So a few years ago, when I was blogging here regularly, I was all into Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. I had a new baby, and breastfeeding had not worked out, so I used her raw milk formula for our little girl. The results have been amazing by the way- she had gorgeous skin, clear bright eyes, a strong constitution and is very smart. But, I may be a bit biased :)
Over time I began to get overwhelmed and stressed with many things, and let things go by the wayside little by little as far as food preparation. I realized that there really were no differences in our health when we ate 'perfectly' and when we didn't. And, in fact, sometimes I felt better when we ate no no food. So I completely dropped Nourishing Traditions.
The things that I've kept going are : we still eat full fat foods, whole milk and dairy products, meat with fat on it etc. I still use good fats which are butter, coconut oil and olive oil. We eat some organic things, we eat whole grain bread which I make homemade sometimes, and we eat plenty of fresh and frozen produce, no canned. But that's it really. I am getting to the point where I want to slowly add some things back into my life that I used to do, like keeping a sourdough starter. I miss the sourdough bread! And, I want to try water kefir again. Milk kefir is rather unappealing to me now, for whatever reason, water kefir is quite versatile, like making a healthy soda. Sounds good for the general hot weather we have most of the year here.
Other than that I have no desire to do so much food preparations as I did before. I don't soak grains, I do soak beans most of the time, I don't buy raw milk but I would like to get back into that. We grow a vegetable garden as organically as possible. But, we're fairly normal. We drink sweetened iced tea year round, I drink coffee with sugar and cream, we use boxed macncheese, potato chips, prepackaged things for lunches like containers of applesauce, string cheese, lunch meats, regular mayonnaise, white sugar in cookies or desserts and so on. And it's ok.
I cook from scratch at least 80% of the time. We may eat fast food a few times a month depending on the circumstances. We eat regular meat from the grocery store. It's just not worth the time and expense and stress that it causes to round up all of the so called healthy foods. The key for me is listening to the Greater One that lives in me, and not making myself adhere to restrictions He didn't put on me. Lately I've been getting the impression we should add or subtract some things in our diets, and the measuring stick for me is, if it doesn't cause me stress, then it's generally from the Lord.
I think I need to do a colon cleanse (by Dr. Schulze) and start taking some really good vitamins. I am also going to switch our refined sweeteners to healthier ones, gradually....that combined with eating homemade fiber filled bread and garden produce will go a long way in helping our bodies work properly. I cannot emphasize enough that stress about food negates whatever good you are trying to do. I experienced it a couple of years ago and it was very eye opening. Stress is more harmful that bad food. If you are stressed about diet and food, let it go!
That being said, here is our supper menu for the week:
Monday- homemade hamburger helper type meal, salad
Tuesday- barbecue pork loin, baked beans, corn on the cob
Wednesday- salmon patty burgers (we call them Krabby Patties, yes we succumbed to spongebob!) oven fries
Thursday-pinto beans, yooper macncheese, fruit salad
Friday-baked tacos, mexican pinto beans, fresh avocado salsa and chips
Saturday-baked ziti, steamed broccoli, garlic bread (homemade)
Sunday-leftovers or ramen noodle soup!
Showing posts with label Nourishing Traditions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nourishing Traditions. Show all posts
February 5, 2013
May 1, 2008
Is Nourishing Traditions a Fad?
I've been coming across a lot of websites and blogs lately where the women talk of nutrition and namely, that they eat according to Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. This is exciting to me because I personally think it is the healthiest way to eat. How great that more and more people are discovering the principles in this book.
But there are others out there that sort of cast disdain at the book. I don't know if it's because of all that they read about other people cooking and all the work involved, if they actually read the book itself and just didn't agree or what. In this day of information, it can be really confusing about what is right. There are so many different healthy ways of eating, and I'm sure that they are good- and it's hard to know what to do.
For instance, I love Dr. Schulze and his products, but he is totally vegan and thinks all animal products are evil. He is extremely healthy and knowledgeable and that style of eating apparently suits him. Then you have the low carb people still going that eat tons of animal products, so it's confusing when so many people claim great health on opposite diets.
The main thing about NT, is exposing common myths about our health. The American Heart Association and the one for diabetics have pushed low fat/no fat, no cholesterol etc. for years and years now. You would think, that if so many people were eating this way, that there would be a lot less people with heart disease now. Nope. Heart disease still continues to plague our nation and cause 40% of deaths. We have been brainwashed into thinking that saturated fat clogs arteries and so you would think that we must be eating more and more saturated fats that before. "During the period of years from 1910 to 1970, the proportion of traditional animal fat in the American diet declined from 83 % to 62% and butter consumption from 18lbs per year to 4lbs per year. "(quote from Nourishing Tradtions p. 5) Hmm, things don't quite match up there do they? Less animal fats, more heart disease, more animal products, less heart disease, hmmm.
Here are some more examples of saturated fats being healthy:
"Mother's milk provides a higher proportion of cholesterol than almost any other food. It also contains over 50% of its calories as fat, much of it saturated fat. Both cholesterol and saturated fat are essential for growth in babies and children, especially the development of the brain. Yet, the American Heart Association is now recommending a low fat diet for children. "
"...Let us consider the French. Anyone who has eaten his way across France has observed that the French diet is loaded with saturated fat in the form of butter, eggs, cheese, cream liver, meats and rich pates. Yet the French have a lower rate of coronary heart disease than many other western countries. In the United States, 315 of every 100, 000 middle aged men die of heart attacks each year; in France the rate is 145 per 100,000. In the Gascony region, where goose and duck liver form a staple in the diet, this rate is a remarkable low 80 per 100,000...this was dubbed the French Paradox."
"The cause of heart disease is not animal fats and cholesterol but rather a number of factors in herent in modern diets, including excess consumption of vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats; excess consumption of refined carbohydrates in the form of sugar and white flour;mineral deficiencies, particularly low levels of protective magnesium and iodine; deficiencies of vitamins A, C and D needed for the integrity of the blood vessel walls, and of antioxidants like selenium and vitamin E, which protect us from free radicals..."
Nourishing Traditions is based on information gathered by a man named Dr. Weston Price, who traveled the world over into the most remote people groups to find if they had cavities. He found that not only did they not have many cavities, but that their health was excellent. He then began learning about their diets and noticing that those who ate traditional foods, foods that were local and prepared the way their ancestors did, were in great health. Those who had gone to more civilized areas where 'white man's ' food was available had poorer health, cavities and usually missing teeth. It makes a lot more sense to me to follow something that generations of people have done and lived a good quality of life. Yes, it does take a bit more time and planning, but is that really a bad thing? Our world is so fast paced, it gets old real quick. At home we have the choice to slow things down a bit and we benefit greatly from it.
