Thriving through the Greek economic crisis

**shoiji** · 02-09-2012, 03:57 PM

Try to save some of the bottles from your water stockpile. If it happens again maybe your husband can fill some jugs at work each day.

Look up some gluten free sites for using different grains.

I have a pretty good microwave gluten free corn muffin recipe if you want it. I like eating them warm with coconut spread and maple syrup. You can probably find some good pancake recipes that use rice flour. Am new to the gluten free baking. Have a large bag of chickpea flour which I am trying to find recipes to use up. There are indian sweets that are made with chickpea flour.

**Spirit Deer** · 02-09-2012, 04:12 PM

We live just north of the heartland, the most productive agricultural area in the world, so wheat flour is pretty cheap here, about forty cents a pound. We're not in farm country here though so probably wouldn't be able to find whole grains easily or cheaply.

**greekislandgirl** · 02-09-2012, 05:28 PM

they just said that youth unemployment (people in the job market, under age 25) is now 48%. I wonder how much longer this can go on before ...something... happens???

**Stacia** · 02-09-2012, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by greekislandgirl

Okay I'm back to report that the garam masala was really fun to make!!

The recipe I used in case anyone wants to try it:

4 tbsp whole coriander seeds
2.5 tbsp whole cumin seeds
1.5 tbsp ground ginger
2 large bay leaves, broken into pieces
1 tsp whole cloves
1/2 whole cinnamon stick
1 tbsp black peppercorns

I put all this except the ginger into a medium hot, dry skillet, and roasted them for a few minutes, periodically stirring. After a few minutes, I took them off the heat and let them cool. Then I added the ground ginger, broke the cinnamon into small pieces (as small as I could manage with my hands anyway), stirred it all together, and put it in my grain grinder. I ground it on a fine grind and put it in a glass jar.

I made a simple Indian dish based on a recipe I found online, black eyed peas with onion, garlic, and fresh tomato with garam masala. I served it over white basmati rice.

It was pretty good. I think I used a little too much of the garam masala but it was good. DH liked it more than I did. He ate all of his and half of mine!

So that was my first step in Indian cooking

It makes me want to find other spice mixes to make. They're fun to make and having the grain grinder makes it easy. I already have a lot of spices on hand so it shouldn't be a problem. Now I have a pretty big jar of garam masala

Anyone have any Indian spice mixes they really like (just the name - I can search for recipes - I just don't know what they're called!) I can make some random ones but I'd love to have some recommendations

Here is another version: Spice Garam Masala Recipe - Food.com - 318135

**Stacia** · 02-09-2012, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by greekislandgirl

they just said that youth unemployment (people in the job market, under age 25) is now 48%. I wonder how much longer this can go on before ...something... happens???

Hopefully people don't go crazy and start protesting, this is how problems start.

**Stacia** · 02-09-2012, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by greekislandgirl

I read dozens of cooking sites, I was just hoping for a personal recommendation cause I trust you guys

Well it looks like it's going to be -22% on the minimum wage, I guess -20% wasn't enough. You know what, compared to what is going to happen in the private sector, Dh's salary is starting to look a little less ridiculous.

They're cutting secondary pensions by 15% regardless of how small they are. 15,000 public sector workers will be fired this year, and people with tenured positions in quasi-governmental organizations will lose their tenure with this agreement.

Everyone involved on every side agrees that this agreement will sink Greece into a much worse recession/depression. Apparently that's not really a problem for them, though.

You might like this too: Tawa Chicken Recipe - Food.com - 320453 You can use pieces of skinless potato or pumpkin instead of chicken.

**Dianabeth** · 02-09-2012, 11:46 PM

One Indian recipe we've tried and liked is Panch Dal, a mixture of five different types of lentils with tomatoes, onions, and spices. . I googled the name of the recipe and the first several entries were similar to the recipe I use, one from the book Flatbreads and Flavours. If you have an Indian grocery not too far away, the five types of lentils should be easy to find (sometimes they're even packaged together in a mix for this recipe.) I use tinned tomatoes most of the time for it.

