If you go to the Raumen Museum in Yokohama, you can make your own instant ramen noodles there (or the Cup Noodle Museum). I saw this on one of Ming Tsai's shows, and so if you can find that episode, it shows how to make your own instant noodles. It involves deep frying the fresh noodles in a wire basket, which is easy if you have the wire basket (I have one I have not yet used), and then you can add whatever dried ingredients, such as dried vegetables, dried wakame, etc that you want plus perhaps a bouillon cube or dried soup base. For dried soup base, I like the Knorr Mexican chicken soup base, and they also make a tomato base that I like. It is also easy to buy the dried vegetables, or you can order them on line. The trick to making the instant noodles is frying them, and I have not done this ... yet, but I plan to as some point. Or you can buy the dried instant noodles, and this I have done. I buy instant rice noodles as often as I do wheat noodles.

Here's a video, but this one is from a museum in Osaka:

I haven't done it, but I've done pieces of bits of parts of what composes it. :)

Some comments on Kenji -- he's advocating heathier than the styro cup of noodles but I'm not sure how close he comes on that. Better Than Bouillion is SALT with a little flavoring in it. Beef jerky is also very salty, though there are some forms that don't have other nasty chemicals. I get it that the fresh veg and herbs taste nice, but the portions probably aren't enough to lend a lot of specific nutrition. That is, I'm sure what he made was good to eat, but nothing to get on his high horse about.

One thing I think he got spot on right is the jar. The canning-style jar is presumably made to be immersed in boiling water so should stand up well to having boiling water poured into it. The bale and rubber/silicone seal should be good for freshness while new, but a proper canning lid would be too, and the seals are easier to replace when they get hard/wear out. Either way, however, the jar seems the best choice of vessel.

Re the noodles, your kids can make their own and dry them. All they need is strength, a good rolling pin, and a sharp knife, and a warm dry place for the drying. My old auntie used to use the (spotlessly clean) top of the fridge because the air coming off the coils was like a gently blow dry. Most dried pasta will "make" in just hot water, let alone boiling. If they cut the pasta thin and small, it'll plump faster and be ready to eat before the heat of the soup goes off. That's why the ramen in the cups is so small (well, that, and breakage). Not something to try with rustic tagliatelli (though boiling water and a soak in one jar, drain, add soup mix and more water would probably work with those too...) By making their own pasta, the kids can use whatever grains suit them best.

They could also dehydrate their own veg and mushrooms and all, and toast
and grind their own spices to make their own soup base. There are
recipes on the web for using dried ingredients, but another way to do it
is just to make a small pot of soup and reduce it all the way. Done
that way, you know that the concentrate is something you like the flavor and balance of.

The other thing, though, is non-refrigeration and the "danger zone". You can have most perishable foods unrefrigerated for about four hours tops before they become dangerous. Starting from room temp before pouring in the boiling water, however, will make for a hotter, nicer soup. I'd be concerned about non-preserved meats. They can also dehydrate their own meat, too. The only thing is a completely dry, shelfable, jar of food is going to need more to reconstitute it than boiling water. At that point, fresh everything is better, and back to what Kenji was doing. But take it out of the fridge for at least half an hour to warm up. :)

I think a more useful approach to this would be to make dried noodle cups that can sit out, with small, dried noodles, small chips of dried vegetables, and dry spices. They could be made up en masse all at once, instead of in a daily, fussy, preparation. Potentially, these could be stored at work, and stashed in go bags (with some padding). On any given day, a portion of meat, and some nice veg could be cut up and baggied (think leftovers), and taken to meet up with the jar and the boiling water. :)

Lars, I've watched the video twice now and am going to watch it again. I'm still trying to figure out all of the intriguing options (I got the tomato) ... and I'm a Pink Floyd fan:) The Knorr Mexican soup base sounds like a winner too -- boyfriend really enjoys Mexican and spice! I always try to tell him that I think something's a bit spicy, but our scoville scales are a bit different. Will look at rice noodles too -- possible gluten problems with daughter. Investigating that.

plllog, I knew I could count on a thorough answer from you!!!!. Agree salt comment --really. Agree canning jar comment. I know that these two would love to make pasta as an "event" with a lot of guidance, but they lack time. When they come home, maybe we can do as an "event.":) They love to be in the kitchen, and her boyfriend really likes to cook. Agree danger zone -- and thank you for confirming that! I'm probably oversensitive to that.