I have to include one more passage from the book. I might have to compromise some things regarding food by what is available to me, but I will never, ever buy margarine again or white bleached flour. This is why:
Hydrogenation: This the process that turns polyunsaturates, normally liquid at room temperature, into fats that are solid at room temperature- margarine and shortening. To produce them manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils-soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, already rancid from the extraction process- and mix them with tiny metal particles- usually nickel oxide. The oil with its nickel catalyst is then subjected to a hydrogen gas in a high pressure, high-temperature reactor. Next, soap-like emulsifiers and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it a better consistency; the oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures when it is steam-cleaned. (what??) This removes its unpleasant odor. Margarine's natural color, and unappetizing gray, is removed by bleach. Dyes and strong flavors must then be added to make it resemble butter. Finally, the mixture is compressed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a health food.
Partially hydrogenated margarines and shortenings are even worse for you than the highly refined vegetable oils from which they are made because of chemical changes that occur during the hydrogenation process. Under high temperatures, the nickel catalyst causes the hydrogen atoms to change position on the fatty acid chain to bend slightly and creating a concentration of electrons at the site of the double bond...With the hydrogenation , one hydrogen atom of the pair is moved to the other side so that the molecules straightens...called the trans formation, rarely found in nature...unfortunately your digestive system does not recognize them (as toxins) as such. Instead of eliminating them, your body incorporates trans fats into the cell membranes as if they were cis fats- your cells actually become hydrogenated! "
Horror of horrors!! It may be cheaper than butter, but your life isn't cheap. I also said I wouldn't buy bleached white flour, since we all know that it is completely devoid of nutrients and wreaks havoc with sugar levels.
So, in light of all this info, I am not 'jumping on a bandwagon' with this book. For one I've been reading and using it for over two years now. Am I gorgeous and skinny? No. But, I have not been in-the-bed sick for like two years. (I do attribute a lot of that to faith in God's promises in Psalms 91 too) My children are rarely ill and are usually over it quickly if they do get ill. Do I feel great and full of vibrant health? Not all the time, but I feel 10 times better now than I did last year. It takes awhile, things are not instantaneous like we want them to be. Do I do everything in the book? Absolutely not. I do what I can and trust the Lord for the rest.
However, it is a worthwhile endeavor to read the book. Very enlightening and inspiring. Mine is getting sort of worn now, but at least it's being used.
But there are others out there that sort of cast disdain at the book. I don't know if it's because of all that they read about other people cooking and all the work involved, if they actually read the book itself and just didn't agree or what. In this day of information, it can be really confusing about what is right. There are so many different healthy ways of eating, and I'm sure that they are good- and it's hard to know what to do.
For instance, I love Dr. Schulze and his products, but he is totally vegan and thinks all animal products are evil. He is extremely healthy and knowledgeable and that style of eating apparently suits him. Then you have the low carb people still going that eat tons of animal products, so it's confusing when so many people claim great health on opposite diets.
The main thing about NT, is exposing common myths about our health. The American Heart Association and the one for diabetics have pushed low fat/no fat, no cholesterol etc. for years and years now. You would think, that if so many people were eating this way, that there would be a lot less people with heart disease now. Nope. Heart disease still continues to plague our nation and cause 40% of deaths. We have been brainwashed into thinking that saturated fat clogs arteries and so you would think that we must be eating more and more saturated fats that before. "During the period of years from 1910 to 1970, the proportion of traditional animal fat in the American diet declined from 83 % to 62% and butter consumption from 18lbs per year to 4lbs per year. "(quote from Nourishing Tradtions p. 5) Hmm, things don't quite match up there do they? Less animal fats, more heart disease, more animal products, less heart disease, hmmm.
Here are some more examples of saturated fats being healthy:
"Mother's milk provides a higher proportion of cholesterol than almost any other food. It also contains over 50% of its calories as fat, much of it saturated fat. Both cholesterol and saturated fat are essential for growth in babies and children, especially the development of the brain. Yet, the American Heart Association is now recommending a low fat diet for children. "
"...Let us consider the French. Anyone who has eaten his way across France has observed that the French diet is loaded with saturated fat in the form of butter, eggs, cheese, cream liver, meats and rich pates. Yet the French have a lower rate of coronary heart disease than many other western countries. In the United States, 315 of every 100, 000 middle aged men die of heart attacks each year; in France the rate is 145 per 100,000. In the Gascony region, where goose and duck liver form a staple in the diet, this rate is a remarkable low 80 per 100,000...this was dubbed the French Paradox."
"The cause of heart disease is not animal fats and cholesterol but rather a number of factors in herent in modern diets, including excess consumption of vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats; excess consumption of refined carbohydrates in the form of sugar and white flour;mineral deficiencies, particularly low levels of protective magnesium and iodine; deficiencies of vitamins A, C and D needed for the integrity of the blood vessel walls, and of antioxidants like selenium and vitamin E, which protect us from free radicals..."
Nourishing Traditions is based on information gathered by a man named Dr. Weston Price, who traveled the world over into the most remote people groups to find if they had cavities. He found that not only did they not have many cavities, but that their health was excellent. He then began learning about their diets and noticing that those who ate traditional foods, foods that were local and prepared the way their ancestors did, were in great health. Those who had gone to more civilized areas where 'white man's ' food was available had poorer health, cavities and usually missing teeth. It makes a lot more sense to me to follow something that generations of people have done and lived a good quality of life. Yes, it does take a bit more time and planning, but is that really a bad thing? Our world is so fast paced, it gets old real quick. At home we have the choice to slow things down a bit and we benefit greatly from it.
I have to include one more passage from the book. I might have to compromise some things regarding food by what is available to me, but I will never, ever buy margarine again or white bleached flour. This is why:
Hydrogenation: This the process that turns polyunsaturates, normally liquid at room temperature, into fats that are solid at room temperature- margarine and shortening. To produce them manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils-soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, already rancid from the extraction process- and mix them with tiny metal particles- usually nickel oxide. The oil with its nickel catalyst is then subjected to a hydrogen gas in a high pressure, high-temperature reactor. Next, soap-like emulsifiers and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it a better consistency; the oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures when it is steam-cleaned. (what??) This removes its unpleasant odor. Margarine's natural color, and unappetizing gray, is removed by bleach. Dyes and strong flavors must then be added to make it resemble butter. Finally, the mixture is compressed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a health food.
