For the 43rd week, Oct. 25-31

Week # 43: 1 (#10) can Powdered Eggs
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Powdered Eggs:
Eggs are extremely perishable. Eggs must be kept refrigerated and have a relatively short shelf life. Powdered, dried eggs provide a convenient alternative to fresh eggs and add quality and consistent performance to the list of attributes.
Powdered eggs are fully dehydrated eggs. The major advantages of them over fresh eggs are the price, reduced weight per volume of whole egg equivalent, and the shelf life. The risk of bacterial contamination due to improper handling is significantly reduced and the clean up time is reduced as well. For camping and hiking excursions there is no better way to carry eggs than in powdered form. Just add water and cook up scrambled eggs in no time. The ease and benefits of Powdered, Dried Egg Products are tough to beat.

Appearance:
pale or yellowish powder, without strange particles.

Smell:
pleasant, typical mild, free of strange smells.

Taste:
typical to egg.

Storage:
Environmental temperature, keep in dry and dark place.

Shelf life:
Dry egg products can be stored up to a year or longer under proper storage conditions.

Nutritional Value:
Eggs are low in saturated fat and are one of the best sources of vitamin D, a nutrient that is essential to the development of strong bones. In fact, eggs are a nutritional powerhouse. For only 75 calories you get high quality protein and varying amounts of 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including A, B12 and folate.

For Baking:
For bakers, powdered egg products provide consistency from batch to batch and are always ready. Egg solids blend well with other dry ingredients and can be used immediately without cracking or thawing. Or for those of us (me) who are clumsy, you could keep that piece of shell out of your favorite cookie dough.

How egg products are made:
Egg products are processed in sanitary facilities under rigorous inspection by the United States Department of Agriculture. The first step in making egg products is breaking the eggs and separating the yolks and whites from the unwanted shells. Eggs are processed by automated equipment that move the eggs from flats, wash and sanitize the shells, break the eggs and separate the whites and the yolks or keeps them together for whole egg products. The liquid egg products is filtered, mixed, and then chilled prior to additional processing. This liquid egg product (in a pasteurized format) is what you get when you re-hydrate your powdered egg product. Powdered Eggs provide all the natural goodness of an egg in a convenient, non-perishable package. From here the egg product is pasteurized. The law requires that all egg products distributed for consumption be pasteurized. This means they must be rapidly heated and held at a minimum required temperature for a specified time. This process destroys Salmonella and any other bacteria, but does not cook the egg or affect the color, flavor, or nutritional value. Dried egg products are powdered by spraying the liquid egg into a heated drying room. The powder is left in the drying room for a specified time to get the desired consistency.

Information has been aggregated from the following sites: Honeyvillegrain and Emergency Essentials.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 42nd week, Oct. 18-24

Week #42: 5 lbs White Beans, 5 lbs Kidney Beans, 5 lbs Soybeans
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

White Beans:

Similar to other beans, the common bean is high in starch, protein and dietary fiber and is an excellent source of iron, potassium, selenium, molybdenum, thiamine, vitamin B6, and folic acid. The small, white navy bean, also called pea bean or haricot, is particularly popular in Britain and the US, featured in such dishes as baked beans and even pies, as well as in various soups

Storage:

Dry beans will keep indefinitely if stored in a cool, dry place, but as time passes, their nutritive value and flavor degrade and cooking times lengthen.

• Store in cool, dry area.
• After opening, store the dried beans in an airtight container or place original package in a resealable plastic bag.
• Storage time shown is for best quality only — after that, the beans’ texture, color or flavor may change, but in most cases, they will still be safe to consume if they have been stored properly.
• If beans develop an off odor, flavor or appearance, they should be discarded.
• “Best By,” “Best if Used By,” and “Use By” dates on commercially packaged foods sold in the United States represent the manufacturer’s estimate of how long the product will remain at peak quality — in most cases, the beans will still be safe to consume after that date, as long they have been stored properly and the package is not damaged.

