What foods have you got rid of lately out of your pantry?

[I love my TM]

I've gotten rid of a lot of what other people have, plus I no longer buy clothes washing powder (my daughter is allergic to all the regular brands, so we were spending a fortune with the brands from the health food store). 

The Nutella is a godsend too, as we can make it gluten free, dairy free & sugar free for my daughter - I can buy that also at the health food store, but at 12.95 for a small jar, it is a treat - I can make the same stuff at home, for $3.50 - & she devours it!!

We also make Lara bars - something you can't get here in Australia, but that my daughter got addicted to in the US.  They are super yummy and very health.  There is no way I could make them without the TM, as I need to turn dates into a paste.

With the TM I find I'm using herbs and spices a lot more as well.

This is my first post - I've had my TM for a few months, and LOVE it.  It makes cooking for my daughter who has so many food problems, really easy.  The only problem is I've put on some weight playing with it - but only a little bit.   

Thanks for all your posts to the forum - they make life so easy for a newbie like me, I truly appreciate reading all your recipes & hints.

[Nay-nay]

Welcome ILMTM!! I love to hear more about your Lara bars. 

[Zan]

I want to hear more about the Lara bars too, esp as my dd3's name is Lara and a bar named after her would be extra popular in our house.

[cookie1]

Welcome ILMTM. I'd love to know more about the Lara Bars too please.

[quirkycooking]

Yep, all that!  And tinned tomatoes - just use fresh and chop them up in the tmx.

Re Gravox - I haven't bought that for years - I just tip the juices from the roast into the tmx, add about 30g cornflour/rice flour/gf flour per 500g of juice (maybe more flour, I just guess), plus some tamari or soy sauce to taste.  If it's a beef roast I like to add some beef stock paste, or chicken stock paste for roast chicken - but I don't always have it, and it tastes fine just with the meat juices and tamari.  Hope that helps!   

[judydawn]

Hi ILMTM, welcome to the forum.  You have got us all wanting your recipe for Lara Bars - please don't keep us in suspense for too long.  I have done a bit of googling and come up with this one - there seems to be so many flavours in the original Larabar though so am hanging out for your version.

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2009/05/homemade_larabars.php

[CreamPuff63]

per 500g of juice

see thats the thing, I never have that much juice. Thats why I find it easy using the water and gravox  or do you mean the water that runs off which the vegetables cook in?

[quirkycooking]

I always put an inch or two of water in with the roast (and veges), cover it with foil, and cook slowly for about 3 or 4 hrs - that way there's plenty of juices left over for gravy.   

[zebraa]

creampuff -  I adjust the recipe for 250mls because that is more then enough for us. Also, if I don't have enough juices, I just do water and add a touch of vege concetrate if I need it

[CreamPuff63]

thanks everyone for your tips, I will certainly give them a go (really didn't want to use Gravox). Just out of interest, we normally use a Turkish oven like this for roasts - surprisingly, it seems to be a different taste. (Would still be able to make the gravy without Gravox in it tho)

[cathy79]

cathy79 does roasting beef in an oven bag keep it more moist and tender?

Definitely makes it more moist and tender, and so easy to collect the juice.  They don't seem to evaporate away, and the pan is so much easier to clean as well.

[cookie1]

CP63 I always do my roasts in an Easy Cook. If it's hot I put it in the laundry.

[CreamPuff63]

yes, its always good to have an oven alternative for a hot day

[I love my TM]

Lara bars are gluten free, dairy free, sugar free (which are my daughter's three main dietary requirements), vegan and raw as well.  My daughter really loved the chocolate coconut one, but we found she likes it more without the shredded coconut in.  With the LARA bars, once you have the ratio of dates to everything else, you can have any flavor that you want (check out the LARA bar site - the flavors are yum, and they have the ingredients list to make it easier for you to make them at home).  www.larabar.com

Lara Bar Recipe

I adapted the recipe from here http://enlightenedcooking.blogspot.com/2008/02/home-made-lara-bars-energy-bars-part-3.html

500g pitted dates – pulverized on 10 (I do it in two batches of 250g)
add almond meal 100g
add a few shakes of cinnamon
add 50g cocoa powder
add 1 or 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
add slivered almonds 100g

blend in the TM until just combined (you don't want the slivered almonds to be pulverized) – put into slice pan & place in fridge overnight.  Cut into bars, wrap in clingwrap (or alternatively shape into balls or logs & wrap in cling wrap)

When I had my TM demonstration I got the consultant to pulverize 1kg of dates for me - it was what really sold me on the TM - in my usual blender it would take me about 1.5hrs to make them, with the TM it takes me about 15 mins!  I make a batch about once a week & they don't last long.  They are the only snack we can easily take with us when we go out, and are an absolute godsend for when we are stuck waiting for hours in the hospital to see the specialist (my daughter is very sick so we get to do this at least once a week). 

[judydawn]

Firstly, thanks for the recipe I love my TM but more importantly, so sorry to hear about your daughter.  It must be a real worry for you and I hope the professionals are soon able to help her get better.