Partially hydrogenated margarines and shortenings are even worse for you than the highly refined vegetable oils from which they are made because of chemical changes that occur during the hydrogenation process. Under high temperatures, the nickel catalyst causes the hydrogen atoms to change position on the fatty acid chain to bend slightly and creating a concentration of electrons at the site of the double bond...With the hydrogenation , one hydrogen atom of the pair is moved to the other side so that the molecules straightens...called the trans formation, rarely found in nature...unfortunately your digestive system does not recognize them (as toxins) as such. Instead of eliminating them, your body incorporates trans fats into the cell membranes as if they were cis fats- your cells actually become hydrogenated! "
Horror of horrors!! It may be cheaper than butter, but your life isn't cheap. I also said I wouldn't buy bleached white flour, since we all know that it is completely devoid of nutrients and wreaks havoc with sugar levels.
So, in light of all this info, I am not 'jumping on a bandwagon' with this book. For one I've been reading and using it for over two years now. Am I gorgeous and skinny? No. But, I have not been in-the-bed sick for like two years. (I do attribute a lot of that to faith in God's promises in Psalms 91 too) My children are rarely ill and are usually over it quickly if they do get ill. Do I feel great and full of vibrant health? Not all the time, but I feel 10 times better now than I did last year. It takes awhile, things are not instantaneous like we want them to be. Do I do everything in the book? Absolutely not. I do what I can and trust the Lord for the rest.
However, it is a worthwhile endeavor to read the book. Very enlightening and inspiring. Mine is getting sort of worn now, but at least it's being used.
March 12, 2008
Changing my Body
I've been wanting to change my body's appearance for, oh the last 20 years! No, seriously, I've always been self conscious of my largeness, even as a child. (I'm 25 by the way, so that gives you an idea of how long I've felt this way) I've vacillated back and forth with being happy with the way I am to unhappy. I've tried several diets in my life, none of which worked. Finally I lost about 20lbs in highschool during track season. I am not kidding, I worked out about 3 hours a day for 4 days a week plus the track meet. What is so amazing about that is that running has never been my strong point, yet I was able to run 2.5 miles in 30 minutes and win 1st place throwing the discus. (Remember that teacher I described with the crazy blond hair? He was also my coach- he thought anyone could do anything, and he was right! He also conned me into doing calculus even though math is not my strong point, I did it and aced it!)
But I digress...just a tad :)
Anyways, I did lose about 40lbs after I got married on the Living Well program. I honestly don't know how I did it, God did I guess, because it was so strict, but I loved it and it started me on the path to eating better.
Then I had babies. Unfortunately for me, I was totally ignorant about how to care for my body during pregnancy, and my tummy just went ahead and stayed stretched out. That compounded with back to back pregnancies (hey, we tried to space them, this was God's doing) and a special needs baby = no time for a real weight reduction program.
I'll just be upfront and honest- I am 5'9 tall and somewhere between 220-240lbs. I've always been heavier than I look; I'm guessing I have very dense bones or something. I have been this weight for about 4 years now. I did lose when preggo with Sarah for reasons unknown to me and then after her birth I gained. I did the South Beach diet for a week and lost 10lbs, but for some reason it gave me the running-to-the-bathroom syndrome. (the runs) I said forget this!
This has been such a mystery to me, because for the most part we eat healthy. In fact I don't have a hunger problem- I eat three times a day, sometimes a little snack in the afternoons if I'm feeling low. Cutting the carbs does make me lose, but that is more expensive.
So, I bought some Firm tapes a month or so ago. I finally did them today, and it wasn't so bad! I did the 25 minute Jiggle Free Abs workout and my stomach was burnin', but I was able to do most of it. Then I started my other video, and after about 20 minutes I was getting tired and called it quits. Plus I didn't have the hand weights or step stool thingie either-forgot about that.
I am thinking of doing some type of diet change. I need to get healthier in general; most of my gut problems are gone thanks to kefir and coconut oil, but I want to have vibrant health. The last few days I've been upping my coconut oil intake and making sure I take my supplements. (cod liver oil, St. John's Wort, MSM and ambrotose, plus the kefir) I really want to get some type of superfood, but the one I want is a bit expensive :( I've also been eating a half of a ruby red grapefruit almost every day. I hate grapefruit, but these are delicious!
I would highly recommend to any and everyone to get some virgin coconut oil! This stuff is absolutely miraculous. Go here and here to read more about it. I've recently started applying it to my stretch marks and c-section scars and plan to put it on my scalp. (I have very mild excema there) I plan to start saving for a gallon of it, but right now we just buy it from our health food store for about $9 for 1lb. This usually lasts at least 2 months, but now that I'm using more it may only last a few weeks. Still, it's worth it.
Other thoughts...I am thinking of limiting the carbs to breakfast and maybe a little at dinner time, just because of the expense and I hate feeling deprived. Maybe lunch could be all raw, like a big salad with homemade dressing, some fruit, maybe some protein like cheese or eggs. Usually if I plan to limit myself, I'm starving all day long. But if I don't care, I don't think about it. I don't want to be thinking about food all of the time. I'm also trying to make more Nourishing Traditions foods-making sure I always soak grains and flour, making salad dressing etc.
Speaking of Nourishing Traditions I happened on a couple of websites that have more info and recipes about it. You should check them out: Passionate Homemaking
The Nourishing Gourmet
I have a lot more energy today because of eating better, the exercise I did and my supplements. Yesterday I didn't get much sleep, but eating the coconut oil and my supplements, along with lots of prayer I felt pretty good. It does pay to eat well.
But I digress...just a tad :)
Anyways, I did lose about 40lbs after I got married on the Living Well program. I honestly don't know how I did it, God did I guess, because it was so strict, but I loved it and it started me on the path to eating better.
Then I had babies. Unfortunately for me, I was totally ignorant about how to care for my body during pregnancy, and my tummy just went ahead and stayed stretched out. That compounded with back to back pregnancies (hey, we tried to space them, this was God's doing) and a special needs baby = no time for a real weight reduction program.
I'll just be upfront and honest- I am 5'9 tall and somewhere between 220-240lbs. I've always been heavier than I look; I'm guessing I have very dense bones or something. I have been this weight for about 4 years now. I did lose when preggo with Sarah for reasons unknown to me and then after her birth I gained. I did the South Beach diet for a week and lost 10lbs, but for some reason it gave me the running-to-the-bathroom syndrome. (the runs) I said forget this!
This has been such a mystery to me, because for the most part we eat healthy. In fact I don't have a hunger problem- I eat three times a day, sometimes a little snack in the afternoons if I'm feeling low. Cutting the carbs does make me lose, but that is more expensive.