Cooking:

Dried beans are almost always cooked by boiling, often after having been soaked for several hours. While the soaking is not strictly necessary, it shortens cooking time and results in more evenly textured beans. In addition, discarding one or more batches of soaking water leaches out hard-to-digest complex sugars that can cause flatulence, though those who eat beans regularly rarely have difficulties with flatulence as intestinal microbes adjust. There are several methods including overnight soaking, and the power soak method, which is to boil beans for three minutes, then set them aside for 2-4 hours, then drain and discard the water and proceed with cooking. Common beans take longer to cook than most pulses: cooking times vary from one to four hours but are substantially reduced with pressure cooking.

Recipes:

Kidney Beans:
Kidney beans come in various colors (mainly red) but are kidney-shaped beans. Their firm, creamy, white flesh and full-bodied flavor make these beans a popular choice for chili, soups, and salads because they absorb the flavors of seasonings and the other foods with which they are cooked with. Both dried and canned kidney beans are available throughout the year. Dried beans are generally available in prepackaged containers as well as in bulk bins.

Health Benefits:
Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans’ high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, kidney beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. But this is far from all kidney beans have to offer. Kidney beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. Just one cup of cooked kidney beans supplies 177.0% of the daily value for molybdenum. Sulfites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads and salad bars. Persons who are sensitive to sulfites in these foods may experience rapid heartbeat, headache or disorientation if sulfites are unwittingly consumed. If you have ever reacted to sulfites, it may be because your molybdenum stores are insufficient to detoxify them.

Great Fiber!
A cup of cooked kidney beans provides 45.3% of the recommended daily intake for fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that binds with bile (which contains cholesterol)and ferries it out of the body. Research studies have shown that insoluble fiber not only helps to increase stool bulk and prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.

Lower Your Heart Attack Risk
In a study that examined food intake patterns and risk of death from coronary heart disease, researchers followed more than 16,000 middle-aged men in the U.S., Finland, The Netherlands, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Greece and Japan for 25 years. Typical food patterns were: higher consumption of dairy products in Northern Europe; higher consumption of meat in the U.S.; higher consumption of vegetables, legumes, fish, and wine in Southern Europe; and higher consumption of cereals, soy products, and fish in Japan. When researchers analyzed this data in relation to the risk of death from heart disease, they found that higher legume consumption was associated with a whopping 82% reduction in risk!
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as kidney beans, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years.
Kidney beans’ contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate and magnesium these beans supply. Folate helps lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle.
Kidney beans’ good supply of magnesium puts yet another plus in the column of its beneficial cardiovascular effects. Magnesium is Nature’s own calcium channel blocker. Studies show that a deficiency of magnesium is not only associated with heart attack but that immediately following a heart attack, lack of sufficient magnesium promotes free radical injury to the heart. Want to literally keep your heart happy? Eat kidney beans–a one cup serving provides 19.9% of your daily needs for magnesium.

Calories:
There are 218 calories in 1 cup of Red Kidney Beans (Canned).
Calorie break-down: 3% fat, 75% carbs, 22% protein.

Soy Beans:
Different varieties of this truly amazing legume are available throughout the year.
The soybean is the most widely grown and utilized legume in the world and one of the most well researched, health-promoting foods available today. Like other beans, soybeans grow in pods, featuring edible seeds. While we most often think of them as being green, the seeds can also be yellow, brown or black.

Health Benefits:
Soybeans’ key benefits are related to their excellent protein content, their high levels of essential fatty acids, numerous vitamins and minerals, their isoflavones, and their fiber. Soybeans are regarded as equal in protein quality to animal foods. Several Types of Legumes, and Especially Soybeans, Lower Diabetes Risk. Read more about Soy beans here.

How to Select and Store

Dried soybeans are generally available in prepackaged containers as well as bulk bins. Canned soybeans can be found in many markets. Unlike canned vegetables, which have lost much of their nutritional value, there is little difference in the nutritional value of canned soybeans and those you cook yourself. Store dried soybeans in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place where they will keep for up to 12 months.

