Simple things you should make at home instead of buying packaged

Today I am going to talk about some simple foods you can make at home instead of buying overly processed packaged foods.  Or the alternative over priced processed packaged foods.  It's all processed guys.  This may seem like it is all over the place, because I am just going to share with you as many things as I can think of that we just make ourselves in this house.  Some of these things may take a little more time to do, but none of the recipes that I am going to share are at all complicated.  We'll save those for later.  Perhaps I can even do a similar post about my homemade household products in the future.  For now, lets keep it simple with some of the things I use most often.

Isn't my psycho tortilla maker so adorable?

First up: salad dressings!  

They are seriously so easy to make that I don't even see the point in buying them in the store.  For those creamy dressing lovers out there, we use this vegan ranch dressing which I love.  In fact, ranch dressing is my favorite even though I don't eat it very often because it is normally super processed chemical junk.  However, in all my years of trying to duplicate my favorite type of ranch, I have never been able to find one (vegan or otherwise) that tastes as good to me as this one.  (Side note: I am not a vegan, but I am a vegetarian and most of what I eat at home is at least dairy-free.)

The main salad dressing that we use in our house is a simple vinaigrette.  Since I make kombucha, I also keep a small container of kombucha that I let ferment all the way into a vinegar.  I use that for my homemade vinaigrette, but I have also been known to use raw apple cider vinegar.  I like to be able to taste the vinegar instead of the oil, so I add the same amount or each.  You can do it to your taste preferences.  This dressing can be stored in the fridge for about a week.  Probably longer, but it has never lasted that long for us.  Definitely use your own best judgement.  You can easily make this into an Italian dressing by adding some Italian seasonings.  Or substitute a different acid for the vinegar such as lemon juice.  The possibilities are endless.

Basic Garlic Vinaigrette:

3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp kombucha vinegar or raw apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
 

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a glass container with a plastic lid and shake well.  Chill for a couple of hours to let the flavors develop.  Shake again before using.

Second: tortillas!  

In this house, we love wraps, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and everything else that could possibly be served on a tortilla.  A long time ago I turned over one of those convenient little packages of flour tortillas we were eating every week and low and behold, a bunch of junk.  So I gave hubby the mission of learning how to make flour tortillas.  (He is the baker in the family for the most part.  I just don't like cleaning up all that flour.)  After trying several different recipes from the internet, he finally found the perfect one here.  The only change he makes is that he uses 1/3 cup of coconut oil instead of the lard (obviously).  This is a bit more involved than store bought, but these tortillas keep well in the fridge and are so very worth it taste-wise.

He pretty much always makes these goofy faces.

We have also been known to make fish tacos around here occasionally.  For that we like to use corn tortillas which can be made like this.  If you have a tortilla press, great!  But if you are like us, just use the rolling pin and parchment paper method.    

Third: dried beans.  

I know, I know, this isn't all that exciting, but frankly if you use beans regularly (which you should) you should definitely consider making your own from dried for numerous reasons.  First, BPA lined cans.  We've all heard it before, but if you use canned stuff semi-regularly, why not try to cut down in simple ways?  Second, dried beans are SOOOOOO much cheaper.  Third, it is seriously so easy to just make a big batch of beans and then portion them out and throw them in the freezer.  Miss Content already touched on how she makes her beans in this post.  I do things a bit differently as my quick soak method involves boiling the beans for a minute, putting the lid on, turning off the heat, and walking away for 2 to 4 hours.  But the concept is the same and both work.  Or you could soak them overnight.  Then, depending on the type of beans you are making, either cook them in the crock pot or on the stove until they are done.  Make sure to let them cool completely before portioning them into ziplock bags and putting them in the freezer.  I like to portion two cups because that's slightly more than one can would be.  Trust me, the whole thing is totally hands off.  You just need to set a timer and go do other stuff.

Fourth: Smoothies and Popsicles.  

It's starting to get really hot here in Puerto Rico and the heat has me craving some nice cool treats.  It is also almost mango season, so one of my favorite fruits is going to be very abundant.  All year long, I cut up seasonal fruit and put it in the freezer for smoothies.  When we have a banana cross that line from tasty to gooey and gross, I usually throw it in the freezer too.  I have never really understood why smoothie stores and frappe stands (same thing, only in Puerto Rico) almost always add a bunch of sugar to already very sweet fruit.  So I just make my own without the added sugar.  Trust me, just try it and see if you like it.

Obviously we ate most of this mango, but this is what it looks like cut into chunks for freezing.

Pineapple, Mango, Coconut Smoothie        

Frozen pineapple
Frozen mango
Frozen banana
Homemade coconut milk, orange juice, or other liquid

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth.  Check for desired consistency.  Add more liquid to thin or more fruit to thicken.  

Yum!

Homemade popsicles are another super simple summer treat.  Just blend or juice up your favorite fruit and add it to your popsicle molds.  Where can you go wrong?  I just ordered some super cute tie dyed silicone popsicle molds for this summer.  I'm not wasting any time.  

What kinds of things do you make instead of buying them?  Do you have any tricks for simplifying your homemade routine?

-Donna