So, I bought some Firm tapes a month or so ago. I finally did them today, and it wasn't so bad! I did the 25 minute Jiggle Free Abs workout and my stomach was burnin', but I was able to do most of it. Then I started my other video, and after about 20 minutes I was getting tired and called it quits. Plus I didn't have the hand weights or step stool thingie either-forgot about that.
I am thinking of doing some type of diet change. I need to get healthier in general; most of my gut problems are gone thanks to kefir and coconut oil, but I want to have vibrant health. The last few days I've been upping my coconut oil intake and making sure I take my supplements. (cod liver oil, St. John's Wort, MSM and ambrotose, plus the kefir) I really want to get some type of superfood, but the one I want is a bit expensive :( I've also been eating a half of a ruby red grapefruit almost every day. I hate grapefruit, but these are delicious!
I would highly recommend to any and everyone to get some virgin coconut oil! This stuff is absolutely miraculous. Go here and here to read more about it. I've recently started applying it to my stretch marks and c-section scars and plan to put it on my scalp. (I have very mild excema there) I plan to start saving for a gallon of it, but right now we just buy it from our health food store for about $9 for 1lb. This usually lasts at least 2 months, but now that I'm using more it may only last a few weeks. Still, it's worth it.
Other thoughts...I am thinking of limiting the carbs to breakfast and maybe a little at dinner time, just because of the expense and I hate feeling deprived. Maybe lunch could be all raw, like a big salad with homemade dressing, some fruit, maybe some protein like cheese or eggs. Usually if I plan to limit myself, I'm starving all day long. But if I don't care, I don't think about it. I don't want to be thinking about food all of the time. I'm also trying to make more Nourishing Traditions foods-making sure I always soak grains and flour, making salad dressing etc.
Speaking of Nourishing Traditions I happened on a couple of websites that have more info and recipes about it. You should check them out: Passionate Homemaking
The Nourishing Gourmet
I have a lot more energy today because of eating better, the exercise I did and my supplements. Yesterday I didn't get much sleep, but eating the coconut oil and my supplements, along with lots of prayer I felt pretty good. It does pay to eat well.
January 9, 2008
Healthy Cake
I made this cake today and it was great! Unusually it was economical, as I always seem to have a can of coconut milk and overripe bananas on hand. This was the first time I've made a 'Nourishing Traditions' cake before, where you soak the flour for 12-24hrs, then make the rest. It was a very healthy cake and the kids loved it.
December 30, 2007
Kitchen Lab
Weekends are always so busy! Every Monday it seems that the laundry has just multiplied overnight and the rest of the house is dirty- even if I just cleaned it Friday and maintained over the weekend.
Anyways, my kitchen is alive! I ordered some cultured foods from fermentedtreasures.com and they came in yesterday. I have sourdough starter going that's supposedly started from the colonial days. It smells good and I made pancakes out of it this morning- pretty good.
Also I have kefir grains and made the first batch. Generally it can take a few batches before it gets going good, as it didn't thicken that much. We'll see.
I have a kind of yogurt called Caspian Sea yogurt or matsoni. All you have to do is heat the milk, let it cool, add the culture and let it sit for 24-48hrs the first time, then the next batch should only take 12-24hrs. The cool thing about it is you can add half and half or cream and make it rich tasting, which I love.
Of course I have my regular kombucha brewing as usual. I always wanted to be a scientist when I 'grew up'. I guess I'm getting to experiment in kitchen.
Anyways, my kitchen is alive! I ordered some cultured foods from fermentedtreasures.com and they came in yesterday. I have sourdough starter going that's supposedly started from the colonial days. It smells good and I made pancakes out of it this morning- pretty good.
Also I have kefir grains and made the first batch. Generally it can take a few batches before it gets going good, as it didn't thicken that much. We'll see.
I have a kind of yogurt called Caspian Sea yogurt or matsoni. All you have to do is heat the milk, let it cool, add the culture and let it sit for 24-48hrs the first time, then the next batch should only take 12-24hrs. The cool thing about it is you can add half and half or cream and make it rich tasting, which I love.
Of course I have my regular kombucha brewing as usual. I always wanted to be a scientist when I 'grew up'. I guess I'm getting to experiment in kitchen.
November 11, 2007
Busy People's Bread
I have been experimenting with bread recipes for awhile now, trying to find one that either doesn't use a lot of yeast and the flour has been pre-soaked or is sourdough without being so strong. We generally eat storebought bread when I don't have a lot of time in the kitchen.
I was given a book for my birthday (my 20th) called Laurel's Kitchen: Bread Book or something- can't remember. Anyways, the whole book is filled recipes, how to's and all sorts of great things to know about baking 100% whole grain breads. I've tried several recipes but the bread was too strong for our liking.
I was talking to my grandmother not too long ago and she was remembering how her mom made bread and how great it was. She made a 'sponge' that 'started' the dough overnight. My brain instantly flashed to a section in my book about sponges. So I looked at it and thought I could tweak it to do what I wanted. I tried it awhile back and was totally amazed at how well the bread turned out-probably my best ever, besides the challah :)
I tried it again Friday and it is GREAT! I love everything about it and the best part is I forgot about the dough and left it sitting way longer than I meant and it still turned out great. So here is my recipe, however things aren't exact- I go by feel, not measurements.
Busy People's Bread
For the sponge:
1 teaspoon yeast
3/4 c warm water
3 T honey (I used brown sugar this time)
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups whole wheat flour
1.5 cups unbleached all purpose flour
For the bread dough- add to the sponge after rising:
1 cup warm water
2+ cups all purpose flour
1 T salt (I use Celtic sea salt)
2 T butter
First, dissolve yeast in warm water in large bowl. Then add the honey, buttermilk, and 2 cups flour. Mix together, then add the rest of the flour until you get a smooth elastic dough. You will end up just kneading it all together after the first few cups of flour. Butter bowl and top of dough, set aside in a cool place with a damp towel covering it. Let rise at least 6hrs, 8-12 would be best.
*Note: I had intended for this stage to occur in 6-8hrs, however, things happened, I forgot and left it 18 hrs. A thick crust had formed on top of the dough and it had deflated, plus is smelled very alcoholic. I kneaded it a bit, proceeded with the rest of the recipe and it was great.
Punch dough down and add the warm water. (If you have a mixer with a dough hook happy you, if not, squish it with your hands till sort of mixed) Add in salt and flour- you may only need 1 cup, but I needed at least 2 cups to get a good elastic dough. Then knead in butter- you do this by putting small bits on your fingers and kneading it in with the dough. Or you could melt it and pour it all in at once before adding the flour.
