A Recipe For Families Worried About Tough Times Ahead

A Recipe For Families Worried About Tough Times Ahead

For the last few days, I've been wrestling with my worry. Watching the growing number of layoffs and disturbed by the decision of a slim majority in this country to keep an administration who knows nothing about the economy, among other things.

So today I filled up my soup pot and put it to simmer on the wood stove.

And today we're eating pigs foot soup.

Thick and gelatinous, seasoned with onions and garlic, enriched with swiss chard and lentils, sharpened with a dash of cider vinegar.
When we didn't have much money at all years ago, we got the pigs feet for free from our neighbor who sold free-range pigs. No one else eats them around here. So they were ours for the taking.
Back then, my kids didn't really know what was in it. They just knew that it was rich and delicious.

The pigs foot soup nourished us when money was tight.

Today they know the full ingredients list. And even though I now have a solid business and we're doing better financially, it still nourishes us.

But in a deeper way.

Because it's a constant reminder that no matter how tough things get, you can find a way.

If you look, you'll find resources you may not have known about. If you add some creativity and get to work, you can create something that nourishes you and your family no matter what the weather is outside.

In essence, don't let doubts and fears blind you from what you can do.

It's a reminder that frugality can give you riches and choices.
When my husband lost his job years ago, we were able to put our money where it counted: Into taking care of our health and our family. And building our businesses and our farm.

We weren't compelled to run out and take whatever jobs we could get. We weren't compelled to allocate precious funds to commuting costs, work clothes, etc. We could reset our sights on what we really wanted to do. And put our resources into making that a reality.

When I look back to the time when my husband was out of work and I was busy juggling credit cards and bills, I realize that things weren't really that different from now.

Back then, even though each purchase was fraught with debate... even though we heated water up on the wood stove to save money... and even though we ate pigs foot soup frequently...
Things weren't that different.

Our children still sang silly songs, argued and got into wrestling matches with each other or with us.

My husband and I still discussed the news and made sure we had our evenings together after the kids went to bed.
As a family we still enjoyed exploring the woods and hills on our bikes or on foot.

We filled our freezer with blueberries each summer after a day of picking on the mountain. And put them in our oatmeal on winter mornings.

Money can't buy love. It didn't buy love then. And it doesn't now.
So I know a lot of families are worried about what tomorrow and the next few months and years will bring. I understand because in the big picture there are some big problems looming over us. It's impossible not to be aware of them if your eyes are open.

But I also know that you can pull together as a family and take care of what's important. You can maintain control over your lives in many ways.
You can.
Take care of your health.
Take care of your family.
Spend time together.

If there is anything you need to hold onto fiercely when the going gets rough, it's your health and your family. These will get you through anything.

Don't just bemoan what's going wrong. Sure you've got to acknowledge this and discuss this publicly. But go a step further.
 
• Put your focus into what you need to take care of and figure out how to take care of it. You're more powerful than you may believe. Much of our stress is found in our self-doubts which are only emphasized in this culture that celebrates being a victim.
Don't let the anxiety overwhelm you. Bear in mind that when you stress, your children sense it and stress too.
 
• Instead fight back by taking control where you can.  Take control with exercise. Exercise is the best biological destresser in the world. It happens to be free. And exercising together as a family will give you more time together and help you defuse the pressure.
 
• Put a plan together and start taking action today. Action - no matter how small - is a powerful way to turn a feeling of defeat or powerlessness into power that can change the world around you step by step.
 
Don't let money control your choices. Wealth is a wonderful source of power over your life and in shaping the world around you. But it isn't everything.
 
• Use your resources wisely so you can focus your energy on sustaining yourself for the long haul. Cut spending where you can. Look for innovative ways to make do. And invest in your health, your relationships and in strategically building a life that makes sense.

When you manage your spending wisely you give yourself more choices to do what is important to you.

You may find that nothing can be better - no matter how much money you have - than eating a good bowl of pigs foot soup.
This kind of soup nourishes the strong person inside of you who can do more than you may understand.

Got a butcher or farmer willing to give you some pigs feet and interested in cooking up some of this delicious, healthy soup?
Here's a basic recipe for pigs foot soup. Hint: You can make this in a slow cooker or I've left it simmering on our wood stove. The key is to let it simmer for several hours:
 
1. Wash 4 pigs feet with a scrub brush and white distilled vinegar. Bring some water to a boil and plop the pigs feet in it. Let them boil for only 2 minutes or so.
 
2. Remove them and cut or scrape off any remaining hair.
 
3. In a large Dutch oven, put a dollop of olive oil and saute up 1 chopped onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2-3 chopped carrots, 2-3 chopped celery stalks.
 
4. Add the pigs feet, beef bouillion (I like Better Than Bouillion), 2-3 cups beans (lentils or canellini work well), 2 bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, 8-10 cups water depending on how much soup you want.

5. Add in any additional greens or seasonings - kale, swiss chard, spinach, cabbage all work well. I've added cayenne, paprika and turmeric on different occasions. Let simmer for several hours until the pigs feet have dissolved and the beans are cooked.
 
6. About 10 minutes before serving, add a dash of cider vinegar. Also optional, dumplings: Mix some whole wheat bread flour with enough water to make a dough that you can knead. Knead for a few minutes and then roll into dumplings of any shape you like. Drop them into the soup and let cook until they rise to the top. Stir occasionally to prevent burning on the bottom.