Hurricane Irene-Prep

                                                                                                                 So by now I'm sure you are all in the midst of prepping for this hurricane that EVERYONE is talking about. Maybe she will just be a gust and some rain drops, or maybe she will knock out your power for a few days. Only time will tell.

In the meantime, you should probably have some food on deck that doesn't need to be cooked and may or may not need refrigeration.

Lets start with some food safety tips.

Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs should be refridgerated at below 40°F and frozen food should be kept at or below 0°F. In case the power goes out, KEEP THE REFRIDGERATOR AND FREEZER DOOR CLOSED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I know this might be hard when you are dealing with the boredom of loosing your electricity, but if need be stock your pantry and pretend its the fridge that we all feel the need to open and look inside, close the door, and repeat.

If you keep your refridgerator shut, it should keep food at a safe temperature for about 4 hours.

The freezer should last about 48 hours.

If the power is going to be out for an extended period of time, hook yourself up with some dry ice. For more information on where to get dry ice, scroll down to the bottom of this blog.

So now, onto the good stuff. What to stock up on or prepare in advance!

Everyone rushes to get milk, bread, eggs, and water. It makes no sense, because if you don't have this stuff before the emergency, chances are you don't use it regularly.

Buy what you like. Think about foods that don't need to be refrigerated or heated.

Fruit is an awesome option. Its healthy, bold, and has very little prep.

Bread and crackers will go great with some of that canned tuna or chicken that requires practically no prep either. Or get yourself something different like Pita, Nann, Sticky Buns, Pancakes, Waffles. Seriously...get what you like.

Get some snacks. Chances are if you really need the "emergency staples" you are going to be stuck in the house for a few days. Most snacks don't need to be heated or cooled.

Make some turkey bacon and make yourself a blt later on.

Pizza is always a great food and you can eat it hot or cold. 

PB and J...Nutella...Fluff...Honey...Banana....Be Creative!

Veggies that don't need refrigeration:  Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions, Squash, Eggplant, Carrots, and Potatoes to name a few.






Grab some nuts! They are a great source of protein and fiber.


Cereal and almond milk, soy milk, or powder milk.


Stock up on some pickled and smoked items like pickles and fishes.

If you have a gas stove, you can pretty much cook what ever you need by lighting the pilot with a match. You can make soups, sauces, rice, mashed potatoes, you name it with some boiled water and packaged foods.

You can also make use of your grill (if you don't mind getting wet). You can also heat your food with a fondue pot, candle warmer, or chafing dishes. Drastic times call for drastic measures.

Make sure that you have ready made formula for babies and ready to eat pet food for your pets.Definitely make sure that you are stocked up on water, juices, and drinks. (Alcohol can always be used to sterilize as a last resort and it might keep you warm.)---The beer you might just want to drink before it gets skunky.


So tell me, what will you be eating while you are cooped up?

Dry Ice can be found in the following locations:

South Jersey

Icesolv Inc

Riverside, NJ

(856) 461-6939

Mack the Ice Man Inc

502 East Clements Bridge Road

Runnemede, NJ

(856) 939-6225

RBC Inc.

1 S. Industrial Blvd.

Bridgeton, NJ

(856) 453-7972

Vineland Ice & Storage

544 E. Pear St.

Vineland, NJ

(856) 692-3990

Pennsylvania:

Dry Ice Corp. - Frm Phily Offramp

200 Rapauno St.

Gibbsown, NJ

856-224-4956

dryicecorp.com

Jim's Enterprises, Inc.

2235 Hartranft Street

Philadelphia, PA

 (215) 462-4000

philadelphiadryice.com

Bethlehem Ice Service

623 Hanover Avenue

Allentown, PA

(610) 776-6994

Great Valley Car Wash

Malin Road And Route # 30

Malvern, PA

(610) 644-3243

North Jersey:

Dry Ice Corp.

39 McClellan Street

Newark, NJ

973-242-8500

dryicecorp.com

Artic Ice Manufacturing Co.

158 Semel Avenue

Garfield, NJ

(973) 772-7000; Dry Ice, Ice Cubes / 24 hour Emergency Service

www.articiceco.com.

info@articiceco.com

Continental Carbonic Products

901 Penhorn Avenue Unit 3

Secaucus, NJ

(201) 866-6665

www.continentalcarbonic.com/locations/

Action Ice & Dry Ice

109 Baldwin Avenue

Hasbrouck Heights, NJ

(201) 288-0466

For more information visit dryiceDirectory.com.