Your last paragraph has great solutions. The dried portions made up and then fresh ingredients added to the "foundation":) win/win. Both you and Lars mention dried vegetables -- would Whole Foods have those? They would, wouldn't they? Bulk? Time is in such short supply for them (they were starting their weekly shopping 8:00 Monday night after being out of town all weekend).

Thank you both for your thoughts/advice. I'm going to copy/paste and send!

Cathy in SWPA

Going back to watch that video again:)

Dehydrated vegetables (as well as lots of other foods, though possibly with ingredients conflicts) are available for backpackers, and also for home food storage. There are some dehydrated veg available at Whole Foods. For use in instant soups, however, I can highly recommend the It's Delish brand, which is carried by many chain groceries. Inexpensive large jars and pure. There might be a trace chemical so low in quantity that it doesn't require disclosure, but that's an easy inquiry. Since it's kosher, I kind of doubt it. They're chopped to the right size already. I use their chopped mixed vegetables and chopped onions a lot in things like omelettes and sloppy joes. They also have chopped bell peppers (red or green). Their herbs are also easy to throw in by the handful. They're drier than Penzey's but not as dry as most of the spice companies.

Most better grocery stores have dried mushrooms which are easily broken into small pieces and bring a load of flavor.

Since the kids are living on a frugal budget, something that might work for them well, if they end up liking the whole noodle cup thing, is an investment into a good dehydrator. They can just fill it up when they have time and let it do its thing. They can dry noodles in it too. The hard part about drying noodles is getting them good and dry before mold has a chance to attach.

Do they have a Food Saver yet? That's another thing that can be expensive to start, and cut costs to pay for itself many times over down the road. With one of those, they could also package up fresh ingredients to add to the noodle cup, freeze, and let thaw during the morning to be ready for lunch. If they're careful to avoid contamination as they're portioning (cleaned and cooked/blanched foods), they should stay plenty cool enough so long as they're eaten that day. The packets should hold at least a month even in a cheap fridge/freezer that self defrosts.

For that matter, they could ziplock or vacuum seal the noodle cup stuff and just make sure to have a bowl on the eating end that's boiling water worthy, perhaps with a dish or lid to cover with while it's steeping to keep it warm.

I see endless possibilities. Plus, they could do something similar with cooked and semi-dried rice or other grains, or just reduce a brothy soup to a paste, portion in jars and freeze for travel (to work or wherever), then reconstitute with boiling water to eat. It might work with beans, too.

The greatest answer to low food budget is making your own. It's hard to get started. Think of how impressed we are by people like Annie and Grainlady. Maintaining a scratch lifestyle is far easier than starting it, but easing into it isn't that hard at all. When/where I was living abroad there were very few made up foods available, other than deli salads and bread, and no one had much money. Not as scratch as Annie--it was still groceries from a store or farmers' market, but we cooked everything from base ingredients. While I do a few things via shortcuts now (because that's the recipe), that's the way I learned to cook and the way I think of cooking now.

If the kids want to start doing it, the noodle cups are a great way in. First assemble from the foods they can easily buy. Learn to make soup base paste and powdered spice packets for soup. Then learn to make and dry noodles and learn to add odd leftovers and bits chopped fresh. Then learn to vacuum seal and freeze. Then learn to dehydrate ingredients and store in vacuum jars. Etc. Pretty soon, they'll have all these skills and pantry items that they can use in anything they cook...

I was about to make a comment similar to Plllog's about the salt content in all the Better Than Bouillon products, including the lower sodium versions. I use similar bouillon paste products, and they don't really mix with hot water instantly. It takes a bit of stirring and smooshing the paste into the hot water to get a broth. That's OK when I'm making broth to use in something that's going to be cooked for while. But it might be frustrating if you're trying to have a truly quick, "instant" soup lunch. I think a dried, granular soup base would be more "instant," but the salt content would still be quite high.

A simpler and healthier solution would be just to make some broth and bring it in a microwavable container. Ramen noodles, fresh, are now available in the produce section of my markets.