Pre-soaking:
The first method is to boil the beans for two minutes, take pan off the heat, cover and allow to stand for two hours. The alternative method is to simply soak the beans in water for eight hours or overnight, placing pan in the refrigerator so that the beans will not ferment.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

• Replace some of the wheat flour in your favorite baked goods recipe with soybean flour and increase the protein content of your cookies, cakes, muffins and breads.
• Mix sprouted soybeans into salads or use as toppings for sandwiches.
• Frozen edamame is simple to prepare and makes a great snack or appetizer. Just add the soybean pods to slightly salted water and boil for approximately 10 minutes.
• Add soybeans to vegetable stews and soups.
• Use soymilk in place of cow¡¯s milk as a beverage and cereal topper.

Allergic to soy?
It turns out that soybeans are one of the foods most commonly associated with allergic reactions. Individuals with already existing and untreated kidney or gallbladder problems may want to avoid eating soybeans.

FREE! All about Bean Booklet PDF

by: Kim Henke from http://www.allaboutfoodstorage.com

Click on the image above to download the PDF.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 41st week, Oct. 11-17

Week # 41: 12 lbs variety of Pasta (even, more!)
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Pasta:

Pasta is one of the more popular and versatile foods you will find on the dinner table. It comes in many forms and can be made at home, purchased fresh, or purchased dried for long term use. We’ll obviously be going over the “long term storage” pasta. Pasta is great in hot or cold salads, italian entrees, casseroles, or even mac & cheese! If you have more reasons let us know!

Storage:
Uncooked Pasta
Store uncooked, dry pasta in your cupboard for up to one year. Keep in a cool, dry place. Follow the “first-in, first-out” rule: Use up packages you’ve had the longest before opening new packages.

Cooked Pasta
Refrigerate cooked pasta in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. You may add a little oil (1-2 tsp. for each pound of cooked pasta) to help keep it from sticking. Because cooked pasta will continue to absorb flavors and oils from sauces, store cooked pasta separately from sauce.

Freezing Pasta
The best pasta shapes for freezing are those that are used in baked recipes, such as: lasagne, jumbo shells, ziti and manicotti. You’ll have better results if you prepare the recipe and freeze it before baking. To bake, thaw the dish to room temperature and bake as the recipe directs.

If you keep things like pasta or boxed pasta mixes in the original package for longer than the expiration date it can go bad. But when you take them out and put them in buckets, foil pouches or your own vacuum sealed bags they can last for decades.

Measuring Pasta: Learn how to measure pasta like a pro with this chart that includes correct amounts for every pasta shape. Go>>

Cook Pasta Perfectly
1. Boil 4 to 6 quarts of water for one pound of dry pasta. (You can divide this recipe depending on how much pasta you are cooking.)
2. Add the pasta with a stir and return the water to a boil.
3. Stir the pasta occasionally during cooking.
4. Follow the package directions for cooking times. If the pasta is to be used as part of a dish that requires further cooking, undercook the pasta by 1/3 of the cooking time specified on the package.
5. Taste the pasta to determine if it is done. Perfectly cooked pasta should be “al dente,” or firm to the bite, yet cooked through.
6. Drain pasta immediately and follow the rest of the recipe.

Nutrition
Busy families continue to search for foods that are healthy, satisfying and economical - and they do not need to look further than the pasta aisle. Pasta is very low in sodium and non-egg varieties are cholesterol-free. Per cup, enriched pastas provide an excellent source of folic acid and a good source of other essential nutrients, including iron and several B-vitamins. Also, as a food that is low on the Glycemic Index (GI) - low GI foods are digested more slowly - pasta provides a slow release of energy without spiking blood sugar levels. A 1/2 cup serving of cooked pasta (spaghetti) contains a mere 99 calories, less than half a gram of fat, and less than 5 milligrams of sodium. Pasta is high in complex carbohydrates, which provide a “time release” of energy rather than a quick boost. (Read more here.)