Once smooth and elastic, cut dough in half and form into loaves. Put dough in greased loaf pans and let rise 1-1.5hrs. Put in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes to and hour. Turn out of pans to cool, slice and eat it.
This bread has a mild flavor, good with anything. It has a semi-crunchy crust but not too much, and the texture is even and slightly chewy, like al dente pasta, not squishy. My daughter who is not a bread eater at 2 pieces in one sitting- crust and all!!
I plan to try it either all or mostly whole wheat next time. I had also intended to add wheat gluten but I forgot. More tweaking in the future.
November 9, 2007
Look at what I made!
Ok, well I didn't make it, but I helped it along. I had several kombucha scobies in the refrigerator- just sitting there because we weren't drinking the kombucha we had and I didn't have time to mess with it. I was afraid they were dead, but thought I would give it a try. Well, after many days nothing was going on, so I put it in a warmer place, and just in case that didn't turn out, I tried an experiment.
I took the brew that was in the fridge that we were supposed to be drinking and just let it sit at room temperature for a few days. (3-5) A 'mushroom' started forming and I let it go until it was somewhat held together and 'pancake'-like. It looked kind of scary, but I gave it a shot and made up a small batch and put it in there. WOW! Look at the whopper it made! I just made another brew of kombucha and put the new scoby in there.
I am continually amazed at how this thing works. Give it the right stuff and it will keep reproducing itself. And might I add, the last brew I made was the best I've made yet. I used a pomegranate herbal tea bag with two regular black tea bags- tastes like fruit punch or something. The kids like it and we've all been drinking it- yea!
This is the one that formed from a batch of the kombucha drink. It's rather wimpy and unevenly formed.
This is the 'baby' that formed after the 'mother' above was sitting in a brew for a week.
This is how thick it got- you can see the difference much better in person. Oh well, I'm still proud of the experiment!
A side note- before I started making kombucha I thought this looked horrendous, but now it's just cool and it doesn't bother me at all to touch it. Weirdo I am!
Anyways, most of my family thinks I am a complete weirdo fermenting food and actually eating it. I happened on some interesting websites last night that sells cultures for making kombucha, kefir, sourdough bread and yogurt. I tried kefir a long time ago, and could never work up the courage to drink it! However, there are some other dairy cultures available that I may try. For more information you can go here:
http://www.gemcultures.com/index.htm
http://www.fermentedtreasures.com/index.html
I am very interested in trying some of these out. It's so hard to decide though!
October 5, 2007
Saurkraut-NT Style
I wanted to get this up yesterday, but couldn't access the site till later last night, then I was too tired. I made some saurkraut- a food I absolutely hate! At least, the storebought version-gag! But, I'd heard real fermented saurkraut was nothing like the canned kind, so I gave it a try.
Here's the lay out- I just used a regular cheapo cabbage, some sea salt, whey that I drained from yogurt, and caraway seeds.
Next I cut the cabbage in half with my very sharp santoku knife, then I cut it in quarters. To get the core out, I slice the core part off on an angle, as shown in the pictures. It's the easiest way I know of.
Next I finely sliced the cabbage and piled it in a large bowl. Next came the rest of the ingredients-1 T salt, 4 T of whey, and 1 t caraway seeds.
Then I have to beat the stuff for 10 minutes with a meat pounder. I don't have one and didn't really want to buy one, so I used my potato masher. The idea is the get the cabbage to exude it's natural juices. I got some juice, but not near enough.
This is what it looks like after pounding.
Then I put it in a quart sized mason jar and added filtered water so that all the cabbage was submerged. I had some leftover that didn't fit in the jar, so I added some other ingredients to make a different flavor.
I had some cilantro and also added about a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and three cloves of roughly chopped garlic. I added a little more salt and whey and pounded some more, then jarred it up. I put them in a cupboard for three days. By the second day you see a change in the veggies and the liquid gets cloudy. I then put the jars in the fridge for a few hours and then tasted it. I have to say, when first opening the jars, the smell is um, rather like a toot LOL. But, it tastes good! I like it!! The one with the garlic and cilantro is really good. It just tastes something like a pickle- tangy and a little crunchy and sour. The one with the caraway seeds would have been better with a bit more salt and maybe even some dill. I bet it's great with a hot dog!
Next I would like to re-try the ginger carrots- we weren't impressed with those, too salty, and then maybe some pickled beets. I've never eaten a beet.
But, probably before that I will make a fruit chutney from apples since they are on sale and in season. I tried a recipe with apples the other night. I took two Jonathon apples, which are semi- tart and great for baking and looked beautiful, half them, brushed with butter, then sprinkled chopped walnuts and a little brown sugar, then roasted them for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. They were supposed to go on top raw baby spinach with a dressing, but the combo didn't taste good to me, so I just ate the apples and spinach separate.
The apples were so yummy though.
Here's the lay out- I just used a regular cheapo cabbage, some sea salt, whey that I drained from yogurt, and caraway seeds.
Next I cut the cabbage in half with my very sharp santoku knife, then I cut it in quarters. To get the core out, I slice the core part off on an angle, as shown in the pictures. It's the easiest way I know of.
Next I finely sliced the cabbage and piled it in a large bowl. Next came the rest of the ingredients-1 T salt, 4 T of whey, and 1 t caraway seeds.
Then I have to beat the stuff for 10 minutes with a meat pounder. I don't have one and didn't really want to buy one, so I used my potato masher. The idea is the get the cabbage to exude it's natural juices. I got some juice, but not near enough.
This is what it looks like after pounding.
Then I put it in a quart sized mason jar and added filtered water so that all the cabbage was submerged. I had some leftover that didn't fit in the jar, so I added some other ingredients to make a different flavor.
I had some cilantro and also added about a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and three cloves of roughly chopped garlic. I added a little more salt and whey and pounded some more, then jarred it up. I put them in a cupboard for three days. By the second day you see a change in the veggies and the liquid gets cloudy. I then put the jars in the fridge for a few hours and then tasted it. I have to say, when first opening the jars, the smell is um, rather like a toot LOL. But, it tastes good! I like it!! The one with the garlic and cilantro is really good. It just tastes something like a pickle- tangy and a little crunchy and sour. The one with the caraway seeds would have been better with a bit more salt and maybe even some dill. I bet it's great with a hot dog!
