Unfortunately the way things are run today a food shortage in the land of plenty is coming. The food shortage will not be because the weather conditions threatened crops and caused less production. The animals will be perfectly healthy and they will multiply when they are allowed to. The problem that is going to set this country up for failure is going to come from our own government rules and regulations. We simply are going to be forced into a shortage of food products by the rules we have established.
Most of the products that we do manage to produce are exported to other countries. Do not blame the farmer for participating in the exportation of goods. The farmer has to have money to pay for their land, and their equipment, and the labor it takes to raise all that they produce. They also have to pay all of those taxes like everyone else. These are Land taxes, unemployment taxes, sales and use taxes, quarterly employee taxes, inventory taxes, and income taxes. When these people can sell their product for a higher rate they are going to. You really cannot fault them for doing so.
The government also controls what foods are produced and the amount of the food that is produced. They do not want too much of one food raised because that would cause the prices of the food to drop and the farmer would then have more problems. They would be raising more but earning less. The government has a solution to this problem in the form of subsidies. They actually pay the farmer to not grow a certain crop. The farmer can make the money and never break a sweat doing so. Who in their right mind would say no to that scenario? Money for not doing something would be most people's idea of a dream come true.
A lot of the people who have been watching the rising food prices and the problems that are happening around the world suggest that in April of 2012 the American population will see the price of food rise so high that they cannot afford to eat.
Experts in this area are suggesting that people take stock of their food pantries and try to prepare for these rising prices. If you can prepare yourself to the point that you can feed your family for a few months with very few purchases from a store you will make it through the food shortage period just fine.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Simple Paleo Ice Cream Recipe
It's the festive season and watching relatives and friends gorge themselves on ice cream and tasty sweets can be painful when you're trying to stay healthy and stick to a rigid nutrition plan. I know as a follower of the paleo diet the hardest thing for me to adjust to was the lack of desserts and sweets for the paleo follower. However there is hope, by replacing regular milk with coconut milk and swapping the ultra heavy chocolate and sugar filling for natural fruits and nuts we can create gorgeous and equally delicious recipes for the paleo diet follower.
I got creative earlier and here's a simple tried and tested ice cream recipe to sate the sweet tooth of the Paleolithic patron. The trick with this is preparation and smoothness, as it's tricky at first to stop the eggs from scrambling, which completely ruins the dish. Make sure the temperature is warm enough to melt the ingredients but not too hot to make them curdle and boil, once you've got this right though you will never look back.
Ingredients:
* 400ml coconut milk
* 2 large eggs
* 3 tbsp honey
* 1/4 cup blueberries
* 1/2 cup processed strawberries
* 2 tsp cinnamon
How to make:
1. Place a heat proof bowl over a simmering pot of water. Make sure the bowl is wider than the pot so it sits on top comfortably and there is enough space under the bowl to ensure no part of it comes in direct contact with the water.
2. Place the strawberry, blueberry and honey into the bowl and heat until it's warmed through but ensure heat is low enough to prevent boiling.
3. Separately whisk the eggs. When they are thoroughly whisked slowly mix in a quarter of the wet mixture with a mixing spoon, slowly and delicately. Ensure the eggs don't scramble by maintaining a warm but not boiling temperature and constantly stirring with your spoon. Continue until all of the wet mix is mixed in and a thick creamy sauce is created.
4. Let the mixture cool off before placing into the fridge.
5. Place the mixture in a container and place in the freezer. Remove every 25 minutes for 2 and a half hours until you have a creamy ice cream.
This is a recipe that I love but it is easily customisable. Try varying the fruits in the mix and garnishing with nuts, cinnamon or any other flavours you fancy. Even sweeteners to help bring out the sharpness and taste.
I got creative earlier and here's a simple tried and tested ice cream recipe to sate the sweet tooth of the Paleolithic patron. The trick with this is preparation and smoothness, as it's tricky at first to stop the eggs from scrambling, which completely ruins the dish. Make sure the temperature is warm enough to melt the ingredients but not too hot to make them curdle and boil, once you've got this right though you will never look back.
Ingredients:
* 400ml coconut milk
* 2 large eggs
* 3 tbsp honey
* 1/4 cup blueberries
* 1/2 cup processed strawberries
* 2 tsp cinnamon
How to make:
1. Place a heat proof bowl over a simmering pot of water. Make sure the bowl is wider than the pot so it sits on top comfortably and there is enough space under the bowl to ensure no part of it comes in direct contact with the water.
2. Place the strawberry, blueberry and honey into the bowl and heat until it's warmed through but ensure heat is low enough to prevent boiling.