Recipes
There are probably millions of pasta recipes out there to meet your needs. One could probably eat pasta every day! We found 1,855 recipes (with photos) in 200 pages at AllRecipes.com

• Asian Noodles
• Egg Noodles
• Fettuccini
• Lasagna
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Ravioli and Tortellini
• Spaghetti
• Pasta Sauces
• Appetizers
• Pasta Salads
• Desserts
• Pasta by Shape
• Homemade Pasta

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 40th week (Oct 4 - Oct 10)

Week # 40: 3 Quarts of Salad Dressing = at the very least 96 oz (12 bottles of 8oz) or however much you think you’ll need.
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Salad Dressing:
Salad dressing is a sauce typically poured over salads such as: green salads; vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. Salads can include a mixture of cold or hot foods, often including raw vegetables and/or fruits. Salad dressing can also be used as a marinade for your meat and even a dipping sauce. So don’t think of salad dressing as just something to pour over your lettuce. It’s so much more than that!

Storage:
Salad dressing comes in 8oz, 16oz, larger or smaller sizes. If you like s certain kind of dressing get more of it. If you’re getting something to try just get what you think you’ll need. Italian dressing is one which is useful for marinading as well as a great ingredient for adding to your crock pot chicken. Try it! Not to mention your standard salads. Store your “commercial” dressing as usual, in a cool dark place and always use by the expiration on the bottle. Usually 12 months depending on the dressing. You’ll find salad dressing so easy to use and yummy, you’ll want to get lots of them. (Wow! I sound like a salad dressing sales person. LOL)

Remember this isn’t something you store for 30 years, this is something you rotate through yearly. It’s easy to rotate salad dressing because you can use it in so many ways and quick.

Recipes:
Don’t believe there are more ways to use salad dressing than just on lettuce, well click here to see for yourself.

Creamy Chicken Breasts

Corn and Avocado Salad

Lemon Pepper Chicken II

Grilled Zucchini II

Easy Italian Chicken II

Greek Chicken Salad

Italian Chicken Marinade

Gourmet Chicken Salad

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 39th week (Sept 27 - Oct 3)

Week # 39: 30 lbs of Oats
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Oats:

Oats are the edible cereal grains produced by the cereal grass of the same name. Oats are light tan in color. They have a nutty flavor and a chewy texture and must be hulled before they can be eaten. Whole oats minus the hulls are called groats.

3 Types of Oats which we will cover here:

Rolled Oats
These are also commonly called “old fashioned”, “thick cut” or “porridge” oats. To produce them, oat groats are steamed and then rolled to flatten. They can generally be found wherever oats are sold. They take longer to cook than do the quick cooking oats, but they retain more flavor and nutrition. This is what most people will call to mind when they think of oatmeal.

Quick Cooking Rolled Oats
These are just steamed oat groats rolled thinner than the old fashioned kind above so that they will cook faster. They can usually be found right next to the thicker rolled oats.

Instant Rolled Oats
These are the “just add hot water” or microwave type of oat cereals and are not at all suited for a long term food storage program. They do, however, have uses in “bug out” and 72 hour food kits for short term crises. Generally the more you process a food the less nutritious it becomes,instant oats are best avoided if you want to get the full benefit of this grain.

Storing

Store oats in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. Freeze in a moisture- and vapor-proof container for up to 1 year. So definitely rotate your oats!

Cooking Time

It takes about 10-15 minutes to cook regular rolled oats. Quick rolled oats, being thinner, cook much quicker in 2-3 minutes. And instant rolled oats, which have already been cooked then dehydrated, just need hot water added. As instant rolled oats are the least nutritious, you should think seriously about using them in your every day cooking habits instead of using the slower cooking quick oats. Instant oats certainly have their place, however, such as on camping trips and in your 72-hour kits.