Curried cauliflower is easy and good too.

~Di

**Dutchie** · 02-10-2012, 03:26 AM

Originally Posted by shoiji

Try to save some of the bottles from your water stockpile. If it happens again maybe your husband can fill some jugs at work each day.

Look up some gluten free sites for using different grains.

I have a pretty good microwave gluten free corn muffin recipe if you want it. I like eating them warm with coconut spread and maple syrup. You can probably find some good pancake recipes that use rice flour. Am new to the gluten free baking. Have a large bag of chickpea flour which I am trying to find recipes to use up. There are indian sweets that are made with chickpea flour.

I would love to have any easy gluten free recipes that you have. One of my boys has a new girlfriend who has to eat gluten free and I would love to present her with something gluten free when she comes here.
The last time she was here for dinner I cleaned my kitchen thoroughly (she also gets sick from 'cross contamination') and I cooked normal gluten free things - potatoes, meat and veg.

However I would love to be able to bake something for her.

**greekislandgirl** · 02-10-2012, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by Stacia

Hopefully people don't go crazy and start protesting, this is how problems start.

Hi Stacia! I hope it's okay if I strenuously disagree with you

- we need to protest what is happening here, it is one way we can make our voices heard. This is a SMALL country. There are only 10 million people here. If even 1 million people protest something, it's a huge deal. We are definitely willing to participate in protests and demonstrations if it means making our voices heard - thankfully these things are still legal.

Dh has been arrested for participating in a peaceful protest in the past - no qualms about doing it again!

**greekislandgirl** · 02-10-2012, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Dianabeth

One Indian recipe we've tried and liked is Panch Dal, a mixture of five different types of lentils with tomatoes, onions, and spices. . I googled the name of the recipe and the first several entries were similar to the recipe I use, one from the book Flatbreads and Flavours. If you have an Indian grocery not too far away, the five types of lentils should be easy to find (sometimes they're even packaged together in a mix for this recipe.) I use tinned tomatoes most of the time for it.

Curried cauliflower is easy and good too.

~Di

Dianabeth, we don't have an Indian grocery, but Greek cooking uses the same sorts of ingredients, so I don't think it will be a problem - I usually have an assortment of lentil varieties on hand! Thanks for the idea - I've never heard of Panch Dal before!

**greekislandgirl** · 02-10-2012, 08:38 AM

Dutchie, one of my best friends in the US has to keep a gluten-free home because at least one of her kids can't have it. I'll ask her if she has any good resources to share!

**Stacia** · 02-10-2012, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by greekislandgirl

Hi Stacia! I hope it's okay if I strenuously disagree with you

- we need to protest what is happening here, it is one way we can make our voices heard. This is a SMALL country. There are only 10 million people here. If even 1 million people protest something, it's a huge deal. We are definitely willing to participate in protests and demonstrations if it means making our voices heard - thankfully these things are still legal.

Dh has been arrested for participating in a peaceful protest in the past - no qualms about doing it again!

No I don't mind, I just want you guys to be safe!!

**Missourimom** · 02-10-2012, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by greekislandgirl

they just said that youth unemployment (people in the job market, under age 25) is now 48%. I wonder how much longer this can go on before ...something... happens???

I was just reading about this and some of the protests going on. What a mess our world is in.

Stay safe guys!

**Missourimom** · 02-10-2012, 02:06 PM

I just read an article that said the youth could be making as little as 510 euros a month. Does that convert to $672.00? I'm not sure I have that right.

**shoiji** · 02-10-2012, 02:08 PM

Here is the recipe for gluten free microwave corn bread:

Gluten-Free Microwave Corn Bread | Gluten Free Recipes, Health, Diet, Symptoms, Nutrition | GlutenFreeWorks.com

Letting the batter just sit for a while really helps. I do like this recipe since I do not need to have a whole bunch of different flours. With my 1000 watt microwave I only need to microwave on high for 2 1/2 minutes. 3 minutes seemed to dry them out more.

Plus in the summer time I can make these without heating up the oven.

They are great with some butter and maple syrup. I use coconut spread.