Next I would like to re-try the ginger carrots- we weren't impressed with those, too salty, and then maybe some pickled beets. I've never eaten a beet.But, probably before that I will make a fruit chutney from apples since they are on sale and in season. I tried a recipe with apples the other night. I took two Jonathon apples, which are semi- tart and great for baking and looked beautiful, half them, brushed with butter, then sprinkled chopped walnuts and a little brown sugar, then roasted them for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. They were supposed to go on top raw baby spinach with a dressing, but the combo didn't taste good to me, so I just ate the apples and spinach separate.
The apples were so yummy though.
July 10, 2007
Experimenting with Bread
As you can see from my previous post about how I cook, I try to make the healthiest foods I can. I make most of our food from scratch, but I generally buy bread. For awhile I was in the habit of making our bread, and it was good. I made it the way most people do though with regular yeast, which isn't necessarily good for you. However, we started moving and bread making went out the window, at least regular bread baking did. So, I'm experimenting with different recipes and methods to see what will work for our family. I made Candy's recipe for amazing bread, which was easy and since it takes a long time to rise, kind of takes care of itself, plus it uses sourdough starter, much better since it's a natural form of leavening. However it is a strong taste and texture than the store bought kind.
I had been wanting to try Hillbillyhousewife's method- which uses only a little yeast and it takes 12-18hrs for the dough to rise. I thought if I used buttermilk it would get rid of the phytates in the whole wheat flour, which lock onto the precious nutrients-vitamins and minerals- and make them unavailable to your body for nourishment. So last night I have it a try.
The ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon yeast
about 2 T honey
1.5 teaspoons of salt
2-3 T softened butter
5-6 cups of whole wheat pastry flour (very finely ground whole wheat)
I did the usual- combine water with yeast and honey and buttermilk, let sit for a few minutes to dissolve yeast. Then I added the salt, butter, and 2 cups of flour. (I used a kitchen aid mixer) Then I switched to the dough hook attachment for the next 3 cups of flour. I took the dough out and kneaded it about 10 minutes, adding about 1/2 c more flour. It did not take the full 6 cups. Then I greased a bowl and rolled the ball of dough around in it, covered with a damp towel and let it rise. I did this around 8pm and at 6:30 am this morning it had doubled in bulk. I didn't think I had enough dough to make two loaves, so I just rolled it out and shaped it into one big loaf. It rose again in the pan for about 45 minutes. When the dough had doubled bulk I baked it at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. It turned into a gigantic loaf of bread!
After it cooled we sliced and buttered and jammed it- it's pretty good. I think it could use a bit more salt and honey for more flavor, but the texture is nice, soft but not crumbly, the crust is crunchy but not super crusty. My kids and I devoured our slices. It was also great with the egg salad we had for lunch. A good all purpose bread with lots of room for variations.
Thursday night I plan to make the full recipe, which makes four loaves, and bake them off Friday and see how we do with the homemade bread. Wished I would have taken a picture of it before I cut into it...oops.
I had been wanting to try Hillbillyhousewife's method- which uses only a little yeast and it takes 12-18hrs for the dough to rise. I thought if I used buttermilk it would get rid of the phytates in the whole wheat flour, which lock onto the precious nutrients-vitamins and minerals- and make them unavailable to your body for nourishment. So last night I have it a try.
The ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon yeast
about 2 T honey
1.5 teaspoons of salt
2-3 T softened butter
5-6 cups of whole wheat pastry flour (very finely ground whole wheat)
I did the usual- combine water with yeast and honey and buttermilk, let sit for a few minutes to dissolve yeast. Then I added the salt, butter, and 2 cups of flour. (I used a kitchen aid mixer) Then I switched to the dough hook attachment for the next 3 cups of flour. I took the dough out and kneaded it about 10 minutes, adding about 1/2 c more flour. It did not take the full 6 cups. Then I greased a bowl and rolled the ball of dough around in it, covered with a damp towel and let it rise. I did this around 8pm and at 6:30 am this morning it had doubled in bulk. I didn't think I had enough dough to make two loaves, so I just rolled it out and shaped it into one big loaf. It rose again in the pan for about 45 minutes. When the dough had doubled bulk I baked it at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. It turned into a gigantic loaf of bread!
After it cooled we sliced and buttered and jammed it- it's pretty good. I think it could use a bit more salt and honey for more flavor, but the texture is nice, soft but not crumbly, the crust is crunchy but not super crusty. My kids and I devoured our slices. It was also great with the egg salad we had for lunch. A good all purpose bread with lots of room for variations.
Thursday night I plan to make the full recipe, which makes four loaves, and bake them off Friday and see how we do with the homemade bread. Wished I would have taken a picture of it before I cut into it...oops.
July 1, 2007
My Kitchen is Alive!
Health has become a sort of hobby to me. I love to research something to death and apply it to my life :) Back in the first year I was married I learned that there is a direct connection between what you eat and the state of your health. Since then I've continued my 'education' on the subject and learned quite a lot.
About a year ago I read, or started reading a book called Nourishing Traditions. It is huge with tons of information in it and I still haven't read everything yet. Basically, it teaches that the foods and preparation of foods that traditional peoples used was the healthiest. For instance, many cultures eat large quantities of fat, either in the form of actual meat and the fat on it, or in fresh milk/milk produts, eggs, nuts etc. Yet, they have little to no heart disease, obesity or health problems in general, including perfect teeth. Another practice was to soak or pre-digest grains and flours, legumes and nuts before cooking and eating them. This was to break down a substance that inhibited the nutrients in the food from being readily absorbed in the body.
Now, at first it is very intimidating. Fermentation is just not a popular thing with most people, nor is taking time to prepare foods slowly. However, I have made gradual changes over the last year, and I'm sharing them with you all.
Let's start with breakfast. We generally eat all natural good quality eggs in any form several days a week, at least 4 times. We enjoy cooking them in virgin coconut oil, which oddly tastes great on the eggs. Who'd have thunk it?
While we are on the topic of soaking, I have finally found THE way to cook beans. I was terrible at cooking dried beans because the after effects were not pleasant. So I didn't cook them very much. After I read Nourishing Traditions, I decided to try it the way it said to in the book. You take your beans, however much you want to cook, wash them, and then soak them in warm water and a couple of tablespoons of vinegar or 1/4 cup of whey.( I used Bragg's Apple Cider vinegar because it's 'living') Let them soak at least 12 hours, drain water, put beans in pot with lots of fresh water, and slowly let it come up to a simmer. Let them simmer on low for a few hours, until tender, then season as desired. Works great, no after effects :) This method works for all types of beans except lentils, which only need about 7hrs to soak. This same process is also used for whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, bulgur wheat, millet, and quinoa. (prounounced keen-wah)
Dairy products- I actually found a source of raw milk close by. Why raw milk? Well, during the pasteurization process, many of the enzymes necessary for digesting the milk are destroyed, and ultimately the nutritional value is lowered significantly. People drank milk straight from the source for how many years? Obviously the world didn't die out so it must have been a good thing. We buy two gallons of raw goat milk every two weeks. It is expensive, but I supplement it with organic milk from the store to help stretch it. The goat milk is specifically for drinking. We eat storebought yogurt as of now (I'm in love with the Brown Cow brand full fat plain yogurt with honey on top). I tried to make yogurt from the goat milk, but it flopped majorly.