Oats Health Benefits
Weight Control - As the soluble fiber of oats is digested, it forms a gel, which causes the viscosity of the contents of the stomach and small intestine to be increased. The gel delays stomach emptying making you feel full longer which helps with weight loss. New research suggests that children between ages 2-18 years old who have a constant intake of oatmeal lowered their risk of obesity. The research found that the children who ate oatmeal were 50% less likely to become overweight, when compared to those children that did not eat it.
Cholesterol and Heart - Oatmeal and oat bran are significant sources of dietary fiber. This fiber contains a mixture of about half soluble and half insoluble fibers. One component of the soluble fibre found in oats is beta-glucans, a soluble fiber which has proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol.
Blood Sugars - Eating oats can spread the rise in blood sugars over a longer time period.
Anti Cancer - Oats, like other grains and vegetables, contain hundreds of phytochemicals (plant chemicals). Many phytochemicals are thought to reduce a person’s risk of getting cancer.
Blood Pressure - A daily serving of whole oats rich in soluble fibre can reduce hypertension, or high blood pressure, and so reduce the need for anti-hypertensive medication.
Bowel Function - Oats have a high fiber content. Fiber is necessary in keeping bowel movements regular. Oats are high in both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Athletic Performance - Oats, like other cereal grains, are valued primarily as a source of carbohydrates which provide calories for energy needs. Oats have been shown in scientific studies to favorably alter metabolism and enhance performance when ingested 45 minutes to 1 hour before exercise of moderate intensity.

Oats Nutritional value per 100 grams
Energy     390 kcal / 1630 kJ
Carbohydrate     66 g
Dietary fiber total     11 g
- Beta glucan     5 g
- Insoluble     6 g
Total fat     6 g
- Saturated     1.217 g
- Monounsaturated     2.178 g
- Polyunsaturated     2.535 g
- Cholesterol     0 g
Protein     17 g
Minerals
Calcium     54 mg
Iron     4.72 mg
Magnesium     177 mg
Phosphorous     523 mg
Potassium     429 mg
Sodium     2 mg
Zinc     3.97 mg
Copper     0.626 mg
Manganese     4.916 mg

Oat Recipes

Quaker’s Best Oatmeal Bread - By Hand

Sunday Supper Meatloaf With Roasted Vegetables

Spinach-Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf

Dilled Salmon Cakes

Three Pepper Oat Pilaf

Italian Herbed Oatmeal Focaccia

More Oat recipes found on: EatMoreOats.com, AllRecipes.com or QuakerOats.com

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

or the 38th week, Sept (20-26)

Week # 38 Part 3 of 3: 4 lbs Powdered Sugar
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Let’s be honest we only put this one on the 52 week food storage list because we know most of you make cookies, cakes and sweets and need icing. However, those of you who don’t need powdered sugar for any reason then don’t worry about it. Personally we never use powdered sugar, but if for some reason the power is out for a long time or the internet is down then we’ll need to take up a new hobby. Instead of using the computer and internet every second of the day, we could start baking and making french toast and crepes for breakfast every day. Yum! sounds exciting, maybe we need to start today.

Powdered Sugar:
Powdered Sugar is snowy white in color. It has a delicate, soft, supple texture, and it mixes and creams into delicious, smooth frostings. Powdered sugar is also known as confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar. It contains a small percentage of cornstarch to prevent caking, and is available in different grades of crystal fineness.

Grades:
Most people shopping for this ingredient at the store don’t know that it comes in a variety of grades referring to how finely it is ground. 14X is typically the highest grind, but this may not be shown on labels, and for most home baking it isn’t necessary to buy a specific grind. Higher grinds do dissolve more quickly and may be more suited for things like whipping cream. Powdered sugar labeled XXXX is slightly finer than that labeled XXX but they can be used interchangeably.

Substitute:
Powdered sugar has a finer crystal size than Granulated Sugar and contains 3% cornstarch that keeps the sugar soft. Substitutions may result in unsatisfactory results. However if you really want to try there is of course a way. To make powdered sugar, combine a cup of granulated sugar with about two tablespoons of cornstarch in the blender (about 227 grams of sugar and 57 grams of cornstarch). Blend until the sugar reaches a fine powder. Let the sugar sit for approximately 15 minutes prior to using.

Storage:
Simply because of its physical makeup, powdered sugar is susceptible to odor pickup. It should be stored in a sealed container, away from moisture and strong odors.

Information has been aggregated from: wikipedia.org, chsugar.com, wisegeek.com, and recipezaar.com.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 38th week, Sept (20-26)

Week # 38 Part 2 of 3: 10 lbs of Brown Sugar
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Brown Sugar:
Brown sugar is a sucrose sugar product with a distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses. It is either an unrefined or partially refined soft sugar consisting of sugar crystals with some residual molasses content or produced by the addition of molasses to refined white sugar. It’s used in everything from breakfasts to desserts. Add it to chicken, oatmeal, cakes, pies, cookies and so much more. Brown sugar can be used in everything!

