FOUR complete servings! That’s freeze dried fruits and vegetables – the absolute most nutritious way of eating them. And you DRINK THEM.
And remember those reasons we have for not eating more fruits and vegetables? * don’t know how to prepare them: hello, mix them with water and shake * too much time to prepare:20 seconds is all it takes * too much energy, its easier to eat non vegetable meals: not sure what could get easier than Ruvi * just plain don’t like vegetables : each blend is the perfect mix of fruit with the vegetables to make them delicious * scheduling issues:what can be easier than a Ruvi in your purse, glove compartment, gym bag, locker at school, desk at work, trailer, 72 hour kit, and kitchen. Doesn’t matter what your day throws at you, you’ve got YOU taken care of. * haven’t made it a priority: give yourself a 30 day challenge. Use Ruvi every day for 30 days, then step back and analyze how you feel. You’ll be thrilled by how much difference true nutrition makes. * too expensive:if you were to buy the variety of fruits and vegetables that go into Ruvi – you’d be spending several times more $. This is the BEST and least expensive way of eating more nutritiously. * too much waste when we don’t eat it quick enough: no waste with Ruvi. All the nutrition of ‘fresh’ produce and Zero waste (that means huge savings).
bottom line
There really is nothing like Ruvi. It’s straight up goodness that your body is craving in the simplest, easiest-to-consume form: freeze dried whole fruits and vegetables, and nothing else.
I want to know what your experience is with eating more nutritiously. I want to know how you incorporate more vegetables into your daily diet. I want to know what you think of “drinking your colours”.
