Friday, July 25, 2008

Two Transcontinential Flights, Moving Countdown & Using Up Foods

OK everyone, this is a little of a tip and a request. In light of our moving in 18 days (!) from Africa back to the USA, I am using up things in my pantry, fridge and freezer. I have food I bought here in Ghana as well as foods that were sent with people visiting on mission trips. I even have foods we brought with us two years ago!

Here's what I have now of any amount (does not include fresh produce):

Nuts: Cashews, Raw Almonds, Walnuts
Seeds: Sunflower Seeds, Alfalfa Seeds (for sprouting)
Dried Fruits: Pineapple, Mango, Coconut, Dates, Prunes
Oils: Red Palm Oil, Sunflower Oil
Sweeteners: Raw Honey, Powdered Stevia
Beans: Mung Beans, Lentils, Groundnut paste (Peanut Butter)
Grains/Starches: Oatmeal, Wheat Flour, Rice, Banku (corn & cassava), Gari & Tapioca Pearls(cassava products), 100% Rye Bread, Rice Noodles
Other dried items: Sun Dried Tomatoes, Carob Powder
Other baking/cooking items: Active Dry Yeast, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Balsamic Vinegar, Real Salt, Miso, Greens Powder, various other herbs & spices for seasoning
Drinks: Fruit & Grape Juice, Dried Mint Tea Leaves


Fresh Produce:

Onions
Garlic
Carrots
Lemons
Apples
Okra

Some things I know I will use for snacks for our (more than 24 hour) travel time to the states in the airplane and 2 airport layovers. Some of the nuts and dried fruit will be used there because they are easy travel food. It just goes without saying that some of the dates, coconut and almonds will find their way into some dates balls for the trip. Same for the peanut butter and carob and honey for some fudgy treats. I know that the produce will be used and bought as needed until we leave.

You know, just writing this out has already helped me get some good ideas to make menus:

Banku with okra stew (okra with red palm oil, onions, garlic, carrots)
Vegan ice cream with the soy milk and honey
Sprout the alfalfa to put in a sandwich with the rye bread
Mint tea sweetened with honey or stevia
Baked oatmeal with peanut butter to stand in for some of the oil
Smoothies with fruit & greens powder, prunes, juice, carob & peanut butter
Make bread with the yeast and flour
Gravy with the sunflower seeds to eat on rice
Meatless burgers with the oatmeal and walnuts
Tapioca pudding with soymilk and tapioca pearls
Carob cake with carob fudge frosting using a few of the items
Granola with the oatmeal, almonds, coconut and honey
Lemon water
Soup with lentils, onions, garlic and gari
Barbecue sauce (or a version of it) with the sun dried tomatoes
Cookies with flour, honey, oil and walnuts
Homemade seasoned salt to use in savory dishes
Marinade (using balsamic vinegar for lemon juice) for a bean salad or vegetables on the grill
Noodles with cheese sauce
Carrot dip
Lentil tacos with flour tortillas
Popcorn for a snack

That ought to get me started. Maybe I'll start marking my pantry items in the future with the dates purchased so I don't wait so long to use them next time! =) Tip: use up what you have before it gets too old to be good.
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Now for that request... I need some tips on what to do when we have layovers in Frankfurt, Germany (7 hours long) and Washington D.C.- Dulles Airport (4 hours). Anyone know these specific airports? I'm not as worried about the DC one, since it won't be as long, but tips for there are still welcome.
Keep in mind I have a 10 year old son and a 2 year old daughter. I need some frugal tips for our entire trip and move. So please pass them along. =)

4 comments:

Brooke said...

i'm trying to do the same thing - only my move isn't quiet so dramatic. Mr. Right and I have put an offer on a house across town. He's moving from his apartment to the house as soon as the bank can get everything straightened out (its a foreclosure so it has some issues).

Anonymous said...

Welcome home. I'm not sure if you can do some touring. But word searches are always fun then a nap.

texasleslie said...

have fun doing thing that can only be saved for the airports:
For your son...see if he can learn two or three short sentences in german and be able to talk to one or two people in the airport for fun! :-)
For baby girl...can you make any of the yarn "sewing" cards with shapes to sew?...punch out small holes and have her sew the yarn in the shape of an African fruit or tree...you could use a plastic coated paper clip for a sewing needle? (I think that would pass thru security?)...the cards could be made out of cardboard box or something.

Play the "i spy some thing new" game with them for new things from that country...things they did not have in Ghana...

I agree with barbara lee...find a little place for a nap! (you and tim switch off!)

Sarah Halter said...

Great ideas texasleslie!