The Wonders of....Broccoli Slaw

Broccoli Slaw.
No, not cole slaw.


Broccoli Slaw.


Broccoli Slaw is a variation of the normal cabbage and carrot mix, with a huge emphasis on...you guessed it broccoli. Made from the stems of broccoli, this twist on the original classic salad mix is filled with Vitamin C, Folic Acid (for all you pregos), and Fiber!


It is super versatile and can essentially be thrown into ANYTHING for a crunchy and nutritional bonus.


Seriously, you can eat an entire 12 oz bag for 125 calories.


Now I am sure you are wondering, "how can I use broccoli slaw?


Here are some fresh and healthy ideas!


Obviously, Broccoli Slaw Salad


Hungry Girl-Bacon Ranch Broccoli Slaw
2/3 c fat free sour cream
1.5 T Dry Ranch Seasoning Mix
12 oz Broccoli Slaw
1/4 c Precooked Bacon Crumbles


Mix the sour cream and dressing mix together in a large mixing bowl, stirring thoroughly. Add the slaw and toss to coat. Mix in the bacon bits. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.


Serves 4.


Stolen from hungrygirl.com


Quick and Easy Stir Fry
1 Onion
1/2 T Minced Garlic
12 oz Broccoli Slaw
16 Large Shrimp
2 T Soy Sauce
1 1/2 t Sesame Oil
1T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste


Heat your oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion until brown and translucent. Add garlic. Season peeled shrimp with salt and pepper and add to pan searing on both sides for about a minute. Throw in your broccoli slaw. Add soy sauce and finish with sesame oil. Toss until heated through.

Rainbow Risotto

1 red onion

1 tsp garlic

1/4 c EVO

2/3 C Arborio (found in the rice aisle)

3 C Chicken Broth

1/4 C Skim Plus

1 T Parmesan

2 C Broccoli Slaw

Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onion and garlic until translucent. Add Arborio and coat until golden brown (rice should start to pop and click together). Slowly stir in 1 C of Chicken Broth at a time. Consistently stirring to give rice the creamy texture. After each cup is absorbed, add the next cup (one at a time). Make sure you continue to stir every few minutes. Add milk and Parmesan and broccoli slaw. Cover for 5 minutes on low heat. Remove cover and stir on low-medium heat until all liquid is absorbed. Finish with salt and pepper.

Fish Tacos with Broccoli Slaw
1 pound tilapia, red snapper, or other white fish fillets 
1/4 cup lime juice 
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
1/4 cup canola oil 
1/2 cup salsa verde (found in Latino section of my grocery store)
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 cups broccoli slaw (see below)
2 small avocados, sliced
8 whole wheat tortillas 

For the tacos: Combine lime juice, cilantro, oil and fish in large Ziploc bag; marinate in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Remove fish from marinade, season with salt, and cook on grill or broiler. For grill, cook 6 minutes on each side. For broiler, cook 4-5 minutes on each side. Let rest for a few minutes, then flake with fork. Meanwhile, prepare your sauce: mix equal parts salsa verde and Greek yogurt until well blended--with a fork or spoon is fine. (The salsa verde & yogurt sauce definitely makes this meal-- it's delicious, and very low calorie-wise--about 100 calories for the whole batch). Toast tortillas for one minute on each side if desired, then bend into taco shape. Divide fish evenly among tacos, along with 2 slices avocado, 1/4 c. broccoli slaw and a few spoonfuls of sauce. 

For the broccoli slaw: Broccoli slaw is found packaged in the produce section of the grocery store. You can pile it onto the tacos right out of the bag, or you can mix it up my faaave way to eat broccoli slaw. Or, best of both worlds: pile the slaw onto your tacos, then mix the leftovers up this way to serve alongside.

courtesy of: http://pesto-chango.blogspot.com/2010/09/fish-tacos-and-broccoli-slaw.html

Other uses:

You can add it to tuna and chicken salad to extend your recipe and calories.

Mix Greek yogurt and salsa and serve on a whole-wheat low-carb wrap with some avocado for a fulfilling lunch.

Use as a regular salad with balsamic vinaigrette and strawberries.

Substitute for pasta.

Mix into omelets.

Really the possibilities are endless.

FYI Broccoli Slaw is available at most grocery sections next to the salad bags and cole slaws. It is only like $2.00 a bag.