I agree with Gooster but love Plllog's idea of havig frozen veggies or other ingredients that can defrost during the morning to add nutrients. It seems the simplest solution.

I would hate to waste the opportunity for making homemade "convenience" foods only on DIY Instant Noodle Cups. There's soooooooo much more! And so much more that will save money AND time.

1. From the "laundry list" of health challenges/conditions, I would think food preparation and meal planning would need to be paramount to this young couple in order to avoid years of "bad" health down the road - whether they think they have the time for it or not. The emphasis is on PLAN! Not just a few convenience foods. The nice part about having a plan is that you can repeat it because it works and is familiar. But, for a healthy future, they really need to give food serious priority now to reap the benefits in the future. And yes, it can include lots of homemade "convenience" foods with an eye on their particular needs, likes, and cooking skills.

I've been making my own "convenience" foods since the 70's, although I made lots of casserole mixes, I never gave a thought to DIY Instant Noodle Cups; but I like things I can bake in muffin cups, freeze, and reheat quickly for lunches or an in-a-hurry meal. Today my "convenience" foods includes "mock" KIND Bars and granola bars, gluten-free Baking Mix I use with all those Q&E Bisquick recipes (like Impossible Taco Pie, Tamale Pie, Barbecue Beef Pie, Cheeseburger Pie), soup mixes, meals-in-a-jar (using dry goods and/or freeze-dried ingredients), and Overnight Oatmeal (you can eat cold or hot), just to name a few.

2. The ultimate and original "fast food" is Nature's own raw whole foods with little in the way of preparation - washing, peeling/chopping, steaming, light sautéing, poaching...

3. I would suggest purchasing #10 cans of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables that fit their diet, as well as using fresh and frozen food. Both of my busy off-spring LOVE freeze-dried foods for fast meals once they learned how to use them (Veggie Scrambled Eggs, Stir-Fry, added to rice/quinoa, added to soups, casseroles, and one-pan meals. Freeze-dried corn, peas, carrots, and green beans is a good base for any home. Try a few Mountain House choices in the 2-serving packets (like golden sweet whole kernel corn and sweet peas). I keep my college-student granddaughter stocked with these items for quick meals at school. She likes to add some canned or freeze-dried meat to a cup of microwave brown and wild rice, along with some rehydrated freeze-dried vegetable/s.

Although I use a lot of home- and commercially-dehydrated foods, they often take too long to rehydrate and require pre-planning to incorporate them into a meal (not really Q&E for a busy young couple). Plus, dehydrated foods have less nutrients than freeze-dried - although I have a short list of must-have dehydrated foods in my pantry - onions, chives, mushrooms, kale, and parsley. "The antioxidant phytochemicals found in fruits' fresh state are retained at levels almost as high after freeze-drying the fruit. A #10 can will equal 10-20 pounds of produce". We use lots of freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and dried bananas, but have a large selection of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables in our food storage room we rotate into the pantry.

4. Back to that plan.... The "genre meal plan" I've used for years has merit for busy young people as a general guideline. You can leave a day out or switch days, and not mess the whole thing up. Pick the day that works best for each day, or change it when needed. Make one day a week where you can do some bulk cooking, especially meat and casserole dishes, soup/stew/chili to have in user-friendly amounts in the freezer. Last week when chicken breasts were on sale, I seasoned and packaged them for future meals several different ways. Yesterday I scored big on pork loin (99-cents per pound), so I seasoned and cooked it in the slow-cooker for a MONSTER amount of future meals (I have a list of 18-meals I can make with cooked pork). I do the same with all kinds of meat, and I do it on a $10/week meat budget for two adults.

One baked potato (microwave it, or pre-cooked out of the freezer and reheated) topped with chili from the freezer is a quick meal with fresh veggies/salad and fruit for dessert; or chili used in a taco salad (a la Wendy's) is money in the bank when you think you HAVE to go out to eat because you don't have time to cook. Have planned "out-to-eat" emergency meals ready to go in the freezer.

Why a general idea for the day instead of the traditional complete meal plan from soup to nuts? Focus and flexibility. On - International Day (the focus) - when you have taco shells in the cabinet, you can make tacos with any number of on-hand ingredients (flexibility), including canned or pre-cooked chicken, shredded pork or beef, small amounts of meat leftovers in the refrigerator or freezer, lentils, fish, refried beans and rice for a vegetarian taco, a small amount of pre-cooked ground beef or ground turkey you season with taco seasoning, shredded left-over baked/fried chicken seasoned with taco seasoning.... It's about what can I make with what I have on-hand.