Speaking of fermentation, I have been brewing an interesting drink called kombucha. It is a drink made from regular ole tea and white sugar. BUT, you place a 'mushroom' or scoby it is called, which is a large pancake looking mass of bacteria basically. They are the good guys though. They convert the sugar and caffeine into an excellent form of probiotics and natural detoxifiers. It's taken awhile, but I finally got the recipe adjusted to something we really like. What is neat about this thing is that each time you make a batch, the 'mother' mushroom creates a new 'baby' one, so then you have two. Now you can make two separate batches and end up with 4 scobies and so on...
Nourishing Traditions also explains that traditional breads were not made from commercial yeast, and that yeast is a relatively 'new invention'. People made sourdough bread with starter. The one in the book is a rye starter. Very simple- you take a cup of rye flour, a cup of water and mix together, then leave in a warm place with a breathable covering (towel, cheesecloth) over it. You actually 'catch' a wild yeast, and then each day for 7 days you add more flour and water. Then you have enough starter to make some bread. Candy graciously brought me some of her starter and saved me the time of creating another one since mine didn't make the move. Can't wait to try her Amazing bread recipe. ** I have pictures of the starter and me adding to it, but I can't get them to load. I will try again later.
Apparently, people also used to ferment or pickle just about everything before refrigeration. The good lactobacilli would inhibit the growth of bad bacteria and render a very digestible chocked full of the good guys (probiotics- good bacteria) quality food. Here is a step by step process for making the 'real' lacto-fermented pickles. I was originally going to do this with some fresh cucumbers from someone's garden, but I just didn't have time before they needed to be used up. So, I just used regular cucumbers from the store and peeled them.
Here is the general set up and recipe from the book.
I peeled and sliced the cucumbers about 1/4 inch thick. In they go into a quart sized jar- actually this jar might be a bit bigger, not sure. I pour in the whey that I drained from a container of yogurt. *Note to self, do not try to use fat free yogurt to get whey, because you don't get much! That's what I get for being cheap.
Then I add the whole mustard seeds, the wonderful smelling fresh dill weed, and a tablespoon of salt. I use Real Salt, which is salt extracted from the ocean sea bed and contains all the minerals and the reason why it looks like beach sand.
Then I added two cups of filtered water, stirred it a bit, and closed the lid. It is important for the lid to be tight fitting for this one. Then I sit it in a corner of the kitchen for two days to ferment. They are then transferred to cold storage, or the refrigerator. The texture will not be crisp and crunchy like pickles made with vinegar, and the last time I made them I didn't have the dill or mustard seed, I think I used garlic instead. I will be reporting on how this batch turns out in a few days.
One other basic skill of cooking the Nourishing Traditions way is making homemade meat stocks. I was doing this regularly for awhile, but somehow got out of the habit of it. Stocks made from the bones of chickens, cows and fish provide a very nourishing powerhouse of nutrition. This is not a hard process. For awhile I was using my stockpots and simmering my stocks in it. Then I learned that I could use my large crockpot to cook a stock. You take either a whole chicken, cut up or left whole, or leftover chicken bones, put in crockpot with half to a whole onion, a carrot, a stick of celery, some whole peppercorns (if desired), a bay leaf and a little salt, cover with water, and add approximately 1/4c vinegar to the mix. Let sit for an hour or overnight. The vinegar draws out all the nutrients from the bones and veggies. Then turn the crockpot on low and let cook for 10 hours. Afterwards, strain stock and cool, then either refrigerate, use it right away or freeze. Boy does it make such a difference in homemade soup or anything that calls for broth.
Now, while I do try to make the healthiest food possible for my family, I have to be practical. I don't have access or money to buy all organic foods. We do have three tomato plants that are producing tomatoes, and access to produce stands, but as far as meat goes, we stick to ground turkey and other turkey products, chicken and a little beef. Pork doesn't agree with us too well. We eat lots of veggies, either in salads, fresh or frozen. But, my kids eat goldfish crackers, juice from frozen concentrate, occasional cereal and the homemade treats I make. All in moderation here. I could do a lot better with our diet as far as cutting the sugar more, but isn't that part of being a kid? The sheer excitement and enjoyment of eating a cookie or a popsicle? Hey, at least it is homemade :)
Here is the set up- bowl with strainer, cheesecloth, then yogurt. You can see the whey in the above picture where I am pouring it into the cucumbers.
If you are wondering how you get whey from yogurt, here is how. I have a sieve that I lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel will work and set it over a bowl. I pour the plain yogurt into the sieve and let sit for several hours or overnight. The whey drips down into the bowl and the yogurt becomes firmer and 'yogurt cheese'. So now you have whey and cheese, or curds and whey Little Miss Muffet, ha,ha!
About a year ago I read, or started reading a book called Nourishing Traditions. It is huge with tons of information in it and I still haven't read everything yet. Basically, it teaches that the foods and preparation of foods that traditional peoples used was the healthiest. For instance, many cultures eat large quantities of fat, either in the form of actual meat and the fat on it, or in fresh milk/milk produts, eggs, nuts etc. Yet, they have little to no heart disease, obesity or health problems in general, including perfect teeth. Another practice was to soak or pre-digest grains and flours, legumes and nuts before cooking and eating them. This was to break down a substance that inhibited the nutrients in the food from being readily absorbed in the body.
Now, at first it is very intimidating. Fermentation is just not a popular thing with most people, nor is taking time to prepare foods slowly. However, I have made gradual changes over the last year, and I'm sharing them with you all.
Let's start with breakfast. We generally eat all natural good quality eggs in any form several days a week, at least 4 times. We enjoy cooking them in virgin coconut oil, which oddly tastes great on the eggs. Who'd have thunk it?