3. Separately whisk the eggs. When they are thoroughly whisked slowly mix in a quarter of the wet mixture with a mixing spoon, slowly and delicately. Ensure the eggs don't scramble by maintaining a warm but not boiling temperature and constantly stirring with your spoon. Continue until all of the wet mix is mixed in and a thick creamy sauce is created.
4. Let the mixture cool off before placing into the fridge.
5. Place the mixture in a container and place in the freezer. Remove every 25 minutes for 2 and a half hours until you have a creamy ice cream.
This is a recipe that I love but it is easily customisable. Try varying the fruits in the mix and garnishing with nuts, cinnamon or any other flavours you fancy. Even sweeteners to help bring out the sharpness and taste.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Spices For Chicken
Because chicken is relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to prepare there are a vast number of recipes available throughout the world. Chicken spices and herbs are abundant and are readily available in almost any market anywhere. Spices and herbs have become abundant thanks to the explorers of the 15th and 16th century.
Open your cupboards and you'll find a spice or herb, or both that can be the beginning of a very tasty recipe. Every chef has several ways of preparing and cooking their chicken and most have a secret ingredient for their wonderful signature dish. Of course, some of these recipes vary regionally and from country to country, depending on availability and prices at the market.
Aromatic herbs are also used along with spices, thereby adding that extra punch. Sage, thyme, rosemary and basil are a good example of the aromatics that I use. When using spices, remember that sometimes a little goes a long way. I have found that marinating the chicken is very helpful in distributing the flavors evenly. Gauge your addition of salt, especially if your recipe calls for butter; make sure that you use unsalted butter so that you don't overwhelm it with too much salt.
Recipes of all kinds are available on the internet and in cookbooks, so not cooking chicken is a limitation that should not occur in your kitchen. For health reasons I prefer to bake and not fry chicken, although I enjoy fried chicken very much. There is one recipe for fried chicken that is very plain and simple. Use all white, all dark, or a combination of both. Wash the chicken and pat dry; add salt, pepper, and allspice. Deep fry in canola oil and pat dry with paper towels before serving.
A very exotic and tasty way to prepare your chicken is by using a fresh, wonderful homemade curry that you will use again and again.
Indian Curried Chicken Recipe:
Basic Curry Powder
6 dried red chiles
1 oz. coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
10 fresh curry leaves
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground turmeric
Remove seeds from chiles. Dry roast the whole spices over a medium heat until they darken, stirring or shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Leave to cool, then grind to a powder. Dry roast the curry leaves in the pan for a few minutes, then grind and add them to the mixture with the ginger and turmeric, blending well.
Rub your Curry Powder into the chicken, as needed, about half hour to an hour before roasting in the oven at 350 degrees. A full sized chicken should take twenty minutes per pound, so use your discretion. All things said, it is not what spice you use, but, how you use it. Spices should blend in and not overwhelm. They should never be so intrusive that the essential character of the dish is lost.
Open your cupboards and you'll find a spice or herb, or both that can be the beginning of a very tasty recipe. Every chef has several ways of preparing and cooking their chicken and most have a secret ingredient for their wonderful signature dish. Of course, some of these recipes vary regionally and from country to country, depending on availability and prices at the market.
Aromatic herbs are also used along with spices, thereby adding that extra punch. Sage, thyme, rosemary and basil are a good example of the aromatics that I use. When using spices, remember that sometimes a little goes a long way. I have found that marinating the chicken is very helpful in distributing the flavors evenly. Gauge your addition of salt, especially if your recipe calls for butter; make sure that you use unsalted butter so that you don't overwhelm it with too much salt.
Recipes of all kinds are available on the internet and in cookbooks, so not cooking chicken is a limitation that should not occur in your kitchen. For health reasons I prefer to bake and not fry chicken, although I enjoy fried chicken very much. There is one recipe for fried chicken that is very plain and simple. Use all white, all dark, or a combination of both. Wash the chicken and pat dry; add salt, pepper, and allspice. Deep fry in canola oil and pat dry with paper towels before serving.
A very exotic and tasty way to prepare your chicken is by using a fresh, wonderful homemade curry that you will use again and again.
Indian Curried Chicken Recipe:
Basic Curry Powder
6 dried red chiles
1 oz. coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
10 fresh curry leaves
½ tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground turmeric
Remove seeds from chiles. Dry roast the whole spices over a medium heat until they darken, stirring or shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Leave to cool, then grind to a powder. Dry roast the curry leaves in the pan for a few minutes, then grind and add them to the mixture with the ginger and turmeric, blending well.
Rub your Curry Powder into the chicken, as needed, about half hour to an hour before roasting in the oven at 350 degrees. A full sized chicken should take twenty minutes per pound, so use your discretion. All things said, it is not what spice you use, but, how you use it. Spices should blend in and not overwhelm. They should never be so intrusive that the essential character of the dish is lost.
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