Difference between Light & Dark:

Brown sugar contains from 3.5% molasses (light brown sugar) to 6.5% molasses (dark brown sugar). Use these two sugars interchangeably in recipes calling for brown sugar. For a delicate, light, nutty caramel flavor, use Light Brown Sugar. For a rich, old-time molasses taste and deeper color, use Dark Brown sugar. If you’re in doubt or if it’s not specified, you might choose the Light Brown.

Store Brown Sugar
Air hardens brown sugar. Store it in a cool, moist area in a covered container. If that’s not possible, store the entire container in a second canister with a tight-fitting lid. You can also empty the sugar into a rustproof container (or a heavy, moisture-proof plastic bag) and keep it tightly closed. Even though the shelf life of brown sugar is indefinite, it’s best to use it within six months of purchase for maximum flavor. Don’t store brown sugar in the refrigerator. However, if you are in a very dry area or are going to keep it for a long time, you may want to freeze it. To use frozen sugar, thaw it for two or three hours. If ice crystals form after long freezer storage, gently stir the sugar as soon as it thaws to prevent pockets of moisture from causing damage.

Soften Brown Sugar
When brown sugar hardens, it loses its natural moisture. Here are some suggestions to restore the moisture and soften the sugar:

* If you need to use hard brown sugar immediately, remove it from the package and heat it in a 250-degree oven. Watch it carefully. As soon as it’s soft, measure the amount you need right away because it will again harden as it cools. Please use caution. Oven heated sugar is very hot!

* To soften brown sugar in a microwave, place it in a microwave-safe container, cover loosely with a wet (but not dripping) white paper towel, set the microwave on high, and check the sugar every 30 seconds. Again, microwave-softened sugar hardens as it cools so microwave only the amount of sugar you need. And it’s very hot. Please use caution.

* Time permitting, place the hardened brown sugar in a rustproof container with a dampened – not dripping wet – white paper towel or napkin placed over a small piece of plastic wrap or foil on top of the sugar. Cover tightly. Remove the paper towel after the sugar absorbs the moisture and softens (about two days) and tightly reseal the container.

Information aggregated from: wikipedia.org, chsugar.com, askville.amazon.com, answers.yahoo.com

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 38th week, Sept (20-26)

Week # 38 Part 1 of 3: 5 lbs of Sugar (last bit unless you know you’ll need more.)
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Sugar:

In addition to basic staples, sugar is recommended as part of a balanced diet and to provide carbohydrates. During depressed times, even treats made with sugar can actually help provide a mental uplift. Follow the steps below to have a supply of sugar ready when you need it most.

1. Prepare storage containers. Make sure all inner surfaces are clean and dry. If using plastic buckets, place one ounce of dry ice per gallon capacity in the bottom of the bucket. See more info about packaging recommendations at ProvidentLiving.org.
2. Fill containers with sugar. Fill foil pouches to 80% of volume. Fill jars to 95% volume. Fill buckets to within one inch of the top (on top of the dry ice).
3. Seal containers. For foil pouches, use an impulse heat sealer. Make sure the seal is tight. A second seal can be applied if desired. For jars, make sure the gasket on the lid is in good condition. Close the jar tightly. For plastic buckets, place the lid on top but do not completely close it until the dry ice has dissipated (sublimed). When the bottom of the bucket begins to feel warmer, place the lid on tightly. If it begins to bulge after a few minutes, open slightly to release the excess pressure.
4. Store containers. All food storage should be placed in a cool, dark, and dry location preferably off the floor and away from rodents. Rubbermaid or similar totes are excellent for storing foil pouches.

Note: Moisture makes granulated sugar hard and lumpy. Once this happens, there is no way to adequately restore it. Store powdered sugar in a cool, dry location (not the refrigerator). When it gets moist, it develops lumps. And because of its physical properties, it tends to absorb strong odors – it can even absorb odors through the package.