The Plan:

Monday - Big Meal - includes a large cut of meat and all the trimmings. The meat will be used for lunches and subsequent meals, stir-fry, and if there is enough left, some for the freezer. If there is a carcass (turkey or chicken), or large bones (bone-in ham) it's used for stock or soup.

Tuesday - Leftovers. May be from the day before, or found in the refrigerator or freezer.

Wednesday - Stir-fry. Good way to use up fresh veggies prepared the previous two (or more) days, use small portions of frozen vegetables, any type of meat will work. Make large batches once a month and keep cooked rice or quinoa in portions in the freezer to use on Stir-Fry day, or use Minute Rice, or the microwave cups that cook in 1-minute in the microwave.

Thursday - International. Which generally means something with pasta or a tortilla, but any country, including the USA, will work.

Friday - Vegetarian. Keep a stack of homemade bean burgers in the freezer. I make a double batch at a time for the freezer. Have breakfast for dinner when you have a little more time to make French Toast, pancakes or waffles. Make more than you need and freeze them.

Saturday - Soup and/or Sandwich. Sandwich can mean a lot of things - pita, sloppy joes, quesadillas, wraps....

Sunday - Homemade Pizza. During the summer we generally have a dinner salad with fresh produce from the garden, or we will make a stove-top pizza on a tortilla. But in the winter it's a full-size pizza, and I often make several par-baked pizza crusts at the same time and freeze them. Use the packets of pizza dough mix for under a buck. All good ways to clean out the refrigerator.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other ideas I've collected over the years:

Meat on Sunday and Wednesday

Casseroles/Leftovers Monday and Thursday

Pasta on Tuesday

Fish, eggs, cheese - Friday

Soup/Sandwich - Saturday

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday - Mexican

Tuesday - Fish/Meatless

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Italian

Friday - Pizza

Saturday - Grill/Meat

Sunday - Comfort/Traditional Food

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other ideas: Crock-pot, something new, something easy, rotisserie chicken (from the store).....

Your freezer, and a well-stocked pantry, is your friend. ;-)

Can’t thank
you enough for helping me generate different ideas and
fleshing out some of the pros and cons. You can
just scroll to last two paragraphs if you’re in a hurry:)

They’re
still sorting things out.

They’ve
built their first Ikea kitchen table (BURSTA with a little facetime with me:), Googled the difference between fruit flies and sewer flies and had a bedbug
check by the cutest darn beagle ever.

Moving forward on the to-do
list:

Develop kitchen
strategies that match eating habits, work with time constraints and adhere to an
evolving (for now) food budget. And then
there’s the balance of when to purchase/which tools/appliances that support
that style.

Lastly,
Lloyd really, really, really likes food and is intrigued with
learning about cooking*. Way more than my
Emily:) She kind eats to live,
and he kind of lives to eat (long distance runner).

Lunch
seems to be the place to save and the reason behind this idea. While they both have great jobs and are doing
well, we want to encourage budgeting and saving.

I’m going to
send your recommendations to them. Also going to
talk with them about the foodsaver (maybe even lend them mine to test drive). There
is something about an organized freezer that encourages you to use it.

Thanks so
much!!!

Cathy in
SWPA

* While Lloyd is
intrigued with cooking, apparently he can’t bear breaking down a rotisserie
chicken and actually has to leave the room. My son,
Alex, said with a serious but mischievous eyes said “Is it the
sound? Joints popping?”

Okay, I was posting as you were, Grainlady. Going back to read your post and will be forwarding. As an aside, Emily went to see a nutritionist, saw a gastro and has a bunch of testing coming up because your recommended Digestive Health book motivated her. She's also been trying the FODMAP (notices a difference) -- having some trouble balancing work dinners, new job and dietary restrictions without calling attention to herself. We'll work on those words later:)

Your sharing is appreciated!

Cathy in SWPA

I'm so glad Grainlady chimed in about the freeze dried difference, as well as the rest!

