5 Foods You Don’t Need to Buy in the Store Ever Again!

This post was written by a Guest blogger – Joe Hughes. Topic: What you don’t need to buy in a store ever again.

I love shopping, but I find that the only place I really shop is the grocery store. I’m trying to buy healthy ingredients to keep myself and the kids healthy, but it’s difficult when you have all these tempting foods staring you in the face.

I decided to try to buy fewer processed food in the store, and make these foods at home. Not only is it a lot of fun, but most foods are less in calories and taste better at home.

5 Foods You Don’t Need to Buy in the Store Ever Again!

1. Maple Syrup

I probably shouldn’t be eating as many pancakes as I do, but they’re so good that I can’t help myself. Maple syrup was something I recently made that was super simple yet delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp Mapeleine

This is an imitation flavor, but it’s so good and tastes better than using corn syrup. Ready to get started? Just follow these easy steps:

Ready to get started? Just follow these easy steps:

• Bring the water to a boil on the stove
• Add in your white sugar
• Add in your brown sugar
• Add in the Mapeleine

It’s that simple. Just mix until the sugar has completely dissolved and allow to cool before eating.

You can even put your syrup on apple pie toasties, it’s so delicious.

2. Pancakes

I bet you already figured this out – I love breakfast foods. After trying my hand at making maple syrup, I thought “why not make real pancakes?” I know this is nothing special, but it beats using the store mixes to make pancakes, and you can add your own twist, too.

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• 1 tsp salt

Now, just follow these few steps:

• Melt butter in the microwave (allow to cool for a few minutes).
• Place flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Make a well in the center.
• Pour in the milk, butter, and a cracked egg.
• Mix until the batter is smooth.

You can add in your own ingredients at this point, including bananas, nuts or whatever it is you like. Heat up your griddle or frying pan on medium heat, scoop batter into the pan and cook until brown on both sides.

Serve.

3. Coconut Milk

I’m not sure if coconut milk constitutes as a food, but it’s definitely a delicious drink. It’s not a substitute for baby’s milk, but it can be part of your healthy lifestyle if pregnant and you want to reduce some of your sugary drinks, such as soda.

It’s simple to make, too.

Ingredients

• 2 Fresh coconuts
• 3 – 4 Cups Water

Cut open the coconuts with a sharp knife and drain the water into a mixing bowl. You’ll then proceed to:

• Remove the meat from the husk.
• Place the pieces into a blender.
• Place the coconut water into the blender.
• Blend the milk until it is smooth.
• Slowly pour in the water (hot, if possible).
• Drain in a nut milk bag.

You’ll want to squeeze the bag as much as possible to drain any liquid left behind. Now, simply place in the refrigerator until it cools.

4. Crackers

Many pregnant women get a dire sensation of hunger out of nowhere. Crackers are always handy to have as a snack because they are so easy to make!

A bakeware set will come in handy here, but it’s not a necessity.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 cup sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup water

This is an easy recipe to get started. All you need to do is:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Combine the garlic, salt and sunflower seeds in a food processor.
• Blend for 2 – 3 minutes until a flour consistency is formed.
• Add in the sesame seeds using the pulse function.
• Slowly add the water in so that a clump forms.

Everything should turn into a clump at this point. You’ll want to remove and knead the mixture before rolling it out on a cookie sheet between parchment paper. Roll until 1/4 inch in thickness or less and cut into squares.

Bake for 20 minutes or until brown, and allow to cool before breaking the crackers apart and eating.

5. Bagels

The taste and smell of freshly baked bagels get my mouth-watering every time. I simply love the taste of bagels, and they’re very easy to make as long as you have a bread machine. Breadmakers speed up the process a lot, but if this is your first time, you can do without one.

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp white sugar
• 3 quarts boiling water
• 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tbsp cornmeal

You can prepare your own toppings, such as sesame or poppy seeds. Preheat the oven to 375 F and:

• Put 1 cup water (hot, not boiling), salt, 2 tbsp sugar, flour and yeast into a bread machine.
• Set the machine on the dough cycle (or mix yourself until dough is formed).
• Remove dough and place on a floured surface.
• Bring the 3 quarts of water to a boil and add in 3 tbsp of sugar.
• Cut the dough into 10 equal pieces and form into a bowl.
• Make a hole in the middle of the dough.
• Place a finger in the hole and twirl to make the hole larger.
• Even the dough out before covering with a clean cloth.
• Allow dough to rise for 10 minutes while dusting a baking sheet with cornmeal.
• Transfer the bagels into the boiling water for 1 minute.
• Drain and place bagels on a clean towel.
• Place the bagels on a baking sheet, sprinkle on toppings, and glaze with egg white.

Slide your baking sheet into the oven for 20 – 25 minutes until fully cooked. If you’re a big fan of bagels – like me – you will love this recipe.

About author:

Joe Hughes, known by most as the Village Baker, is an expert in homestyle cooking techniques, with a primary interest in baking. He runs the very popular website, www.village-bakery.com, which provides the latest homestyle cooking news, techniques, tricks, and recipes. He can be reached at [email protected].