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 37th Week (Sept 13 - Sept 19)

Week # 37: 1 package of Vital Wheat Gluten
(Caution: If you’re allergic to gluten please leave this item out of your food storage or add it if you’d still like to make foods with it for your family.)

Vital Wheat Gluten:
Gluten is a protein found in Rye, Wheat, Oats, Barley & Triticale. (”Gliadin” is part of the gluten structure. Gliadin is present in varying amounts in these grains. The combination of gliadin and glutenen makes gluten.) This protein gives structure, elasticity and sponginess to baked goods, especially your home made breads.

Effects:
Vital wheat gluten only does one thing. It helps improve the rise and texture of the bread. Use it in your heavier breads that rise slowly, such as whole grains, rye, or ones loaded with sugar, dried fruit and nuts. Generally, if you are using white bread flour you don’t need to add any gluten. However, all-purpose or whole-grain flours need vital wheat gluten.

Know the Difference:
Sometimes instant gluten flour = pure gluten flour = vital wheat gluten, depending on vendor and manufacturer. Notes: This is flour with the starch and bran removed. Don’t confuse it with bread flour = high-gluten flour, which is gluten-fortified flour, or with gluten = seitan, a meat analogue used in vegetarian dishes they are all very different. Vital Wheat Gluten is usually added to regular flour to turn it into bread flour, or it’s used to make seitan.
One way to know for sure is to understand that vital wheat gluten should be 75-80% protein.
1/4 cup of vital wheat gluten that contains 6g carbohydrate and 23 g protein is the one you need!
1/4 cup of gluten flour that contains 14 g carbohydrates and 12 g protein is not the right one. (While it may have it’s own list of benefits, it’s not what your looking for in this instance.)

Advantages:

• Some additional advantages of Vital Wheat Gluten:
• Vital Wheat Gluten has a protein level of 75%.
• Gluten absorbs nearly twice it’s weight of water and retains a portion of it in the final product, thereby increasing the yield.
• Gluten traps the gases in the dough more effectively, allowing better oven spring and larger volume.
• The typical taste of bread is enhanced. The color, especially of the crust, is improved.
• Vital Wheat Gluten improves the nutritional value and has a longer shelf life.
• Gluten aids in the machinability of the dough, particularly in the clean-up stage.
• Thin slicing without breakage is possible.

Use:
Use 1 tsp. per cup of all-purpose or 1 1/2 – 3 tsp. for every cup of whole grain or rye flours. Or 1 Tbsp. for each loaf of bread.

Nutritional Benefits:
This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Selenium, and a very good source of Protein.

Where to buy:
Please check your labels! Vital Wheat Gluten is usually available in the health food section or baking section of your grocery, or at some health food stores.

Information has been aggregated from the following sites here in order to provide useful information about Vital Wheat Gluten: allaboutfoodstorage.com, honeyvillegrain.com, arrowheadmills.com, thefreshloaf.com, lowcarbluxury.com, kingarthurflour.com, VeganFeastKitchen and nutritiondata.com

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.

For the 36th Week (Sept 6 - Sept 12)

Week # 36: 15 lbs Kidney Beans
(If you can’t accomplish this in 1 week, don’t worry, just take your time and do it in steps.)

Kidney Beans:
Kidney beans come in various colors (mainly red) but are kidney-shaped beans. Their firm, creamy, white flesh and full-bodied flavor make these beans a popular choice for chili, soups, and salads because they absorb the flavors of seasonings and the other foods with which they are cooked with. Both dried and canned kidney beans are available throughout the year. Dried beans are generally available in prepackaged containers as well as in bulk bins.

Health Benefits:
Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans’ high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, kidney beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. But this is far from all kidney beans have to offer. Kidney beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. Just one cup of cooked kidney beans supplies 177.0% of the daily value for molybdenum. Sulfites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads and salad bars. Persons who are sensitive to sulfites in these foods may experience rapid heartbeat, headache or disorientation if sulfites are unwittingly consumed. If you have ever reacted to sulfites, it may be because your molybdenum stores are insufficient to detoxify them.