I've developed a few low FODMAP recipes that came out quite well if you think they'd like them. They're not fast, though. :)

If they like ramen noodles, I have tried these and like them. King Soba buckwheat ramen. The ingredients are simply buckwheat and water, and are not deep fried. They are not exactly cheap but I use one package to feed my family of 6. They are great with veggies and a miso type broth. ETA: Buckwheat is gluten free so if there are problems with gluten, these should not be a problem. They also have ramen made with rice, black rice, and a chile flavor (none of which I have tried but do sound intriguing).

I'm going to revisit again in a week when I have some more time. I know absolutely NOTHING about freeze-dried foods (Grainlady said " Both of my busy off-spring LOVE freeze-dried foods for fast meals once
they learned how to use them (Veggie Scrambled Eggs, Stir-Fry, added to
rice/quinoa, added to soups, casseroles, and one-pan meals.) I feel like I have to understand before I get them to understand.

Grainlady, the PLAN!!! This is EXACTLY what they need. I'm sending today because they both will be home this weekend. They will like this.

When I told Emily that I asked about noodle soup and it segued down the health "rabbit hole", she sighed and said "Thank you.":)

plllog -- you're so kind. I would love those recipes in near future. Were they for you? Family members? This is a huge digression and maybe TMI in case you don't have time:) Right now, Emily is basically doing an elimination diet -- eating potatoes, carrots, eggs, chicken, anything plain, has hydrogen breath test, colonoscopy on the horizon. She's a CPA (big four), crazy hours, business dinners, etc. Since she's a new transfer, she doesn't yet feel comfortable saying anything about her diet when dining with clients and/or big cheeses:) It is hard because the focus will then become her diet issues. Most people just care. Wanna hear something funny? My husband's 55 with Type 1 diabetes (yep, he has ulcerative colitis too), can't eat dinner on the rare occasions we go out, and HATES to say anything. The waitresses, God love them, want to help, feed, etc. I end up saying "He has a couple of health issues going on that preclude him from eating with us tonight -- It's really okay." HA!

tishtoshnm -- thank you for that recommendation! I will add that to my list to investigate. They don't seem too expensive; particularly, if they feed the family, are good for you and everyone likes them. That's a win-win-win:)

I have to get school stuff ready. Alex said any and all baked goods would/will be appreciated so that's happening.

Thanks again.

Cathy in SWPA

Cathy, It's not too big a digression! This thread was about food for them. One of my best friends has somewhat different issues, but was put on low FODMAP as a way of addressing them. My meatballs marinara, the most successful dish, I think, is at the end of this thread: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2476107/low-fodmap-diet

Here's something that you can say to your daughter, however: If her diet issues are passed over lightly and with a smile and a joke, she can skate past them with the clients and cheeses, but if she doesn't commit 100% to the elimination diet she might just as well not bother. The whole point of it is to reset the gut to a zero point and allow it to heal before adding things in one at a time. You can't do that if you keep assaulting your gut.

Instead, Emily can say, lightly, that her doctor has her on a very restrictive diet. "Totally boring, but all I'm allowed to have is greens and a little plain meat." It's not the full sum of it, but a simple explanation that allows her to order something that most restaurants can accommodate. She can also speak to the restaurant manager privately, maybe even have a card to pass to the chef, that says what she can have, so that the focus at the table isn't on her. E.g. Lettuce, kale, collards, chard, cabbage, spinach, carrot, raddish, plain grilled chicken, beef, cod, salmon, tuna, shrimp, salt & pepper, basil, cilantro, oregano, parsley. A list of that kind should turn up a decent salad, or perhaps even a composed entree. Most restaurants should have at least some of those things, fresh and whole, with which they could easily make her something simple that actually is low in FODMAPs.

Another thing I did is make a low FODMAP chicken stock. That's easy. And if you have stock, you can make all kinds of good things!

plllog -- How did I miss that thread? Going back to reread intentionally and forwarding that too. My goodness, your lasagna looks delicious, and I love the addition of turnips in the marinara HA!

Ironic. I was going to tell you that Emily tried to get an appt with blog but she's not taking new patients -- referred her to another nutritionist -- all good. She has another appt after tests, I think.