On other days we eat our beloved Scottish oatmeal. My kids really like it, so I make 1.5cups dry oatmeal, which probably comes out to 3-4cups cooked. Oats contain phytates, which is a substance that inhibits the nutrients from being broken down and absorbed in the body. So, at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours before you eat it, you soak the oats in filtered water and an acidic medium. The preferred is whey, which is from milk or yogurt, or good quality buttermilk, kefir (a fermented milk) or if there are severe milk allergies, vinegar. I keep buttermilk on hand all the time, so that is my usual choice. When cooked, the oatmeal has a slight tang, like good buttermilk biscuits. We top ours with cinnamon, raw honey or brown sugar and some milk. I also make pancakes, muffins etc. and remember to soak the flour about half the time :)
While we are on the topic of soaking, I have finally found THE way to cook beans. I was terrible at cooking dried beans because the after effects were not pleasant. So I didn't cook them very much. After I read Nourishing Traditions, I decided to try it the way it said to in the book. You take your beans, however much you want to cook, wash them, and then soak them in warm water and a couple of tablespoons of vinegar or 1/4 cup of whey.( I used Bragg's Apple Cider vinegar because it's 'living') Let them soak at least 12 hours, drain water, put beans in pot with lots of fresh water, and slowly let it come up to a simmer. Let them simmer on low for a few hours, until tender, then season as desired. Works great, no after effects :) This method works for all types of beans except lentils, which only need about 7hrs to soak. This same process is also used for whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, bulgur wheat, millet, and quinoa. (prounounced keen-wah)
Dairy products- I actually found a source of raw milk close by. Why raw milk? Well, during the pasteurization process, many of the enzymes necessary for digesting the milk are destroyed, and ultimately the nutritional value is lowered significantly. People drank milk straight from the source for how many years? Obviously the world didn't die out so it must have been a good thing. We buy two gallons of raw goat milk every two weeks. It is expensive, but I supplement it with organic milk from the store to help stretch it. The goat milk is specifically for drinking. We eat storebought yogurt as of now (I'm in love with the Brown Cow brand full fat plain yogurt with honey on top). I tried to make yogurt from the goat milk, but it flopped majorly.
Speaking of fermentation, I have been brewing an interesting drink called kombucha. It is a drink made from regular ole tea and white sugar. BUT, you place a 'mushroom' or scoby it is called, which is a large pancake looking mass of bacteria basically. They are the good guys though. They convert the sugar and caffeine into an excellent form of probiotics and natural detoxifiers. It's taken awhile, but I finally got the recipe adjusted to something we really like. What is neat about this thing is that each time you make a batch, the 'mother' mushroom creates a new 'baby' one, so then you have two. Now you can make two separate batches and end up with 4 scobies and so on...
Nourishing Traditions also explains that traditional breads were not made from commercial yeast, and that yeast is a relatively 'new invention'. People made sourdough bread with starter. The one in the book is a rye starter. Very simple- you take a cup of rye flour, a cup of water and mix together, then leave in a warm place with a breathable covering (towel, cheesecloth) over it. You actually 'catch' a wild yeast, and then each day for 7 days you add more flour and water. Then you have enough starter to make some bread. Candy graciously brought me some of her starter and saved me the time of creating another one since mine didn't make the move. Can't wait to try her Amazing bread recipe. ** I have pictures of the starter and me adding to it, but I can't get them to load. I will try again later.
Apparently, people also used to ferment or pickle just about everything before refrigeration. The good lactobacilli would inhibit the growth of bad bacteria and render a very digestible chocked full of the good guys (probiotics- good bacteria) quality food. Here is a step by step process for making the 'real' lacto-fermented pickles. I was originally going to do this with some fresh cucumbers from someone's garden, but I just didn't have time before they needed to be used up. So, I just used regular cucumbers from the store and peeled them.
Here is the general set up and recipe from the book.
I peeled and sliced the cucumbers about 1/4 inch thick. In they go into a quart sized jar- actually this jar might be a bit bigger, not sure. I pour in the whey that I drained from a container of yogurt. *Note to self, do not try to use fat free yogurt to get whey, because you don't get much! That's what I get for being cheap.
Then I add the whole mustard seeds, the wonderful smelling fresh dill weed, and a tablespoon of salt. I use Real Salt, which is salt extracted from the ocean sea bed and contains all the minerals and the reason why it looks like beach sand.
Then I added two cups of filtered water, stirred it a bit, and closed the lid. It is important for the lid to be tight fitting for this one. Then I sit it in a corner of the kitchen for two days to ferment. They are then transferred to cold storage, or the refrigerator. The texture will not be crisp and crunchy like pickles made with vinegar, and the last time I made them I didn't have the dill or mustard seed, I think I used garlic instead. I will be reporting on how this batch turns out in a few days.
One other basic skill of cooking the Nourishing Traditions way is making homemade meat stocks. I was doing this regularly for awhile, but somehow got out of the habit of it. Stocks made from the bones of chickens, cows and fish provide a very nourishing powerhouse of nutrition. This is not a hard process. For awhile I was using my stockpots and simmering my stocks in it. Then I learned that I could use my large crockpot to cook a stock. You take either a whole chicken, cut up or left whole, or leftover chicken bones, put in crockpot with half to a whole onion, a carrot, a stick of celery, some whole peppercorns (if desired), a bay leaf and a little salt, cover with water, and add approximately 1/4c vinegar to the mix. Let sit for an hour or overnight. The vinegar draws out all the nutrients from the bones and veggies. Then turn the crockpot on low and let cook for 10 hours. Afterwards, strain stock and cool, then either refrigerate, use it right away or freeze. Boy does it make such a difference in homemade soup or anything that calls for broth.
Now, while I do try to make the healthiest food possible for my family, I have to be practical. I don't have access or money to buy all organic foods. We do have three tomato plants that are producing tomatoes, and access to produce stands, but as far as meat goes, we stick to ground turkey and other turkey products, chicken and a little beef. Pork doesn't agree with us too well. We eat lots of veggies, either in salads, fresh or frozen. But, my kids eat goldfish crackers, juice from frozen concentrate, occasional cereal and the homemade treats I make. All in moderation here. I could do a lot better with our diet as far as cutting the sugar more, but isn't that part of being a kid? The sheer excitement and enjoyment of eating a cookie or a popsicle? Hey, at least it is homemade :)
Here is the set up- bowl with strainer, cheesecloth, then yogurt. You can see the whey in the above picture where I am pouring it into the cucumbers.If you are wondering how you get whey from yogurt, here is how. I have a sieve that I lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel will work and set it over a bowl. I pour the plain yogurt into the sieve and let sit for several hours or overnight. The whey drips down into the bowl and the yogurt becomes firmer and 'yogurt cheese'. So now you have whey and cheese, or curds and whey Little Miss Muffet, ha,ha!
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