Great Fiber!
A cup of cooked kidney beans provides 45.3% of the recommended daily intake for fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that binds with bile (which contains cholesterol)and ferries it out of the body. Research studies have shown that insoluble fiber not only helps to increase stool bulk and prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.

Lower Your Heart Attack Risk
In a study that examined food intake patterns and risk of death from coronary heart disease, researchers followed more than 16,000 middle-aged men in the U.S., Finland, The Netherlands, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Greece and Japan for 25 years. Typical food patterns were: higher consumption of dairy products in Northern Europe; higher consumption of meat in the U.S.; higher consumption of vegetables, legumes, fish, and wine in Southern Europe; and higher consumption of cereals, soy products, and fish in Japan. When researchers analyzed this data in relation to the risk of death from heart disease, they found that higher legume consumption was associated with a whopping 82% reduction in risk!
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as kidney beans, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years.
Kidney beans’ contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate and magnesium these beans supply. Folate helps lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle.
Kidney beans’ good supply of magnesium puts yet another plus in the column of its beneficial cardiovascular effects. Magnesium is Nature’s own calcium channel blocker. Studies show that a deficiency of magnesium is not only associated with heart attack but that immediately following a heart attack, lack of sufficient magnesium promotes free radical injury to the heart. Want to literally keep your heart happy? Eat kidney beans–a one cup serving provides 19.9% of your daily needs for magnesium.

Calories:
There are 218 calories in 1 cup of Red Kidney Beans (Canned).
Calorie break-down: 3% fat, 75% carbs, 22% protein.

Choosing dry beans:
Choose dried beans that look plump, unwrinkled and evenly colored. Pick over dried beans before using to remove any small pebbles. Whether purchasing kidney beans in bulk or in a packaged container, make sure there is no evidence of moisture or insect damage and that the beans are whole and not cracked.

Choosing canned beans:
Canned kidney beans can be found in most markets. Unlike canned vegetables, which have lost much of their nutritional value, there is little difference in the nutritional value of canned kidney beans and those you cook yourself. If enjoying canned beans is more convenient for you, by all means go ahead and enjoy them. We would suggest looking for those that do not contain extra salt or additives. (One concern about canned foods is the potential for the can to include a liner made from bisphenol A/BPA.

Storage:
Canned beans have a shelf life of 2 to 3 years. Store dried beans in a covered container for up to 1 year. You can precook kidney beans and store them, refrigerated, in their cooking liquid in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Preparation:
1 cup of dried beans makes approximately 3 cups of cooked beans.
Canned kidney beans should be thoroughly rinsed before using. Dried kidney beans should be soaked before cooking, both to speed cooking time and to reduce any gas-causing tendencies. There are two ways to soak dried beans:

Overnight soak: Rinse the beans, then cover with an inch of cold water and let soak at room temperature for at least four hours or overnight. Drain and rinse the beans before cooking them.

Quick-soak method: Rinse the beans, then put in a saucepan, cover with an inch of water, and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes and then let them soak for an hour off the heat, drain, and then add fresh water and continue cooking.

Soaked kidney beans will cook in about 60 minutes. Use 3 cups of water for each cup of uncooked beans, and you may wish to season the beans by adding bay leaves, herb sprigs, or garlic cloves to the cooking water. There’s a persistent myth that adding salt to beans while they cook will toughen their skins. This is not true, however, and salting the cooking water gives the beans better flavor.

Recipes:

Honey Bean Salad Kidney beans are dressed with a honey and cider vinegar dre…

Italian Vegetable Soup A vegan main dish soup that is hearty and tastes great with…

Quick Chili II This quick ground beef and bean chili features green chiles…

Steak Chili Browned cubes of steak are sauteed with chopped onions, gar…

Quick Chili I Easy chili with beans can be made as mild or spicy as desir…

Information has been aggregated from the following sites here in order to provide useful information about Kidney Beans: Finecooking.com, FatSecret.com, TrueStarHealth.com, WHFoods.com

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Click on the images below to view all 52 weeks at once or the recipes to go with it, in a .jpg or download the 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (PDF) or the Custom 52 Week Food Purchasing Plan (Excel file) and calculate exactly how much you’ll need for the size of your family.