Agree, about the elimination diet. She's probably been on it about 4 weeks. She's noticed the few times shes eaten something with wheat she has immediate symptoms. Really has done a great job adhering to the diet, in light of work/life balance.

I love your words. Because they are my words:) Choosing my battles, and she's managing the eating out "okay." Here are the issues:

She's new kid on the block -- capable/confident (and I'm not biased) , but still getting "lay of the land." She's been paired with a new client, high visibility. She has found (and I concur) that sometimes when you mention dietary restrictions in restaurant setting, conversations are refocused/diverted -- well-meaning attention, but not right now. Some waitstaff (not all) tend to have a gavel in hand/order in the court when taking orders.

Bottom line -- she's ordering some things she can eat, and pushing around the plate the other stuff:)

BTW, I hope the water situation, patients and parents are all well! Thanks for all of your help!

Cathy in SWPA

Just a sidebar -- other day, partner flew in -- lunch out, then happy
hour, then dinner out, got home at 10:00:) She'll be traveling the next
three weeks. The colonoscopy/testing is in there -- Really learning to
advocate for herself with the medical community. It will be okay:)

Thanks for the kind words, Cathy, and for the good wishes. I just took the patient Israeli style eggplant salad, Israeli salad (diced cucumbers, tomatoes and onions (I used a scallion)), store bought whole wheat pitot, and a few sandwich fixings. She loved it! The water is another story. It still comes out of the tap, but one mustn't let it! They're predicting a whopper of a wet Winter but most of the water will go into destruction rather than the aquifers and reservoirs if their predictions come true. Or it could be a dud. Either way, the drought continues.

I feel for Emily's predicament. That's why I suggested making up a card and talking privately to the manager. So many things in restaurants are compromised somewhere between fresh/whole and service. I'm glad to know that she's coping.

The best substitutes for aliums seem to be the pungent roots like turnips and parsnips. Also raddishes, ginger, etc. The pungency is a different flavor, but at least it's flavor. The rest is just a matter of balance. It helps if tomatoes aren't an issue, like with my friend. They're chock full of umami (which is why ketchup is so loved), and the acid helps the flavor in a fruitier way than citrus or vinegar would. That's the key to making the combinations work: a little sweet, a little salty, a little sour, a little bitter, a little hot, a little acid and umami wherever you can get it (no mushrooms!).

Trailrunner used to talk about how her chef son would save the fond from the roast, accumulating in the freezer. I think one could actually generate fond specifically for the jar. Slice some cheap beef thin, season very lightly if desired, and roast flat on parchment. The fond doesn't stick to parchment and can be scraped off with a fork. That would make a great flavor enhancer. One could probably chill the meat, marinate in a little good oil, and go for another round or two. Then whirr it up with some veg or something for a soup base. This is all theory, mind you, but I think it would work.

My best to your daughter and to success in tackling all the issues. And to your son with his mom made baked goods to start the year with. :)

Here is the Ming Tsai video - he was in Osaka instead of Yokohama.

cathyinpa-

Is your daughter following a low-FODMAPS diet? If so, it just dawned on me this morning while going through the comments again, she would want to avoid high-fructan foods which includes wheat-based products, as well as rye and barley, so it's gluten-free noodles she will want to use in her noodle cups. Gluten is just one issue about wheat, there are many other issues including fructans for people who have fructan intolerance.

Here is a recipe at this link that may be helpful by the author of "Gluten-Free on a Shoestring": http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gluten-free-instant-noodle-cups/. I have the book "Gluten-Free on a Shoestring" cookbook by Nicole Hunn. Her recipe for Arepas (page 136) is a favorite of mine, and Arepas are a gluten-free bread I keep in the freezer for Q&E meals.

There are ingredients in the recipe that wouldn't work on a low-FODMAPS diet, but there are substitutes that would be easy to use. Instead of garlic and onion (high-fructan foods) she can use gluten-free Asafoetida Blend (available from the Red Onion Spice & Tea Company - http://www.redonionspice.com/Spices-Herbs_c_1.html). This recipe would also work well using freeze-dried chives and freeze-dried shoestring carrots (I love this food item a LOT), as well as freeze-dried chicken.

I keep going back to the book, "The Meals In A Jar Handbook" recipes by Chef Tess Bakeresse (aka Stephanie Petersen) and I think an instant just-add-water version could be adapted and vacuum-sealed in jars. You can find Chef Tess Bakeresse videos here: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=chef+tess+meals+in+a+jar+recipes&qpvt=chef+tess+meals+in+a+jar+recipes&FORM=VDRE They will give you some insight into making your own meals-in-a-jar using freeze-dried foods, and adjusting the ingredients to suit dietary needs/restrictions. The ultimate "convenience" foods.

The breath hydrogen test will test for three sugars -- lactulose, fructose and lactose. Only some people have lactose or fructose malabsorption and a breath hydrogen test will indicate whether or not one needs to limit lactose or excess fructose in the diet.

A great book based on the Low-FODMAP diet - Food Intolerance Management Plan - by Dr. Sue Shepherd and Dr. Peter Gibson.

-Grainlady

OT: Grainlady, I am curious of your overall opinion of GF on a Shoestring cookbooks. My library system does not have them but I have been to the website from time to time and I suppose my biggest critique has been that her definition of shoestring varies quite a bit from mine, specifically when she starts talking about the Better Batter flour blend. Do the recipes generally work with the flour blend replacements that you can make yourself? Are the cookbooks a worthwhile investment?

tishtoshnm --

As with many gluten-free books, they use more high-glycemic starches and all-purpose gluten-free flour mixtures than I care to consume. I tend to use more almond and coconut flour for baked goods.

You are right, my "shoestring" is definitely much smaller than the author's (LOL). To give credit where credit is due, she does the math with many of the recipes in the book to prove her "shoestring" theory - based on making her recipe or buying a g-f frozen version. Personally, I can live without a gluten-free baked pretzel - at any price. Some foods you just can't make a good gluten-free substitute, so I don't waste my time/money. There are a lot of meat-related and vegetable recipes, but most people who are gluten-free don't need a recipe for glazed carrots or pot roast.

The only recipe I've tried was for Arepas:

(makes 10-12)

1 c. precooked cornmeal flour (P.A.N.)

1 c. grated mozzarella cheese

1/8 t. kosher salt

1 c. plus 2-4 T. tepid water

1/4 c. vegetable oil (I use coconut oil)

1. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal flour, cheese, and salt. Add 1 cup of water and stir to combine and incorporate the water into the flour mixture. Add more water by the tablespoonful if necessary for the dough to come together. Once the dough has come together, cover the towel with plastic wrap and allow it to stand at room temperature for 3-4 minutes. The cornmeal flour will continue to absorb water, and the dough will stiffen as it stands.

2. After the dough has stiffened, wet your hands and divide the dough into 10-12 portions of about 3 T. each. With wet hands again, form the first piece of dough into a ball, then flatten into a disk about 1/4-inch thick and 2-1/2-inches wide. Repeat with each piece of dough.

3. Pour the oil into a 12-inch skillet with at least 2-inch high sides, and heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. While the oil heats, prepare the first portion of dough for frying. Wet your hands again and press all around the edge of the disk, eliminating any cracks. Flatten along the side, smoothing as you go. When you fry the Arepas, if you have successfully eliminated all the cracks, steam will build up inside and they will puff and swell. It takes some practice, but it's well worth the effort.

4. When the oil is ready, place each portion of dough carefully in the pan, and fry until golden brown, turning over once during frying and frying for 4-5 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan. Fry in batches.

5. Drain Arepas on towels before serving. With a wet serrated knife, slice the Arepas in half horizontally and serve warm or at room temperature.

(Grainlady note: I slice them open before wrapping the leftovers for the freezer. In fact, I use my English Muffin "fork" for the task. I like to toast the inside on a dry griddle after they are thawed, apply the filling of choice - we often make ham and cheese - then grill the outside to melt the cheese inside and warm the ham. I also use them with poached eggs (using one-half of an arepa, toasted), shredded pork/beef/chicken sandwiches, egg salad, tuna salad...... I always wish I would have know this recipe for my mother, who had Celiac disease. She would have loved these little beauties. :-)

-Grainlady

Thank you, I look forward to trying that recipe. My daughter is a type 1 diabetic so we are cognizant of our carb consumption as well. I do understand the though of comparing the cost to a frozen GF product but I would purchase so few of those anyway that it has little relevance to my budget.